Keeping Promises

As a mother I find that I am often posed with having to give ultimatums, demands, bribes, and anything else you can think of to elicit good behavior from my almost 4 year old. I find that it works for the most part, but that you have to be willing to keep your word no matter how you really feel about something. You might actually have to leave that playdate where you were enjoying the conversation or box up a meal at a restaurant and eat it at home because you told your child that you would leave it he did that "one more time." Yes, we've all been there. No this is not rocket science.

Well the flip side of this also holds true. If I promise a reward for doing something, I intend to keep my word. Empty promises really aren't any good and I want my child to know that I mean what I say no matter if it's a punishment or a reward. I also want my child to trust me. If Mommy says she is coming back, then mommy is definitely coming back. I find that military kids hold these words so very closely and I hope I never shatter a promise that my kid has held so dearly.

Well, a week ago Ian was promised the water park with the water slides. When we got there it was closed. We were all disappointed. I was bummed. Ian was bummed. He kept telling me he was sorry. Every day on the way to school he would see those all so close yet so far away water slides and remind me how sad we were. Well I wanted to remedy this. I wanted to be able keep my promise and to help rid us of the disappointment. We were able to do that on Sunday afternoon!

We went to the Lions Club Park Water Park. Boy did Ian have fun! It's a really cute facility and the kids area was nice. It was about 12 inches deep and equipped with 3 waterslides and some ropes to swing on. Ian was able to swim around without me having much fear for him. Now I did keep close watch, but I didn't have to be an arms length from him and could concentrate my major efforts on Aaron.

A Boy's Best Friend

Ian has been all about Wishbone lately. I actually loved Wishbone when he first debuted on PBS back when I was in college (or thereabouts). His show is excellent because it encourages the reading of classic literature and puts a modern twist on the story as a parallel storyline. (Reruns air on a lot of the local PBS channels. Check your local listing.) I pined for a Jack Russell Terrier of my own to teach tricks and my parents actually humored me and bought me my very first puppy that was all my own during my rotations for pharmacy school. Her name is Izzy and she's been my dog for the past 12 years. Izzy is getting up there in years and is not too fond of young kids. She looks like a puppy, but really is a geriatric. (If only I could look so good at such an old age. ha!) Ian and Aaron would both love to get ahold of her, but she will have nothing to do with it. But I digress...


My grandmother bought me this toy Wishbone as a gift several years ago. She knew that I would enjoy him even though I was too old for stuffed animals and he's quite a fun stuffed toy. He has several push buttons and he says sayings from the show if you push his ear, his tail, his back, his nose or his paw. I found him when I was cleaning out a few things in the garage the other day and his batteries still work. I brought him in and he's been Ian's constant companion ever since. My grandmother never got to meet my Ian. She passed in April of the year that Ian was born in November. I know my grandma would love my boys and would find a lot of joy knowing that something she purchased for me is being enjoyed this many years later by a great-grandchild of hers.

First Day of School 2009

Ian has been so excited to go to school. He had been missing school since we moved to Texas. When we moved here there were no spots left in the preschool classes at the schools that I would consider putting him in so he sat out for a semester. When I asked him if he was ready to go back to school, I got an emphatic YES!

We got up and did our morning routine. I had to prod Ian to eat his breakfast, but he managed to eat most of it. We got dressed and then took some photos to remember the first day of MDO-3.



He was super excited about his dinosaur "munch bag" and backpack.




Then, of course, we had to get Aaron in a couple of photos:





And then in the hallway before school started:






Ian went in like he was right at home. He did ask for a hug and a kiss, but then didn't look back once. He went right in to play with the 2 children that were already there.

Aaron and I were able to get so much done while Ian was gone. We did some grocery shopping. I managed to get the kitchen floors vacuumed and mopped. I also vacuumed the rest of the house and relaxed a bit before lunch.

We went back to pick Ian up at 2:30pm. The teacher said he had been very good. He was filthy and told me that he had fun. He learned that God created the world, colored some pictures, played on the playground, and played games. He seemed to like the pedal go round out on the playground and told me what the rules were: "No running. No splashing. No running." I assume the splashing was in the sink. :) He proudly brought his folder home. He was pretty wiped out and took a 2 hour nap!



Mr Dirty, Happy, Post School Face:


(and just for comparison, here is the boys pictures from last year's first day of school! I can't believe how much they both have grown.)

Last Day of "Summer!"

Well today was supposed to be the "last day of summer" for Ian and it's been a total "bummer." We were supposed to go to the new waterpark here in Killeen and we were under the impression it was open during the week until Labor Day, but we were misinformed. So an irritated mommy took home a very disappointed 3 year old who kept saying he was sorry. Poor little dude. Even the splash parks were closed until school let out.

Ian starts preschool tomorrow. He's excited. He was so sad when he couldn't go back to school when we PCS'd here over the holiday break. He missed school and the kids so much. We tried to make up for it in other ways, but it just wasn't the same. We went to meet the teacher last Thursday and he went right in and started playing with his new friends. There are 11 in his class. Ian is one of the older kids in his class so I told him he'll have to help be an example to the younger boys and girls.

Here's our "last day of summer bummer" photos. The boys are in their dry swim attire. I'll post another entry tomorrow after school. Until then... TOODLES!

New Camera!

So you have to look at pictures because I had to try it out!!
And even though my pictures may not be all that great, my subjects are pretty darn cute don't you think? :)











(I think they are plotting their escape!)

Alice in Wonderland, Jr

Ian and I purchased tickets to go see the Children's Theater production of Alice in Wonderland, Jr at the Vive Les Arts Center today. Ian and I were both incredibly excited and we were not disappointed!! The kids were all fantastic! We were pretty partial to the parts of the Queen of Hearts, the Mad Hatter, and Lily of the Golden Afternoon Girls since they happened to be played by the daughters of a friend. They should all be proud of their performances! Ian sat on the edge of his seat mesmerized by the whole thing. I had to shake him out of a daze for intermission and a snack and when we went back for the 2nd Act he was instantly right back watching intensely. When the show ended and it was time to go, Ian said, "Mommy, play it again please!" So cute!

We went out to meet and greet the actors and got to really meet Knitter's girls: Guitargirl, Miss Kaboom and Miss Creativity! They are all 3 very wonderful young women and were so nice to Ian. He kept jumping up and down so giddy to actually meet the characters from the show. I snapped a several pictures from our day and hope you bear with me since I am going to post them all! (And I hope Knitter is okay with me posting the pics of her girls, but you have to see their beautiful faces in their costumes. Unfortunately, Miss Creativity snuck off before we got a chance to capture her picture.)

Here Ian and I are ready for the show! Look how excited he is!


Outside the theater:


And then waiting in the lobby with our tickets. Forgive the grainy pics from my iPhone.

Finally in his seat! Look at the anticipation!


And then after the show!
The Queen of Hearts (aka Guitargirl) and Ian



The Mad Hatter (aka Miss Kaboom) and Ian

Knitter and Ian


And then all of them minus Miss Creativity who I never caught on camera.



Bravo, Girls! We really enjoyed you and your fellow actors and hope to catch you in an upcoming show soon!

My Crazy Fascination with ...

BUGS!

I don't know what it is, but I am so fascinated by cool looking bugs. Mind you I am talking insects and NOT spiders. Spiders have their place in this world, and I am okay with them as long as they are NOT inside my home or near where I need to be. :) And fire ants are NOT cool inspite of being insects. Well I could go on and on about the bugs I like and the ones I don't, but that's not the point. So moving on...

Well now living in Texas I have learned a few things. 1. EVERYTHING IS BIGGER IN TEXAS! Including insects! I was pumping gas at the corner gas station the other day and noticed my lovely friend hanging out. Isn't he cool? He appears to be some sort of grasshopper, but I am not certain. One of you purebred Texans will have to help clue me into his "name." But I must say, that he is ONE large cool looking critter!




I guess I need to invest in a entymology guide to Texas. I assume that he's some sort of pest in the Orthoptera Order.

And if anything, you can be glad I chose pharmacy over entymology. It's a lot easier to lure people over for drugs instead of bugs. LOL. (I don't keep drugs in the house, BTW.)