The Great Airplane Hunt

Yesterday and today, Kenny and I spent at least a cummulative two hours looking through the big picture window in our master bedroom, waiting for airplanes to fly by.   Kenny would sit on my lap, wired with energy, softly whispering, “Aa-pane,” and staring outside.   Oh, we also noted the birds flying by and  the ducks swiming in the water; we sang songs, and patted Dudley.     But when our patience was rewarded with a Southwest jet flying overhead (we are in one of their flight patterns), Kenny would snap to attention, bounce on my lap and try to stand on the window sill, and shout, “AAAAAAAA-PAAAAAANE!”

This was cute enough by itself.   What amazed me was his desire to talk about the airplanes; that is, he initiated conversations about them long after we finished our jet-gazzing.   Tonight when I rocked him before bed, he looked up at me and said, “Aa-pane, Mama.”   I almost said something like, no there aren’t any airplanes in here, when it hit me: he wanted to talk about them, and about what we had seen today.   So I recounted all the airplanes we saw, and then just talked about them for awhile.   I usually sing to him before putting him to bed, but tonight the mini-conversation seemed to hit the spot.   After ten minutes or so of me telling stories about our day watching airplanes, with him occasionally adding an, “aa-pane!” or “sky” or “i-ney” (shiney), he wrapped his arms around my neck, cooed, “Mamamamamama,” then pointed to his crib and said, “Nigh, nigh.”   What a kid.

It gives me pause, though, to remember the importance of talking to Kenny, and not just to narrarate the day.   There’s a little brain working inside that fifteen-month-old.   A little character growing; a tiny person with preferences and passions and interest.   He’s taking it all in, watching and listening and learning.   It makes me love him all the more, and makes me all the more excited about seeing him grow.   Part of me is eager for him to really start talking so that I can learn more about what makes him tick!