Yesterday I took Matthew with me to our neighbor's to help load boxes. He's moving in a month, and this was the first stage. There were a few boxes light enough for Matthew to carry, and he was most pleased with himself. When he tried to pick one up that was heavier than it looked, he said, "I need more muscle pick dis one up. I need twurn five, eat broccoli." I guess when he went grocery shopping with Rachel recently, they got some broccoli and Rachel told him it would help him get Big and Strong. (Two of his favorite goals, except when they are not.)
Yesterday evening we went to Applebee's for dinner. Rachel was skeptical because the last time she ate at Applebee's was ten years ago and it was unimpressive. I don't think I've ever eaten there before, but I read an article in the paper about menu improvements there and I thought it would be worth a try. It was pretty good (although my "medium rare" steak was more of a "well done"), and my steak came with a side of squash and broccoli. I handed Matthew some broccoli, and said, "Here you go! This will help you get more muscle!" He demurred at first, but I reminded him about moving heavy boxes and he ate it. Then Rachel told him, "They're like little trees!" and Matthew even had seconds.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Mama scores
We went out for a brunch at a sandwich shop yesterday. As we were leaving, Rachel noticed a furnishings-and-quilts store that had a sale sign in the window, so I watched the kids while she browsed.
(This was when I discovered that Melissa has reached the Tool Using stage: she pushed a stepladder around with her so she could climb into more trouble. Rachel says she's been pushing chairs over to our kitchen sink for a couple weeks now.)
The store ladies thought Matthew's sheer energy was charming, fortunately. Before they changed their minds I took the kids out for a walk around the block; when we got back, Rachel had her purchases decided. One was a kind of sleeping roll: not quite a bag, it's a pad with a blanket sewn to one side and a built-in pillow. "If it gets him to nap for another month, it's worth it."
We deployed the roll that afternoon and it was an instant hit. Not only did it produce the desired results, but he's taken to carrying it everywhere by its shoulder strap, unrolling it for impromptu "naps" when the mood strikes.
Only problem is, Melissa thinks it is cool too and tries to take a turn whenever she sees it temporarily abandoned. This causes her brother to fly into insane fits of jealousy when he notices.
We are getting another one Monday.
(This was when I discovered that Melissa has reached the Tool Using stage: she pushed a stepladder around with her so she could climb into more trouble. Rachel says she's been pushing chairs over to our kitchen sink for a couple weeks now.)
The store ladies thought Matthew's sheer energy was charming, fortunately. Before they changed their minds I took the kids out for a walk around the block; when we got back, Rachel had her purchases decided. One was a kind of sleeping roll: not quite a bag, it's a pad with a blanket sewn to one side and a built-in pillow. "If it gets him to nap for another month, it's worth it."
We deployed the roll that afternoon and it was an instant hit. Not only did it produce the desired results, but he's taken to carrying it everywhere by its shoulder strap, unrolling it for impromptu "naps" when the mood strikes.
Only problem is, Melissa thinks it is cool too and tries to take a turn whenever she sees it temporarily abandoned. This causes her brother to fly into insane fits of jealousy when he notices.
We are getting another one Monday.
In which I am reminded that 30 is indeed kinda old
I was shaving this morning and remarked that I was going to have to trim my sideburns soon, because they were starting to curl.
That reminded Rachel of a man in our first post-marriage church who would grow a beard every winter from Thanksgiving until Spring. He had very manly folicles and got quite shaggy at the end.
Which reminded me that his daughter used to be in our Sunday School class, which was full of 11 and 12 year olds.
Which means that some of them are probably graduating from high school this year and starting college in the Fall. And now I'm 30, and 30 is kinda old.
That reminded Rachel of a man in our first post-marriage church who would grow a beard every winter from Thanksgiving until Spring. He had very manly folicles and got quite shaggy at the end.
Which reminded me that his daughter used to be in our Sunday School class, which was full of 11 and 12 year olds.
Which means that some of them are probably graduating from high school this year and starting college in the Fall. And now I'm 30, and 30 is kinda old.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Such a Girl!
Hooray it worked! I can post!
On to Melissa stories. So yesterday I took Melissa and Matthew over to a friends house. Melissa discovered "princess" dress up dresses. Where did that come from? She's only 20 months! We don't even have dress up dresses. She insisted on having an elastic tutu over the dress as well, and pranced and twirled around the room. She said "preddy!" (pretty) as she played. My friend Melodie said that her older daughter really liked dressing up in girly things right from the get-go, but her younger daughter, who is Melissa's age, just isn't in to it. I guess some girls are just hardwired to like dress up. But 20 months old! This is also the girl that makes truck noises and gun sounds. I suspect having an older brother has something to do with that though.
Things were going fine and dandy until we had to leave. Unfortunately the princess dress had to stay behind. MAJOR MELTDOWN ensued. Beet red, arms flailing, enormous tears meltdown to be precise. It didn't help that Matthew also had a fit, because he wanted to continue playing on the computer with his buddy Emma. So I'm dragging two angry/crying kids out the door. Melodie was understanding. She's had to take her son home from our house under similar circumstances. Still unpleasant to say the least.
Today we were at another friends house (the temperature here hasn't gone above a high 25 F for a week and the kids are cabin crazy-so the invitation was most welcome) and Melissa raided the shoe basket. She LOVES shoes. In fact we were late arriving because I couldn't find a matching pair for my darling shoe fiend. She walks around in shoes and leaves them wherever she happens to be. Then she finds another pair to swipe. Before we left my friends house, we had to collect several pairs of shoes around the house and return them to their proper places. "Shoe" is also a favorite word of hers. She'll go around the house saying "shoe shoe shoe" while she's clomping in her latest find. Funny girl!
On to Melissa stories. So yesterday I took Melissa and Matthew over to a friends house. Melissa discovered "princess" dress up dresses. Where did that come from? She's only 20 months! We don't even have dress up dresses. She insisted on having an elastic tutu over the dress as well, and pranced and twirled around the room. She said "preddy!" (pretty) as she played. My friend Melodie said that her older daughter really liked dressing up in girly things right from the get-go, but her younger daughter, who is Melissa's age, just isn't in to it. I guess some girls are just hardwired to like dress up. But 20 months old! This is also the girl that makes truck noises and gun sounds. I suspect having an older brother has something to do with that though.
Things were going fine and dandy until we had to leave. Unfortunately the princess dress had to stay behind. MAJOR MELTDOWN ensued. Beet red, arms flailing, enormous tears meltdown to be precise. It didn't help that Matthew also had a fit, because he wanted to continue playing on the computer with his buddy Emma. So I'm dragging two angry/crying kids out the door. Melodie was understanding. She's had to take her son home from our house under similar circumstances. Still unpleasant to say the least.
Today we were at another friends house (the temperature here hasn't gone above a high 25 F for a week and the kids are cabin crazy-so the invitation was most welcome) and Melissa raided the shoe basket. She LOVES shoes. In fact we were late arriving because I couldn't find a matching pair for my darling shoe fiend. She walks around in shoes and leaves them wherever she happens to be. Then she finds another pair to swipe. Before we left my friends house, we had to collect several pairs of shoes around the house and return them to their proper places. "Shoe" is also a favorite word of hers. She'll go around the house saying "shoe shoe shoe" while she's clomping in her latest find. Funny girl!
testing 1...2...3...
So Blogger has now set it up so that multiple bloggers can post. Finally (hopefully) I can post blogs under my own name. Here goes.
Things that make you watch your son carefully
"No, son; I won't put two knifes in your box that rotate around and around and cut food up all by themselves. No, not even if you had a good dream about it."
Saturday, January 06, 2007
On a rampage
Matthew's been totally into Bob the Builder this week, to the point of convincing his mother to address him as Bob, and respond to Wendy.
Of course Bob needs something to build, or at the very least fix. So he's been taking around a pencil with some scotch tape wrapped around it, and scissors with which to cut the tape and apply it to various things he pronounced to be in need of fixing.
All was well, tape-festooning aside, until today when in the space of half an hour he drew on the wall in pencil and cut
He's cleaning the wall of his room now. I think Rachel is going to have him clean the rest of his room while he's at it. I also think this may be a good time to take Melissa to Wal-mart.
And of course I cannot close a post about rampaging without linking this.
Of course Bob needs something to build, or at the very least fix. So he's been taking around a pencil with some scotch tape wrapped around it, and scissors with which to cut the tape and apply it to various things he pronounced to be in need of fixing.
All was well, tape-festooning aside, until today when in the space of half an hour he drew on the wall in pencil and cut
- his hair
- a pillowcase, to shreds
- holes in his plastic bedsheet-protector, rendering it less than fit for its intended purpose
- an afghan that used to belong to Rachel's dad
He's cleaning the wall of his room now. I think Rachel is going to have him clean the rest of his room while he's at it. I also think this may be a good time to take Melissa to Wal-mart.
And of course I cannot close a post about rampaging without linking this.
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