children, gratitude, humor, mommyhood, parenting

Designated Spaces

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The Atlantic Ocean.
Image via Wikipedia

For sake of the imagination and in the interest of a unique outing, Mad Dog and I took the boys to view some model condominiums near the ocean.  This is not to say we are purchasing one, it’s just fun to look.

Full Speed and T.Puzzle immediately charmed our saleslady and happily traipsed around the grounds of the complex.  They met each model condo with overwhelming enthusiasm.  T.Puzzle showed a special affinity for the appliances.

“Ta da!” he exclaimed as he opened a small closet housing a stacked washer/dryer.   Or, he would say, “Oooooh, look at the refrigerator.  Isn’t it cool??”  Full Speed was more interested in the bedrooms and somehow always managed to pinpoint the master suite and claim it as his own.

We saw three with furniture and our last stop had the best view and was completely unfurnished.  This was the boys’ favorite.  It had the most open space and therefore they set to work claiming which rooms were designated karate rooms (this apparently turned out to be all of them but the kitchen) and the area near the fireplace in living room was the best place for a wrestling ring.

We commented to the saleslady that it was time to wrap things up as the boys were close to their breaking point.

“When they start acting like this, it means that either they need food or a sedative,” I quipped.  I’m glad she laughed and realized I was kidding.  Sometimes people take my humor literally and that can be very awkward especially if you are trying to show that you can responsibly pay a mortgage.

In the end as we were seated at lunch, Mad Dog and I agreed the third furnished condo was our fave.  Full Speed looked at us and said, “My favorite was the one with the karate rooms.”

Of course.

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children, humor

Cute Baby

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We had quite an exciting morning.  We hosted Cute Baby so her Mom could take her sister, Miss Cutie, to the doctor.  Full Speed and T.Puzzle were in their entertaining glory.  They quickly decided to build a train track for Cute Baby because every almost-year-old baby girl loves trains, right?

When I picked up Full Speed from kindergarten he asked if Cute Baby was still at our house.  He was bummed out that she had already gone home.

“Could Cute Baby stay with us for a whole week?” he pleaded.

“Well, sweetie, she would miss her Mom too much,” I replied.

“Mom, I could go to Cute Baby’s house for ten weeks and I wouldn’t even miss you!” he said.

So, I did the only logical thing I could.  I made a mental plan to drop him off next Tuesday.

children, eyesight, happiness, mommyhood

The Rec Specs

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How many times can an overly active five year old boy pop the lense out of his glasses??

To infinity and beyond.

After the 137th lense pop it was time for a change.

Our optical technician has now used industrial strength glue to hold the lense in place. Our other option was to doggedly pursue the possibility of rec specs for Full Speed. Rec specs are essentially safety glasses that should hold up better during karate sparring and soccer (in theory).

The issue with rec specs is Full Speed’s extremely specialized lense prescription.

The solution? Rec specs that are high-powered yet not as specialized. All parties involved (eye doctor, optician, crazed Mommy and matter-of-fact Dad) said let’s give it shot.

Here is the result:

I’m sorry, but have you ever seen anything more insanely adorable than that?

Then again, check out T.Puzzle’s enthusiasm about Full Speed’s rec specs. He didn’t know why we were celebrating but he was more than happy to jump in the fun:

A good afternoon, indeed!

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children, eyesight, mommyhood, surgery

Soothing…, Just a Little

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Being stuck at home for 11 straight hours with two active boys is a mother’s form of Chinese water torture. Full Speed has his second day of kindergarten off (very anticlimactic in my opinion) as the remainder of his classmates report for their first day. T.Puzzle has been home since his lense removal surgery well over a week ago. It’s a lot of togetherness when you aren’t able to leave the house as we wait for T.Puzzle’s eye to heal. The kicker is, once that eye is mostly healed, it will be time for surgery on the other one.

Honestly, for the most part, T.Puzzle’s recovery time at home as been kind of special and sweet. He loves being an ‘only child’ if even for only a few hours. It’s just the endless playing of the trains that is starting to wear on me.

Just a little.

Then, to have them both tethered to home on the same day by myself for hours on end, that’s enough to make anyone lose it.

Just a little.

They are good boys. They just reach their threshold of contained inactivity and they have to break through it. We could be sitting watching a movie and before I know it they are both leaping head first off the couch attempting aerial kicks and shouting as loud as they possibly can.

It’s very soothing.

Well, I gotta run, I need to perfect my aerial kick.

children, happiness, humor, kindergarten, life in pictures, mommyhood

Buckle-up for Kindergarten

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Kindergarten D-day has arrived. There was so much traffic, confusion and general chaos that I forgot to be sad (mostly). I became single-minded in my focus to get Full Speed safely to his classroom.

It helped tremendously that Full Speed kept chanting, ‘this is gonna be the best year!’. If my kid was that excited about his new kindergarten adventure, who was I to argue?

Once I had us successfully navigated to Full Speed’s room, I felt slightly less overwhelmed. Again, I was thankful for my boys’ and their gregarious natures. Full Speed promptly found his cubby, deposited his Spider-man backpack and set to work coloring a picture at his desk. T.Puzzle pulled up a chair and sat down at the front of the class. Apparently he thought he’d like to start kindergarten, too.

Overall, a winning experience. There is still the labyrinthian system of elementary school drop-off and pick-up to overcome. Each day will get better I suppose. Either that or I am seriously considering giving Full Speed the keys to my truck and wishing him all the best. All I ask is that he keep the tank full and always, always wear his seatbelt.