Quite a Thursday!

Yesterday was a pretty stellar day at our house. Connor was, as we like to say in the entertainment biz, ON FIRE. All of this happened in one day, and it was wonderful. I have been sick/stressed/so-busy-I-don't-know-which-way-is-up crazy in the last few weeks, so I welcomed some comic relief. Hope you enjoy.

In the morning, we had to have our home study renewed, an annual process done by the adoption agency. For those of you unfamiliar with the terminology, that is when the case worker comes out and makes sure that you safely lock things like medicine, guns, cleaning supplies and the keys to the liquor cabinet (joking, just making sure you are paying attention) up where little ones won't be able to get to them, should they place a baby in your home. While Pam, our caseworker, was asking questions, Connor would run into the room with one of his toys (it always starts out with the quiet stuff, like his stuffed Bunny, Movie Car, then goes progressively louder, toy drill - which yes, he fired up - and ending with his tool set including hammer which he began banging as hard as he could, on the coffee table) to showcase. Finally, to keep him occupied, Lonny put his IPod headphones on Connor's ears and he sat with Daddy in his chair happily listening to tunes for a while. But apparently, he was quiet for too long and felt he had to make his presence known. All of a sudden he starts quietly singing. Then it gets a little louder. Then you can make out the words. Connor is singing "We will, we will ROCK YOU" (He proceeded to sing this all day yesterday, pretty funny stuff). I guess his message to his potential siblings out there is this...you come to live in our house and We Will Rock Your World!!!

Connor calls Diego....San Dee Lego... as in "I wanna watch San Dee Lego!" It took me a while to figure out that's what he was saying. I thought we wanted to GO to San Diego (heck, who doesn't) but that wasn't it at all. You should have seen his face light up when I figured it out!

Here's a little sample of my conversations with Connor yesterday and his newest, favorite pair of words to string together....

A: Okay little man, it's time for you to eat some breakfast....
C: Cuz why?
A: Because eating food will help you grow and make you strong.
C: Cuz why?
A: Because it's filled with nutrients and vitamins.
C: Vimamins?
A: Yes vitamins.
C: Make Connor strong?
A: Yes, exactly.
C: (Pause) Cuz why?

And that soft grindy sort of noise is the sound of what is left of my sanity, beginning to slip away.

Eating was a bit of a battle yesterday. But I was FINALLY able to figure it out. If you want to find out what Connor would like to eat, you now have to ask his stuffed Bunny. Took me almost until dinner time, but hey, I will gladly serve a fake PB&J to a stuffed bunny if it means I can get Connor to eat one too. It does en"tail" putting Bunny in his own chair with a makeshift booster seat, and a plate. All very "tea party"-esque. So I set the two of them up and left the room for a minute then heard "Mommy, Bunny not eating his dinner!" So I had to go in the room and scold Bunny as Connor solemnly looked on. I told Bunny to be a good boy and eat his dinner and gave him a kiss. Connor said "Thanks, Mom" and proceeded to eat all of his own food.

I can't figure out why I was so TIRED last night!!!

Chores

I have been trying to work a little with Connor about having some responsibilities (translation - chores, I mean after all, isn't that why you HAVE kids?) and learning a little bit about work ethic (cause his mom has such a great one, ha ha). So far his jobs include feeding the kitty cat and at least attempting to pick up his toys (which apparently, to Connor is not nearly as thrilling as giving Chole a "nack"). The other day Connor watched with great interest as his dad took his motorcycle out of the garage and gave it a good cleaning....almost time for some early spring riding, you know. When he got back inside, he decided that he wanted to clean his bike as well, give it a real good spiff up. After all it is a man's job to keep his hog looking good. Problem is, now he wants to do it everyday. If only I could get him to go at the bathroom mirrors with this much gusto! I hope he never decides to go for the old spit shine!

Completely Gratuitous

Because "Captain Bubblebeard" always makes me smile....and admit it. You can't get enough of my avocado green bathtub!

Rx for Gratitude!

My little man has been very sick the last few days...it started out with a rash on his bum-bum that turned into strep throat (how the two are connected, I don't even want to know). Things is, I never would have known Connor was sick at all, if I didn't see the rash. He didn't appear to be in any pain, and was as happy as ever. Friday night, he started to feel really warm, but that was the only indication that something was amiss. He went to the doctor on Saturday (and a shout out to Dr. "Kula", not only for being there on a Saturday, but having the coolest train set in town), and we received his diagnosis. So start the antibiotics and the bum cream! After two doses of the antibiotic (which, turns out, is NOT the yummy stuff that tastes like bubble gum) Connor announced "I all better now, Mommy, don't need no more medicine". He has been taking really long naps and a couple of times when his dad asked if he wanted to sit on his lap, he answered "No, I want Mommy" - this is how I KNOW he is sick - but that aside, he has been as active and up to his usual shenaniganariness as ever. Smiling, laughing and enjoying being Connor. And I couldn't help but think of my mom...she was sick almost every day of my life (and long before)...I barely remember her being healthy...and yet you would never know it. She endured countless heart problems, severe back pain and finally breast cancer that spread to her brain and ultimately claimed her life. But more than her illnesses, I remember a woman who was active, kind-hearted, optimistic, upbeat and a woman of great and infinite faith. She never once cursed God, felt sorry for herself and rarely complained (in fact I can only assume with all the pain she went through, that she must have....but I never heard it). She has taught me more about facing adversity (though it would seem I still need to learn much more about this) with class and dignity then anybody who ever received an award or had a movie or book made about their life. I am proud to say she is my mother, and I am proud to say that sunny, funny, happy little Connor is my son. I have much to learn from both of them. Oh, by the way, Connor still has to take his medicine. And he is getting better, in every way, each and every day.

Happy Valentine's Day...

To my favorite guys and bestest buddies....I love you today and everyday!
I know it's an old picture, but it always makes my heart smile :)

Catching Up with Connor

Just in case you were craving your Connor for the week, here are his latest doin's....

Last Saturday, Connor and I attended a birthday party for Frosty the Snowman. What's that you say? YOU didn't receive an invitation? Yeah, well, it was a pretty exclusive guest list. It was just a little somethin' somethin' at Con-man's school, but he was pretty excited. He just LOVED watching the Frosty flick over Christmas. He knows most of the words (his thumpety-thump-thump is right up there with, well, it's the best). He sang the song all the way to the party. Now I know you are wondering, well, where are the pictures of said festivity? Unfortunately when Connor and I arrived, it turns out Frosty the Snowman is about 8 freakin' feet tall and absolutely TERRIFIED the majority of the guests, all of whom were under the age of 5. Including my son. I have no pictures because a) I actually forgot to put the memory stick in my camera and b)I was attempting to peel a frightened-out-of-his-mind child off my leg. I couldn't even get one with my phone he was so freaked. He finally agreed to go up and say "happy birthday" (the only polite thing to do even if the guest of honor slightly resembles GOLIATH) but only if I went with him. Connor was content to go to the art table and make his own birthday hat, eat ice cream and play pin the nose on the snowman (a facsimile, not the actual) but he wouldn't go near Frosty the Freakin' Jolly White Giant again for nothin'. I am thinking, they may want to revisit the issue of the Frosty suit next year. I have to admit, he made me a tad nervous too.

And speaking of nervous, I am afraid that I am turning into, yes, one of THOSE moms. Connor has a little friend at school...to protect her identity, I will call her, oh let's see here....THUG. Thug has attacked Connor (completely unprovoked I am sure as my child is PERFECT) on a number of occasions. Okay 3. That I KNOW of. He has been bitten when he refused to give Thug his "Movie Car", and was scratched slightly across his face the other day. But when we picked him up on Wednesday, he had a HUGE band-aid across his cheek and it was reported that while Connor was innocently riding a bike, Thug decided she wanted said bike and scratched Connor's face pretty badly to get it. It bled for quite a while and was pretty ugly. The school will not rat out the perpetrator, but Connor has no problem doing so. I walked right up to him in front of everyone and said "who did this to you" and he pointed at his assailant and shouted "THUG!" with great gusto. That's when Mama Bear saw red. Connor has bled exactly 4 times in his entire life, and TWICE at the hands of Thug. I stewed all day yesterday trying to figure out how to march into his class today and say "ENOUGH! I do NOT want Connor and Thug playing together anymore!!" In my mind, I was forceful and the epitome of what a mom should do. In my heart I was a shrew that has to know that Connor will encounter many "Thugs" in his life and that I can't fight all his battles for him (plus, I kept hearing Ginnie's rousing rendition of "You Got To Keep 'Em Separated" from our last Rock Band session and kept cracking up). When I dropped him off this morning, I kind of said "Connor, you and Thug play nice today". And his cute teacher, Miss Melanie said "I know, it's so strange, because they absolutely LOVE each other". I guess, in addition to the realization that my little man is going to have to stand up for himself, I learned that it truly is a thin line between love and hate. I bent down and gave him a kiss and whispered in his ear "Kill Thug with kindness, little man and uh, yeah, you're on your own". Not unlike Frosty, Thug happens to make me a little nervous too.

A Super Sunday

Even though I wasn't feeling very well yesterday, I was so blown away by what an exciting Superbowl we had! It's bittersweet, because it means the end of football season, but how nice not to have a complete and utter blow-out! And The Boss for the half-time show? Outstanding!! I was routing for the Cardinals, but was really happy that we had a edge of our seat nail biter (well, those of us who care). AND it was the men's final of the Australian Open...which went over 4 hours and took us to five sets before Nadal finally won (Rafa Rafa!). Finally, though I haven't talked to anybody yet, I believe all of my family is now home safe and sound from their adventures in Vegas. All in all, not a bad day for somebody who was feeling cruddy!