Sterling turned three in early December and so he is the youngest sunbeam in our ward. He loves it! There are a few other boys in his class who really struggle with the new situation and often cry. Sterling often seems a bit confused and just goes with the flow. Everyone at church loves him and claims they would take him home with them. He has learned to be obedient and reverent at church. Thank goodness... a glimpse back a year and a half might have made some wonder. There were definitely some knock down, drag out days where he tested our patience and persistence... but he knows what is expected and seems to find joy in doing it now.
Today the ward choir sang and Eldon played the cello. Because I (Shaela) like to sing in the choir and leaving the kids in the front pew might make more of a distraction, we let them come up with us. Sterling enjoys singing the words he can remember and manages to keep his distractions to a minimum... if you can resist that cute little smile and go with the flow reverence that exudes from him at church, especially if he knows someone is watching.
Sterling, like most older siblings has had a touch adjustment to being a "big kid". He doesn't appreciate that John gets attention when he cry's but, he gets ignored. He is capable of amazing things when he chooses to. He has already memorized his grandmother's phone numbers and is so cute to hear him say it. He started learning to read and work on phonics with Sarah and he loves it.
The most oft repeated statement in our home is from Sterling is, "There's nothing for me to do!" Ugh, if I had a dollar for every time I heard that... I'd be rich! Sterling is just busy, busy, busy, and intense about everything that he does. He wants to be with the big kids and do everything that they do, but he doesn't want to do many things by himself. Though capable of dressing himself, he will always at least try to claim that he needs help.
Sterling LOVES Thomas the Train everything. He would be thrilled if he thought Thomas the Train toilet paper exists! He has fun playing trains with Joseph and building tracks and thinking of all the "Thomas the Train" paraphernalia that might exist.
Sterling loves to work and he loves to help. If there's a job to do... he'll do it and do it to the end. He got a vacuum for his birthday from Maju and will often vacuum every room in the house multiple times a day. Of course, he prefers if he can connect every extension chord in the house to the vacuum as well... that makes it cooler!
Mothering Sterling is busy, very busy, but there is never a dull moment either. He keeps me on my toes and smiling. His demands are high and his love is fierce, but he is growing and changing and loving life!
Funny Story: Sterling is potty trained when he wants to be. He has five pairs of pants. He had kept his pants clean for three days in a row this week. Suddenly during lunch yesterday (After the week's laundry had been folded and put away) he announced that he needed to go potty and change his pants. I asked why he had wet his pants and he replied, "Because I have lots of clean ones in my locker now!" :-) Never a dull moment with this one around!
