Simon has turned in to quite the little monkey. He’s started climbing. This terrifies me. Yesterday we were at the playground and he climbed up the jungle gym steps – which he can do – and went to the slide – which he can do with spotting. What he can’t do by himself if go DOWN the steps. So when I went to help him on the slide he started laughing and running away from me (because “chase” is apparently a super-fun game) and went right off the stairs and landed stunned at the bottom. I picked him up and one hug later he was fine. I think though that I need a second person to help at the jungle gym – at least until he gets the hang of the slide by himself.
Climbing up furniture is also new. This isn’t so scary though as he climbs up the couch to sit like a big kid. His little chair is also becoming a favorite. And the most annoying is moving and climbing on the rabbit’s cage. The radiator makes a great little step in his mind – this will get interesting once we turn on the heat. Since Simon likes to climb things to sit on them it really shouldn’t make us laugh so much when he sits on steps or the curb, it’s the perfect height for the little guy.
Simon is such an observant kid and just wants to be “helping” all the time. We have a tiny tiny kitchen, so small that Rob and I will rarely cook together – we tag team it. But recently Simon wants to help. To keep him from pulling every. single. pan. out of the cabinet I have been giving him a mixing bowl and spoon. And of course the place he wants to sit is in front of the cabinet right where we stand to chop things. But it’s cute. I’m thinking of some ways we can incorporate him into cooking and other tasks.
He will sometimes help me carry the laundry from the drying rack or stack diapers. Vacuuming though – this one he won’t help with. The vacuum is the most terrifying thing he’s ever encountered and if he sees it out he will walk around with his back to the wall so that it stays in sight at all times. And if I run it he cries so hard he trembles. Poor kid.