When you're Levi, life is always an adventure, and often an
emergency. His make-believe world revolves around working with Bob
the Builder or running to fight the most recent fire. Usually the fires are in important places, like his boot or the train table, so he really has to hurry.
When
he deigns to join us in the real world, he likes to read and be my
helper. Sometimes he actually helps, too, like when he cleans the
bathtub toys with a cleaning wipe or offers to carry my purse to the car. And then sometimes he just likes to act like he's helping by
speaking authoritatively or wagging his finger at me.
For all his helpfulness and bravery, though, Levi is still three, and he is still not quite sure what to do with Shields Lee. Sometimes he can
really get Shields laughing and enjoys having someone who is amused by
his antics. And then there are the times he takes the parenting into his
own hands, usually with bad consequences for poor little Shields. While
Levi has really internalized the list of things Shields ought not be
doing, he fails to remember to let me be the parent.
When
it comes to talking, Levi is in favor of it. All the time. Seems like the only thing that stops his running commentary
on life is asking a question. The way he processes life can be hilarious
and touching, as illustrated by the following stories:
- Nash's hunting side has come out in full force since we've been in
our new house. As far as I know, he's caught four field mice in our
yard. There might have been more, but it's hard to tell because, well,
he doesn't leave much evidence. Levi had the bad luck
of witnessing two of these catches, and the experiences traumatized him
a bit. In fact, last week I explained to him that hawks (like the ones
that were circling our yard), see mice and swoop down to eat them.
Levi's response: "That's what dogs do."
- One
afternoon Levi said he was really tired and wanted to go to bed. We let him read in bed for a bit by himself before coming to tuck him in. Upon entering his room, we saw Levi sitting on his bed looking at a
book...with a pencil in his hand. We deduced that Lindon had
absentmindedly placed the pencil on Levi's dressed when he got Levi
dressed that morning, and Levi just happened to notice it when he
grabbed a book. Levi felt badly for doodling in his storybook,
so we just told him he shouldn't play with pencils.
"Yes," said Levi somberly. "And Dad, you shouldn't leave your pencil in my room."
Sometimes mischievous, often encouraging, and usually sweet and refreshing - like a popsicle - that's my Levi. And when he has put out all the fires and fixed all the broken cars he can find, he still has time to snuggle and read a book.
What a guy.
