Saws, hammers and drills, oh my!

Colin: "Mommy, I want you to read me books tonight."

Me: "No problem."

Sometimes Chris takes Colin to bed, sometimes I do. Tonight, he wanted me and I was happy to oblige

He climbs into bed and I lift a pile of books that happens to be lying on the floor, onto the bed.

Me: "What should we start with?"

Colin: "The working book."

Me: "Okay, great!" I pull out this book, about trucks in a construction site, assuming this is the one he means. Side note: this is a GREAT book. If you have a pre-school age little guy (or girl!) who is interested in trucks, you won't be disappointed!

Colin: "No, silly mommy. THIS book."

And he grabs this off Chris's nightstand:

The front of the magazine advertises gripping articles such as  "Choosing the best backerboard for tile work" and "Who makes the best circular saw?"

-Deep breath-

I can read this book. I'm cool like that. I know my saws and what nots...

okay really I was doubting myself and expecting Colin to re-consider having asked me to read to him. I almost expected him to say, "Never mind mommy. Go get Daddy!"

But the thing I've learned about being a parent is that whenever you feel out of your comfort zone, your child will show you how to be. 

And he did. He guided me through and before I knew it I was reading 'Fine Homebuilding' like I'd been doing it my whole life (well, sort of...not really). But he seemed satisfied.

Motherhood pushes my comfort zone. In big ways and little ways... every. single. day.

Luckily, I have my kids to guide me.

Monday 4 p.m.

Colin: "Hey Everett, do you want me to read you a story?"

Everett: "Ohhhh that sounds nice".

Colin: "This book is one of my favs. 

It's called, "Fine Homebuilding."

Finn: "Can I join?"

Carter: "Me too!"

And that's how, at 4 p.m. on a Monday, my future handymen gathered to share a story about hammers and nails and drills, oh my!

The end

p.s.- can you tell I'm sleep deprived??

My little handyman

Oh Colin..... you are such the little helper. You really are always looking to help mommy and daddy. Especially if it involves using tools. It is probably the cutest thing ever but also can sometimes cause more work for mommy and daddy :)

(helping daddy with the tree, offering to hold the tree clippers (ahhh no!), helping pop-pop seal the windows, helping daddy shovel the back walk)

Just today, you had your toy wooden hammer, toy screw driver, tape measures and other household tools you find useful (think wine stopper, random spring coil, electric baby mucus extractor, electric nose hair clippers. Side note: I often have NO IDEA where he finds these things around the house but good luck trying to take them back). He carries them all around in his special bucket.

Anyway, I thought, "Oh how cute that he's pretending- key word pretending- to hammer where the stockings are hung". And then I turned my head FOR A SECOND and when I turned back you had hammered down every nail and the stockings were in a pile on the floor! You were already trying to pry the bent nails out of the wall with the wine stopper!

I ran over and half laughing, said "What are you doing?!"

You were SOOOO proud of your work. Just look at this smile.

File this under: This kid is NOT PRETENDING when using his tools.