"I hepoo, mommy" & praying hands

Tonight Collin wanted to help mommy wash the dishes. "I hepoo, mommy", he said. Usually the process would be more drawn out when a 3 year old "helps" wash the dishes, but not with Collin. This kid knew what he was doing..washed each piece precisely and did not get a drop of water anywhere out of the sink! He loves to help and is very good at household chores (not that I make him do any chores, he volunteers). He loves to sweep the floor using a dustpan and brush and he does a good job of it. We are fortunate to have some pictures of his younger years spent with his foster family. In one of the pictures he could not be more than two years old, and he is holding a broom and a dustpan. This may be something taught to him at a very young age, or maybe cleaning is just an interest to him. In true Chandler Bing style I ask myself, "could he BE more perfect"?

He also likes to help me take the laundry basket up the steps, separate the laundry to be folded, and put his socks and underwear in the proper drawer. I figure, why stop him now? If he gets into the routine of doing these things, maybe they will "stick", and when he is older it won't be such a big deal when mom asks him to put his laundry away.

A couple of nights ago when I was putting Collin to bed, I told him that we were going to start saying a bedtime prayer each night. Right away he said, "we have to do prayer hands, mommy, like this", and he put his hands together in a prayer fashion as he has been shown at preschool. Then he said, "Mrs. Brianne show me that". MS. Brianne is Collin's preschool teacher at the same Catholic school where I teach 6th grade departmental Science. It was so cute, especially at the end of our prayer when I began to say "In the name of the Father, and of the Son.." and Collin made the Sign of the Cross. It wasn't exactly correct but I was proud of the attempt. He has learned so much in such a short time!

Tonight at supper, Collin examined the food on his plate before starting to eat. I didn't say a word about what was on it. All of a sudden he says "I don't eat this SALAD". I have no idea where he picked up the word salad, but he was correct, there was salad on his plate! I tried, but could only get him to eat the "crunchies", as he calls them. We call them croutons.

This little boy from literally half a world away continues to learn and grow and amaze us each and every day. Life is great!

What Collin is doing now: taking "pictures" of his choo-choos with an old film camera that still flashes..he arranges the trains, takes a picture, then rearranges the trains and takes another picture.