Family Band

Several months ago, Lily decided to conduct a family band. She put out 6 varieties of instruments: Wiggles guitar, microphone, blocks, sticks, etc. She then put the name of each family member next to their instrument. Unfortunately, Bart was out of town, so we decided to do the band with the 5 of us. I was assigned the blocks. I was to hit them together in rhythm to the music.

We began. The music was brilliant. When we were done, Lily looked at me with scorn. "Mom, you aren't supposed to play during the music, only AFTER." The next song, everyone played to their hearts content, except for me. My big moment hadn't come yet. The music ended and I hit my blocks together - clunk. Lily thought it was fabulous. The rest of us couldn't stop laughing. After that, EVERYONE wanted to play my instrument. I guess everyone needs a solo once in awhile.

Last night, Elise had her 8th grade promotion. Her school is so cool, in a super duper nerdy way. I truly wish I could have gone there when I was in jr. high/high school. Anyway, it has a Roman Classical theme and each student takes 3 years of Latin. The 8th graders promenaded in, wearing their Sunday best and every single student had gold leaves around their heads (think toga party accessory). So awesomely nerdily cool.

The program began with the pledge of allegiance (always makes me tear up). As we all stood, with out hands on our hearts, reciting those words, Max pipes up "I want to say something too!"

It was also very interesting to watch each of the 62 kids walk across the stage to get their certificate. I think it was the Cool Contest. The rule was: NO ACTING HAPPY OR EXCITED IN ANY WAY! All students were to walk across the stage with the MOST bored expression on their face. Of course, for the girls in heels, they might just have been concentrating on not tripping over their new high heels. The winner would have been the student who actually yawned while walking. However, these are honor students so noone had the guts.

I can't wait to see them at their high school graduation. If they even show up.

The start of something good?

As much as I complain about potty-training my son, I've really taken a half-assed approach to it. I always figured that it would happen someday, in spite of me. I also never really minded changing diapers - even the poopy ones. I mastered the art of holding my nose without using fingers eons ago at the swimming pool at Camp Dodge.

It's so much easier having a kids in diapers, rather than a kid in full-on potty-training mode. I'd much rather glide through the supermarket, distracting my kids with crackers, cookies, and funny faces and letting them relieve themselves in their diapers, than running pell mell for the bathroom everytime they said they had to potty. And I won't even get into the condition of some public bathrooms. The thought of getting on my knees and hoisting my sweet child's fanny onto the germ-filled toilet seat gives me the willies. Give me diapers any day!!

Except.

Except it had to happen.

Except it had to happen at a very inopportune time.

Earlier this week, Max was showing real interest. He was showing acute awareness of his bowels and bladder function. However, he would tell me after the fact. "Mommy, I peed. Mommy, I pooped." That was all fine and dandy. I even put him in his "big boy underwear", until he peed in them a few minutes later. I was starting to sweat a little - my baby (who is 3) couldn't possibly be ready for this.

Imagine my relief, when, the very next morning, instead of pooping on the toilet, like he has done for months, he raced into the kitchen and hid in the corner to poop. Of course he did this while I was taking Elise to school, and his dad and I thought it was a scream! Ha ha! Isn't that cute? Boy, he won't be potty trained for MONTHS!!

I was smug in my "child knowing" ways. I admit it. I just KNEW this kid might be potty-trained sometime this summer, but NOT within the next couple of weeks. I just plain wasn't ready for it.

Have I mentioned we're leaving in a week and a half for Disneyland??

Then this morning I put him on the toilet as usual as soon as he got up. He didn't want to go!! (yay!) He ended up pooping just a little bit, so, as a reward, I put him in his underwear, just knowing in my smug way that it would be shat and peed upon within hours. I took Elise to school about half an hour later, just knowing that when I got home, I'd have a mess to clean up.

Only, there was no mess. I put him on the toilet again whereupon he not only pooped more, but also peed. There was much rejoicing and praising, while inside I was a bit less smug. A few hours later, I put him on the potty again. He peed and pooped again. There was much rejoicing and praising, while inside I felt my smug-ness melting away. Then, during lunch, IT happened. He said "I have to pee." Did you hear that??? ""I HAVE TO PEE."" Said like a pro. Said like something who's been saying it for years.

My smug-ness demanded to be heard!! I smugly thought, "Yeah, right." Only, he peed. On the potty. After telling me.

I didn't have the courage to leave him in his underwear for naptime, so he is currently sleeping in a diaper. But my smug-ness? I think it went on permanent vacation.

Mother's Day

My Mother's Day started with Lily coming into my bedroom to tell me NOT to go into the kitchen. Thank goodness I was already awake, waiting for breakfast to cook since she had told me the day before that I was getting breakfast in bed. A few minutes later Max entered, carrying a home-made card. From the appearance, Daddy did most of the work, but Max managed to create some interesting blobs on one side of the card. After careful study of the blobs, he declared "Looks like glue". Maybe glue is the symbol of love in some other place, like Toddler-Land.

I received several cards and a balloon and some flowers, but I just loved the paper that Lily had done at school. The children were asked questions about their mothers and the answers were written down. For example, I am 14 years old, weigh 20 pounds, but have size 10 feet (according to Lily). Some of her answers were right on, such as "What is your mother's favorite thing to do?" The answer, "Drink coffee and do puzzles."

Children are very observant, aren't they?

This morning I took Max to the grocery store where they just introduced the "car carts" where the kids can sit in the car part in the front and drive while Mom pushes the cart from behind. Apparently this delighted Max because he could see the people who were also shopping. He began by saying to each person we walked by, "Helloooooooooooooo." Most people responded with a smile and a "Hello". After a few aisles, this was boring, so he changed his repertoire to "Hellooooooooo. Don't forget to brush your teeth!"

Big Head

I was in the grocery store with Lily today, looking to stock up on Amish Friendship Bread supplies. I was stopped by a display of decorative outdoor clocks, which I've been wanting for awhile. After deciding which one I liked best, I told Lily that she could get it for me for Mother's Day.

"When is Mother's Day?" she asked.

"In 8 days, I think. Are you going to make me breakfast in bed?"

She looked at me with scorn in her eyes.... "Well, smell you!"

As if I had no right to ask for such an extravagant absurdity.

I laughed for several aisles.

_____

Whenever we drive past a park, Max exclaims, "There's a parking store!"

I have no idea where he got this one.