Responsibilities

"With great power comes great responsibility."

This is a quote we know all too well in our house.  As you already know (at least, if you've read this blog for more than two days), Jack is obsessed with all things Spiderman.  Hearing him repeat this powerful quote is absolutely adorable:)  But not quite as adorable as watching our little boy handle his growing responsibilities - even if they are only occasional.  

Responsibility #1 - Helping with Hannah Bear by reading to her

One night while Brad was out of town and I was trying to get Hannah ready for bed, I asked Jack to read her some stories while I went to fix her a bottle.  I handed him a couple of board books he used to love when he was a baby and headed downstairs.  As I waited for the water to warm up, I could hear Jack upstairs, reciting his favorite stories, and Miss Hannah?  Quiet as a mouse.  

When I came back upstairs, he'd gotten down even more familiar stories to read to his baby sister.  He told me she asked him to:)

The next morning, on our way to school, he read Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?  I just sat in the driver's seat, listening as he worked out that familiar pattern and would go back to fix his mistakes.  The inflection in his voice as he came to the question was spot on.  The animal labels almost so.  My little teacher heart just couldn't get enough, and the fact that I was so proud of him just made him grin ear to ear.  He very clearly sees himself as a reader - and for that I am thankful and oh, so excited.  Half the battle, right there!

Responsibility #2 - Keeping Mama cozy

While Brad was gone, Jack was super-sad, and I was super-lonely after I (finally) put the kids to bed each night.  So, and I'm aware you may disagree with this, each night when I was ready to go to sleep, I went in to Jack's bedroom, scooped him, his blanket, and Skinny Bear up, and brought them back to bed with me.  Both nights we slept snuggled together, warm as could be.  

When Brad got home, Jack was telling him all about what happened while he was gone, and on the way to swimming, he told Daddy, "I slept in Mama's bed and kept her cozy."  It was then I found out that they'd had a "you're the man of the house while I'm gone" conversation prior to Brad leaving.  So after thinking about it for a few seconds, Jack said, "I was the man of the house so I had to keep Mama cozy."  I just love him so much - and I will be so sad when he's too big to sleep next to me and keep me warm:(

Responsibility #3 - Reminding Mama to give him his medicine (this responsibility just developed as I was typing this blog post!)

After Daddy snuggles Jack before bedtime, I go in to say good night one last time.  It was then Jack reminded me that we didn't do his inhaler.  We did, in fact, do his inhaler, so I reminded him and then gave him a kiss and started to leave.  

"But Mama, we didn't take my other medicine.  You know?  The one that I drink like a bottle."  Indeed, we did forget.  

I swear he has the best memory of anyone in our household.  Thank goodness!