Brains and Tears

Robert's intellectual development is really amazing me these days.... Here are a few examples:

1.  James goes to the local post office to pick up the church's mail periodically.  He took Robert with him one day last week and showed him how to get the mail from the post office box.  This week, he took him for a second time.  Robert told him that he wanted to unlock the box, so James handed him the key.  Robert went directly to the EXACT box number (without being directed by James) and put the key in the slot.

2.  This week on the way to school, Robert asked me, "Where Jesus is?"  I told him that Jesus was in his heart and patted my chest.  He said, "Mommy!  That's my chest!"  After a few minutes, he patted his chest and said, "Jesus in my chest!"

3.  Every morning on our way to downtown Nashville, we cross over the Cumberland River.  Robert always looks for boats on the water, and if there are none, he says, "No boats tonight!"  If there is a boat, he gets very excitied, points it out, and says something about how he wants to go on Boo's boat and "make fish."  This morning, when we crossed over the river, we had the same conversation again.  Then he said, "Mommy, what makes the water?"  My 26 month old little boy is wondering how water is made?!?!?!?  I told him God made the water, which resulted in a similar conversation to #2 above (where is God?).



Robert is also in the middle of some growing pains.  This week has been his transition from the Younger Toddler Room to the Older Toddler Room at daycare.  We had assumed that Robert would slide right into his new surroundings because all of his friends (Garrett, Hayden, Lydia, Ben, Stewart) were all already in the room.  What we didn't think about was Robert's attachment to his teachers.  This has been an incredibly tough separation for him.  His new teachers, Miss Betty and Miss Jess, are wonderful ladies, but leaving behind Ms. Abby and Ms. Sheri is heartbreaking for our little man. 

We have really been talking up the fun that the friends in Ms. Betty's room have.  Robert and I were discussing Ms. Betty's room while he took a bath on Wednesday night.  I was talking about how Ms. Betty had a train table and toy frogs and lots of great toys.  Robert looked at me and said, "I don't need Betty!!!!"

This morning marked Robert's first full day in his classroom.  It was about as tough on me as the first day I ever took him to daycare (when I sat in my car and cried for thirty minutes before I could find the strength to pull out of the parking lot, only to come back and get him 2 hours later because that was all I could stand!).  Because we knew today would be tough, we explained to Robert last night that he would be going to Ms. Betty's room this morning.  He was okay with that until we got in the car to drive the hour to Nashville.  As soon as we hit the interstate, Robert began to cry.  He cried a lot for his Daddy, whom he knew was still at home.  He asked to go back to "Robert's new house."  He told me, "But I love Sheri, Mommy!"  After a lot of distracting about the fun things we would do after school today (we are going to watch the corn being harvested at the farm of Robert's favorite church member, Ms. Carol), Robert seemed okay. 

We entered the building, and all was going well..... We saw Ms. Abby in Robert's old room and waved....but when we turned to go down the hall to Ms. Betty's room, Robert said, "How about Ms. Abby?"  Needless to say, I left my little man in tears today.  Soon, Robert will come to love Ms. Betty and Ms. Jess like he loves Ms. Sheri and Ms. Abby.  But growing up is tough, and today is a tough day to be Bobert!