Favorite Things

I have recently looked back on some of this blog...first of all, I am in serious shock that I have been blogging for nearly four years, second....I am in serious shock that McKinley is nearly four years old.

Hello.

Anyway, in my little emotion-sparking time travel back in to McKinley's babyhood I realized I posted a lot of updates on things McKinley had learned to do (smile --- oh that one really did make me cry, wave at 10 months, first word around that same time: Mama!). I've highlighted so much but have kind of neglected to do that lately. I guess he just continues to learn new things at break-neck speed and by the time I would get to blog it he would have moved on to the next three new things.

So I decided to highlight some of our favorite things he has learned or picked up for the sake of family history - because some day his children WILL want to know the first time he...whatever. Right? Okay, well, anyway here are some faves:

Whistling!

McKinley has heard Cary and I whistle since birth. One day last summer he asked how to do it. He said, "Mommy teach me how to whistle!" That is harder than one might think, I remember my Dad teaching me and it wasn't easy - and I was a LOT older than McKinley. But ever the persistent child, he worked at it for a little while (and by a little while I mean like an hour - if that) and he had it!

He was 'caught' whistling one day in class while he helped pass out snacks. The kids could NOT figure out where the noise came from...then neither could the teachers...until it hit them, it was McKinley whistling! Suffice it to say that they were all impressed and made a HUGE deal of his quirky ability. He never told us this story though, call him humble. His teachers told us!

Now, almost everywhere we go he makes a friend (employee of a store, restaurant, office, etc) and asks their name and if they can whistle. It's hilarious. Some people - strike that - MOST people are so completely caught off guard by the fact that the three year old child in front of them CAN WHISTLE and has asked them to whistle too, but most comply...unless they cannot whistle and then they just make them selves look silly all for the sake of our inquiring boy who never met a stranger he couldn't befriend. I love it when he asks some stiff, goody-two-shoes or snob...those are the best. It's nice to see people loosen up a bit every now and then...especially when they are serving your lemonade......

Lasterday (translation: sometime in the past, usually fairly recent)

As with most children (and some adults who shall remain nameless), time is a hard concept to 'get'. McKinley does pretty well but gets tripped up when describing a past event or occurance. Almost always whatever he is describing is dubbed 'LASTERDAY'. Never was a cuter 'made-up-word' uttered. It is my favorite of his made-up words. I have to hide my smile when we are talking, unless we are in the car...where he won't see me. It is a very good thing we have good memories, Cary and me...otherwise, Lasterday could be lost.

Peace Office-offer (translation: Police Officer)...this one is so old! Sadly, the peace office-offer days are long gone, but I still needed to archive it...for posterity. When we would pass a police car he would exclaim this precious phrase that made us giggle out loud. "Mommy! Peace Office-offer!" Oh, that gives me the warm fuzzies just thinking of it.

McKinley definitely comes up with some funny things! He has a great sense of humor an is always laughing or making us laugh. He has grown so much!

Lynn