three and three quarters-almost

And a force to be reckoned with.
Mostly happy.  Sweet.
Sometimes feral.

Presently learning important lessons about rough and inappropriate play-
when it is and isn't okay.

For example, if mama says time to brush your teeth
flashing her the wolverine fist and growling ISN'T okay.

Playacting superheros with Uncle Matt?
The wolverine fist and growl is awesome.

Timeouts are teaching this lesson.
The kind of timeout with no warning first.
He isn't a fan.
Really hates it when mama gets serious with the 2 minute timer.

In so many ways the dude is such a big boy these days.

Waved good-bye and went on his merry way
at kids night out at the gym friday night.
For 4 hours.
While mama went out with Carol.
It was lovely.  For both of us.

He is loving his Artzooka time.
He is very crafty.  Loves to get busy making stuff.
This is Auntie Kristen.

Here's dude's name.
He was sending mail to auntie Cammy last weekend.
She was in the same room-but whatever.
It's terrific.

This weekend we hung out together and did family stuff.
Ben says "Families cuddle in pyjamas after the sun comes up."
So we did.

And we kept busy too!
We had a lovely weekend of reptilia,
playdates and snow much fun,

exhausted tears,

early bedtimes,
very early rising,
oatmeal cookie baking before 9am,
peter pan (I scored a VHS copy for a buck),
forts,
playdoh,

and eating.

So much eating.
Here is dinner.

Vietnamese meat patties (shrimp/pork, etc...), Carol's recipe,
and veggies and noodles and fruit

with a chaser whole wheat bagel 5 minutes later
the whole bagel
(well, actually two bagel tops-cause the bottom tastes different apparently)
followed by a chicken breast.
Most of a whole breast.
Way more than the 2 bites total of any meat offered in the past.
Washed down with 6 ounces of milk.
In a cup.

Surreal.
And so "Oral aversion?  What oral aversion?"
And so three and three quarters-almost.

Another early bedtime.

But tomorrow?  He won't wake up early.
It isn't mama day.

My Boy.

Such a sweet, sweet spirit.

A lovely weekend

I would like to thank whoever makes decisions for creating a situation where working 2 very late nights meeting with parents about report cards creates a lieu day.   On a Friday.  The oh lord, I'm picking the dude up an hour after his bedtime from the babysitter's place sort of late nights.

I'd also like to thank the Ontario government for Family Day.  On the Monday just after the Friday mentioned above.

4 days.

We were busy.
Superhero birthday party,

a snow storm,

an overnight with our precious Auntie Kristen who just moved back to the province, quality time with Auntie Kristen's fiance (which included Hero world Lego sets...a smart man) and a playdate with sweet Macy and her mama Ellie!

And a beautiful sunset on our drive home.

Wow!

And today?  Nothing at all.  Just Family Time.  So so lovely.

See?

What?

Driving the long country roads to nana and gramp's place.
Can't listen to the news
'cause dude wakes up in the middle of the night
asking about current events-
his version of the nightmare I guess.

Something like:
Mama, tell me more about the boy.
The one with the lifeless body
under the river ice.

Or something like:
Mama, why are they fighting with guns in Syria?
Why are kids getting shot?

Um, yeah.
And I can take only so much kiddy music.
He can take only so much country.

So, we do a "storytelling time"
Yesterday Ben took a turn.
It was a noteworthy story for several reasons...
they will become apparent quickly

Mama,
once upon a time there were 5 hookers.
(this is where diet coke spewed out my nose)
The hookers had some 'portant work to do
so they shined themselves all up
and went for a drive down the main street.
(Seriously people, I'm thinking WTH?)
 The first hooker, the pink one, saw a customer by the side of the road.
The hooker stopped to help the customer.
He had a problem.
A flat squooshed front tire!
So pinkie hooked him up and towed him away back to the garage.

The other 4 hookers kept driving...
(and the story went on and on).

And as it went on I felt enormous relief.
Seriously people.  I laughed SO hard.

A wee update and A wonderful weekend!

First off, how did we get to place where we are 4 months short of dude's 4th birthday?
Where in *&)! is the time going?

There has been some big big big boy news around here.
The baba at bedtime is gone.
Has been since shortly after Christmas
and really hasn't been missed.
Except for the night I told him I'd thrown it into the garbage.
He mourned deeply.
Loudly.
Wailing.
So I fished it out.
Washed it.
Baba now sits clean and unused on the counter.

The manh is dry at night nearly every single night
but sleeping with mama most of the time
on my new and deeply loved queen mattress
soooo...still in a pull up for my peace of mind.
And clean sheets.

Hmmm...registered for JK last month.
Wow, so glad it is half days, morning.
Ontario is phasing in full day jk and sk
but the school he will attend isn't going full day until he is in SK.
Makes mama happy.
Really, why would a 4 year old need a full day?
5 is plenty early in my opinion.
He.can.hardly.wait.

Hmmm...grew into his feet.
For the first time ever he fit a wide shoe
and didn't need double wide.
Wow, that opens up the possibilities
to include stride-rite spiderman shoes.
He has never been happier.
Seriously.
NewBalance is somewhat lacking
when your buddies at preschool
are all in light up transformer shoes.

He is growing up way too fast.

So this weekend?
After a week of feeling punky
dude rode his first streetcar

took a spin or two on a subway

hung out with his favourite fossils

finished up the TET season with one last party
(and all three pictures I took contain kids I don't know
so imagine perhaps 40 families in a mid sized restaurant)

and then crashed and burned
before 7:30...with mama.

And today?
On the 5th of FEB...in CANADA?

Bike riding in a spring coat and the new runners.

For comparison
here is last year.

and the year before.

and the year before that...
when I apparently dressed the dude in hats INDOORS
but never saw the snow.
Must have been a brutal winter.
(and you have to admit-he wore a hat well)

Just feeling thankful for the easy commute.
and wondering where that baby went?