Logan was the cutest penguin in the bunch at the 1st/2nd grade Christmas program the other night. Also the tallest of the 1st graders.
Declan at dinner, hitting the back of a spoon with his knife: "Look! It's like I'm hitting a bong!" Pretty sure you mean gong, Dex.
When choosing shoes to wear to school, Declan will always, always take the snow boots over the tennis shoes regardless of whether there's snow on the ground or not. He will also insist on shoving his pant legs into the boots because who wants to wear boots if they're just hiding inside your pants?
The Rhode Islandy grandparents came to visit a few weeks ago, and with them came a really freaking sweet pirate advent calendar. Each morning is a little bit of Christmas when they get to open a new box and see what's inside. The other day there was a white cat with black spots (don't ask me what that has to do with pirates) and the kids were all, "Ooooh! Cow-cat!" Like they finally got a toy for that underrepresented species of animal. Also, his name is Henry.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
That's so Declan
A note received on Declan's weekly progress report from Kindergarten:
"Declan still spends a lot of time in the bathroom, and sometimes we can hear him singing while using the bathroom and washing his hands."
My response:
"Welcome to my world."
"Declan still spends a lot of time in the bathroom, and sometimes we can hear him singing while using the bathroom and washing his hands."
My response:
"Welcome to my world."
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Grow Up and Blow Away
Last weekend we had a birthday party for Logan and a few of his friends from school. Enough about that.
For the party, I blew up a bunch of balloons. They pretty much migrated into the boys' room that night and have been there ever since. Tonight, while attempting to get the boys to clean said room, they got into some sort of fight over the balloons. I decided it had been long enough and it was time to de-balloon the house. I told them each to pick one balloon to keep and bring me the rest. As I was putting them on the counter, Logan asked me what I was going to do with them. I said, jokingly, that they were going to a balloon farm in the country to run and play with other balloons. Not for a second did I think the boys would believe that. I was very, very wrong.
Crying.
I remember there was crying.
Logan walked back to his room to cry in privacy. Declan just planted his feet next to the kitchen counter and started sobbing. His face was red, tears were streaming. At this point I felt a strange mixture of emotions: relief that I didn't tell them the balloon truth; bemused at their strange attachment to a bunch of balloons - they aren't even helium!; confounded at how to stop the crying.
Logan was worried the balloons wouldn't be safe getting to the balloon farm. I assured them they would be fine since they were all traveling together in a big group.
Declan wanted to know why they had to go to a farm and not live here with us. I said that's what happens when balloons grow up. They go to the balloon farm and meet other balloons from other birthday parties and they play and tell each other about the parties they came from.
I said they would have a happy life. Logan cried some more. He wailed at me, "Why do they get to go be so happy while we're here being so sad?!"
There's a song that we listen to sometimes in the car called "Grow Up and Blow Away" - I told the boys that song was about balloons going to the balloon farm.
As all these balloon farm tales were coming out of my mouth, I marvelled at the fact that the kids were believing every single word.
Finally, finally, the boys calmed down.
We will not speak of the balloons again.
Thankfully I didn't get caught with a pair of scissors at a balloon's neck. Thankfully Chris didn't get caught popping a balloon. We're crossing our fingers that the kids don't find any balloon pieces in the trash.
For the party, I blew up a bunch of balloons. They pretty much migrated into the boys' room that night and have been there ever since. Tonight, while attempting to get the boys to clean said room, they got into some sort of fight over the balloons. I decided it had been long enough and it was time to de-balloon the house. I told them each to pick one balloon to keep and bring me the rest. As I was putting them on the counter, Logan asked me what I was going to do with them. I said, jokingly, that they were going to a balloon farm in the country to run and play with other balloons. Not for a second did I think the boys would believe that. I was very, very wrong.
Crying.
I remember there was crying.
Logan walked back to his room to cry in privacy. Declan just planted his feet next to the kitchen counter and started sobbing. His face was red, tears were streaming. At this point I felt a strange mixture of emotions: relief that I didn't tell them the balloon truth; bemused at their strange attachment to a bunch of balloons - they aren't even helium!; confounded at how to stop the crying.
Logan was worried the balloons wouldn't be safe getting to the balloon farm. I assured them they would be fine since they were all traveling together in a big group.
Declan wanted to know why they had to go to a farm and not live here with us. I said that's what happens when balloons grow up. They go to the balloon farm and meet other balloons from other birthday parties and they play and tell each other about the parties they came from.
I said they would have a happy life. Logan cried some more. He wailed at me, "Why do they get to go be so happy while we're here being so sad?!"
There's a song that we listen to sometimes in the car called "Grow Up and Blow Away" - I told the boys that song was about balloons going to the balloon farm.
As all these balloon farm tales were coming out of my mouth, I marvelled at the fact that the kids were believing every single word.
Finally, finally, the boys calmed down.
We will not speak of the balloons again.
Thankfully I didn't get caught with a pair of scissors at a balloon's neck. Thankfully Chris didn't get caught popping a balloon. We're crossing our fingers that the kids don't find any balloon pieces in the trash.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Conversations
Every week at some point, Grandpa Tiny goes to the store to pick up some fresh fruit that he feels we need around the house. When he comes home, he usually goes on a bit of a rambling, mild rant about the way prices have changed since the Depression Era. It's really become a highlight of my week. I love to hear him talk about the way things were and his "When I was your age" moments. A few days ago, he somehow got on the subject of how things have changed in the media over the decades. He told me that way back when, if something happened in the world, people wouldn't hear about it for several days. And then he went on to say, "The way it is now, if someone farts in Moscow you can hear about it right away if you want to." Ah, the words of a wise man.
______
Recently at one of our Sunday dinners, we got on the subject of fish. Declan informed us that the only type of fish he likes is the kind that's shaped like a spacebar. I couldn't figure out what in the world he meant. Thankfully, Aunt Andrea was around to translate that into fish sticks for me. Talk about a generation gap - when I was your age, I didn't know what a spacebar was.
______
Declan told me today that when he grows up, he plans on living in my house. I asked what kind of job he was going to have. "I don't think I'll have one." I asked how he planned on getting money. "Okay, I guess I'll have a job." I asked if he was going to have a wife. "Ummmm....I don't know!" Fair enough. I asked if he was going to have kids. At this point I think he got a little exasperated with me, because he sighed and said in a bit of a duh tone, "All grown-ups have kids, Mommy. And you know what? There are these balls inside my weiner and those are my kids." Then he left the kitchen, probably to avoid more questions. I think he's got a fairly age-appropriate understanding of sex education, so I'll let that particular conversation go.
______
Recently at one of our Sunday dinners, we got on the subject of fish. Declan informed us that the only type of fish he likes is the kind that's shaped like a spacebar. I couldn't figure out what in the world he meant. Thankfully, Aunt Andrea was around to translate that into fish sticks for me. Talk about a generation gap - when I was your age, I didn't know what a spacebar was.
______
Declan told me today that when he grows up, he plans on living in my house. I asked what kind of job he was going to have. "I don't think I'll have one." I asked how he planned on getting money. "Okay, I guess I'll have a job." I asked if he was going to have a wife. "Ummmm....I don't know!" Fair enough. I asked if he was going to have kids. At this point I think he got a little exasperated with me, because he sighed and said in a bit of a duh tone, "All grown-ups have kids, Mommy. And you know what? There are these balls inside my weiner and those are my kids." Then he left the kitchen, probably to avoid more questions. I think he's got a fairly age-appropriate understanding of sex education, so I'll let that particular conversation go.
Happy Birthday, Logan!
Ok, I know I'm several days late on this. It's been months since I posted anything here and I have a million excuses for that. Just ask me. I can whip out a list like nobody's business.
Logan turned 7 last Friday (the 1st of October, for the lazy). If you ask him how he feels, he'll tell you something like, "Not that much different than being 6." He'll probably shrug a little, too.
I've tried to keep up a few birthday traditions with the boys. One is that when we celebrate the birthday as a family, everyone goes around the table and says what they love about that person. (I guess Andrea is a little worn on the tradition because she seemed to think we just did this. Though in my defense, the last time was in May for Declan.) The other is that I put up a post in the blog about the birthday child. Yes, I like my sappy stuff. But the ultimate goal is to be able to go back through this when the kids are grown-er and see what sorts of things have changed about them and what things have stayed as core parts of who they are.
Anyway, on to the show:
Logan has been doing wonderfully in the first grade. He hasn't had any trouble with his reading or spelling or math concepts. He also has a lot of friends - pretty much everyone he talks to he considers his friend. Last weekend he met a new friend who told Logan he was his new best friend. Logan responded to this boy that he was Logan's 31st best friend. The reasoning is that Logan likes all his friends equally and doesn't want to put any one above another. It sounds reasonable from that perspective, but hearing you're 31st in line of best-friendship isn't as pleasant.
Over the summer before the boys left for their trip to Rhode Island, Logan and a couple friends discovered talking on the phone together. Over the nearly 6-weeks of summer that they were gone, this particular art of friendship was lost. However, it's recently been recovered and many days Logan comes home from school just to get on the phone with a friend. He then takes it outside (for privacy?) and they go about planning their upcoming school breaks together. Well, that's what I hear about anyway. It's so very teenage girly and since when do kids talk on the phone like that in first grade? Am I that out of touch? Don't answer that.
Logan is still accepting of affection without being eager to give it back. He seems to understand that people like hugs and it's important to some people to give and receive them. So he'll let you hug him. And he'll patiently wait until you get it out and then move on. Sometimes Grandma Sue hugs him and won't let go for several minutes, and Logan very sweetly waits until she's ready to release him. I love that about him. He likes being *near* people, just not necessarily within touching distance. In this way, he's so very Opposite Declan.
Logan's sense of humor has been developing along the lines of his Dad and Grandpa (and maybe some parts of his Mom). He is starting to get a dry, sarcastic flavor to his jokes and quips. Again, I think he's too young for that stuff, but it pops up here and there. I'm still quite surprised by it when I hear it. However, he is still subject to 7-year-old boy humor - farts, poops, really dumb jokes, etc. He and Declan can laugh until they puke when they get talking about those kinds of things.
I love this kid. I love that he's such a good friend. I love that he's fun and kind and compassionate. He loves giving presents as much as he loves getting them. He regularly tells us that he loves whatever has been made for dinner. Most of the time he's willing to try any new food and lately has been developing a bit of a taste for hot and spicy stuff. He's your basic healthy and happy boy and I'm so lucky he's mine.
Logan turned 7 last Friday (the 1st of October, for the lazy). If you ask him how he feels, he'll tell you something like, "Not that much different than being 6." He'll probably shrug a little, too.
I've tried to keep up a few birthday traditions with the boys. One is that when we celebrate the birthday as a family, everyone goes around the table and says what they love about that person. (I guess Andrea is a little worn on the tradition because she seemed to think we just did this. Though in my defense, the last time was in May for Declan.) The other is that I put up a post in the blog about the birthday child. Yes, I like my sappy stuff. But the ultimate goal is to be able to go back through this when the kids are grown-er and see what sorts of things have changed about them and what things have stayed as core parts of who they are.
Anyway, on to the show:
Logan has been doing wonderfully in the first grade. He hasn't had any trouble with his reading or spelling or math concepts. He also has a lot of friends - pretty much everyone he talks to he considers his friend. Last weekend he met a new friend who told Logan he was his new best friend. Logan responded to this boy that he was Logan's 31st best friend. The reasoning is that Logan likes all his friends equally and doesn't want to put any one above another. It sounds reasonable from that perspective, but hearing you're 31st in line of best-friendship isn't as pleasant.
Over the summer before the boys left for their trip to Rhode Island, Logan and a couple friends discovered talking on the phone together. Over the nearly 6-weeks of summer that they were gone, this particular art of friendship was lost. However, it's recently been recovered and many days Logan comes home from school just to get on the phone with a friend. He then takes it outside (for privacy?) and they go about planning their upcoming school breaks together. Well, that's what I hear about anyway. It's so very teenage girly and since when do kids talk on the phone like that in first grade? Am I that out of touch? Don't answer that.
Logan is still accepting of affection without being eager to give it back. He seems to understand that people like hugs and it's important to some people to give and receive them. So he'll let you hug him. And he'll patiently wait until you get it out and then move on. Sometimes Grandma Sue hugs him and won't let go for several minutes, and Logan very sweetly waits until she's ready to release him. I love that about him. He likes being *near* people, just not necessarily within touching distance. In this way, he's so very Opposite Declan.
Logan's sense of humor has been developing along the lines of his Dad and Grandpa (and maybe some parts of his Mom). He is starting to get a dry, sarcastic flavor to his jokes and quips. Again, I think he's too young for that stuff, but it pops up here and there. I'm still quite surprised by it when I hear it. However, he is still subject to 7-year-old boy humor - farts, poops, really dumb jokes, etc. He and Declan can laugh until they puke when they get talking about those kinds of things.
I love this kid. I love that he's such a good friend. I love that he's fun and kind and compassionate. He loves giving presents as much as he loves getting them. He regularly tells us that he loves whatever has been made for dinner. Most of the time he's willing to try any new food and lately has been developing a bit of a taste for hot and spicy stuff. He's your basic healthy and happy boy and I'm so lucky he's mine.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
On hold...
The boys are in the midst of their forever-long vacation and therefore, I have little mischief to report.
To tide you over until their return:
A few weeks ago, Logan and I were going through some of the apps in my phone. I brought up the Google Translate app and told him he could speak into the microphone of the phone and the program would translate whatever he said into a different language. So he takes the phone, holds it close to his mouth, then loudly says, "BOOBIES!"
From Ed:
"We're watching Roger Rabbit, and the boys are only half paying attention while they play with legos. Jessica Rabbit shows up, singing her song. Logan could care less, but Declan drops everything, hypnotized. "Whooooa... That girl is pretty." He was entranced until she left the screen, then went back to playing."
To tide you over until their return:
A few weeks ago, Logan and I were going through some of the apps in my phone. I brought up the Google Translate app and told him he could speak into the microphone of the phone and the program would translate whatever he said into a different language. So he takes the phone, holds it close to his mouth, then loudly says, "BOOBIES!"
From Ed:
"We're watching Roger Rabbit, and the boys are only half paying attention while they play with legos. Jessica Rabbit shows up, singing her song. Logan could care less, but Declan drops everything, hypnotized. "Whooooa... That girl is pretty." He was entranced until she left the screen, then went back to playing."
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Growing up?
Declan seems to have changed recently in regards to how he deals with his anger and frustration. He's somehow gotten it into his head that saying really hurtful things when he's mad (like when he tells me he hates me or he's not going to let me hug or kiss him anymore, etc.) is, well, hurtful. He's turned a corner in that, and I'm happy to see it.
Of course, he being five, he's got a limited ability to express himself and that combined with his control over what he says when he's angry has turned out some funny moments. Like the time when he furiously told me he wasn't going to let me do anything for him anymore. (Me: Fine. I won't do a thing for you. No problem. Declan: NO! Wait! You can do things for me again!) Or the time when he got so angry with me he assured me he was never going to love my lasagna again. (About an hour later after his angry switch had been flipped back to happy, he sought me out to give me a hug and reassure me that he does indeed love my lasagna.)
He tries hard to control himself when he's angry. Instead of hitting, he's moved on to acting like he's going to hit. Sometimes he just stands there and fumes loudly, eyebrows furrowed, nostrils flared, breathing heavily in and out, much like an angry, angry dragon that's about two seconds away from breathing fire. There's definitely some work to do, and he'll probably have to grow up a bit we make more significant strides. But he's trying. And we talk and talk and talk about how to appropriately deal with being angry or frustrated. He knows what to do when we discuss it, but in the moment the emotions run hot and it's not so easy to keep calm. And I'm all, "Believe me. I totally get it."
Of course, he being five, he's got a limited ability to express himself and that combined with his control over what he says when he's angry has turned out some funny moments. Like the time when he furiously told me he wasn't going to let me do anything for him anymore. (Me: Fine. I won't do a thing for you. No problem. Declan: NO! Wait! You can do things for me again!) Or the time when he got so angry with me he assured me he was never going to love my lasagna again. (About an hour later after his angry switch had been flipped back to happy, he sought me out to give me a hug and reassure me that he does indeed love my lasagna.)
He tries hard to control himself when he's angry. Instead of hitting, he's moved on to acting like he's going to hit. Sometimes he just stands there and fumes loudly, eyebrows furrowed, nostrils flared, breathing heavily in and out, much like an angry, angry dragon that's about two seconds away from breathing fire. There's definitely some work to do, and he'll probably have to grow up a bit we make more significant strides. But he's trying. And we talk and talk and talk about how to appropriately deal with being angry or frustrated. He knows what to do when we discuss it, but in the moment the emotions run hot and it's not so easy to keep calm. And I'm all, "Believe me. I totally get it."
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Sickness, Kindergarten, and other Fun Stories
Last Friday night I let the boys stay up late watching a movie. Saturday morning, Declan woke up with red, puffy eyes. I assumed it was because he didn't get enough sleep. However, over the next few days the puffiness/redness never went away so we thought maybe it's a random allergy that's showed up all of a sudden and with a vengeance. We've attempted to treat him with Benadryl, but it never really seemed to help more than puffy reduction for a few hours. Last night, he woke up around midnight looking like this, coughing and wheezing. His cheeks and lips had swelled up with his eyes. After wringing my hands about it for about an hour, Chris and I finally decided to take him to the ER for a visit to see what could be done. Once there, he got some chest x-rays, a breathing treatment, some steroids, and we were sent home with a diagnosis of bronchitis and maybe allergies/maybe bacterial infection of the eyes. We've got some meds for him to treat the whole mess and we'll see how it goes. Today he's breathing much better, but still sporting the red, puffy eyes and face. So, not as much improvement as I was hoping, but at least he's not wheezing like ... a ...... wheezy person?
Apparently Declan's not out much late at night because the whole ride there and back was filled with awed comments about how dark it was and how pretty the night was and how much he loved the moon and tomorrow night can we please get on a rocket and go to the moon? Also, the woman who gave Dex the breathing treatment, after attempting to get him to breathe slowly and follow directions and stop giggling through it all, told me I had my hands full. And I was all, "Uh, doy." And then I thought maybe I'd heard that somewhere before.
School will be out officially for Logan on Friday (and not a moment too soon...Declan's ghost friend Gon has been hanging around a lot lately). He had his Kindergarten graduation last week, in which the class performed "Click Clack Moo" and Logan was a narrator and a dog. He did a fabulous job, thankyouverymuch. We got a really sweet photo of Declan giving Logan and Logan's best friend Caleah the double thumbs up for graduating from Kindergarten. (Incidentally, I've been given the "double thumbs up badge" from Declan several times recently for being so nice to him. I asked him once if I was ever not nice to him, and he informed me that in fact, it happens, when I do things like make him go to bed.) I think the picture is awesome for a lot of reasons, but mostly because Logan has his best brother and his best girl right there together.
On a totally random note, I found a picture in an unrelated folder on my computer and sighed with that motherly nostalgia that makes us feel like time is moving too fast. Logan in binky heaven. Stars blanket. Little hands, little legs, little feet.
Apparently Declan's not out much late at night because the whole ride there and back was filled with awed comments about how dark it was and how pretty the night was and how much he loved the moon and tomorrow night can we please get on a rocket and go to the moon? Also, the woman who gave Dex the breathing treatment, after attempting to get him to breathe slowly and follow directions and stop giggling through it all, told me I had my hands full. And I was all, "Uh, doy." And then I thought maybe I'd heard that somewhere before.
School will be out officially for Logan on Friday (and not a moment too soon...Declan's ghost friend Gon has been hanging around a lot lately). He had his Kindergarten graduation last week, in which the class performed "Click Clack Moo" and Logan was a narrator and a dog. He did a fabulous job, thankyouverymuch. We got a really sweet photo of Declan giving Logan and Logan's best friend Caleah the double thumbs up for graduating from Kindergarten. (Incidentally, I've been given the "double thumbs up badge" from Declan several times recently for being so nice to him. I asked him once if I was ever not nice to him, and he informed me that in fact, it happens, when I do things like make him go to bed.) I think the picture is awesome for a lot of reasons, but mostly because Logan has his best brother and his best girl right there together.
On a totally random note, I found a picture in an unrelated folder on my computer and sighed with that motherly nostalgia that makes us feel like time is moving too fast. Logan in binky heaven. Stars blanket. Little hands, little legs, little feet.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Gross
We recently purchased this book for Logan since he pretty much finds gross things funny at any time of day. This morning at the breakfast table, he graced us with this joke:
Why did the kid bring a toilet to the party?
Because he was a party pooper.
Cue delighted, uproarious laughter from both boys.
The other side to the book is things that gross Logan out enough to cause him deep concern for his life. For example, he was reading it last night in bed and after a short while he came to find me, with a terrified look on his face. He asked me to tell him this wasn't true and pointed to a little info box on one of the pages that talked about how mosquitos suck your blood when they bite. I told him it was true and the terror deepened as he discovered that mosquitos do, in fact, reside in this area of the country. I asked him what about it specifically was so scary for him - was he afraid it would hurt, or did he think they'd drink too much blood, or was it just the blood itself that was bothering him? He looked at the floor and said he was scared that they'd bite him and eat so much blood from him that he'd become a vampire. We talked about how 1) vampires don't exist, 2) a mosquito can't possibly drink that much of a person's blood, and 3) vampires really don't exist ("You already said that!" "I know! It's that important!") and a few minutes later he went back to bed feeling better.
So, to sum up: Cheers to gross jokes that make little boys laugh. Jeers to little boys worrying their very lives will be sucked from them until they become unholy minions of the night. [Does anyone read TV Guide anymore?]
Why did the kid bring a toilet to the party?
Because he was a party pooper.
Cue delighted, uproarious laughter from both boys.
The other side to the book is things that gross Logan out enough to cause him deep concern for his life. For example, he was reading it last night in bed and after a short while he came to find me, with a terrified look on his face. He asked me to tell him this wasn't true and pointed to a little info box on one of the pages that talked about how mosquitos suck your blood when they bite. I told him it was true and the terror deepened as he discovered that mosquitos do, in fact, reside in this area of the country. I asked him what about it specifically was so scary for him - was he afraid it would hurt, or did he think they'd drink too much blood, or was it just the blood itself that was bothering him? He looked at the floor and said he was scared that they'd bite him and eat so much blood from him that he'd become a vampire. We talked about how 1) vampires don't exist, 2) a mosquito can't possibly drink that much of a person's blood, and 3) vampires really don't exist ("You already said that!" "I know! It's that important!") and a few minutes later he went back to bed feeling better.
So, to sum up: Cheers to gross jokes that make little boys laugh. Jeers to little boys worrying their very lives will be sucked from them until they become unholy minions of the night. [Does anyone read TV Guide anymore?]
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Five!
Go from this:
to this:
in just 5 short years! (He didn't want to do any "smiley" pictures until dinnertime. Incidentally, I feel like this gives me a pretty good glimpse at what the teen Dex will look like.)
About Declan:
He is my mini-me, for better or worse. I love this kid more than I could possibly put into words. There are so many things that make him him, and all of them work together to build this fabulously fabulous boy that I'm usually thrilled to be mother to.
Declan is rarely found without a song. He makes music all.day.long. We were out in the yard a few days ago on a gorgeous spring day, enjoying the sunshine and freshly-mowed-by-Grandpa-Tiny grass and Declan goes, "Did you know it's such a beautiful day I feel a song coming on?" And then he ran and sang a song about beautiful days. Rides in the car and sitting at the dinner table are two of our guaranteed spots to get a performance from Declan. Even if he's not vocalizing, he's bopping his head along to whatever music his mind is creating. When he was a baby, I loved standing outside his door after he was put to bed to listen to him humming himself to sleep.
Dex is still our little lightswitch - ready to flip between his two moods, happy and angry, at any instant. Lucky for us, he's usually in the happy position. He's a snuggler and freely gives hugs all day long. Often he'll walk up to me for no other reason than to tell me he loves me and give me a hug. He'll give you anything he has if you ask nicely for it, or if he thinks you might benefit from it more than he would. Many times he's offered his precious teddy bear pillow, stuffed animals, and blue blanket to the rest of the family at night for various reasons. He'll share the last bites of his treats with Logan just because he's his brother and he loves him.
The other side of the switch is as far in the other extreme as his happy is. That boy can scowl like nobody's business. While he may be willing to give you anything if you ask nicely, if you try and take something from him before he's ready, he will fight to the death for it. He's still under the impression that whining will get him what he wants sometimes, and he will let you have it full force if he thinks there's any chance of you giving in. He's got the emotional blackmail thing down pat and will threaten to never love you or hug you or kiss you again if you make him angry and try to punish him.
When Dex grows up, he's going to be a strong beast of a man. The days of physical matches between the boys haven't really started, but Declan's demonstrated here and there that he can stand his ground against his older brother. When he was about 2 and Logan was 3 1/2 or 4, the boys were wrestling on the living room floor. They got tired and fell into a heap of giggles, Logan settling on Declan's back. After a moment, Declan decided he was ready to stand up...so he did, showing no sign of effort and toppling Logan onto the floor in the process.
As is the case with most mothers I know, I worry that I'll be able to be the mom he needs as he grows up. I hope I can help him learn to temper his temper and get control over the cutting words he uses when he's angry. I hope I can teach him to enjoy his life and be proud and confident in who he is. I hope some day I'll be able to help him understand how lucky I feel to be the one he calls Mom.
Declan's my baby. My fierce, strong, loving, passionate, stubborn baby. He's the fire to Logan's ice - there's a reason he's been symbolized as a dragon in my world.
Happy birthday, buddy. =)
to this:
in just 5 short years! (He didn't want to do any "smiley" pictures until dinnertime. Incidentally, I feel like this gives me a pretty good glimpse at what the teen Dex will look like.)
About Declan:
He is my mini-me, for better or worse. I love this kid more than I could possibly put into words. There are so many things that make him him, and all of them work together to build this fabulously fabulous boy that I'm usually thrilled to be mother to.
Declan is rarely found without a song. He makes music all.day.long. We were out in the yard a few days ago on a gorgeous spring day, enjoying the sunshine and freshly-mowed-by-Grandpa-Tiny grass and Declan goes, "Did you know it's such a beautiful day I feel a song coming on?" And then he ran and sang a song about beautiful days. Rides in the car and sitting at the dinner table are two of our guaranteed spots to get a performance from Declan. Even if he's not vocalizing, he's bopping his head along to whatever music his mind is creating. When he was a baby, I loved standing outside his door after he was put to bed to listen to him humming himself to sleep.
Dex is still our little lightswitch - ready to flip between his two moods, happy and angry, at any instant. Lucky for us, he's usually in the happy position. He's a snuggler and freely gives hugs all day long. Often he'll walk up to me for no other reason than to tell me he loves me and give me a hug. He'll give you anything he has if you ask nicely for it, or if he thinks you might benefit from it more than he would. Many times he's offered his precious teddy bear pillow, stuffed animals, and blue blanket to the rest of the family at night for various reasons. He'll share the last bites of his treats with Logan just because he's his brother and he loves him.
The other side of the switch is as far in the other extreme as his happy is. That boy can scowl like nobody's business. While he may be willing to give you anything if you ask nicely, if you try and take something from him before he's ready, he will fight to the death for it. He's still under the impression that whining will get him what he wants sometimes, and he will let you have it full force if he thinks there's any chance of you giving in. He's got the emotional blackmail thing down pat and will threaten to never love you or hug you or kiss you again if you make him angry and try to punish him.
When Dex grows up, he's going to be a strong beast of a man. The days of physical matches between the boys haven't really started, but Declan's demonstrated here and there that he can stand his ground against his older brother. When he was about 2 and Logan was 3 1/2 or 4, the boys were wrestling on the living room floor. They got tired and fell into a heap of giggles, Logan settling on Declan's back. After a moment, Declan decided he was ready to stand up...so he did, showing no sign of effort and toppling Logan onto the floor in the process.
As is the case with most mothers I know, I worry that I'll be able to be the mom he needs as he grows up. I hope I can help him learn to temper his temper and get control over the cutting words he uses when he's angry. I hope I can teach him to enjoy his life and be proud and confident in who he is. I hope some day I'll be able to help him understand how lucky I feel to be the one he calls Mom.
Declan's my baby. My fierce, strong, loving, passionate, stubborn baby. He's the fire to Logan's ice - there's a reason he's been symbolized as a dragon in my world.
Happy birthday, buddy. =)
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
The Dragon
We have in our home a special sandwich, a culinary anomaly so fierce and bold only one person dares eat it, its very creator: Declan. This is a sandwich that is confident, impulsive, and doesn't listen to the advice of others.
When you ask Declan what he'd like for lunch, and he decides he wants this beast that is only spoken of in whispers by the rest of the household, time stops. He'll respond with a jaw set in stone, eyes ferocious, lip curled as his fist punches the air and his throat growls savagely, "A dragon sandwich, please." Hot wind swirls through the kitchen, rustling papers and curtains and hairstyles that haven't been moussed down or spiked up. Lightning strikes the counters and refrigerator, and you have only moments to gather the materials and put them together for the dragon child.
And then it's there, on the table, plated and sliced in rectangles or triangles as Declan wishes. A feast for the beast, my mind tells me. Two slices of bread work to sandwich together the unholy marriage of peanut butter and cheese. He is pleased. This will do.
Today as I walked away to tidy my hair and wipe down the scorches that had marred the kitchen where lightning struck, I heard an ominous warning from the boy at the table: "One day I'll ask for a Dragon 2." I turned to look at him, my eyes wide with fear. He licked peanut butter off the corner of his mouth as he finished his thought, "Cheese...and jelly."
When you ask Declan what he'd like for lunch, and he decides he wants this beast that is only spoken of in whispers by the rest of the household, time stops. He'll respond with a jaw set in stone, eyes ferocious, lip curled as his fist punches the air and his throat growls savagely, "A dragon sandwich, please." Hot wind swirls through the kitchen, rustling papers and curtains and hairstyles that haven't been moussed down or spiked up. Lightning strikes the counters and refrigerator, and you have only moments to gather the materials and put them together for the dragon child.
And then it's there, on the table, plated and sliced in rectangles or triangles as Declan wishes. A feast for the beast, my mind tells me. Two slices of bread work to sandwich together the unholy marriage of peanut butter and cheese. He is pleased. This will do.
Today as I walked away to tidy my hair and wipe down the scorches that had marred the kitchen where lightning struck, I heard an ominous warning from the boy at the table: "One day I'll ask for a Dragon 2." I turned to look at him, my eyes wide with fear. He licked peanut butter off the corner of his mouth as he finished his thought, "Cheese...and jelly."
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Last night as a treat, Grandma Sue and Chris took the boys to get some ice cream. They went to the store and also let them pick out some magazines to look at since we've entered the reading-in-bed-before-they-fall-asleep stage of their lives that I hope will last forever. Declan chose a Disney magazine and Logan chose a comic book. Is he his father's son or what? It's a Muppets comic book (who knew they made those?!), but it surprised me that that of all things was his preference.
I remember Ed telling me a long time ago how he read comic books when he was about Logan's age. I found that to be quite strange since I have never in my life chosen to read a comic book. Comic strips, yes. But a whole book of them? No, thanks. (Incidentally, this reminds me of a time when Ed and I were in Barnes & Noble and he was browsing the Graphic Novels section. I'd never heard such a phrasing as a category of literature and my mind made graphic novels out to be something *entirely different* than they actually were. Therefore I was quite shocked when a) they actually had that section in Barnes & Noble and b) Ed was standing there browsing it for the whole world to see.)
In other news, Declan has taken up "Man!" as his choice phrase of emphasis. This morning alone I heard, "Man! I love this shirt!" and "Man! This granola bar is delicious!" and "Man! What a beautiful day!" I love it. This phase can stick around a while, along with the attempted wink + finger snap combo he throws at you when you say something he really likes or answer one of his questions correctly. Cuteness abounds.
I remember Ed telling me a long time ago how he read comic books when he was about Logan's age. I found that to be quite strange since I have never in my life chosen to read a comic book. Comic strips, yes. But a whole book of them? No, thanks. (Incidentally, this reminds me of a time when Ed and I were in Barnes & Noble and he was browsing the Graphic Novels section. I'd never heard such a phrasing as a category of literature and my mind made graphic novels out to be something *entirely different* than they actually were. Therefore I was quite shocked when a) they actually had that section in Barnes & Noble and b) Ed was standing there browsing it for the whole world to see.)
In other news, Declan has taken up "Man!" as his choice phrase of emphasis. This morning alone I heard, "Man! I love this shirt!" and "Man! This granola bar is delicious!" and "Man! What a beautiful day!" I love it. This phase can stick around a while, along with the attempted wink + finger snap combo he throws at you when you say something he really likes or answer one of his questions correctly. Cuteness abounds.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Maybe we need more Q-tips?
The other night when Chris and I were falling asleep, I said "Husband." Simple, right? He heard, "Hot snuggle."
Our family was watching Shrek 2 together last night and when Shrek said something about buttocks, Logan heard "butt hogs". I don't know why, but even now it's making me laugh and laugh and laugh.
These moments are related to, but not in the category of When They Don't Know the Words. Oh, you want some examples? Enjoy:
Spikes? Pokes.
Big hammer/mace/mallet? Bammer.
Hot dog buns? Closing bread.
Diarrhea? Pee-poop.
Fart? Bum burp. Bum snap. Bum yawn. Bum sneeze.
Unfortunately, they're getting older and better at speaking and understanding language, so these WTDKTW moments are fewer. But man, oh man, there are few things in the world that make me smile the way I do when I remember Logan asking for a hot dog on some closing bread.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
It's that time of year. If you remember our adventures from last year, Declan wasn't all that fond of the idea of leprechauns coming in during the night to play tricks on us. Quite a few times he went around the house making sure the doors were locked and we were safe. It traumatized him.
A few days ago, I mentioned the upcoming event and Declan would furrow his brow every time we talked about it. He was certain he did not want the leprechauns in the house, thank you very much. I would have dropped it if Logan was also concerned - or at least apathetic. But, in true Tag Team Mischief style, they had opposite opinions on the matter, and Logan was excited for things to happen. I wasn't sure how to choose which child to disappoint/traumatize.
Last night at dinner, we were having a talk about the leprechaun possibility and Declan again frowned and started to shake his head. He was not having it. So I asked how he would feel if we built a leprechaun trap to catch them and maybe they'd take us to their pot of gold? Well, *that* changed everything. The over-dinner discussion included all sorts of elaborate trap ideas from the boys, including using hidden cameras and infrared lights.
I went with a mildly lower-tech design: a shoebox propped up with toothpicks and a sign saying "Leprechauns, look in here! (Note: This is NOT a leprechaun trap!)" and a big arrow pointing to the opening. Logan let me know this morning he thought the special note saying it wasn't a leprechaun trap was an absolutely brilliant idea; that was probably what got them inside.
The leprechauns left a little note saying that even though we trapped them, they used their magic to escape. But they left a gold coin for each boy as a reward for their efforts and wished us well in trying again next year. (It's a good thing the kids don't recognize my handwriting.) They also went easy on us with the trickery (probably because of the time spent escaping our fancy trap) and only turned the milk and eggs green. Phew! Personally, I avoided the Irish eggs and treated myself to some Lucky Charms with green milk - St. Patrick's Day Heaven in a Bowl.
We're having homemade pizza tonight with green crust in celebration. It's all for the kids, right?
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Boys will be boys
Declan's current favorite insult/exclamation/swear word: "Butt crack!"
Also, yesterday Logan tried to convince me his fart smelled like fresh apples.
Also, yesterday Logan tried to convince me his fart smelled like fresh apples.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Total Recall
Along the lines of Ed trying to remember the name of a Chinese restaurant in Rhode Island ("It was called Dragon Something...or Something Dragon"), Declan asked for "those crackers with Club in their name" today.
Mystery solved?
I think I've figured out the reasoning for the macabre subject matter of some of Declan's songs. When he tells me about them, or sings them to me, he'll ask if I think they're scary. Sometimes I'll ask him if he wants me to think they are. In response his eyes open wide and he nods his head yes while talking about why xyz is scary to talk about. When watching movies with creepy, suspensful parts (the black wolf, Gmork, in The Neverending Story, anyone?), Declan's the kind of kid who shuts his eyes tight or pulls a blanket over his face initially and then can be seen a moment later peeking to watch the action. Logan, on the other hand, shuts and stays shut until it's all over and done with.
I guess the point is that Declan enjoys the thrill of being scared and wants to turn that around on us a bit. What better way to do that than with songs about blood and death?
I guess the point is that Declan enjoys the thrill of being scared and wants to turn that around on us a bit. What better way to do that than with songs about blood and death?
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Little lies
I think I've mentioned before how the boys are fascinated by teenagers and basically think they are the.coolest.thing.ever. The highest compliment they can receive at this point in their lives is that they look like teenagers. Declan was showing me how cool he looked today in his jeans and sweatshirt, rocking out to a Declan original song instead of doing the super important chore I had asked him to do. So I told him that if he really wanted to be like a teenager, he should do what I said because they *always* do what their moms and dads tell them. Logan piped up saying, "Yeah! Act like a teenager!" Of course, Declan in his stubborn individualistic way, told me he didn't actually want to be a teenager, he just wants to look like one. Somehow, he always finds some fine print.
Along those lines, Declan has created another dead song which includes things like trees being dead, houses being empty and falling apart, grass being so dead that it's just dirt, people and animals being dead and their blood going around and around the earth, and the earth exploding and sending all its parts to other planets. This basically leads me to ask you, people with boys: Is this normal? Because I'm thinking it's a bit macabre for a four year old (though I'm speaking solely of the lyrics, as his tunes are usually quite jubilant and cheerful).
Along those lines, Declan has created another dead song which includes things like trees being dead, houses being empty and falling apart, grass being so dead that it's just dirt, people and animals being dead and their blood going around and around the earth, and the earth exploding and sending all its parts to other planets. This basically leads me to ask you, people with boys: Is this normal? Because I'm thinking it's a bit macabre for a four year old (though I'm speaking solely of the lyrics, as his tunes are usually quite jubilant and cheerful).
Monday, February 8, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
Girls, Girls, Girls
Logan came home from school today telling me he wanted Reece to come over and play this weekend because she gave him her autograph. I asked to see it, and the autograph was actually her name and phone number. I told him we could probably call her mom and work something out so they can play together. He then says, "I guess it'd have to be on Saturday because on Sunday Caleah wants me to meet her at the park."
So I guess he's getting along fine with the ladies.
So I guess he's getting along fine with the ladies.
The differences between these boys:
Logan and Declan were arguing over a pair of Lego pieces that they both wanted to use. We tried compromising and giving each of them one piece of the set, but that wasn't good enough for either. I told them they needed to find a solution since they both wanted the pair and they both had equal claim to them. There was some discussion back and forth about what each boy intended to do with the Legos. No agreement could be reached and I told them I was not going to make their decision for them. Frustration. Anger. Whining. More arguing of their cases. Finally, Logan stopped and gave his piece to Declan. I said that was a very nice thing he did and asked him why. "Because I only wanted that piece. I didn't *need* it."
________
Chris made dinner for the boys, grandpa, and himself one night. As they're sitting around the dinner table, Declan starts panting and breathing heavy as he does sometimes when he's playing. Chris looks at him and says, "Workin' hard, huh?" Declan says, "Yeah. It's hard work eating all this crap!"
________
Chris made dinner for the boys, grandpa, and himself one night. As they're sitting around the dinner table, Declan starts panting and breathing heavy as he does sometimes when he's playing. Chris looks at him and says, "Workin' hard, huh?" Declan says, "Yeah. It's hard work eating all this crap!"
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