Special Things About Timothy

Special Things About Timothy, September 16, 2008

You are a special blessing to Daddy and Mommy! Emily and Daniel are not into cuddling, but you, my love, are the king of cuddles! You like to crawl into bed next to me at 7 am, lying perfectly still, cradled against me. The feel of protective, loving arms, is very special to you..very necessary for you. Your primary love language is physical touch. Mommy and Daddy love your sweet hugs and wrap-around cuddles. Loving words or praise-filled words don't mean much to you; you mostly seem to ignore them. Touch is how you receive and give love.

You are, so far, our only child who sees value in stillness. During the day, I like to scoop you up and hold you in our rocking chair. You love this! I love it very much too, and thank God for giving me such a willing snuggler. Your brother and sister usually try to get away, but you are always content to stay. Thank you, Timmy, for valuing this time with me.

You learn things quickly, surprising all of us with your fast-growing body of knowledge. I didn't teach you much over this last summer, but somehow you learned new and surprising things on your own. Your memory seems to be a wonderful asset, as well as your ability to analyze and compare. People everywhere are surprised at you, and I don't even know what to tell them. You are unlike anyone in our very large extended family, when it comes to learning. God has blessed you in this way.

You and your brother Daniel are very special friends. You have little in common, but that doesn't seem to matter. The giggling and pretend play you two enjoy is something to behold. We went on a field trip last week to a Veterinarian Hospital, and upon our return the two of you played with your stuffed animals and doctor kits for two hours. You thought of all these different mishaps your poor animals suffered. I LOVE listening to the two of you, especially when you don't know I'm there. We are so thankful for your friendship. I have to admit the noise level is sometimes hard to bare, but God is helping me with that.

You are very independent, like me, and enjoy time to yourself. When you've had enough cooperative play, you like to go into your room for quiet puzzles, building toys, or to read or look through your library books. Daniel is jealous of this time you need. However, since you and I are similar in this regard, I understand you completely and I try hard to protect your time alone.

When alone, you talk to yourself and have an absent-minded professor kind of persona. You can easily get lost in time, which is frustrating when Mommy and Daddy need you to complete tasks. It can take you over an hour to eat sometimes, or thirty minutes to dress, I presume because you get so lost in your own thoughts. I have been setting a timer to get you to move faster while eating and dressing. I hate to have to do it, but you seem to need the reminder that time is passing.

You enjoyed being our baby and have taken some time to adjust to your baby sister, Emily Rose. Your secondary love language might be acts of service, because you definitely have never wanted to do things for yourself. There is no streak of independence, when it comes to self-care. The other day you asked me why I don't take care of you anymore. I confess I didn't know what to say, other than reminding you that I wash your hair every night, and get you all your drinks and meals. It was an eye-opener, that question of yours. I will have to figure out how to make you feel cared for, without robbing you of the opportunity to grow up. It IS a challenge.

Your brother is a huge talker. He tells us nearly everything he is thinking and feeling, while you are, in comparison, quiet and reserved. When you do talk about your feelings, it is always eye-opening for us. We need to draw you out more, so we can be sure we are meeting all of your emotional needs. Perhaps you are just more analytical, while Daniel is more dominated by this feelings.

Your relationship with God really blossomed this past summer. You had a couple of tired fits, during which you told us irately that you only cared about Jesus, not about any of us. I was shocked, but also pleased, since you hadn't expressed much spiritual desire, prior to this summer (4.5 years old). Again, maybe it was all there in your head, and you just didn't feel the need to talk about it.

We love you so very much, Timmy! We are so proud of you. You are a very sweet, wonderful son! You make us so happy.