What a difference a few months make

I went to the mall today for the first time in a very long time. I really needed a few new tops for spring and some new pjs. That always makes a girl feel good, Huh? I will have to settle for the tops, couldn't find the perfect pjs today. maybe Kohl's tomorrow after my breakfast with a few girls. Yes, I'm getting out more! It's a great sign, Spring seems to be here, the sunshine is wonderful, and it does make the day go by a little quicker too!
We only lost one pacifier, Dawson retrieved the other one on our desperate search under a chair in the shoe department at Macy's. Like any good mom, I sucked off the icky and gave it to the sleepy baby. After I sucked the last few slurps out of the watered down DC, I vowed to not leave home without one of those handy paci clips that I've made umpteen of!!!!
In light of what a wonderful (relatively speaking) experience I had shopping today, I have been reminiscing just how much Dawson has changed in the last 5 months or so.....he is becoming a big boy in ways that are very, very, good, not the kind that make you sappy. Like much less whining (it still happens - he IS 4), he likes to brush his teeth without freaking out about how much or little paste is on his brush and stopped refusing to repeat patterns in order to help me out, he makes his bed without being told (not every day- he IS still 4) and even does it like I do it, just a little messy, but I don't even have the urge to go re-do it, it's that good!!! wow. He observed a little boy at the mall today that wasn't obeying his mommy and his mommy was giving him choices etc., and D took a bit of his pizza ( man I love that I can give ONE of my kids junky mall food!) and pointed at the boy and told me what he *should* be doing. Is this my kid? The one who's "feet stopped working" on our trek through the Sacramento airport just last October? The one who pooped in his pants way into overtime, just to spite me (I'm convinced)? I tell you he is growing!
This is also the same child who wouldn't let me teach him anything at home! I mean NOTHING! The minute I got out anything artsy or creative, or just paper and markers, paint, didn't matter, he checked out. Now he comes home from school with all of these projects that I swear I have to ask if he was really the one who created them. He notices letters on everything, billboards are his favorite, particularly Thunder Valley Casino. He sees that billboard ad from a mile away and loves to try the deep voice the advertising man has and mocks him.
He really wants to learn a little! Now, I won't compare him to big guy who I've mentioned numerous times came out reading the phone book, but he can read a big book called, " Nat the Cat's Big Book". yeah! Thanks to my wonderful mother-in-law, I have a few more like it and we'll get to them. I have learned to work at his pace. So exciting!
Dawson loves things in place. today at the mall I was looking at earrings and he was helping. He found a pair he thought I might like and I didn't, so I tried to just set them back on the rounder in another place, oh NO! He (without asking - he knew I would think it was a big waste of time) took the earrings and turned the rounder to the correct side and put them back. Who's kid is this again?
He folds laundry, well, anything square or rectangular anyway, and puts them in the correct room for me. I tell you, I don't really want him to go to pre-K next year. I could really use him. Heck, by then I could have him doing the dishes and changing sheets.
Then I could really get a life.