Monday, May 21, 2007

A pee-pee story

There are those things people tell you might happen, but you don't ever do anything about them until they actually happen.

This weekend we enjoyed our first trip this season to our community pool. It was a beautiful day, and the kids were actually enjoying themselves - Dylan was even going down one of the little kid slides completely on his own. Kyle had been a bit more timid, but after a while he discovered the bubblers that send spouts of water about two feet into the air, and I had to grab my camera. Leaving Michael with the boys, I ventured back to our lounge chairs.

On my way back across the pool play area, I could see Kyle stepping on top of each bubbler, joyfully making the water disappear and then reappear with his foot. Michael was sitting on a mini lounge chair that sits at the edge of the beach-style entry to the pool, sort of staring off into space, enjoying the sun and the water. Dylan had taken a break from playing and was now - and this is the picture I have as I stand roughly 30 feet away - revealing parts of his body and had begun to pee on a palm tree nestled near the edge of the pool. Around him children are playing, adults are tanning, gossipping, chasing down other children. Kids are splashing. My kid is peeing. In public. At the pool. Thankfully, he wasn't peeing in the pool, but still ....

After a shout out to Michael, Dylan was scooped up and taken to the bathroom with a total look of shock on his face. It's the same look I see when Kyle is doing something he shouldn't and instead of saying, "Kyle!" I bellow "Dylan!" accidently and completely baffle poor Dylan who is on the other side of the room doing something perfectly normal and nice and not at all mischievious.

Michael lets the kids pee outside, my parents let the kids pee outside when they are in the pool, and even I have pulled my car over so a barely potty-trained kid can relieve himself by the side of the road. So after all of these experiences, it makes sense that my kid would think it perfectly normal to pee outside.

This would never have happened had I had twin girls.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Sharing


Dylan and Kyle are really starting to understand the true meaning of sharing. Like, the other day, I was eating ice cream, and Kyle asked for a taste (don't worry - Kyle had already had his own dessert. He chose vanilla pudding). And then he asked for another taste. And another. Then I had no more ice cream. Kyle smiled and said, "Mommy, I shared with you!"




Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Blog Expectations


Lately the expectations I've been setting for myself have been so ridiculously high, and these raised bars have infiltrated my world of blog. This is not a good thing. I think I'm finally learning to cut myself some slack - to quote a wonderful mentor, "I am a choice." I can choose to be this way or that way. I can choose to do laundry or watch The Apprentice. And at the end of the day, I have to own my choices and know that whatever I did was the best I could do at that moment ... and not feel guilty. To quote another budding mentor (I'm sure a mentor to many, but a new face in my life), "Sometimes we have to say no to the good so we can say yes to the best."


So, on that note, I restart my blog. Ta da!



I was in Tucson most of last week (Tuesday night through Sunday afternoon) to play my part in the opening of ATC's RepFest - an amazing theatrical feat, I must say. I've spent this much time (and more) away from my kids, but they're getting to an age now where it affects them more.


It's not unlikely for Dylan to wake up in the middle of the night or early part of the morning and crawl into bed with us. He's learned to go to Michael's side, because while I eventually put him back in his own bed, Michael treats him like a teddy bear. Michael would also sleep through a tornado, so his tolerance for the kicking and snoring is greater than mine.


Every night since I have been back, Dylan has woken up in the night (around 11:30 or midnight), crying and calling for me. He never does this. He always comes to us. This time he sat in bed and cried until I went to him. When I got to his room, he asked me for milk. I got him some. He then lay down in his bed and sucked on his sippy cup, just like a baby would a bottle. Then he fell back asleep.


Coincidence that I had returned? Probably not.


Despite my displeasure for having to wake up and cater to him like an infant (minus the diaper change), I enjoyed knowing that even though they are growing up so fast, they still need their mommy every now and again.




Tuesday, February 13, 2007

You read about the pink hat - Now meet the pink apron!


Dylan and Kyle go to school. OK, so it's preschool, but it's school. They seem to love their teacher, Miss Melissa, and I think they are in desperate need of the structure that preschool provides - You know, especially since Michael and I let them run around all crazy-like and do whatever they want. No, no no . . .


I drop them off at 8:30 AM and pick them up at 12:15 PM. During that time they learn about something: butterflies or birds and feathers or Valentine's Day or whatever. They do an art project that revolves around the lesson. They play outside. They have storytime. They eat lunch. They have free time to play inside. In just under 4 hours, it's about all you can do with 6 kids. Usually when I pick them up at 12:15, they are enjoying some free play time. It's always fun to see A) who they are playing with and B) what they have chosen to do with their time.


On Monday when I walked in the door, Dylan was cooking. Not really cooking, but pretend cooking on one of those kid-sized pretend kitchens. If I remember correctly, I believe he was frying eggs. It was adorable, but more adorable was the pink apron he was wearing. Oh, and the purple beaded necklace. Just like a good little homemaker.


Kyle was running around with a giant snake trying to scare the other kids.


It's such a gift that I can experience the juxtaposition of my children's likes, dislikes and talents. Dylan loves to "pretend," loves storytime, and loves to talk (and listen). Kyle loves any kind of hands-on activity, whether it's cutting paper for an art project, or stacking blocks, or pointing out the letters that make up words.


I love that they are completely different kids, that they play well with others, that they are so aware of each other's likes and dislikes ... Although I wince at the thought of them being all grown up just yet, I can't wait to see what fabulous people they become.