It's a Toss Up

I can either play the drums...or my flute.

Lucas is starting a rock band. A song came on the radio this afternoon on my way to work and Lucas declared it the "most perfect song for my little kids rock band". I was offered a spot in the band and he told me to pick an instrument to play.

Him: You can play whatever you want Mommy...you chose!
Me: Anything? Wow...I think I'd like to play the electric guitar.
Him: Uh, no...you can't play that...pick something else.
Me: Okay, then I'd like to play the keyboard.
Him: Uh, no...you can't play that either.
Me: Well, you just told me that I could pick anything I want...so that means I should be able to pick anything.
Him: Well, you can play the drums...or the flute.

I bet Jethro Tull would be proud that a little four year old boy in 2008 is hoping to score a flute player for his rock band...but it'd probably still be cooler to play the drums...doncha' think? And Grandma was invited to play in the rock band as well...but he charged her a dollar to join. As least I didn't have to pay, even if I end up having to play the flute.

Back to Our Regularly Scheduled Parenting...

Just when I start getting good and stressed about my kid's recent behavior issues he ups and acts like a sweet little angel boy. All opening doors for me and planting wet kisses on my hands and telling me "I love you 100 Mommy!" like a good son should.

I surely have the patience of a saint (don't most single moms?), but when I finally hit a wall, I hit it hard and the fall out is not pretty. So anyway, we're back to being fun and happy, and we'll just see how long that lasts...let's hope it lasts longer than just today though, okay?

I Call UNCLE!

This has been kind of a crappy week, behavior wise. And I mean both Lucas's behavior and also my reaction to it. I am so sick of the sassy backtalk and the disrespectful tone AND THE WHINING AND THE CRYING! I don't know what I'm doing wrong these days, I really don't. A big part of me thinks I making too big a deal out of the past couple of weeks of constant sass and all the tears about absolutely nothing, because honestly, he's usually a very chill kid and our days are easy. I am praying that the good times have not fallen by the wayside and I am praying even harder that this miserable attitude is just a phase. Someone please tell me this is just a phase.

I understand that "four" is all about exerting one's independence, and yup...we're there. Every time we go to Costco he flips out in line because I won't just hand him the money to pay and go wait by the door. Because he wants to DO IT HIMSELF! He's been removed (by me) from several stores lately for inappropriate behavior, and just yesterday barked at a store clerk to "stop following him through the store!" (I did make him apologize, but jeez, how embarrassing.)

Am I making a mountain out of a mole hill? Am I expecting too much from him? He is only four but I refuse to let him be disrespectful, no matter the age. And also? How do I make the whining stop? That has been thorn in my side from day one...

A Vote for Luke Skywalker is a Vote for Change

We went to the polls this morning, and as always, it was an adventure. And maybe also a lesson in using your indoor voice.

I may not have mentioned it here before but Lucas is OBSESSED with Star Wars right now. We were in GapKids not long ago and they had these awesome long sleeved tees that said "Darth Vader for President" on them, except that Lucas took them very literally and started getting worried that Darth Vader much actually become the next Leader of the Free World. Long talks followed about how Darth Vader shouldn't get to be president because he's EVIL and also NOT HUMAN so we should just CHOP OFF HIS HEAD and vote for Luke Skywalker instead! And he retold his theories to anyone who would listen today at the voting polls. Good times.

Once we were checked in and handed our ballots we chose the next available super secret voting box (is that what you call a grey plastic suitcase with cardboard sides?) It was pretty shaky and the long line of them would shimmy back and forth as all of us voters tried to color in the lines. Lucas, forgetting his library voice for a moment, yells out, "Boy! This thing is piece of junk!". It was probably less of a yell and more of a regular voice but in a roomful of silent and serious voters he might as well have been shouting it out on a bullhorn. Again, good times.

Hope you all had a happy and successful trip to the polls today! And remember...just because Luke Skywalker isn't offically on the ballot doesn't mean you can't enter him as a write-in.

Help Me Out

Someone made a comment to me the other day that I must have ALL KINDS of single mom friends that I hang out with. Even as I started nodding my head yes and mentally flipping through my Rolodex of good buddies I was realizing that, in fact, I have no single mom friends in real life. Not a single person that parents their child(ren) alone. None. And it surprised me. All my friends (with very few exceptions) have husbands and houses and children. How I ended up as a solo parent in a sea of partnered-off friends, I have no idea. Not that I would trade in any of them...not at all, but it would be nice to have someone around in the same boat as I am. Even if by "around" I mean someone I've never met but who's URL I stalk know...

So here's my plea...if any of you has a favorite blog on your blogroll that's written not just by a single mama but by a solo parent (mom or dad), let me know.

Thanks!

I Cannot Wait to Cast My Vote...

and this is the first election since I've been able to vote where I didn't feel like I could just skip it altogether.

“I am not a perfect man…I will not be a perfect president. But I can promise you this…I will always tell you what I think and where I stand. I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you when we disagree. And most importantly I will open the doors of governement and ask you to be involved in your own democracy again.”

-Barack Obama

It's about time.

Post Halloween

Well, we didn't actually go trick or treating last night. Lucas decided (and was very vocal about) not going "door to door". I tried to convince him to change his mind, but as usual, he won the war.

Whatever.

We had a grand old time sitting on my mother's front porch steps handing out candy to the "customers" and snacking on Steakum sandwiches. Seriously, those were GOOD sandwiches. Not going trick or treating was a bummer, because now I have no good chocolate stash to hold me over til Christmas. It's also a blessing however, because now I have no good chocolate stash before the holidays.

It'd be sweet to post a picture here...you know...of my kid in his costume. But we didn't really get that far...so you (like me) will have to pretend he was the cutest little Thomas the Tank Engine you ever did see!