I feel very blessed to have a husband that is truly an equal partner. We both work full time, and life can be pretty hectic. Andrew cooks, does dishes, laundry...you name it. We don't keep score, and we both pitch in whenever something needs to be done. I have never once had to ask him to help more around the house. And, it's definitely something that the kids see and recognize.
The other day, Andrew was going to be gone overnight at a conference, so I told Matthew, "You know, you are going to be the man of the house tonight. Daddy isn't going to be home tonight."
Matthew got a very serious look on his face, and says "I have to cook?" And follows up with, "That's OK, Mommy. I can cook for you if you need me to."
That one put a big smile on my face. Boy have the times changed! I'm glad to see that in the eyes of our kids, the roles of moms and dads are much less rigid and defined these days.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Return to the hospital
One day, about a week ago, we were in the car and the kids were being particularly obnoxious. They were fighting, and whining, and there was even some screaming. Andrew looks at me and says loudly, "well, I guess we should head to the hospital today and see if they will accept an exchange. They might have two other kids that we can take home that won't fight or whine when we ask them not to."
So, I play along for a little while until the kids start to get very nervous and upset that we might actually return them. At this point I realize that we might cause permanent damage that will require psychological counseling later on if we continue down this path. So, I explain that we are just joking and that we are not going to return them because we love them so much, even when they are misbehaving.
Fast forward to a couple of days ago...we're in the car on the way home from daycare, and Kayla is semi-crying in the car (she'd had a long day). Matthew starts talking about how she needs to go to the hospital and I can't figure out what the heck he is talking about. Finally, he says, "if she won't stop crying we are going to take her back for a new kid." Oh great. What did we start?
And now it's a source of great amusement for the kids because every time one of them is acting up in the car or at home, the other will shake their head and say, "I guess we are going to have to take you back to the hospital now." Or as Kayla says, "Ma-yoo, you go hostpal now." They think it's very funny when they say it to the other, but not so much when it is said to them.
So, I suppose you have to be careful what you start, as we seem to have given them a new way to bug the heck out of each other.
So, I play along for a little while until the kids start to get very nervous and upset that we might actually return them. At this point I realize that we might cause permanent damage that will require psychological counseling later on if we continue down this path. So, I explain that we are just joking and that we are not going to return them because we love them so much, even when they are misbehaving.
Fast forward to a couple of days ago...we're in the car on the way home from daycare, and Kayla is semi-crying in the car (she'd had a long day). Matthew starts talking about how she needs to go to the hospital and I can't figure out what the heck he is talking about. Finally, he says, "if she won't stop crying we are going to take her back for a new kid." Oh great. What did we start?
And now it's a source of great amusement for the kids because every time one of them is acting up in the car or at home, the other will shake their head and say, "I guess we are going to have to take you back to the hospital now." Or as Kayla says, "Ma-yoo, you go hostpal now." They think it's very funny when they say it to the other, but not so much when it is said to them.
So, I suppose you have to be careful what you start, as we seem to have given them a new way to bug the heck out of each other.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Last night Andrew and I went out for a date to the San Jose Improv. Eddie Griffin was performing - he was in the TV series Malcom & Eddie, and a bunch of movies, including Deuce Bigalow. We had so much fun! We usually go to dinner and movie, so it was great to mix it up a bit. Eddie was pretty funny, but he used the N-word and Mother F-er at least twice in every sentence. I'm not sensitive to that kind of stuff, but it does start to get a little confusing when every noun in a sentence is one of those two words. It was definitely something we will do again - laughter is really great for the soul.
A random funny... Tonight in the car we were talking about Star Wars with Matthew. He has tons of questions about everything in the movie, including "why is Chewbacca good?" and "why does Darth Vader talk funny," and so on. He's never seen the movie, and won't for a while but he loves to ask questions about all the movies he hasn't seen. Near the end of the conversation, Matthew says, "do you want to know which guys I like the best in the movie?" We say yes, and Matthew responds with, "the white guys." Andrew and I look at each other both thinking in our minds, "did our son just say a racist remark?" I mean, I like Han and Luke too, but not just because they're white! Then Matthew asks why the white guys wear masks, and then it hits us...ahhhh, he's talking about the storm troopers. Phew...that was a parental relief.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Full Blown Potty Training
After Kayla's success on the potty last week, we (her teachers and us) decided it was time to move to underwear. Kayla is so excited to be a big girl! We bought princess and Tinkerbell underwear for her, and she has been doing so great. She had two accidents the first day, one the next two days, and none yesterday. No poop in the pants either - only wet. She even is keeping dry at night with her overnight diaper, which is a shock to me. She wakes up in the night and wants to use the potty. The cynic in me is starting to get nervous that this is all going a little too well.
Funny thing about the youngest kid potty training...it makes me a little sad. With the first you're usually just eager to get one kid out of diapers, but with the second (most likely the last)...you just realize how very fast they are growing up.
Funny thing about the youngest kid potty training...it makes me a little sad. With the first you're usually just eager to get one kid out of diapers, but with the second (most likely the last)...you just realize how very fast they are growing up.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Potty Talk
Hallelujah! Kayla pooped in the potty last night for the first time. I'm not sure who was more excited...me or Kayla. Why would I be so excited by this you ask? Well, let's just say that potty training her brother Matthew was not easy. Actually, it was just plain difficult. So, I am thrilled that Kayla is making progress and more importantly is motivated. I actually have a very funny story about potty training Matthew, but I must warn those that are sensitive to potty talk to stop reading now.
So, Matthew had a lot of trouble learning to poop in the toilet. He hated it. He would wait until the last possible minute (sometimes holding it for multiple days), and then he would go to his room and poop in his pants. Not fun. Especially since the toilet is literally 5 feet from his room. We tried absolutely every technique known to man to try and motivate and encourage him, but nothing seemed to work. It was a frustrating time for us all.
Anyway, on weekends we would have Matthew run around naked. He couldn't poop in his underwear if he wasn't wearing any, right? Matthew hadn't gone for a few days, and this particular morning we knew a number 2 would be inevitable. Matthew went poop on the potty, and we were thrilled. But, remember how I said he would hold it for multiple days? That usually meant that when he finally got around to going, one poop for the day would not be enough.
Sure enough about 15 minutes later, Matthew got a very anxious look on his face, and made a little noise that meant he was really worried. Andrew and I exchange glances, and like the superhero that he is, Andrew grabs our son, lifts him up by the waist, and slings his body over his shoulders for the mad dash to the toilet. Keep in mind that Matthew is not wearing anything on his bottom half, which is pointing directly up to the ceiling as they make their way to the bathroom.
If you have ever seen a prairie dog poke its little head out of a hole in the ground, then you can visualize what happened next. Poop comes out of Matthew and plops on the hardwood floor in the hallway, just as Andrew is taking his next step. Andrew steps on the poop, does a Charlie Brown maneuver, and his feet fly out from under him. Luckily Matthew lands on top of Andrew, who unfortunately landed in the poop. It was like a perfectly choreographed scene in some hilariously gross movie. I still can't help but laugh out loud when I picture it. Luckily Andrew has a great sense of humor, too. I think the only one who wasn't laughing was Matthew. Poor guy.
Ah, the adventures of parenting...
So, Matthew had a lot of trouble learning to poop in the toilet. He hated it. He would wait until the last possible minute (sometimes holding it for multiple days), and then he would go to his room and poop in his pants. Not fun. Especially since the toilet is literally 5 feet from his room. We tried absolutely every technique known to man to try and motivate and encourage him, but nothing seemed to work. It was a frustrating time for us all.
Anyway, on weekends we would have Matthew run around naked. He couldn't poop in his underwear if he wasn't wearing any, right? Matthew hadn't gone for a few days, and this particular morning we knew a number 2 would be inevitable. Matthew went poop on the potty, and we were thrilled. But, remember how I said he would hold it for multiple days? That usually meant that when he finally got around to going, one poop for the day would not be enough.
Sure enough about 15 minutes later, Matthew got a very anxious look on his face, and made a little noise that meant he was really worried. Andrew and I exchange glances, and like the superhero that he is, Andrew grabs our son, lifts him up by the waist, and slings his body over his shoulders for the mad dash to the toilet. Keep in mind that Matthew is not wearing anything on his bottom half, which is pointing directly up to the ceiling as they make their way to the bathroom.
If you have ever seen a prairie dog poke its little head out of a hole in the ground, then you can visualize what happened next. Poop comes out of Matthew and plops on the hardwood floor in the hallway, just as Andrew is taking his next step. Andrew steps on the poop, does a Charlie Brown maneuver, and his feet fly out from under him. Luckily Matthew lands on top of Andrew, who unfortunately landed in the poop. It was like a perfectly choreographed scene in some hilariously gross movie. I still can't help but laugh out loud when I picture it. Luckily Andrew has a great sense of humor, too. I think the only one who wasn't laughing was Matthew. Poor guy.
Ah, the adventures of parenting...
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