Baby Schrades: Emotional and Physical Growth

In the past week, just all of a sudden, Jeff and I have seen both an emotional and physical growth spurt with Lucas. Physically, he looks more like a boy now than a baby. He has seemed to have lost most of that pudgy baby fat look and is now long and lean. And there is something about his face that I can't put my finger on, but he just looks older. He has also been eating more this past week. For months he was hit or miss with dinner but I didn't worry about it since I knew he ate well during the day at school. But this past week he has been eager to sit down at the table for dinner and engages in great conversation during dinner. Last night he asked for a grilled cheese sandwich before bed and tonight before dinner he was sitting at the table telling us he was ready to eat.

We expect the physical growth spurts, but the emotional growth is usually more subtle and gradual, but not this time. I feel like we are seeing glimpses into Lucas as a more mature child that can reason with us instead of a 2 year old that hasn't developed reasoning skills yet. He has been very respectful this week, using "please, thank you, yes mams" very regularly and hasn't thrown a tantrum when he hasn't liked something. The most delightful growth to me is that he is willing to just cuddle with me at night when he is falling asleep. It is so sweet and peaceful to lie next to him or cuddle him in the curve of my arm while he drifts off to sleep. I'm cherishing these times even more now because I see him growing up so quickly right before my eyes.

I am back at work full time, so Lucas is still enrolled in Montessori School. I am so happy with having him in this environment. I still sometimes worry that maybe he should be staying home with me (if I didn't work), but I really think that Lucas thrives in this environment. He has structure, loving teachers and 9 little friends that he loves and talks about all the time. He is learning to respect his environment, to be polite, to treat people with respect, how there is a time to sit quietly and a time to play hard, and many more wonderful things. We love to watch Lucas "work". He is, as he always has been, intense. He can play hard with the best of them, but when he is doing work he concentrates very hard on what he is doing. We had a conference with his teachers a few weeks ago and we were pleased with the positive things they had to say about Lucas. Here are some of the highlights:

- Lucas enters the classroom with a smile and something to share daily ("Mrs. Xenia, I got a new shirt!")
- He is very conscious of his friends and enjoys working with them.
- He is interested in new lessons and works and is using good problem solving skills.
- He is encouraged to try something new first and then ask for help.
- Lucas refines his fine motor skills through Practical Life and Sensorial activities.
- He practices his pencil grip and control almost daily.
- He is reminded to use inside voice in the classroom and is playful and loud outside.
- Lucas is progressing in respecting his friends by waiting his turn vs. taking work from other children.
- Lucas likes to do just about every work in the classroom.
- Things to work on at home: Let him do "big" jobs at home like laundry, dishes, sweeping, dusting, vacuuming, etc. Encourage manners. Have order, everything has its place (yikes - I need to work on this). Consistent bedtime routine. Expect Lucas to do for himself - walking, dressing, shoes, coat, etc.

Here is Lucas at school practicing his snapping skills...