Traditions

Here's a snap of the boys from the other night. The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown was on TV, so #1 got a special treat on the TiVo (after dinner was eaten and manners were attempted). You see he can't be bothered to look away from the TV for 2 seconds. #2 was being hilarious. He is not at all interested in TV, but likes to sit with his brother and be a big boy - so he kept getting up on the couch and crowding out #1. #1 would usually clobber him, but Charlie Brown was a good buffer and nothing seemed to bother him - thank goodness. Yesterday was also picture day at school so #2 has learned to fake smile while saying "cheese" ... which is a cute little whisper of sheeeeeeesh. By the way, #2 isn't naked ... he dumped his entire dinner down his front so he's sitting in his diaper and socks ... new clothes before bath is way too much work for me.

It happens a lot with the kids, but especially on days when there is something like The Great Pumpkin or The Grinch on TV that I get all weepy. I remember being 8 or 10 and doing the same thing, so clearly. I was glued to the TV with my brother and sister, making fun of my Mom for having glassy eyes while watching us and Charlie Brown from the kitchen. I really don't feel like that was so long ago ... I get it Mom. Tomorrow is Halloween and the holiday season begins ... I'm looking forward to more non-HDTV like Frosty, Ruldoph, the original Grinch and 24 hours of A Christmas Story on TBS. The shows are great, but the memories are even better!

If He Only Knew

My conversation with #1 this morning while tying shoes ...

Mommy, shoes are not for kicking.
That's right. Shoes are not for kicking.
But GF kicked me in my cocker at the playground.
Really? What is your cocker?
It's my fin. My fin for swimming in the water. When you have a cocker fin you can swim extra fast ... but not TOO fast. If you swim too fast you'll crash and break your cocker.

Well said.

All Too Often

My boss just resent me an email I sent him a few weeks ago. It was one of my many emails to him explaining why I would be working the night shift this particular day. I have a FABULOUS boss! He resent it to me explaining how he likes to read it because it makes him appreciate his mom more. Everyone has been here ... many - several times over. I think this was my entire month of January 2008. Enjoy the laugh ...

Hiya - fun day at our house. Bring your hazmat suit should you ever visit. My day today: wake up - kids to school. Before I can pull into the driveway on my return from drop-off - cell phone rings. #1 has "suspicious rash" on his face. Did I actually look at my kid this morning? Why did I not notice "suspicious rash"? Said rash must be checked out by pediatrician. Drive back to school while phoning pediatrician ... beg for appointment. Pick up #1 from school - go to doctor. Wait. Wait some more. Wait with 3 year old hurling fire truck into air while making siren sound at level 10. See doctor. Rash is barely visible to doctor (feel better for not noticing rash), but throat "looks red". Gag 3 year old with strep test - which causes tantrum built up by no snacks and waiting WAY TOO LONG for doctor. Leave 2 hours later with no rash, but strep and direction to "bring #2 in immediately." Race home, feed #1 lunch. SHOWER. Back to school to pick up #2. Drive back to pediatrician with #1 and #2. Wait. Wait some more. Wait some more in small exam room with 2 boys and indoor temp of at least 97 degrees (why did I shower?). Nurse finally shows up to gag #2. Nurse is smart and brings Popsicles for both. Wait some more for results. Sugar kicks in and #1 begins hurling toys into the air (again). Door I opened to let in some air conditioning was closed by nurse - apparently #1 was not adding to the calming effect that comes over most children awaiting gags and shots. Doctor comes in with "very positive" result on #2. finally leave after another 2 hours ... same chaos continues at pharmacy. :)

Nobody Puts Baby in the Corner

There have been very few times over the last 4 years that I've taken some time to just be one of the girls again. But here is the proof ... 5 Moms with kids from almost 4 years to 5 months hit the road for 36 hours of no diapering, time-outs, laundry, dishes, nose wiping or back-talking. After watching Mr. Right take lots of boys weekends - sailing, Vegas, fishing, you name it ... I happily flew the coop on a rainy Saturday morning (ha ha! inside activities) and drove far enough that only a true emergency would bring me back. A lot of wine, a 75 minute massage, trashy magazines, lots of talking and an uninterrupted 12 hours of sleep reminded me that time with girlfriends is so necessary. Of course, the dads were just fine on their own ... I think most of them really enjoyed the time with the kids - although only a few will admit it (can't possibly encourage another weekend away anytime soon). I came home to a sink full of dirty dishes, but 2 very excited minis. It was nice to be queen of the castle again. :)

More than Dat

Today I got a few new words from #2! Very clearly and in the right context - up, please (peas) and more (maar, maar, while signing please by rubbing his chest) joined the ranks of dat! I hope this is the beginning of chatty Cathy ... #2 is so frustrated that his idiot momma doesn't understand a darn thing he says - he's tired of banging his head on the floor and kicking his feet in turbo speed. One day I do need to video his tantrums ... there must be proof. Have I discussed this one's temper? Whooo! I need to do a little more reading up on Taurus. I am an Aries - I thought I was the worst of the group. #2 takes the cake these days. We'll see what happens as communication gets better...

#1 gave me another taste of my own medicine today. I don't usually let the boys eat in the car, but we've had unbelievable meltdowns lately. As soon as we walk in the house from school there are "I'm hungry!" tears everywhere. So I've started to give the boys a little snack as I pick them up from school. Today #1 dumped his all over the back seat of the car. It wasn't an accident - he was being an artist. I told him that if he didn't keep his crackers in his snack bag I wasn't going to let him eat in the car anymore. He responded, "it isn't hurting anyone, Mommy ... why are you mad?" Point taken.

Rock Star

As dictated by #1 ...
Today, at school, S.T. and I were in a rock band. We played in housekeeping (a section of the classroom) - set up the ironing board as drums and we had guitars. I was the drummer. I was drumming! Drumming lots and lots. S.T. played the guitar. It was really fun. Maybe I will be a fire-fighter and a drummer when I grow up.

Oh No You Don't!

I was picking up the boys from daycare last week and getting the full report on #2's day. "He played well, he's really using his words (although he is the only one that knows what those words really are), but something interesting happened today." In the one phrase I do understand from #2 ... "UT OOOOOH!" This is usually where I hear about biting ... stealing toys ... or my favorite tell-all of having an older brother in the house - playing too aggressively with the other 15-20 month old children in his class. To my surprise, none of that happened on this day. It started out as a very sweet gesture by #1, to go into his brother's classroom during afternoon snack and say hello. I love hearing about these little visits. They are always initiated by #1 and I think it is really sweet that he's going in to check on his brother. I'm sure it is a stall tactic as well, but I'll continue to believe that he's a sweet big brother - taking good care of his little brother while his parents are bringing home the bacon. So anyway, #1 goes in during afternoon snack and #2 goes berserk! He starts pointing at the door yelling, "dat!" Which is the universal THAT ... as in THAT is the door and you should use it #1 ... go on out! #1 doesn't get it - or ignores it - and goes over to the table where #2 is hovered over his applesauce. He is protecting the applesauce like a prized possession -- a possession he's sure his brother's grabby hands are after. The teachers decide today may not be the best day for brotherly love, so they take #1 back to his classroom. #2 smiled from ear to ear and licked his applesauce cup clean. Do you think there is some food stealing in the house while I'm not looking?

Miss Manners

#1 is almost 4 years old and ALL boy. I was all kids of feisty while pregnant with him and I now understand why. He is the first to point out "good guys" and "bad guys" and will turn any object into a shooter, sword or fire hose to ensure our imaginary play turns into an action packed adventure ... one that will teeter slightly on the positive edge of actions/things/words that send him to time out. So we talk a lot about nice words, playing gently with others (especially our brother), treating others in ways that you would like to be treated, etc. The other morning while trying to get out the door to work #1 is stalling, stalling some more, starts making up things to stall about. Naturally, I go from the well rested calm mommy ... to the drill sergeant ... to the angry drill Sergeant ... while waiting for #1 to get his backpack and sweatshirt on so we can get out the door. Then I hear something that makes my 3" big girl shoes stop in their tracks ... "Mommy, I think you're being a little bit rude." And with a big laugh (and an apology) my "I'm so late" day was put back into perspective.

Here we go!

Here it is - my first post. I've been inspired by two friends that are so good at keeping others up to date on what's going on in their own worlds. It's been really nice to keep up with them while living on opposite ends of the country for one ... and on opposite schedules in the same city for the other. I was catching up on their lives the other day when I realized that I'm not writing enough down when it comes to the lessons I learn from Mini-Me #1 and Mini-Me #2. And I'm definitely not seeing enough of my own family and friends - spread all around the globe - to share it. So - a huge thank you to MEL and MKM for the inspiration. Here is my blog family and friends ... check in as you wish. :)