Little Walker

Walker, Walker, Walker. The theme of the last week or two has been his behavior. Every place I've taken him, like the gym, church, etc, he's always done just fine. He is perfectly content to roam around and investigate new places and he gets along with other kids with no problems. And then came Bible study. Their childcare program is structured and the expectation is that each child will take part in each activity. This has totally thrown Walker for a loop. And judging from the fact that the director of the program has told me that she's spent all her time with Walker the past two weeks, I think he's the most problematic child there! And it's not a small program. So we've been working on doing things they do there, like sit on a piece of tape and listen to a story, sit and sing songs, etc. He actually does it fine at home. And Tom peeked in on him at church and he was sitting in a chair, listening nicely to a story. So I'm not sure why the wheels are completely falling off at Bible Study. The only thing I can think of is that they're touching him. As in, picking him up and trying to physically sit him down, rather than telling him to sit down. He is completely uncomfortable with new people touching him, and I don't really blame him. That might be enough to set off a tantrum, then they would probably pick him up to take him outside, which would make it worse. I don't know. I'm hoping this week will be better because I LOVE the study. LOVE it. But I won't keep taking him every single week if he is enough of a problem that one person's sole responsibility is him, and I also don't want him to be upset for two hours every week. I do think getting used to adhering to new rules and ways of doing things would be good for him. But maybe expecting him to do that at just-turned-two is too soon. I came across this verse AGAIN today.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful. I know that full well.
Psalm 139:14

I am reminded again and again that Walker's personality is exactly who God made him to be, and it's wonderful. His character traits that are so difficult now are actually strengths that will help him later in life. He's determined, focused, energetic, driven, an independent thinker, and curious. He also loves to laugh, has a sweet heart, and is completely charming. Those are awesome qualities in an older child and adult, but wrapped up in a two year old body, he is a force to be reckoned with. So, I'm not sure where that leaves me with Bible study, but if I need to stop going, we'll just try again next year.

One cute thing Walker has been doing lately is abbreviating everything. When I lay him down at nap time every day, I always say, "I love you Walker!" and he used to say, "I love you too, Mommy." Now he just says, "TOO!" He's going to be a fantastic texter when he's older, if he's already got that concept down. And he seems to have just noticed that when he says Harris' name, he gets a response. So we'll be in the car and he'll just repeat Harris' name. The first time or two Harris will sweetly say, "What is it, Walker?" and by the tenth time Harris is saying things like, "I'm LISTENING!" or "WHY YOU KEEP SAYING THAT?" Ha! It's hilarious to hear their conversations, if you can call them that. And sweet little Harris. Apparently his teachers don't eat lunch at the same time as all the kids at his school and he is concerned about them. Every day he offers to share his lunch with his teachers. Precious.

As I mentioned, Walker plays well by himself. I can cook dinner and as long as Harris leaves Walker alone (that's a big if), he's fine and they will both entertain themselves. For some reason, I messed with a system that was working fine and set Walker up to color at the kitchen table. Keep in mind, he was perfectly happy not coloring. This is what I found.

And this was the finished product. There was also marker as far as his little hands could reach all over our table.

I had already given him a bath and was really hoping I wasn't going to have to do another one. It all came off with a wipe, though.

And what people say is true. Little boys really do make guns out of anything. I found this in Harris' bed.

It's mismatched socks stretched over a hangar. <sigh>

And I've started picking Harris up at school before naptime, so he no longer has a need for his nap mat. He's become attached to it though becuase he wants to lay it on his bed, and sleep on that instead of under his covers. That's easier to wash than his sheets so that's fine with me. And he always refers to it as "my very own nap mat." Kids are funny.

This is completely changing the subject, but one thing I like about this Bible study in particular is that it seems to have a different theology than my church. I think it's good to hear other points of view and ultimately decide for yourself what you believe. There was a sermon a few weeks ago that I really didn't get. Not that I disagreed with it, necessarily, I just didn't really follow. Really, it didn't occur to me to disagree because that was the only view I'd ever heard on the subject. The same topic is addressed in in the first lesson, but from a different angle and it makes so much more sense to me.  Big picture, it doesn't matter. I don't even want to say the issue because it's kind of irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. But seeing it from a different angle made me remember that I need to trust my own views of Scripture rather than going from what someone else thinks, regardless of their knowledge or experience. It's good to listen to those that know more but it's imperative to think for myself. Anyway, another thing that was really interesting is the description of the apostles after Jesus ascended to heaven. They were told to wait for the Holy Spirit before they left to begin their ministries. So they waited, but they did it with purpose and with joy.   Waiting is such a vital part of the Christian life but I don't think many people do it joyfully. I don't, anyway. I do it wondering when what I feel we've been called to is going to start and why does it have to take so long?!??! And they also attended to the things that they could do while they waited. They kept working instead of putting things on hold until the "real work" could start.  I've read that passage in Acts 100 times and never noticed that part of it. I think being pregnant and having young children, it's easy for me to notice the things I cannot do, rather than focusing on the service that I CAN do. Those kinds of things are why I loooove Bible study. It's just so much more in-depth than you have time for on a Sunday morning.

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8