TOO CHILDISH?

Sometimes a grown man needs a mommy.

Lupita and I work with my hands (along with everything else) when we go to the gym.  My hands have a really long way to go.  Recently, we have been building forts and towers out of dominoes and jenga blocks.  I build – she coaches.  I used to love to do this when I was a young boy.  I enjoy it now too, but it seems terribly juvenile.   And terribly necessary.

At first I kept knocking everything down because I could not control the blocks with my fingers.  Or I would drop the blocks on my partially erected edifice.   Or I would ram the structure because I could not control my arm movements well.   With lots of practice and coaching, I am learning and getting better with my movements and developing new skills.  It seems to come much as a toddler would progress with age.  You have heard of people having to re-learn everything – that’s where I am.  It is harder to do than I imagined.

Recently, I have been able to pick up and manipulate blocks with my left hand.  This is big stuff for me – although I cannot yet successfully place anything yet with the left.

Each time I accomplished something, I wanted to make sure Lupita saw it.  If she didn’t, I would struggle to replicate the achievement.  Then I realized that not only was I toiling as a youngster would, but I was seeking the same kind of recognition and approval a small child would.  Wow - that really adds to the juvenile nature of it all.  But it also makes it more fun.

Lupita and I have a new game.  I exclaim “look mommy” and proudly perform my latest accomplishment for her approval.  She dutifully watches and honors me with ”You did it!  Good boy!”  I bask in the glow of her acceptance and seek to repeat the whole process again by dazzling her with evermore increasingly awesome feats.

Talk about re-learning EVERYTHING.  Physically AND mentally.

 I use Lupita as my surrogate mommy because my real mommy can’t be there.  That would be even more fun though.  For awhile anyway, until it became just too silly for even us.  You parents of youngsters take note – be sure to play this game with your young ones.  I have re-learned that it motivates further development.  And it feels good.  And it’s fun.

I’m through writing now…