I know that Eric is growing up – the signs are obvious, and especially with Danny around I am reminded just how big he’s gotten. That doesn’t stop him from taking me off guard at times.
I’m wrapping gifts for friends the other day and he comes over to ask what I’m doing. I tell him I’m wrapping a present for Tyler, his 6 year old friend, and he asks, “Oh? We’re going to give a present to Tyler for Christmas?” Yes, I tell him, we sure are. He turns and rushes away, then starts pushing some of his toys toward me – a big firetruck, a baby shape sorter. After the third thing, I stop wrapping and look to him, asking what he’s doing.
“I’m giving presents to Tyler!”
Talk about a heart melting moment.
Then there’s his drawing. Eric doesn’t like to draw around me. I don’t know why, but he tells me it’s too hard and asks me to color or draw for him. I think it goes back to his need to be a perfectionist… He didn’t walk until he could walk across the room, stuff like that. I think it bugs him that he can’t stay in the lines yet. I tell him to practice and encourage him, but a lot of times, he just won’t do it. They do get him to draw more at school, since all the other kids are doing it, and I’m hoping as Danny scribbles more Eric will start too.
Anyway, this all comes around to one day at preschool when I get a piece of art that Eric drew.
He was asked to draw a picture of himself. They were doing a barn unit, so he sets to work (with some prompting of the teacher asking him what else he needs for a picture of himself), and this is what he comes up with. She asked what the dots were and he told her, “I think I’m dropping seeds.”
Mama pride was huge that day, let me tell you.
They grow up fast, and I love discovering the little boy that is Eric. And don’t even get me started on this little guy.
Eric actually took this picture, speaking of being a big boy.
I tend to think of him as younger than he is because of his communication delays, but he surprised me often with the daily living skills he pulls out of his hat. If only his communication would start making signs of catching up to the rest of him.
