Consider the Successes

In fairness, I feel I should share with you all of the many successes Bryton has had recently. 

After all, there is something about watching your child succeed, or overcome fear, or show trust, or develop kindness, that brings a smile to the lips and a tear to the eye.  Makes me think God must feel the same for us. 

Anyway, here are a few Bryton tidbits:

• Little Man has dominated the tricycle recently, and I do mean dominated.  For a kid who literally could not reach the pedals two months ago, we've walked (ahem, jogged) next to him up and down the sidewalks the past couple days, after catching him riding it in circles around our enclosed front porch.  We didn't even know he was capable!  Go B!
• He has shown no fear with the pool this year.  Rewind to just a few weeks ago when he was terrified of the very small waterfall at the Penguin exhibit at the zoo, and we were worried that our 2 year old's pool time would be minimal this year.  We were mistaken.  He's all about jumping off the edge, whether you are there to catch him at all.  He may be a little too comfortable. 
• The past two days I've watched Bryton show a level of compassion for other kids his age that I've never seen before.  He's not sure what to do with it yet, but he's recognizing the hurt in others, and as a mother who wants him to exude compassion, kindness, and concern, I'm proud of him just for noticing.  
• We made it all day with one time-out.  One, I tell you.  God, Himself, must be responsible for that.  Afterall, when we're bad, it's us, when we're good, it's the Jesus in us (seems like I've heard that somewhere before)... 
• And finally... Bryton's time out routine goes something like this: being sent to time out, serving his 'time', being told to get up, him coming to us in which we ask what he's done wrong.  He tells us why he had to have a time out, we explain to him why what he did was bad (trying not to use the 'because we told you so' line), and he's expected to say he's sorry (and also to apologize to whomever else was involved... which really is only applicable when it's the dog... the only being he ever abuses).  Anyhow, Aaron's been adding in the question, "What does 'I'm sorry' mean?"  To which Bryton now replies, "Sorry means I won't do it again."  (On a side note, I, of course, wanted to add, "I feel bad for what I've done,' but I don't know that he's at a place in life where he can be remorseful for his actions just yet, and I don't want him lying, so for right now, we'll go with "I won't do it again.")  All in all - I mentioned all of that just to say, he's grasping a better concept of apology and of right and wrong.  

(That being noted, he's also grasping a better concept of 'flash a really great smile and say "I love you, daddy," when Aaron is disciplining, which I get a really great chuckle out of if I'm not in view.)

It's crazy all of the little successes we are having.  Bryton was with Aaron in the pool today, and he suddenly looked huge to me.  I still refer to him as my baby, but he sure is looking like a little boy.

Until next time -
A