Treasured moment of the weekend: yesterday evening after Alex’s bath we played around in our bedroom for a while. I went to the bathroom, and while I was in there I heard some scuffling and giggling. When I came back out, I saw that Alex had gone through to his own bedroom, climbed into the rocking chair, and pulled the blanket from his cot over himself. Completely over himself. When he heard me coming towards him, he pulled the blanket down from his face and went, “Boo!”
We both burst out laughing. He loves going to bed these days, and he loves playing night-night games.
He is also starting to role-play with his dolls. At Christmas he got three of them: a Teletubbies Po doll, a Tweenies Milo doll, and a soft plain baby doll. Recently he has been trying to push his noo-noo into baby’s mouth. And this morning, he insisted that Po should wear a bib, and should sit up at his little table to have breakfast with him. He was hugely amused by my attempts to feed her Weetabix.
The Po doll also seems to have another effect. He wanted to take it with him to nursery this morning, and he held on to it all the time while I was taking of his coat and handing him over to the nursery assistant. And he didn’t cry.
Alex has been going to nursery two days a week for over a year now, and every morning I drop him off, he weeps inconsolably when he sees that I’m leaving. As soon as I’m out of sight he cheers up and starts playing quite happily (he does actually love being there), but every morning he puts me through the emotional wringer in he hope that maybe one day I won’t leave him behind.
But this morning, nothing. He clung to Po and let me hand him over without a peep. He looked very solemn, and quite concerned about the matter, but he didn’t cry. I was amazed. I still am. I’m wondering if it was the Po doll, or if he was just too tired to protest (he did wake up quite slowly this morning, and seemed pale and sleepy all through breakfast). If he wants, I’ll let him take Po in again tomorrow to see if it wasn’t just a fluke.
I’d certainly be relieved to see him happier when I leave him behind in the mornings, but possibly a little sad as well. When he cries, and wants to hold on to me so fiercely, I feel the close bond of love between us very strongly. I’m consolde by the knowledge that he has a great time during the rest of the day, but it would be better for both of us (and the staff at nursery!) if he could be a little more relaxed about these partings which, after all, only last a few hours.
My little boy is growing up. I love him so much.