This will be a fairly short post, because I'm stating the obvious.
Yesterday, while picking up James from daycare, Evan had the responsibility to check the cubby and folder and get all of James' stuff together. I had the opportunity to do what I love doing best: watching James discover something new.
As soon as he saw me, James gave a quick acknowledgment that I existed and then ran over to the water fountain. Apparently, he had been eying it for a while. I watched as he turned the knob on the fountain, amazing himself that he was making the water shoot out. He pointed at it and smiled so I'd approve and he turned the knob again. Impressive. After that, out shoots the tongue. He's on this tippy toes now, tongue hanging out like a little Gene Simmons. I think he may have seen this done before! However, each time he has to lean in to try to get some water, the pressure he is using to turn the knob is lifted. No water. I'm laughing hysterically as I watch my son struggle (Yup, I guess I'm just that kind of mom) and he finally succeeds -- for about half a second and then the ice cold water is shooting up his nose. Nice.
James gets mad and swears off the water fountain. Story of my life.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Friday, February 13, 2009
Rule #2 - Kids are smarter than you...usually
At our last apartment, we lived right next to a canal. During the spring/summer, mosquitos were everywhere! I kid you not--there was a blanket of winged bugs on the ceiling above my front door 8 months out of the year. Being a new mom and terrified by the latest West Nile reports on the news, it was the mosquitos that made us move. (Well, that and our neighbors asking if we'd hide their weapons for them every time a SWAT team raided the area...)
In any case, I am NOT a fan of bugs. After James came along, I've been especially paranoid about making sure no bugs got in the house. Once, when James was about a year old, I stood outside the door for about 10 minutes at 11:00 p.m. to wait for the gigantic, prehistoric bug to mosey on his way and leave the entry way.
Last night, I failed. James and his dad were eating dinner when I ran out to go check the mail. Preoccupied with a bill, I failed to notice the giant "mosquito" (Evan claims it's some kind of fly, but it's one of those mosquito-looking bugs with the huge wings and super long legs) and let it in the house. I immediately closed the bedroom doors and turned all of the lights on, hoping the little guy would be attracted to the lights, land somewhere and we'd smash it before anyone went to bed with the fear of that guy landing on your face.
The boys finished dinner. No sighting. James played a little. No sighting. Bath time. No sighting. James ran around the house in the buff, spoon in one hand, Elmo in the other. No sighting. James gets dressed. I see the little bastard. Of course he was near the ceiling and I'm not 6 foot tall, so Evan had the responsibilty of taking him out. Well, he missed. James suddenly seemed very interested and picked up the envelope Evan was trying to swat the bug with and starting flailing it around in the air - reenacting how Evan could not hit the bug. Good times. Now the bug was somewhere else, but I had only hoped injured and would crawl in a corner and die.
Two minutes later, James is pointing under the table, asking "What's that?" I kept saying "It's a table, bud" before thinking there might be more to this... Yup, my buddy found the baddy. I swear, the kid can spot airplanes hundreds of miles away, it seems and he can also spot a very skinny bug. He's got better vision than his dad and me for sure. Evan swatted and missed again.
Five minutes later, I was reading when James came up to me and says "Mama". I say "Yup, I'm Mama". James repeats himself. So do I. His voice is getting aggitated now. I repeat myself. Finally he yells over my shoulder "Daddy!" I say "Yup, that's Daddy." The poor kid. He probably wanted to grab my shirt and drag me over to the corner where he was TRYING to show us that he found the bug. But instead he would be stuck with his stupid Mom assuming her son was stating the obvious.
Evan eventually killed the bug (no thanks to me, apparently) and James went on playing, knowing he didn't have to look for the bug anymore and that his mother is an idiot.
In any case, I am NOT a fan of bugs. After James came along, I've been especially paranoid about making sure no bugs got in the house. Once, when James was about a year old, I stood outside the door for about 10 minutes at 11:00 p.m. to wait for the gigantic, prehistoric bug to mosey on his way and leave the entry way.
Last night, I failed. James and his dad were eating dinner when I ran out to go check the mail. Preoccupied with a bill, I failed to notice the giant "mosquito" (Evan claims it's some kind of fly, but it's one of those mosquito-looking bugs with the huge wings and super long legs) and let it in the house. I immediately closed the bedroom doors and turned all of the lights on, hoping the little guy would be attracted to the lights, land somewhere and we'd smash it before anyone went to bed with the fear of that guy landing on your face.
The boys finished dinner. No sighting. James played a little. No sighting. Bath time. No sighting. James ran around the house in the buff, spoon in one hand, Elmo in the other. No sighting. James gets dressed. I see the little bastard. Of course he was near the ceiling and I'm not 6 foot tall, so Evan had the responsibilty of taking him out. Well, he missed. James suddenly seemed very interested and picked up the envelope Evan was trying to swat the bug with and starting flailing it around in the air - reenacting how Evan could not hit the bug. Good times. Now the bug was somewhere else, but I had only hoped injured and would crawl in a corner and die.
Two minutes later, James is pointing under the table, asking "What's that?" I kept saying "It's a table, bud" before thinking there might be more to this... Yup, my buddy found the baddy. I swear, the kid can spot airplanes hundreds of miles away, it seems and he can also spot a very skinny bug. He's got better vision than his dad and me for sure. Evan swatted and missed again.
Five minutes later, I was reading when James came up to me and says "Mama". I say "Yup, I'm Mama". James repeats himself. So do I. His voice is getting aggitated now. I repeat myself. Finally he yells over my shoulder "Daddy!" I say "Yup, that's Daddy." The poor kid. He probably wanted to grab my shirt and drag me over to the corner where he was TRYING to show us that he found the bug. But instead he would be stuck with his stupid Mom assuming her son was stating the obvious.
Evan eventually killed the bug (no thanks to me, apparently) and James went on playing, knowing he didn't have to look for the bug anymore and that his mother is an idiot.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Rule #1 - Be a lover, not a fighter
Yesterday, Evan and I popped in to my son's daycare to pick him up for the day. As we walked into his classroom, there he was, being the perfect angel. There was no screaming, no whining, and he was picking up all the toys scattered around the room. I should have known better. As he walked from one toy to another, putting them in their assigned cubbie, James kept looking back at Evan and I. He was smiling and cleaning, ensuring that we saw what an awesome job he was doing, helping out his teachers. I almost bought it.
We were then told that James had a couple of "incident reports". Initially, this wasn't a big deal. There used to a period where Evan and I would take bets on whether James would have an incident report that day or not. Generally, it just meant that some kid bit him or he fell and hurt himself. Not this time.
"James has been very rough and hitting his friends today. He pulled some of his friends' hair. When someone would be in his way, he would push them down. He also hit one of his teachers today."
Certainly, this little hell-raiser wasn't MY kid. Fortunately for us, the abused teacher was still there and went on to tell us that James had simply walked up to her and smacked her in the face for no reason. Nice. Nothing like your 2-year-old son slapping around a 20-year-old lady to make you feel like a bad parent.
So, to teach him a lesson, we took him home and smacked him around...well, actually we didn't. The teacher even mentioned that he knew what he was doing was wrong. After each kid/adult he violated/tormented/punished, he apologized with his puppy eyes and kisses. That doesn't excuse it at all, but I have to admit that I could just see me being on a future episode of Nanny 911 or something.
Later that night, he couldn't STOP snuggling. I'm sure the fact that we don't bite, push, or harass him might have something to do with it. Or the fact that he was watching American Idol and was extremely happy about it...in any case, we'll just have to see how this one pans out and hope that there is no incident report today....unless it's because he ran into another wall.
We were then told that James had a couple of "incident reports". Initially, this wasn't a big deal. There used to a period where Evan and I would take bets on whether James would have an incident report that day or not. Generally, it just meant that some kid bit him or he fell and hurt himself. Not this time.
"James has been very rough and hitting his friends today. He pulled some of his friends' hair. When someone would be in his way, he would push them down. He also hit one of his teachers today."
Certainly, this little hell-raiser wasn't MY kid. Fortunately for us, the abused teacher was still there and went on to tell us that James had simply walked up to her and smacked her in the face for no reason. Nice. Nothing like your 2-year-old son slapping around a 20-year-old lady to make you feel like a bad parent.
So, to teach him a lesson, we took him home and smacked him around...well, actually we didn't. The teacher even mentioned that he knew what he was doing was wrong. After each kid/adult he violated/tormented/punished, he apologized with his puppy eyes and kisses. That doesn't excuse it at all, but I have to admit that I could just see me being on a future episode of Nanny 911 or something.
Later that night, he couldn't STOP snuggling. I'm sure the fact that we don't bite, push, or harass him might have something to do with it. Or the fact that he was watching American Idol and was extremely happy about it...in any case, we'll just have to see how this one pans out and hope that there is no incident report today....unless it's because he ran into another wall.
The Intro
Myspace was getting a little old. I must have changed the focus of this blog so many times and deleted so many things that any following I had I'm sure has given up on me already.
But that's how I roll.
Welcome to my life. I've been engaged for 3 years to an amazing guy, but I think we're both too scared to make the official transition to husband and wife. We've got problems like everyone else, but ours seem to be that much more important. Who am I kidding? They are. yuk, yuk
In 2007, we welcomed our son, James. My entire life has shifted dramatically since his arrival. Who I want to be, what I want to do in life, how I spend my days, whether my cereal comes in a box or a bag,...everything changed the minute I first saw him. He's my little dude and with him around, life just can't get ANY better.
Being a mom was the last thing I think anyone, including myself, ever thought I would be. I wasn't a huge fan of kids and honestly, the human body disgusts me. Health class was not my forte. But life happens, and I think I've got it all figured out. Or I'd like to tell myself so....
But that's how I roll.
Welcome to my life. I've been engaged for 3 years to an amazing guy, but I think we're both too scared to make the official transition to husband and wife. We've got problems like everyone else, but ours seem to be that much more important. Who am I kidding? They are. yuk, yuk
In 2007, we welcomed our son, James. My entire life has shifted dramatically since his arrival. Who I want to be, what I want to do in life, how I spend my days, whether my cereal comes in a box or a bag,...everything changed the minute I first saw him. He's my little dude and with him around, life just can't get ANY better.
Being a mom was the last thing I think anyone, including myself, ever thought I would be. I wasn't a huge fan of kids and honestly, the human body disgusts me. Health class was not my forte. But life happens, and I think I've got it all figured out. Or I'd like to tell myself so....
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