The Fish Pond

Growing Pains, part 1

Nemo started preschool.

The first day was only an hour, and I stayed with him, more like an open house than an actual first day of school, but that's how our school does it. They ease the children into school, with the first day only an hour with mom or dad, then the next two days only 1.5 hours, then the next couple of weeks 2.5 hours. Those who choose can do enrichment, which is another 1.5 hours where they eat lunch, hear an additional story, and play some more. It's a good approach, especially for the 3 year olds, extraspecially for kids who haven't gone to any kind of daycare or spent much time away from Mom, like Nemo.

So, anyway, I stayed that first day, and all went fine until Nemo wouldn't share a train. An old, Fisher Price circus train from back when I was a kid. All the kids wanted it, and Nemo wouldn't share. I gave him several warnings, but he stood his ground, so I had to step in and remove The Train of Contention so other kids could have a chance to play with it. And oh, was that a bad move.

He wailed. He cried, he rended his garments, he howled the injustice of it all to everyone. In hindsight, I think I should have let his teacher handle it. Two minutes after I took the train away it was cleanup time and then circle time. Nemo refused to sit with the class for circle time, and didn't really calm down until well after the story was over and circle time ending. He eventually started paying attention, and when the toys came back out after circle, a little boy who had remembered that Nemo wanted to play with a different train came over and handed it to him to have a turn. Remarkable considering that they're three. Three year olds don't share. He was fine after that, taking turns nicely with this other boy.

The first day on his own he was fine at drop off, and his teacher said he had a "few moments" but overall was fine. The second day, though? He clung to my leg, he cried, he pulled away, he did NOT want to go into that classroom. Unfortunately this class has a lot of criers, so he's unduly influenced by his peers. I know he's in good hands, it's the same preschool that the other kids went to, so I just gave him a big hug and kiss and told him I'd be back, handed him off at the door, and left. They told me at pickup that he was fine after the teacher showed him and another boy (the same one that handed him the train) how to put a car through a tube and then they played together for a long time, notable to her because three year olds don't play WITH anyone else. Beside, yes. Not with.

Over the weekend, we talked a lot about how he's a big boy and he will have lots of fun at school with his friends including Bill (not his real name), the boy he plays with a lot now, and how Mommy will be back soon to get him. He was fine for several days, so I thought we were adjusted. Apparently not. Yesterday at dropoff he did the same pull back and cling to my leg and cry thing. And I left near tears myself, wondering how he'd handle the transition to another classroom for enrichment.

According to one of his enrichment teachers, he was fine, smiley and fun. I wish I could get inside that big head of his and find out why he's pulling back and crying. Is he scared of something there? Doesn't like the teacher? Just wants some more one-on-one Mommy time? Was another kid mean to him? Is he just too used to not having to share his toys?

I don't know the answer. But I hope we figure it out soon, because even though I know he's in good hands and it's for the best, my heart breaks every time I walk down that hallway, his cries echoing in my ears.

Words You Really Don't Want to Hear Two Days Before Christmas

"Look, Daddy, now my hair's not in my eyes anymore!"

Sunny Says, Chicken Edition

I made Sunny a plate of Chinese food with the rice she requested, and then some chicken and broccoli on the side.

"What's this? I only asked for rice."

"It's chicken and broccoli. Like the Szechuan chicken you like, only not as spicy." She scrunches up her nose, and with a suspicious look, puts some in her mouth.

"MMMMM, yum, it tastes just like chicken!"

She couldn't understand why I was laughing so hard. Can't put one over on her.

Sunny Says, and then Little Man Says

"Mommy, my heawt tells me what I want to bring to play with, and it didn't said I want to bring my ghostie."

"Sunny, it's 'say' not 'said.'"

"Wait, did you just correct your sister's grammar? That's my boy." Actually, that's what I thought. What I really said was "Little Man, it's not nice to correct your sister. It hurts her feelings." But I was actually quite proud.

Working on a BlogHerDC recap post, with pictures even.

Just When You Think They Aren't Listening

Me: Sunny, what do you want for breakfast?

Sunny: I'm GOING to the bathroom!

Me: Well, what do you want to eat for breakfast when you're done?

Sunny: We'll discuss that later.
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Real post coming soon. Been kinda downydumps lately and haven't felt like doing, well, anything.

Preschooler Logic

"Mom! The girls all have the same hair and dresses! And the boys have the same outfits as the girls, but they're different!"

How else do you explain color coordination, hmmm?

Don't Get Boned

We're sitting outside on our deck enjoying grilling out last night, and Sunny says,

"Dad, is dis hambuwger boned?"

BigDaddyFish and I look at each other - did she say what we think she said?

"Is. Dis. Hambuwger Boned? Did you bone dis hambuwger?" We start to giggle under our breath, because we are twelve year old boys.

"There are no bones in your hamburger, Sunny," BDF tells her.

"NO! IS DIS HAMBUWGER BONED???!??"

A look of realization crosses BDF's face. "Do you mean BURNED, Sunny girl?"

"Yeah, dat's what I said. Boned."

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While you're not getting boned, pop on over to my friend Jodifur's place, where I am making a guest appearance musing over boys. Well, specifically, Little Man.

Starbucks card drawing coming up later today. There's still time to comment if you're interested.

6:55 pm

Due to a trifecta of summer break, water restrictions due to a huge water main break, and some wicked thunderstorms, my children are absolutely crazy. I can't do laundry or wash dishes, we have to minimize flushing the toilet (!), pools are closed, they can't go outside and play, we have to boil our damn drinking/tooth brushing/hand washing water, and I'm going crazy! We have paper plates and plenty of bottled water, so we're fine there, but I am losing my sanity.

During dinner, Little Man, who screams just like a girl, yelled "Hey! Let's all scream loud enough to break the windows!" I Said NOOOO! But they did it anyway. Then I yelled at them. Then they did it again. I'd had enough.

Dinner was over, and I marched them up and put them to bed. When we got upstairs, Trout looked at the clock and said "But, Mom, it's only 6:55 pm."

Close enough.

It's Going to Be a LONG Summer

Nemo woke up in the night with a horrible barky cough, and while we were at the doctor this morning getting his croup medicine, the other 3 stayed home with BigDaddyFish. I was gone from home maybe, MAYBE, 1.5 hours. MAYBE.

In that time, the bigs took out every single breakable item from our hutch and spread them out on the table, got into the flour, sugar, and cornmeal cannisters, spread apple jacks, corn pops, and honey nut cheerios from one end of the living room to the other (where they are not supposed to have ANY food), filled up two lead crystal vases with apple jacks, spread sugar all over the floor, took out every game piece from 2 games that were supposed to have been up too high to reach, and Sunny made "chocolate milk" with milk, sugar, cornmeal and a lollipop and spilled it in our front entryway.

In the less than two hours since I've been home, it has been a non-stop fightfest, complete with punches thrown AT ME. I haven't yet eaten breakfast and it's almost noon, and I only remembered the frozen foods I brought into the house but failed to put away, half an hour ago.

Silly me. Today was the first day of summer vacation, and here I was looking forward to sleeping in, to lazy days of popsicles and picnics and the pool. BDF and I stayed up til (ridiculously early this morning) playing Guitar Hero (we got another controller, so I play lead and he plays bass or rhythm) and having a great time. What the hell made me think that just because the monsters lovely, blessed children don't have school or anywhere else to go, I get to sleep in? Who do I think I am?

Still More Sunnyisms

BigDaddyFish and Sunny are sitting on the bed after bathtime, and BDF is trimming her nails. Apropos of nothing, Sunny says "I can do this with my tongue" and rolls her tongue back and forth in her mouth.

"I can do that, too," says BDF, doing the same thing.

Sunny looks at him wide-eyed, and says, "You can do that with my tongue?"

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We're in the car on the way to gymnastics class, and Sunny asks "Mommy, is it spring?"

"Yes, Sunny, it's spring."

"When it's summer, can I play in the sprinkler while Trout and Little Man are at the beach picking up shells for me?"

I smirked and reminded her that if Trout and Little Man are at the beach, chances are all of us would be there together, and she can pick up her own shells.

Princess complex much?

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Go over here and congratulate my friend Catherine on the birth of her second baby, Jasper.

Go over here and read the best post Amy has ever written. It's the best description of marriage and what it takes to make it work that I have ever seen. She's brilliant.