Yooper Fashion

THIS is how my son went out in public yesterday, while I was at work, and there were only Y-chromosomes in the house to choose outfits. Reagan, sister.... we've got a lot of work to do!!!

Preschool Humor

The boys were being awfully silly at dinner. Like the Three Stooges. Goofy, tongue-wagging, fork dropping, slapstick silly. I was not appreciating it. I told Quinn "That's not funny."

Q: "Yes it is! That's funny!" Colby burst out laughing

M: "No, that's silly. That's not funny." Colby burst out laughing.

M: "There's a difference between silly and funny."

Quinn did a raspberry, and Colby copied him. They both busted a gut.

M: "That's silly. It's not funny. Funny is like when you tell a joke. Like this: Knock Knock (say who's there?)

Q&C: "Who's there?"

M: "Ima"

Q&C: HILARIOUS LAUGHTER

We didn't even get to the punchline. That was enough. That started a slew of pathetic but preschool-hilarious "knock knock" jokes:

Knock Knock, who's there? Baby diaper!

Knock Knock, who's there? Brown Yuckie!

Knock KNock, who's there? Fanny!

The funny thing was, when they got to "Knock Knock, who's there? Handy!" ROB starts laughing and says "That's what I was going to say!" Oh the sophisticated humor of the Aho's!!!

Preschool Dance Class

I signed the boys up for a dance class, in the hopes that it would expend lots of pent-up energy. The first session last week was a bust.... I was "summoned" to come remove my children, who were running around like banshees instead of dancing and following directions. This week, the teacher met me at the door and said "YOU CANNOT LEAVE". I think the Aho boys scared her!! I assured her that I was staying put to help out, and that Colby would be spending the evening in the daycare rather than class, in an effort to give the boys time apart from each other. Know what? It worked! Quinn did AWESOME in his class! I wish I had a camera to document. So well behaved, following directions... learned his ballet moves, did the hokey pokey. I was so proud! It occurs to me that with my boys, 1+1 = 5 as far as energy level is concerned. Together, they become a fusion of energy that is ready to explode. Apart, they are polite, well-behaved, calm children. They need more time apart. For all our sakes.

Book Day

Quinn dubbed today, January 20th, 2009 "Giving a Book Party" day. In commemoration, he chose a very LARGE Michael Creighton novel and put it in his backpack to give to his teacher. He also brought three homemade cards to give her as well. I suggested he maybe SHOW her his dad's book (he tried to take one of mine- I nixed that idea) and then bring it back home, but he insisted that it was GIVING a Book Party Day, not SHOWING a Book Party Day. We'll see what makes it home this afternoon. It was too cute to say no, and I was secretly pleased that he wanted to GIVE something away. At Christmas that was a hard concept, as he kept wanting to KEEP everything we were giving to others.

ADDENDUM: Just got a call from Quinn's teacher, who was rather confused about the whole "Book Giving Party Day" thing. SHOULD she keep the book? I told her she could if she wanted to, otherwise, I would pick it up on Thursday when I came to visit the classroom. What about the three cards? One was addressed to Grandma Betty? I told her that Quinn chose to give her all three cards, and she was welcome to keep them, including Grandma Betty's. We would make another one for Grandma. I was laughing - Quinn's teacher wasn't. I think she thinks we live in a crazy house over here. She would be right.

Like Momy Like Son

I caught Colby using my breast pump tonight. Discreetly under his shirt, just like mom. He's probably trying to figure out what exactly is so exciting about the thing, since I use it so often. Funny.

Oh No.

Yet another humiliating Mom moment yesterday.... and here I am writing it down so I can remember it forever. Is that a little masochistic or what? The boys got up early yesterday for school, so our morning started leisurely. They even had time for a shower. We ate breakfast together, and then I asked them to go brush their teeth while I started cleaning the kitchen. Time got away from me, and when I looked at the clock, I realized it was 8:20, and the bus would arrive any minute. I yelled for the boys to hurry hurry hurry... did they brush their teeth? They ran by me , telling me "Yes!" and then we all got their snowclothes on in record time. The bus came 30 seconds after the last boot was donned. After the dust settled, I proceeded to go about my morning. It was about an hour later that I entered the bathroom. Toothpaste was EVERYWHERE - smeared on the mirror, the walls, the floor. UGH. I sighed, and cleaned it up, and thought that was that.

When the boys came home and took off their coat, I noticed their school clothes were also covered in toothpaste. "What? Did you go to school like that?" I asked.
Quinn said "Teacher Karen made me wash my hands." So that meant clothes AND hands were covered in toothpaste. At the parent-teacher meeting last night, his teacher told me she had to wash his HAIR, which was additionally caked in toothpaste. REALLY? HOW did I not notice that when they left the house???? I put their snowclothes on them... did I do it with eyes SHUT??? SHEESH!!!! WHAT they must think of me there, sending kids to school COVERED in toothpaste! His teacher actually asked me "When did you find out that his hair was full of toothpaste?" I said "Right this second, with you telling me 10 hours later". I think it's time to reign in the body-painting. Maybe I should've reacted a tad more harshly to the blue pen episode a few days ago.... It's also time to do a thorough body-check on each child before they leave the house.

Just Asking

I noticed a half-empty box of graham crackers on the kitchen cupboard, and little boys scurrying up the stairs. I don't mind them having a cracker now and then, but they need to ask, and they need to eat it in the kitchen. I called upstairs to them.

M: "Little boys! You need to come downstairs right now!"
Q & C: "WHY?"
M: "Did you take something you weren't supposed to?"
No answer.
M: "Come on downstairs. It's time to read a book." I figured if they were getting into mischief, it was time to direct them to something productive.
Q: (yelling down the stairs) "BOOK? Or SPANKING? I didn't hear you!"
M: "Why? Did you do something that deserves a spanking?"
Q: "No. I was just asking."

The boys slowly came downstairs and shot me a guilty glance.
Q: "I didn't take anything mom. I didn't eat a cracker."

Yeah right.

Blue Men

I did a crazy, wild, fool-hardy thing yesterday. I took a nap. WHILE little boys were awake. I was tired! In true mother fashion, though, I had one sub-conscious ear open, and they were being quiet. Not scary, too-quiet quiet, just sedately quiet. I was pleased. Until I woke up. And found that they were running around naked, and had colored themselves blue. Hey, it kept them entertained for two whole hours! AND they didn't color on anything but themselves! No walls, no furniture -- just skin (ALL parts) and they are washable! Too funny.

MY Christmas

Quinn liked Christmas alot. He wants to have it again, soon. I got out the 2009 calendar and tried to explain that we have a lllloooonnnnggg way to go until next Christmas. He just said "No, not Jesus' Christmas. MY Christmas!" Like it's a birthday. Which it is, and he knows it is, but... different thing. He's picked out a flower Christmas cake that he wants for HIS Christmas. Funny. I've got some more explaining to do.

The Fairy Tale that is Our Life

While getting ready for school this morning, Colby says "I'm a king!" Quinn said "I'm a Princess!" The king gave the princess a hug. I felt the need to correct the misconception.

M:"Quinn, you're a boy. That makes you a Prince, not a Princess."
Q: "Which one rides a horse?"
M: "Both of them do."
Q: "I'm a BOY Princess."
M: "That makes you a Prince."
Q: "No. I want to be a Princess." He then began singing a little song that would've made his father faint, had he heard it. It went "I'm a princess, I'm a princess, I'm a princess, I'm a princess!"

I tried.

Motherhood

I've decided there's no more humbling profession than Motherhood. One TRIES to be a good mom. Reads the books, talks "technique" with other moms, leads a "Mother of Preschoolers" group, makes an effort at pre-school psychology. And still, when said mom has custody of all three kids by herself in church, and the baby has a poopie diaper that requires a trip to the restroom, little boys STILL wreak humiliating havoc instead of being well-behaved. I honestly didn't know what to do.... they would be disruptive if I brought all 4 of us to the restroom (they cry if having to leave the service before it's time), and I THOUGHT maybe they could sit quietly for the 2 minutes I would be gone. WRONG-O. I returned to other church-goers rushing up to the balcony to silence my unsupervised children, who were crashing toy cars into the walls while making loud car-crashing noises. All during the sermon. Great. I'm a horrible mom. I'm really going to have to switch churches, because I don't know if I can show my face there again. We've made our impressions there, that's for sure.

Snow Day... Again

I feel like driving over to the Superintendent Of School's house and dropping off two cooped-up four year-olds for a "playdate". Does he realize they've gone to school all of two half days in the last THREE WEEKS? Does he know that this Mama just had a baby, and treasures school time as her only chance to be even remotely productive, especially on this, her last day before going back to work? Does he comprehend that when two little boys have only themselves for playmates for three weeks it ends up in bruises, screaming, and destruction???? And does he even faintly understand that it takes 30 minutes to get boys dressed for outside, and they stay out there all of 10 minutes???? It may be 2 degrees at the moment, but last I checked, the schools DO have heat. So do busses. The road has been plowed, it's not snowing, Christmas is over... time to get back to routine!! Please oh please!!!

Santa Candy

New Year's Eve sanity-saver activity? Making Christmas candy. Because it was 75% off at Walmart after Christmas. And because we need SOMETHING constructive to do while stuck in the house!!