Leaning Towards 4 & New Friends

While rounding an aisle last night with Miles in the local Wal-Mart, I heard a small girl almost whispering his voice. As I peered around, I heard his name louder come from an excited little blond headed girl with bottle cap eye glasses. At this, Miles looked at her stunned and snuck into a shy zone. This little girl was beaming becuase she saw Miles and said that she goes to school with him at Grace. It's always cool to see kids that recognize Miles and how excited they get when they say 'hi' to him. I have always felt completely warm and content when other little kids see Miles out in public and get infused by a pure joy. Onto other fronts .. Miles is going to turn 4 on 12.8.08 and it's really a huge mental hurdle for me. No longer is he his young 3-year old, rather he is transforming into a little 4-year old boy. I have always marveled at how much he grows on a regular basis, but 4 is kind of an astronomical number for little Miles. It's been a helluva ride for the little guy .. can't wait to shove those 4 big candles into his cake.

School Pic and Fall Back

I have officially hit that nail in the road called 'daylight savings' and I'm done with the deflation from those moments. Seems like Miles historically regresses during this loss of light in the day and the general change in our lives during this time. Over this last weekend, he neglected a good rapport with potty training and just wouldn't listen to simple commands. He was doing a host of things that are way out of character for him and there was a decent amount of tears. He has pulled out of this phase, but I'm really considering the possibility of doing heavy lobbying to rid this nasty fall back and spring forward of time. It's an old law that used to help farmers and now becomes a nuiscance to innocent parents. At any rate, we have the new Miles school pic for all to enjoy ..

Miles' Latest Progress Report - 10.30.08

Miles is a happy and loving little boy, who arrives to school each day with a big smile. He is able to follow the class routine with his individual visual schedule. His attention span has increased and he will now stay with an activity at centers longer (up to 7 minutes). Miles shows interest in other peers and is now greeting them in an appropriate manner (no more hair pulling):

• Miles is beginning to identify his name in print.


• He can consistently name the color blue and has emerging identification skills with other colors.


• He can match shapes and receptively identify 3 out of 6 shapes (circle, stars and square).


• He plays with toys in an appropriate manner and currently is in the state of parallel play.


• Rote counting and counting objects is an emerging skill.

The Miles Cake Walk

Miles had a full boar day of Halloween excitement this last Saturday. He started out at his school, Grace, and ended up in the basement of a church up the road. As he hoped around with sugar ripping through his motions, he gave most everyone a smile in his pumpkin attire. The coolest event of the day was during a cake walk in the church. Carrie had to essentially lead him by the hand over to the cirlce and get him started on his first ever cake walk. As they walked around in circles to 'rock lobster' blaring loudly, Carrie had to carefully keep a hold on his hand. When the music stopped and the winner was announced, I was quite shocked that it was Miles. At the announcement, Miles just looked stunned at the overload of information. His luck landed him a orange pumpkin cake matching his own digs. It made me ponder the pomp and circumstance of our small Miles as I'm sure most looked on wondering why he wasn't more ecstatic about his new cake. The truth is, Miles doesn't need luck, a contest or a 'win' to act ecstatic about anything in particular. His moments of spontanaiety happen when he sees fit and sometimes the little kid gets to win his cake and eat it too.

Miles Attends Obama Rally in KCMO - 10.18.08

Miles, The New Videographer

Big Socks and Small Jokes

The other day I was getting Miles ready to go on our nightly adventure to the park. It's a time of sheer excitement and Miles loves getting his shoes and socks on for the outing. Earlier this week, I was getting ready to put on my socks and ready to help him put his on. Before that was to happen, I pulled one of my many joking moments with Miles when I told him he could try my socks on while I would attempt to put his on. As I slipped the mouth of his sock over three of my toes, he reared back in uncontrollable laughter. As he rose again red faced and still giggling, he began putting my socks on. Within seconds he had both on and they went up to the bottom of his shorts. He laughed as though this was the most amazing thing to ever happen to him. From there, my tiny joke became a new Miles sensational obsession. He had to take my socks to the park to fill with rocks and hold on to for lasting comfort. The following morning while getting him ready for school, he seemed completely disoriented. While on the changing table, he lolled around in an uncharacteristic silence until he saw my socks tucked in my front pant pocket. At that sight, he inhaled loudly and squealed for a pair of my socks. From there, it was sheer pandemonium as he got another pair of my white socks and tore around in kid glee. I'm again guilty of a good joke back firing, but it is hugely amusing to me that he gets so charged about things that are so mundane. Another pleasant anomolie of Miles and his cool march into a very unique and intriguing personality. Alas, karma is going to hit me hard when the weather gets colder and I try to find a good pair of white socks that I won't be able to locate. Miles will have all of them scattered around the house as I finally realize that the joke was on me the whole time.