Our Strange Little Man

Well, it's about time I posted something about Nathan! I'm realizing lately that he really is the odd-ball out in our family. He is our only boy. He has super blond blond hair and all the rest of the family has the exact same shade of brown. And, in a family full of hazel eyes he has the most beautiful big brown eyes! We can't figure out exactly where he came from . . . but he is so unbelievably adorable, that we've decided to keep him.

I have to share a funny story that is just SO Nathan! This morning we were going to pick Emma up from preschool and he wanted to take his library book into the preschool (he LOVES books). I told him "No, we don't take library books into the preschool" (because he inevitably drops them and they get mixed up with all the preschool stories). Then he proceeded to cling tenaciously to the beloved library story and I had to tear it from his hands, and drag him bodily from the car, all the while promising we would be right back to get his library story. Finally I get him out of the car with the library book still in the car and close the door. But, he refuses to be carried. He has this uncanny ability to make himself impossible to hold onto by twisting and contorting and then going stiff as a board. So I set him down on the ground and he immediately collapses on the sidewalk and refuses to walk. So I stand there for a few minutes and try to reason with him. To no avail. He will not be persuaded to leave the vehicle in which rests his beloved book. I'm questioning the wisdom of denying him the stupid book in the first place, but I've gone too far to turn back now. So I try another tact.

As I take minuscule steps toward the preschool gate, I say, "Nathan, mommy has to go get Emma, so you can come, or you can stay here sitting on the sidewalk. You get to choose." Thankfully, he doesn't call me on this horrible bluff. I would NEVER have left him alone on that sidewalk. But, he is still not willing to give up the fight, stand up, and walk next to me. He would never admit defeat so easily. Instead, he begins to slowly drag his bum across the sidewalk towards the gate. (I worry a little about the wear and tear this is putting on the butt of his jeans, but decide that DEFINITELY isn't worth the fight.) I'm just glad he is willing to move, and luckily we have plenty of time. So, I stand on the sidewalk with the gate open and wait for the 4 or 5 minutes it takes him to inch his stubborn little tukas across the sidewalk and through the gate. Then, I close the gate (I'm not taking chances on him deciding to dash back to the car), and step up the steps and open the second gate. I have to admit, I'm a little curious as to how he is going to manage the steps without standing up.

So, I wait patiently again until he reaches the steps and flops onto his tummy. He then proceeds to crawl/slither up the steps (still refusing to remove any unnecessary part of his body from the ground). Now I'm not irritated anymore, I'm actually quite entertained! After he slithers up the steps and through the gate he picks up the pace a little and crawls the rest of the walk way and through the preschool door. VICTORY!! I'm not sure who's victory it is, but I guess I'll take what I can get!! Ah, life with an 18-month-old is good!!