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Friday, April 24, 2009

Man-Pants

Today marks a historic occasion in our household.  Sam decided two days ago that he thinks it is great fun going potty on the toilet, (I believe it is more linked to his deep love of dark chocolate m&m's then anything else), and caught me completely unawares.

All I had heard from family, friends and books was that you shouldn't bother trying to potty train a boy until closer to three.  My 23 month old evidently didn't read those books.  So today we headed out to Gymboree to stock up on super-cool, manly, baby boy briefs.  I can hardly look at them without laughing hysterically, and am not holding my breath with this potty training thing.  

In case you can't tell, the navy blue ones on the bottom left have alligator heads on them.  "Alligator bite chew!"  Inside joke for Great Grandma.  :)

Monday, April 20, 2009

Boomsticks

So last night, Scott and I thought we'd give Sam a thrill by taking him to our local Guitar Center, seeing as he has been obsessed with all things drum-related for the past couple of months.  He has a specially dedicated cabinet in the kitchen filled with metal bowls, wooden spoons and other implements that are lovingly referred to as his "boomsticks."  Seriously, this child will sit on my lap and watch video after video of Buddy Rich and Neil Peart playing drum solos at drummerworld.com.  We pull up to church and he shouts out "BOOMS" and runs to the drum set in the corner to pester poor Phil, the amazingly talented (and patient) percussion guy.

So, I thought it was time for him to maybe take an up-close look at some electronic drum sets, and to see if there was anything small we could buy for him to play with at home.  We had no idea what we were in for.

On a cold and rainy Sunday afternoon, we walk into the unsuspecting store and head to the left, into the room devoted especially to drums.  There was an entire WALL with cymbals of all sizes mounted and ready to be hit.  Drum sets, snare drums, electronic drum kits, shakers, cow bells, bongos of all sizes, rain sticks...you name it, every kind of percussion instrument filled the room.  He ran in, the drool started to drip from his mouth, he began pounding with his fists on the cymbals at his level.  

The tattoo covered clerk, with a massive metal ring through his ear, asks, "Can I help you?"  and proceeded to be quite awesome about the whole thing.  Loved that Sam was into drums at not-quite-two and totally let him play on the electronic kit in the back.  My problem came when I stupidly handed Sam a set of junior drum sticks and let him run back to the cymbal wall.  After seven seconds we realized it wasn't a good idea and I attempted to take them back.

Big mistake.  My mild-mannered boy who has yet to have a public tantrum (knock on wood), lost it.  It was like I was trying to remove a kidney or something.  

His eyes filling with tears, he screams out, "NNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooo, moommmyyyy", and dissolves into a limp puddle on the floor, hugging the sticks to his tiny, heaving chest.  The guys behind the counter are watching and I'm sweating and Scott is getting mad that we brought our toddler into a room filled with such temptation and basically I'm totally regretting the entire adventure.  

I look back at the tattooed man and giggle nervously and say to the clerk, "well, we'll take these drum sticks for sure."  And a shaker.  And a small set of bongos.  Scott thinks I am rushing it, but only time will tell.

He slept with the drum sticks last night in his crib.

Monday, April 13, 2009

Cracking Up

Scott and Sam enjoy a big ball from Target, random video for friends and family far away.  We love you!

ANGRY Peeps

I saw a big display of these at Target on Friday and could not stop cracking up about them.  Does this strike anyone else as a little strange? (Almost as strange as me taking a picture of the peeps at Target)  And dangerous for white carpeting and sticky hands.

They're watching you, always watching.

Monday, April 06, 2009

Oh, crap.

I know some people (my fabulous third cousin (what are we, anyways, Anita?)) would look at this as an opportunity, to enjoy one last taste of winter, or to focus on the coziness of the quiet morning, but I can't.  I just can't.  

I am done with winter.  It is APRIL 6th for God's sake, what is going on here!?  A part of me died inside when I looked out our window this morning at the two inches of snow laying on my newly sprouted chives and daffodils.  

There is something obscenely wrong with the sound of wind chimes over snow.

Wedding Pictures

I just spent WAY too much of Sam's precious naptime uploading a bunch of old wedding pictures to Facebook.  If anyone wants to view the album, click on this link.