Preston the Artist

Preston is not a fan of arts & crafts. I have tried mightily to engage him in these types of activities at home, to no avail. The drawings and paintings he brings home from pre-k usually have one or two splotches or lines on them, and it is clear Preston spent no longer than 10 seconds on them. It's fine. He's just not that into it. 

Well, he's finally come around.

I actually caught him doodling by himself on his magnetic drawing pad the other day while I had been taking a shower. Later on, he started drawing again, and came to show me- it was a picture of me!

This is me and him!

There are actually identifiable components!

(Nevermind that my arms are protruding from my ears, and that my head turns directly into my legs....)

Here is the artist showing off his work, with varying amounts of associated cheesiness:

Still Big.

I'm on a blogging mission tonight.

Preston had his 4-year physical back in March, and here is the growth chart for height. Note he is still tracking along completely outside of the bell curve. 

If it wasn't for the fact that he is only 4, he could have been riding pretty much every ride there is at Disney World. Good thing he was too young to notice, or care. But it makes me think of how many painstaking years it was before I could ride the Jackrabbit at Seabreeze. Preston is going to be so spoiled! Not to mention, it's going to preclude my ability to say, "Oh I'm so sorry...I would totally let you go on this ride if you were tall enough." I'm going to have to come up with some creative explanation about Diffuse Axonal Injury and how I love his brain too much to allow him to go on whatever brain-scrambling ride it is he is going to want to do...Plastic bubble for life.

Preston remembers 2013 better than I do.

After I booked our Disney vacation back in February, I had Oompa and Gigi on Facetime to go over the details. And I made the official, "We're going to Disney World!" announcement to Preston, the one that is so well dramatized in all the Disney commercials. I said it, of course, knowing the irony was that he wouldn't know the difference if I said, "We're going to Timbuktu!" He of course responded with an exasperated, "Disney World?!? That's my FAVORITE!" or something to that effect. It was definitely commercial material. 

For historical reference, I did take Preston to Disney World once already, when he was just over 2, in March of 2013. Since he was so young at the time, I obviously did not expect him to recall a single detail of that trip, as I'm pretty sure he wasn't even able to comprehend that we were even at Disney World. Likewise, we have never discussed it in the time since. 

So I was only half paying attention when one night when he said, "Remember the last time we were at Disney World...?" Then, boom. "...and there was a ghost sitting between us?"

In that moment, time stood still. I'm sure I made the most perplexed and uniquely-Sara face while I paused and stood there in shock, sifting swiftly through the files deep in my brain, trying to figure out where he could have pulled this from. Up until that point, I don't think I had ever even heard Preston say the word "ghost." I didn't even think he knew what a ghost was. I called my mother for verification. Was this possible?? Could he actually recall this single detail of the Haunted Mansion ride, where, at the end, you pass a mirror and see everyone in your car, with ghosts superimposed in various spots?? Yes. And Gigi verified it. In our car, the ghost had been sitting in between us. Totally. Crazy. 

**Note: we will not talk about how I traumatized Preston taking him through the Haunted Mansion this time at Disney World. Clearly, he was much more aware of the fact that it was supposed to be scary, and it sure was!! We had to make one of those quick exits before we even got to the ride...

Another story:

Today, Preston was sitting at the kitchen table, and casually noted that our table is a circle. Then he started to tell me that before, it used to be a square. Again, I was half-paying attention (sorry...was cooking!) but this caught my attention, and, it took a moment, but I confirmed that yes, we did used to have a square table. I waited to see what else he was going to come up with. Sure enough, he said, "Yeah. And it was too high for me. So I couldn't reach." Again, clearly he knew what he was talking about. I was pretty blown away. I knew I had sold our old table a while back, but it wasn't until tonight when I had a chance to check my old Craigslist postings, and find that it was December 2013 when I sold it. He was still 2! Children's brains are amazing!

No jacket!

The weather is finally getting nice enough to downgrade from winter jackets to wool sweaters!! Thanks to Grandma Connie we have a wide assortment to choose from. Preston played outside for almost an hour today even though it was still a touch on the chilly side. He entertained himself with the broken Pocket Hose for the better part of that hour. The next week is supposed to be in the 60's, we are breaking out the bathing suits and flip flops! 

A 4-year-old's Imagination

This post is mostly for my own reference. I'd like to think I'll remember all the wonderful things about Preston growing up, but I know myself far too well to fool myself. My brain is not known for its recollection capabilities. So, I am writing some of these things just for the record books. 

Like most children, Preston has a wonderfully active imagination. He is particularly skilled at making up names for imaginary people. He also has created alter-egos for many of the fictional characters he frequently uses. For example, there is Optimus Prime's alter-ego; Optimus Trime. Also, the Incredible Hulk's alter-ego; Incredible Shruk. Doctor Octopus and Doctor Puss. The Evil Emperor Zurg and the Evil Emperor Exerve. Usually he requests that I act as one and he'll pretend he's the other, and we'll go hunt "bad guys."

Preston also has 3 imaginary brothers, and has actually convinced several people that they exist in real life. His pre-school teachers actually had to clarify with me whether he did have 3 other siblings living with his father. Nope!

On any given day, their names will be different. But in general, they are usually something in the vicinity of; Hunnjer, Tunnjer, and Jonnin. He will reference them often, as in, "When I went to my brothers, I..." But of course, whenever he's begging me to play with him and I suggest he play with his brothers, he tells me they're not real...

One of my other favorite, and quickly fading, things is Preston's ongoing mispronunciation of a few key words. 

Oatmeal: "Openeal." 

Animal: "Aminal."

I could probably quickly correct this, but "openeal" has become a cherished favorite of mine. In fact, he asked me for a bite of my openeal just this morning. It made me smile.