Always waiting

The boys came down from their room this morning clutching their pillows and blankies.

Today is the day we leave for camping, but that will not be until later this afternoon. This means absolutely nothing to these boys.

They get their clothes changed, pack their backpacks with toys, get their shoes on and proceed to ask every fifteen minutes if it is time to go yet.

It is so hard to be a kid, when everything you want seems so very far away.

juego de futbol

This picture gives the impression that Lou knows what he is doing. He does not.

He gets the idea that you're supposed to kick a ball, and kick that ball into a net, but what net? Are these other people supposed to help me score a goal, or is it every kid for himself?


This is team Blue Racers, and at the beginning of every game the players introduce themselves to the fans.

I'm Louie!

It's really cute--they only play 3 on 3 on these miniature fields. I think it's a great way to learn the game, that there are role for people to play, not just bunching up all the players on the field. It must be difficult, though, to remember which direction you're supposed to be going when you get turned around attempting to take the ball away from the other team. Louie did that once this game.

They don't keep score in this league, but it was pretty obvious that the Blue Racers dominated, scoring something like seven goals to the other team's one. It didn't last very long because soon after the rain started, then thunder and then a lightning bolt.

But we had fun anyway.

Smiley

So very happy

Some school work over the summer

I've shared with you before how Benny gets frustrated with things pretty quickly, things that don't come easily for him. I read somewhere how for physical learners like himself that making letters out of play dough would be good. The kid has to make each piece to the letter, and hopefully that will be helpful in remembering how to make the letter with a pencil.

Benny did great! He was so proud of himself, but his favorite part was "destroying" it afterward.

Even for a seasoned writer like Lou, rounded edges can be tough.

"Hey! You missed it. I already made my name and smashed it up!"

The Baptism of the Cousin

Sunday was Gracie's baptism and it was at the same church where her Mommy and Daddy were married. The kids and I were at a terrible angle for the actual ceremony, so I apologize for the lack of action shots.

Aren't they the cutest family? Aunt Mary was telling us the story of how back when my dad was a baby parents weren't even involved in the baptismal process. It happened the Saturday after the baby was born, and the godparents came to pick up the baby to take to mass. The mother was still recovering so the parents stayed at home. Godparents had much more of a role in the ceremony back then! Today, the parents hold the baby throughout the entire mass and the godparents stand off to the side. I wonder why that changed. I guess they have a pretty big role guiding the kid through life they want to take it easy on them the first day!

Gracie is wearing a christening dress that all her aunts, mom, and cousins wore for their baptisms!

Gretchen is Gracie's godmother.

And Kevin is her godfather. I don't know about you, but I think she's pretty lucky to have such a great godfather :) I want to take this opportunity to apologize to Kev. I made him wear a coat on one of the hottest days of the summer! As soon as he sees Joe he just gives me the look. Oh well. If he wasn't wearing a coat he and Joe would look like twins--both with light blue shirts and gold ties. I knew what I was doing.

In the dark about a shot

I'm not sure who does the scheduling, but apparently our doctor's office thinks it's perfectly ok to do toddler well appointments at 3:15 in the afternoon. About half of our van was asleep on the way to the office. That being said, when you wake toddlers up from their nap before it's time they're going to be cranky. It was an interesting trip.

By now you are aware of how the boys are freaked out about shots. I have decided a while back that I will not inform them of anything of the sort, because all it does is prolong the agony.

So, you can imagine Lou's shock and surprise when he learned that he was getting shots on a day that wasn't even his appointment! Poor kid.

But let me back it up. Benny and Charlie have the same birthday and this has been helpful in a number of ways, but today it was that whatever Benny did, Charlie was completely ok with also doing, because they are great examples of Monkey See, Monkey Do. Get on the scale? Great! Get measured against the wall? Fine! It helps when you give Charlie a number afterward, then a high five. He doesn't care or know what it all means, but it makes him feel good, like he just won something. (We now have an electronic thermometer that goes across the forehead and whenever it needs to be used all three need to have theirs checked and we have to see who "wins." Not sure if it's the high or low number...I have a feeling I've told this story before.)

Then they were checked out by the doctor, asked questions, then on to the tough stuff. I had all three sitting on the table and tried to keep them occupied with goofy games and then with pictures I was taking. Here are a few:

I tried to get them to do "Hear No Evil" but it wasn't as easy as I thought it would be.
Charlie: "What are we doing again?"

Ben and Lou wanted to make sure Charlie knew what he was doing.

They gave up and just started acting like monkeys.

Meredith, watching throughout the whole thing, just teaches herself to suck her thumb.

When the nurse came in they each got the flu mist up both nostrils. I've never had it done, but it looked like it wasn't much fun. Then the nurse asked if I had a game plan. Uh...no. Charlie first? He only had one shot. Char did great. Quick little cry and then was thrilled when the nice nurse said to pick out TWO stickers. Ok, that's over.

Then what do we do--Ben then Lou, or Lou then Ben? Not sure if it would have been better the other way around, but this way was not good. Louie looked on in horror as Benny got a shot in each arm. Then when we turned to him he started, in a high pitch scream, howling that he's not going to get a shot. Tears streaming down his face, I had to restrain him as the nurse poked him with the needles. After it was done he barely shed another tear and went to pick out a couple of cool jungle animal stickers.

I don't want you to think I'm not sensitive to my kids' fears and anxieties. It's one of those times where the tough love comes in to play. I want them to bravely get a shot, knowing that it will hurt for just a second and then you get cool stuff, like stickers. And besides, if Louie didn't get the shot he wouldn't be going to kindergarten. For all the bad things that happen, something good comes of it. Like an 99-cent ice cream from McDonald's on the way home. See, it was all worth it.

Oh, and their stats, if you're interested:

• Benny: 40 inches tall, 40 pounds. (A square.)
• Charlie: 29 inches tall, 31 pounds. (Not sure. Can't remember much from sophomore year geometry.)
  

Things that go bump in the night (and during the day)

Poor Charlie.

When we were at my parents today to swim Charlie fell off the couch (may or may not have been caused by Benny) and bumped the back of his head on the coffee table and received from it a nice golf ball-sized bump. He cried for a few minutes, but then was ready to swim.

Tonight, Louie and Charlie were playing a good old fashioned game of what we like to call "chase." It went back and forth, and when Louie was chasing Charlie, Little Man tripped and hit his forehead square on the leg of a dinning room chair. Major goose egg.

It's great when head injuries happen right before bed. All the signs (dilated eyes, not acting like himself, inverted lump, etc.) weren't present, so we didn't take him to the hospital. He seems to be ok and after some TLC he stopped crying, although he does have a stomach-cringer of a lump on his head. Is this just part of being the third boy?