...I need to write down a few quotes from today.
And yes, I'm hopelessly behind on my Blog...lost in the holiday fog, really.
But the following things were said by my boys today, and I have to record them.
They are both such different creatures and never cease to amaze me.
And make me laugh.
This morning while working on his USA puzzle, Benjamin says "What's North Dakota?"
I say, "Well, it's a state...and..." (struggling to find something of significance to say about it)
Benjamin cuts in with "Well, it looks nice to me...and I think I would like to go there."
Um, ok.
Get right on that.
Reading one of Jonny's new Wiggles books to him and realizing I haven't spent as much time teaching him colors/shapes as I did with Benjamin at this age.
I get to the part in the book where it says, "Look at Murray, he loves the color red! He wears a red shirt and black pants. Can you name the shapes next to Murray in the picture?" I emphasize the question part with a giant, expectant grin on my face and look at Jonathan.
Jonny looks at me and smiles and shouts "Pants!"
Loved it.:)
And just a bit ago, I had Jonathan sitting in front of me and we were "zooming" cars back and forth with Benjamin, who was sitting across from us. When Jonny pushed the car and sent it off in the exact wrong direction, Benjamin immediately blurted out "Jonny, you're not doing it right."
But within miliseconds, he looks up at me and softens his tone dramatically and says, almost in a high-pitched voice, "It's ok, Jonny...you're just learning. You'll get it soon!"
Holy proud mom.
That last one was easily my favorite moment of the day...and for obvious reasons. Just love his little sensitive soul...and the kindness. He's learning how to be kind.
Obviously I know he says things like this to his brother for my benefit...because I'm right there watching...but I'll take it. I just unload my usual heaps of praise for that kind of attitude and hope it somehow sticks.
Time to go break up the fight over one of the new Thomas trains...
One day at at time, I guess.:)
Monday, December 29, 2008
Thursday, December 11, 2008
On the Same Page
We (parents, anyway) are all-too familiar with the importance of this with our spouse when raising children.
Well, today was not what I'd call Benjamin's best day.
And preschool pickup was not even close to what I'd call his best moment at school.
But I'll save that for another post.
All I need, all I feel the immediate urgency to share, is just how seriously my husband is taking this whole "same page" thing we talked about (under our breath) at dinner. Not that this was the first time we'd broached the subject, mind you...rather today's version of reinforcing the importance of it.
You get it.
Not two minutes ago, I'm kneeling down at Benjamin's level, at the bottom of our stairs...where he has just sat for three minutes (and cried and whined) for throwing a block at his brother's head. Brian is upstairs getting the bath ready for the boys, Jonny is recovering from his wounds in the TV room...and I am giving Benjamin my very BRIEF "why are you here?" and "this is where you'll land next time it happens" speech.
Benjamin is sucking on his fingers (unexplainable, gross new habit he's developed for moments of nervousness---including in front of the church last Sunday, but I digress) and listening to me, his eyes looking at the ground...my face butt-serious, my voice not angry, but direct and unflinching.
That is, until I notice a tall figure walking across the top of the stairs, ever so casually...with his pants around his ankles.
Biggest "I'm a pretty f***ing funny guy" expression on his face.
"What, Mommy?" Benjamin says...noticing it might just be party time: aka--"Mommy's not mad anymore".
"Nothing, Benjamin" I say...adding, for emphasis, "absolutely nothing up there."
Anyone ever tries to tell you their husband's "totally on the same page" with them, they're lying through their teeth.
Either that, or I'm married to a 12 year old.
Well, today was not what I'd call Benjamin's best day.
And preschool pickup was not even close to what I'd call his best moment at school.
But I'll save that for another post.
All I need, all I feel the immediate urgency to share, is just how seriously my husband is taking this whole "same page" thing we talked about (under our breath) at dinner. Not that this was the first time we'd broached the subject, mind you...rather today's version of reinforcing the importance of it.
You get it.
Not two minutes ago, I'm kneeling down at Benjamin's level, at the bottom of our stairs...where he has just sat for three minutes (and cried and whined) for throwing a block at his brother's head. Brian is upstairs getting the bath ready for the boys, Jonny is recovering from his wounds in the TV room...and I am giving Benjamin my very BRIEF "why are you here?" and "this is where you'll land next time it happens" speech.
Benjamin is sucking on his fingers (unexplainable, gross new habit he's developed for moments of nervousness---including in front of the church last Sunday, but I digress) and listening to me, his eyes looking at the ground...my face butt-serious, my voice not angry, but direct and unflinching.
That is, until I notice a tall figure walking across the top of the stairs, ever so casually...with his pants around his ankles.
Biggest "I'm a pretty f***ing funny guy" expression on his face.
"What, Mommy?" Benjamin says...noticing it might just be party time: aka--"Mommy's not mad anymore".
"Nothing, Benjamin" I say...adding, for emphasis, "absolutely nothing up there."
Anyone ever tries to tell you their husband's "totally on the same page" with them, they're lying through their teeth.
Either that, or I'm married to a 12 year old.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Just in the mood for some pictures.
Uncle Bill charmed his way right into the boys' hearts over TDay break...was so cute.
Benjamin with Muma at the Holiday Tree Festival
Me with Jonathan on the Gingerbread Express...wayyy too many funny things going on in this pic, the most hilarious being how excited I am...and how non-plussed that baby in front of me is...ok, wait...there are just too many...
I am sure. Benjamin praying during Grandpa's "grace" before the meal.
Jonny at home...with his gluten-free spaghetti...he loves it.
Monday, December 8, 2008
I've been tagged...
...and need to somehow come up with 6 interesting things about myself as a result.
Hmmm.
I love a list.
And of course I just love writing in general...
However, it is Monday night...so I'm not promising these two things will merge all that well.
Nevertheless, I am so honored to have been tagged by a good buddy...so here goes:
1. I whistle backwards (if you don't get it, you'll have to ask...I'm not about to write out the words--I'll catch major flack from my sick-minded husband).
2. I know what the Disney Tunnels look like (and as a result, Minnie without her character head, smoking a cigarette at a pay phone).
3. Dracula is one of my favorite novels.
4. I received the Loyola President's Medallion for the School of Ed in 2000...and I guess it's just one of those things I'm super proud of...but the best part might be that my best friend Gaby (who worked in the Dean's office) told me ahead of time I'd won, while we waited in a doctor's waiting room on a Saturday morning.
5. I knew I'd marry Brian on our second date.
6. I once rehabbed a Cabrini Green apartment...but now am afraid of mice in my own house.
Ok.
So the following people are now being tagged by me!
* My brother Chris
* My good friend Dina
* Margo (whom I adore for introducing me to Anusara Yoga...and her maccaroons--sp?)
* Ann (my sis in law)
* Mike (whom I adore for his insane loyalty)
* Dawn (whom I adore for so many reasons--the least of which are the many hilarious expressions I've adopted from her, and who doesn't have a Blog...but I know she's reading and dammit--you need to get one, D!)
Ok...you've got your marching orders, friends (do I sound like John McCain, my friends?)...now go forth and make my list look bad!
Hmmm.
I love a list.
And of course I just love writing in general...
However, it is Monday night...so I'm not promising these two things will merge all that well.
Nevertheless, I am so honored to have been tagged by a good buddy...so here goes:
1. I whistle backwards (if you don't get it, you'll have to ask...I'm not about to write out the words--I'll catch major flack from my sick-minded husband).
2. I know what the Disney Tunnels look like (and as a result, Minnie without her character head, smoking a cigarette at a pay phone).
3. Dracula is one of my favorite novels.
4. I received the Loyola President's Medallion for the School of Ed in 2000...and I guess it's just one of those things I'm super proud of...but the best part might be that my best friend Gaby (who worked in the Dean's office) told me ahead of time I'd won, while we waited in a doctor's waiting room on a Saturday morning.
5. I knew I'd marry Brian on our second date.
6. I once rehabbed a Cabrini Green apartment...but now am afraid of mice in my own house.
Ok.
So the following people are now being tagged by me!
* My brother Chris
* My good friend Dina
* Margo (whom I adore for introducing me to Anusara Yoga...and her maccaroons--sp?)
* Ann (my sis in law)
* Mike (whom I adore for his insane loyalty)
* Dawn (whom I adore for so many reasons--the least of which are the many hilarious expressions I've adopted from her, and who doesn't have a Blog...but I know she's reading and dammit--you need to get one, D!)
Ok...you've got your marching orders, friends (do I sound like John McCain, my friends?)...now go forth and make my list look bad!
Saturday, December 6, 2008
S.A.D.
Seasonal Affective Disorder.
I think I might have this.
As long as I can remember I've loved winter...for the many ways to have fun in the snow, the holidays (of course!), the sweaters and jeans...and just for how picturesque it is. How it makes me want to read more, cook more, drink hot cocoa more, and even organize my house more.
Lately, however, I've been suffering from a mild case of warm-weather-withdrawal. And I've got several reasons for this, but the greatest of these is the simple outdoor time with my kids. I miss it. I miss it in the morning, when we have an hour to kill and we can't go walking on "the trail". I miss it after lunch, when I can't send the boys in the backyard while I clean up the kitchen. I miss it in the afternoon, when I can't sit on the front stoop and read (or usually, talk on the phone) while the boys nap...but oh...oh...how I miss it at that truly special time of day: the pre-dinner hour.
Holy crap, friends. It's killing me.
On a lovely warm weather day, my wee ones--hard-wired with the rambunctious and crazy chromosome--play happily outside with a random assortment of neighbor friends. And even though I'm chasing them up and down the street in my flip-flops, we're all happy because we're breathing fresh air. And the scenery has changed.
But lately, lately...well, yeah. Not so much.
Lately they're spending their time running around the main floor, creating new and sometimes dangerous obstacle courses around the first floor of the house. And I certainly haven't seen the whites of my neighbors eyes in weeks (this makes me particularly sad, being the social creature that I am), and no...no...I'm not wearing my flip-flops.
Major sad.
Not even to Yoga class.
As mentioned, what bothers me the most is the social bit. I miss the random conversations with neighbors, the sharing of stories from that day's craziness with fellow moms in the neighborhood, the impromptu plans that are often made just by being out and about among neighbors...but mostly, just watching my boys run around and get all red-faced and sweaty from the outdoor fun. I really miss that. I miss (believe it or not!) having to give them baths every night because their little bodies are grass-stained and covered in dirt. And I miss the daylight that we have, whether we venture outside again at night...or just enjoy the fact that it's light out.
Seriously, I think I might have that thing they call Seasonal Affective Disorder.
And if I didn't have it before, I surely have it since moving to this neighborhood...and more importanly, having kids.
But.
There is a but (and no, not the one on my posterior--which, ok, randomly? is not fitting the same in my jeans after all these months of Yoga...but anyway).
What I'd like to mention now...at the end of my tirade on the woes of winter...is how special it's finally becoming, now that we're fully immersed in it.
This morning, for example, just getting the boys all geared up from head to toe in their snow suits and watching them walk like zombies (Jonny's the funniest...PLG boots are Benjamin's hand me downs and a bit too big) out into the snow. And as I type, they are helping their neighbor friend (yes, we still seem to make contact) build a snow fort. It's so much fun to watch...and every now and then Brian walks over and dumps snow on them from the shovel, sending them all into hysterics.
In an hour or so we're on our way to get our Christmas tree...and the boys (especially Benjamin) are out-of-their-mind excited (I want to officially patent that phrase for all things Christmas-related with children) about decorating it.
Tonight we have our annual Christmas Road Rally with the neighborhood...which the Millers and we are co-hosting this year. We've spent a lot of time putting it together, including one late night over beers thinking up ways to raise the bar on the creative and hilarious factor of the event. As our beloved neighborhood mayor (known as Ted Oostendorp) said at one of our last summer gatherings--"Ok guys, we've got to plan some events for wintertime...otherwise we won't see eachother!"
And while this sentiment might seem a bit ridiculous to some, it's not to me. Or, I'll venture to say, to any of my neighbors. Or really to anyone who can relate. It's just important to find ways to maintain the sense of neighborliness (did I really just use that word? shoot me now.)...or you go insane.
So, I guess...I'll submit. I'll give in to this winter thing.
I might even enjoy it.
I'll miss the random drop-ins of friends (one favorite suddenly comes to mind---Maureen riding up our driveway on her Pee Wee Herman style bike on a Sunday afternoon, on her way home from Rite Aid, where she rode to get a bottle of gin for that night's BBQ at the Millers...and popped her head into our mudroom door with the following statement: "You guys are going to Megan and Brian's later, right? And holy s**t...did you see that f***ing McCain/Palin sign up in the new neighbor's yard? Seriously, Meg...can you get me an Obama sign now for our yard? Better yet, get me two!" ......and with that, she hops back on her bike and pedals home around the block).
But here's to tonight's festivities.
Here's to the hilarious prizes I found last night at World Market.
And here's to the holiday cheer and fun in the snow with kids...
And to Maureen, who'll be at the party.:)
I think I might have this.
As long as I can remember I've loved winter...for the many ways to have fun in the snow, the holidays (of course!), the sweaters and jeans...and just for how picturesque it is. How it makes me want to read more, cook more, drink hot cocoa more, and even organize my house more.
Lately, however, I've been suffering from a mild case of warm-weather-withdrawal. And I've got several reasons for this, but the greatest of these is the simple outdoor time with my kids. I miss it. I miss it in the morning, when we have an hour to kill and we can't go walking on "the trail". I miss it after lunch, when I can't send the boys in the backyard while I clean up the kitchen. I miss it in the afternoon, when I can't sit on the front stoop and read (or usually, talk on the phone) while the boys nap...but oh...oh...how I miss it at that truly special time of day: the pre-dinner hour.
Holy crap, friends. It's killing me.
On a lovely warm weather day, my wee ones--hard-wired with the rambunctious and crazy chromosome--play happily outside with a random assortment of neighbor friends. And even though I'm chasing them up and down the street in my flip-flops, we're all happy because we're breathing fresh air. And the scenery has changed.
But lately, lately...well, yeah. Not so much.
Lately they're spending their time running around the main floor, creating new and sometimes dangerous obstacle courses around the first floor of the house. And I certainly haven't seen the whites of my neighbors eyes in weeks (this makes me particularly sad, being the social creature that I am), and no...no...I'm not wearing my flip-flops.
Major sad.
Not even to Yoga class.
As mentioned, what bothers me the most is the social bit. I miss the random conversations with neighbors, the sharing of stories from that day's craziness with fellow moms in the neighborhood, the impromptu plans that are often made just by being out and about among neighbors...but mostly, just watching my boys run around and get all red-faced and sweaty from the outdoor fun. I really miss that. I miss (believe it or not!) having to give them baths every night because their little bodies are grass-stained and covered in dirt. And I miss the daylight that we have, whether we venture outside again at night...or just enjoy the fact that it's light out.
Seriously, I think I might have that thing they call Seasonal Affective Disorder.
And if I didn't have it before, I surely have it since moving to this neighborhood...and more importanly, having kids.
But.
There is a but (and no, not the one on my posterior--which, ok, randomly? is not fitting the same in my jeans after all these months of Yoga...but anyway).
What I'd like to mention now...at the end of my tirade on the woes of winter...is how special it's finally becoming, now that we're fully immersed in it.
This morning, for example, just getting the boys all geared up from head to toe in their snow suits and watching them walk like zombies (Jonny's the funniest...PLG boots are Benjamin's hand me downs and a bit too big) out into the snow. And as I type, they are helping their neighbor friend (yes, we still seem to make contact) build a snow fort. It's so much fun to watch...and every now and then Brian walks over and dumps snow on them from the shovel, sending them all into hysterics.
In an hour or so we're on our way to get our Christmas tree...and the boys (especially Benjamin) are out-of-their-mind excited (I want to officially patent that phrase for all things Christmas-related with children) about decorating it.
Tonight we have our annual Christmas Road Rally with the neighborhood...which the Millers and we are co-hosting this year. We've spent a lot of time putting it together, including one late night over beers thinking up ways to raise the bar on the creative and hilarious factor of the event. As our beloved neighborhood mayor (known as Ted Oostendorp) said at one of our last summer gatherings--"Ok guys, we've got to plan some events for wintertime...otherwise we won't see eachother!"
And while this sentiment might seem a bit ridiculous to some, it's not to me. Or, I'll venture to say, to any of my neighbors. Or really to anyone who can relate. It's just important to find ways to maintain the sense of neighborliness (did I really just use that word? shoot me now.)...or you go insane.
So, I guess...I'll submit. I'll give in to this winter thing.
I might even enjoy it.
I'll miss the random drop-ins of friends (one favorite suddenly comes to mind---Maureen riding up our driveway on her Pee Wee Herman style bike on a Sunday afternoon, on her way home from Rite Aid, where she rode to get a bottle of gin for that night's BBQ at the Millers...and popped her head into our mudroom door with the following statement: "You guys are going to Megan and Brian's later, right? And holy s**t...did you see that f***ing McCain/Palin sign up in the new neighbor's yard? Seriously, Meg...can you get me an Obama sign now for our yard? Better yet, get me two!" ......and with that, she hops back on her bike and pedals home around the block).
But here's to tonight's festivities.
Here's to the hilarious prizes I found last night at World Market.
And here's to the holiday cheer and fun in the snow with kids...
And to Maureen, who'll be at the party.:)
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