Our Party Animal

This is an old post that I found in my drafts. It's about a year old, but I could see it happening today!

Jay showed his party animal side recently when we went to going away party for an intern at Rob's company. It was at someone's house and when we arrived, we did the typical "do we ring the doorbell or just walk in" debate. Before we could decide, Jay said "oh, let's just go in" and grabbed the doorknob and walked right in.

People hung out in the kitchen/dining room area and in the porch. Not long after our arrival, we realized we didn't see Jay anywhere. We looked around, then saw a little blond head on the porch talking with Rob's boss David, and two women. He stayed for a little while, then came back inside looking for food.

He has a blue button-down shirt with white and yellow flowers on it that he calls his "party shirt." He was around 3 when he started wearing it to his friends' birthday parties and it was quite big on him. Now, after two years, it is starting to get to small. He insists that it still fits because he can still button it, but his belly shows a bit and he can't move his arms very well.

He really wants to wear it to school, but the dress code specifies solid red, white, or blue shirts. When I told him he had to wear a uniform shirt, he said, "But I want to look nice. It's my nicest shirt." After two weeks of school, he still sadly sighs about not being able to wear it. Last year they had Fabulous Fridays where you could dress out of uniform if you bring a dollar for whatever cause they collect for. I hope one is coming up; otherwise, I may need to let him go to school out of uniform.

Is your job complicated?

Editors note: Rob placed this post. Heather does not want to be associated with my substandard communication skills.

Rob: "So after elementary school, you'll go to middle school, then high school, then college. And if you really want to learn about more complicated things, then you'll go to graduate school."

Cole: "Did you go to graduate school?"

Rob: "Yes"

Cole: "I don't think that helping people sell boats is so complicated that you needed to go to graduate school"

And we wonder why our grass doesn't grow

Plastic shovel = $3.99.  Water = $3.43/1,000 gal.  
Making a mud pit in the front yard = Priceless.

A Trip the the Grocery Store

One day in September, Jay and I made a much-needed trip to the grocery store. Jay wore his uniform--spiderman costume and cowboy boots. I made him leave his blankie cape behind since it was close to 100 degrees.

Harris Teeter provides mini carts for kids and he immediately grabbed one. As he zoomed down the aisle, I saw two young men laughing at him.

Of course his first stop was the display of free cookies; the second was the cheese samples. With a cookie in one hand, he grabbed a fistful of the toothpicked cheese cubes with the other. The toothpicks stuck out of his fist in every direction. He twisted his hand around trying to figure out how to get a cheese cube into his open mouth. His perplexed expression was priceless.

Then, I overheard one of the men exclaim to the other, "I love that kid!"

Jay's Addition to the Previous Post

We've had many funny conversations with the boys about how adults stop growing taller and then start to shrink when they get older.

This morning Jay said to me:  "When I am really old and start to get smaller, I want to be three."

Me:   "You want to be three years old?"

Jay:  "Yes, so I can be with Ms Cathy again."

He had looked at the pictures in the previous post about his old preschool and teacher, and, apparently, had been thinking about her. It would be worth a trip to Isle of Palms just to tell her this story.

There Are No Tea Parties at Our House

Jay's Time Saving Idea

Jay had a brilliant idea for when you have a runny nose and are too busy to keep wiping it. I think he may be on to something!

Our Native Son

We have been a little concerned about Jay's speech. Sometimes we find it difficult to understand him and often have to translate for other people.

Rob found a program through the school system that evaluates kids for free. It seems to be designed for the diagnosis of learning disabilities, but they also do speech analysis, so Rob brought him in.

They found Jay thoroughly delightful and said his vocabulary is very advanced (apparently "suddenly" isn't a word typically used by four-year olds). They also determined that his intonation is at the proper stage for his age. However, one lady commented that he had a "little southern twang."

So now we wonder if that is why his Yankee parents don't always understand him!

A Typical Night (Right Before Bedtime)

The Jig Is Up

Puppy #2 came out of the closet!

Apparently, he grew tired of hiding on the top shelf of the pantry and took a kamikaze dive onto the tile floor.

Cole, Jay, and Puppy #1 discovered his existence when they went downstairs before bed to retrieve Orange, Cole’s beloved monkey. They found Orange in the kitchen, and then, a few feet away spotted Puppy #2.

Laughing wildly, the boys raced upstairs to show Rob (I wasn’t home).

“There’re TWO puppies!” Jay exclaimed ecstatically.

Thinking quickly, Rob told them it was puppy’s brother visiting from Africa for a few days. Then, this morning, Rob told Jay that puppy #2 had to go back to Africa soon.

“No he doesn't,” Jay replied. “His parents are coming here.”

Now we need to keep track of two puppies. I may be online ordering more spares.

(For the back story, see here and here.)

"I'm Four!"

After his friend Tyson had his fourth birthday in September, Jay insisted he also turned four and ignored any attempts to correct him.

One day a neighbor asked how old he was. He held up four fingers and said:

"I'm four, but my grown-ups think I'm three."

(Now that his birthday is a couple months away and talk of his own party has started, he's decided to be three again.)

A Rose by Any Other Name...

Jay gets the names of two boys in his class confused: Tyson and Jackson. When he played on the playground after school last week, he kept calling Tyson Jackson. When I corrected him, he responded:

"Well, I call him Jackson."

Update to "Puppy Was a Rolling Stone"

Puppy number 2 has been found in the play kitchen--in the oven of all places!

I think I'll go back online and purchase puppy numbers 3 and 4 just in case.

Puppy Was a Rolling Stone

I've been touched by the concern and sympathy of family and friends in regards to Puppy. Your kind thoughts are greatly appreciated in our time of grief, especially now...

...because we have TWO puppies missing!!

Yes, you read that right. Two puppies.

Jay began asking for Puppy last week, so I got online and slogged through Beanie Baby websites until I discovered that Puppy's alias is "Fletch, the Golden Retriever, version 2.0" (not to be confused with version 1, which is missing the lightning bolt logo from his rump). I ordered the replacement and eagerly awaited his arrival from "Africa."

He came while I was in South Dakota at my cousin's wedding, so Rob got the honor of welcoming the prodigal puppy. Jay was ecstatic! Once again, Puppy got his own plate at dinner (with real food, of course); accompanied Jay everywhere; and snuggled next to Jay at night with his head on the pillow and blanket tucked under his chin.

The reunion was short lived, however, since the next day, Puppy II also disappeared. Apparently we can't tame the Beanie Baby wanderlust.

Have You Seen This Puppy?

Our house is in full-scale search-and-rescue mode. Jay's beloved puppy, named Puppy, is missing. He was last seen on a picnic at Center Park on Daniel Island, where I dinstinctly remember bringing him to the car. Rob and I are panicked, since we believe Jay will be inconsolable soon. At the moment, however, Jay is remarkably calm about it. According to him, Puppy is having a great adventure:

Me: I haven't seen Puppy for awhile. Do you know where he is?

Jay: He's at work.

Me: Okay. Where is he working?

Jay: In... Africa.

Me: Did you put him someplace?

Jay: No. He had to go in the biggest airplane.

Me: Where will Puppy be when he comes home?

Jay: He has to stay for this many days (holds up five fingers).

Me: Well, it's fun to pretend Puppy's at work in Africa, isn't it? But I'd like to see him right now in real life. Do you know where he is in real life?

Jay (sounding slightly exasperated): Puppy's in Africa.

When Rob got home from work today, I told him about this conversation. He tried to question Jay about Puppy's whereabouts and got the same answers.

If you happen to go to work in Africa, please tell Puppy to come home!

Imaginations at Work

Some of the boys recent playtime activities have been hilarious. I thought I'd share some of their antics.Jay with his block family: a mommy, daddy, brother, sister, baby, and cat. In the picture, it's naptime and everyone is comfy and cozy in their block beds.

A surpise birthday party for Stee (Jay's blanket) and Orange (Cole's monkey). They were expecting quite a crowd. I was lucky enough to be invited and got lots of cake and a goodie bag.

Future cross-country skiers. They had me tape blocks to their feet so they could ski around the house. Instead of snow, however, they had to ski over burning hot lava.

At least one of us will be prepared if the 90-degree temperature suddenly drops below freezing!

Say "Cheese"

A half hour before dinner, Jay decided that he was starving and needed some cheese. I told him no because I didn't want him to spoil his appetite. He whined and begged a little, then seemed to realize I wasn't going to give in.

As dinner cooked, I went upstairs to check on Cole. After a few minutes, I realized it was very quiet downstairs. Too quiet.

I quickly returned downstairs. Jay was no where to be found. I called his name a few times, then heard a rustling from behind our big chair and a half.

I tiptoed to the chair and peered over the back. There was Jay with a fork and a previously unopened bag of shredded cheddar. He had stabbed the plastic bag until he made a hole in it and was gorging on handfuls of cheese.

The sheepish, yet devilish look he gave me was priceless! I couldn't help but laugh. Nothing gets between Jay and his food!He apparently was quite pleased with the fork trick because soon after he attacked an unopened box of Corn Pops. He was not happy when I caught him before he got through the inner bag.

Thanks, Mike Rowe

The boys love the show Dirty Jobs. Its host, Mike Rowe, travels around the country doing real jobs that have some dirty, dangerous, or revolting element to them. It's a hilarious show that features jobs I am glad not to have.

One afternoon, while I was upstairs putting away laundry, I heard the boys giggling and saying, "This sure is a dirty, dirty job." Relieved that they weren't fighting, I continued to fold clothes. I should have known better.

When I returned downstairs, I discovered the dirty job that kept them so occupied:They were extremely disappointed that their version of the show ended before they had all their games and toys thrown around the kitchen. I was disappointed that unlike the professionals on the show, they did not clean up after a hard day's work.

I sent a message to Mike on his blog blaming him for the mess. I'm still waiting for him to arrive to help with my Dirty Job!

Gravity's a Bummer!

Me: Cole, get out from under the table! That is not restaurant behavior.

Cole: But Mom, I can't help it! A giant piece of gravity's holding me down.

The Ballad of Old Crust and Poopy Head

I knew this day would come. Every mother of older boys had warned me.

Cole and Jay have begun to play with pretend guns. Since we don't have any toys resembling guns, they made theirs out of Legos.

After explaining that real guns are serious and can hurt people very badly when used the wrong way, I eavesdropped on their play.

After firing a hail of Legos at each other, Cole decided there should be good guys and bad guys. And, since he and Jay were good guys, they needed names.

"My name is Old Crust," said Cole. "Jay, what is your name going to be?"

"Ummm," said Jay, thinking hard. "Poopy Head!"

So, Old Crust and his trusty sidekick Poopy Head galloped around the house, shooting Legos at all the bad guys.

We all slept well knowing that they had kept our little corner of the world safe and secure for another day.

May Old Crust and Poopy Head ride again!