And so it begins...

Last Thursday night Chase ran from the back of the house into the kitchen with a dramatic announcement. He has a mustache. Now, what he really has is the fuzz that every other person has on their upper lip. He insisted his was getting darker though and couldn't we see it? He then proceded to manuver his head around to try and catch the light just so. I finally admitted seeing "something" so the child would go to bed. Fast forward to Saturday when the family was preparing to head to the Mexican restaraunt. Chase comes from changing clothes into the living room with a look that can only be described as a mix of triumph and mischief. I immediately smell Chris' cologne. Yep, my nine year old was wearing Victoria's Secret's Very Sexy for Men. The next morning while getting ready for church he and his Dad argued over using the hair gel and once again I had a very good smelling son. Monday, being Monday, Chase barely managed to get out the door clothed much less go through his new grooming techniques. Alas, today though when I called for load up out ran Chase hair gelled into a faux hawk and smelling, you guessed it, Very Sexy. What the heck, two weeks ago I couldn't get the kid to take a bath!!! I am managing not to despair too much about this new found sense of maturity because Chase has taken to calling himself "Kid Cologne". As long as there is still "kid" in the title, I guess I will manage.

No One Likes Homework, but This is Ridiculous

I pulled Chase's homework folder out of his backpack last night to find this as his assignment. I immediately laughed until I cried. Fortunately, Chase was at soccer practice. Most parent's might be angry and alarmed at this, but I was certain it was just a spelling error. Chase is pretty sheltered at his little Christian school and is a notoriously bad speller. Sure enough, when he got home and I asked him what his reading homework was he said a "reading sheet".

The funny thing is his teacher checks to make sure they have written their assignments down, and has signed off on his paper. She has a great sense of humor so I sent her a funny note and am looking forward to her response.

I guess it is only a matter of time before I have to worry about language like this used on purpose. He is definitely getting bolder using "fart" instead of our preferred "toot". And then passionately arguing there is nothing wrong with that. I told you he was sheltered. He has also been nonchalantly throwing around the correct term for the male anatomy. It is incredibly hard to keep a straight face when your child is telling you that penis is a "biological term". I finally explained that, biology aside, it isn't a term you randomly bring up in conversation. And the adventures in the rearing of boys continues...

I Have it in Writing.

Noel is officially potty trained! I say officially because it is now on the potty chart at daycare. He has been doing a great job going to the potty for the last two and a half weeks. All it took, was peer pressure. His best friend is the other child who is potty trained on the chart. The week he came to school in big boy underwear, Noel demanded to start wearing it too. It was as easy as that. He is still sleeping in a diaper at night, and wakes up wet about half the time. I can live with that. So far we have had to pull over on the side of the road once and made Chase late for school once, but I suppose that is a fair trade to be finished with diaper duty.

The really strange thing is, unless Chris has a major change of heart or God totally intervenes, I may be done with diapers for good. I can't decide how I feel about that. Not the literal diapers part, but the fact I may never have another baby. Noel makes it very clear he is a "big boy" even if I am just lovingly calling him my baby. However, I am not so sure how he would truly feel about having that position usurped. The truth is, it is not mine to worry about, and I am sure God is shaking is head at me after teaching me that so clearly 3 or so years ago. So, for now I will enjoy my big boys and my respite from purchasing and changing diapers.

Family Photos and I am a "didiot"

We had a BLAST having family photos done on Sunday! Here are a few. Chase, who really dreaded the entire thing became America's Next Top Model striking poses before being asked. Noel could occasionally be bribed to stay in the shot with gummies. I can't believe how grown up and handsome my two fun sons are.

I fully intended the photos to be the bulk of the blog today, but on the way home, out of the blue, Noel said, "I can't talk to you mom you're a diditot." As I was thinking to myself 'did he just call me an idiot', he repeated "you're a didiot, mom". After some gentle correction, I was informed that Little Foot (character on Land Before Time) says it all the time, but I have my doubts.

More Profound Wisdom from the 9 yr, old

We are in the thick of potty training at our house. This is version, oh, 4.0 at least. Noel is doing great this go round, peepeeing very consistently and 3 poopoos in the potty, thank you very much. He should be, the entire thing has been on his terms, but I digress.
The real motivator of late is the big boy underwear. This morning Chase was supervising as I was getting Noel dressed. When it was underwear time, Noel became ecstatic and began to dance and chant about his drawers. Chase turned to me and matter of factly observed, "Give a kid some big boy pants, and they think they rule the world."

Snowy Forecast

Well, the forecast is calling for snow-AGAIN. So, in honor of that I am posting some photos from Snowpocalypse 2011. Our week of snow was a lot of fun. However I am fairly certain Chase will lose his mind if they have to make up another day of school. His school decided to go on MLK day and he pitched such a fit, you'd have thought HE marched in Montgomery! He is all for a snow day, but totally does not get the concept that those days have to be made up.

Speaking of Chase, he did his vision therapy tonight without complaint and spoke of the times when he complained about it for hours on end as far in the past. We had such a great conversation together during the therapy that it brought tears to my eyes because he was talking to me so maturely. I am totally amazed he was in such a good mood considering today was "Red Day" at his school and in his words he was the "only person at his school who was not wearing red." Oh well, he was at school, dressed and on time so I don't plan to lose any sleep tonight.

A no good, very bad day (week, month)?

The plague swept through our house the past week and a half. It started with Chris having the flu, the mid-point was Chase contracting strep, and lastly I came down with the flu and then a secondary bacterial infection. As is usually the case, mom got it the worst and the longest. I was literally in bed from Tuesday through Friday, and still wasn't too hot the entire weekend.
It was a horrible feeling on top of feeling horrible. Noel, who thankfully escaped the germs, was constantly trying to sneak into the bedroom where I was. He is currently obsessed with all things dinosaur, including The Land Before Time, and at one point I could here the characters singing a song about missing their families. In a matter of minutes, Noelly is trying to sneak into my bed. Chris and to come get him and he sobbed and sobbed like his little heart was breaking, and, of course, so did I.
Now that I am on the road to recovery, I am having a really hard time getting back on track. So is the family. At least I hope that is our problem. I am not, by nature, a positive person. I have to make a concerted effort to see the glass as half full. I have, in my adulthood, just come to recognize this as my personality and I do make that concerted effort. I fear Chase has inherited some of the less desireable traits of my personality and this is one of them. One "off" thing, no matter how minor can throw him into a downward spiral.
Last night the thing was he had written the date as 1-32-11 on his paper. I told him this couldn't be correct as no month has more then 31 days. Who would think this minor, really cute, little error could lead to a major meltdown? It did complete with tears, threatening punishments, etc. It seems his teacher did not change their classroom calendar, and he just could not admit or accept his responsibility and change the date. Have a I mentioned he is strong-willed? Remember those less than desireable traits from me...
Once we FINALLY got past the fact the date was February 1st and it would indeed have to be changed on the paper, Chase proceeded to throw a full-blown pity party about everything he percieved to be wrong in his life, including but not limited to: his vision therapy (another post), homework, the brevity of his summer vacation, the fact we do not spend enough time together as a family, and him mom is the only one who works outside the home. Ultimately, the discussion and fallout was ended by bedtime and things were back to semi-normal this morning.
I will admit it did open a floodgate of guilt, emotion, and questions. I will also admit this is one of many similar incidents. Am I raising a brat? Should I quit my job and stay home? Is Chase's rotten attitude my fault somehow? Or, is it what Chris suggested, just a bad day?