Sunday, August 28, 2011

An Artist Temperament

As with all kids, D loved to color when he was younger. I laugh as I type this, because really he's only four. But D loved to color or paint and was proud when it was displayed on the fridge. Then he turned three and moved on to bigger things. Like my phone. Or his dad's XBOX. I want him to go back to coloring. My refrigerator needs the decoration from both of my boys.



Right now, it's getting a make over from C. My intense,brooding, sensitive little Scorpio has entered his artistic phase and nothing is going to stop him.




Not even bed time. Which I swear only happened one time. While I try and give him set times to let out his aggression with a crayon in each hand and not one but two pieces of paper lining his high chair tray, sometimes it's not enough. He'll get the urge to draw and will demand to be put in his high chair until I give in.




Or resort to being sneaky and take a crayon to the nearest wall... or window... or TV.  We try and keep the crayons in a high place, but we aren't used to the urgency that C has sometimes to just draw and thus the circles in multitude of colors gracing the walls and doors of my entire house. It's a good thing we haven't painted yet.






Looks like C will be getting one of these for his birthday.



Which I can't believe is less than two months away. Sigh. I want my baby back...







Wednesday, August 24, 2011

A Trip to See the Ishees

Last Saturday, the boys and I went to the Aquarium of the Pacific with my cousins, aunt and uncle.









Awesome. The whole trip was awesome. I've never been, and have always wanted to go, so when the last minute invite was extended I jumped at the chance. C loves Finding Nemo and D has a love/hate relationship with fishes so I knew I had a 50/50 chance of this trip being a success.




We started out with the big aquarium filled with little sharks and assorted fish.




All of the kids loved it.






M had a staring contest with one of the more adventurous fish. M won.



My first inkling that D may have a problem was when we went into the first exhibit. While the aquarium was in an open, lighted area, this exhibit was more confined and dark. Being the big boy that he is, D darted back and forth between holding H's hand and politely staring at whichever fish H was telling him about...




Refusing to look at anything...




And attaching himself to my leg asking me when it was time to go home so that he can play light sabers in the sun. We enjoyed the seals and sea lions and then made a beeline for the exit doors.




Which led straight to the sun and air and water. Our first stop was the play area so the boys could stretch their legs without having to watch where they were going or using inside voices. C was also let loose from his prison stroller. Needless to say, he was not happy when he had to go back in.



We migrated from the play area to the Shark Lagoon, where you are able to touch small sharks. I will be honest and say the boys and I sort of stayed in the background for this one. If Kel was with me to help then it would have been fine, but with D trying to stay as far away from the lagoon as possible (and therefore out of my line of sight) and C trying to climb INTO the water to play with the sharks, I let D win this round.




C was fine with this, as it allowed him to go play at the huge water table that was set up around the corner, conveniently in a corner with only one way for the boys to escape exit. Minus C trying (again) to climb in a little pool of water, this was a nice way to kill thirty minutes and cool off from the heat.




Rounding up the five kids, we made a pit stop at the top of the sea lion tank so that M can have another staring contest with a sea creature and then headed back inside.





Once we were in the dark again, D had enough. In his words, "Mom it's too dark in here, and there are too many people. Can we go home now?" My sweet boy, whom I'm so proud because he did not have any tantrums, was such a big boy using his words. When he was two, he was diagnosed with sensory issues, so maybe this was just too much for him? I don't blame him, as this was a really busy day at the aquarium. So I kept him calm for as long as possible before we all agreed that it was time to go. After we saw the sea otters of course.





I'm happy to say that although D had a few issues and mini "quiet" meltdowns where only I could hear him, both boys had fun. I think we will wait a little while before we go back, possibly when D isn't so afraid of the dark, but we will go back someday soon. This is a place where Daddy and his boys need to play with some sharks.











Friday, August 19, 2011

Farm Boys

On Wednesday, the boys and I went with H and my aunt to Underwood Family Farms. We started off our morning with a quick Slurpee run from 7-11. A boy has to have his Slurpee right?



Underwood Family Farm is a great place. Especially in the fall.


You can pick fresh fruit.


Feed some animals.



Go for a train ride.



Go for a leisurely bike ride through some trees. Or walk.




Or jump with family. In a white padded room.





During the fall, there's hay rides through the sunflowers, cow train rides through the fields, a maze through the corn field, and little beans for toddlers to practice their pincher grasp.



(Yes these are pictures of D from the last time we went. About three years ago.)

I hope that we can go back again soon so that I can get C on a horse. And maybe we can pick our pumpkins too.




Friday, August 12, 2011

Still the One

Today is a very special day for me. Well, Kel and me.




You see, nine years ago we became "official" for the third and last time after a fun filled day at Six Flags Magic Mountain. We met in 2001 when I started working at McDonalds. I was 16, he was 18 and I didn't notice him since my high school crush was also working with us. But I remember meeting him like it was yesterday. It was Friday payday and he came running in the side door searching for his check. Sweaty, smelly, and dirty from just playing basketball with his friends, all I could think of was "what a great smile". I was in drive thru handing out the food and drinks, s we were able to talk a little in between orders. Aside from the typical "Hi I haven't seen you before" and the "yea I just started" , I don't remember what we talked about. But I must have made an impression because when Ice Age came out, he wrangled an invitation and managed to snag a seat next to me and hold my hand.




Ice Age holds a special place in my heart.




Nine years and two kids later, and we are still going strong. Yes we have had our problems, yes we have thought about throwing in the towel one or two times, and yes we've each made mistakes. But we Capricorns are a stubborn lot and we love each other too much to quit. Every time I think of "our song", I think of Shania Twains "Still the One."




For any who are curious, yes we have plans on getting married. At this point there is no date set, and I don't even have a ring or the proposal that goes with it. But the intentions are there. On both sides. As Kel says, when he finally pops the question, it'll be that much more of a surprise because he'll do it when I least expect it.

Besides, I love him.




With or without the ring. With or without the paper legally binding us together.




It doesn't mean that I'm giving up on changing my last name. It just means that I'm trying to just let go of the small stuff and enjoy what I have, in this moment.




We could be the next Goldie and Kurt. Right?



"Ain't nothin' better, We beat the odds together. I'm glad we didn't listen, Look at what we would be missin'. They said, "I bet they'll never make it".  
But just look at us holding on, We're still together still going strong.
(You're still the one) You're still the one I run to. The one that I belong to.  
You're still the one I want for life.
(You're still the one) You're still the one that I love. The only one I dream of. 
You're still the one I kiss good night.
You're still the one "






Thursday, August 11, 2011

Remy They Were Not...

Have you ever seen Disney and Pixar's Ratatouille?




If not, I'll try to sum it up in one sentence.... Remy is a Parisian  rat who loves food and is a master chef and ends up becoming a famous chef in a restaurant. One too many "ands" later and I hope you've got the point.

What's my point?

Yesterday I found my own Remy.




Well, what I was hoping to be my personal Remy so that Kel stops complaining about my lack of cooking (hey babe give me more than Top Ramon to work with). Turns out, Remy is really Emile (Remy's garbage eating brother) and he brought along Jacques, the cheese thief. Yes, I am cross referencing two Disney movies and yes I am done comparing the two field mice who have been trying to break into my house (and succeeded at one point) to fictional characters. Especially since these mice were very, very real.


Did you notice my use of past tense?

Sadly, Remy and Jacques have met their demise. Or at least Jacques has. Remy has been heard but not seen and therefore I cannot confirm the quality of his life.




But not before C,D, and E had their fun. While C and E jumped right in and enjoyed the antics of the mice, it took a little coaxing with D to help him realize that they wouldn't be able to eat through the glass to come nibble on his toes. Their favorite activity was to play cat and mouse. They'd wait until they got close enough to the window and then start pounding until Remy and Jacques scampered away. Remy was a brave, feisty little goober who could jump higher than D. Jacques was Fatty McFatty who just came out for the cheese.  It was the cheese that eventually did him in.



Sigh.



Ms. C and I tried to make the  experience educational. We talked about where the mice lived, what they liked to eat, and how they were more than likely brothers. So D's been on a "You are my Mom, Dad is my Dad, C is my brother and we are a family" kick ever since. Which is really cute, but after the Trillion and one time, I've found my self just nodding my head and murmuring yes. I think of the three, C had the most patience waiting for Remy and Jacques to come out of hiding and the most fun scaring them by banging on the window.




So while we had our fun with Remy and Jacques (and pissed off  angered Kel in the process), I am happy that they are gone. Or are they? I've been hearing some scratching at a different wall that sounds like a little goober trying to get back in. Time for Kel and his friend D to play executioner again.

On a side note, don't you love the collages? Picasa allows me to put all of the photos that I want to share with you into one nice little montage so I don't have to spend an exteme amount of time editing and you don't have to get bored with scrolling through the numerous pictures. Thank you Picasa!