Last night, Sage crept away from the dinner table. When I peeked around the corner into the kitchen, I saw her dragging a stepladder over to the silverware drawer, hoisting herself up, shuffling around in the clutter, and retrieving a large spoon.
It may have been the stupidest moment yet in the ongoing series of Things My Kids Do That Make Me Cry.
“A spoon!” I cried to her. “You got your own spoon!”
She beamed with pride.
“For my chicken nuggets,” she said. And then she proceeded to eat them. With her spoon.
You know, one moment you’re staring down at your tiny, squirmy, helpless little four day-old infant, wondering what in the world you will ever do with such a thing. The next moment, she’s two-and-a-half, getting her own spoon out of the drawer.
It’s a freaking miracle, I tell you.
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Wow, victory indeed! Some moms have all the luck. My two year old fished around in the knife drawer, (while my back was turned) sliced a giant hole in the window screen, and then proceeded to empty the contents of the entire silverware drawer into a mud puddle below. Finally found all the utensils a few days later while I was outside mowing the lawn.
We're an eat-your-ketchup-with-a-spoon kind of family over here. (Still working on eating food with actual substance.) Congrats to your little problem-solver!
I cry anytime my kids do something new. Like when my 2.5 year-old son put his face down in the bathwater, then raised it again without drinking any. “I don't wan' my tummy to hurt,” he told me. And I cried because Yay! he listens!
It sure is a miracle. But don't tell that to the New York Times.
Gorgeous. Don't you love those tiny little moments that represent so much. My boy, after weeks of trying, tangling, knotting and yelling in frustration (him, not me!) learnt to tie his shoelaces last week. I took photos.
Aww, what a feeling! I hate spooning, but I love any successful spoon action from my 18-mo old! We introduced utensils (sparingly) awhile back, but she has just recently mastered eating cereal and milk on her own. Makes me smile every morning.
Nice…yup, had my own moment like this when DD came around the corner naked…you took all your clothes off by yourself! We're working on putting them back on…
With a new baby on the way in about a week I sometimes marvel at my son who will be three in May and can't imagine the baby he used to be!
I think I'll have chicken nuggets today and use a spoon in Sage's honor!
It is nice when our kids start doing things for themselves. My toddler, however, gets so excited about any feats of independence that he proceeds to repeat them over and over and over. You know it is bad when you're threatening time out if they brush their teeth one more time!
I have these moments daily. Kate got her own juice box! Flora is “reading” a book! Sob!
They recently spent two days at my ILs (right next door), and when we were with them again, I was like, “When did they get so tall?”
Oh I am right there with you – it is those “little things” they do, those everyday things we all do but when they do them for the first time are nothing short of a miracle and you want to shout at everyone “LOOK AT MY CHILD! LOOK HOW AMAZING THEY ARE!!!” They are all little miracles indeed but along with the pride comes a little sadness too as it's one more little milestone reached and yes, they really are growing up that fast.
Oh I am right there with you – it is those “little things” they do, those everyday things we all do but when they do them for the first time are nothing short of a miracle and you want to shout at everyone “LOOK AT MY CHILD! LOOK HOW AMAZING THEY ARE!!!” They are all little miracles indeed but along with the pride comes a little sadness too as it's one more little milestone reached and yes, they really are growing up that fast.
Just wait until she tries making her own peanut butter and jelly sandwich by climbing up onto the counters and carefully applying the peanut butter spread…with a butcher knife.
My heart damn near stopped and only slightly from pride.
Silas feeds the dog, and he is diligent about “his job.”
It's quite a production. Poor, old incontinent girl gets one morsel of kibble at a time.
*also … I think I love Erin Bigler's kid.
You find the beauty in the simplest things. I love that about you. (You and that kid from American Beauty…)
Isn't it awesome when they show that independence. Except on those moments you need to be somewhere 20 minutes ago and they decide they want to tie their shoes, at 18 months.
Duke (same age as Sage) requests a fork for his yogurt. How he manages to eat every drop of it is beyond me but it's a skill and I don't have to get the “last bite” anymore!
I can totally see how that would make you cry. It almost made me cry. So sweet!
i remember the first time mine got the ketchup out of the fridge.
but here's what i really want to know: did nate make the chicken nuggets?
(oh and i have the best word verification: FOOCK)
You're lucky. Mr3 is determined to wring the last dying days out of babyhood now that preschool, underpants and a two-wheeler with training wheels signify the start of the Big Boy era. He refuses to pick up a spoon or fork to eat anything. Does it drive me mad? Oh yeah.
Trying to be the grown-up in the relationship and not succumb to battle of wills. Trying.
Oh Kim, we are VERY familiar with the repetitive tooth brushing around here. Thalia used to walk around with that stupid elmo brush, sucking at it like it was a binkie.
And Magpie, yes Nate makes chicken nuggets and they are fab – panko, herbs and spices – you know, greatness.
Me? I uh, ordered in.
Awww. I love it when they cross a milestone. I was so proud of my little girl for figuring out how to cruise on the side of the bathtub after she started pulling up, even if it was just so she could try to go after the toilet plunger.
Perfect word verification for that too, norov. I didn't want her “roving” after that plunger.
And before you were a mom, if someone told you it would take 2 1/2 years to get here, wouldn't that have seemed like an inordinate amount of time? But really it flies by. I can't believe all that my 6-year-old does now, and I feel like it's been an instant since the last time I gave her a bottle…
My 5 year old son has figured out where I keep the screwdrivers and batteries. One Friday night not too long ago he came to me saying his toy needed batteries. I said, “Sure, give me a second, I'll help you.” “No, I can do it myself!” And he did. And then he went and put batteries in every battery operated toy in the HOUSE. Went through an entire Costco pack of batteries in less than an hour. I am so proud of my little genius.
hooray!
That's a great story, they grow up so dang quick.
Aw, good girl, Sage.
Yesterday Phe went into the utensil drawer and got herself a plastic knife. And then poked her brother with it. In the head.
Not sure I'll write about that in her baby book.
I marvel at how I continue to get all excited over stuff like that, even though I'm on the third kid and really ought to be pretty blase by now.
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This story has nothing to do with your post, but I can't help remember about this woman I worked with once who had five kids and refused to cook for them after they could reach the spoon drawer. Your reaction is just so much different.
All hail the spoon-fed chicken nuggets. Love it.
well yeah, independence and all that. but what I take away from this story? The daughter of a CHEF eats CHICKEN NUGGETS. Can I tell you how happy that makes me?
This was an 'aw' post for me; whenever Max does these things, I just want to weep. And hug him. And dance. All at once. Aw.
It's funny how much I like Sage without ever having met her.
So sweet and so true to my own experiences.