Emotional Intelligence

We have a very emotionally expressive and perceptive 2 year old and a 4 year old in our home. In mid August when Jedd got the news that his dad was no longer welcome to stay at the memory care unit and had lost 20 lbs. in 15 weeks, he cried a bit as I hugged him. Sonna was nearby but I didn't think she was in ear-shot. Brooke had Sonna and when I joined them Sonna said, "Daddy sad; he want his Daddy". She was right. (I will insert that when Sonna hears a child cry she often says, "She want her Mommy" and that's usually the case).
Yesterday we received a beautiful picture of Joan and Lanny taken recently at the nursing home where he is staying in Minneota, MN. Jedd set it as our screen saver so it's a pretty big picture. When Mara saw it she leaned into the computer screen and curved her arms in such as way as to give them each a hug and said, "Oh, Grandpa Lanny" and "Grandma Joan" in an affectionate tone.
Earlier in the day Mara was intrigued by a combine. As we watched it I reminded her that her daddy grew up on a farm that had a combine and so did Grandma Margaret. Last night when Jedd was talking to Grandma Joan on the phone Mara asked to say something. She spoke to Grandma Joan and said, "Tell Grandpa Lanny that I saw a combine today". Somehow she put it all together that Grandpa Lanny was a farmer and he had driven a combine.
It is pretty amazing to watch our children grow and connect all sorts of dots and make sense of the world. We are blessed.