Sunday, September 26, 2010

'S' is for... Sweet (mostly) things he says

More from the mouth of Preston...

Wednesday, August 11
While Gracie was in surgery, Preston told Nana he wanted to send mama a text. Using Nana's phone, he texted all kinds of gibberish with furiously fast thumbs. When Nana asked him to read it, he said, "Dear Jesus, my mommy."

Late that night, he asked to send another text that was so many characters it was multiple messages. Translated, it read, "Dear Jesus, I love you. From me, Jonah and Ella. (Jonah and Ella are twins and his good friends from school.)

Before Nana left for Georgia...
Preston went potty. Then Nana said she was going to go. He told her to go standing up like him. She explained that she can't go like that because she isn't a boy. He insisted, "Yes you can, Nana. I will show you how..." He has since also offered to help me do the same!

Monday, August 16
John and Preston walked in the front door and the mail had been dropped through the door mail slot and was lying all over the floor in the entryway. Preston picked up the mail and yelled, "Daddy I got mail. To Preston, I love you, from Jesus!"

August 23, 2010
Two days after Gracie was discharged, we set up the pools for the kids in the backyard and all four of us played... splashing, soaking and just hanging out. Gracie, Preston and I were in the bigger pool and John was getting ready to take a picture. Preston said, "We are a family again."
Sigh.

August 26, 2010
Preston and I were doing chores in the backyard. He saw a dandelion, picked it, blew it all over the place and went on his merry way. A moment later, I spotted another one (yes, we have a lot of weeds within our grass...) and pointed it out to him. He picked it and said, "I wish Gracie will feel better," and then blew it all over the place.
Be still my heart.

September 18, 2010
I could hear Preston laughing in the family room where he was playing and Gracie was watching her favorite signing episode of "Blue's Clues." I peeked over the counter to find him half sitting-half straddling her.
I said, "Preston, what are you doing?"
"I'm tooting on Gracie!" he giddily exclaimed.
"Preston, that's yucky... and you might hurt her."
To which he replied, "She likes it, Mama and I'm being careful."
And so the brotherly bodily function torture begins...

September 26, 2010
I took Preston to a birthday party... Gracie did not come with us. Preston was having a blast while I looked on, all the while feeling like I was missing a limb without my girl there to look after. Anyway, Preston slid down the giant slide, jumped down, and as he started to go back up the stairs, he suddenly turned around to me and said, "Wait, I have to go check Gracie." I had to remind him that she wasn't with us. (This was a good thing... as much as she loves bounce houses, she would have been trampled at this party as there wasn't a "calm" inch of bouncing space in the place!)

The day before we were at another birthday party at a different bounce house place and he periodically ran back to us to see that she, too, was having fun. "Checking her" means a variety of things for him... is she happy, does she need help, does she need to be cleaned up from coughing, does she have her diaper on, does she need a toy. I love that he loves her that much. I love that it is second nature to him to want to "check her." I love that he knows his sister is special and needs extra help and that he doesn't see her as anything other than his sister.

6 comments:

hannah m said...

Your sweet boy amazes me with his loving, funny, thoughtful ways! Kristi, I'm so glad you're writing these snippets down. Preston will love reading these when he gets older (and you'll love to reminisce!).

ANewKindOfPerfect said...

Preston is such an amazingly sweet boy. :)

Catherine L said...

Had so much to catch up on. And loving your S series.

Molly said...

What a cute boy! I think these siblings of our little ones came from an extra special place in Heaven. They are just a little bit more kind and aware of others than the rest of us.

Leslie, Arlin and Katie Kauffman said...

Love your sweet boy, Kristi! He is so "all boy" but at the same time has such compassion and love. What a beautiful mix of personality!

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness. I hadn't checked your blog in awhile ...be still my heart. All those precious Preston moments (what an incredibly loving, amazing little boy), Gracie in her hats and on the SCHOOL BUS again (the girls think that is soooo cool :) and your Glee montage ...oh my gosh. My heart is full of Swann lovins' right now. Thankyouthankyouthankyou for posting these! :) Love and hugs ...miss you ALWAYS Barecca J