Pearls of Wisdom by Henry...

Our conversation on the way to preschool this morning....

Henry:  Mom, do you think we fed Mora too much?
Me:  Hmmm... perhaps.
Henry:   When we get a new dog I want to be able to hold it and carry it around... and call it Chico.
Me:   Hmmm... that's something to think about. 

2 minutes later...

Henry:  Mom?
Me:  Yes?
Henry:  Do you think cows talk in heaven?
Me:  What do you think?
Henry:  I think yes because they say moooo all the time and that means that they want milk.
Me:  Hmmm... yes, you're probably right.

2 minutes later...

Henry:  Mom?

Me:  Yes?

Henry:  Do you think birds talk in heaven?  

Me:  What do you think?

Henry:  I think yes.

Me:  Me too.

Henry:  Because I told my whole class that after you ran into that bird and it died on the street, it's friends were talking to it and trying to help it up.  Remember?

Me:  Henry, I did not run into that bird.  It flew into our car!  

2 minutes later... 

Me:  Henry.... Did you really tell your whole class?

Henry:  Yup.  Can you open the sunroof?

2 Steps Forward, 3 Steps Back...

So I think today is one of those days where I do a lot but nothing gets done.  Pete woke up with a crummy cold this morning and Henry woke up and decided he was done going to preschool.  Yikes... you've got a long road aheadaya, kid.  It's a bit early to toss in the towel I told him.  Luckily Tylenol seemed to help Pete and a piece of chocolate seemed to motivate Henry.  We dropped Henry off at school and then Pete and I drove out to St. John's preschool in downtown Fayetteville.  Although the director was super friendly, the actual 4 year old teacher was about as awake and alive as wet toast.  No good.  Also, the drive was a good 20-25 minutes which just felt out there.  I decided since we were out and about to swing by Village Academy again.  When we visited last week, it happened to be on a Friday and the 4 year old class only meets M-Th so we weren't able to meet the teachers or see the children at play.  Unfortunately the lead teacher was out sick today (just my luck) but we were able to see the classroom and meet the co-lead, both of which seemed cheerful and bright.  Good!  On the way home, since Pete seemed in better spirits (but mostly because I didn't have Henry), I decided to run into Kohl's.  I got a 30% coupon in the mail recently and obviously I had to buy something with it.  I picked up several things, headed to the register, and just when I was about to offer my coupon to the salesclerk she reminded me that the sale doesn't start until March 7... which is tomorrow... which reminded me that I still haven't corrected the date on my watch from that stupid Leap Year day.  Ugggh.  Yes, sure, please put all of that junk on hold under my name.  We'll be back tomorrow.  It'll be kinda like fun but not.  

"Mama said there'd be days like this..."

You win some, you lose some...

So I decided that once Chris left, I was going to try very hard to 1) remain positive and 2) remain patient.  I think I'm doing a pretty good job of both and that's partly because I've decided to relax on certain things (well, a little bit).  For example, Henry wanted a cookie for breakfast this morning.  Normally I would've gotten into a full-blown discussion (read: argument) as to why that's a terrible decision first thing in the morning. Today, I simply handed him the cookie.  And you know why??  BECAUSE I WON THAT ONE... I made those cookies with applesauce and Salba, sucker!  For those of you unaware of Salba, it's this awesome super food (like flax seed or blueberries) and it comes in a powdered form that I sprinkle in anything I can get away with (baked goods, smoothies, yogurt) and the boys are none the wiser.  (I bought it off of Amazon but they also sell it at Whole Foods, etc.).  I was on a "flax seed kick" a few years ago that Allison and Chris gave me a hard time about because... well... the boys were having some "bathroom" issues as a result.  That doesn't appear to be the case with Salba.  Win, win.

This new, relaxed attitude holds true with the boys clothing choices as well.  I've learned to lighten up a bit about what they choose to wear.  I definitely prefer to pick their clothes (lest James wears shorts in 30 degree weather and Henry chooses a 2T Batman shirt and pajama bottoms to play outside in) but hey!  Whatever makes you happy.

I also need to get hot on taking the bottle away from Pete.  At 12 months, doctors recommend you switch over, not to a sippy cup anymore, but to an open-mouth cup.  Sigh.  Okay... add it to the list.  I probably also put Pete down for a nap a whole lot more than I did with the big boys but... here's the thing, he almost always falls asleep so maybe I'm the fool for not doing this with the other two.  Look, I need the break and I'll try to get one as often as possible since I don't have any friends, neighbors, relatives or even a babysitter I'm taking turns with!  As my girlfriend, Bobbe, asked me after spending the day with Pete, "Damn, girl!  Do you ice your arm at night? That boy is heavy!!"  Funny.

Well, speak of the devil, I hear Pete.  I guess he's not keen on taking a 3rd nap today after all.  Hmm... you win some, you lose some.   If you're ever at the Fayetteville Target (our home away from home), don't be surprised to see my partner dressed up like this...

Another Craigslist Success!

So, for any of you wondering... I did not get chopped up into little bits two days ago.  That was one of my chief concerns when I went to meet the "woman" I was hoping to buy a mirror from off of Craigslist.  I say "woman" because really, over email, how can you be sure?  Now my girlfriend, Meagan, offered to drive with me but I'm crazy like that and decided to throw caution to the wind and go alone.  The Craigslist woman and I agreed to meet in a Walgreens parking lot, in broad daylight, in order for me to (hopefully) purchase the mirror.  In somewhat of a womp womp, anti-climactic ending, the woman really did turn out to be a woman and a beautiful, expensively dressed, one at that.  Perhaps the lesson here is... if you're considering buying a used bathing suit or mattress off of Craigslist, pack heat for pick up.  A sunburst mirror?  Yeah... you're probably good.

Anyway... I gave her the $125, wrestled that heavy, cumbersome, ridiculously sharp mirror into my swagger wagon and was off!  I was afraid she was going to take it back after she kept telling me that she'd spent over $400 on it and how much she loved it but they were moving and didn't have a space for it, yadda, yadda... whatever.  Once I got it home I realized I had a problem.  How in the world was I going to lift and hang a mirror that had three strange holes on the back and no one to help me do it?  Clearly it needed to be anchored into the wall.  This mirror's no joke... it's heavy.  And I really didn't even understand how it was intended to be hung.

So I came up with two options.  1) Offer one of the construction workers in the neighborhood building homes $20 bucks to help me hang it.  or 2) Ask super quiet, introverted dad across the street to help me hang it.  I would've gone with the first option but Chris was worried about the whole chopping-to-bits part I think so... I mustered up the courage to ask the neighbor.  And thank God I did because he came over today and HUNG THE MIRROR!!!!  I was so happy, I could've kissed him.  But I definitely didn't because I am married and his wife was standing next to me.

Anyway, I'm definitely not done decorating the mantle or family room, but here's a picture of it up... I'm just so happy it's hanging because I really didn't think it was going up until Chris returned!

Preschool Madness...

I just wanted to take a minute to vent about finding the "right" preschool for Henry next fall.  My goodness is it tough!  There are about 100 in town to pick from... literally, it seems.  Most offer classes M-Th from 9-12.  Some offer an option of paying extra for a "lunch bunch" so they stay until 1:00pm.  (Duh.)  The school Henry is currently attending is one of the few that goes from 9:00-1:00 daily and he brings his lunch.  Henry loves feeling like a big boy with his lunch box so that's been great.  The "problem" with the school is that I think they spend too much time coloring, watching movies (what?) and going over things Henry already knows (the alphabet, numbers, etc).  Look... I get that we're not prepping him for Harvard (truly, I do), but Henry is very bright and could use a more challenging curriculum.  Plus, we're paying for it so I think it makes sense to shop around.  There are several schools I'm considering for next school year and of course everyone I speak to has a different opinion.  Of the people I've encountered, many have great things to say about Village Christian Academy.  It's the most expensive (around $375/ month I think) but I hear the curriculum and staff make it worthwhile.  At soccer last night, one of the moms sent her son there when he was a preschooler and just loved it.  The other mom was considering switching her son from Fayetteville Academy (incidentally where the boys practice) because they're spending $13,000 a YEAR for her 4th grader and don't really see commensurate results.  Huh.  I will say the director of the program (at Village) was incredibly open and forth coming and when I called to set up an appointment to view the school she said, "Anytime we're open, you're welcome" which made me feel good.  True to her word, we stopped by yesterday at 10:00 and she dropped everything she was doing to show us around.  And, considering both Henry and Peter acted like two caged animals the entire time (I wanted to snatch Henry under the arm and tell him to KNOCK IT OFF but of course he probably would've screamed, "Owww!  You hurrrrt me!" and embarrassed me more.)  Even during their rambunctious display, the director found them endearing.  Huh.  One other great thing is that they have a few openings left so my girlfriend, Cortney, arriving in June, could sign her daughter, Gabby, up as well if she was interested.  Many of the other schools already have a wait list and it would be so nice for Henry and Gabby to be together again (they were best buds at West Point) and of course, a carpool is always a bonus.  Are you thinking what I'm thinking??  That I just figured this out?  Huh.  Me too...


PS.  Okay, but those of you who really know me know that I'm still going to call around and visit the other schools probably.  Hee hee....

Perhaps I should use this picture of the boys with underwear on their heads for the application...

New friends...

It's funny how life works.  When I found out we were moving back to Ft. Bragg, my girlfriend whom I attended grad school classes with told me I just had to meet her good friend, Meagan, also living at Bragg.  Great, I said!  Our mutual friend, Angela, linked Meagan and I up over Facebook back in November  and, as luck would have it, Meagan and I realized our husbands would be working closely together.  Small world.  We've gotten together several times and I really enjoy her company.  Pete and her daughter, Jayme, really seem to like each other too (as do Henry and her other two children, Josie and Sawyer).  James still hasn't met her crew since we've only gotten together during school hours so far.

Here are a few pictures from this morning's playdate...

                                                        "Well, hello000oo Jayme!"

"Let's be boyfriend and girlfriend, okay?"

"What do you moms think??"

                                          "I don't know, Mom, but I think she might like me..."

                                                                     "You do, right??"

"Ohhhh, man.  What'd I do?!!"

I bet he pooped.

One week down!

Yesterday marked one week since Chris left.  Progress, I suppose.   We've had a busy week so it seemed to go by (somewhat) quickly.  Pete turned 1... I turned 35.... James had a Tiger Cub meeting where he made a pinewood derby boxcar... the big boys had soccer practice and games.  Overall, it was a pretty good week and I was truly humbled by your kind messages and thoughtful birthday gifts for both of us.  Thank you for being so good to us.

Aunt Megan sent Peter a new shopping cart for his birthday!  It just arrived yesterday and he loves dragging Bunny in and out of it.  Henry is in the background saying that Pete's beloved Bunny is actually a gift to him from Ita.  Now that Pete has decided Bunny is his lovie, Henry likes to find reasons to cuddle with it too.  Tricky...

What's funny is that I found a similar video from Georgia when James was about the same age, pushing a grocery cart, chasing after Mora!  Poor, sweet Mora...

Isn't amazing how similar they look?  James is much faster with that cart but I'm sure Pete will catch up in time...