Sunday, September 30, 2007

When I Was a Kid...

A neighbor of mine was outside today with her three-year-old and of course Lucas ran right over and invited the little boy to play at our house...totally fine...he's a very sweet little boy and it turns out he and Lucas play super well together. I was holding her door open when she mentioned she had the heat on. Um. What? The heat on? The miserly old lady in me wanted to shout, "Well, when I was kid we didn't turn on the heat until Christmas morning!" It's only September, people...I know it's New England...but the heat? I'm glad I don't pay her heating bill...that's what people make quilts for!

Saturday, September 29, 2007

Don't Say No, Say YES!

I hear this several times a day from my bargaining toddler...(although I know he gets that from me...I rarely take anyone's first answer about things if it's not what I want to hear).

However, here is a short list of things I have not said YES! to this week, no matter how hard you tried to persuade me:

1. Tutti Frutti gum before breakfast.
2. Tutti Frutti gum before lunch.
3. Tutti Frutti gum before dinner.
4. A second piece of Tutti Frutti gum after you swallow the first...yes you do know you are not supposed to swallow it.
5. Letting you leave a public restroom without washing your hands after watching you roll around in the germs and touch every tile as you count to 17.
6. Letting you leave the bathroom at home without washing your hands even as you ask me for a snack.
7. Letting you play outside naked...believe me, you are the only one that thinks it's a good idea.
8. Letting you drop playdo down the heating vents.
9. Letting you drink out of random sippy cups rolling around on the floor of the car that may or may not have been poured in 2007...no matter how thirsty you tell me you are.
10. Last for now but certainly not least...letting you cut my hair "for pretend" with your new safety scissors while I tried to sleep...I mean rest...on the couch.

A Little Bit of Both

I'm a little bit proud that Lucas knows his name, the town he lives in, my full name, his current age and the theme of his next birthday party (in March...he is already planning his own party)...and just that he is comfortable addressing adults he doesn't know.

I a little bit wish he would stop telling every adult we don't know his name, the town he lives in, my full name, his current age and the theme of his next birthday party, the fact that he can't whistle (but will be able to in 2 weeks-his timeline-not mine), and his absolute love of gum. I'm afraid to teach him our phone number yet for fear that he will sing it through the mall every chance he gets.

Embarrassing!

I am glad he's social, it will serve him well in the years to come, I'm sure. I don't have to worry that he has any negative effects from being an only child...exactly the opposite...he is a social butterfly of a boy. I will have to remember, however, not to help him practice our phone number.

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Completely Random List of Topics:

1. I want to get my haircut short but I also want to leave it long, which obviously presents a problem. I like the idea of long hair, but I put it in a ponytail everyday, so maybe what's the point? On the other hand, I like my old short, blond haircut (pre-Lucas), but I have to style it everyday...and I don't truthfully know if I can commit to that. Any suggestions?

2. I need to start exercising every day. All of my pants are too tight. Even though I know I promised myself I'd lose the weight before fall, it clearly hasn't happened. Halloween/Thanksgiving/Christmas is probably not a good time to start...but something's gotta give.

3. Everybody say a little prayer that the old Corolla passes inspection this month...I'm hoping to nurse it along until spring, when we'll trade it in for a new(er) one.

4. Lucas was wonderful today and did the dishes again! I'm really considering letting him do all the laundry now too, but I'm afraid the world at large might frown upon my 3 year old doing all the housework. (I hum the Cinderella theme song out loud while he scrubs away...)

5. Grey's Anatomy starts on Thursday (whoo-yoo!) but more importantly, so does The Office...my favorite show of all time. Don't call me Thursday...I won't be taking calls. Unless you call during the commercial break...but I will hang up on you in a hurry...just be warned.

6. There are 90 shopping days until Christmas. (WHAT!?)

7. That's probably enough for now...but everyone does need to weigh in on the hair situation...I've never in my life worried about my hair...but I'm ready for a change and I keep flip-flopping...so HELP!

Monday, September 24, 2007

I'm the Mama!

Lucas spent the day today pretending that I was "Lucas" and he was the "Mama". It started out when he found one of my hair elastics on the carpet which he insisted I use in his hair, and ended with him washing dishes while standing on a stool bare naked...which I swear I have never done...ever. And while every fiber of my being wants to post the picture of him running around the house with the little bit of blond hair he does have in the back of his head pinched into a ponytail, I don't actually want to embarrass him in any way, not now and certainly not in future...because who knows how long this blog will last.

But it was a good day for me while he sweetly (and mockingly) asked me over and over again if I needed a drink, or a blanket, or if I liked the show I was watching, or what I wanted for 'yunch, or if I needed to use the potty...which got me to thinking: do I do that to him all day? And is it very, very nice of me or am I a total nag? I'm still not sure. But one thing I do know...Lucas has it fairly easy around this place, and so do I.

Sunday, September 23, 2007

We Have a Ringer in our Midst

I might be a baseball prodigy...I don't really know because I've never played before today. I genuinely stink at team sports...just not my thing. But today? Today was my day. I was the only female in a yard full of men, and as each one got struck out I started feeling nervous. Would I embarrass myself when it was finally my turn to bat? Hardly...I had the pleasure of batting a 1000 today, and I scored a run with every turn up to bat. I had no idea that I had it in me, or how comfortable I would feel beating the fellas who had invited me to play. The fact that they were mostly under the age of seven , I think, is completely irrelevant.

Saturday, September 22, 2007

*Yuck* *Blech* *Spit*

Although I love him dearly, my son is trying to poison me.

I let Lucas play in the water in the bathroom sink at least a couple of times every day. He loves it, and he gets clean fingernails...it's a win-win situation. Or so I thought. Every morning I stumble into the bathroom and brush my teeth...in the dark and without my glasses on. Every night I brush my teeth...in the dark and without my glasses on. This morning I was cleaning the sink after Lucas had played for a good long while and noticed something. He often plays with our toothbrushes, they talk to each other and go on watery adventures...I guess...I usually use that time to drink my diet Pepsi out of the bottle standing in front of the fridge so that I don't have to share...anyway...back to the point. My toothbrush was FULL of gunk. Nasty microscopic black gunk. I noticed that Luke's toothbrush was perfectly clean, however. I brought him upstairs to show me how my toothbrush got so yucky, and he pulled out the sink stopper (I didn't even know it came out like that) and showed me how he uses my toothbrush to clean it. BARF! I have no idea how long he has been doing this to me...let's say a little prayer it was just the one time...yeah right!

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Because I Know Just How Interested You Are in my Son's Potty Training...

I know this is only interesting and exciting to me...but I'm interested AND I'm excited! Lucas woke up dry for the first time ever. While he's been potty trained since his third birthday during the day, night time is another story. But today? Today he woke up dry as a bone at 7:15am and went to use the potty! Hallelujah, it's possible an end is in site. Now, I know, it's just one night...but don't rain on my parade, 'cause the thought of saying 'buh-bye to diapers is a glorious one. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Yes, I DO Think That Far Ahead...

Luke's Halloween costume...

I will be carrying a fly swatter and a can of bug spray...kidding!

I've Been Warned...

Lucas started complaining yesterday of a very painful right leg and has spent the last 36hrs or so begging anyone in earshot to rub it. While I felt sorry for him and his painful leg, I felt sorry myself a little too, because I had to listen to all the whining, and do all the rubbing, and lug his sorry self up and down the stairs to pee every 30minutes...but mostly I felt sorry for him, of course. Right before I left for work I gave Lucas some "super juice", which is code for his regular Crystal Light Iced Tea with a dose of Children's Tylenol in it. He normally gluts it right down, but since he is now a higher weight than the last time I had to give it to him, his dose went up. Apparently 1tsp of medicine in his drink is completely undetectable, but 1.5tsp renders the stuff undrinkable, or so he says.

After much whining in the car on my way to drop him off I finally caved in and told him why his drink tasted different today than it normally did, and he was not impressed that I had tried to sneak something by him. The little rat yells from the backseat, "You tried to trick me! I'm gonna have to talk to 'Amma about this!" Go right ahead, little buddy...'Amma does it to you too!

Monday, September 17, 2007

Because I Am Such a Thoughtful and Attentive Mother...

I put new sneakers on Lucas today. I popped the tags off and shoved them on his feet at 2:00pm on my way out the door, and he followed behind me complaining that they "didn't feel right." I may or may not have told him that he's just not used to sneakers after wearing his crocs morning, noon and night since summer started, and that he needed to break them in. After I rushed him to the car, and before we picked up my Mom from work, we ran into the Rite Aid in town and he clomped along behind me complaining that "they hurt my feet!" At which point I may or may not have told him to stop whining and hurry up, they're just new sneakers. And when I called Mom tonight to see how he was doing, she told me that I never took the wadded up tissue or the price tags out of the inside of the shoes before I made my son wear them...for hours. Oops.

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Ahhhh!

My handsome boy, standing in the sunlight at Grandma's house. Note the gorgeous flowers, she did not pass on her green thumb to me, I'm sorry to say.
Buddies 'til the end.
(Both pictures taken by Lili's mom, Marybeth.)

So Tasty and Delicious!

My post today was going to be before and after shots...my BIG bag of freshly picked Macintosh and a steaming pan of apple crisp...which tastes DELICIOUS, if you must know. Except that I forgot my camera at home, which means you'll just have to take my word for it. I have to say, I'm not much of a cook, but I'm a heck of a baker!

Saturday, September 15, 2007

We Have Good Friends




We had the best day yesterday up in the Islands picking apples. Lucas had a friend over and we met our best play date buddies at the orchard where we paid for the biggest bag of apples they sold there. The bags just don't look that big when they're all folded up in the crates, some of those bags look downright tiny and you think; Why on earth would anybody pick such a little bag of apples, why you couldn't even bake a nice pie with that many! Or maybe only I thought that, because I bought the big bag, and it turns out, the big bag gets much bigger when you open it up. The boys did a stellar job of picking, although neither one would put any apples in my bag, just the other Mom's bag, although in hindsight, she probably ended up with some fairly funny-looking apples, while all of mine look pretty good! *wink*

Thursday, September 13, 2007

You Wish You Were Me, I Just Know It!

Payday...Woo-Hoo! Lucas and I spent the whole day running errands and buying groceries. (Just to brag a little, my original grocery bill was $135 and after coupons my total was $63, not bad for an evening spent clipping coupons, huh?) So, my son, who loves to get his chat on with perfect strangers, stopped every. single. person. we passed today to introduce himself, state his age and the town he lives in, discuss his hair and potential haircut, the red spot he's got on his right eye, the reason why his shoes are two different colors, and the list goes on and on. Some people are very nice about this lengthy exchange, others see it coming and try to avoid it, at which point my over-social son announces to the store at large that "HIM'S NOT TALKING TO ME! HE MUST BE SHY!

Oh My Goodness!

It's cute the first few times. I appreciate that fact that my child is social, that he is smart enough and eloquent enough to carry on a conversation with adults that may not ever spend time with small children but can still understand everything he's saying, but...you can imagine how long it takes us to get from Point A to Point B. And also, maybe I don't want everybody we meet to know our exact address! I kept smiling apologetically to people and pulling him along but he insisted on finishing his conversations. AND...I can't tell you the amount of stuff that people give him while we're out. Every salesperson we met today offered him something: Stickers and lollipops (which he took), gummy dinosaurs (which he took but I then threw away-um-food from strangers? They came out of a pretty dusty bin.), and chocolate (which he declined-couldn't of just said yes to that one? Mom would've liked some of that chocolate, hello?).

But we had a good day, if not a very long one, and tomorrow we go apple picking! Pictures to follow!

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Secret Society

Lucas and I made up a secret handshake today, 'cause we're cool like that, and I don't mean to brag, but it's pretty darn cute. I'd tell you more about it, but you know, it's secret.

Monday, September 10, 2007

It Only Drove Me So Nuts Today Because of Lack of Sleep

I need to keep reminding myself that he's only 3 (and a half...that half is important...ask him, he'll tell you) but it drives me crazy that he'll use the bathroom (by himself, I know should at least be grateful for that) and then he'll come to the top of the stairs and yell down to me, "BUT I DIDN'T WASH MY HANDS!" What?! You know you need to or you wouldn't be telling that you haven't! And I tell him every time, "Well, go back and wash your hands, every time buddy!" "OK!" he says and skips back into the bathroom to play in the water until I'm positive the bathroom will flood. I have to keep telling myself, he's just a small little kid, he's not a full grown adult. I swear he keeps doing it just to drive me nuts.

Sunday, September 9, 2007

He's a Good Little Consumer

So Lucas wants some more Thomas the Train junk, I mean, collectibles, and I told him we're not starting any more collections until Christmas, because Santa will bring him toys if he's good. We can't buy everything he wants just because he wants it, otherwise Santa won't have anything to bring him at Christmas. Which started a very long talk about Christmas, and winter, and when both of those things will be happening. Lucas doesn't give a crap that Christmas is months away when he wants something right now, so he has started a full blown campaign to convince me that it is already Christmas. Take today, for instance, when he stood naked in the living room window watching the rain and shrieked to me in the kitchen, "Wanna know a surprise, Mom? It's snowing, that means it Christmas! Let's go get me some Thomas pieces!" Um, almost honey, almost.

I Could Have Saved So Much Money on Cute Clothes...

If only I had known. Lucas informed me today when he got out of the tub that he wasn't getting dressed today. OK. I figured that would only last until he got cold, but no, he stayed naked alllll day. Played naked play do, ate naked lunch, took a naked nap, ate naked dinner, and then, finally he got dressed to go to Grandma's. And every 30 minutes or so he would rub his own little buddha belly and announce, "I 'huve to be naked!" Yes, dear, we know.

Saturday, September 8, 2007

Because My Life is Soooo Exciting...

We've been making the rounds of our local (and no-so-local) playgrounds this week, and we've found a few clear winners...

This one, for instance...

which is kind of far away, but super fun with a walking bridge over a river and gazebo, not that you can actually see the park itself, but trust me, it's fun.

Or this one, brand new and covered in shreded tires instead of mulch, which I loved.
Or this one, where my kid was in no mood for pictures, obviously...too bad!


Next week we'll be tackling apple picking and maybe even picking out a pumpkin...cause it's almost Fall...I don't care if it is 90 degrees out right now!

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

He Might Be Watching Too Much TV...

when his newest catchphrase is "OH, BARNACLES!" Spongebob, anyone?

Also, all of my weeks off for this summer are over. It hurts to even type it. It's not like I don't have plenty more vacation time, I do accumulate it pretty quickly, it's just that summer is over. School has started; Lucas is not happy about the fact that he can't go and I'm praying that he'll still be so excited about it when it actually is his turn to get up early every morning and go learn something.

On the flip, Fall is my favorite season. (Just as a silly side note, for some reason I feel the need to capitalize the "F" in fall but not the "s" in summer...hm.) Anyway, I love the Fall, I love to bake, I love to dress in layers, I love the Apple Fest, I could go on and on and on. Also, I love Halloween, and I already have Luke's costume, so bring it on people!

Monday, September 3, 2007

Spinning in Circles

Lucas waited in line for this ride for soooo long, and he takes his driving skills very seriously, so when this boat would only turn in circles he started to get ticked off. He *might* of been swearing near the end...but I can't really say.

slippin' and slidin'

Third times a charm! Lucas at the fair last week on one of his most favorite "rides". Thank heavens it was a bracelet day...can you imagine how many tickets we could have gone through?

Happy Labor Day

I, myself, have to work...figures. Hope you all had a wonderful long weekend. Thought this video was very cute. Click on it to watch!

Sunday, September 2, 2007

I Would Make a Lousy Short Order Cook

I asked Lucas what he wanted for lunch today, and I got a long string of requests for foods that we don't have in the house at this moment. It went a little something like this:

Lucas: I would 'yike some 'wunch Mom.
Me: OK...what you do what?
Lucas: An apple.
Me: Oh, I'm sorry, we don't have any apples right now.
Lucas: Then I want a banana.
Me: We don't have any bananas, either.
Lucas: Then I want a yogurt.
Me: (Cringing a little) Nope...no yogurt, either...sorry buddy.
Lucas: (Gets up from his little recliner and marches out to the kitchen to check in the fridge himself.) I want some eggs!
Me: (Realizing the eggs have expired a few days before) Well, I don't think those eggs are any good...how about grilled cheese? (I toss the egg carton into the trash)
Lucas: Hey Mommy! You crazy! I wanted 'os eggs for my 'wunch!

Clearly it's hard having a mother who doesn't keep a fully stocked fridge...of course, if I had all of those things he really wanted in the house...he would've asked for grilled cheese...and we would have been out, of course!

Saturday, September 1, 2007

How Did My Mother Ever Do This With Three Kids?

Mister Cool with his aviator glasses on....get it? Hehehehe...I think Luke's sense of humor might be rubbing off on me.
Luke and his buddy riding the train...for the hundredth time.
Luke's very first ever (maybe?) ride on the Ferris wheel...had a blast but refused to sit on an actual horse. Everybody we passed had to make a comment about his Crocs being different colors...everybody.
Finally...he gets to sit behind the wheel...he went on this ride 27 times in a row...you think I'm joking...but it was bracelet day, and there was no line whatsoever because all of the bigger kids were in school...and he loves the open road...who was I to say no? I felt bad for the guy running the ride...he and Lucas weighed about the same, it couldn't have been easy to keep pulling him off of one car only to put him back on the car at the front of the line. He was a good sport about it, though.
There were four cars running on the ride, and he just kept going, and going, and going...he was in his driving glory. I'm pretty sure if someone asked him to parallel park that car, he could have done it by the end.