Why, yes, I do have another child

I know Ellie gets a lot of blog-mention around here, but that doesn't mean Jack is a wallflower. If anything, he has a stronger personality than Ellie. I remember when he was a baby and I was so sure he was going to be my laid-back, quiet child. What was I thinking? As if Tom and I could even create such a creature! Jack is a firecracker. He wants what he wants and he makes sure everyone knows it. He is also incredibly stubborn. He would rather go to time out than say sorry. If he is angry at you, no matter how upset or tearful he is, he will not let you hug or comfort him. This is so different from Ellie who always needs the reassurance that we still love her even when we are upset with her. But, Jack is still my snuggler (when he isn't punishing me) and he gives the best hugs and kisses. I can't get enough of his baby-soft skin, hand dimples, and chubby cheeks. His birthday is rapidly approaching, but I will keep this one a baby for as long as possible!

Sunday Best: Fully Clothed edition

Question of the day

At what age do you start making your kids wear clothes?

Middle of the night ramblings

It is 2am and I can't sleep so I thought I would update the 'ol blog. Something I only manage to do once a week these days.

Isn't it strange the things you obsess over in the middle of the night? Right now I am thinking of Elllie and how she can't ride a bicycle even though she is in kindergarten. And that I am somehow failing as a parent because of this. Part of the problem is we bought her a full size bike that tips easy, even with the training wheels. She goes down the driveway? Tips over. Turns a little sharply? Tips over. So, while she loves her bike in theory, Ellie is not really a fan of actually riding it. The other part of the problem is that Tom and I just don't work with her. I like to blame it on our neighborhood with its cracked, bumpy sidewalks. Not conducive to bike riding.

You see what I mean about obsessing? And in the morning I will be all, eh, who needs to be able to ride a bike anyway? Usually, my middle-of-the-night obsessions are about my kids' health or about bugs. Remember the mosquitoes? Well, now I obsess over ants. The drought and heat have driven them indoors and we have swarms of them. Plus, they are fire ants so they bite. I have ant baits hidden all over, but I worry Jack will find one and manage to crack through its child-proof exterior and poison himself. Oh, heck, now I am over the bike riding and on to the bugs.

In other news, school is going well for all. Jack seems happy when I drop him off and pick him up. He was coloring when I picked him up yesterday and threw a huge screaming fit when I took him away from it. Ellie still loves kindergarten, even on the days she gets a black check mark. She asked me today if it was hard for me to get smiley faces when I was in kindergarten. I reassured her that it was, but that I would still work hard at it every day. I am starting to get into the rhythm of school and accepting the fact that I can no longer stay home in my pajamas all day and maybe that's not such a bad thing. Tom is busy with cross country and his team is doing amazing, as always. So, yeah, things are going well..even with the bike riding and ant issues.

In which you wonder why I only talk about Ellie

Me: [Turning on the vacuum near where Ellie is playing]
Ellie: Mom! What has gotten into you?
Me: It's Saturday. I'm cleaning.
Ellie: Well, do something boring instead.
Me: Cleaning IS boring.
Ellie: Well, do something NOT boring then.
Me: I can't. I need to clean. Do you want to live in a messy house?
Ellie: Yes.

And as an update....Ellie received ALL smiley faces on her behavior chart this week! I wonder if my little email conversation to her teacher about my concerns with Ellie not being challenged has anything to do with it? Ugh, I am the parent that I hate...a helicopter parent. But it did get her smiley faces!

In other Ellie news, I bought Ellie an MP3 player last week (total steal off Amazon). I think I have well-documented her love of music, so it will come as no surprise to anyone that she now wears earbuds everywhere (except school). She even goes to sleep wearing them and I have to sneak in and turn off her MP3 player after she falls asleep. I thought that I did a pretty good job loading innocent pop songs onto her music player, but I learned earlier this week just how important listening to lyrics can be. Did y'all know that Katy Perry's "Hot and Cold" has the B-word in it? I sure didn't...until I heard Ellie belting it out loud and clear. I told her it was a bad word and I would need to erase the song which brought her to tears because it is "the Chipmunk song" and it is her favorite.