The Boys Lately

The boys have changed so much recently and it seemingly happened overnight.

Towards the end of the school year, we discovered that W’s school was offering a “summer camp”.  The schedule was a bit different than what W was used to – 4 straight days centered around a specific subject and each class was 3 hours long.  W had been attending school just twice a week, 2 hours each day.  So essentially, he’d be going from 4 hours of class per week to 12 hours of class each week if we enrolled him.  Quite a difference.  I explained the class to him (as best I could) and told W that there would be different friends in the class.  W was hesitant and I didn’t push it.  Later, I found out that a teacher W was familiar with would be teaching most of the classes and at least 2 children in his class would be attending.  I mentioned it to W again and this time he said he wanted to go to the class.  A and I discussed and debated signing him up.  Eventually, we decided to sign W up for just one week and see how it went.  There would be lots of differences in addition to the schedule: A would drop him off and pick him up, most of the class would take place outside, many of the kids would be older.  So far, W has completed 3 of 4 days and he LOVES it.  I come home from work and he excitedly tells me all about his day, what he did, what he had for snack, etc.  He talks about his friend, JP, and even asks to have friends visit the house.  I’m not sure why exactly he seems to like this class so much better than his previous one, but I’m THRILLED.  He’s thriving in a way I’ve never seen before.

In addition to class going extremely well, W has an amazing concept of cause and effect.  He always has, but it seems to have escalated lately.  He’ll tell me a complete story… “sometimes people fall down and get hurt.  They may break a bone and then they have to go to the hospital so their bones can get fixed…”  He also has an incredible memory.  I think this is normal, but continues to amaze me.  Recently, he told me that when he was a baby, he fell down the stairs and at the time, he was wearing green pajamas.  He did fall down the stairs about a year and a half ago, but I figured he was just imagining the pajamas.  I asked him to describe the pjs and he told me they were green Christmas pajamas.  I responded that I didn’t think he had such a thing to which he replied, “yes, they were green Christmas pajamas with trees on them.”  Holy crap.  He was right.  I was shocked.  Another thing that amazes me is his understanding of spacial arrangement and direction.  He knows the way to school, Grandma’s house, the grocery store, A’s work, Nani’s house, etc. and will notice if we take a different route.  I am beyond terrible with directions so he definitely doesn’t get this from me.

And then there’s S.  He’s been nothing but trouble lately.  Ha.  He’s been mischievous in a way I’ve never experienced.  He’s always been a daredevil, but now he’s combining his daring ways with mischief.  I’ll turn around and see that he’s climbed up a step stool and is standing on top of the toilet removing tissues from the box, one by one.  He’ll throw various items down the stairs.  He’ll open the trash and take out pieces of garbage.  He’ll also open drawers and remove clothing or whatever he finds.  He took a bottle of lotion off A’s side table and threw it in the toilet.  If W is taking a bath, he’ll grab anything within reach and try to throw it in the tub.  Trouble.  He’s totally making up for all those sweet, smiley, easy going baby moments. J