Things Nathan does that I'll never remember in a year...

Or maybe I'll never forget. Who knows... I tend to forget so I'll write it down.

For months now Nathan compulsively gives people their belongings. If he sees your shoes on the ground he will pick them up and bring them to you yelling, "SHOES!" Same goes for purses, cell phones, hats, wallets, keys, etc. His accuracy is quite impressive. There are also some things he feels belongs to people, but they are just household objects. For example, the remote for the TV belongs to Daddy. Hair ties and cooking gadgets belong to me. What kind of chauvinistic male are we raising here anyway?!

He is also very particular about he wants things to be. The other day he was sitting on his potty seat that goes on top of the regular toilet. It was pushed back a little further than usual, and so there was this tiny quarter inch gap between his seat, and the regular seat. He would not pee until until I lined up the seats perfectly. Imagine trying to figure out that that's what was bothering a nonverbal 20 month old! Also today he was playing with a paper triangle Abigail had cut out for Mommy school. He accidentally ripped a tiny piece off the edge. He brought it to me and in grunts and sort of words told me what happened and wanted me to fix it. He would not play with it until the edges were taped back together, and even then he wasn't completely happy and ended up just putting it down. He is like with SO much stuff it drives me nuts, and endears me to him at the same time. My Poppy was finicky about things and quite the perfectionist, so I like to think he gets these qualities from him. There are some things that are SO Poppy I really can't believe it. For example, Poppy was very particular about how he folded towels and wash clothes. He wouldn't wipe the sweat from his brow without neatly folding the washcloth into 4's first. He would do the same to shine his shoes. Well the other day Nathan and I were cleaning the floor, and he insisted his rag be folded into 4's!! I have no problem cleaning a mess with whatever the rag happens to be in my hand, so I have no idea where he could have learned this. Well actually I do have an idea... Thank you Poppy! He is also probably my best child at picking up his toys and putting them away.

I also learn so much about motherhood from this little boy. He likes to bring me things for safekeeping. A favorite toy he doesn't want to play with anymore, but doesn't want his sisters to touch either is only safe in my hands. The other night I let him bring a race car and toy lion to bed with him. Well I guess when he was ready to actually go to sleep he didn't want them anymore, but he couldn't just put them down. I heard him calling from his crib, "MOM!! MOMMYY!!" I went up to see what was going on and he just handed me his toys then happily rolled over and started sucking his thumb and going to sleep. For some reason him wanting me to have those toys made my heart glad. I am many things as a mother, and Safekeeper-Of-Toys is one of my favorite jobs.