Kids Are For Comic Relief

Dude, my kid was hysterical on Friday. Here's a glimpse of some of his more laugh-worthy moments.

Liam: "What's your name?"
Girl: (silence)
Liam: "My name's Liam. What's your name?"
Girl: (silence)
Liam: (turns around to 3 small girls behind him, and references "silent" girl) Maybe she needs a little time to warm up to me. But, no worries--she will."

_____________________________________

Later that day at the Target Clinic...

Doctor: (places pulse ox meter on Liam's finger)
Liam: "Are you making me into Buzz Lightyear?"


Doctor: (types into computer)
Liam: "My daddy plays a song on a radio in his car. (sings) I DON'T NEED NO DOCTOR!"
Doctor & Me: *crack up hysterically*


Doctor: I'm going to check your ears.
Liam: (starts to wiggle)
Me: "Does that tickle?"
Doctor: "What rhymes with tickle?"
Liam: "How about pickle? (pause) Or fickle? (pause) Or nickel?"
Doctor: "OMG and those are real words! You can come back here anytime."

Have you blogged funny kid stuff before?

Link up below so we can all laugh together.

A Beautiful Disaster

Getting sick all over yourself inside Target with a preschooler in tow.

Humiliating.

Driving yourself home.

Disgusting.

Taking a shower and putting on fresh clothes.

Refreshing.

Hearing your little boy serenade you from the other side of the shower with his own tune, "You don't have to be PERFECT everyday."

Incredible.

Finding him washing the bathroom to "help out" with a few dozen wipes.

Adorable.

It's good to know that he realizes I can't be perfect all the time.

It's a good reminder to me that he can't be either.

Pay It Forward {Day 23/Year 2}

All Hail, Day of the Kiddo commenced today!

Last year, I did a day of Pay It Forward to Liam and I knew I wanted to include it this year as well.

The day started with a Jelly+Fish=Jellyfish sandwich. You know, jelly on the new Pepperidge Farm fish shaped bread.

Then we were off to the library where he picked up the same 'pocket video' that we returned last night. Because we wouldn't want to go more than a day without Art Dog would we?! Apparently, the answer to that is a loud resounding NO!

After securing not only Art Dog, but a Diego book on CD we zoomed over to eat burgers and fries with his good buddy for lunch before meandering back in the general direction of our house.

Once home, we settled in for a little Word World, and then the best part of letting him make the choices today, we watched the trailers for all the kid's movies out right now and he settled on Arthur Christmas. As soon as Dad got home from work, we headed out and gave dad a little free time of his own--ya know, to prepare for our company tomorrow.

I'm going to admit that I thought I was going to simply endure Arthur Christmas for Liam and I came out with a new favorite kid Christmas movie. 

And, then he rewarded me for letting him take the helm of this ship all day by choosing to go to bed a whole HOUR early.

Whoa.

If you have a chance to let your kid(s) make the decisions for the day or even the afternoon this holiday season, I'd highly recommend it.

'Tis the season for making magic happen!

Pay It Forward {Day 9/Year 2}

I was inspired by Liam today.

I was inspired by his awesome heart.

He gets it and he's three.

He gets this whole pay it forward thing not just in November, but always.

And, that my friends nearly brought me to tears.

Our day opened with nothing on the schedule, a rare but welcome occurrence these days.

Mid-morning we decided to head to the mall playground via the JCPenney's entrance. Just as we approached the door a bus full of disabled seniors arrived and Liam rushed to be able to hold the door for these ladies who were being dropped off for a day of shopping. He gladly held the door for quite some time as it took considerable effort for each of them to come down from the van lift. When there was a long lull in the middle of off-loading about half of the group I asked if he wanted to go ahead and go in, he said he'd rather wait.

Once we were inside we went looking around the store and he fell in love with an outfit for one of his yet-to-be-born baby cousins that he couldn't part with. She just "has to have this!" Then he found a pair of slippers for his other yet-to-be-born cousin. He asked if we could make four small purchases today, none of them were for himself.

Some days I wonder if we are doing anything right. Today, I saw that we must be doing something right. I was incredibly proud of him.

Also, a big shout out and thank you to all the positive and uplifting comments and emails to my post yesterday. You all warm my soul. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking time out of your day to connect.

A bit of bloggy pay it forward. Check out this article. I saw it yesterday and it spoke to me--it's about our responsibility as bloggers to our communities.

School Year Mornings

BuZzZZzzZzzzzZZZ.

Slam. Pound. Slap. Slap. Fidget.

It has been so long since I have had to use an alarm clock in any sort of reliable way that I can't even figure out how to turn the damn thing off anymore.

My alarm clock for the past three years has been a tiny little boy who squawked into the monitor and who now climbs on top of me, throws a ball at my head or stands inches from my face with a snack in hand begging that I open it. All of which are more gentle than the loud persistent buzzing of an alarm clock. 

When Liam started school last year, he was waking up on average at 5am and so there was no need to have an alarm then. But, this year--he's not really napping any more and so he is sleeping well past 5am these days (knock on wood) and two days a week I have had to set the dreaded beast.

I try hard to wake up before it goes off, because in my blind no-glasses stupor I seem to endlessly flop my arm in the general direction of the alarm clock with no real accuracy. And, once I do locate it I can't ever seem to remember which of the dozen or so buttons turns the thing off.

I guess it's just slowly preparing me for the days when I'll have to wake him up from a sweet slumber to go to school.

This morning no alarm clock was needed. He came out of his room, crawled into bed, wrapped my arms around him and asked if we could just snuggle all morning instead of get up for school.

Oh how I longed to say YES!

What Did You Want To Be When You Grew Up?

Have you thought about what your kids might "BE" when they grow up?

If their future was to be settled at exactly this moment in time what would you predict they'd do?

Or if you have older kids, have their ambitions changed over time?

Here are 8 jobs that Liam would be good at if he had to choose them at the tender age of 3.

1) Songwriter: (Okay I'll be honest. if this pans out I'll be stoked.) He constantly makes up songs, usually they are complete originals but last week he did his own little mash-up of Old McDonald and B-I-N-G-O.

Old McDonald had a friend
And he lived on his fa-rm.
And on his farm they had a dog.
E-I-N-G-O

That's totally money in the bank.

2) Politician: He sees every situation as an opportunity for you to tell him yes. A few weeks ago at the beach he ran up to a group of guys in their late 30's playing soccer and before I could catch up he asked if he could play ball with them and they said YES for a few minutes. It was awesome! I would never have had the courage or gumption to do that. I love that about him and it happens more often than not. It teaches me a good lesson about the power of positive expectations.

3) Broker/Negotiator: He is ALWAYS in the market for a "good deal" and isn't afraid to tell me or anyone else for that matter that they "drive a hard bargain". We talk a lot about compromise here and how you have to give a little to get a little and he's clearly mastered the lesson.

4) Stomper: Maybe they'll come out with an anniversary show of STOMP in 20 years? Or maybe he'll tap dance? Or make wine stomping on grapes? Whatever it is, he is uniquely qualified in this area.  I know I'm his mom and all but he clearly has above average stomping skills and they bring him much joy and happiness.

5) Stand-Up Comic: I mean hello he writes his own material.  It was after his most recent trip to Nana's that he broke out this wisdom. "Mamma, did you know? Did you know that if you try to eat a lobster and it's not dead yet, it might punch you in the teeth. So you better cook 'em first."

You could also watch him dance, it's hysterical and wonderful all at the same time. Just his right leg, below the knee randomly flails out to the side. Worth the price of admission every. single. time.

6) Fisherman: He loves to fish with the pole his Aunt Crystal and Uncle Chris gave to him at Christmas. He is more than happy to cast for hours on end and when daddy asks him how big the fish was he stretches his little arms as far and wide as they can go. So, he's already got the fish tale part right too.

7) Blogger: Almost every single morning he brokers a "deal" by saying that if I could just turn on my computer and pull up Notepad he'll let me sleep in peace for a few more minutes while he "type type types". It buys me a half  an hour of shut eye most days of the week. He has also declared that his blog will be called MustacheMayhem. (It involved Mr. Potato Head, you really don't want to know all the sordid details.)

8) Impressionist: He does the whole animal kingdom quite well, but he's particularly adept at elephant sounds. If you need help herding your neighborhood elephants or find yourself with nary one in sight to take a picture of at Animal Kingdom or your local zoo or frankly on Safari in Africa--he's your guy!

What did you want to be when you were a kid?

Capture the Everyday: Summer Food

How do you go about making sure you Capture the Everyday?

Do you take pictures? Keep a journal? Blog?

Me? I participate in the Capture the Everyday meme with Melissa over at Adventuroo. If you blog, you should totally go link up.

This week it's all about Summer Food. If my dad had to write this post, it would be all about corn on the cob. He has a serious love affair with the stuff.

One brother of mine would wax poetic over these uber-scrumptios cookies my mom makes at Christmas. She's even won cooking contests with them...so delish!

The hubs chocolate.

Me, olives.

But the little man loves him some popstickles as he calls them.

They are so versatile and can double as corn on the cob or a light saber.

We have a summer rule that on days over 100 he can have as many as he wants. This one was as big as his torso, and he couldn't finish it. Now that's a serious POPSTICKLE!

What's your favorite summer food?

I Blame Diego!

While I was making lunch, Liam decided to go out on the deck where unbeknowst to me there was some sort of housefly convention mere inches from the door. One mere whiff of the cool air and the lazily arranged fruit bowl inside and they all decided to relocate their soiree to our kitchen.

Gazillions of flies were now roaming the wide yellow yonder of our kitchen.

And by gazillions I mean 5.

But, 5 VERY annoying flies.

As they were zooming here there and everywhere around my head and the food I waas preparing for lunch I decided to take matters into my own hands and go all ninja warrior on them with my spatula. Watch out Alton Brown!

Liam took a more natural approach I guess when he decided to spend well over the next hour (closer in fact to two hours) chasing the remaining 2 flies that hadn't yet become victim to my spatula splatting and tried to catch them with his tongue.

He rattled on something about five fingered frogs, sticky feet and tongues...I really don't understand. But I'm pretty sure I know who does. I'm blaming Diego and all his "rescuing animals in trouble" schtick that makes up nearly every second of our lives.

I mean if I have to rescue one more imaginary whojamawhudjit from a tree, I'm going to have to call Diego's mom and say we need a little space.

In the meantime, I'm always rooting for my kid to exceed...except for maybe catching flies with his mouth.

Is hoping for this failure really so bad?

Father's Day: 6 Things

6 Things I Love About Tim

1) He knows his son. I do not have to leave him detailed lists of what to feed Liam, when to put him down, what his favorite xyz things are. He knows. He is not a father who
"babysits" his child. He is a father (period).

2) He will NOT tell me I look good or cute in something unless he absolutely believes it. Sometimes it means the compliments are few and far between....but I'd take that any day over ones that aren't sincere.

3) The sound of his laugh. It's infectious and if you can make him laugh unexpectedly, that particular laugh is my favorite.

4) How excited he gets to share things from his own childhood with Liam. Everything from Matchbox cars to Star Wars toys that now come in the same packaging they did when he was a kid. Which leads me to...

5)...the fact that he is an excellent "player". (No, not that kind.) He will get down and play blocks, legos, cars, games...anything at a moments notice with Liam. Playing that way isn't something that comes naturally to me, so I have so much respect for someone who does it so easily.

6) I have proof everyday of what an amazing role model Tim is to Liam by how Liam behaves to his baby "Peapod". Liam shares with her, wraps her up in his favorite blanket and sings her to sleep, reads books to her, shares his paci and shows her incredible amounts of love.

Happy Father's Day, Tim!

Capture the Everyday: Playing with Your Kids

Capturing the Everyday with Melissa from Adventuroo today. Come join us today with the fun summer prompt of "Playing with your kids."

It's a bit hard to capture us playing when it's just me and the iPhone to do the picture taking. But, here we are at the nature center yesterday. We have several nature centers within a 30 minute drive of our house and this is one of our favorites. They have a mommy and me storytime on Mondays and the place gets pretty crowded--so we love to go back another day during the week when we are the only folks there.

The Naturalists (rangers) love it too and they really take the time to make a "nature" impact on Liam. Almost every single trip there when it's not busy, they go in the back to get this or that animal to show Liam. He got to hold salamander eggs a few months ago and three weeks ago someone brought in a newborn opposum that Liam had a chance to hold and let it dangle from its tail on his little fingers. The little opossum is still no bigger than the size of his cupped hands and it's so sweet to watch him hold and pet it.

Yesterday the big find was a turtle about the size of a quarter, ants and a worm hiding under a log.

What does summer and/or playtime mean for you and your kiddos?

I'd like to intoduce you to my mom...

"Momma your car is Lightening McQueen."

"Daddy's car is Mater."

"That's right buddy, momma has the cool car."

"Daddy's car is the rusted out hillbilly car. Make sure to tell him that."

"I will."

"Momma I am a digger truck and you are a hooker (tow truck)."

"Ahh, just like 'mater huh? That's nice buddy."

*TO WOMAN IN TARGET*

"My momma's a hooker!"

OH GOD KILL ME NOW!

Capture the Everyday: Favorite Spaces (kiddo style)

This week as most Thursdays I'm Capturing the Everyday with Melissa over at Adventuroo. The prompt this week was to take a photo of your kids' favorite place in the house. This ws such an easy week as Liam loves the floor of my office. He goes in there with a blanket and lovey, without a blanket and lovey, any way he can get himself in there. He then proceeds to roll around on the floor making sounds of epic delight the whole time. He calls it the "so comfy" room and will really and truly do anything to get in there.

Who knew that toys were so overrated and that a floor was all it took to give supreme satisfaction?!

Blog? Come on and play along!

Wordless Wednesday

Liam, a snack and a bottle of water will apparently fit in a standard mixing bowl.

The Sunday Swoon

Why are kids great?

THIS is why kids are great!

Three seasons ago we fell in love with the Amazing Race reality TV show. Sunday evenings for the most part tend to be a time when neither of us have to work. And, so it became this once a week ritual where we would actually both be home and we would choose to unplug from our computers and enjoy a show together. We would banter back and forth about how if we were on the show who would do which parts and what our strengths as individual and as a couple would be.

Then about half way through the last season we decided to let Liam stay up an extra hour on Sunday evenings and watch it with us. He knew we liked the show and would tuck in with us on the couch like a big boy. It was great, but honestly not something I gave much though to until a few weeks ago.

We went to make up a gymnastics class that we had missed and then with nothing else on the agenda decided to go to the play area inside our local mall. We went upstairs to grab some lunch and since that place was full, we took our food down to the food court to find a table.

I told Liam we needed to look around for a table while I handled our bags of food, two drinks, the diaper bag and making sure he didn't run in to people when he turned around and looked at me with a face full of glee and said, 'This is JUST like 'mazing Race."

That's right kiddo, life's an adventure.

10 Reasons I Hate The Biannual Time Change

10 Reasons I Hate The Biannual Time Change

• It screws with my kid's sleep schedule.
• It screws with my kid's sleep schedule.
• It screws with my kid's sleep schedule.
• It screws with my kid's sleep schedule.
• It screws with my kid's sleep schedule.
• It screws with my kid's sleep schedule.
• It screws with my kid's sleep schedule.
• It screws with my kid's sleep schedule.
• It screws with my kid's sleep schedule.
• It screws with my kid's sleep schedule.

So could we all just agree to AGREE to stop the madness???

Capture the Everyday: Your Kid's Favorite Toy

Every Thursday I'll be participating in "Capture the Everyday" with Melissa and friends over at Adventuroo. Here's what she has to say about it. Come play with us!

"Capture the Everyday is about getting you to capture those everyday moments in your life! Each Thursday, I’ll issue a simple challenge to capture something that’s a part of your daily life. You can post just a picture or add some words to go along with it. You’ll have a week to get it done and then I’ll issue another. It’s a quick, easy way to start capturing those little parts of life we sometimes take for granted."

Ladies and gentleman, I'd like to formally introduce you to "Crunchy Dino".

He's been a member of our family since this past Christmas, when my mom gave him to Liam as a present. I would never have guessed that he'd have the role in our family that he does. Every day Liam feeds him at least some of his breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as a snack or two. He knows he has to pretend to feed him things like yogurt, jello and drinks. But, we (and by we I mean I, not sure if the hubs does) let him feed him pieces of bagel, goldfish and other easy to remove objects.

The little leg in the middle is actually a trigger which makes him chomp and Liam always makes sure he "chomps" up all of his food.

He's a good little dino, mild mannered, doesn't make much of a mess and goes down for the night without a fuss. So, I hope he sticks around for many years to come.

What toys do your kids love playing with?

L.i.am.

Yo peeps...what up? What up?

It's me L.i.am....aka Little Dude.

I'm thankful for...

...pacifiers...mmmmm....yummy goodness!

...fruit leather. Nectar of the Gods. Need I say more?

...mall playground. Love. That. Plaaaaaaaaaace!!! (imagine I was saying that like Oprah)

...jelly sandwiches. Please don't try to be tricky, I can smell peanut butter from a mile away. Respect a brother.

...my peeps. Shout out to all the little people!

...tunes. Now, off to listen to a little Black-Eyed Peas.

Out!

HON

Hon" is a cultural phenomenon here in B'more. It's a casual relic left over from times past. I tend to think of it as an "old school" expression used from those in my parents' generation and older.


B'more is proud of their "hon" with restaurants like Cafe Hon and HonFest every June. Driving around the city you frequently see cars with "HON" on their bumpers.


Apparently though "old school" is the kids "new school" as Liam has taken a liking to calling me HON. Just the other day we were sharing a bowl of peanuts when he got down from his chair, picked up the bowl of shells and said, "Let me put 'dis in 'da trash for 'ya...HON." And, today he was all, "Can I have some more water for my table, HON?", "Would 'ya like a duck, HON?", "Thanks for the jelly 'andwich, HON." Oy.


He's also trying out some other adult expressions like the other night a the baseball game when he put his hand on my shirt and said, "That shirt looks good on you."

E is for Easterpunk

Easter Bunny ain't got nothin' on me.

Skool Days

My head is swimming these days with all the parenting decisions that are flying in and out of this head of mine. Trying to figure out school for our little dude Liam is exhausting. I can't believe that the average out here on the East Coast is to start your kiddo in some kind of instructional environment at the tender year of 2. I have been on the internet researching programs, but really it all reads like I'm talking to an adult in a Charlie Brown flick (Wah Wah Wah Wah Wah). It goes in one eye ball and then the internet vortex sucks all the information out of the other. Talking to parents really just makes the whole thing a lot more...um...not clear. Everyone has their thing and...then, there's always the option of keepin' on keepin' on and just maintaining his activities. (We do something every day.) I try to respect the little man for who he is. And, I really think he'd dig the whole school thing. I'm just not so sure I dig letting him go...someday he has to spread his wings.

We went to a museum today and he fake burped, made funny faces, did his famous "belly tricks", started laughing hysterically and just about anything else he could think to do to grab the 7 and 9 year-olds attention who were sitting next to him while he ate his lunch. He downed his sandwich because they were eating theirs too. So, I really think he'd thrive in the environment. He loves other kids and he LOVES making people laugh.

All this to say that I've been sticking my head in the sand trying to ignore the whole dastardly thing, but deadlines are fast approaching and forms are starting to take over any flat surface in my house. (sigh) So, this week we are going on our first site visit. It's like a date;

"Will they like me?"

"What if they don't?"

"Do I really care?"

"Do I let them know that I care?"

You see the all consuming madness.

Wish us luck!