One-sided

A one-sided conversation with Miles:

Me: "Miles, can you please drink some more orange juice?"

Miles: "No." (he looks at his plate. eats another grape.)

Miles: in a different voice - "Why not, Miles?"

Miles: "Because."

What could I say? I just smiled. And then...

Miles: "All done, Beth"

Miles: "OK, Miles."


I'm glad we have established that I am not needed in this relationship.

Too Much Work and TV

Depending on the week I work 4 or 5 of the evenings.  This puts Christopher in charge of bath and bed.  Not a big deal.  Just the way it is.  But lately, even on my evenings home, bath and bed have still been Christopher's responsibility.  And if Bennett had his way, I wouldn't even be allowed to come close to the hallway during the whole process. 

Bennett has come to expect that Dad is in charge of this time of day.  If I initiate the process by saying 'Time for bath!' he will run to Christopher and say "No!  Daddy do it!"  I am fairly use to this as Harrison went through a similar stage where Daddy had to get him out of the car, help him get his coat on, read to him, etc.  But last night took a different turn when I went in for a good night kiss and Bennett said "No Swiper!  No swiping!"  Swiper is a fox on the show Dora the Explorer and he always gets in trouble for stealing things.  Dora and her friends say "Swiper, no swiping!  Swiper. no swiping!  Swiper, no swiping!" and then Swiper says "Oh, man!"  So I tried not to look hurt and I said "Oh man!" and went in for the kiss anyway.  It didn't work.  I got yelled at again and pushed away.  I gave him a big sad face and said that I wasn't stealing kisses and that I ALWAYS get good night kisses and gave him one anyway.  

Later all was redeemed when Bennett got out of bed and came into my bed to say 'I love you!'  I might have let him stay waaaay longer than I should have, but it was worth it! :)

PIT-STOP!

I have said it before and I will say it again - If Harrison lives to see his teenage years (where he will probably drive me legally insane) I will be amazed.  And the reason that he won't see his teenage years; I am going to strangle him!

Case in point -  we are watching Cars today.  Christopher and I think little Guido is a very cute character.  We often shout "PIT-STOP!" during the show.  We paused the show to have lunch and I walked into the kitchen and said "PIT-STOP!" for no real reason, but Chris and I giggled.  Harrison took it upon himself to suggest that I be quiet.  I was so loud he was having trouble hearing himself think.  Now while this may seem cute to the average reader, it is not.  His smart mouth is going to get me in trouble with DHS.  

Waaaay back

I sing name songs to the kids.  My parents started this back when Harrison was 1 or 2.  I don't know the tune that Harrison's name song goes to, but it is pretty basic: H-A-double R-I(pause)-S-O-N spells Harrison!  Bennett's is basically the same except we say all of the letters instead of saying double N.  It took Harrison forever to realize that he had 2 R's in his name not a "double R" in his name!

Anyway, Miles and Caden's names are sung to the tune of Bingo.  So today when I was singing Miles his song, Harrison commented that everyone had a song but him.  I looked at him funny and told him that he had the first name song.  He looked perplexed but then realized that this was the truth.  His next statement made me laugh and realize how hard he is trying to understand time frames.  "Oh!  Yeah!  That was like back in the 40's.  It was the 40's, right?"  I laughed and told him no, it was not, but that was funny.  We discussed when it actually was and he giggled and we moved on.  What a funny kid!

Harrison has seriously been obsessed with the year change.  He is constantly referring back to 2009 like it was another era.  "Mom, back in 2009, do you remember..."  Things like this are always coming out of his mouth.  I got a calendar and put it on the wall and hopefully we will be able to put everything in perspective for him.

I still don't know where the 40's came from!

He's trying

"Oh no!  Annabelt.  Honey, don't cry.  Bef bringing you milk.  No.  No.  Don't cry little Annabelt.  Uggggggggg!  MOM!  ANNABELT CRYING!!!!!"

This was Bennett's conversation with Annabelle this morning.  Such a sweet boy! :)

Weak Stomach

You know how you take a perfectly healthy child to the doctor for a check up and they end up getting sick?  That happened to poor Harrison yesterday.

Harrison's 5 year old  check up was great.  He is 37.6 lbs which puts him in the 22nd percentile and 3' 6" which puts him in the 45th percentile.  45th percentile is higher than he has ever been!  I guess he might be taller than me after all!  The rest of the check up went smooth as well.  He is developing perfectly.  Then it was time for the flu shots and hemaglobin test.  Bennett came along to get his H1N1 shot as well.  I elected that he would go first.  No problems.  A little squeal and mean look at the nurse with a "That hurt me!" and he was done.  Now Harrison's turn.  He was old enough for the flu mist but was still a little nervous.  "Mom.  Really.  I'm nervous.  What will it feel like?"  The nurse was great.  Two sniffs and it was over.  Then I broke the news that they were going to prick his finger for the blood test.  Alarm bells went off in his pretty little head.  But, again, the nurse was great.  She grabbed his finger and it was over with.  He barely felt it.  I didn't want him to have the same irrational fears that I do so I encouraged him to look at what she was doing.  He seemed ok with this and then we were done.  Quick band-aid and he got dressed.  Out to pay the bill and get stickers and then to the waiting room to get coats.  This is the part I would change if I could.  Harrison got white as a sheet and complained that he felt like he had to throw up.  I let him sit on a chair while I got Bennett and myself bundled up.  Then I let him sit a couple more minutes till I thought he got his color back.  (Next time - he gets to lie down and breath deeply for as long as it takes!!!!)  When I thought he was ready and he told me that he felt better, he got his coat on and we headed out.  There is a long hallway to the parking garage and about 3/4 of the way there he lost his breakfast all down the front of himself and on the carpet.  Then he threw up a whole lot more in my hands.  GROSS!!!!  Luckily we were right next to the attendants station and they were able to bring some paper towels and the trash can.  After getting him cleaned up (and myself, GROSS!!!!) we headed back to the doctor's office.  They have never had anyone throw up right after taking the flu mist.  There have been cases where people get sick 24 hours later (it is a live virus, after all) but never right after.  So we are left with the conclusion that he has the same weak stomach that his mommy has.  I HATE TO GIVE BLOOD!!!  While pregnant they always took special care to lay me down and get me a towel before they started so I wouldn't pass out (which has happened before...).  Anyway, I don't know what we will do with him the next time he has to give blood but we will be prepared!  Silly weakling!

Lions

We have been at mom and dad's off and on the last week.  With Nathan, Meredith and kids in town it means a little extra travel and a lot of extra love!  

I was sitting on the couch when Bennett came running from the stairs.  "I scared!!!  Mommy, I scared!!"  I knew Meredith was right behind him and I had a hunch as to his needless fear, but I asked anyway.  "What are you scared of honey?"  His response: "Aunt Meredith!"  My response (while giggling): "Oh, honey.  Why are you scared of Aunt Meredith?  She's nice.  I love her!"  His response:  "She's a lion!"

Meredith decided maybe she would redo her hair.  LOL!!!

Quote of the Day

The quote of the day goes to Nathan:

"Bennett, please stop licking the furniture."

Sleep

First I will tell you about Thing One and Thing Two.  They are inseparable.  They are dangerously funny.  They are better known as Bennett and Caden.

I can't begin to tell you all of the things that they do on a daily basis.  They read together, play cars together, potty together, get into trouble together and play sleep together.  Sleep is one of the cutest games I have ever seen.  AND, they made it up all on their own.  The gist is that they gather their belongings - blankets, pillows, boppys, etc - and get into Annabelle's pack-n-play.  One sleeps up in the changing table part and one sleeps down on the bed.  Since the pack-n-play is located at the end of Bennett's bed it is really easy for them to get into the pack-n-play.  They they get covered up, lights off and all cozy.  Sometimes they pretend to snore.  Then all of the sudden they wake up and come running to me for candy.  I pretend to pull candy out of my pocket and give it to them.  Then they repeat the cycle all over again.  Hysterical!  I really don't know where the candy thing came from but on a side note, Miles got the saddest look on his face the first time the other boys did this.  He asked for a piece of candy too and when I handed it to him he was the saddest toddler I had ever seen!

I was making lunch today and this was the conversation I heard over the monitor:

Caden:  "NO!  NO!  No, don't play with that BLANKET, Bennett!"

Bennett:  "Don't yell at me, please."

C:  "Oh.  O.K.  Please don't play with that blanket."

B:  "O.K.  I use this one?"  

C:  "Yeah!"

B:  "YEY!"

C:  "YEY!"

And then they went on playing their sleep game.  I love that they get along so well.  Now if only Harrison and Bennett would get along that well.

Old MacDonald

Bennett and I went birthday shopping for Harrison last night.  One of the ways that I got him to go with me is by telling him I would take him out to eat.  This is a sure fire way to get either of my kids in the car.  When Harrison hears 'out to eat' he thinks 'TOY!'  When Bennett hears 'out to eat' he thinks 'FRIES!!!!'  So when I had the audacity to stop at not one, but TWO stores before I took him 'out to eat' he let me hear about it.  

From the back seat:  "MOM!!  I want chicken, fries and LEMONADE!!!"

He said this to me just as we were pulling into Target (which by the way, my super 2 year old can read!  He said "Look!  An 'S'!  We at Super Target!"  He's a genius. Or we spend too much time at Target.  I am voting genius!).  This particular Target had no food court so he was a little bummed.  But, once I told him we were going to the toy section he perked right up.  This is when I got the biggest hug and best kiss.  I didn't even have to ask!!!  

Shopping done, we were off to find food.  Ever since I was pregnant with Harrison I have not been able to stomach fast food very well.  Sometimes I can do the chicken options, but NEVER the hamburgers.  And I have tried!  One of my favorite things in college was a Big Mac.  Just writing it I am having a craving!  But, the impending stomach ache and general 'feeling like shit' keep me away.  

Now, Arby's isn't really fast food.  It's just plain good!  I didn't tell Bennett where we were going, I just told him we were here.  So standing in front of the cash register waiting to order he asks me "Are we at Old MacDonalds?"  The lady behind the counter snickered and I told Bennett that we were at Arby's.  "They have fries?" he asked so innocent and sweet.  "Yes, honey." I said with a smile while he danced in a circle.