Conversations with Nathan

Dear Nathan, I haven’t posted an update on you here in a while. But at three and a half years old, there’s definitely a LOT going on. So I decided to jot down a few special things about you to remember for always…

You have the biggest heart. You love EVERYBODY. Literally. You use the word ‘love’ quite liberally with almost everyone, but the sincerity in your words never gets watered down. I know you really and truly mean it each time you say it. You have room enough in that big heart of yours for everyone.

You are the most affectionate little fellow. You constantly make people swoon at how loving and affectionate you are. You warm easily to people and you don’t hesitate to give hugs and cuddles to anyone.

You love books. You look forward to story time every day. You enjoy going to the library. You always need to take your three books with you at naptime every day to read on your own in bed. I’m so glad this love of books is growing so naturally on you and I pray it will always be so.

You enjoy making up stories. One of our current favourite activities is writing our own story books. You are the primary author, illustrator and editor, while I take on the role as your humble secretary. At the moment, you focus mainly on the illustrations to begin with. Then you dictate the story to me, your secretary, to write down. And then we go over the story again together so you can edit and correct any details I might have missed out. It’s one of my favourite things I enjoy doing with you.

You have an amazing imagination. I often take for granted what a huge blessing this is for me as a parent (and a family day care educator). I rarely have to come up with ideas to keep you occupied. You are chock full of your own original ideas. And the best part is that you take everyone along for the ride… whether it’s a spaceship made from cardboard boxes, or hunting for treasure on a pirate ship, or being firemen rescuing people from a burning building. You make your own magic from the simplest objects and happily share it with everyone around you.

You are really and truly my own little Peter Pan. I sometimes wish you didn’t have to grow up. I wish you could stay just as you are now for always.

I’m feeling rather teary now as I write this. But I also know you’re a funny little guy and enjoy laughing. So I thought I’d round this post up with a good laugh because I know that’s what you’d enjoy. On that note, here are some recent funny conversations we’ve had with you…

Daddy: Okay, Nathan. Time to cut your hair!
Nathan: Woohoo! Time to cut my hair! So I can become handsome!
Daddy: Hmmm, where’s the attachment for the razor to cut your hair? I can’t find it.
Nathan: Oh dear! We can’t find the thing to cut my hair. Now I cannot become handsome. (*sad face*)

Daddy: Show me two fingers.
Nathan: (Holds up two fingers) One, two!
Daddy: Show me four fingers.
Nathan: (Holds up four fingers) One, two, three, four!
Daddy: Now show me six fingers.
Nathan: (Holds up all five fingers) One, two, three, four, five… Oh no! I have no more fingers!
Daddy: What about your other hand?
Nathan: Oh yeah. I forgot. (*goofy grin*)

Nathan: Mummy, where’s my picture card?
Mummy: Weren’t you just holding it a minute ago.
Nathan: Yes, but it’s gone!
Mummy: It must be somewhere. Just look carefully around.
Nathan: I looked everywhere! I can’t find it!
Mummy: That can’t be. How could it have just disappeared?
Nathan: (Very matter of fact tone) Yes it did. It’s because of the magic.
Mummy: (*Trying very hard to repress a laugh*) I don’t think it’s because of magic. It’s just somewhere around. You just need to look for it. Where did you last put it?
Nathan: It is magic! It is! See, I put it here and then it’s gone. It’s the magic!
Mummy: (Giving up. Who can argue with that?)

“I don’t know if you have ever seem a map of a person’s mind. Doctors sometimes draw maps of other parts of you, and your own map can become intensely interesting, but catch them trying to draw a map of a child’s mind, which is not only confused, but keeps going round all the time. There are zigzag lines on it, just like your temperature on a card, and these are probably roads in the island; for the Neverland is always more or less and island, with astonishing splashes of colour here and there, and coral reefs and rakish-looking craft in the offing, and savages and lonely lairs, and gnomes who are mostly tailors, and caves through which a river runs, and princes with six elder brothers, and a hut fast going to decay, and one very small old lady with a hooked nose.”
― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan