Ever since Lucas could hold a pencil, crayon, or a pen, we have encouraged him to draw, write, and express himself. Sometimes he is totally into it and sometimes he just wants to eat the pen. He can draw a line and call it an ‘i’ or a circular thing and call it an ‘o’. Yesterday I taught him how to scribble. OK, I dint really ‘teach’ him, I just encouraged him to do what he does and gave it a name. Months ago I decorated a little table for him and painted the top with some chalkboard paint and gave him basket of sidewalk chalk and it’s come in handy for these days when he can’t get enough drawing. Today he covered the whole table with his scribbles and he would draw something and then tell me ‘moon’,'big moon’, ‘i’, ‘o’, or ’scribble’. Of course, I was amused and enthralled by his creative output — much as I am amused and enthralled by all that he does.

I was thinking about it and trying to come up with something to write about for today (as I mentioned I am joining in with the madness) and it struck me that this month of compulsory writing are my scribbles. I am learning how to express myself with my tools, learning that writing is about sitting down and writing, not just thinking or talking about writing. I am finding my voice and practicing my ‘i’s and my ‘o’s and my ‘moon’s. The kid and I, we are just alike.