Did You See That Kid?

Yesterday while at the pool I watched a boy push kids off the slide. I would have said something, but it looked like the kids were playing some sort of game. But then, I saw that same kid push a girl down into the water and then another boy. It was clear that those two kids were not playing any sort of game. But before I could grab Liam and get up to say something a dad that was sitting near us says, very loudly, "Woa. Did you see that?" And he was right in that kid's face, "You do NOT push down kids in the pool. Or anywhere." And so the kid stopped and kept playing, but kept looking at this dad, who wasn't planning on going to sit down for awhile, and finally the dad said again, "I'm not going away. I want to make sure you don't push anyone else." And the kid didn't. For the rest of the morning.

I figured out who the Mom of the Boy was - she also had a toddler there with her and could have been pregnant. But still - you've got to know what your kid is doing, right?

Whenever we go to the pool I somehow manage to keep an eye on Quinn while staying within arms reach of Liam. And I can promise you this, if Quinn ever pushed somebody while in the water he would be out of that pool and into a time out - complete with tears from him about how he doesn't want a time out. But Quinn doesn't do that - he jumps in, plays with the water sprays, the water mushroom thingy, and if he can manage to find some friends to play with - he'll play catch or something.

So... when we got home later that morning I had the following conversation with Quinn, because I couldn't let it go unsaid.

Me - Did you see that kid at the pool? The one that was pushing kids?
Quinn - Uh, what did he look like?
Me - You know, he had short brown hair and swim shorts on... Anyway... he was pushing kids off the slide and then he pushed a little girl down into the water.
Quinn - Did she go under the water when he pushed her?
Me - Yeah. Can you believe he pushed her?
Quinn - oh. He shouldn't do that. What if she doesn't know to close her mouth and blow out her nose? Did she want to go under?
Me - I don't think so. She was crying when she stood up.
Quinn - Oh.
Me - You know Quinn, it's not okay to push other kids - so even if you see someone else doing it, I don't want you to think it's okay to do.
Quinn - Yeah. Nobody likes to be pushed down. I don't.


Now - on the other side of this - I saw a mom scold her son for getting water everywhere as he played with these water sprays. It's one of Liam's favorite things to do, you know, you step on the hole and water goes everywhere, and sometimes he gets people wet, but come on, you're at a pool, you are not allowed to complain about getting splashed.

Some Days

Some days I can manage to find all the pictures I need to work on my scrapbooks. On some days, Walgreens manages to print whatever pictures I send to them on time. On some days, I don't spill on the carpet. On some days, I don't bang my head on the bathroom cabinet - or on the car door. On some days, the songs on my ipod shuffle work out perfectly for a cardio workout. On some days, the dog doesn't get out of the yard and knock me down while I try to bring him back home. On some days, the laptop doesn't give me a "stop error" on a scary blue screen. On some days, things just go smoothly.

Today has been one of those other days. Those days that you hope will take a turn for the better. Hopefully, when I pick up the boys and head to the pool, today will turn into one of those good days...

(Oh - and if anyone has the Christmas letter and picture I sent out thise year - and doesn't want it - can I have it back, please??)

Updated 9:45pm - The pool was fine. Nobody drowned. =) Actually, it's amazing how much Liam and Quinn love jumping in the water! So much fun! And we ran into Quinn's good friend - so he was happy. Anyway - we came home and found that our air conditioner broke. yup. That's right. At least tomorrow's high is only 87 and it's not supposed to be as humid. Then on Monday it'll be 80. I have a feeling we'll be spending the weekend at the pool or in the basement.

I ♥ Faces - Let's Hear it for the Boys

Theme: Let's Hear it for the Boys

Kid's Entry:

Adult Entry

I was very excited about this weeks theme. I have a TON of great pictures of boys - from my own sons to grandpas, dads, and uncles. I choose these two pictures, both taken about a year ago, because of the expressions on the faces. Sure, I have other photos that were more balanced or just "better" shots - but in my opinion - nothing beats the looks on the faces of these two photos. Hope you enjoy! =)

Happy Monday!

Hope your week is off to a good start. This weeks list of things to do include going to the pool, going to the pool, and going to the pool. Oh, yeah, and maybe some laundry too. Gotta keep those swimsuits and towels clean.

Weekly Winners - The flowers, brothers, cousins, and dog edition.

Time.

I'm still trying to figure out my routine for the summer. I was totally in the groove while working - MW nights at the gym. TuesThursSatSun mornings at the gym. Now - I'm still trying to figure out when to go.

That being said some guilt always creeps up on me when I spend time for myself.

If I spent as much time training the dog as I do at the gym, maybe I'd be able to walk him without having my arm torn out of it's socket. Or maybe he wouldn't get so crazy.

If I spent as much time cleaning the house as I do at the gym, I'd have a clean house!

If I spent as much time working on my scrapbooks as I do at the gym, I'd be all caught up.

So... you'd think that with as much time as I spend at the gym, that number on the scale would have changed after 4 weeks. Not so. But, I am getting stronger. I can feel it and see it in my arms. My endurance is increasing.

But still, I feel guilty. And I know I shouldn't.

Get Off My Arm!

Every morning I wake up around 5:15 and do a little bit of yoga (20 minutes). Then, I get to make myself some coffee, read some blogs, check my emails/facebook, and enjoy a breakfast bar. Right around 6:00 Quinn comes out of his room and enjoys a breakfast bar and some orange juice. Lately, he's been sitting right next to me. Right next to me, leaning up against my arm as I read and sometimes write. And every time I went to tell him, "hey, move over a little - get off my arm," but I can't. I won't. I know soon enough he won't want to snuggle up with me, so I better take it while I can. Some mornings, I finish up my reading and writing and close up the laptop and do a true snuggle up with the kid.

I ♥ Faces - Week 23 Photo Challenge

Theme: Sepia Tone

Kids entry

Adult entry

So... I'm trying something new this week. I ♥ Faces is a pretty neat website I've been reading for awhile and I've finally decided to try out one of their weekly contests. I do ♥ Faces in pictures, so thought this would be fun!

Weekly Winners - All About The Boys

Still so small

Working hard

Lending a Hand

Sweet Face

$20 Dog Crate - Kids Not Included

Concentration

That Look

It happened again the other day at the park. Quinn came up to me with that look. It's not the look of a kid that has just gotten hurt, physically. But the look of a kid who is trying his very best to not cry, to not lose it, to just figure it out. I knew what it meant. Yet, I still asked. "Quinn, what's wrong?" And then he hopped into my lap, hugged me tightly, and whispered in my ear, through tears, "Those kids, mom, those kids are being mean."

He can never quite explain how they are being mean or what they did or didn't do. He just says, "They're being mean."

Quinn is so outgoing at parks. If we drive past a park with a bunch of kids there he'll say, "Hey! Let's go to that park. There's lots of friends for me to play with." Everyone is his friend. Every time we go to the park he'll play a bit by himself, then figure out who to approach. Usually it all works out and he ends up making a new friend for the time we're there.

Sometimes the kids are older. Sometimes they say, "no," when he asks to play. And sometimes they just ignore him.

I think it's when he's ignored that really gets to him. Really, who likes to be ignored?

I think most parents struggle with this. You don't want your kid to be the bully. You don't want your kid to be the victim. You just want your kid to enjoy being a kid.

I wouldn't know how to help Quinn if he showed any signs of being a bully; I'm sure I would be able to figure it out. Right now, I'm working on him not being the victim. If someone doesn't want to play with him I encourage him to play by himself - swing, maybe, or play with his brother. If someone tells him something he doesn't like I'm trying to encourage him to say, "don't say that to me. I don't like it." And the same if someone does something to him he doesn't like.

I know everybody says the baby stage is so hard on parents. But I'm starting to think that's wrong. How do I explain to my kid that not everybody is nice? That not every adult can be trusted? How do I teach my kid to find that balance between being nice to everybody all the time and sticking up for himself? How???

The New Gym

So I joined a new gym. A month ago, maybe? or longer? I don't know. Anyway - there's things that I love about that gym. And then there's things that I both love and hate about that gym. And then there's thing I don't quite understand about the gym.

I love....

• the nice locker rooms with "free" lockers


• the amazing child center


• the dim lights in the group fitness rooms, or studios


• the hardwood floors in the studios


• the fact that the sound system in the studios has been working properly ever single time I've been in there. Something that never happened at my old gym


• the lap pools


• the family changing room - it's awesome


• the machines that spin your swim suit for you so that they're not so wet when you bring them home


• the towels that are available


• the drinking fountains have a special spout for filling up water bottles so you don't have to tilt it and try to fill it out of the same spout people drink out of


• the fact that every time I'm there, whether I'm giving myself a cardio workout, strength training, or taking a class, I can look around and easily find someone to inspire me.


• being able to watch personal trainers work with someone else and stealing some of their ideas - especially for strength training, or just being amazed at what those people are doing - again - inspiring me!
  

I love and hate...

• the cafe that's right on your way out. It always tempts me, but at least the choices are healthy, so they say.


• the fact that I can go to the gym and not actually work out - visit the lifespa, whirlpool, sauna, get a message, get a pedicure, eat lunch...

I don't quite understand...

• why guys wear cologne. This doesn't bother me that much, since I usually smell it when I'm strength training and it's just a whiff as the guy walks by, but what makes me sick is...


• ladies who show up to a group fitness class right as it's beginning, doused in perfume, and stand right next to me - it makes me want to puke


• why so many people there don't use reusable water bottles. You don't even have to fill it up at home, because they've got those fancy shmancy drinking fountains

Get Me My Bandana

Some people think you need to put on your gym shoes to get motivated to clean. Not me. I just need my trusty old bandana and I'm good to go. That and a bottle of ice water and some loud music. Notice how messy Mike's closet is? That used to drive me crazy - not anymore. I just ignore it, I swear. But I do need to get some curtains to hang up to hide it... that'll make it easier for me to ignore it.

I think I look way too happy in this picture. Really? What was I so excited about? All the bags on the floor I have to go through? Going up into the attic to bring down boxes and boxes and bags and bags of stuff to sell? Cleaning out Quinn's closet? Getting rid of toys? Oh yeah, all that, or maybe I was excited to have a day to myself. So what if it involved cleaning? The kids were at the sitters - I had the house to myself! Sweet!

Happy Monday - From the Birthday Boy!

Lessons Learned

Thought it would be good of me to share some life lessons I've learned within the last week.

1. When having 18 four year olds perform on a stage, on risers, and in front of their parents - be sure to have some paper towels up on that stage - in case any 4 year old should be too shy to ask to go to the bathroom in such a situation. "Mrs. McNulty, what's all that wet stuff down there?" Also learned - kleenex will clean up such a mess just enough to get on with the show and also, if the student is wearing a dress nobody can even tell she just couldn't hold it any longer.

2. Never go to the zoo during the week in early June. Unless, of course, you like being surrounded by obnoxious kids on field trips. I've been to the zoo before with field trips there, even day camp field trips, but my friend, who is not even a teacher, said it best, "Not just kids on field trips but, kids on end of the year field trips. They seem way more obnoxious at the end of the year." And she's right. Kids are way more obnoxious at the end of the year.

3. Never call the name of your four year old boy while he's peeing in the toilet.

4. Don't assume you can run faster than all of the kids in your class and be prepared to actually run your hardest and still lose to one very fast boy during the 50 yard dash on field day.

Liam's Birthday

Liam's day started out with me finding a nasty diaper rash on him - I'm hoping it's from the watermelon he ate yesterday. Then things got better and Quinn gave Liam the card he picked out for him. (The card that Quinn thought of getting one day while we were in Target - I didn't think of having Quinn get a card - Quinn thought of it and picked out a pretty cool sticker card. Quinn even let Liam do all the stickers on it and said, "that's okay that he's putting them right on top of each other - it's his birthday!") Then we left and I forgot his backpack full of his stuff that he sleeps with. I also didn't bring little treats for him to share with his friends at the babysitter's house.
Then, I went to work. I really didn't want to go out to dinner tonight - work was exhausting and I had a feeling traffic would be bad for where Liam wanted to go. (Whenever we tell him we're going out to eat he asks if we're going to the Choo Choo restaurant.) But we went. And traffic sucked. But I am so glad we did it. Liam had a great time - playing with the train set, watching the train "up high", watching the food train (especially when the food train delivered his birthday cupcake), playing on the train, and then sounding the train whistle on the way out. Of course - there are pictures (so if you're in a reader - click over and check 'em out!).



Oh - and also - because I wrote that article about the All Aboard Diner, they actually recognized me today and we talked with the owner for quite a bit - he really is a nice guy. Not only that, but the boys got free hats and we got a discount! Cool, right?

Oh - and I'm doing much better about my little boy turning two. Tonight when I tucked him into his crib we had the following conversation:

Me - Happy Birthday Liam.
Liam - Thank you mamma.
Me - I love you, Liam.
Liam - I love you mamma.
Me - Night Night Liam.
Liam - One more kiss mamma??
Me - Okay Liam.
Me - Night Night
Liam - Night night.

*sigh*

My Baby - He's Two

So, Liam's turning two.

I've been trying to deny this was coming. I was late in setting up his doctor's appointment. I have his birthday party scheduled for MUCH later this month. And when someone at work asked me what I was going to do for Liam's birthday? My answer - "ignore it."

You think if I just ignore the fact that it's June 3 he won't turn two? He'll stop acting older? He'll stop insisting, "me do it!"?




I still want to take pictures of him sleeping in his crib. I don't want to get him a big boy bed.

I still want to tickle him silly while I change his diapers. I don't want to potty train him.

Sometimes I think Liam gets a raw deal having his birthday right at the end of the school year. With everything going on at work, it makes sense that I don't have time to do a proper birthday post, or have his party actually close to his birthday. But honestly, it has nothing to do with work and everything to do with the fact that I am not ready for my baby to be two. Maybe in a few weeks I'll be able to do a better birthday post - but for now - I'm just going to go hug my baby and cry.

Quinn went to a wedding.

Quinn went to a wedding and was so excited to wear his fancy shoes, fancy shirt, fancy pants, and a tie! Quinn asked his mom to take his picture as soon as he got to the church. Quinn said, "I'm more fancy than you are, mommy."

Quinn went to a wedding and sat right next to his mommy, who wasn't as fancy as he was.

Quinn went to a wedding and jumped around.

Quinn went to a wedding and didn't really want to pose for a picture. That's okay, since Quinn's mom forgot to change the setting from P to auto and this picture is way too bright.



Quinn went to a wedding and his dad made him run around the trees.




Quinn went to a wedding and got tired of running in his fancy shoes.





Quinn went to a wedding and walked over bridges with his little brother.

Quinn went to a wedding and ran over bridges. "This bridge is like the one in Disney World!"






Quinn went to a wedding and watched everyone get their pictures taken.

Quinn went to a wedding and gave his bread a voice. "Take a picture of me," said Mr. Bread.

Quinn went to a wedding and practiced his silly faces.

Quinn went to a wedding and went for a walk with his Grandma Edie.

Quinn went to a wedding and at the end of a very long day, relaxed for a bit.

Liam went to a wedding.

Liam went to a wedding with his mommy, his big brother, and his daddy too!

Liam went to a wedding and sat nicely next to his mommy for almost the entire ceremony.

Liam went to the wedding reception and spent his time finding the perfect pine cones.

Liam went to a wedding and practiced his throwing skills with the perfect pine cones.

Liam went to a wedding and simply enjoyed the views.




Liam went to a wedding and snuck up on his Grandpa George! "Boo!"

Liam went to a wedding and gladly clapped for the mother and father of the groom!

Liam went to a wedding and met the most beautiful little girl. She tried to kiss him many times. Liam said, "no thank you." He did, however, feed her some goldfish. (Liam also stole his brother's tie.)

Liam went to a wedding and ate nothing but cookies and cupcakes.

Liam went to a wedding and made sure Elmo had plenty of water to drink.

Liam went to a wedding and went for a walk with his Grandma Edie.

Liam went to a wedding and at the end of the very long day, still came running back to his mommy.

Happy Monday from the boys...