Amazing Conversations
Raimi uses actual sentences now.
“I have it” has been one he has said for awhile — I think at first it was like one word that he would use to mean, “I’m holding it and I’m not going to give it to you,” as in:
Me: Raimi, give me that rusty nail.
Raimi: I HAVE it.
Me: I know you have it. Please give it to me.
Raimi: I HAVE it.
But now he says more complicated things, Like at bedtime if Kevin leaves the room and I’m still relaxing with Raimi, he’ll say, “Where Daddy go?” And if Kevin brings him his bedtime bottle or gives him a present, he says, “Thank you Daddy.” (Pronounced, “Dankyou Dahddy”)
Raimi can even express his feelings — I guess that’s what really blows my mind. We went for his flu shot a couple of weeks ago. He was very upset by the shot, but immediately quieted down when the nurse opened a drawer full of candy and offered him some. I helped him pick out some Skittles, and then showed him that he needs to chew them (he started out just sucking on them), and he pretty much enjoyed those candies for a good hour or so.
That night in his bath, he pointed at the band-aid on his thigh and said, “Ouch.” I said, “Yeah, you had to have a shot today.” So he said, “Mommy did it.” A little sad, but proud of him for saying what he remembered, I said, “Mommy brought you to get your shot, because it will keep you healthy and strong.” And he said, “Candy. I hold it.” and held out his hands.
Also, I hope I never forget the look on Raimi’s face at dinnertime when we hold hands and say what we’re grateful for. This is a new ritual we’re trying out, and so far it fits. I think Raimi likes holding Mommy and Daddy’s hands, and he just gets this look on his face where he seems to look right into our eyes – into our souls – with this expression of delight and surprise. And he listens to what we say, and once I asked, “Raimi are you grateful for anything?” and he looked kind of uncertain, and then he said quietly but definitively, “Yes.”
Last night, I asked Raimi if he would like to have a little brother or a sister, and he said “Yes.”
Just to make sure, I asked, “would you like to be a brother?” And again he said, “Yes.”
And just to really make sure he understood the question, I said, “Would you like to have a baby to play with, just like at Joy’s house?” and he said, “Yes. I hold it.” And he held out his arms in the shape of a hug, just big enough for holding a baby.