The boys Cale and Cole are pretty much growing up as all brothers do. Moments of camaraderie and moments of intense rivalry. Meaning Cole tells Cale what to do and Cale most times ingnores him.
When you let the notion of Fragile X go and ignore the speech and the little ticks they are quite normal little boys. They play, watch tv and have boundless energy. They have moments when they behave and do as they are told and moments which strain the limits of your patience. The are curious and plunder and pillage at times but also bring you books to read and songs to sing. Laying their little heads on your shoulder and giving the cure all for a grandparents impatience and frustration.
That tender and well placed little kiss on the cheek. Followed with a "luv you". Generally those will melt away any angst and resets the patience button.
Cale's vocabulary continues to grow and his speech is better. He is absolutely the cutest little boy when you ask him a question and he answers, hands in the air, "I don't know". Then smiles with an impishness that demands you give him a big hug.
They had their picture along with Erin taken with "
Sir Topham Hat" at the day out with Thomas. Marcia made a print and put it on our Bathroom mirror. Now the first place they go is to the BR to see "Top Hat". Cale points and calls "top hat, top hat, Cole-man, Erin. When you point to him in the picture and ask who is that, he replies, "me".
That is a difference between Cole and Cale. For a long time when you pointed out Cole to himself in a picture and ask who is that, he replied Cole. Now Cole answers me, but I wonder if he did not learn that from Cale.
Cole has learned to dribble and shoot the basketball and to kick the soccer ball. He learned to propel and steer his trike. Not by pedaling but putting one foot on the the rear axle and pushing with the other. He learned this on his own with no coacing, just watching Erin.
Cale has pedaled his trike a little but still prefers the Fred Flintstone method. Cale has almost mastered self propulsion in the swing. He can keep himself going for more than a few minutes.
Funny how things our kids learned, the swinging, riding trikes, throwing and catching a ball are readly available from our memory banks. Sure we remember the first big fall off the bike or the first catch with a glove or a football. But not all the attempts before they were successful. I do not think I will forget this weekend when Cole held up the basket ball and said Pappy you "catsh" it. Then the throw and then the response, "throw it, Jim, throw it".
Then there was the shot from 10 feet in to the basket. Of course the basket is on 3 feet high but still nothing but net. Go Cole. All the while Cale is swing the golf club at the plastic golf ball. Boys being boys and kids being kids.
Not to leave Erin out. She and Granny cooked and made pizza. She played ever so gently with the "china head" doll that Marcia has preserved for so many years. Ever threatening anyone who held it not to drop it. And Erin didn't, she gently wrapped in a blanket and put it down for nap before shifting in tomboy mode and playing ball with the boys.
Thanksgiving dinner at Thomas and Betty Rozier's was great as usual. They have such a great family.
All that said it was a great Thanksgiving weekend.
But it does not end there, Marcia picked up Erin and Cole from school. Cale had a doctor's appointment. When I got home they were all having a go at the stairs when I turned the corner from the den. Then it was come upstairs Pappy from Cole and outstretched arms from Cale wanting his hug. So I oblidged both. Those stairs have gotten steeper and larger in number.
Cole brought his "Thomas tunnel" book down and pulled me to my chair all the while saying "sit in chair, read Jim". So we did. Soon Brandi was calling for them to load up for the ride home.
Then he did it again. Pulled the strings loose from my heart. In perfect enunciation "I want to stay here with Pappy".
That's all from the doting grandpa for today.
Thanks for stopping by!
