Clever

Peregrine is incredibly clever. I know you're thinking that of course I think he is because I'm his Mama, but he really is. And other people think so too, unbiased people, like his grandparents and aunties and uncles. He can recite books to us, and stories that we've told him. And he runs around saying words in other languages, like "Buon Giorno!" and "Arrivaderci." Lately he's been wanting to hear about things that Erik and I have done. I've told him all the monkey stories from when I was in India and Erik has been telling him about bears in Alaska and working on boats. So now he tells stories like "Well, I was living in a city called Pushkar and sitting on an upstairs porch and I was reading a book about tea for you and I was having a steamer. And I was looking at the street. And a monkey scurried by and he got my old steamer he dropped it on the street below it opened up and all came out and then he ran away. And then I found it." He takes our stories and retells them with his own little details. It's pretty cute. And he seems to hear everything we say, except, of course, when it's directed at him. He must have overheard Erik asking me to buy some horseradish one day. A few days later we were at Euphoria Chocolate Company and when the saleswoman asked if we needed anything else he promptly replied "We need horseradish!" Needless to say she looked a bit confused.
His latest thing is these little scenarios that he tries to create. Like he'll come up to me and say "Mama, can you say to me "Would you like to watch a movie now?" " Watching a movie is not an every day thing for him and this is his way of asking without really asking. Or the other night during our Bible Study my niece Jessamyn was watching the kids in the next room. He ran in and asked if I could hold him and of course I picked him up and put him on my lap. Jessamyn came in and he said to her "Can you tell me to come out?" When she did he replied smugly "I can't because my Mom's holding me right now". What a little schemer!
So, I have this clever boy, but I'm not blind to his faults. For example, no matter how many times I've told him not to, he still likes to dangle his hands and feet in the toilet. He just doesn't seem to get it that it's a really disgusting thing to do, especially if you then rub the water on your face. Or that eating things out of the trash can is gross. Or wiping your nose with toilet paper that's already been used elsewhere. You would think that such a smart kid would just know better, but he seems to think that those things are perfectly acceptable.
What to do? Sometimes I'm amazed at how smart he is and then other times......well, I'm amazed, but not exactly in a good way. Later I can look back and laugh, but I admit I usually find it hard to see the humor in these things when they happen. So pray for me, that God will give me wisdom to match his cleverness. And that I will have joy even when he's dunking his shirt in the toilet.