Will Canada

2002 Profile Age: 1 Height: 2’5” Weight: 25 pounds Chronology March: begins crawling May: stands independently; visits zoo and science museum June: visits Williamsburg, Virginia July: begins walking; says “uh” (“up”) and “dah” (“down”) Updated August 5, 2002 © Canada 2002

It is difficult to imagine anyone making a more favorable first impression than our son, Will. Whoever you are—although it seems to help if you are female—he will greet you with a giant, toothy grin. “Is he always this happy?” people ask us. Yes, we say, he is just about always in a good mood. When he is strolling through the living room—a skill he developed shortly after his first birthday—or rolling a ball or keeping time on the washing machine, he is all smiles. Even when he was nearly slapping Daddy silly in church one Sunday, landing punch after punch while his adversary’s hands were occupied, he was beaming and squealing with delight. (Oh, the congregation loved that one. After the service, one parishioner suggested I invest in some headgear. I keep meaning to get some, but I seem to be suffering from strange bouts of dizziness and amnesia.) Will beams his brightest when his sister, Esprit, is around, and she is around him a lot, diving into pillows with him, putting on various performances for his entertainment, and generally adding her own joy and brilliance to his. Whence all this joy comes we cannot say for certain, but I have my suspicions. Any observer of the Canada household would soon notice that Will lives a rather comfortable existence. After waking up around 8, he might start his day with two or three waffles, perhaps some eggs if any are available, and then spend the morning playing ball or sitting comfortably in a chair, one arm on the armrest, and taking in some of Clifford: The Big Red Dog. After some lunch and a leisurely nap, he will kick around in the afternoon, pulling a few hundred books off of the shelves or trying to empty the Tupperware cabinet. A hunter and gatherer by nature, he will satisfy any cravings by grazing for crumbs, thread, and insects—living or dead—on the carpets and floors. At dinnertime, he will studiously empty his plate, first by eating the contents—turkey, macaroni, peas, beans, cantaloupe, and virtually anything else deemed edible—and then by simply disposing of the leftovers on the floor, presumably so that he can return to them when his appetite flares up again. The day ends with a soothing bath, some warm milk, and a trip to Sleepytown. If he could talk—“uh” (“up”), “dah” (“down”), “dada” (“Daddy”), and “Mom” delight his parents, but allow for conversation of only limited breadth—he would explain that training his parents to be the fine servants they are has not been easy, though. When they slip up by serving his meal a little too slowly or not delivering him from his chair with sufficient promptness, he has to yell—he hates to do this, really—and yell very loudly so that they understand the true gravity of their transgression. Having been disciplined in this fashion for several months now, Mommy and Daddy generally perform their jobs competently, though they occasionally need additional guidance. Growing up with a teacher, Will has had to endure more than his share of “homework.” Still only 1 year old, he is not yet bothered with all that comes under that title for his sister: reading, math, science, geography, and the like, but he has had to learn “up” and “down,” and Daddy has lately begun lessons on “in” and “out,” as well as “left” and “right.” Actually, like Essie, he has discovered that learning can be rather fun. He especially likes watching a ball rise and fall, and he smiles as he chants “uh” and “dah.” Language, it turns out, has also proved useful. Thanks to Mommy, he has learned a new word, “mah,” which he can now say when he wants “more” of something. It’s a bit more trouble than the house-shaking grunt he is accustomed to issuing, but the servants seem to like it. As difficult as it is to get good help these days, it pays to keep them satisfied. “Is he always this happy?” With his life, who wouldn’t be? But then he spreads his joy around, and we love him for it.