Clean Up on Aisle E13

I woke up one morning to find Gaby in the kitchen "reading" the newspaper while drinking apple juice from a favorite snowman mug. I realized there was much that has happened over the past few months that I hadn't reported on. I've had time over these past few months to reflect on many things and feel blessed that I am now on a more even -- if that's the right description -- path. I don't feel so out of whack anymore and that is a good thing.

The last year has been quite surprising and upsetting, but ended up being so good.  We live in a suburb of Columbus, OH and the kids -- all of us -- are very happy.  Mike has a job he enjoys working for a company that values family, and he travels quite a bit.  After the last two awful experiences in his career, he feels lucky to have this job. He marvels at the number of employees who have been with this company 20, 30, or even 40 years in a part of the country where there are other jobs available.  However, going through the awfulness and despair of having to leave my parents yet again, 15 years later and with my own children who they miss terribly, was sad.

In June, right after my mom finished her radiation treatments, she and my dad drove with me and the kids to OH.  I was not looking forward to dropping off the boys at Nana and Papa's house in TN because I knew it would be sad, but no visible tears were shed.  My parents and I sorted through boxes while Mike travelled that week.  One night at dinner Mom reflected, "I didn't feel sad when we left the children because they were happy and I knew they were in good hands." That was the first time she shed tears through all her bravery and turmoil of the past months.  Some of you may read this and think I am a melodramatic soul, but I love my parents deeply.  Being so close to them these past few years was good.  Mothers want their children to know who they are, especially their experiences and lives before we knew them simply as 'Mom'.  We learn about our fathers through their actions, and if we're lucky, through the stories they share.

We live in a neighborhood that is filled with children who play OUTSIDE and who run from house to house (usually ours) to play. The boys have fun hunting for bugs, playing with their toys, and riding bikes.  We have all taken up bicycle riding as we live in a cycle friendly neighborhood.  We've also attached a bicycle seat for Jojo for longer rides. The boys have an idyllic life filled with much less T.V. and Wii, and much more healthy outdoor activities.  Maybe it's the summer climate here with more moderate temperatures that keeps kids outdoors.  Whatever it is, it's wonderful. 

The downside is dealing with some of the more "rough around the edges" kids -- the ones who demand food and drink and/or who don't clean up and/or who invite themselves to dinner and/or who wander in our house when the kids are all outside.  Mike has had talks with the kids and made it clear what our rules are when they are in our house, and the "Miss Manners" in me has been slavishly reminding kids of "please" and "thank you" or "ask first before taking". 

My wonderful mother-in-law got the ball rolling with Jojo's long overdue potty training this summer.  I think she is the Potty Whisperer because she also successfully trained Christian.  After eight years of diapers and boy messes and being in my 40s, I'm just about out of patience when it comes to dealing with the potty.  I think Gaby really wore me out!  We've not known of too many boys who marked their territory as Gaby did in the most unexpected places (toy boxes, for one).  While Jojo has some accidents, as he did on aisle E13 at the local Target, I know we are on our way to getting where he needs to be soon.

Christian and Gabriel started school last week!  Christian is in 2nd grade and Gaby is in kindergarten.  Gaby is on an alternating two-day per week and three-day per week schedule.  After his first day of kindergarten last week Gaby told me, "I made a fwend at school and his name is Weagan. I asked him if he would be my fwend fow-evah and evah and he said, 'yes.'"

Christian walks Gaby to his class now. This morning we walked to school and Gabriel told me that I did not need to walk him inside because his big brother could take him to his class.  Christian is a good big brother who watches out for Gaby. 

Here are a few things we've been up to this summer:

Celebrating Dad's 70th birthday in June! He was surprised, and all his kids and grandkids made it to Albuquerque.

Christian did not like being seen in the "baby seat" of the bicycle we rented in Indianapolis.

Christian tries on an Amish hat

Having lunch with Nana, Uncle Jimmy, and David in Tennessee

At the TN fair riding ponies with Papa

Celebrating Christian's 8th birthday with a special cake that Nana ordered

Simone is a "Grampa's Girl"

Christian with his new pet firebelly frogs called Jumpy and Climby

Every few days Christian finds crickets outside to feed his pets

Teacher's Pet(s)

Last week, Jojo and Gaby started their first year of preschool.  Jojo is with the two-year-olds and Gaby is with the four/five-year-olds.

They have backpacks, snack bags, and lunch boxes to bring each day.  I'm glad they only go twice a week. 

When I dropped them off at their classrooms, Gaby looked at me wide-eyed and said, "But I don't have any friends."  By the end of the day he had made some friends.

I dropped off Jojo at his classroom next, and while he was distracted playing with toys I left.  One poor mother was sobbing as she left.  I felt like crying, too.  But I also had a "party in my tummy" (as my nephew Anthony would say) -- I had time to breathe and get things done at home.  I now have a few free hours to study, clean house, or have a chat with a friend. 

Mike, Christian and I picked up the kids later.  Gabriel came running out and said excitedly to all within earshot, "Mommy! Mommy!  I was good today; I didn't say bad words and I didn't have to go to the principal's office!"  Christian had had a serious talk with Gabriel earlier at the bus stop; he let Gaby know what to expect at school and went over some of the rules with him.  I think Daddy had also given Gaby a stern warning, too.  When we picked up Jojo, we found him standing by the doorway, glaring at us.  He said, "You. Left. Me. He-ah."  His teacher told us he had been happy earlier, though.

Today was their second day and Jojo didn't even blink when I left.  I told him goodbye and said I'd be back soon to pick him up.  Then he ran off to play with toys.  Gaby also had a good day at school.  He tried to make a boomerang (this month they're studying Australia), but it really doesn't look like one.  He must have inherited my artistic abilities.  Gaby decided it's a truck without wheels instead and that's a pretty accurate description. Today Jojo's teacher said that Jojo covered his ears when a little girl in his class was crying.  He does not like loud noises (like Gaby).  She asked me to warn him about music class as the teacher will be playing the piano on Wednesday.  We're going to try pullups and potty training soon, and I'm so glad his teachers will help. Oh, the agony!

Blase big brother at little brother's game.

They learned how to throw the ball in.

He learned to aim for the goal.

Gaby and Christian also started soccer last week.  Gaby had his first practice and game on Saturday.  I love when they play soccer at his age! Sometimes goals are made for the other team, and the kids all run in clumps.  One thing they practiced is spacing, but it didn't always translate on the field.  Gaby was excited by the cheering and waved at Daddy while he was running on the field. Gaby's team is the Dragons and Christian plays on the Blue Magic team. 

Christian's Big Week

Yoda and the gang helped celebrate Christian's 7th birthday.  He received many new Wii and DS games related to Star Wars, Mario Bros., Despicable Me, and Harry Potter.  Christian's time spent on such games has to be severely limited, though.

I can't believe he's 7 already!  Christian, what a special boy you are.  As a baby, he did not play with toys.  He did not like stuffed animals, noisy toys, trucks or cars. Cars and blocks were for lining up by color or shape.  But we discovered he liked puzzles, and so he started working on them at the age of 2. We also started reading to all the boys when they were babies, and now he reads to Gaby at night before going to bed.  Christian received some pretty terrific level 1 Star Wars books to read.  I like listening to him read to Gaby because if Christian can't decode a word, he makes it up as he goes along.  He's still reading and using his imagination, and that's good in my book!

Today was Christian's first day of first grade.  He slept with his Star Wars backpack near him, and as soon as the alarm went off, he and Gaby got out of bed and dressed themselves.  "Come on, Mom! I don't want to miss a thing at school!"  He enjoys being responsible, but Gaby is responsible for turning off the alarm clock (Christian still hates loud, buzzing noises).  Here he is (above) at his desk with his birthday rice krispy treats to give out to his classmates later. 

Last night we went over the rules -- and I stressed on thing:  If you do not understand what the teacher says, raise your hand and tell her to please repeat the instructions. Christian also informed me that in first grade they no longer have sticks to move when they do not listen: Mrs. B. told the kindergarteners last year that first graders go straight to the principal's office if they are bad.  Christian is on the lookout for those stamps, too.

"The bell is going to ring and I have to go in!"  Chill out, Christian, we still have five minutes for a few photos before I start to bawl. You're growing up too fast and I want these moments to last -- the ones where you actually want me to be around and when you still need me.

Things are going to get busy around here.  In the next couple of weeks Gaby and Christian begin soccer, and this will be Gaby's first year playing.  Christian will also start religious ed. at church (what we Catholics used to call CCD). Gaby and Jojo will begin preschool in September, and my classes start next week.  Busy days are ahead, but at least not everything is happening at once!  And after months of completing computer certification classes, Mike started an internship today, and hopefully this will lead to a permanent (paid) position.

Lost in Translation

Hello Karen & Teresa -- 

Last week Christian kept telling me not to pack his lunch on Friday because he was supposed to have pizza with Ms. ______. What for, I asked? And, believe me, it took several days to get a coherent response. He finally said, "Mrs. _____ has a tiny camera and she filmed me picking up trash in the playground." He also said one other classmate - Tanner? - was filmed returning something to the office. Oh, so for a good deed. Well, since I was still not sure, I packed his lunch. So last Friday after school I asked Christian about his lunch with Ms. _____, and he said they did not meet and he doesn't know why, and that was the end of the story. At that age, I remember having a wild imagination or confusing different stories. It reminds me of 'Ramona Quimby' (all my favorite childhood Ramona stories)! I'm really curious what Christian was thinking. Can you shed some light on it?

Christian's kindergarten teacher left me a voice mail message:  "I think Christian was confused. He got a Character Counts slip from another teacher for an act of good behavior - and I don't remember specifically what it was - but it was one of our Special Ed. teachers who caught him doing something really nice and special for someone else.  And so they read it over the morning announcements, and I told him that he would be getting a free pizza lunch this Friday...all the kids who receive those Character Counts slips are able to have pizza lunch with the principal once a month...and if you want to send a couple other 'healthy' things in the lunch with him in case he doesn't eat what the principal has {laughter}, that's ok, too.  But, the principal does not have a miniature camera that she uses to spy on the kids ...I'm sorry for any confusion this may have caused.  I will probably save that e-mail forever because that's just adorable that he thought he was spied on with a mini camera."

Ok, let me clear up a couple things:  When I again asked Christian about his good deed, he said that he had held up his line so that someone could pass through.  I think that's the story and I'm sticking with it.  Second, Christian is on a health food kick.  We have been trying to get Gaby to eat healthier snacks and to stop his diet of chicken nuggets.  One day I commented, "Uncle Jaime does not eat any junk.  He is very careful about what he eats because junk is bad for you."  Big mistake.  Christian, who may have a slight obsessive compulsive disorder, took it to heart.  So recently his teacher told me that Christian refuses to eat snacks during snack time.  "Something about his uncle who eats healthy...."  So, that is why his teacher commented that Christian could take a few 'healthy items' with him on pizza day with the principal.

Christian's soccer team receives their trophies on the last day of soccer. 

Christian did not eat any pink iced cookies or the yummy fruit pizza, except for the fruit.  He still eats licorice and chocolate dipped granola bars, though.  But not at school, because like Romana Quimby, he loves his kindergarten teacher. Oh, guts!

Just Say Yes to Broccoli!

Christian's school is having an anti-drug rally on Wednesday. He's in kindergarten. He will have to wear his tye-die T-shirt on Wednesday, and apparently the entire school is going to march around the school yard for fifteen minutes after some sort of presentation is given to the children.

I was wondering how this topic has been handled by his teacher. When I explained to Christian why he will be wearing his colorful shirt, he told me that Mrs. B has been telling them that sometimes kids take too much medicine. That's good, I thought. What a great way to get kindergarteners familiarized with the purpose of this rally. How can a parent possibly discuss an abstract concept of drugs with a child other than by making a comparison to medicine?

So on Saturday I took Christian to a birthday party that one of his classmates was having and I visited with the father of one of his friends who, by the way, has a very good dry sense of humor. The subject of the upcoming rally was brought up and he said, "They're kindergarteners, for gosh sakes! Why are we having them participate in an 'Say No to Drugs' rally when we haven't even gotten to that point yet? They're not going to understand. Why not have a 'Say Yes to Vegetables' rally or a 'Say Yes to Milk' rally?" He made a good point.

And than I began to think about it further and wondered if Christian will refuse medicine next time he's sick after having participated in this anti-drug rally. Nah; he's too much of a drama king to avoid it. Besides, we've had plenty of teachable moments around here about the dangers of drinking medicine without Mommy or Daddy first administering it. We'll move on to bigger topics when the kids are at the right age.

Just Say Yes to Longer Sleep Hours

Keep Those Stamps Coming

Before he went to school this morning, I explained to Christian that he may see President Obama on TV explaining to all the kids at school and around our country to do well in school, study hard, and pay attention so that they can get good jobs & help society when they grow up.

Christian: "But if we don't do good in school that means we can't get a job?"

Me: "If you don't do well in school, you will not be able to become a veterinarian or whatever you want to do later on."

Christian: "But we'll still get stamps, won't we?"

I tried to explain that good behavior stamps come to end when we grow up. That's what good evaluations and pats on the back -- if our employers are decent -- are for.

Here are two guys who hand out nice compliments for free every week on the campus of Purdue University.

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What a world we'd live in if we took the initiative to hand out those stamps.