Plays well with others

I have been witnessing an exciting new stage in Monkey's development this week. I saw it on Tuesday when my La Leche League Leader came over with her 3 1/2 yr old daughter, F. I saw it last night when we went to visit his little friend A who is now a big sister. I even saw it with his "best" friend T last Friday when he was over for supper with his family.

Monkey has learned to play with other kids.

He has always gotten along with, and had fun with these kids, but they were always just playing near each other, not WITH each other. It is so neat to see him letting himself get bossed around by the girls and chase around with T. This opens up a whole new world for him. Well, and for me too. I won't have to be constantly refereeing when kids come over ("It's okay if she plays with that toy, Monkey, you have lots of others"). And T's mom and I can relax a bit when the boys are together. Good times.


This weekend is our town's "Random Food Item Festival" (you know, like Plum Fest, Corn and Apple Festival, Sunflower Festival, Pumpkin Fair, Honey Garlic & Maple Syrup Festival - is this just a Southern Manitoba thing or do you have food name festivals where you live?) We will try to get to the petting zoo this afternoon and take in the parade tomorrow morning. Monkey will be equally excited about the fire trucks as the pipe bands.

This boy has a vast knowledge of a variety of musical instruments (no surprise I guess.) Give him two sticks and one becomes a violin and the other a bow. He has three lengths of pipe insulating foam that make a remarkably convincing set of bagpipes. ('Poor boy,' you say, 'does he have no real toys to play with?') He even sets up a pretend gamelan to play. I'm not kidding. "Playing gamm-o-lans!" he exclaims. His creativity astounds me every day.

Wishing you all a great weekend. Here's hoping your kids are all as fun as mine!