Back when Ian could first put words together, around age 3, he used to say all the time when we were in the car when it was raining, "I wish there were windshield wipers on my window". It was brilliant and I loved the idea.
It's been more than few years since Ian has said this idea of his. Just the other day he said it again. Ian didn't even realize he used to say this before. He was surprised when I told him this was not an original thought of his.
I thinks its pretty cool that Ian said this again about 5 years later.
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Documented by Sam
Jeff and I had a date night not too long ago. We went to dinner and a movie. The babysitter we've been using, Patrick, is very good with the kids. He only has to say to Sam, "Time for bed" and she will listen. However, this most recent babysitting occasion, Sam started giving Patrick a hard time and refused to go when he told her it was time. In fact, she started whining saying she wanted Daddy to put her down. Patrick told her that her father was not able to do that. After more resistance, Sam said she was going to call Jeff. Patrick told her we were at the movies, but that didn't slow her down.
We got out of the movie and Jeff looked down at his phone. 3 missed calls from home. I looked down at my phone and saw a text message from Patrick "Everything is fine. Sam is fighting me on going to sleep. She keeps calling Jeff."
I call home and tell Patrick not to kill himself trying to get her to go to sleep. It's not worth making him miserable getting her down. Sam doesn't have school the next day and whatever happens is fine with us. I told him to feel flattered he was going through this. Sam only pulls this crap with me, Jeff and my mom. This means that she feels comfortable enough to bring Patrick into her inner circle. Hopefully Patrick was amused by this because I need to keep him to come back. We don't go out very often, but when we do, its nice to know we have a reliable sitter to call on.
Once we get back home from our evening out, we find out that Sam is indeed asleep. However, Patrick explains to us what happened. As Patrick is fighting with Sam to go to bed, she is calling Jeff and telling Ian to help her quickly write these numbers down.
The next morning when Sam wakes up, she comes out of her room holding a square post-it note. In her own handwriting is the following info "Daddy 9:00". The first thing out of her mouth when she sees Jeff is, "Daddy, I tried calling you at 9:00 (pronounced Nine Zero Zero) and you weren't there!!"
She actually documented the time she called Jeff. And she remembered that this was something she needed to tell him right away when she woke up. It is very impressive that she had the forethought to want to write down the time of the calls. It's also a little scary that she is only 5 years old.
If this is what we are dealing with at age 5, what's going to happen when she gets older?
We got out of the movie and Jeff looked down at his phone. 3 missed calls from home. I looked down at my phone and saw a text message from Patrick "Everything is fine. Sam is fighting me on going to sleep. She keeps calling Jeff."
I call home and tell Patrick not to kill himself trying to get her to go to sleep. It's not worth making him miserable getting her down. Sam doesn't have school the next day and whatever happens is fine with us. I told him to feel flattered he was going through this. Sam only pulls this crap with me, Jeff and my mom. This means that she feels comfortable enough to bring Patrick into her inner circle. Hopefully Patrick was amused by this because I need to keep him to come back. We don't go out very often, but when we do, its nice to know we have a reliable sitter to call on.
Once we get back home from our evening out, we find out that Sam is indeed asleep. However, Patrick explains to us what happened. As Patrick is fighting with Sam to go to bed, she is calling Jeff and telling Ian to help her quickly write these numbers down.
The next morning when Sam wakes up, she comes out of her room holding a square post-it note. In her own handwriting is the following info "Daddy 9:00". The first thing out of her mouth when she sees Jeff is, "Daddy, I tried calling you at 9:00 (pronounced Nine Zero Zero) and you weren't there!!"
She actually documented the time she called Jeff. And she remembered that this was something she needed to tell him right away when she woke up. It is very impressive that she had the forethought to want to write down the time of the calls. It's also a little scary that she is only 5 years old.
If this is what we are dealing with at age 5, what's going to happen when she gets older?
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Fire Alarm
With 30 minutes left to go in Ian's class, the fire alarm went off at the place where he takes gymnastics. The entire place had to clear out. I get a call on my cell phone with a South Florida number. I think it is The Crazy Man and intentionally don't answer it because I am on the house phone line with my sister-in-law. After finishing my conversation, I listen to my voicemail and come to realize it was Ian. He borrowed someone's cell phone to call and say that everyone is outside due to the fire alarm going off and to come pick him up early. Oh my! I throw my jacket on and as I am running out the door, I yell to Jeff and Sam "Fire alarm at Capital. Need to get Ian NOW!"
I arrive and can't find Ian. For those who know this place, it is already organized chaos with bodies flying back and forth everywhere on the inside. This training facility is always jam packed with action. Imagine it late at night (with very little lighting) and everyone having to be outside. And to add to the scene, it has started snowing big, wet heavy flakes.
I park the car and start my search for Ian. There are too many kids all in the same patch of field. Kudos to Capital for keeping them contained in one place. A girl I don't know comes over to me and asks if I am looking for Ian's coaches group. I say yes and she takes me to where the boys are. A father of one of Ian's teammates opened his Suburban to the group and had them all wait inside his car. Ian's Coach is standing outside of the car and sees me. She opens the door and tells Ian I've arrived. At this point the snow is really starting to come down. As Ian climbs out, he says, "So nice to have heated leather seats." I had to chuckle; all the other kids are standing out in the cold getting snowed on with most of them only wearing a leotard and flip flops. Ian is waiting for me to arrive sitting on heated leather seats while watching a video. How wonderful this father was to his son's teammates.
I park the car and start my search for Ian. There are too many kids all in the same patch of field. Kudos to Capital for keeping them contained in one place. A girl I don't know comes over to me and asks if I am looking for Ian's coaches group. I say yes and she takes me to where the boys are. A father of one of Ian's teammates opened his Suburban to the group and had them all wait inside his car. Ian's Coach is standing outside of the car and sees me. She opens the door and tells Ian I've arrived. At this point the snow is really starting to come down. As Ian climbs out, he says, "So nice to have heated leather seats." I had to chuckle; all the other kids are standing out in the cold getting snowed on with most of them only wearing a leotard and flip flops. Ian is waiting for me to arrive sitting on heated leather seats while watching a video. How wonderful this father was to his son's teammates.
Ian thinks a fuse blew and that is why the fire alarm went off. The fire engines were still checking things out by the time we left to go home. Ian said it was nutzo with everyone trying to get their stuff and leave all at the same time. Initially his group lost track of their coach. Ian said they all huddled together outside and stayed as a team until she found them.
It's crazy how you don't even think this stuff could happen until it does. I am so proud of Ian for not panicking or freaking out that I wasn't there when the alarm went off. And he used his head to borrow a cell phone to call me.
Whew! What a way to get the heart pumping when you least expect it.
Friday, February 21, 2014
The terrible, no-good, very bad day
Written on Tuesday, February 18, 2014 at 8:06pm.
Today I failed Samantha. I was the worst mother ever. Although Jeff said I was not the worst mother ever because I didn't kill her. So let me revise that sentence and say I was the 2nd worst mother ever, under the ones that actually do harm and kill their children. No matter which number I rank, I feel like I was in the top 5 of bad moms. I lost my patience, I lost all sense of logic and tried to reason with someone who clearly wasn't up for being reasonable.
The day started off with a 2 hour delay because of .03 inch of snow that fell overnight. Sam woke up in a good mood and didn't give me her usual grief. She got dressed, ate breakfast and even brushed her teeth with no fuss. I must've been extra vulnerable seeing how harmonious our morning was going. It wasn't until I gave the 10 minute and then the 5 minute warning that we were leaving to catch the bus that all hell broke lose. Sam refused to stop drawing. She stood her ground and wouldn't budge. Ian and I pretended we were leaving without her. This usually does the trick. She even yelled at us to wait for her while she put on her socks and shoes (or so I thought). I told her I was only loading up the car and would come back inside. After a quick trip to the car, I observe she still hasn't left the table or stopped her coloring. I took her butterfly design paper and put it up high out of her reach. I yelled her to get her shoes on NOW! She screamed back she didn't want to take the bus. She didn't want to go to school. She wanted Pinky (her lovey) to go with her. I said fine, run and get Pinky. Only she didn't run to get Pinky. She walked very, very slowly. I yelled "RUN! IF YOU WANT PINKY, YOU NEED TO MOVE!!" I ended up taking her iPad away for two days. I was thisclose to taking it away all week.
Still with very little sense of urgency on her part, making me even more impatient, I grab her and get her socks and shoes on. She is crying. I put her coat on her. (These are all things she usually does on her own). I push her out the front door. She willingly gets in the car while crying. We arrive at the bus stop. I get out. She locks her door and refuses to get out. I unlock her door and grab her out of the car. The bus arrives as I am carrying her out of the car. She refuses to get on the bus. I PUSH her on the bus steps to get on. Yes, I actually had to push her to get on the bus.
Later in the afternoon, upon pick-up from school we have to go directly to drop off Ian at religious school. We get back home after drop-off and its just us until Jeff & Ian get home at 6:40pm.
For over and hour and 40 minutes Sam and I are at odds with each other. For the most part she is hiding under the table and whining. She is not happy. I am not either. Its not a good scene.
This is not the kind of mother I want to be. I feel like she got the better of me. She has beaten me down. I didn't enjoy interacting with her at all today. I hate thinking that. I hate writing that.
Thank G-d I am not a single mother. I appreciate Jeff more than ever on these kind of days when he can come rescue me and have a fresh perspective. I go to sleep at night wishing to wake up tomorrow to start all over again with a clean slate. I hate days like this. She is one tough cookie.
Today I failed Samantha. I was the worst mother ever. Although Jeff said I was not the worst mother ever because I didn't kill her. So let me revise that sentence and say I was the 2nd worst mother ever, under the ones that actually do harm and kill their children. No matter which number I rank, I feel like I was in the top 5 of bad moms. I lost my patience, I lost all sense of logic and tried to reason with someone who clearly wasn't up for being reasonable.
The day started off with a 2 hour delay because of .03 inch of snow that fell overnight. Sam woke up in a good mood and didn't give me her usual grief. She got dressed, ate breakfast and even brushed her teeth with no fuss. I must've been extra vulnerable seeing how harmonious our morning was going. It wasn't until I gave the 10 minute and then the 5 minute warning that we were leaving to catch the bus that all hell broke lose. Sam refused to stop drawing. She stood her ground and wouldn't budge. Ian and I pretended we were leaving without her. This usually does the trick. She even yelled at us to wait for her while she put on her socks and shoes (or so I thought). I told her I was only loading up the car and would come back inside. After a quick trip to the car, I observe she still hasn't left the table or stopped her coloring. I took her butterfly design paper and put it up high out of her reach. I yelled her to get her shoes on NOW! She screamed back she didn't want to take the bus. She didn't want to go to school. She wanted Pinky (her lovey) to go with her. I said fine, run and get Pinky. Only she didn't run to get Pinky. She walked very, very slowly. I yelled "RUN! IF YOU WANT PINKY, YOU NEED TO MOVE!!" I ended up taking her iPad away for two days. I was thisclose to taking it away all week.
Still with very little sense of urgency on her part, making me even more impatient, I grab her and get her socks and shoes on. She is crying. I put her coat on her. (These are all things she usually does on her own). I push her out the front door. She willingly gets in the car while crying. We arrive at the bus stop. I get out. She locks her door and refuses to get out. I unlock her door and grab her out of the car. The bus arrives as I am carrying her out of the car. She refuses to get on the bus. I PUSH her on the bus steps to get on. Yes, I actually had to push her to get on the bus.
Later in the afternoon, upon pick-up from school we have to go directly to drop off Ian at religious school. We get back home after drop-off and its just us until Jeff & Ian get home at 6:40pm.
For over and hour and 40 minutes Sam and I are at odds with each other. For the most part she is hiding under the table and whining. She is not happy. I am not either. Its not a good scene.
This is not the kind of mother I want to be. I feel like she got the better of me. She has beaten me down. I didn't enjoy interacting with her at all today. I hate thinking that. I hate writing that.
Thank G-d I am not a single mother. I appreciate Jeff more than ever on these kind of days when he can come rescue me and have a fresh perspective. I go to sleep at night wishing to wake up tomorrow to start all over again with a clean slate. I hate days like this. She is one tough cookie.
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Sledding and Snow
"A childhood without snow is not a good one."
- Ian Toppall on February 13, 2014
We've had plenty of snow this Winter. There are no complaints from the kids on the lack of the white stuff this year. With all the snow, the kids have had many opportunities to go sledding. They have an absolute blast! Is there anything more wholesome than sledding? It doesn't require batteries, is not electronic, gets you outdoors and doesn't cost money. What's not to love?!!?
We've been on the hunt for good hills to sled on that don't require a 15 minute drive down somewhat icy, snow-covered roads. We've managed to find a great place to go that is loved by me (for ease of access getting there) and by the kids (for the steepness and length of the hill). It is a win-win.
The first time we arrived (it's off of Shiplett for those reading this who are local), Sam hops on her sled almost immediately upon arrival and takes off. Ian and I are watching her shoot down the hill. She is like a bullet moving so fast. Sam is fearless until she has reason not to be. Sam comes to a natural stop and while sitting upright in her sled starts crying -- LOUDLY! Without hesitation, Ian takes off on foot to go to her. He has amazing balance and reaches her within seconds. Me, on the other hand, is scared to death I am going to fall on my face, my wrist, my butt, twist my ankle or a combination of all of the above trying to get to her. After a full minute of doing my best to navigate this steep hill, I give up. Sam is still crying and is getting louder and louder that I am not by her side.
I do the next best thing I can think of to reach her. I grab Ian's sled, hop in it and yell, "Hang on Sam!! I'm coming to you!!" With a quick push, I take off. Like my butt is on fire. I move faster than a speeding a bullet, faster than a locomotive, faster than a race car, faster than an Ostrich. As I am FLYING down the hill I am also yelling "OOOOOOOHHHHHH SHHHHHIIIIIIITTTTTTTT" simultaneously. Geez, I am moving. I am moving so fast there is smoke coming off the back of the sled.
I fly by Sam and Ian. Their heads spin watching me zoom by them. I am not even close to slowing down as I approach them. This turn of events (seeing me in a blur pass them) is enough to get Sam distracted, forget why she is crying and get her to stand up. Both their mouths drop open until I finally come to a stop. Sam and Ian run to me and make sure I am ok. Wow, that was fun.
From that moment on, Sam does not use her sled anymore. She decides to sled either sitting on her butt or going down the hill on her tummy. She feels she has more control that way.
Ian, on the other hand, has decided to do the ramps made out of snow/ice by the kids who were there before him. It is so much fun watching him 'catch air' and take off.
These pictures were taken when we went back the next day with a few of the kids' friends:
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| Jeff helping the girls. He is trying to pull them back up the hill. |
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| Sam and her friend. |
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| Sam going down the hill on her tummy. |
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| Ian and his friend sledding. |
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| Ian catching some air! |
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| Sam and Ian playfully push each other down the hill. |
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| Ian and his friend. Ian is on the right. |
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| Sam and her friend trying to grab onto the sled. |
Monday, February 17, 2014
Valentine's Day 2014
I decided to do something a little different for the kids for Valentine's day. I came up with the idea to surprise them when they woke up on Friday morning with their doors covered in hearts; each one stating a reason why Jeff and I loved them so much. I cut out hearts in various sizes and different colors (pink, red, white) and even used glitter glue on a few when writing to jazz them up a bit. Additionally, I created a banner up at the top of the door that said, "We LOVE...." and another at the bottom of the door that said, "Happy Valentine's Day! Love, Mommy and Daddy" And to top off this homemade creation, I found a "LOVE" banner that I hung across the bathroom door which is located directly across from their bedrooms. The whole thing was constructed and put in place after the kids went to bed on Thursday night. Additionally, Jeff bought each of the kids a card and I had gotten them Valentine's boxes of chocolate in designs they would like (Football for Ian, Hello Kitty for Sam).
How sweet, right? Um, not so much.
I was so excited to see their reaction when they first woke up. Sam got up first, got a kick out of her door, but wouldn't let either Jeff or me read her the 14 reasons we had written on the hearts. She was pretty darn sure she could read each one on her own. Every time I started to read her one, she yelled, "I CAN DO IT!!!!!". Ha! Considering that one of the hearts said "How you love to learn to read", this was quite ironic. Oy! Who knows if she actually figured out what the hearts said or not. I tried hard to get a few of them said out loud before getting screamed at. How sweet for me. :)
The older kid wakes up next. He looks at his door, promptly slams it shut and goes back to bed. It's another 20 minutes before he opens his door, tells us he does not like the hearts at all and wants them down. Right now! I was not expecting that reaction at all. Ian especially does not like the heart that says "How you are with Samantha". I told him to leave the hearts up until the end of the day. I worked hard on the doors and want to enjoy it at least for a few hours. Ian said he'd be inside his room until Valentine's day was over. Ha! Ian was acting like he experienced a bad break-up on the 14th of February and still hadn't gotten over the girl. What got into him!?!?! Jeff and I are not used to seeing Ian so grumpy early in the day. I definitely didn't see that coming.
When Ian emerged to go to the bathroom, I quickly seized the opportunity to run into his room and put the card and box of chocolates on his pillow. After the trip to the bathroom, he went back into his room, closed the door again and I could hear him unrwapping the chocolate. At least he had use for that.
Oh, and I was told to next year hang the "LOVE" banner higher up. Apparently having it their height was too low. And on Sunday, Ian came to me and said he wasn't a fan of the chocolates. They are "too chewy". Whatever.
It's so nice to do something fun and special for your kids and not have it be appreciated. I can't wait for them to see what I do next year. It will require very little effort on my part. Very, very little effort. Who am I kidding? By the time another 365 days roll around again, I'll be ready to come up with another kooky idea to show them how much we love them.
How sweet, right? Um, not so much.
I was so excited to see their reaction when they first woke up. Sam got up first, got a kick out of her door, but wouldn't let either Jeff or me read her the 14 reasons we had written on the hearts. She was pretty darn sure she could read each one on her own. Every time I started to read her one, she yelled, "I CAN DO IT!!!!!". Ha! Considering that one of the hearts said "How you love to learn to read", this was quite ironic. Oy! Who knows if she actually figured out what the hearts said or not. I tried hard to get a few of them said out loud before getting screamed at. How sweet for me. :)
The older kid wakes up next. He looks at his door, promptly slams it shut and goes back to bed. It's another 20 minutes before he opens his door, tells us he does not like the hearts at all and wants them down. Right now! I was not expecting that reaction at all. Ian especially does not like the heart that says "How you are with Samantha". I told him to leave the hearts up until the end of the day. I worked hard on the doors and want to enjoy it at least for a few hours. Ian said he'd be inside his room until Valentine's day was over. Ha! Ian was acting like he experienced a bad break-up on the 14th of February and still hadn't gotten over the girl. What got into him!?!?! Jeff and I are not used to seeing Ian so grumpy early in the day. I definitely didn't see that coming.
When Ian emerged to go to the bathroom, I quickly seized the opportunity to run into his room and put the card and box of chocolates on his pillow. After the trip to the bathroom, he went back into his room, closed the door again and I could hear him unrwapping the chocolate. At least he had use for that.
Oh, and I was told to next year hang the "LOVE" banner higher up. Apparently having it their height was too low. And on Sunday, Ian came to me and said he wasn't a fan of the chocolates. They are "too chewy". Whatever.
It's so nice to do something fun and special for your kids and not have it be appreciated. I can't wait for them to see what I do next year. It will require very little effort on my part. Very, very little effort. Who am I kidding? By the time another 365 days roll around again, I'll be ready to come up with another kooky idea to show them how much we love them.
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| Sam's door |
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| Ian's door |
Thursday, February 13, 2014
House of Cards.
Ever since I discovered streaming, I've tried very hard to find a show for Jeff and I to watch together. With each series I'm about to start watching, I ask Jeff if he wants to join me in this endeavour. "Breaking Bad"? No. "Orange is the New Black"? No. "Weeds"? No. "Mad Men"? No.
It sucks that we don't have any pop culture interest in common. I hear of couples all the time that stream television shows together. They get into the series and start binge-watching. How awesome is that to have the one you love get all caught up in the action too! Someone to discuss the character development and plot twists right there next to you!
I was ready to start watching a new series. And yet again, I asked Jeff if he wanted to watch it with me. "House of Cards"? Yes. Yes? Really? Yes. WOW! I couldn't believe it. We made plans to begin the next night. If it was me, I'd be ready to start watching then and there. But Jeff needed another day to prepare. Whatever. :)
We watch the first episode. Jeff says he can see the appeal of the show. I love Kevin Spacey and am already hooked. However, I love Jeff too and am willing to go at his pace on streaming these episodes. Therefore, the 2nd episode will have to wait for another day. Since watching a show together is a dream come true, I restrain myself and patiently wait for when Jeff is up for watching this show. We average an episode every other day; sometimes we go two full days between episodes. It is hard to go at this snail's pace, but I do it. I do it because I LOVE my husband and that's what you do when you love someone.
It should be noted that as we are watching each of the shows, I've leaned into Jeff (very lovingly) and said to him, "I love that we are doing this! This is like a dream come true for me." Ugh, I could throw-up now having said that.
We make it to the end of episode #6 and Jeff says to me, "You can keep going if you want. I'm not that into the show." Um, ok. Watch out people, because I can stream like no one's business. I could be in the streaming Olympics with how I am able to squeeze in watching shows on my iPad, iPhone or TV at home while also getting everything else done.
I am now taking my iPad to the gym and getting in an episode each morning and another in the evening after the kids have gone to bed. I come to the part where Claire has turned on Frank and I exclaim out loud, "Ooooh, Claire just double-crossed Frank." At which point Jeff goes, "I know."
WHAT!?!?!?!!?!?! I pause the show and look at him. How do you know this? Because the last time I checked, you weren't that into the show. Jeff says he went online and read a summary of the remaining season. OMG! I am not a happy camper. Obviously he was interested enough to want to find out what happens, but not interested enough to want to watch the show with me. Sooooo not cool. And to think that I showed such amazing restraint not binge watching this show for close to two weeks.
I am presuming that Jeff must feel bad at this and not only apologizes but also offers to start watching season 2 with me when it comes out on Friday. Yeah, thanks buddy, but I'd rather keep watching at my own pace. I'll be done with Season 2 by the time the snow stops falling. :)
I've learned my lesson. I am not going to try so hard to find a show for us to watch together.
It sucks that we don't have any pop culture interest in common. I hear of couples all the time that stream television shows together. They get into the series and start binge-watching. How awesome is that to have the one you love get all caught up in the action too! Someone to discuss the character development and plot twists right there next to you!
I was ready to start watching a new series. And yet again, I asked Jeff if he wanted to watch it with me. "House of Cards"? Yes. Yes? Really? Yes. WOW! I couldn't believe it. We made plans to begin the next night. If it was me, I'd be ready to start watching then and there. But Jeff needed another day to prepare. Whatever. :)
We watch the first episode. Jeff says he can see the appeal of the show. I love Kevin Spacey and am already hooked. However, I love Jeff too and am willing to go at his pace on streaming these episodes. Therefore, the 2nd episode will have to wait for another day. Since watching a show together is a dream come true, I restrain myself and patiently wait for when Jeff is up for watching this show. We average an episode every other day; sometimes we go two full days between episodes. It is hard to go at this snail's pace, but I do it. I do it because I LOVE my husband and that's what you do when you love someone.
It should be noted that as we are watching each of the shows, I've leaned into Jeff (very lovingly) and said to him, "I love that we are doing this! This is like a dream come true for me." Ugh, I could throw-up now having said that.
We make it to the end of episode #6 and Jeff says to me, "You can keep going if you want. I'm not that into the show." Um, ok. Watch out people, because I can stream like no one's business. I could be in the streaming Olympics with how I am able to squeeze in watching shows on my iPad, iPhone or TV at home while also getting everything else done.
I am now taking my iPad to the gym and getting in an episode each morning and another in the evening after the kids have gone to bed. I come to the part where Claire has turned on Frank and I exclaim out loud, "Ooooh, Claire just double-crossed Frank." At which point Jeff goes, "I know."
WHAT!?!?!?!!?!?! I pause the show and look at him. How do you know this? Because the last time I checked, you weren't that into the show. Jeff says he went online and read a summary of the remaining season. OMG! I am not a happy camper. Obviously he was interested enough to want to find out what happens, but not interested enough to want to watch the show with me. Sooooo not cool. And to think that I showed such amazing restraint not binge watching this show for close to two weeks.
I am presuming that Jeff must feel bad at this and not only apologizes but also offers to start watching season 2 with me when it comes out on Friday. Yeah, thanks buddy, but I'd rather keep watching at my own pace. I'll be done with Season 2 by the time the snow stops falling. :)
I've learned my lesson. I am not going to try so hard to find a show for us to watch together.
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