Monday, March 30, 2009

Not Allowed

Me and my inner nag did some cleaning upstairs over the weekend. Before the nag arrived, I asked the boys to clean their rooms. And, Trevor did. Not without complaining, but he did it. It only took about 10 minutes because he subscribes to the throw it in the closet method of cleaning his room. I don't really care anymore. I'm sorta done organizing their toys, and I was able to vacuum.

After Trevor was all done, I went up to get started on that vacuuming and the guest room. The nag arrived when it became apparent that Devin was in over his head. That nag will perhaps someday understand just how ineffective she is. Kill 'em with kindness! It probably would have worked so much better than the endless ranting. Anyway, we got it done. Devin's carpet even got vacuumed. It's not perfect, but, again I'm not so much caring about toy storage and organization any more.

I assigned myself the task of cleaning the guestroom. You would have thought we have all sorts of 5 year old guests over all the time given the state of that room. But, no, we just have kids who like to dump toys and not put them back. And, if the toys are in the guest room, they've sorta been relegated to the backup toy pile. Toys go the guestoom to die, you know. They're all jumbled together. They're a mess. And, why don't I really just throw them away, right? (I have tried. I have a weird attachment to the toys they never play with.)

And, why isn't the bed made? The bed really ought not be UNMADE. No one except Raggedy Ann and Andy have slept there since December, and even they were in the heap on the floor.

You see the nag, don't you? She's restless. She really does care about toy storage and organization.

Anyway, this started out so cute in my mind. After I cleaned the guestroom (and vacuumed) and made the bed, I closed the door and told the boys they couldn't go in there any more. If they needed something, they needed to ask me or Daddy to get it. Because, there's really no reason that our guestroom should ever need anything more than a light dusting or something along those lines. It's a pretty storage room, really. I think I'm making good sense here.

The boys, both of them, feel otherwise. And, now, neither John nor I are allowed in the boys' rooms without their permission. We are also not allowed in the basement. There is a sign on the door that Devin dictated to John. And, we're not allowed in our bedroom. There's a sign there, too. It just has a 'D' on it, but Devin tells me that means I'm not allowed in there.

Well, I started it. I guess they are going to finish it.

Don't tell them, but I just went up without their permission to re-tuck them in. HA-HA! Perhaps I will be the one to finish it after all. Now, off to bed in my own bedroom! That will teach them!!

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Mommy Kissing Privileges

I was getting ready to kiss licky Devin goodnight this evening, and I asked him to put his tongue back in his mouth before I did so. And, you know what he did? He blew a raspberry at me, spraying MY face with HIS spittle.

So, you know what I did?

I took away his mommy kissing privileges. I offered no kisses, no hugs, no nothing! I walked to the door to leave, saying good night along the way.

Devastation.

Devin jumped up from bed and ran to the door, grabbed my hand, and begged for a kiss. But, I was stalwart. Is that a word? I refused to kiss him. Blowing raspberries when my face is inches from your face is a big deal, and he ought to know this. I hugged him, covered him in a spiderman blanket, looked at his little crumpled face one last time, and left. Then I marched right downstairs and asked John to go give him kisses as soon as possible.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Swimming

Trevor has been taking swimming lessons for the last year or so. He's pretty good. He's not afraid of the water. You haven't seen a cannonball until you see Trevor do a cannonball. Swimming is sorta his thing. I'm thinking of checking into a swim team once he learns how to propel himself using something that looks less like a doggy paddle and more like a regular swimming stroke.

Devin has also been taking swimming lessons, but he doesn't care if he misses them. He's not afraid of the water, but he jumped on his teacher's head once because listening isn't really his thing, and he didn't listen for her to tell him to jump. So, next month, I'm not signing Devin up for swimming. He's OK with that.

Trevor's not, though. He tried to pep talk him into staying in lessons long enough to graduate.

I like Trevor's enthusiasm for his brother's swimming future, but I'm hoping he isn't too successful into talking him into anything.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Delightful

Sometimes, I fail to see how delightful Trevor can be. I think it's hard to miss because Devin just emanates delightfulness, if that makes sense. Trevor is all science and figuring things out, and Devin just makes me smile with his dislike of "scientist" books and his complete adoration of Trevor. He'll probably forget someday how much he loves Trevor. But, for the record, Devin would be a different person without Trevor. His love for his big brother is HUGE and complete.

Anyway.

We went for a walk today. Probably 3 miles round trip. I walked, Trevor scooted, Devin biked, Boots even came along and walked most of the way (little fella). We were walking along Slab Cabin Run which is a little creek. Trevor was quick on his scooter, and he would get pretty far ahead of us. He would stop and wait, and sometimes he would toss down his scooter and go take a closer look at the water. I caught up with him one time while he was contemplating the water.

"See how the water is calm. I'm going to sing a lullaby because it's calm. When I see the white water, I'll do something else."

When he saw white water, he did some cute little techno pop ditty.

And, I was quite delighted, really.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

The things we do (and stuff)


I told him to be still so I could take his picture without the flash. This is what I got. For him, being still involves motion and that wacky look on his face.


He slept like this for about an hour.


Devin is taking pictures now as part of his artistic nature.


he's telling Devin that he'll share that can of soda, but that he can only have one drink. Older siblings are bossy.


Ahhhh, how cute!


Devin actually took this picture of Trevor doing the things he likes to do.


Ahhhh, how... oops, I said that already.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Imagine if you will

A cherry kool-aid mustache. Snow boots, mismatched. No socks.

Short sleeves shirt, no jacket, riding his bike around the circle, and hiking up to the top of the hill to retrieve a souvenir rock for my garden. 58 degrees. Maybe.

Can you guess who it was?

Monday, March 16, 2009

Vince, I think it's working.

You've seen them, right? The Sham-Wow commercials? Vince.

"You followin' me, camera guy?"

"We can't do this all day!"

"Made in Germany. You know the Germans always make good stuff."

"You'll be saying WOW every time you use this towel."

Then, there's all the people at that flea market picking up their new sham-wows and telling the world that all they can say is Sham-Wow like they've been using them for years and then coming to this flea market to buy new ones all the time! You know this commercial, right? Then, we have this recession so advertising is cheaper, and even with TiVo or a DVR, you see these annoying Sham-WOW commercials all the time. You can't get away from them. Even during the Simpsons, Vince is up there hawking his towels!

It should come as no surprise, then, that when the boys spotted Sham-wow at Bed, Bath and Beyond, they were intrigued. No wait, they were more than intrigued. They were interested. They wanted us to buy Sham-wow! And, we didn't. Because $19.99, that's why! But, still. And, today, a day after our sighting of the now famous sham-wow, Devin asked if we could get some Sham-wow. And, I said I didn't think so. And, he cried.

Great job, Vince! I really think your message is getting out. Your momma should be proud.

Pangaea

Trevor and Devin were asking yesterday (in the car) if Pangaea is real. It was, we think, so we explained that. And by we, I mean me. Because John wasn't so sure what Pangaea was. He was pretty sure he'd never heard the term "Pangaea."

I was pretty sure he had and told him about that episode of the Simpsons where the billy goat chases Lisa into Mr. Burns' house, and he tries to go into his Panic Room, but he can't remember the password and he has to enter his place of birth so he enters "Pangaea."

And, then John was like, "Oh, I get it. That's funny."

And, then I was like, "I am so bloggin' this."

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Yes!

Devin and I washed cabinetry, walls, windows, and a spice rack yesterday. The spice rack was his idea. He unloaded all the spices, cleaned off the rack, and reloaded the spices. Trevor helped a little when I found an unopened package of Windex Wipes.

Devin found the now opened pack of Windex Wipes this morning and said, "Mom, can I clean the windows?" I said sure and gave him a new wipe.

"YES!" he said.

And, I felt lucky and grateful.

Then, somehow Trevor got the wipe and used it to wipe Devin's face. And, I stopped feeling lucky and grateful.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Genius

The boys wanted chocolate milk last night. Usually, I say no. Not for any good reason. Mostly just because I don't want to make it. But, I relented last night and got out the mostly empty bottle of chocolate syrup. I couldn't get any out, so I quickly gave up and said, "Sorry, no chocolate milk tonight!" I didn't really want to make it anyway.

Daddy to the rescue. He poured the milk into the mostly empty chocolate syrup bottle, shook vigorously and dispensed the best 2 glasses of chocolate milk ever.

When presented to Devin, he said, "Daddy, you're a GENIUS!"

Trevor said, "No, he's not. He just had that idea in his head." (party pooper)


Puppy Update
Sometimes, maybe 1/3rd of the time, Boots will sit on the bottom step where I keep his leash to tell me he has to go outside. Other times, I have to guess or just act super fast.

Saturday, March 07, 2009

Puppy update

Seems like the best way to get the puppy to calm down is to sit at the computer in the office. Puts him right to sleep...

Also, he's well on his way to being crate trained. At least, I think he is. I've never crate trained a dog, so it's hard to say. But, he sleeps in it at night until 5:30 or 6:00, and that's better than the alternatives that didn't work out very well the first 2 and half nights.

I think I'll be enrolling us in a puppy training class soon. I need it.

Socks is getting used to him, but she doesn't love him. I don't think she ever will. Her fur seems soft and luxurious compared to Boots'. And, she seems to be overweight now in comparison when I pick her up (when she lets me pick her up.)

I can't let Boots outside with Devin in charge. You would have thought I knew that. But, I thought he would keep hold of the leash. He didn't. But, the puppy just came to the front porch.

I registered him with the AKC today. His official name is Licky Boots if you want to keep track of him there. His mother's name is Shady Lane Queeny and his father's name is Rocket's Jake. He was born in Ohio, and I'm pretty sure he's Amish. Not necessarily a good thing for a puppy I've come to find out.

I really like him a lot.

In other updates, Bears' Lair cabernet is my favorite new cabernet.

Wednesday, March 04, 2009

The sweetest thing

Ever since Valentine's day, Devin has been cutting out hearts at school and bringing them home. Can I send you some? I hate to throw them away and I'm running out of heart storage space.

There is one heart I will be keeping though. It's yellow. And, not very big. When I picked the boys up from school today, Devin came over to me, sat down on the floor, took off his slipper, removed the heart from his slipper, and gave it to me.

"I was saving this for you in my slipper," he said.

Sunday, March 01, 2009

Boots




He was stinky and really needed a bath.


Evidence we've watched Homer strangle Bart one too many times?



This is Devin becoming a dog person. They were both up before 6 this morning, and I thought I heard one of them crying, so I went upstairs to check. They weren't crying. But, they were playing, and I heard Devin or Trevor say, "We got a puppy!"

Licky "Boots" White Fluffy Snowball