Success Sunday
–Roberto Bolano
Find out How to Post your own Success Sunday!
Oh, by the way. One of the drawbacks of posting too often (like I’ve have that problem) is that the second one tends to get “overlooked” so here is the “secret story” about the birthday party that didn’t get too many hits because of its post position in the blog. Be sure to leave a comment so I know that I didn’t write that incredibly long past in vain. I mean, at least I have the moment recorded for posterity…
So let me back up and take a chunk out of this list by my desk…
Last Friday, I woke up to The Elder screaming that he had hair all over him. He doesn’t like getting haircuts because of how the hair feels as it falls on his skin, nor how it pokes him through his clothes if they stuck on his shirt. Can’t blame him there. I don’t know too many people who enjoy that feeling, hence the invention of the “cape.” Anyhoo, he is saying, “Get it off, get it off..” as he is pulling at his hair.
The Elder: No, I want to get it off!
Me: Do you want me to cut your hair?
The Elder: Noooo…..
Me: I can cut it shorter, if I cut it short then I won’t have to cut it for a long time.
The Elder: Nooooooo….
Me: I can cut it short like Kenneth and Colton and Ethan’s hair.
The Elder: (stopping to visualize their haircuts) OK. I want it short like Ethan Colton Kenneth.
Me: Ok, I’ll cut it tonight during the movie.
Fridays are Family Movie Night. It is a night that we let the kids stay up later than normal, eat popcorn in the playroom, and possibly fall asleep on the floor. But on hair cutting nights, it can be quite an ordeal.
Now it was early in the morning so I wanted to make sure that he remembered exactly what we were planning to do that evening so I kept asking him throughout the day, “Are you sure you want it shorter?”
I would tell The Younger about the plan too. Hoping that if I can get one kid down for a haircut, i might as well knock ‘em both out at the same time.
Me: (to The Younger) Guess what? I’m going to cut your brother’s hair shorter during the movie tonight. I can your hair cut too, OK?
The Younger: Yes…I want you to cut it BIGGER.
HA!
Well, that day happened to be is 5-year-old well check-up. Since he is not going to kindergarten they didn’t have to do the full out physical. He did very well, I think because The Younger wasn’t there to rile him up. They are usually playing chase with each other in the 6 x 5 foot exam room. I let The Younger stay home with The AP as it was during his nap and if he didn’t take a nap, on a NORMAL Family Movie Night, it would be good because he would fall asleep within 5 minutes of hitting Play. But on a Family Movie Haircut Night, we want him to be well-rested.
Well, right before we were just about done with his exam, The Kid Doc says, “So did you want to go ahead and do his immunizations now?”
Well I was shocked. I mean, I didn’t bring backup. The Kid Doc kept saying “it’s up to you” and I kept getting panicked because I didn’t want to make a separate trip JUST for shots, but I didn’t want to be the one holding him down either. For a split second, i almost postponed JUST so I could send The Hub to go do it. What a wuss I am. Well, I agreed to 2 of the shots because the other 2 are going to be combined into 1 shot in the near future. I have until kindergarten to make him get it. I figured 3 sticks spread out were better than 4 sticks all right now. The sad thing is that they put them in his skinny little arm. One on each side.
He cried so hard. At first from the pain, then from the confusion. His poor little lip was quivering in a way that looked like he was faking it, but of all the times he has faked a cry, I’ve never seen his little lip quiver like that. I just hugged him and rocked him and apologized that he had to go through that.
The Elder: I don’t want to do that again.
Me: No more today. But you will need one more before you go to kindergarten.
The Elder: Noooooooooooo
Me: Not today.
The Elder: I don’t want to do that again…not all year.
Me: It will be your LAAAASSSST one until you are really old, like 12.
The Elder: Noooo…I can’t!
I actually had to get onto the mobile youtube site from my treo and find Thomas the Tank Engine’s Accident’s Happen video to get him to calm down while we had to wait to see if he had a reaction. (yikes! I tried to find the video to link to it and it is no longer available! that is a very very very bad thing once he finds out!) Once we were in the car I got a text that The AP was taking The Younger to Wal-mart so I thought that we would meet them there and treat The Elder to a NEW movie that he could pick out of the “Price-Cut” section.
Before we met up with them at the Toy Department, I took The Elder to the magazine section to try to find a picture of a short haircut, which very hard to find these days in those teeny bopper mags. Finally I found one and showed it to him.
The Elder: I want to go to the Toys.
Me: I know, but we have to do this first (i love being the adult). Look at this picture….
Look at this picture with your eyeballs…..This is what your hair is going to look like after I cut it, OK?
The Elder: No…my hair is black.
OK, so I wasn’t specific enough, but at least I gave him an image of just how short his hair would be. I mean, it was pretty moppy, so there were places that I cut 3 inches off.
We met up with The AP and The Younger, and told The Elder to tell his brother what we were doing with his hair. You know, just trying to reinforce the concept before we do the deed to minimize any freaky-out-ness.
The Younger: Mommy’s cut my hair BIGGER.
They started going through the DVD racks trying to find which DVD he wanted.
The Younger: I want Walmart & Grandma.
The Elder: I don’t want that.
The Younger: Mommy, I want Walmart & Grandma.
Me: We have that at home, let’s pick out a different DVD.
They went through a few more before he settled on the DVD he wanted.
It was a great movie! Even the second time we watched it (in the same night). The Elder got a great new haircut and The Younger got half of a haircut. I still haven’t finished it more than a week later. Oh well, it’s a good thing he has fine straight hair.
Stay Tuned for future posts:
- I have had a few moments this past week that could have really been a derailment of my mental stability.
- The Elder has The Girlfriend
- The Elder has a school to go to next month!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE AP AND THE LOLA!!
Of my list of things to blog about, this post trumphs them all!
I do keep a running list by my computer for when I do get a chance to blog. However, I do not always remember to write on that list….
Right now I’m enjoying the sound of The Kiddos laughing and squealing and chasing The Skipper Dog. It was not like that earlier today…
The Younger: He bite me.
Me: Where?
The Younger: My face.
Sure enough there were teeth marks ON HIS CHEEK!
(this was taken about an hour later. At the time you could literally see purple teethmarks)Cue: smoke coming out my ears and storming down the hall. Trying to remember that I need to pay more attention to the bitee, I hold The Younger tight and said something comforting like, “You don’t deserve this.”
I found The Elder in his room trying to explain what happened (which is justifiable in his mind of course). Evidently The Younger was not “following the rules” of whatever they were doing. I told him that it is NEVER acceptable to bite people. I popped him on the bottom even though The Super Doc suggested against it. I did though because he knows I’m serious when I do that. I pull his skivvies down and pat his bottom. I don’t have to pop hard for it to make a sound and he actually feels it than if I pop with the same intensity over his pants. He will cry a fake cry and then he calms down as soon as I ask a non-related question. Like a on/off switch. I think The Super Doc just wants us to be consistent.
The Elder: I wasn’t on the computer, I was watching TV.
Me: Then no TV or computer. The playroom is closed. Go sit in your room.
I locked the door to the playroom and put a stop sign on the door knob (since the lock is on the outside of the door, he could easily unlock it and open it, but he won’t break the rules of stop signs!).
I updated The Hub on what happened. I told him that I popped his bottom and qualified it that we should ONLY do it when he bites because of the severity of the offense and we need to be harder on him when he does it. Usually we will put him in time out, make him apologize to his brother, go over and over what we bite and what we don’t bite. Show him the bite, because he is visual, and explain how it hurts, trying to explain empathy, etc. But usually that is it. No real consequences there. Duh. And I wonder why he keeps doing it.
Anyhoo, about a minute afterward, The Elder comes into the kitchen very neutrally and politely asks The Hub to fix his toy (one of the Thomas things he got at his bday party). I stuck to my guns and told him that it was not time for him to leave his room and he needs to go back and stay in his room until we say it is OK. He strips naked, gives me the evil eye, starts down the hall, and throws his clothes in my general direction. I quickly footnote my previous command…
Whew. I may have headed off a wet mess in his bedroom. The next thing we know, we hear a cry for help.
The Elder: Daddy, I need you to wipe my bottom.
Cue: me pointing and laughing at The Hub! I guess I headed off more than a wet mess.
The Hub comes in my office after his Doody Duty.
The Hub: I think we just hit a major milestone.
Well, he tells me that after The Elder was done, he turned to his brother and said,
and then
gave.him.a.hug.
Cue: Trumpets sounding behind me while my mouth is gaping wide open. I was literally speechless. I couldn’t wait to blog about it.
Fortunately, The Younger is a tough guy, easily forgives, and never skips a beat at making us laugh!
We should close the playroom more often. Check out what we did…all in one day…
Success Sunday: Birthday Adventures
–Isiah Thomas
Monday, July 7, 2008, phone conversation with a friend who happened to call me.
The Friend: Nothing, why?
Me: Can you come to the kids’ birthday party at the World’s Fair Park Fountains?
The Friend: Wow, that sounds fun! What time are you guys getting there?
Me: I don’t know. I just decided to have the party last night. You’re the first person I’ve told.
The Friend: Is there a rain plan?
Me: Um, rain?
Yes, I’m the greatest party planner of all time. It was so last minute that I hadn’t checked the forecast. I was just so excited to have thought of a public and free location that I was all like “Party On!” (See the sidebar for a picture of The Kiddos at the World’s Fair Park Fountains)
I immediately call The Hub.
The Hub: We should be ok.
Me: Are you sure?
The Hub: Yeah, we don’t need to worry about scattered thunderstorms.
Me: Even though we are going to a water park?
The Hub: Well, it’s up to you but we should be fine.
Me: Um, ok.
So the party is ON, and I can officially start inviting people.
(I cracked myself UP with these invites! Of course we had to design them since The Younger was not as complacent as he was last year. He knew he wanted a Dora Party from the beginning. However, most Dora paraphernalia is pretty girlie.)
That gave me time to really enjoy The Elder’s birthday with just me and him. I took him to the free family movie flick at the local Regal cinema. We watched Charlotte’s Web. I cried. The Elder announced that it was “boring.” Which, this time, was translated to mean that he wanted to go to Party City.
I took The Younger to Party City on his birthday after the movie, so I figured I ought to make it a tradition. At least for 2008.
(ADDers have problems with starting traditions. Um, I mean we start LOTS of one-hit-wonder traditions, but they never become traditions!).
We got Patrick and Squidward to add to their Bikini Bottom room. We also got buckets they could use for catching water at the fountains for their birthday party.
Check out how vogue we are:
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Here’s a funny video of The Younger enjoying The Elder’s book he got from The Pa Pa for his birthday.
So I spent the rest of the afternoon and evening calling folks to make sure they got the invite and to confirm since it was so last minute. We started on the Goody Bags once I had a RSVP number. (We as in the Royal We. I found the idea online and bought the supplies, but The AP was the artistic one who was able to pull it off.)
Cute, huh?
Wednesday approaches quickly. It seems like I had a million places to be and a million things to do that morning that were not related to birthday parties. In the middle of all of that, I started getting calls left and right.
“Are you still having the party?” “What’s the rain plan?” “Is there an alternative place?” “How about Gatti’s?” (gluten & casein zone) “We could go to Chucke Cheese.” (ditto)
I’m.freaking.out. BUT trying to be as calm as possible so as not to scare off our RSVPers. I mean, who can throw a party together for 2 boys in 2 days and get 24 people to confirm?
Me:
“We are still on as planned.” “We are supposed to get 2 hours of partly cloudy in the afternoon.” “We’re going to get wet anyway.” “There’s an amphitheater in the park we can duck under.” “Thanks for stickin’ with us.” “I’ll let you know.”
I call The Hub who is still very nonchalant about the whole weather thing.
The Hub: It should be ok.
Me: I’m looking at the radar online right now. I’m seeing a lot of Red.
The Hub: Well, it should be breaking up by the time it hits downtown.
Me: I have people calling me wanting to know the deal and I don’t know what to tell them. Did you check to see if the amphitheater is open?
The Hub: No I forgot.
Me: Well, go check it. I’m getting the van packed and I’ll be on my way.
The.Calls.Don’t.Stop.
RSVPers:
“So what’s the update?” “Have you see the weather?” “It’s raining pretty hard where I am.” “There’s another line of storms right behind this one.” “Well, call me if you move the party.” “What are you going to do?”
Me: All I know is that my nerdy husband said everything is ok. The guys at his work have an average age of 100 and all they talk about is the weather, so he has 5 years experience of daily discussions of scenarios and predictions of the weather. So I’m trusting him and the party is still on…..See you there!
I’m feeling pretty confident about the whole thing. No one has threatened to abort. The Kiddos are in the back of the van all excited about the party and we successfully loaded up with everything we needed. We didn’t forget to pack a single thing! I was very proud of myself.
So we are almost downtown, when I get a call from The Hub.
The Hub: Well, the amphitheater is open.
Me: Good! We have a back up plan. I can setup up the playhuts for the kids to play in and we can eat and if the weather permits we can run through the fountains.
I’m feeling more and more confident! It was still sprinkling at that point but at least it wasn’t pouring.
The Hub: Well, the fountains are off.
Me: WHA…WHA…WHAT?
The Hub: You can tell that they have been on, but I guess they turned them off because of the weather.
silence…except for the sound of my confidence and the kids’ hearts breaking.
The Hub: I can drive over to if Volunteer Landing is open.
Me: Ok.
I felt helpless and clueless. We pull into the World’s Fair Park parking and I tell The Kiddos and The AP to stay put first and let me check to see if the fountains are on yet.
They weren’t.
I saw 2 moms pull in and I tell them what was up.
Blank stares.
Phone rings.
Me: Ok then, we are moving the party.
So thank goodness for text messaging. I blasted out a mass message to all of the cell phone numbers I had for the RSVPers.
“moving party to volunteer landing. Park at calhouns on the river.”
The Elder: Why are we stopping? Why are we leaving? I want to go to the birthday party.
Me: We are moving to a different place because the fountains are closed here. We are going to go to the other fountains with the waterfall.
The Elder: (gasping with exaggerated excitement) I want to go THERE!
Me: Well, Let’s Go!
With the exception of 3 families, I was able to personally contact every RSVPer and successfully communicate to them the change in location. I call The Asst to see if she was still at the house, but she wasn’t. Fortunately, my neighbor and best friend who was NOT at the party (tee hee), totally made up for that and ran to my house and gathered the 3 numbers I needed and even CALLED them for me to relay the message. She had to leave 2 messages but by the grace of God they were notified.
By 3:30pm, we had the party going on strong, with each RSVPer accounted for and present!
Go Me. (and my little helper elves)
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