I have just gotten out of the habit of blogging lately, and I apologize especially to the grandparents who are suffering from a severe lack of grandchildren stories.
Tucker helped Austin and I both celebrate our birthdays recently. I think possibly he was more excited about our birthdays than either of us were. That boy certainly does not lack enthusiasm. I think Tucker has been around adult women too much because when we opened a present or a card he would say "Awwww" as in "Awwww, that's so cute." He sounds like a middle aged woman meets three year-old.
I've mentioned before that I feel like Tucker is smarter than I am. This Sunday in church he spent the service trying to get my attention the whole time by blowing kisses and/or hugging Molly. Those gestures would be adorable if the whole point of the activity wasn't Tucker trying to see how much he could control the situation, how much he could get away with, and what my personal boundaries are as a parent. Couldn't he pick something a little more overtly hostile and disruptive to test the boundaries with?
On the subject of church, Tucker continues to be fascinated by our priest, Father Glenn. He says things like, "Father Glenn, I love that guy!" and sometimes does the hand motions that Fr. Glenn does and repeats parts of Fr. Glenn's part in the liturgy. A month or so ago he spent the whole ride home from church asking questions about Fr. Glenn, mostly where he lived, and if he has a playground in his backyard. Now when we pass Harris Teeter, Tucker says, "Fr. Glenn lives around here!" Tucker is also obsessed with the process of extinguishing the candles at church. He is pretty sure that when I grow up I will become a big boy and can extinguish the candles at church. This Sunday Austin was the layreader so he was up at the altar and apparently Tucker was very upset that he wasn't the one putting out the candles. He is already wondering when he will be old enough to put out the candles.
Tucker is also obsessed by teeth falling out. A six year-old friend from church was showing Tucker where he lost a tooth, and introduced Tucker to the idea of baby teeth and adult teeth. Tucker is very interested. He has clarified with me and with Austin numerous times about who has baby teeth, who has mommy/daddy teeth and what kind of teeth Molly will be getting. Tucker is not a child who is afraid to dissect a subject to death and this is a case in point. Of course, a new book about Arthur losing a tooth hasn't helped the situation.
Speaking of books and obsessions, currently Tucker is into the Froggy series and it's driving me nuts. I think I would prefer to shoot myself than to read more Froggy books. FYI.
The biggest development in Tucker's young life lately is that his incessant talking has becoming more incessant. Right now he must ask about 1000 questions a day. If he doesn't have a new question to ask, he asks a question he has just asked. If he just asked a question, he may as well elaborate on it with another question. Our discussions go something like this:
Tucker: Will my raincoat blow away in the wind?
Austin: No, it won't
Tucker: How won't it blow away in the wind?
Austin: It's too heavy.
Tucker: How is it too heavy?
Austin: The wind isn't strong enough.
Tucker: How is the wind not strong enough?
Austin: Go ask Ben.
Tucker: How will Ben be able to talk?
Austin: [No answer]
Tucker: Will my water blow away in the wind?
[Repeat entire conversation about water.]
I love my exuberant little boy, but by the end of the day I'm really channeling that oldies song: "Silence is golden, golden...."
