My Three-Year Old

One night recently we took a trip to the store while big sister and dad were at volleyball practice. I totally gave into his enthusiastic request and put two quarters into the Winnie the Pooh ride before even going into the store. It wasn't a bribe for good behavior. Not a reward for anything. Just some fun. Right there in the store entrance.

The time will come when he won't want to go on the log ride with Pooh. When the happy theme song and gentle rocking ride will not amuse him. That day looms large for me.

He still enjoys the preschool shows. Cartoons about super heroes frighten him. He finds Oscar the Grouch even just a bit frightening if he's being mean to Elmo.

The day will come when he's a GUY. A boy who's not scared of the bad guys on shows. A boy who won't pride himself of retelling the story of Adam and Eve after Sunday School and a boy who won't think that a bath is the funnest! thing! ever!

If there's any way to prolong the inevitable, I'm all for it. He's my little guy and I can't help it, I just want to keep it that way.

The Other Side of This Coin

I can't seem to ever find the balance. As I feel so good about being ahead of the game this year with holiday prep, my home seems to have exploded. Every toy, every wrapper, every piece of clothing - clean and/or dirty, is piled around my home. Messes, messes, everywhere.

So I feel great about the holidays in my mind, I have a great imagination...but the home in my reality?!

Is a dump at the current moment. Fit for a health dept shut down.

Off to do the laundry, dishes, pick up, wipe up. You name it.

Have you ever..

Poured the end of your bag of tortilla chips into a bowl with the rest of the jar of salsa? And eaten it with a spoon like a bowl of cereal and milk?

I can tell you that if ever ponder a good way to finish the tortilla chip pieces, this is it.

Not that I've ever done anything like that. Not me. I am much too much of a lady.

Inspiration Can Be EXPENSIVE

I have a goal to stay on it this year. To shop ahead, get things bought and wrapped and be ready for whatever party comes my way. That's right, I'm ditching my procrastinating ways this year for the holidays (she says boldly, trying to stay in character).

Last week, the kids' holiday outfits arrived that I ordered from Children's Place online. I used google to find a discount code so got a great deal. Their holiday line is super cute this year, just the kind of plaid, red, sparkley goodness that we like around here. No running around finding holiday outfits, they are already washed and waiting in the closet. I can't even link to our little guy's actual outfit because it's out of stock, I actually bought the stuff on time this year instead of being frustrated in December when I can't find the sizes!

This past weekend I ordered gifts for everyone in the family from amazon.com and then emailed the Hubs, who was in Kansas cheering on our Huskers, and told him that both of our gifts are ordered and would be wrapped and under the tree as soon as the tree is up. Unorthodox? Yes. But very fun, I'm getting just what I asked for! Hubs said it's not much fun, that I bought my own gift. I told him he's more than welcome to go out and choose something to add to the pile if he would like. I'm generous like that.

Today I took a solo trip to a big box store and bought up the rest of our kids' gifts. Itunes gift cards for our $10 grab bag gifts. Simple and quick. Ready to go. The gifts are hidden away, to be wrapped on another day when I get another chunk of alone time. I've got tape and bags and wrapping paper already purchased.

I also bought flour, sugar, cans of the different milks, chocolate chips, chocolate squares, etc. I should be able to bake just about any recipe my heart desires. I already know I'm making lots of Beck's snickerdoodles this year. They're quick and best when eaten fresh, so I'll make 'em and take 'em all season long. Yum.

Tonight I had the kids do letters to Santa with images I'd found for them to glue on their letters, based on what they'd already told me they're going to ask for. Might be helpful for Santa, just in case maybe he's already finished shopping for what he knew they'd want.

I feel so on it. I'm not waiting until the perfect moment to get things done. No big long list of what to do. No waiting for the perfect price, or waiting in a one hour line for the perfect price. Just getting things done. I know this may be stuff that normal people do all the time, but it's so not me.

So it may have cost me a big chunk of change right now, but come December, I won't have much left to spend. It's exhilarating, this working ahead stuff.

My goal is to really be on break when our winter break starts, rather than running around like crazy for the first two days leading up to Christmas. This year I just want to sit back, watch snowflakes out the window, and sip cocoa. Maybe write some letters and remind people they are loved. Breathe. Pray. Be.

So it's resolutions come early this year, and so far, I think I'm getting it!

Tonight

His sister is on a play date this evening and his dad is home with a strained back. I decided we'd go out to eat. Just the two of us. A date. The three-year old and me.

He was reluctant at first, when I called it a date. He said, "But I don't want to marry you." Not sure where he was going with that one, I assured him (with a very bruised ego, he used to always want to marry his mama...what happened?!) that we would not be getting married.

We went to our favorite neighborhood Chinese restaurant, Bobo China, for crab rangoons, soup, and lo mein.

I cherish those moment when I get a little 1:1 time with my kids. Their personalities shine without the push/pull sibling communication going on.

There was no rush, we lingered and chatted.

My eyes wandered across the restaurant to a booth where another mother and son sat. He was about 14 and was passionately telling her a story about his day. How a teacher had wronged him in full detail.

My mind flashed forward 10 years. I wonder how my little guy will look. Sound. Will he tell me stories about his day? Will he still join me for crab rangoons after a long day?

I've said it before that it is my goal that he not be a jackass. Above all, I think keeping up with those dates and those talks will help him grow into the kind of young man I hope he will be.

I looked in the rear view mirror on the way home and thanked God for my son. For our relationship. It is those connections that make everything else worth it. To quote one of my favorite movies, my cup runneth over.

and over and over again...

Just Drink Water

Coach used to tell us that pop dehydrated the muscles. He preferred if we didn't drink it at all. I drank clear soda in high school, but nothing caffeinated.

This article makes me want to recommit to a no soda policy. Seriously.
What Soft Drinks are Doing to your Body

I don't drink a ton of soda, but have been known to buy a can of Coke on a particularly sluggish afternoon. I also tend to order a Dr. Pepper when we have fast food.

How hard is it to order water? Or even iced tea? Apparently pretty tough because my default is SODA.

I gave up the diet stuff when I was pregnant with #2, convinced that aspartame is evil. I still pretty much think so.

What I love now is a real cola. Pepsi or Coke. Mmmmmmm.

If something so simple as cutting out pop can help with my brain, muscles, and bone? Count me in.

I know the article isn't rocket science. It isn't really all that new of information, just a reminder.

It's time to give up pop or Coke or soda or whatever you call it!

So what about you? Can you give up the good stuff?

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Our Pumpkins

Why did I think that by saying "No messes." that the three-year old would know to put a FINGER into the finger paints? B did much better, so I guess six is the magic age for understanding that concept. Although his blue pumpkin turned out just fine too.

While I cut up our jack-o-lantern, the kids painted theirs.

B likes to help scrape out the insides. Little man says "That smell makes me SICK" so he opted out of the pumpkin guts scraping activity.

As the kids get older, it's the little traditions that feel so right. That bind us as a family. We are approaching some of my favorite times of the year. And what means so much to me is that word. Family.

I've been feeling so crumby for well over two weeks now and I can still say with complete sincerity that I am blessed. So thankful for my family.