Toooogether.

Well, as you know, our family is not actually together, but I will tie in the title a little later.  These last couple of weeks have made me so amazingly proud of my little man that I really had to write a post on it.  Tommy has been gone and you would think that might throw a little wrench into Wyatt's life, but not only does he just seem to be taking it all in stride, it is as if he knows that I am 8 months pregnant and need him to be on his best behavior.

He has been so good, that it has me thinking that I have the best "job" in the world to be staying home with him.  It is so much fun to see him grow and develop, and at this age I feel like I can start to see a lot of the rewards for the hard work we put in as parents the first couple of years.  Some days I can literally see the wheels turning in his little brain as he contemplates choices and decisions and, nine times out of ten, does the "right" thing. It is amazing to me!

I am just so proud of him and feel like he is becoming so grown up.  We try to teach him manners and responsibility, even at the ripe old age of two; this has resulted in him asking to be excused from the table after finishing eating, taking his plate and silverware into the kitchen to the sink, washing his own hands, and coming back to push his chair in.  Sometimes he will even try to wash his dish in the sink!

When people give him something, he'll say thank you; when I thank him for doing something he'll say, "You're welcome, mom."  Last night I said, "Wyatt, guess what? You're going to make homemade Ice Cream at school tomorrow!" and he said, "I'm going to listen to my teachers." This is not something I've told him ever... maybe he was told that by the teacher(s) though ;)

The other day he was in his room napping and I was in my room putting things away. I heard him wake up and begin to play with some of his toys. He played for about 5 minutes, then came out wearing his sunglasses and carrying his blankey and told me, "I'm going to the park now, mom.  You can stay here, 'kay? I'll be okay."  I burst out laughing, he looked so funny, and he said, "Why you laughing at me mom?" with a big old cheesey grin on his face!

This morning he woke up and I heard him call "Mama..."  So I went into his room, and he gave me a big hug and a kiss and said, "Love you, mama!"  Then he lifted up my shirt, kissed my belly, and said, "Hi, baby!  Love you baby!" It was so sweet.

My favorite time of day is our bedtime ritual.  After his bath (or lately, shower), we'll brush teeth, get our jammies on, and read a few books.  One of his favorite books is a Cars book that ends with the line by McQueen..."And now we both love it here...together!"  I always let Wyatt say the "together" part at the end.  Then after we would tuck him in, Tommy and I would both lay by him to sing some songs and give him a kiss goodnight.  Then he started putting one arm around each of us and saying, "Tooooogether!"  It is the cutest thing ever.  I can't wait until Tommy gets home to hear that again!

Yesterday we were inside the house and we heard the trumpet sound to signal colors.  On a military installation, they do this once in the morning and once in late afternoon, and if you are outside this means that you are to stop what you are doing, face the direction of the flag, and take 3 minutes out of your life to pay honor to those who have died while the music plays. If you are driving, you stop your car. If you are walking, biking, whatever, you stop and salute.  But even on base, there are many adults whose lives are "too important" to stop for colors.  Yet my 2 year-old stopped what he was doing and told me, "Just a minute mom. Wait for the music."  Definitely made me tear up!

I have the lucky advantage of living here in Okinawa where there are all kinds of great places to take him to, culture to teach him about, and things to do, and I am trying to enjoy all that now before baby comes and we don't have as much time to spend together.  Part of me is really sad that he won't be the sole focus of my world anymore and that he'll have to share the spotlight, but I know he'll take it all in stride and be a wonderful big brother to this little baby!