Peanut, Peanut Butter and JELLY!

Mary Kate and Simon were wrestling around tonight before dinner when Andrew made an observation...

Andrew: "the two of them are like peanut butter and jelly"
Me: "what do you mean?"
Andrew: "don't you understand food comparison's mom? they are always stuck together like peanut butter and jelly. They are always with each other and playing together."
Me: "oh, gotcha"
Andrew: "yeah and you know when Simon is in jail, Mary Kate will be the one to bail him out"

I would have been ok with the analogy up until the bailing out of jail part. Note to self, work on Andrew's expectations of Simon's future.

Back to school appreciation

This morning went surprisingly well. I must admit, I was expecting a very slow morning with a lot of "hurry-ups", "don't be pokey" and all the other "have you ......'s?" that go along with a typical morning. To my delight, things moved smoothly. I even got the back-to-school picture with all 5 kids! Never any easy task especially with Simon's dislike for group shots.

Supplies were labeled last night and backpacks filled. This morning lunches were made and children fed and not once did anyone (that's me) lose their cool. Woo Hoo!

The kids walk to school, so although it was drizzling a bit we were out the door (without umbrellas, they are on my to-buy list) by 7:55. Only had to step over 2 piles of dog poop on the sidewalks (seriously people, clean up after your dogs) and 1 pile of puke (poor little kid must have been really nervous).

Simon, Mary Kate and I came into a quiet house (well with the exception of a barking dog) and sat down for some breakfast. I checked my email and had a wonderful note from hubby that made me cry.

Just wanted to tell you that you are a Very Very Good Mother and Wife! Our kids are very blessed to have you as their Mom. Getting our elem school aged children out the door fully prepared, while offering to help the teachers, while entertaining the youngest, while getting them to after school sports, while responding to calls and emails from friends, while making my lunch and coffee, no complaints....etc.We are all blessed to have you and you should get a big dagum gold star. I love you. BP

I had been holding things together so well watching Andrew lead the pack as a 5th grader and Riley venture into a new building as a 3rd grader and then little Nolan, how did he become a first grader? The kids are all growing up so quickly and it was this morning that I wish I could make time stand still. Can't I hold them close a little bit longer? Do they really need to grow up? Thankfully, all the boys still seek out a big hug and kiss from me and like to be tucked in at night and snuggle on the couch for a good movie or sit at the table for a competitive game of cards. I pray the days never come to an end. OK fine, someday they'll have to snuggle on their couch with their own kids, but I hope to be held in their heart as they do these things with my grandchildren (gulp!).

Now as I sat at the kitchen table typing, Simon and Mary Kate have been sitting across from me with paper, crayons and scissors quietly playing together. All of a sudden, I felt this very strong tap on my shoulder and I looked up to find Simon cutting Mary Kate's hair!!! Now I believe this tap was Mary Kate's guardian angel. I said a "no" that had to have been 5 syllables long to Simon. He got the point and put the scissors down a little shocked that I would stop his hair cutting. Fortunately, not much was cut and it really isn't noticeable at all, but enough to warrant me taking a picture of the clump I collected.

Here's to a continued good day with creativity on paper rather than hair :)

Don't mess with his Mary...

...no matter how much she stinks! I took Simon and Mary Kate on some errands this afternoon and then rewarded them with a stop at a McDonald's with a play-land. There was another little group of boys around the same age that were playing there. Simon and Mary Kate were happily chasing each other throughout the play-land. About 10 minutes passed when I heard the other little boys laughing and pointing.

Simon: "HEY STOP TALKING ABOUT MY MARY!!!!"

The boys continued to laugh and point. Mary Kate was oblivious to their teasing and went on about her business of flirting with another little boy that had just shown up.

Simon: "I SAID LEAVE MY MARY ALONE, YOU ARE BULLIES!!"

OK now I figure I should see what's going on.

Me: "Simon what's wrong?"
Simon: "Mom those boys are calling Mary Kate stinky monster"
Me: "hmmm, do you think she pooped her diaper?"
Simon: "ummmm, yeah"
Me: "well I'm thinking it's time to go 'cause she is a little stinker, but those boys should have not been teasing her like that and we shouldn't make fun of people."

Now this is where I am REALLY proud of myself because when I looked up, I saw one of the younger boys in the group wearing his sisters princess shoes and I didn't say "hey Simon look at the little girly-boy". Now THAT would have been setting bad example wouldn't it?

Simon's idea of a fun hike

Simon was getting ready to head out to preschool when I told him after school we'd be going on a hike. He got all wide-eyed (if you know Simon, you know the look well).
Me: "we can look for butterflies and flowers"
Simon: "but I want to look for snakes and lions"

I of course will be taking my camera along. I'm hoping to not come home with pictures of snakes and lions.

Simon Says "I gotta pee"

Well Simon says that ALL the time. I truly believe that his bladder is the size of an ants. This afternoon we had to pick Ri up from school and then I stopped by the house to wait for Simon to get home from pre-k. Simon hopped in the car, climbed over the back seat into the very back of the van to help himself to "one" Capri-Sun. Off we went to the allergist office to get Ri's allergy shot (only about a 15 minute drive). Riley was called back within 2 minutes of signing in, had his shots and then Simon announced he had to go to the bathroom. No big surprise. Riley took him to the bathroom and then back to the van to head home. 2 in-the-van pit stops the first at McDonald's for Ri, Simon and Mary Kate and then to Chic-fil-A for a salad for me. While in the drive-thru for MY lunch, Simon announced he had to pee. Really? Played this game before. "Simon we aren't getting out of the car. You just went and you are going to have to hold it for 5 minutes."

The crying and frantically grabbing at this pants begins (does that really stop it?). I patiently remind him again that he just went and we would be home in a few minutes (the calm voice was in over drive since at the same time I was putting my order in). Now remember I'm not dealing with a newly potty training child, he's been potty trained for 2 years now. Once we had pulled through the drive-thru and the crying calmed down, I actually thought maybe he finally "got it" and realized we'd be home soon. HA! Joke's on me.

We pulled into the garage and Simon was looking at me sheepishly.
Me: "What's wrong?"
Simon: "I peed my pants"
Me: "Why?"
Ri: "Well you told him too"
Me: "Thanks Ri, but I didn't think he'd do it"

OK so fine while using my calm voice, I may have said (very sweetly) something to the effect of "well then I guess you are going to pee your pants". I didn't think he'd REALLY do it!

Once he was changed and I was done eating, I went out to clean out the car and discovered that the "one" Capri Sun was actually THREE!! No wonder he had to go to the bathroom. I guess he doesn't have the bladder the size of an ant, but he just drinks too much (secretly). We'll be adding that to the list of behaviors to change.

Where does pee go Simon?

May seem like an appropriate question if you are asking a 3 year old potty training little boy, but for a 4 1/2 year old? NO! However last night, we had a busy night of dinner out and taking the kids to the school book fair. As you can imagine the boys were completely wound up when we got home and it was already inching past their bedtime which can result in some bizarre behavior. I was in the kitchen when Nolan yelled down the stairs "Mom! Simon peed in the trash can!" At this point I took the steps 3 at a time, only to find Simon standing at the top of the stairs saying he was sorry with the grin that can melt your heart and make you want to scream all at the same time spread across his face. Apparently, there wasn't enough room around the toilet (I really should consider on-the-wall urinals) and so he just shot it into the trashcan. Now I don't know what is worst, the fact that he did it or that Andrew looked in the trash can and justified it by saying "oh it's just a few dribbles mom".

For the record, I don't consider enough pee to cover half the bottom of the trash can as "just a few dribbles". Clorox wipes to the rescue :)

In case he swallowed a dry erase marker

I was standing in the kitchen this afternoon when Simon walked up, grabbed the bottle of cleaning spray for a dry erase board, put it up to his mouth as if it was breath freshener and sprayed away. I was speechless for about 3 seconds and then screamed for him to stop it.
Me: Simon why did you do that?
Simon: I don't know.
Well OK then. I don't know what kind of response I really expected. It's a Simon thing!

You Decide, Compliment or Insult?

In the van heading to Mass
Nolan: "I smell something good"
Andrew: "Yeah mom you smell good"
Me: "thanks it's the cologne you bought me for Christmas"
Andrew: "I thought it smelled familiar"
Simon: "Yeah, I smell gas"

Thanks Simon! It's a good thing he sits in the very back of the van :)

The "hair cut" that made me run

Simon: "Hey Mom, Mary Kate is cutting my hair!"

I turn around to find that Mary Kate is "cutting" Simon's hair with the egg covered fork and knife that were on my dinner plate (see previous post regarding my dinner). Great! Go figure he had JUST gotten out of the bathtub too.

Don't worry though, Beamer was sure to help with re-cleaning Simon's hair. I was sitting on the couch reading a pile of books to Nolan, Simon and Mary Kate (OK, well she was actually just getting up and down off the couch while everyone else was trying to listen to the book), when Beamer perched himself up behind Simon and was licking away. He too liked my poached eggs :)

Happy Chinese New Year

Simon: "ouch"
Me: "did you put them up your nose?"
Simon: "yes"
Me: "Simon you don't put chop-sticks up your nose"
Simon: "OK"
Nolan: (from the other room all matter-of-fact) "hey remember when I did that with french fries?... (mumbling something)..... but we still got ice cream"

Feeling the love

We were just finishing up dinner tonight when Simon came back to the table to say he was hungry.

Me: "Hmm that's interesting Simon, maybe if you had stayed at the table and eaten with us then you wouldn't be so hungry. Your plate's been cleared and we are done eating, looks like you'll be hungry until breakfast"
Simon: "No, I'm hungry, you go away mommy"
Me: "Sounds good to me, you can finish up the dishes"
Hubs: "OK, I'll go on the internet and look for a new mommy. Maybe from Russia."
Andrew: "hey how about Puerto Rico"

Gee Andrew thanks for the love and support! Oh and he's not going to bed hungry, he decided to have a cheese stick and yes he had already eaten half of the dinner we had given him before he decided he wanted down from the table.