The Simple Joys in Life

I've been struggling with this damn blog site for the past few months with formatting. None of my hard returns were working and thus my comments just big rambling paragraphs. In my creating view it looked great, but it was posting like garbage. I just discovered the setting that needed to be adjusted to fix it - and I couldn't be happier! It's gonna be a great day!

They Say the Cutest Things!

When you've waited so long and worked so hard for a child to learn to talk/converse, those cute little things that kids say/come up with are just that much more priceless. Today is Sunday, and my mission today is record all those funny outbursts to share. We'll see how long my resolve for documentation lasts. You will likely note that most of these tidbits will come from Tanner, who is more chatty than Alex. What Alex lacks in conversation, he makes up for in personality and sweetness for sure, so I'll do a picture documentation of his day later this month.

6am
Mom: It's too early. I'm going to crawl back in my warm bed for a few minutes.
Tanner: I need my best adult to stay up with me, please?
(Yes - mom has been replaced by calling me his best 'dult'). Not sure where that came from.

7am
Tanner: The potty seat is broken. Mommy, we need to go to the potty store so Daddy can fix it.
(Home Depot will have to do...not familiar at all with the potty store)

7:20am
Tanner: Oh no! I got my foot cramp! Daddy needs his tools so he can fix it. I think he needs a hammer and screwdriver, and then he can fix my foot cramp.

7:30am
Tanner: Look at me Mommy! I'm snug as a bug in a rug! (A literal exclamation, cried out as he lay entirely under the rug in our family room)

7:50am

Tanner: That's the size shoe we can wear on both feet. Wow, look at me! I look so silly! (Announced with both feet stuffed into and stretching out my black high heels...hopping across the carpet.)

9:45am

Alex: (While getting a hug from Mommy and with a big sweet smile) Snug is a bug in a hug.

10:00am

Tanner: (Whining) Not again Mommy! Daddy is being a bosser! (Meaning Jim caught him being naughty and told him to stop. They've been a bit at odds this weekend and 'bosser' is a new word thats been thrown out in vain fairly frequently:)

12pm

Tanner (exiting the bathroom announces excitedly): I love sugar! Sugar is my best dessert. But I don't like flour. (Obviously recalling a taste test we did a few weekends ago while making a pie...I guess the throne does give us time to reflect on the important things in life!)

5pm

Alex (listening to a Disney Heroes CD): Oh, it's Percules!

Tanner: No, no, no Alex! It doesn't start with the letter P - it starts with the letter H! (Yes...Percules should be Hercules...thank you Tanner the speech pathologist...talk about the pot calling the kettle black!)

Christmas at the Gardens

We kicked off the holiday last week by attending a Christmas Party at Frederick Meijer Gardens. If you haven't been there at Christmas, you should. Toy trains running around, Christmas trees decorated in themes by country, tropical greenhouses with lit palm trees, reindeer, Tram rides....it is really cool. Add to the list above 3 new discoveries -

1. Carolers all dressed up
2. SANTA!



My little music lovers were absolutely wide-eyed and still (yes - still - as in without movement!) when we ran across the Christmas Carolers. The boys stopped in their tracks and just watched in awe. It was too cute! Then, the two men each took the top hats off their heads and gave them to the boys to wear! Alex had the Stevie Wonder head sway going to the carols, Tanner a little shoulder twist, and I was able to just sit back and enjoy it all!


Santa was a real trooper. He tolerated 80 lbs of little boys on his lap and posed sensible options for their wish list from which Tanner chose puzzles and Alex chose games. It's the first Christmas they've been able to engage in such a conversation, and again were shockingly motionless so Jim could grab several pics!

So - thank you Frederick Meijer Gardens for another visit of new discoveries, and most certainly putting us all in the Christmas spirit!

"Who is he?"

"Who is he?". Imagine the sweetest little voice...very curious...very happy...yet very serious...asking the most innocent question - "Who is he?".

The inquisitive voice is my Tan-man. Mommy's little guy who loves pictures, loves scrapbooks, and loves looking at my pictures archived meticulously on the computer (by year and by month).

His question is simple. Every stinkin' picture he wants to know if the little guy he's looking at in the photo is he or his brother. Confession time - after 5 years, I still struggle tell the little fellas apart in a photo, unless there are hidden clues (i.e. scars, outfits that were assigned to one vs. the other, etc). Despite my very organized picture archiving on the computer... despite my love of scrapbooking and recording thoughts and memories...I'm finding myself more and more often unable to answer Tanner's very basic question.

So - my question to all is this - do I just tell him I don't know, or do I fake it so he can smile and move on to the next picture and the same question? It's never a problem with recent photos...it's the older ones. I thought I'd always be able to tell them apart and didn't note 'who was who'. I'm a terrible mom! Do I make it worse by lying...I guess I have a 50% chance of being right?!

Halloween Pictures!

The boys LOVED Halloween this year. A party and parade at school were a hit, as well as trick-or-treating. Blowing out Jack-O-Lanterns was an unexpected fascination, and one I will spend plenty of time prompting restraint in advance for next year (I'll also bring a lighter with us in the event my advance prompting fails!). I'll let you guess who is dressed up as the pirate vs. the wizard!

Milestones

It is with great pride that I announce we removed the last of the child locks in our house yesterday! Well, there are actually tw0 that remain - but those will be indefinitely.

The first is for the knives. I think I'll leave that one on until their about 18 and upgrade their lock as the monsters get older and are able to bypass my security attempts. The other is for the oven. The boys have always been fascinated with it. First, it has buttons that beep. Press, beep, press, beep...cause and effect...very calming for the little dudes. Secondly, it has a clock (numbers are too cool for Alex). Finally, and most frightening, is that they like to climb into it...small space...very confining.

Anyhow, back to the good news - we're nearly baby lock free! Funny how trained you become with side-stepping the little security gadgets. It's going to take me a while to get used to just opening drawers, doors, and cupboards barrier free. There are fewer lingering remnants of the babies I adored...and more and more reminders that I'm being outnumbered by da boyz. The golf, the football, the chasing, the swordfights, the cars, the farts...the toilet seat up world has overtaken me!

The Leaves Are Falling Down...

(To the tune of The Farmer in the Dell)

The leaves are falling down,

The leaves are falling down,

Red, orange, yellow brown,

The leaves are falling down.

This was a speech exercise at school this fall, and Alex

loved it! We heard the song over, and over again.

Duh weaves are fahing noun

Duh weaves are fahing uwn

Weh, owange, yehyo bwown

Duh weaves are fahing ow-n

As soon as the leaves starting falling, the little men were ready for the annual fun of raking and jumping! Talk about sensory experiences...laying in a pile of leaves, jumping in a pile of leaves, throwing piles of leaves, kicking leaves...heavy work of raking leaves...just perfect for the little sensory seekers! After being cooped up inside for days with fevers, I think the cool fall air felt good to the little guys (and their sick parents).

Where does the time go?

I can't believe it's been over a month since I've posted! Shame on me...and a big apology to anyone still checking the site! Since I posted last:

1. Jim's mom came to visit us for a week.

2. We traded in the mom-mobile (minivan) for a car. We are a two car family...no more gas guzzlers! No more double strollers...so no need for big vehicles!

3. My first nephew was born and I made a trip to A2 to see him!

4. The boys and I made a trip to the beach on an October Saturday - with temps in the mid to high 80s! Unheard of in Michigan! It was time for apple orchards and pumpkin patches, and we were still building sand castles!

5. The boys caught a nasty croup virus that resulted in high fevers for 8 days each (that's 13 days straight of caring for a child with a fever!)

6. I caught the nasty bug.

7. Jim caught the nasty bug.

8. We all stumbled outside, sick, to play in leaves and pacify Mom's need for pictures of fall fun.

9. Grandma and Grandpa Herron came to Michigan for a visit and we (Alex and I) met them at one of Jenny's volleyball tournaments. Alex loved watching volleyball (before he fell asleep on me), and especially loved heckling the servers...my little guy.

10. All were healthy by Halloween, which was such a blast for the boys (more on that later).

11. Busy season hit at work. Yes...and this is the main reason I'm absent from the blogging world. In fact, I'd be working now (boys are in bed), except that I can't seem to log on. A forced break from the chaos of renewal season in the employee benefits world.

So...no pictures on this post...just a quick "Hi" to let you know what we've been up to. The boys are talking up a storm and cracking us up daily. Their conversations between each other are hysterical! I'll try to get Halloween and fall pictures up this weekend. Happy November to all!

Like Father, Like Son

It's not exactly a secret that Jim is a golf fanatic. It's also not exactly a secret that I don't like the game, and that I am not overly fond of the time it takes away from other activities. However, I can't exactly fight passion for the hobby - whether originating from my husband, co-workers, brothers/brother-in-law...basically the world around me. So, I won't go so far as to say that I've become tolerant (because I still like to gripe) - let's just say it is a not-so-readily accepted drudgery of life.

After watching Daddy golf in the backyard for the past 4 1/2 years, my cute little buddies are adopting an interest in golf. Up until now, it's been kinda cute. Jim would have his club out and show the boys how to take a swing or two. In fact, this has been going on for several years (the 1st picture here was taken Sept 2005, the 2nd May 2006). However, the past 2 weeks, the boys (Tanner leads...Alex figures out Tanner is missing and follows) are independently going out to the garage, grabbing clubs, tee and ball and heading out on their own. Like little pros, they put the tee in the ground, put the ball on the tee, hold the club with a reasonably accurate grip and then swing (the swing needs a LOT of work).

This is fine and cute and picture-worthy...and makes Daddy totally proud and happy. Great - I get that! Now, here's the reality check - the evidence that an interest of golf is moving toward infatuation. Tanner initated one of his impromptu, unauthorized, independent golf practices Saturday AM. No shoes, underwear and PJ top was the attire (in the front yard of course)! So, I haul him in, get him dressed and tell him he can play for a few minutes and then we need to go to Costco.

Up until yesterday, a trip to Costco was always met with cheers. Especially for TanMan (my little shopping buddy). Imagine my shock and frustration when Jimmy's little mini-me(s) replied (whining) to my urging that it was time to go "No, no, no! I need to practice my golfing!". I replied - 'First Costco, then more golfing'. This should have been easy-breezy...hop in the van...no issues. Wrong. More protests, crying while getting into the van and on the way down the street. I thought to myself - you've got to be kidding me!. Seriously - God wouldn't do this to me. I can handle a lot, but living with 3 golf addicts I think is penance deserving of a person much more evil than I. Of course, where is Jim during all of this? Do you even need to ask at this point in my rant?

So - the term 'golf widow' was reasonably applicable prior to yesterday's meltdown. But if we continue at this rate - I'll be the posterchild for the term in the decades ahead. Since I don't have a daughter...I guess I'll just have to hope that a sister or niece move my way to keep me company Spring-Fall. I think I may have found a reason to be thankful for Michigan winters - I'll have the undivided attention back of all the men in my life! Snow and golfing just don't mix - luckily ;)

I Like Corn!

So this blogging is a funny thing...I'm compelled to publish parenting mishaps. In what other forum to you display your downfalls? When I named it 'Another day, another laugh', I guess I was setting the tone for that however. Once again this morning (at 6:45am), I turned my head for 2 minutes (meaning I was helping Tanner in the bathroom) and a hungry Alex helped himself to our fridge - this time to raw corn on the cob!

Let's set the record straight - I feed my kids. They should not act as insanely hungry as they do - and those of you reading this that are local can attest to their constant want of food. They get 3 meals each day, and countless snacks. They are bottomless pits - and it's not just for sweets. I knew this of teenage boys -- but 2, 3 and 4 year old boys? It's somewhat ironic, because we had to tube feed and then force feed them through their first few months of life. My how the tables have turned!

Belly Laughs and Scary Monsters

I love the deep belly laugh, and hadn't really noticed that my guys had outgrown it a bit - at least until this evening. Alex was letting loose the most infectious, deep, gurgly belly laughs I've heard from him probably since he was a baby. And the best part was - it was all born from imagination and silly play - something that does not always come naturally to my little guys.

Alex decided he was a scary monster and would roar at Jim. Jim would return a shocked look, act scared and Alex would absolutely loose it. I wish I had recorded the laugh - as the memory of it will have me smiling for days. The eye contact, the smiles, the initiation, the imagination, the joint attention - it was awesome. When he tired of the interaction with Jim, he sought out Trooper who spun around and reacted hilariously - further exagerrating Alex's belly laughs.

So what prompted this outburst of silly play? Pure cruelty - Alex initially was attempting to terrorize Tanner! Tanner has been scared to death of monsters, villains, sharks, the big bad wolf...any dark or scary character in all movies/books for the past week or so. He has been waking up at night with bad dreams and refusing to watch many movies. All kids go through these phases (I know). I'm just shocked that sweet Alex was perceptive enough to pick up on it and find pure joy in Tanner's anxiety! Sounds like brotherly love to me!

Who says that scary monsters and belly laughs can't go hand-in-hand? Alex certainly thinks they do! I see this game playing itself out repeatedly over the next few days...happy Alex...poor TanMan.

Separating the Inseparable

The boys have been literally inseparable since birth. I'm not so sure that it has anything to do with choice or preference, but really simply logistics. They have not spent a night apart from each other. They've been in the same daycare (i.e. home), the same Kindermusik classes, the same swimming lessons, the same birthday parties, the same playdates, the same therapies, and the same classroom. I never want to do anything for one and not the other...so they have basically always been together.

There are really only two standard exceptions. The first is when Mommy wants to shop...in which case I prefer to 'divide and conquer' the task with one while the other stays home with Dad (usually Alex chooses Daddy and Tanner is ready to be the little girl I'll never have and shop with me!). The other is speech therapy, where they work one-on-one with a therapist in separate rooms. It's so funny because 45 minutes later they come out of the therapy session and the first thing they ask is 'Where is Tanner/Alex?'.

We decided that this school year we would attempt to draw out more of their individual personalities, likes, dislikes, needs and strengths by putting them in different class rooms. Honestly, I think the schools wanted to do it just to help them keep them separate and easier to chart. The guys have such similar needs and their progress is eerily parallel to each other. Last year, their teacher could only tell them apart by their differing shoes!

However, Tanner tends to be a little more dominant and speak for Alex, so I really thought that Alex would benefit from mixing things up. Of course, this deviation from the norm was met with some disdain, but I think they are adjusting well. I can already see a difference in Alex at home. First, he's much quicker to engage play with Tanner (I'm guessing because he's getting a bit of a break). Also, he's taking more of a lead by asking the questions or suggesting the next activity.

It's only been a few days, so it will be interesting to see how things evolve over the school year. I'm not sold on the idea of them being apart, primarily because my efforts are now split between two classes, two teachers, two different sets of homework, and two different weekly themes. It's also hard to learn about their day at school. When they were in the same class, they could both report bits and pieces and feed off each other a bit to tell me things. Now, without that shared experience, it's very hard to get any account of their day from them individually. The jury is out...but of course if it ends up better for them in the long run...I'll just learn to adjust to my new challenges.

My Tan-man

Well...Jim, Brian and Christy...you have a new ally in your mocking of me. You've been shaking your head at me for a couple years now because I still refer to the guys as 'my babies'. The term 'little men' or 'little guys' I thought was a big step forward for me over the past few months.

To my complete shock and disappointment, Tanner has joined your band wagon. I'll refer to him as Baby Tanner from time to time, to which he would respond he was a big boy. Fine - I get it. I can deal with that. However, twice over the past week he's corrected me over much lesser offenses. On the way out of the grocery store, and again this AM over breakfast, I was informed that his name is Tanner, not Tan-man! Then, to add insult to injury, when I said something about him being my little guy he quickly barked 'I'm your big boy guy, not your little guy!'. I'm beginning to think that this talking thing is totally overrated. I think I liked it better when he didn't have an opinion to be voiced!

Here's the deal Tanner - I'll agree to drop the 'baby' reference from my vocabulary, and will even attempt to leave 'little' behind as well. As for Tan-man....that isn't going anywhere. Because Mommy says so.

Back to School!

It was back to school in the Wooden house this week. The boys moved from a center based program at Ken-O-Sha, which serves the counties special needs children with the most acute needs, on to Ada Elementary. At Ada they are in a special education preschool classroom. It's a good sign - moving to a less restrictive environment with fewer supports!

Tanner was very excited about going to his new school, and talked about it all Tuesday morning before the bus picked them up at 12:45pm. However, every ounce of Tanner's excitement translated to more anxiety for Alex who would retort/whine 'No new school, just old school!'.

What a transition this year! Old school (where they have been for 2.5 years...basically their entire memory) to a new school. Old friends to new kids. AM school to PM school. Afternoon naps to no afternoon naps. Needless to say, the first few days were pretty ugly. Lots of crying and discontent.

By Friday however, the new routine was engrained, and Alex (my more sensitive little guy) was on board with the program. He woke up talking about his new friends and ready to go to school. Check out this pic - pj shirt, boxer briefs, socks, sandals and backpack. It's 8am - and school is not until 12:30pm! I was happily informed by the little dudes that they were waiting for the bus. I'm taking it as a good sign that they like the new school!

Day at a Glance

I'm going to bed earlier and earlier these days. I think I'm living child rearing years in reverse. When they were young, I thought it was so easy and stayed up into the wee hours of the morning. All my mom friends were exhausted and didn't know where I got the energy. Now, they are four - and I'm more tired than ever at the end of a day! So, reflecting on this last night when the boys and I all hopped into our bed to go to sleep together (another lonely evening for Jim), I ran through the day in my head which looked like this:

• 6:30am - Alex wakes up
• 7am - Tanner wakes up
• 9am - Big hot bkfst family style
• 9:30am - Off to the park (camera in hand)
• 10:45am - Return from park - off to Costco (wide open warehouse space - so fun with the monsters)
• 12pm - Lunch
• 1pm - Art time (egg container caterpillars - and let me just say this might be the most energy gobbling activity of the day - have you dared paint, clue, scissors, and other art supplies with two active 4 year olds lately?)
• 1:30pm - Roller skating in the driveway
• 2:00pm - Sandbox/Swingset/trampoline
• 2:40pm - Water tag with hose (I just watched though - have fun dad and boys!)
• 3:00pm - Bike ride along the river
• 3:30pm - Playing in the fountains with kids at river park
• 5pm - PEACE! Late nap on mom for 1 hour (happily crushed with 80 lbs of tuckered out boys sprawled all over me and remote in hand)
• 6pm - Back outside - this time to play with the neighbors
• 6:30pm - Dinner (Jim grilled! Yumm!)
• 7pm - Ice cream cones
• 7:15pm - Back to park again/game of follow-the-leader/chase with mom and park full of kids (If anyone is counting - that is 3 visits to a park in 1 day!)
• 8pm - Baths
• 8:30pm - Cuddle time with mom on couch with PJs/watch Veggie Tales
• 9:15pm - We all go to bed

From time to time someone will ask if I work out...I will respond no...and then a daring person may attempt to encourage me to do so for my health. While I've historically just nodded and felt bad, I think the next person that tries that lecture is going to be required to shadow Jim and I for a Saturday in an effort to wipe the 'I'm better than you' smirk off their face!

Bowling is a Hit!

We have a newly found favorite outing in the Wooden household - BOWLING! We had tried taking the kids bowling about 18 months ago - and it was just too overwhelming for all involved. The boys rediscovered an outdoor bowling set that had been hidden away in the garage for a year and became engrossed with the game so we figured it was time to give 'the real thing' another shot. Total success! Honestly, next to swimming, it might just be the best sensory experience for my little guys. Have you been to a bowling alley lately? If so, you probably have not thought of it or experienced it through the eyes of a sensory seeking child. Have you noticed?

1. Busy flourescent carpet patterns
2. Constant sound of crashing pins
3. Lights
4. Order and predictability (sequentially numbered lanes/pins/ gutters/ball racks/ computers/monitors/ball returns)
5. Scoring on screen
6. Visual diagram of remaining pins
7. Player name flashing when it's your turn
8. 'Heavy work' of hauling a bowling ball back and forth
9. Blowing air to dry hands
10. Spinning chairs
11. Turn taking
12. Food (ok - that has nothing to do with the sensory/order highlights - but if you know my kids - snacks are a big plus!)

Literally - it has to be one of the biggest hits we've discovered in a long time. They absolutely loved it! And by the way...let me just say for the record - that there should be more family friendly activities that incorporate access to a cold brew for Mom and Dad!!

Trooper & Tanner

Troop and the Tan-man have a love/hate relationship for sure. Their most recent argument took place in the kitchen as Tanner was playing with wooden letters on the floor. Direct quote from a whiny Tanner 'Twoopah - don't eat my words! No, No! GO AWAY! I'm spelling!' A few weeks earlier, Trooper was doing all the chatting as Tanner chased him with swords (Tanner was Peter Pan, Trooper was Captain Hook - per Tanner). Trooper howled and snapped his jaw and spun around ferociously, but all in good fun as I'm sure he enjoyed the attention. Daily disagreements surround Trooper trying to take snacks or baseballs, or the boys pulling his tail or attempting to jump over him when he's sprawled out on the floor. Tanner complained the other night 'Trooper just keeps running and Running and RUNNING!'. The funny thing was that Trooper was all excited because he knew it was the boys bedtime and another day of terror was coming to a close. Within minutes, he would regain Jim's undivided attention - and he was very excited! Despite all their gripes...I know deep down the boy and the mut love each other dearly.

Ice Cream Lovers

Did you know that Michigan is the #1 producer of ice cream in the country? Huge...we love our frozen moo juice in Michigan, and the boys are particularly fond of the creamy treat. They come by the love of ice cream honestly...from Great Grandpa Rouch (also the originator of the twin gene!) who I've heard will eat a bowl every night. Well, the boys got into an already opened half gallon at 8am one morning last week. I was doing my hair, and came out of my room to near silence, which is 100% always and beyond a shadow of a doubt a BAD SIGN. As I rounded the corner to the kitchen, Tanner exclaims 'Look mommy, I'm a big boy! Alex and Tanner are eating ice cream all by ourself!'. And so they were...what big boys. A half gallon of neopolitan ice cream sat on the kitchen floor, in front of my little monsters who smiled at me with ice cream covered faces, in their PJs, crouched down and hovering over the creamy treat. Hmmm...and how are they scooping up this nutritious breakfast? With tablespoons. The utensil drawer has a child lock, but their determined little fingers reached inside just far enough to grab measuring spoons kept at the front of the drawer. So, like any good mom, I turned to the closet, grabbed a camera to document the naughtiness, and then quietly removed the nearly empty carton from my morning snackers. Afterall, it's all in the genes...can't be too tough on them for something so obviously outside their control!

Busy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Jimbo! They boys loved telling daddy 'Happy Birthday' randomly throughout the day. We planned a trip to Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek, which was delayed about 1 1/2 hours this AM when Alex's head collided with Tanner's chin...resulting in a trip to the doctor and 3 stitches for Alex :( Alex officially is in the lead - with 2 wounds requiring stitches compared to Tanner's one. I'm afraid that if Alex balds in older age he'll have a permanent reminder of he and Tanner's frequent head on collisions. I guess it's just bound to happen with 2 very busy 4-year old boys.

Binder Park Zoo was great. Tanner's favorite part was riding the trains, and Alex's was petting and feeding the giraffes. With temps in the low 70s, we couldn't have picked a more perfect day for a zoo outing. We finished the day at my parents house in Jackson with grilled food, birthday brownies, and introduction to an obviously addictive outdoor bean bag game. For my sibs...game on...can't wait for the next gathering! This is right up my alley...a shooting/scoring game you can play with beer in hand!

Uncle Brian

Uncle Brian is on the countdown to the end of summer after brilliantly managing my handfuls as the summer 'nanny'. Christy and I had cuddled and snuggled little babies...and Uncle Brian managed to turn them into 'big boys' within 3 months. Brian's boot camp accomplishments include potty training, new imaginative play schemes, and application of militant structure/logic to every day life. Potty training is pretty self-explanatory...it took more than 4 years and overcoming a lot of sensory issues...but no more diapers! We have Peter Pan swordfights, wrestling, and monkey/lion trampoline games to thank Brian for! We have rules...many of them...all perfectly recited (though not always followed) by the boys. If the boys are about to do something wrong, all you have to do is ask 'What's the rule?' and they will promptly respond 'You do not go outside by yourself...You do not open the refrigerator, you ask for help...You do not poop in your underwear...'. Predictable question, predictable response...right up their alley!

First Christy - and now Brian - we have been so lucky to share our house and lives with an aunt/uncle and brother/sister. The boys LOVE people...they have such an excitement for life - and Christy and Brian have been such a huge part of that. Each time Brian comes in the door he is greeted with an astonished 'Uncle Brian!'. I never had an aunt or uncle live with me, but I do remember how cool it was to spend time with them growing up. The boys are so lucky to have family members as part of their everyday life - people who love them and understand them and want the best for them. Also very cool - I am fortunate to share a close friendship with my siblings through adulthood. So here's to Bri-guy...a big thank you for taking my little fellas into boyhood! Fall classes outta feel like vacation compared to the summer job :)

Oldies but Goodies

It really is the classic, timeless toys/games that we can find ourselves totally lost in at the Wooden house. My evening with the boys (Jim was golfing) revolved around Play-Doh, several games of Hi-Ho Cherry-O, Lincoln Logs and puzzles. Okay, I should define 'totally lost' in Wooden boy terms. It's not the hours one might spend reading a novel or catching up with a friend. Most toys grab my monsters attention for about 1 minute at best - and that's with some coaxing. We're working on prolonging attention span a bit...so much so that it's a goal that specifically been written into the boys IEPs for next school year - stay with a single play scheme for 2 minutes!

So, as I was saying, these classic toys that we get 'totally lost in' (i.e. 2-7 minutes of play) are my favorites. To heck with the flashing lights, talking figurines, and LeapPad Talking Books. My guys and I will take a good game of Memory, a library book, PUZZLES, chalkboard fun, playdoh, or matchbox cars over ToysRUs latest and greatest any time. When was the last time you kicked a little (am I allowed to swear in a blog?) at Candyland, Chutes & Ladders, Hungry Hungry Hippos, War, Memory or Hi-Ho Cherry-O? I'm personally in a bit of a losing streak, but that's because the boys cheat (I think they get it from their Dad).

Think Outside The Box

Predictability...routine...dealing in the absolute...these are seriously cherished attributes in the lives of my little men. Alex a little more so than Tanner, as was evidenced earlier today. Uncle Brian had the great idea of taking an empty box, cutting it open, and making a ramp for the boys toy cars. A box. A pair of scissors. Did you guess disaster? Probably not, because we didn't. As Brian made his first cuts into the very predictable shape of a box, Alex stood by wide-eyed and on edge. When Brian proceeded to open the box, Alex totally lost it. The box was broken. Order was lost...chaos insued. The defining quality of a box is it's boxy shape. To flatten a box is to completely overule logic and the absolute. Result - complete meltdown - uncontrollable crying - many 'Oh no!' exclaimations. The easy and logical answer - and the key word here is 'answer' - was to just get another box from the basement. So my sappy quote from the right comes into play - we gave him the answer - rather than forcing him to solve the problem. Alex needs to learn to restore order and predictability in his world, so tomorrow the boys and I are going to consider how to fix the box. My guess is that it will include lots of tape and glue and coaxing. As long as we're making that mess, we'll probably also haul out paint and pom-poms and make a big art event of it. Ahh...the simplicity, joy and anxiety...over folded cardboard!

Inspiration

I find that I'm easily inspired these days by random quotes or stories. Not sure why...maybe more life experiences to draw from leads to easier application to my own life? Maybe I'm just getting more mushy as I age? Regardless, I'll post my most recent source of inspiration to the right and update it from time to time. Of course, these tidbits often relate to the boys/parenting...so if you get bored of my ramblings about my kids...remember this is my forum for that - deal or log off!

Here we go!

So here it is - my second ever post to a blog! Jim's sister and cousin introduced me to this interactive journaling outlet within the past month, and I think I could be quickly hooked. I'm considering this scrapbooking of sorts...without the mess and more easily shared with distant friends and family! (Don't worry Ash - it will never replace the real thing!)