Wrapped and Unwrapped

I kept Micah home from school today because he wasn't feeling well yesterday. It was a rare Just Mommy and Micah Day. So how did we spend it? Cleaning, that's how. I was looking for the lost iPod Touch, and when I get started it's best just to keep going. Micah and I cleaned and dusted and vacuumed. When Micah wants to, he's a great little helper to have around. When Micah doesn't want to do something, he ignores the fact that you spoke to him.

This has caused many problems in the past. Not having passed a hearing test until he was nearly 5, we were never sure if he even heard us. And then, if he did hear us, did he understand what we were asking? So, if he didn't hear, or understand, and we disciplined him for disobedience, it was a cousin to abuse. You don't just punish a child for no reason, which is what that little scenario would have been. Imagine that scenario played out fifty hundred dozen times daily, with us not knowing whether or not he heard, understood, or is simply ignoring.

The boy got away with bloody murder. Mostly he even had the knife in his hand, still dripping blood. It was THAT bloody of a murder. And he got away with it, because what were we going to do?

We eventually realized that he heard 99.7% of what we said (more or less), and were able to put 2 and 2 together to add up to He Knows What We Want, He's Just Smart Enough To Continue To Play Us. Once we learned how to add, his life became so much more difficult. As did ours, of course. Following up Every.Single.Request with action to make him do his part of obeying is tiring, yo.

And yet, there are still things that we're not sure he understands. Intangible things. Ideas and concepts. Hypotheticals. And all the gray areas that tie those things to his world of concretes and nows.

So today, after a busy morning of cleaning, Micah was hungry. As I was about to prepare lunch, he said EAT PIZZA. The boy loves his pizza. Knowing that I needed to get groceries this afternoon, I said, "how about we go into town and get pizza for lunch? You need to get pants on."

Micah was upstairs and dressed by the time I got the vacuum put away. While I was changing, he went downstairs, put his shoes on and went to wait in the van. Once again I think he's outsmarted us with his infinite wits. He knows so much more than I ever give him credit for, and my guess is that he understands most of what we say, despite his ignoring us.

Little stinker.

We had a wonderful lunch at Pizza Hut, me and the finger that I'm wrapped around.

6 comments:

Debbie @ Three Weddings said...

Oh yeah! They are much, much smarter than we give them credit for and boy can they PLAY us! Good luck! If it makes you feel any better, you aren't alone. :-)

Karen said...

I feel your pain. My Son has mastered the same skills. I am glad you enjoyed your day together.

Trisha said...

There is always a good reason for Pizza Hut! Micah is going to be a force to reckon with his entire life!

Shellie said...

So cute! It is so rough to be firm! Snif! I feel for you, but when you know he gets it, it's gotta be.

JennyH said...

Sounds just like Max!! what a little stinker-- a cute little stinker though!

Michelle said...

Awww how fun. But you know what? Those are the kinds of surprises that I'd love to have. Much better than the alternative, no?