Portraits

Today while I was at the kids' school, I peeked in G's classroom. He was bent over his table working so diligently. I could see I wasn't interrupting the teacher, so I popped in to see what he was doing. He was working so hard on a self portrait. It was pretty much the cutest thing I'd ever seen, and I couldn't believe the amount detail he'd added. I kissed his head, and he looked up at me, confused. The confusion turned to a little annoyance, and then softened up to happy surprise.

He said to me, "Mom, I have been working so hard."

"I can see that! I am really proud of you."

He nodded and then said, "I really did my best."

"I know G. It is beautiful." (He is still little enough that 'beautiful' isn't just a girl word.)

Satisfied, he finished writing his name (in caps from bottom to top- a pastkindergartenteacher/mom's worst nightmare) and handed it in to his teacher. I kissed his head one more time and left.

Later, when I picked him up, his self portrait was all he could talk about. He said, "I really wanted to ask my teacher to give it back to me, but I was too shy." I told him that his teacher would give it back to us eventually, but she needed it for a while. He thought quietly for a bit, and then, delighted, asked me, "Do you want me to make ANOTHER one?"

Of course!

Naturally, he taped 2 pieces of paper together so his legs could be long enough. And if you've seen Garrett lately, you realize why. He's all limbs.

When the portrait was complete, he proudly taped it to the fridge. Maddy and Daddy of course went on an on about it when they got home. We've come a long way in the drawing department in the last 6 months!