Size matters

Last night we went to Toys R Us. I went to try to pick up a few things that they were having a good sale on and also to have Zack try out bikes since Santa plans on leaving one under the tree.

As for the great sales, I was able to get two of the four things I went for. I would say that is not bad at all for the amount of people crowded in that store.

Now the bike situation is what really upset me! Yes, I was upset I wanted to cry right there in Toys R Us. My little guy is only three years old, just a baby for crying out loud. This kiddo still needs his mama but somewhere along the line he has grown so much that he completely bypassed the toddler bike size! He got on a 12" and started pedaling around the bike area, his poor knees were practically hitting the handle bars with each pedal. In other words he would probably only get about a month or so of use from the bike before having to move on up.

When he climbed on the 16" he fit perfectly. He took off like he's been riding big bikes like that forever. I stood there in the middle of the aisle wanting to cry. When did my baby get so damn tall?

We then tried helmets on, that did me in! Lets just say he has a noggin like his father. We tried the ones that say ages 3+... ha what a joke. Poor kid could not even get it on his head, it just sat on top. Then we tried the ages 5+... now I am just shaking my head. Poor kid could just barely squeeze into it so it could not have been comfortable. Then came the ages 8+... I am nearly in tears here, the helmet fit perfectly. When did this happen?

The worst thing about the size of my baby, he is like any other 3 year old. He wants the cute helmet with the bright colors, the one with the favorite character, the one any other 3 year old would choose but no, my babies noggin will be covered with something black, red, gray, with skulls or skateboarding stuff on it because that is all that fit him!

I will be searching a lot to find something cute in his size because I refuse to dress my little one like he is older.

You just have to love him.

What happens when you tell a 3 1/2 year old boy to go upstairs and get dressed?

He comes down looking like this...

Anyone else think he is a bit backwards?

Spoons, forks... Whatever.

The other night we went over to Davids house for a visit. While there David and Lilly cooked dinner so we all sat down to eat.
Zack did his usual 'I don't like this' and 'I don't want to eat'. Blah blah blah.
After he ate all the meat and the corn, I told him to eat a few 'spoonfuls' of the mashed potatoes.

Let me just say it now...
Zack 1
Mom 0

He looked at me so seriously and said "Mom, I only have a fork."

How silly of me to think he could possibly eat a few spoonfuls when he didn't even have a spoon!

I tend to forget he takes things exactly as they are spoken.

Schooled

You Sir have been schooled! Schooled by a three year old. (Insert hilarious laughter here).

Zack is definitely a creature of habit. This is a good thing on so many levels. He likes things done the same way which quite frankly makes things easier for me. There is a down side though. The down side is you are doing the same thing over and over again. You play with the same toys over and over again, you eat at the same place over and over again, you read the same books over and over again.

Speaking of books, I have read the same book every night for the past week. I have read that same book in the morning and sometimes in the afternoon. I must admit I am a bit tired of it. Getting ready for bed I told Zack to pick another book because I was tired of reading that one. So he chose two books, that one and another. I tried hard to convince him to pick another book but but Mr. creature of habit would not budge. Rather than anyone get upset I told him I would read the new book and daddy would read the dreaded one. He was good with that.

I read the new book then it was daddies turn. First page down, all good. The second page daddy did not fair so well. Zack could probably recite that entire book without ever opening it so he knows when you miss a word or insert your another one. After getting through the second page and being corrected twice by a three year old Zack took the book away from Kris and gave it to me without saying a word.

Yes I did finish reading that book to him much to my dismay. I do have to say it was such a hilarious thing to see my son correcting his father who was trying to skip some words and inserting others.

Kris I think you better start paying attention and read the books word for word. That son of ours is smarter than the average bear and he will correct you every chance he can. I know you are not much of a reader but Zack is. Embrace it now because it is a fleeting thing, once he learns to read himself, he will no longer need or want us to be there reading to/with him.

The chef.

Zack made his first pitcher of Kool Aid today.

I do not usually buy Kool Aid but there was a packet in the pantry so I figured what the heck. He likes lemonade and this pink lemonade so I am sure he would get a kick out of making it.

He slid the chair over to the kitchen counter, he waited (impatiently I might add) for me to get the sugar out of the pantry. He dumped in the packet, he dumped in the sugar and he carefully poured the water in. He took the spoon and he mixed, being careful not to spill any. He gets done mixing and says "What do I do now mom?" When I told him he needed to taste it to make sure it was perfect, he held that spoon steady until he sucked every last drop off of it.

No sooner did he finish making his Kool Aid when the phone rang. It was my mother so he proceeded to tell her all about his Kool Aid making experience. Once he finished telling her he added 'and that makes me a chef'.

So to all of you who claim you are not a chef, I must tell you that you are wrong. Now get in the kitchen start making something. Go ahead you can do it.

Veterans Day

Wow, I know November 11 every year is Veterans day. A day to honor our military both past and present but I honestly had no idea of why or how this day of all days was the chosen date to honor our men and women in uniform.

So today I learned something new. In 1918 on the eleventh day of the eleventh month at the eleventh hour an end was declared for World War One. It was originally known as Armistice Day and it was meant to honor our soldiers returning from war. Somehow throughout the years it transformed into honoring all our military soldiers.

So today I will say a great big Thank You to all our soldiers. Past, Present and Future. Thank you for all you do in serving our country and protecting all those who live in it!

Confusion

I saw Zack walking around in the kitchen with a cup in his hand so I asked him what he was drinking. I figured he would tell me water since he can get that on his own. He told me "Lemonade" as if I was nuts for asking.
I did not realize Kris had given him some or I never would have asked.
Mr. Polite asked me if I wanted a taste so when I declined he insisted I try it that it was really good. Now I don't particularly care for Lemonade at all but who could resist a little one trying so hard to be nice and share his drink with you.
I took the smallest sip possible, you know the one when the liquid just barely touches your lips.
I handed his cup back to him told him Thank you but I really don't like Lemonade. He seemed very insulted and let me know that is was really good.
I asked him what Lemonade was made out of.

Insert 'Mom your so dumb look here'.

"Mom Lemonade is made out of water, sugar and Oranges".

I guess I need to spend a bit more time in the kitchen with him, he seems to be a bit confused.

Movie quotes

You know your child watches too much of a certain movie when he starts quoting it.

While driving in the car from the back seat you hear "turn and pull, turn and pull." Laughter ensues.

Sitting in a restaurant patiently waiting for your meal, you hear "Wait for it... ALIENS, Oh Snap." More laughter.

Walking around the grocery store I hear "Audiences love... Aliens." So I join in and we laugh.

Sitting at the table eating dinner we hear a noise from outside (wind knocking over something on the porch), I hear "Oh no Mom it must be the green eyed man." I just roll my eyes .

This child is currently obsessed with the movie Bolt. The minute he wakes up in the morning he wants to watch it. If he gets bored during the day he asks to watch it. Let me just say it is very hard trying to convince him to go do something else when he is in the mindset of watching it.
I refuse to turn it on more than once a day. I even have reservations about it being on once a day but it sure does make for some fun moments later on when we are least expecting it.

Oh what a day.

This day is not going so well.

I knew it was going to be a long day because Zack was going to be up early, very early. I fell asleep late last night only to be woken up at 3 am from a child crying "Help, Help Me". It is hard to run upstairs when you aren't quite awake. Once I was in his room he said (and I quote) I am ready to get up."

'What the heck are you thinking waking me up at 3 am as if you are in pain or something is wrong? Are you flipping out of your mind child?' Although that is what I was thinking, I am pretty sure I just said no, it is the middle of the night and you need to go back to sleep.

Of course that response was met with a whining child begging to get up and watch a DVD. Apparently he just didn't get that mommy was not in a happy mood.

"Lay down and go to sleep Zack."

"But Mom. (I love the But Moms don't you?). I really need all my babies on my bed or I will be lonely."

How he knew they weren't all there is beyond me, it was dark in room.

I reached down, grabbed what I could feel, and tried to politely tell him not to wake me again.

Guess what time he did get up for good. A little after 5 am. Although Kris went to him that time I am exhausted and it is still morning.

For breakfast he wanted cereal. No problem that is simple. While he was eating I went to go start the laundry. Stupid mistake on my part.

I came back into the dining room to see the cereal from the box being poured into the bowl, on the table, on the chair all over the floor. That is so not what I wanted to deal with today. He was made to help me clean up the mess.

Having a nap myself would be nice today but I just don't see it happening.

On Halloween night we trick or treated around our neighborhood. We did have a great time walking around looking at all the other costumes and the houses that did decorate.

One house had a blowup snow globe in front that Zack was fascinated with. They also had a "Ghost" (think man with a sheet over his head) on the front porch. Zack and K stood about 4 feet away from him/it and wouldn't move. Then Zack yelled "boo". He was trying to scare the ghost before the ghost scared him. It didn't work, the ghost didn't move. Someone told the kids to say Tick or Treat to the ghost. Zack did and low and behold the sheet moved to show a big of candy, both kids ran up a bit closer! Just as they approached the ghost said Boo both kids jumped back a bit BUT the allure of that candy kept propelling them forward. Before they left that house Zack asked the owner if he could pet the dogs who were on the lawn, both had on a tutu. It took some convincing to get the kids away from the dogs and move on.

Several houses away they really did it up big. The kids couldn't wait to get over there. Once they reached the porch and the motion detected sound effects came on both just stopped. Neither Zack nor K moved. K's mom stood there the chicken asking if the figure on the porch as real or not. They had a stuffed costume with a scream mask sitting on the porch. They had skeletons, ghosts, tombstones, lights, things that moved, you name it they had it! Zack finally got up the nerve to ring the door bell. When he did, it opened and there stood a scary clown masked man. (He did pull the mask up to show the kids that is was just a mask so they wouldn't be too scared).
They got their candy but Zack wouldn't walk away, he kept starring at that masked man. The guy got down low enough for Zack to touch it. At first he touched it gently, then I guess he really wanted to show that guy who was boss because he whacked him a good one! I was so embarrassed. I made Zack apologize and the guy said it was OK but still I was embarrassed.

After we returned home, Zack was allowed to eat 2 pieces of candy. Big BIG mistake on my part! That child was so wired from the sugar he couldn't fall asleep until nearly 11:30 at night! We have been spreading out the candy eating to a piece after lunch and one after dinner but that may change to just one piece a day because the child is wild these days!