Strange Saturday Morning

It was such a strange Saturday morning yesterday. Not really a whole lot normal about it.

1. My alarm went off at 5am. I still had homework to finish before class started at 8:30.
2. Just after I got out of the shower, Tyler walked in. It was 5:45.
3. Once in the living room, he didn't want to watch cartoons. He wanted to watch retro episodes of The Incredible Hulk. Yes - the 1980s versions. ("Don't make me angry... You wouldn't like it when I'm angry.")
4. Connor was up at 6:15, and was NOT in a good mood.
5. I made Tyler his peanut butter & jelly sandwich (usual breakfast), in between doing laundry.
6. I emptied the dishwasher, homework has still not been started.
7. Connor wants to wear his Spiderman outfit, and while wearing it, golfs in the living room.
8. Tyler puts on all of his camo, and wants to go outside. It's 7:15am, and 8 degrees outside.
9. I have 2 loads of laundry done by 7am, we've watched the Incredible Hulk, and how the boys want to watch the movie "I am Legend" with Will Smith. Seriously?
10. I finally head out to class at about 7:50. Homework never was finished. I watched almost a whole movie, finished laundry, and emptied the dishwasher.

I texted Kyle once I got to class: "FYI, Connor isn't wearing underwear, and please give Tyler a nap today - I don't care if you have to hog tie him!"

Hope no one is monitoring my texts... that one might come off a bit strange, but certainly fits with the morning!

By the time 9pm came around last night, it felt like I had 2 days in one!!!

Guess what Mom!?!?!

When I walked in the door tonight, Tyler was thrilled. He ran up to me and quickly announced that he had pooped on his own today at daycare, and was able to wipe his own butt!!!!! He was thrilled!!! At least he had a better day than I did.

Our conversation continued later, and it was funny, but deep.

He asked me about why I was brushing my teeth after dinner.

"Mommy, why are you brushing your teeth?" he asked.

"Because I just ate, and I brush my teeth after I eat" I replied.

"What did you eat?" he asked.

"Goulash." I replied (he knew that!).

"Why did you eat, were you hungry?" he asked again.

"Yep, I was. I didn't have a snack today at work." I replied, thinking I would put this into perspective for him.

"I had a snack at daycare today," he added, "You didn't have a snack today at work?"

"No, I didn't have a snack today, but I did yesterday. Just not today", I replied, thinking this conversation would have to soon end.

"Are they mean to you at work?" He asked. I just stopped.

Wow, that was deep. I actually am still thinking about that one. Are they mean? No, not usually, and sometimes, not on purpose. But could we all be nicer to each other? Always. That's actually been first and foremost in my thoughts lately at work, as we try to accomplish some very difficult goals, with less staffing than ever. The challenges are neverending, and the "opportunities" are everywhere.

That was the deepest thing I heard all day. Thanks Tyler for always keeping it in perspective for me, and reminding me what is important, always.

My kid, the bully

Last weekend when I was in school, Kyle took the boys to our nephew's basketball game. This seemingly innocent event, turned out quite interesting...

Kyle said when the game ended, he spent some time talking to a girl we went to high school with. She has three boys. Her middle son, Troy, is in Tyler's room at daycare, and her oldest was playing basketball that day.

I didn't catch the whole story of how it happened, but Kyle said they were talking, and Tyler, who had been around the corner, came walking back. No big deal. Then, all of a sudden, Troy came running up to his mom in tears. He said Tyler had put him in a locker and shut the door. Someone else had to open the locker, after hearing Troy banging on it.

O. M. G.

Kyle said he apologized profusely to Jill, and I'm sure almost killed Tyler out of embarrassment and trying to make a point that putting people in lockers is not something anyone does, EVER. When I got home from school and Kyle told me the story, the look I gave Tyler immediately brought him to tears. I'm not sure what my face looked like, but he collapsed to the ground in tears out of embarrassment.

I still feel really bad, and believe me, we've talked about it a lot with Tyler. I guess we all will always worry about what "type" of kid we will have. I can assure you though, after that incident, that is first and foremost on our radar, and we're working on "how we treat our friends", and putting them in lockers is not an option. To us that is a logical conversation, but with a 5 year old, it becomes interesting.

I happened to run into Troy's dad at work today. I knew this had happened, and although Jill was okay with it when Kyle left that day, I know how I would've felt if someone put my kid in a locker. I tried to kind of avoid him. Troy's dad, Jason, just said, "Heard your kid is putting little kids in lockers...hehehe." He actually was smiling, and I starting apologizing like crazy. I told him how bad I felt, and now I'm having visions of being the mom of the "school bully", etc., etc.

His response, as he was laughing: "Yep, and I'm having those same visions of my kid being the wimp that is put in lockers."

Touche.

One weekend, one two year old, seven baths

Just when I think this kid couldn't poop anymore, he does.

This all started early Friday morning. Connor opened his door at about 3:30 and started crying, really loud. That is very unlike him, so I ran to grab him, and as I picked him up, he puked all over me. I thought maybe it was a combination of all the food he had to eat that night, so I cleaned him up, changed him, and put him back to sleep. He seemed great all day Friday.

During the middle of the night Friday, I checked on Connor. It stunk horrible in his room, but that didn't surprise me too much. That kid can pass gas with the best of them. Saturday morning at 5:50am, he opened his bedroom door. I tapped Kyle (which is secret code for "Your Turn!!!"), so Kyle went to try to possibly get him back to sleep, or head out to the living room with him.

Before long, I hear the water running in the bathroom. I got out of bed to see what was going on.

Connor had completely filled his Pull-Up, and then tried to remove it himself in his bedroom before he opened the door. Then I looked at his bed, which he had apparently puked in hours ago (thus the smell). It stunk so bad in his room, it was horrible.

Kyle bathed Connor and tried to scrub the smell out of him. I stripped his bed, and picked up all the poop I could. Then Kyle got the carpet shampooer. By this time, the whole house was awake, and it wasn't even 6am yet.

We got the carpets shampooed, twice. We then turned on the ceiling fan, and I even lit a candle to try to get rid of the smell. As he went through the day, he seemed okay, then took a nap - and repeat the process above, again. Poop in bed, soak through everything, bath again, more laundry. I've done so much laundry this weekend, but all of our clothes aren't even clean yet, because I keep washing sheets and blankets and pajamas and towels, etc.

This morning, same thing. 6am, poop all over bed, bath. This is getting exhausting.

I just left a Pull-Up on him today, much to his disliking. He keeps begging for "undaware", but we tried that, twice this morning. And all that generated was more laundry.

He's taking a nap again. Yesterday was a 4 hour nap, and just started hour 2 today. Hopefully he can kick this flu bug. I'm not sure our washing machine can keep up!!

Conversations with the kids

"Mommy, can I watch a movie with guns?" Tyler asked me the other night.

No problem, I thought. "Sure, how about GI Joe?" I answered.

"Well, maybe not THAT many guns..." he said.

I guess he knows what he wants.

He ended up picking out the movie in our DVD collection, "I am Legend" with Will Smith. That was an AWESOME movie, and I can't believe I hadn't watched it before!!! Good choice, Tyler!

____________________________________

Here is a typical conversation with Connor:

"Mommy, can I have candy?"

My answer, "No, no candy right now."

Connor: "What'd you say?"

Me: "No candy right now."

Connor: "What'd you say?

Repeat this in about every conversation. I found myself saying it to Kyle last night "What'd you say?". So, gee... wonder where he gets it!

I know him too well...

Last night was interesting... I had tons of studying to do for class today, and Kyle was planning on heading to the Ney's (our neighbors) for an evening of dinner, some drinks, and probably a movie (if no good sports event was on). He took Tyler, and I stayed home with Connor. I knew I could possibly read while watching Stuart Little for the 284th time.

By 9:30, Kyle and Tyler were still not home. I knew Tyler had not taken a nap that day, had been up since 6:20am, and went sledding with his daycare class at a local golf course. He had to be totally exhausted. I texted Kyle...

"Send Tyler home, I'll put him to bed. If you don't, you will have a whiny mess all day tomorrow..."

Trying to think ahead, Kyle's most annoying thing in the world, is a tired Tyler. Tired Tyler is a mess. He whines, he cries, he is mean, he throws fits, etc. It's not pretty. I was trying to look out for Kyle's best interest.

Finally, at about 9:55, I see them walking home. "Awesome." I think to myself. "Tyler is going to be a mess tomorrow."

I got home from class at 5pm today. Kyle said he had an awesome day. I could hardly believe it. That all ended about 2 hours ago. We went to Mike and Vicki's for "Taco Night", and when Tyler finally threw a golf ball at Connor's nose, causing it to bleed, I picked him up sideways, and brought him home.

I feel so bad for Tyler when he gets into that mood. He's just totally miserable. You can tell he just hurts from being so tired.

I got him into his pajamas, by some act of God, and sat on his bed with him. I could tell it was going to take a little bit more to calm him down, because he was just that out of control.

I took him to Connor's room, and we sat in the rocking chair. Tyler was out in about 10 seconds, and then he just was there, passed out in my arms.

It was at that time that I can remember him being a baby. He was a very sensitive baby, and actually cried a lot. He was very hard to soothe, and if you weren't sitting on the "bouncy ball" (the exercise ball) in our living room, he usually wasn't quiet. He was the epitome of a colicky baby, but when he finally passed out, he was out. Just like tonight.

I looked at his face. This now, so big face. That used to be my 7 pound 2 ounce baby. He still cries like he did when he was first born. So intense, but so needy. Like he just needs someone, to help him calm down. Usually its me helping him calm down, and its so peaceful to see him finally just relax.

He hasn't changed a bit.

Spiderman Soup

Sometime last September, Tyler decided he wanted to "the Black Spiderman" for Halloween. I think I posted about that decision on a Friday evening to take Tyler to Target and get him that Halloween outfit, although it was a) 7 weeks before Halloween, b) he threw a tantrum for it, and c) it was against all of my better judgement.

We did get him the costume, and because it scared the crap out of Connor, (seriously, he cried and cried when he saw Tyler in it), we talked Tyler into another costume. Connor ended up being the "Red Spiderman".

That black spiderman costume was at our neighbors house for months. We sent it to the "fixers" (as far as Tyler knew) to get a hole repairs. Those "fixer people" sure take a long time, because they have so many costumes that need to be repaired.... hehehe. It was nice to have the costume gone, because then I could finally detach Connor from my leg.

About 2 weeks ago Vicki reminded us that the costume was still at her house. We decided to bring it home (what could be the harm), and so both spiderman costumes are wandering around our house, every day now.

Every night when the boys get home, that is the first thing they do. Spiderman costumes are found, clothes are stripped off, and they run around with their costumes on. Connor loves his too, and hilariously refers to it as his "Spiderman Soup". I'm not sure if he can't say "suit" or if he thinks the correct term is "soup". Either way - it cracks me up every time.

They have slept in the costumes, gone outside in the costumes, and even tried to wear them to daycare and into the bathtub. These simple, cheap, spandex costumes that were purchased about 4 months ago, still bring total entertainment every day.