Goodbye, Please

I'm often  told what a polite child I have... I wish it were my fault. When Zane was 2 1/2 we were living in Dallas, Tx and had a sliding glass door from the kitchen out to the backyard. I tried for months to teach him to say "out," but he couldn't catch on. Once I added "out, please." He still didn't say out, but the please caught on.... And on.... And on. He started saying please for everything, which ended up being a great learning tool for him as he knew his blubbery mom would undoubtedly say yes, just to hear him say it!

Zane turns five in two days and he still says please for everything, except now he tacks it on the back of what he's supposed to say. It's really sweet and most of the time very appropriate, giving the illusion of being a normal little kid who has a mother who taught him right. ;) ... He makes me look so good! Except sometimes his pleases accompany something not so appropriate and then you remember that perhaps he doesn't know exactly what he's saying, but at least he's obedient! 

For example, this morning as we were getting ready for school, Zane brought me his backpack and said, "Go, please." (so cute). We piled in the car, toothbrush in hand, and drove happily to preschool where the kids were already in their semi circle for calendar time. Zane shook off his backpack and gave it to me, sat down in his chair and promptly handed me his toothbrush. (This item goes with us everywhere, but at school he knows he has to surrender it to me while he's there, but gets it back again when I pick him up). I hung up his pack and bent down to say good bye. Which went something like this:

"Zane," (Zane looks at me), "Bye, sweets... have fun at school!"

(then, without a prompt for the first time....)

"Bye, bye, please."

I chuckle as I head back to the car, totally beaming, and spend my time wondering in amazement why I, of all people, get to raise this wonderful little boy. 

After preschool, I go to pick Zane up and find him sitting at the table for "snack." He's learned how to drink a Capri Sun using a straw.... and not spill! I happened to notice his whole front covered in apple sauce - most likely from a struggle with his teachers, who made him try it at least once. But Zane, firstly, won't eat with a utensil, nor does he tolerate the texture of applesauce. They even offered a popsicle, but he didn't want that either. There are some days where I think I would give anything to be able to run through the drive through and pick a Kids Meal for him for dinner.... yeah, right - wishful thinking! Zane is way to picky for that.... nope - no chicken nuggets, no french fries, not even hot dogs for this kid. 

I don't really mind this, really. In fact I'm grateful I don't have to argue it with him.... I've learned to be sneaky, adding grated vegetables to cupcakes and other various supplements to grape or apple juice. And.... I get away with it, most of the time!

I've been working with Zane on saying prayers at night and tonight I was tired and wanted to just put him to bed, but he kept going limp at the side of the bed... took me a minute to realize he was trying to get into kneeling position for prayers. It was adorable. He folds his arms and bows his head, except for when I talk which is when he turns his head to the side to watch me. Tonight he repeated the last word of every sentence, at my prompting... followed by "please." I really tried hard not to laugh it was so cute. 

We blessed Mama... "mamum, please," then Daddy... "dawee, please," then Zane... "Zay, please," then the kitties... "(something unintelligible... I don't think he likes the kitties), and he's really good at amen... "maymem, please." Too funny. I've listened to my parents for years tell me how fast time goes by and how quickly kids grow up. It's not fair. I still feel like I have my little three year old - which he is in many ways - just in a 5 year old body. I feel so blessed to have him - I am so lucky to have this chance to get to know him - to see him open up, even if it's just a bit, and show me his sweet, perfect, funny personality!