Me: "Aid, please stop talking to your brother like that. I know that you can be a nice and fun big brother and play with him. I like that Aid, where is he?"
Aid: "Uh....he's upstairs."
Perfect.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Fifth Birthday party!
Insanely large dragon jumpy castle
Blue bakugan birthday cake
Dinosaur balloons
Best friend Sam
Best School Friend (with same birthday) Bradley
Candy
Presents!
Burned cheek from trying to blow out candles prior to party
Flooded basement
Thunderstorms followed by crazy humidity
Sweating guests since AC wasn't working
Dear friends who help set up and then run home to get their cameras since ours is once again broken
It had a little bit of everything today. And he loved all of it.
Blue bakugan birthday cake
Dinosaur balloons
Best friend Sam
Best School Friend (with same birthday) Bradley
Candy
Presents!
Burned cheek from trying to blow out candles prior to party
Flooded basement
Thunderstorms followed by crazy humidity
Sweating guests since AC wasn't working
Dear friends who help set up and then run home to get their cameras since ours is once again broken
It had a little bit of everything today. And he loved all of it.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Mosquito Hell
Well, we went camping.
Then we came home. Because the mosquitoes ran us out.
After they ate Grant's face off.
Now, I know that mosquitoes are inevitable when you go camping. I also know that Minnesota, in all it's beauty, has a higher then normal number of the little blood suckers. I was not prepared for the attack at this camp sight.
We got out of the car, and they swarmed us. Literally. I looked over at Grant who had at least 10 on his face. So we ate as quickly as we could and hid out in the tent. He looked like he had chicken pox by the time we left.
I can't recall much else. It may have been fun to make smores, where they only ate the marshmallows. It may have been bonding to stay up with Aid and read until the wee hours of the night. I may have even been able to tell a good story about how when we were driving home our cooler flew off the car and Bob had to collect all the food on the side of the highway he could since it had to last us the rest of the week. All good stories.
But all I can remember is the mosquitoes.
Then we came home. Because the mosquitoes ran us out.
After they ate Grant's face off.
Now, I know that mosquitoes are inevitable when you go camping. I also know that Minnesota, in all it's beauty, has a higher then normal number of the little blood suckers. I was not prepared for the attack at this camp sight.
We got out of the car, and they swarmed us. Literally. I looked over at Grant who had at least 10 on his face. So we ate as quickly as we could and hid out in the tent. He looked like he had chicken pox by the time we left.
I can't recall much else. It may have been fun to make smores, where they only ate the marshmallows. It may have been bonding to stay up with Aid and read until the wee hours of the night. I may have even been able to tell a good story about how when we were driving home our cooler flew off the car and Bob had to collect all the food on the side of the highway he could since it had to last us the rest of the week. All good stories.
But all I can remember is the mosquitoes.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Camping Adventures
We are going camping tomorrow. It will be our first official family trip and we are all excited. But it didn't start that way...
For the last few days I have been prepping Aid. Because I know my son, I know he needs a bit of preparation time, some time to adjust to an new idea. But he has been completely anti camping. Thought it sounded "horrible" as he explained why he didn't want to go.
He got a bit more excited when we bought our new tent! But that too was fleeting when he realized that we were not just camping in our backyard, but in the woods. Which are "too spooky."
So I have been on a mission to try and sell the camping trip. We told his teacher about it at school. We bought little flashlights and lanterns just for them. We pulled out any books about camping that we could find. I even tried to explain the beauty of the smore.
Finally I tried bribery. What about a new book to bring camping with you? And you can pick out some chips! Yes! I am not above bribery and thought that as long as I got him there with relatively minimal incident he would love it as we do. No go. He picked out his camping book, but then proceeded to yell at me the entire rest of the Costco trip. I was mean, life was unfair, I am just a little bumble bee anyway (!?!). He got his new camping book taken away from him and I forgot the chips. It was a challenging store trip.
But Bob had set up the tent. So Aid walked in to see our cool new tent in the backyard. He sprinted past me and within moments had moved all of his pillows into the tent as well as his dinosaurs and books. He ran in and gave me a hug and said, "Thank you for letting us go camping mom! It's going to be a great adventure."
He can be a little difficult. I found myself hysterically laughing in the kitchen. I have spent the last few days in 5 year old hell arguing over this trip and now it's going to be a great adventure?!!!
When as a mother can you officially begin just responding with "I told you so."
For the last few days I have been prepping Aid. Because I know my son, I know he needs a bit of preparation time, some time to adjust to an new idea. But he has been completely anti camping. Thought it sounded "horrible" as he explained why he didn't want to go.
He got a bit more excited when we bought our new tent! But that too was fleeting when he realized that we were not just camping in our backyard, but in the woods. Which are "too spooky."
So I have been on a mission to try and sell the camping trip. We told his teacher about it at school. We bought little flashlights and lanterns just for them. We pulled out any books about camping that we could find. I even tried to explain the beauty of the smore.
Finally I tried bribery. What about a new book to bring camping with you? And you can pick out some chips! Yes! I am not above bribery and thought that as long as I got him there with relatively minimal incident he would love it as we do. No go. He picked out his camping book, but then proceeded to yell at me the entire rest of the Costco trip. I was mean, life was unfair, I am just a little bumble bee anyway (!?!). He got his new camping book taken away from him and I forgot the chips. It was a challenging store trip.
But Bob had set up the tent. So Aid walked in to see our cool new tent in the backyard. He sprinted past me and within moments had moved all of his pillows into the tent as well as his dinosaurs and books. He ran in and gave me a hug and said, "Thank you for letting us go camping mom! It's going to be a great adventure."
He can be a little difficult. I found myself hysterically laughing in the kitchen. I have spent the last few days in 5 year old hell arguing over this trip and now it's going to be a great adventure?!!!
When as a mother can you officially begin just responding with "I told you so."
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Safety Net
Me and Bob have said from the word go that we wanted to create open relationships with our kids. We want them to tell us what is going on in their world. We want them to trust us enough to know that we will can handle whatever it is they need help with. That means we can't just freak out. We can't just punish. We have to listen.
A few days ago was a first testing moment for all of us. Aid came to us with something. I am not going to go into details. It isn't the point of this post. But he came to us. We freaked out a little at first and he shut down. But then we gave him a little bit of space and let him come back to us. And he did. What followed was a really good talk.
But what came of it? I realized that even though I obviously dread Aid (or Grant)having to face any difficult situations, that he trusts us enough to tell us. I recognize that he felt safe enough to tell us something difficult and confusing to him. I have to do everything I can to continue to facilitate that openness. All I want is for my children to know they can come to me. I think a lot of parents say those words. And they mean them. But when the time comes to act, they do the parent thing: They worry out loud, they push, they nag, they punish, they over react. I know that I will as well. But this time I didn't. We didn't. And we did not just say, "You can come to us with anything." We showed him that he really can.
My chest tightens thinking of all the things that could or could not happen to both of them in the future. More then anything you just want your children to be safe and happy and loved. But you don't always have control over those things. No matter what happens to them in the world, I want them to walk through the door and know this is their safe place.
And that we are their safety net.
A few days ago was a first testing moment for all of us. Aid came to us with something. I am not going to go into details. It isn't the point of this post. But he came to us. We freaked out a little at first and he shut down. But then we gave him a little bit of space and let him come back to us. And he did. What followed was a really good talk.
But what came of it? I realized that even though I obviously dread Aid (or Grant)having to face any difficult situations, that he trusts us enough to tell us. I recognize that he felt safe enough to tell us something difficult and confusing to him. I have to do everything I can to continue to facilitate that openness. All I want is for my children to know they can come to me. I think a lot of parents say those words. And they mean them. But when the time comes to act, they do the parent thing: They worry out loud, they push, they nag, they punish, they over react. I know that I will as well. But this time I didn't. We didn't. And we did not just say, "You can come to us with anything." We showed him that he really can.
My chest tightens thinking of all the things that could or could not happen to both of them in the future. More then anything you just want your children to be safe and happy and loved. But you don't always have control over those things. No matter what happens to them in the world, I want them to walk through the door and know this is their safe place.
And that we are their safety net.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Take The Wheel
Aid announced during dinner today that he was ready to ditch the training wheels. So off they came. Grant has been practicing riding his bike on his own too but has not seemed to be able to get a hold of the whole steering process. Then today he just did.
I'm a teary eyed proud mama tonight.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Last Days
I can't believe Friday was Aid's last day of preschool for this year. It's already been a year. He has grown so much in a year.
At the start of the year he was in size 4 Toddler jeans. He was excited, but nervous. He hated to spell. He hated writing. He wanted nothing to do with any of it. He still ran up to kids on the playground and roared at them to indicate he wanted to play chase. He had one best friend (who isn't a relative and who moved away) and was nervous about who would play with him. He was obsessed with dinosaurs and one of the first questions he asked his teacher was whether or not they had any. They had a small collection, so we donated some....
This was him Friday.
He is now is size 5/6 (not Toddler!) wears "big kid" shoes, LOVES all things learning, still loves his dinosaurs, only starts growling once the game of chase has begun, has 2 best friends (Sam and Bradley) and is confident and happy.
We have decided to send Aiden to one more year of preschool. I won't go into all of the reasons now. If you know, then we wanted you to know. But it's the right decision. Not necessarily the easiest. He and his best friend Bradley have the exact same birthday so Aid continues to question if he is also turning 5 why he isn't going to Kindergarten. I have resorted to saying "you have to trust that I am making the best decisions I can make for you." No other answer is adequate. He will go to the same school. They granted us an insanely generous scholarship and he loves it there. I have seen so much growth. And they very obviously care for him and he feels safe and cared for and that's really all I can ask for.
I love you Aid. And I am so unbelievably proud of you. You are a sweet, funny, kind hearted, stubborn, quirky little kid. And I love every last inch of you. I will always do what I think is best for you. Always.
At the start of the year he was in size 4 Toddler jeans. He was excited, but nervous. He hated to spell. He hated writing. He wanted nothing to do with any of it. He still ran up to kids on the playground and roared at them to indicate he wanted to play chase. He had one best friend (who isn't a relative and who moved away) and was nervous about who would play with him. He was obsessed with dinosaurs and one of the first questions he asked his teacher was whether or not they had any. They had a small collection, so we donated some....
This was him Friday.
We have decided to send Aiden to one more year of preschool. I won't go into all of the reasons now. If you know, then we wanted you to know. But it's the right decision. Not necessarily the easiest. He and his best friend Bradley have the exact same birthday so Aid continues to question if he is also turning 5 why he isn't going to Kindergarten. I have resorted to saying "you have to trust that I am making the best decisions I can make for you." No other answer is adequate. He will go to the same school. They granted us an insanely generous scholarship and he loves it there. I have seen so much growth. And they very obviously care for him and he feels safe and cared for and that's really all I can ask for.
I love you Aid. And I am so unbelievably proud of you. You are a sweet, funny, kind hearted, stubborn, quirky little kid. And I love every last inch of you. I will always do what I think is best for you. Always.
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