Patience is a Virtue

Now that Harry's 3, he's really learning how to cooperate and follow directions (when of course it suits him). This weekend showed 2 particular episodes of how well he's doing in these practices:

Case #1: Generous George's Positive Pizza Place
As many of you know, one of our guilty pleasures subtly masquerading as a "family tradition" is Friday Pizza Night. This past Friday, Harry was minding his own business, eagerly awaiting his pizza whilst sucking down some lemonade, when who should walk in, but a large clown making balloon-things. Kim and I immediately and instinctively thought of Vince Vaughn's act in Wedding Crashers... "MAKE ME A BIKE, CLOWN"


So we give it a moment while we watch from the other side of the room, while the clown makes not only a bike, but something that clearly resembles a Harley-Davidson (Sorry Vince, you're out)!!

The clown continues to make his way around the room, and Harry waits patiently, calmly asking every so often if we think he's going to come to our table. He eventually does, and proceeds to make the coolest looking purple car with googly eyes, akin to all of the favorites in his recent obsession, Cars.

Mind you, virtually the entire time that the guy is spending at our table (very nice guy by the way... commit this one to memory, as you'll likely see him atone of Harry's parties in the near future), this other table of kids (either still or already in their PJ's by the way... ) came over to hover while it was Harry's turn. I thought he did very well waiting for the clown to make it to our table without losing it, or giving his best Stingy impersonation -- "mine!"



Case #2: The Little Gym
Harry's gym classes have been covering the transition from full parental involvement, to we sit in the lobby and watch the kids do their thing. Admittedly, for one reason or another, Harry hasn't been able to make it there consistently, so the progress from one stage of kids-only to the next has been more of a jump each week. However this week was very impressive.

The instructors use the "big yellow wall" as home-base for getting the kids to pay attention. This week's new gymnastic skill was jumping one the springboard. They were asked to sit against the wall, and listen up, while the teacher explained that everyone would get a turn, but you had to wait for your name to be called.

Harry immediately assumed that he would naturally demonstrate, and hopped right up to visit Ms. Jamie at the springboard. Very efficiently, as if expected, she walked him right back over to sit down, without missing a beat, reminding him to wait for his name to be called. She proceeded to go through the entire class... some did well with getting up alone in front of everyone, some didn't. All the while, Harry listened intently for his name, while Kim and I watched from the side of the room.

As the rest of the class took their turns, and Ms Kendra began to move on, the rest of the parents quickly reminded her that Harry was still waiting patiently. When she did call on him, he jumped up with the same enthusiasm and grin as the first try, and bounced right along.

Suffice to say, I think I've begun to take for granted how much he understands, follows, converses, and thinks about. So much so, that it's very difficult to make the distinction between times he can't and times he just won't. The frustration at these times is immense, and is often immediately followed by a gentle reminder from the voice of reason (read: Kim), that he is only 3.

On an unrelated note, for those of you (including myself) whose worry of if/how his broken leg from last year will affect him in the longer-term -- I think today's tricycle ride to the park and back, consisting mostly of an uphill ride (yes it actually was uphill BOTH WAYS), can put a lot to rest.

He did very well, with no complaints, other than that I was helping him too much.

PS:

Congrats also go out to Marley & Ben on the birth of their son David - 13 May 2007!