Hey! Mama! Guess What?!

Agatha's big-girl hairdo

Henry's labels for the seeds

When we had our teacher conference a couple of weeks ago, Henry's teachers told us they've seen a blossoming in his social development, and we have certainly seen this at home as well. His cranky contrarianism has been replaced most days with an eager enthusiasm. A most welcome development! It's hard to put my finger on what's different, but he's just more attuned to others' feelings and the appropriate emotions/expressions for certain occasions, and it makes him more fun and appreciative and loving. He's always loved doing projects with Michael, for instance, but now he expresses his pleasure and excitement verbally, and he's more flexible and pragmatic in doing the project (unexpected things don't throw him for a loop). He also notices if we get a bit peeved and do some equivalent of eye-rolling; he calls us on it directly: "Mama, are you mad at me?"

Henry is also talking constantly lately, with forcefulness and gusto, although with dubious credibility. "Mama! Guess what?! When snakes get older, they turn green. So all those snakes in the snake museum, I think when they are 148 years old, they will all be green!... Mama! When ferns start to grow, they have a lot of itchy things, little itchy prickers on them. But then, during the night, they e-vap-or-ate and the itchy things develop into the little stems that hold the leaf to the branch! That's evaporation! Did you know that? ... Mama! Is it that there is no Last Number [his word for infinity]? I have to tell you, there's something amazing about this number, it's one of my favorite numbers-- Mama!! Guess what!! I think just past the bank here there is a special place where we can get ice cream!"

Choosing pansies at the garden center, riding his tricycle, planting seeds with Michael-- everything is an occasion for an enthusiastic discourse on the rules, things to keep in mind, questions and unsolved mysteries involved. Sometimes I do have to plead with him to stop talking for just a minute, but mostly it is so dear and so, so funny.