Sunday, June 25, 2006
Learning Guilt
Matthew has been learning two new things lately: snatching snack foods when we're not around, and feeling guilt about it. Mostly, he takes the snacks on mornings that he gets up earlier than either of us. Until very recently, he would come up to our bedroom to ask if he could have, say, a granola bar, before he actually went to get one. Lately, I go down in the mornings and often find a pile of wrappers for whatever the taste of the day is. One morning, it was a half-dozen empty plastic tubes from the colored popsicles he likes now.
The other day, I came down before leaving for work, and knew he was up from the noises he had made, but couldn't find him in his usual spot on the couch. I looked around, and saw that the door to the second bedroom was closed, which is not normal. Coming closer, I could hear a little voice in there. I opened the door to find Matt sitting on the bed, one hand in a bag of Cheetos, talking to himself. When the door opened, he froze. A moment later, he stammered, "Oh, oh, oh! I'm not eating any more Cheetos!" As though trying to make me believe he had decided to stop eating them moments before I came in!
He also tends to spend time that is supposed to be the start of his nap, playing in the bedroom. If he is not tired enough to get to sleep quickly, he will start looking at books or doing other quiet activities. A few days ago, Mary looked in on him, only to find him across the room playing with some toys. The moment he spotted her, he said "Oh!" H then dashed across the room and threw himself on his bed, as though going fast enough would make her forget he had been out of his bed!
He definitely knows some of what he is supposed to do and not do, but it is not yet enough to deter him. It's cute to watch him think he won't get caught and the look on his face when he does. He is changing daily right now, sometimes for the good, sometimes not, but always interesting!
John
The other day, I came down before leaving for work, and knew he was up from the noises he had made, but couldn't find him in his usual spot on the couch. I looked around, and saw that the door to the second bedroom was closed, which is not normal. Coming closer, I could hear a little voice in there. I opened the door to find Matt sitting on the bed, one hand in a bag of Cheetos, talking to himself. When the door opened, he froze. A moment later, he stammered, "Oh, oh, oh! I'm not eating any more Cheetos!" As though trying to make me believe he had decided to stop eating them moments before I came in!
He also tends to spend time that is supposed to be the start of his nap, playing in the bedroom. If he is not tired enough to get to sleep quickly, he will start looking at books or doing other quiet activities. A few days ago, Mary looked in on him, only to find him across the room playing with some toys. The moment he spotted her, he said "Oh!" H then dashed across the room and threw himself on his bed, as though going fast enough would make her forget he had been out of his bed!
He definitely knows some of what he is supposed to do and not do, but it is not yet enough to deter him. It's cute to watch him think he won't get caught and the look on his face when he does. He is changing daily right now, sometimes for the good, sometimes not, but always interesting!
John
Sunday, June 04, 2006
She's family after all
I was talking to Jessica this evening, a very nice talk after many weeks of going without talking. She has three kids now. Wow. She helped us raise Drew from an infant when I was stricken with postpartum depression, and desperately needed help, especially at nights when Drew would need feeding. She just about saved our sanity then.
I just finished making her youngest baby a quilt for the wall, a decoration. I will do it up with decorative footprints when I receive the tracings from Jes and Scott. I will be so excited to add then to the already decorated quilt, decorated with color, that is. I told Jes of Drew's reaction to our inability to see her when visiting Phx in March for spring break. We were in town for various reasons that popped up, and it was such a short visit, we couldn't get our schedules to coincide, Jes and us. So we resolved to get together next time we are in town. Anyhow, when I notified Drew, who of course was looking forward to seeing Jes, his godmother, he was so sad. I knew he would be sad but this level of sadness I was not really expecting. When I asked him what was making him so sad about not seeing Jessica's family this visit (for she has no children his age to see) he replied "Well, she is family after all."
Of course I didn't correct him. She IS family in all the ways that matter. Always will be.
I just finished making her youngest baby a quilt for the wall, a decoration. I will do it up with decorative footprints when I receive the tracings from Jes and Scott. I will be so excited to add then to the already decorated quilt, decorated with color, that is. I told Jes of Drew's reaction to our inability to see her when visiting Phx in March for spring break. We were in town for various reasons that popped up, and it was such a short visit, we couldn't get our schedules to coincide, Jes and us. So we resolved to get together next time we are in town. Anyhow, when I notified Drew, who of course was looking forward to seeing Jes, his godmother, he was so sad. I knew he would be sad but this level of sadness I was not really expecting. When I asked him what was making him so sad about not seeing Jessica's family this visit (for she has no children his age to see) he replied "Well, she is family after all."
Of course I didn't correct him. She IS family in all the ways that matter. Always will be.
"She can do things (back) to him!"
We were all out back gathering cherries form our newly-discovered cherry tree. It is the first fruit for us from the tree as we moved in 10 mo. ago on July 1. Nice to actually see fruit on the tree!! We were not expecting it – didn't even know what kind of tree it was at all. We have never had a cherry tree. One of our neighbors, Dawn, told us she used to come during the year which this house was abandoned, to pick cherries. Anyhow, I was inside with the children making some cherry ice cream, when telling Drew about George Washington chopping down his family's cherry tree. I told him that it was a famous president who did it, and he was supposed to guess. I also said this person was in BIG TROUBLE with his mother. He replied "Well, he is president, so he could do stuff back to her if he was in huge trouble." LOL!!
Matt is learning quickly to push my buttons, and enjoying it immensely.
Drew and Matty were up in the tree, with me assisting Matty, and having a grand old time. Drew enjoys telling his friends how arsenic found in the pits is so poisonous for you. He has kindergartener Kameron Quiring looking worried today about it. But they forgot a moment later and went back to devouring them.
How neat for us to actually live in a yard whihc supplies us fresh fruit. I think we will take it to Karen's MOMS club potluck tomorrow.
Mary :-)
Matt is learning quickly to push my buttons, and enjoying it immensely.
Drew and Matty were up in the tree, with me assisting Matty, and having a grand old time. Drew enjoys telling his friends how arsenic found in the pits is so poisonous for you. He has kindergartener Kameron Quiring looking worried today about it. But they forgot a moment later and went back to devouring them.
How neat for us to actually live in a yard whihc supplies us fresh fruit. I think we will take it to Karen's MOMS club potluck tomorrow.
Mary :-)
