Milestones

We hit a few milestones recently in our family. One of the newest ones was acknowledged tonight during supper. The older boys, Fred and I were talking about Stephen's swimming lesson that morning when I glanced over and looked at Christopher. He had stopped eating his zucchini and was intently watching his hands as he clapped them together over and over. I gushed, of course, and started praising him for his newest accomplishment and then it became a game for him. We all started clapping with him and he was just laughing and laughing at himself ... or maybe it was at us?? He had a hard time finishing his meal after that because he was so enthralled with his new skill of clapping. For the rest of the evening we were all kept entertained by him. He'd be playing with his blocks or the trains and he'd just stop mid-play and watch his hands clap. And then he'd crack himself up all over again. That caused us to laugh and the cycle went on and on. He was so cute!!

His second milestone hit when I picked him up to carry him upstairs. I told him to tell Daddy goodnight and to say bye-bye. I couldn't believe it when I saw him lift his hand and squeeze his fingers together in that initial baby-like wave! We all oooooed and aaaahhhhed all over again and he was in his glory! Two new skills in one day! He's growing up so fast.

Stephen hit a little milestone this past week as well. He learned how to play Uno. He's been into games lately anyway, but to watch him play a card game, and even use a little strategy tonight to keep Daddy drawing more cards, was a joy to watch. It was interesting listening to him try to explain it to Timothy, too, who caught on quickly that he needed to match colors and numbers. Timothy doesn't quite get the strategies. Actually, Timothy couldn't care less about strategies. He's just concerned about putting cards on the piles. Stephen is really catching on and I'm sure he'd love to challenge Grandpa or Grandma to a game! Watch out!

His next milestone comes in a little over a month when he will start Junior Kindergarten at Brigadoon Public School. Here in Canada, children who turn four years old are able to attend Junior Kindergarten and in our local school, it is a combined class with Senior Kindergarteners so they will be getting the same exposure as the older kids. Stephen is so social and so academically ready for school that we are excited that he is able to go this year. I still have a hard time believing that my baby is going to getting on that big, yellow bus and will be driven away from me, but hey! We all experienced it and we turned out ok, didn't we? :) It will be an adjustment for all of us, but it will be so good for him!

Milestones are exciting to watch in your children's lives, but at the same time I do wonder if we are completely training our children in the way they should go so that when they are old, they won't depart from it. We pray that God would give us the wisdom and knowledge to train them and that living a life for Him will be a given for them.