Have you been sniffing glue?

You know those days when your kids just seem to be "on one"? They are just extra silly or goofy or whatever so that you'd think they were sniffing glue? But you know they aren't because you don't have any glue. Well, that was yesterday with S1 - like he would be able to sniff glue, he'd spill it all down his front! Anyway, I had the living room all picked up before the boys got home from school. I could feel a head cold coming on and I wanted to have something accomplished before I had to sit. The basket of toys was under the coffee table, an old 3 gallon ice cream bucket full of fake food had the lid on it and was next to the couch. Then the boys got home from school. Everything was fine for a while. S1 watched a video and had a snack, S2 was playing in his room. Well, next thing I know S1 is in the living room gleefully giggling to himself as he dumps out the toy box and begins to throw everything in the air up over his head and all over the living room. Meanwhile he's laughing like some great comedian is telling jokes. When that fun game is over he gets up and bolts over to the bucket of fake food and proceeds to do the same. Now the living room looks even worse than before I picked up! At least then everything was in a couple of piles but now it is thrown all over the room. I decide to just leave it because there is no point in picking any of it up. When I told S1 to stop he just ignored me and kept on with his funny little game. When he gets in moods like this, there is no stopping him. It's funny to watch but when he gets "on one" it sure gets destructive!

Friends

I've found that through the years sometimes I think, do I have any friends? You may not know this, but growing up I suffered from severe self worth issues. Why would anyone like me when everyone else was so much prettier/smarter/cooler? Although I've mostly overcome them (or suppressed them), sometimes those old insecurities sneak back. So, I guess before I can answer my question that first I have to define what a friend is. It can be a neighbor, a relative, an old school chum, a mission companion, the mother of my son's friends, someone from church or work. And what a friend is can change through the years. A friend in high school was someone with whom I ate lunch, had sleepovers, or went with to movies and dances or to whom I kvetched about parents and boys. A friend in college was someone I did homework with, shared an apartment with, hung out with after institute or went to young single adult dances with and to whom I discussed young men. Well, once I got married I no longer had homework and my husband filled most of those other roles. A friend was then someone I could kvetch to about my husband and kids!!! When I got married I also moved which physically separated me from many friends. Sometimes I think I have no friends because I can go days without chatting with one. My friend and neighbor Stacy may swear I call her at least twice most days, but sometimes I think she's the only friend I have. Until I think about what a friend really is. A friend is someone whom you like (and usually they like you back), that even though you may not see each other often, when together again it's like you were never even separated and you still have a great time together. Just because we don't chat every day or every week doesn't mean we aren't friends - it's just that life (aka family, work, church, distance) can get in our way. A friend is also there to help you out when you need it.

This all came about because Dave suggested that I go out with a friend to breakfast this week since he was home. He also was going to go out with one of his fellow band directors so he thought I should get out too. I was kind of stumped. Who wouldn't think I was weird calling and asking them out to breakfast? Did I have any friends anyway? I thought about it for a while and I realized that I had many friends. Yeah, I really wished my cousin lived closer than an eleven hour drive, but I'd have to chose someone else. As I pondered the possibilities, I finally came up with a friend who I knew when we our husbands were in college. I hadn't seen her in months, but we had mutual interest and always enjoyed hanging out together. I called and she accepted and we had a great time. It was so nice to get out and chat with her about all that was going on, what our plans for the future are, etc. We even hit the Outlet Mall on the way home. She agreed that it was hard to get out and do something for herself. It has inspired me to take a wider look around and make this breakfast thing something that I do once a month and invite someone different each time. I need to make a concerted effort to have more fun with my friends and not to let the details of life get in the way!

Lyrics

Okay, my boys just got a package from their great-grandmother containing Christmas presents. One of those was a Sing-a-long CD Player. S3 was sitting next to me having fun with the mic and singing the alphabet song. The next thing I knew he was singing the chorus to "Smoke on the Water". Then I realized he wasn't really singing the right words, he'd go, "Da da daa, da da da da, da da daa, da da, Knock on the Do-or." I about died laughing. I tried to correct him but alas he's three so he knows everything!

We should go away more often... Part 2

So yesterday I had the TV on in my bedroom and S1 was enjoying watching the bands play. It's his favorite part of any parade. When one band finished, he walked across the hall to David, who was using the computer, and S1 said, "Band. 1,2,3,4. Band. 1,2,3,4." He was so excited to tell his dad about the band he saw and to count it off. It was amazing to watch him try to share something he found exciting with his dad. Now we've just got to get more of that!

A Chore

Okay, I figure if I expect S1 to learn and grow and get developmentally closer to his actual age, I'd better try and teach him something. They say developmentally he is between two and three years old. So I tried to think of a chore he could have that would be appropriate. By that age my other sons have been unloading the dishwasher, stacking plates and bowls for me to put away. I work with them and take care of the silverware and cups and put everything in the cupboards. Well, the thought of doing that with S1 was just too overwhelming, his fine motor control still isn't so great. So I decided that since he still isn't potty trained, that he was going to help take some responsibility for it. Thus, his chore since this summer has been to throw away his own diaper. I've already written about how well he's been doing. However, while we were gone, I don't think he had to do it. So I wondered how he'd do when we got back. But I didn't need to worry. As soon as David handed him that diaper, S1 turned and took it to the kitchen and threw it away. Then he ran back to his show. Now I need to think of a new chore for him. Maybe I will have him help with stacking plates or bowls from the dishwasher. Or helping me to put away his clothes in his drawers. Maybe not that one. Then he'll know his drawers are in his closet and he may take to throwing them around! If you can think of a chore that would be appropriate, let me know.

We should go away more often...

Well, I doubt my in-laws would agree with that but still. Dave and I went on a 8-Day Western Caribbean Cruise to celebrate our 10 year anniversary. His parents volunteered to come and stay with the kids so we could get away. And away we went - to Mexico, Costa Rica and Panama. However, S1 did well with new blood to take care of him and my back sure appreciated the break - especially since I slipped on the stairs the Sunday after Thanksgiving and land smack on my T5/T6. Anyway, we got back late in the evening and Dave's parents took off the next morning. That afternoon S1 wanted us to go down the stairs with him and he started repeating, "Come on, Come on, Come on" while gesturing a bit with his hand. True it was a bit garbled, but I was amazed at what he was saying. He later also told David, "Let's go, Let's go, Let's go" which sounds more like lessho. Come on sounds more like omon. But still, picking up two new phrases while we are gone was fabulous.