I'll take it

This morning started off a little rough.  Isaac was melting down at play group, flinching from friends when they got too close, not listening, and demanding help with things that he's perfectly capable of doing himself.  At home I had a moment of Exorcist mommy.  My head spun around, my voice changed and said, "sit on those steps and take your shoes off right now!"  Spit might have flown from between my teeth.  Might have.  What does he mean "MOMMY help me with my shoes" with the whiny voice!?  Since when does this kid not know how to take his shoes off?  He's always taking them off- at church, in the car, and basically anywhere I don't want him to.  Is it time for school yet? 

A few moments later...

Oh, he likes my new musical obsession, The Civil Wars, and actually wants me to play another song?  Maybe we can forget the shoe incident.  What's that?  You got into your craft drawer and pulled out a pre-school work book and would like to cuddle with me in the reading chair and show me how smart you are?  OK!

Isaac ran into school without any coaxing and came bouncing out of school when I picked him up- excited about his day and with a good daily report in tow.  "We worked on shapes today.  Isaac even knows what an octagon is," said the note from his teacher.  Yep, I know.  I was just enjoying my swelling pride when I heard a burst of sobs from the backseat.  Seriously?  Again?  "What happened?"  He's holding his eye.  "Did you poke your eye with your sunglasses?"  Ohmygosh...it's not even CLOSE to sunny today.  I poke my head around to check.  "No!  Don't look at me!  Look at daddy!"  Do little boys get p.m.s.?

We spent most of the evening decompressing- which is a fancy way of saying we didn't do much of anything.  Then Isaac demonstrated his undeniable lack of skill at hide and seek, his impressive skill at making robots out of wooden shapes, and his usual infectious charm.  We read our new library books, and Isaac decided to tell us about the boy from one of the books that wanted a dragon for a pet.  "I can't like a dragon for a pet.  I like a dog for a pet.  I like Shiloh."  "Why DON'T (emphasis on don't instead of can't) you want a dragon for a pet?"  "Because a dragon would burn my house down."  "When did you get so smart?"  No, seriously.  I have a four year old- like a real, live four year old.  
 
During bedtime routine we sang our usual  "You are my sunshine" and "Twinkle, Twinkle".  Then Isaac started singing the months of the year.  "Where did you learn the months of the year?"  "At school."  Then he requested that I sing the Abc song and he pretended to play a trombone- even making the sound with his mouth.  Who is this kid?  He might not be the suavest in social settings, he might try my patience, he might insist on wearing sunglasses on rainy days, he might use 'can't' when he should use 'don't', but Isaac Loucks surprises me every day with what he does well.  I'll take it.