03.31.08
The Mom Song
This is my new favorite song. Hilarious!!! Not only do I say all of these things, I heard them all from my mom so I can relate both as a child and now a mom. Anita Renfroe is so funny.
03.28.08
Firsts, Firsts and More Firsts
Doing something for the first time makes me nervous; anxious, really.
About two years ago just after my youngest son was born I went to Target for the first time by myself with both boys. I had a 2 1/2 year old boy and a 2 month old. By myself. In Target.
That may or may not sound scary to you but to me it was terrifying. Little boys who are 2 1/2 like to run around in places like Target. This is why I had always securely buckled my little tot into the front of the cart (and allowed to eat popcorn while I shopped.) But now the baby carrier was in the front of the cart. Where was my 2-year-old going to go? I tried letting him sit in the basket portion of the cart but he only stood and tried to climb out. So … I put the baby carrier in the basket and securely buckled my 2-year-old in the front (where he ate popcorn while I shopped.)
The baby being in the basket portion, though, meant I now had nowhere to put the groceries. For several months, when shopping alone with my boys, I could only buy as much as I could fit on the bottom rack.
By now of course, shopping with both kids is “normal,” but at the time it was new and I was unsure of how to handle it.
A few weeks ago I felt just like I did on that first shopping trip when I flew on an airplane with both boys. I about had a nervous breakdown on the way to the airport and had to call the hubby for some last minute reassurance that I could do it. We made it fine, of course, but not without our rough moments. It’s not so easy to check luggage, go through security and install car seats on airplanes while your kids “run free.”
And tonight I did it again. It, that is, experienced a new first, alone with my boys. We went to a movie. You’re thinking, “A movie? What’s so stressful about taking kids to a movie?” Well, for one carrying the tub of popcorn and gallon of drink into the theatre takes two hands, leaving me no hands to hold onto the kids. So I was directing them with my voice and kind of corralling them with my body. I was afraid my older son would need to potty during the movie, meaning all of us had to get up and venture to the bathroom, or that my youngest would not sit or would be loud or both and we’d have to leave the theatre altogether.
Fortunately, none of those things happened and it actually was pretty enjoyable. The best realization I get out of these nerve-racking firsts is that there is hope, and, if I’m lucky, they’re spaced out enough that I don’t remember how bad they really were and will be fooled into trying other “firsts.”
03.17.08
What a Character!
We took our boys on vacation to Disney World for the first time this past week, and while there is so much to tell from such a trip, my most memorable moment so far is about my 2-year-old’s visit with the characters from Winnie the Pooh. While the hubby and Finn rode a roller coaster (another memorable moment to share another time) Caden and I went to the Winnie the Pooh Character Time with Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore and Tigger (in that order). We were the last ones before the characters went on a break (they just go switch out with someone and are back in less than a minute, but shhh, don’t tell the kids.)
Caden seemed excited to see them from a distance. But when we walked up to Pooh for a picture, he screamed, I mean blood-curdling scream. The Disney photo people were taking pictures and were trying to get him to look at them for a picture and succeeded for the most part. The characters are apparently trained that if a kid screams just stand still. That worked well with Pooh, Piglet and Eeyore. In this photo of us with Eeyore the photographers were actually making Caden laugh by being silly. They did a good job. If I hadn’t of told you, you would never had known, right?
The worst though was Tigger because Tigger is sooooo animated Caden wouldn’t even let me get near him. And have you ever seen a Tigger stand still? I don’t think so. As we walked toward Tigger, who I have to add was by the exit, holding Caden was like holding a squirmy puppy. I was afraid he was going to jump out of my arms! So I told the photo guys we’d just skip Tigger which was fine. Remember, though, that I said the characters were leaving too to take a break, so as we left Tigger followed us! We made it through that, but then, at the entrance to the character area, I realized I’d left the stroller back where the characters were! So we had to go back. And this time the “replacement” Tigger followed us back down the hill!!!
It was hilarious to me but terrifying for Caden. He may never feel the same about Tigger again!
03.02.08
Crunch Time
The first draft of my research paper for this semester is due in one week, and two days after that (so in a week of a half) we board a plane for a 5-day vacation to Orlando and Disney World. Needless to say, a lot going on in our lives the next 10 days or so. I’m glad the draft comes before the vacation, so at least I can be done with that and enjoy some R&R and fun with the boys.
