Thoughtful

Although Ryan is still getting up between 3:30 and 5:30 in the morning, at least he is thoughtful about what he does when he gets up.

He comes in to see if we're awake;
1. if we wake up to him staring at us he asks "Mommy, do you want me to lay down with you? I can snuggle."
2. if we don't respond to his silent stare he goes into the living room and "cleans up the mess" that I apparently left. This normally means that he rearranges his toys into one long line (or a train as he calls it) around the downstairs. Then he finds all the shoes he can and lines them up by the front door. Next he piles any clothes on the floor into a big mound at the foot of my bed. After all this he wakes me up to show me what a good helper he is. "Mommy I cleaned up the mess you left last night."

If I seem to be getting the least bit frustrated in the car or at the house, he says "don't worry mommy, I will show you." Show me what, I don't know. Perhaps he wants to show me some of the patience that I've been trying to find for 31 years now.

If I wear something different I hear:
1. "Mommy I like your new hair" (this when I have a towel on my head after a shower.)
2. "Ah, mommy I like your pretty dress." This when I wear a skirt, like today.

Sometimes I think Ryan is more observant than most adults are.