Today was a day filled with energy. Not my energy though. My son rode his bike yesterday 3000 miles, OK, not that many, but when you start off walking behind the bike then gradually a slow jog to a full out run and then yelling for him to stop because you can't feel your legs anymore it felt like that to me. I was thinking I need a motorized scooter like you see on the commercials to keep up with this child. But even that might not be fast enough.
So, all the while when I was trying not to collapse on the sidewalk I was thinking the light at the end of this long road would be he'd be good and tired and bedtime would be a breeze. That one thought kept me going for blocks, past barking dogs, cats, people and a few birds over head. I was so looking forward to him coming in the house and eating dinner and taking his bath and going to bed early. I was going to bask in my me time and ice my sore knees after I soaked my aching feet. But, needless to say that didn't happen. He just got more energy after dinner and wanted to play a few rounds of go fish. I thought how nice a brother or sister would be right about then to play with. Right about then I would have even ignored any arguing about who was cheating who he might have had if he would have had a sibling. But, unfortunately, by the time I had him dreams of a second child faded as fast as my aging eggs.
After three hands of go fish he might not have been done for the night but I sure was. Before my head hit the pillow I think I was asleep.
Twenty four hours later my son wanted to bike ride again. He said he had fun yesterday. I crawled to the door almost. As we walked down the 17 stairs leading to the garage where the bike was I was thinking I am way too old for this then I laughed for no reason at all and we were off.
Sunday, September 28, 2014
Friday, September 26, 2014
Happy Noise
As my son was making his usual night time noise in the kitchen sliding his skateboard from one end of the kitchen to the other I was thinking how quiet my place used to be about 15 years ago. Back then I lived in a two bedroom house with a backyard and a small flower garden on the side of the front porch. I didn't plant but watered and admired the green thumb of the previous owner. The neighborhood was the most quiet one I had ever lived in. Not much traffic went down that street even though it was off a main street and a couple blocks from a popular park.
Living alone was an adventure in quiet for me since I had just moved away from home where 6 people lived including 2 small nephews. For the first 6 months I didn't know what to do with my new found peace and quiet. I used to go outside in the backyard and sit on a patio chair I had got from the thrift store and just dit and read on my days off.
I thought that after I had kids I would miss this quiet. I thought that I would and thought that it would not matter if instead of quiet I heard laughter in the backyard from my future sons and daughters. Yes, I had planned in my mind to have more then one. I thought about all the things I would do with my family. All the picnics in the backyard and water balloon fights in the front yard, all the board games to be played in the family room and movies watched in the den. I thought about the bickering they would do like me and my sister did everyday when we were young which put us in more time outs in our room that we can count using all of our collective fingers and toes.
My family fantasy was perfect. The reality was a whole lot different. My family in reality consists of one child and me. The house I lived in then is long gone out of the family. But, one thing in my fantasy remained true, I don't mind noise. OK, not too much most days. I have to be honest. And honestly, my sons laughter makes me smile.
Living alone was an adventure in quiet for me since I had just moved away from home where 6 people lived including 2 small nephews. For the first 6 months I didn't know what to do with my new found peace and quiet. I used to go outside in the backyard and sit on a patio chair I had got from the thrift store and just dit and read on my days off.
I thought that after I had kids I would miss this quiet. I thought that I would and thought that it would not matter if instead of quiet I heard laughter in the backyard from my future sons and daughters. Yes, I had planned in my mind to have more then one. I thought about all the things I would do with my family. All the picnics in the backyard and water balloon fights in the front yard, all the board games to be played in the family room and movies watched in the den. I thought about the bickering they would do like me and my sister did everyday when we were young which put us in more time outs in our room that we can count using all of our collective fingers and toes.
My family fantasy was perfect. The reality was a whole lot different. My family in reality consists of one child and me. The house I lived in then is long gone out of the family. But, one thing in my fantasy remained true, I don't mind noise. OK, not too much most days. I have to be honest. And honestly, my sons laughter makes me smile.
Sunday, September 21, 2014
Halloween Talk
It is the season for Halloween. But, my son has been doing the free candy Halloween season for months. Probably every since last Halloween. Needless to say, as probably most kids who celebrate Halloween do, he loves it. I have heard Halloween talk night and day and day and night. His costume changed about three times which is about right for him. He finally decided on Naurto last week. I told him once it is brought no changing his mind. He shook his head in agreement and said that he's sure.
I remember the very first Halloween that he and I celebrated. He was almost a year old. We lived on a family friendly loving Halloween block at that time. The house at the corner was decorated from top to bottom. Ghosts in the yard, pumpkins on the roof, orange and white lights twinkling everywhere. In every window there was something spooky or cute looking out at you even a huge spider climbing down the side of the house. That was the go to house of the neighborhood. They gave out the good candy.
Josh was walking back then. He started a month before. Even back then he probably had an inkling something good was coming so he needed to be ready. So, decked out in his first costume of many, a pumpkin costume, we walked from our house to the corner and back then counted the "loot" for mom. OK, Josh did get a sucker or two but the rest I happily ate.
As the years went on, Josh has been Spiderman three time, Superman once, Batman twice, A baseball p,ayer twice, and I am sure a couple more I can't remember right now. But, they are all captured on pictures tucked away in photo albums to show his future son or daughter some day so they can point and laugh like he did when he saw one picture of me dressed like a hula dancer on Halloween when I was around his age. And I thought I looked cool.
I remember the very first Halloween that he and I celebrated. He was almost a year old. We lived on a family friendly loving Halloween block at that time. The house at the corner was decorated from top to bottom. Ghosts in the yard, pumpkins on the roof, orange and white lights twinkling everywhere. In every window there was something spooky or cute looking out at you even a huge spider climbing down the side of the house. That was the go to house of the neighborhood. They gave out the good candy.
Josh was walking back then. He started a month before. Even back then he probably had an inkling something good was coming so he needed to be ready. So, decked out in his first costume of many, a pumpkin costume, we walked from our house to the corner and back then counted the "loot" for mom. OK, Josh did get a sucker or two but the rest I happily ate.
As the years went on, Josh has been Spiderman three time, Superman once, Batman twice, A baseball p,ayer twice, and I am sure a couple more I can't remember right now. But, they are all captured on pictures tucked away in photo albums to show his future son or daughter some day so they can point and laugh like he did when he saw one picture of me dressed like a hula dancer on Halloween when I was around his age. And I thought I looked cool.
Sunday, September 7, 2014
Smiles
My son, Josh, was never what you would call an outgoing type of person. He wasn't quiet once he got to know you but he was quiet if he didn't know you and would take a long time to warm up to you. He was the type of baby that wouldn't not go to anyone that he didn't know, ever. He would just look at you like "I know you don't expect me to go to that person over there that I never met before in my whole baby life. No way, not going to happen. Don't even try it." So, I just sort of knew that when got older that probably wouldn't change too much. If he knows you well, he will talk you to death. Ask you every question he can think of and tell you every story he can remember but that is only when he gets to know you and that may take some time.
When he was a baby, probably around 6 months old or so, his paternal grandmother came to visit him. He hadn't seen her since he was a newborn so he had no clue as to who she was. So, she stood there in a bright reddish wig, cherry red lipstick, her pants pulled up to her chest, mismatched socks on that you could plainly see because her pants were too short and pulled up too high, and she had on these dangling star earrings. She scared me a little and I knew her. So, Josh took one look at her and he let out a yell that I never knew could come out of such a little body. That yell probably was heard a half a block away. So, I was holding him trying to calm him down telling him that was his grandma and he wanted no part of the whole thing. She had brought him a toy rattle, a soft one, and she gave it to him and he threw it on the ground. He wanted no part of that either. He finally stopped crying and then he just looked at her and gave her a baby dirty look. She held out her hands for him to come to her and he looked like this woman has to be kidding me. For real? I tried not to laugh out loud but in my mind I just couldn't help it I was laughing and holding it in. But, I couldn't hold it in when Josh's father made a joke and told his mom that Josh couldn't take all that "ugly" she was just too much for him. She got the joke and laughed too and said that oh she didn't mean to scare him. I was laughing and then all of a sudden Josh started laughing too. Apparently, he got the joke too, or probably just laughing cause everyone else was most likely.
Eventually, he warmed up to her and occasionally, he would allow her to hold him for a minute or two. After all, she still was a constant presence in his life. He saw her only a few times per year and she only lives 40 minutes away.
Today, almost ten years later, he is still that same person that won't really talk too much to you unless he knows you. So, it surprised me when we went to the rehabilitation nursing center where my mom is recovering for hip surgery, when he self proclaimed himself as the "greeter" he greets everyone that we see and he talks to them and shares stories with them and they all know his name. He said he just wants to make them smile. And smile they do.
When he was a baby, probably around 6 months old or so, his paternal grandmother came to visit him. He hadn't seen her since he was a newborn so he had no clue as to who she was. So, she stood there in a bright reddish wig, cherry red lipstick, her pants pulled up to her chest, mismatched socks on that you could plainly see because her pants were too short and pulled up too high, and she had on these dangling star earrings. She scared me a little and I knew her. So, Josh took one look at her and he let out a yell that I never knew could come out of such a little body. That yell probably was heard a half a block away. So, I was holding him trying to calm him down telling him that was his grandma and he wanted no part of the whole thing. She had brought him a toy rattle, a soft one, and she gave it to him and he threw it on the ground. He wanted no part of that either. He finally stopped crying and then he just looked at her and gave her a baby dirty look. She held out her hands for him to come to her and he looked like this woman has to be kidding me. For real? I tried not to laugh out loud but in my mind I just couldn't help it I was laughing and holding it in. But, I couldn't hold it in when Josh's father made a joke and told his mom that Josh couldn't take all that "ugly" she was just too much for him. She got the joke and laughed too and said that oh she didn't mean to scare him. I was laughing and then all of a sudden Josh started laughing too. Apparently, he got the joke too, or probably just laughing cause everyone else was most likely.
Eventually, he warmed up to her and occasionally, he would allow her to hold him for a minute or two. After all, she still was a constant presence in his life. He saw her only a few times per year and she only lives 40 minutes away.
Today, almost ten years later, he is still that same person that won't really talk too much to you unless he knows you. So, it surprised me when we went to the rehabilitation nursing center where my mom is recovering for hip surgery, when he self proclaimed himself as the "greeter" he greets everyone that we see and he talks to them and shares stories with them and they all know his name. He said he just wants to make them smile. And smile they do.
Friday, September 5, 2014
No Monsters or Rats Under the Bed!
Last night I went to sleep early. I had an exhausting day to say the least. We spent the majority of the day visiting my mom at the rehabilitation center while she recovers from a broken hip. So, I barely got my head on the pillow good and I was out like a light. As I was happily dreaming about good things. I think. Then something happened. At first I thought I was still dreaming but nope it was no dream. I let hearing crunching noise and a slight rumbling of paper. It sounded like someone was crinkling paper, balling it up right before you throe it away. With my eyes still closed I was thinking we had rats, huge rats munching paper at the foot of my bed and my feet were hanging over the side. Next will be my toes. OK, maybe I have been reading that monster under the bed story one too many times with my son and my imagination got the better of me.
I slowly opened one eye and then the other and sat up slowly. I was glad the room was not totally dark and secretly giving myself a high five for letting my son convince me to put up the Christmas lights to act as a night light. I looked around the room and right by my bed was the "rat". He was my son and he was eating cereal, fruit loops, right out of the box. That was the rattling paper noise I heard and the crunching and munching him too. I never did figure out what the other noise was.
I should have known. I asked why in the world he was up at that hour. I was thinking it had to be late. After all, I was sleeping so I knew it had to be late. My son looked at me like I was nuts. He then proceeded to say it was only 8:15 pm. I laughed and he laughed. I told him to finish up eating what he called a snack and we both went to sleep after I made sure there were no crumbs on the floor for the "rats" or " monsters" to munch on and I kept my toes under the covers.
I slowly opened one eye and then the other and sat up slowly. I was glad the room was not totally dark and secretly giving myself a high five for letting my son convince me to put up the Christmas lights to act as a night light. I looked around the room and right by my bed was the "rat". He was my son and he was eating cereal, fruit loops, right out of the box. That was the rattling paper noise I heard and the crunching and munching him too. I never did figure out what the other noise was.
I should have known. I asked why in the world he was up at that hour. I was thinking it had to be late. After all, I was sleeping so I knew it had to be late. My son looked at me like I was nuts. He then proceeded to say it was only 8:15 pm. I laughed and he laughed. I told him to finish up eating what he called a snack and we both went to sleep after I made sure there were no crumbs on the floor for the "rats" or " monsters" to munch on and I kept my toes under the covers.
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
When my son was about two and a half I took him on his first train ride. Here we have BART, Bay Area Rapid Transit
and we were taking a short trip to the store, this little plaza two cities over from where we lived. At the time my son loved wearing baseball hats and so he had quite a little collection of them. He had a lot of the local baseball teams hats that were toddler size to fit his head. His grandmother brought the bulk of them and so I got him all dressed up in his little jeans and matching jean jacket and shoes and a matching baseball cap.
We took the short walk to the BART Station which was probably about ten blocks from our house back then and he was more excited riding the escalator then anything I thought. So, luckily it was in the middle of a work day so not many people were at the station coming and going and I for one was glad. I am holding on to his chubby little hand telling him things about the sights and the sounds of the train and the train station and looking at the few people that were there and then it happened. We could see the train coming out of the tunnel down the tracks getting closer and closer and he was getting more excited by the minute laughing and talking and then he did something that was so unexpected as most things that he did at that time were and sometimes still to this day. He took off his hat and he tossed it on the tracks and laughed and laughed. I was thinking for a minute, oh no, how am I going to tell his grandma that he lost the favorite hat she had looked all over the mall to find. I know this because she told me that story every time she saw him wearing it. So, I knew that story by heart about how she looked in about twenty million zillion kid stores to find just the right hat for him and about how she was in the mall for so long she forgot where she parked her car and it took her another 15 minutes to find it but it was all worth it to find the right hat for her youngest grandson and to see how happy he was once he wore it.
Needless to say I was not looking forward to breaking the news to her that her favorite hat was thrown on the train tracks by her favorite little grandson. But, I laughed right along with Josh and the rest of the people there. It was something that we definitely could not get back so either we had to laugh or cry and we chose to laugh. He kind of reminded me of Mary Tyler Moore show when she twirls around and throws her hat up in the air. Well, similar to what he did but minus the music and the opening credits.
So, we had fun at the little plaza and got a few things we could carry on the train for the ride home and even got a new hat that stayed safely in the bag until we got home. The next train ride I made sure he stayed hatless until we were safely off of the train.
When I told my mom the story about that hat a few days later I thought she would be mad at me for letting him throw it on the tracks. I was all ready for my come back speech on the way the 2 year old act sometimes and especially my 2 year old but she didn't say anything she only laughed like we did and then proceeded to hand him another hat.
We took the short walk to the BART Station which was probably about ten blocks from our house back then and he was more excited riding the escalator then anything I thought. So, luckily it was in the middle of a work day so not many people were at the station coming and going and I for one was glad. I am holding on to his chubby little hand telling him things about the sights and the sounds of the train and the train station and looking at the few people that were there and then it happened. We could see the train coming out of the tunnel down the tracks getting closer and closer and he was getting more excited by the minute laughing and talking and then he did something that was so unexpected as most things that he did at that time were and sometimes still to this day. He took off his hat and he tossed it on the tracks and laughed and laughed. I was thinking for a minute, oh no, how am I going to tell his grandma that he lost the favorite hat she had looked all over the mall to find. I know this because she told me that story every time she saw him wearing it. So, I knew that story by heart about how she looked in about twenty million zillion kid stores to find just the right hat for him and about how she was in the mall for so long she forgot where she parked her car and it took her another 15 minutes to find it but it was all worth it to find the right hat for her youngest grandson and to see how happy he was once he wore it.
Needless to say I was not looking forward to breaking the news to her that her favorite hat was thrown on the train tracks by her favorite little grandson. But, I laughed right along with Josh and the rest of the people there. It was something that we definitely could not get back so either we had to laugh or cry and we chose to laugh. He kind of reminded me of Mary Tyler Moore show when she twirls around and throws her hat up in the air. Well, similar to what he did but minus the music and the opening credits.
So, we had fun at the little plaza and got a few things we could carry on the train for the ride home and even got a new hat that stayed safely in the bag until we got home. The next train ride I made sure he stayed hatless until we were safely off of the train.
When I told my mom the story about that hat a few days later I thought she would be mad at me for letting him throw it on the tracks. I was all ready for my come back speech on the way the 2 year old act sometimes and especially my 2 year old but she didn't say anything she only laughed like we did and then proceeded to hand him another hat.
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