Infectious

This little man has been missing out on the love on this blog lately. I was looking over it and it would almost seem I didn't have a 3 year old that made every day the funnest day ever.
He is a giant helper. A couple days ago he helped me sweep and mop. He is the official bug thrower-awayer. He even ties my shoes. Check out this knot. There's no way I'd be losing my shoe if I let him do this when I was wearing them.
He's always cracking me up. He has an infectious enthusiasm for EVERY thing. "Look Mom! That is a huge, weird bug." "Mom! Look! My body has bones!" "This next weeky (weekend) we will go 'or-wheelin' and go down the huge mountains and go really, really faster!" "Mom! I missed you!" (which is the same whether I've been gone 20 minutes or 5 hours) "We are 'drowing (growing) ummadeez (some of these) and ummadeez. They will be tomatoes and peppers. And we will use them to make salsa."
He loves to play and loves to pester his brother. He is sooooo in need of someone he can just wrestle and play tough with. I feel like every other time I open my mouth I'm saying something like, "don't crash people," "please don't smash him," or "when he cries, that means he doesn't like that. If you make him cry one more time you'll be going to the time-out chair."
It looks like he's a nice brother, you say? Well, this is a little more than just a kind, helping hand. He is rushing Tyler along... not exactly wanting to push him down... just sharing some of this enthusiasm for the slides they had been playing on.

But he really is a doll. He's such a sweetie and always telling us "I love you!" He got to start swimming lessons with me this last week. I was really worried about it the last few weeks that I'd really want to teach him, but that having me be his teacher wouldn't really work. But once I realized my beginner class was the best behaved group of 3 and 4 year olds, I knew I had to get Marshall in that kind of class situation so he could see how he really should behave. He loves it. He's still pretty timid, but he thinks its cool to practice his Superman and Rocketships and loves to go on train adventures around the edge of the pool. I'm so proud of him for being a good sport even though we take him out of his comfort zone. He puts his face in the water like a champ.

While I've been teaching he's spent his mornings at Miss Heidi's house playing and playing and playing. I was SUPER worried that poor Heidi would throw in the towel after the first day because Marshall can be kinda stubborn and doesn't always like strangers to help him. But Monday was the best day Marshall has ever had in his entire life. I'm not kidding you. He was polite and patient and sweet the whole rest of the day. I truly was expecting him to act out wishing for more attention from me after I was gone from him all morning. But then again, he never ceases to amaze me. And infect me. With his sweetness and fun.

I love you Marshall Boy.

"Pepper on... trees." Good times :)