Is it my turn now?

Sometimes, I am truly amazed at how many times one line can be repeated. Saturday, my mom and I took Cole bowling for the first time. Other than hearing "Is it my turn now?" Three thousand, nine hundred and seventy-nine times, it was a great time. The shoes were a little too big and the ball a little too heavy, but he didn't care. The order of bowling was Cole, my mom, and then me. As soon as my mom would bowl the first ball, he would say, "Is it my turn now?" and then repeat after her second ball, and then after each ball I rolled. Plus, we played THREE games, THREE! At the end, I started asking my mom, "Is it my turn yet?" when she was bowling and I asked Cole several times, too. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. So, next time we go the order will be Cole, my mom, Cole, and then me. So, the answer can be, yes dear...it is your turn next.

Cranky Panky

Cole has been taking ice skating lessons the past several Saturdays. He has been wanting me to skate with him, but because there are lessons after his, I haven't been able to. Well, this Saturday I promised we would come back on Sunday and skate together. Sunday was freezing and raining and all I wanted to do was stay in bed, but Cole remembered my promise...dang! He hasn't been feeling well the past week or so, but seemed to be in a good mood. When we got to the ice rink he became clingy and needy. He wanted to hold my hand and whine the entire time. He skated worse than before his lessons. If I suggested he do something, he said "I don't know how" or "I can't", "Hold my hands, mommy". But, when I suggested we stop, he didn't want to do that either. After 1 lap he needed to go potty, the bathrooms are downstairs and he wanted me to carry him (with my skates on) downstairs...doesn't he know what a klutz I am? Luckily, my mom was there and she carried him downstairs. We skated (slowly) for about an hour. He did great( when he was wasn't trying to pout), he would skate semi-fast and kept his balance. But then he'd remember that he was supposed to be pouting and he grasp my hands and fall. Towards the end, he wanted to skate in the middle circle (which they have blocked off for the fancy, spinning, jumping skaters) and when I said we weren't allowed, he threw himself on the ice in a full blown crying pout (arms crossed, puffed out, turned down lower lip). The skating guard came rushing over to see if he was okay and what happened. I said, "just a 3 year old tantrum" and he smiled and said, "Oh, can't help you there." What, can't help me? please, please, help me! Once, I had safely moved him off the ice he was good (for the moment at least).

My mom and I had planned on seeing a new exhibit at the Texas Museum so we gamely took him. They have a short movie on the story of Texas which he enjoyed (loud thunder/cannon shots, rattlesnake noises, and misting rain). We went to see the exhibit and he was trying to climb under the display cases and such. When I picked him up, he yelled "don't touch me". So, we went to the gift shop, while my mom finished looking around. At the gift shop... another trantrum, when I wouldn't allow him to get a horse-on-a-pole. He already has one, at my mom's that he rarely plays with. "Mommy, you're mean."(Cue, pouty lip) Yup, that's me...mean. When it was time to leave, he ran away from me and I had to chase him down. Boy, I was having fun!!! On the way back to the car, he said that I was "mean and not being nice." I said, that he wasn't listening to my words. He smirked and said, "I'm going to put you in time out." I said, "no, I will put you in time out". He said, "If you put me in time out I'll kick your butt". Trying not to laugh, I mumbled a reply and THEN he said, "I'll break your legs". What??? My mom was doubled over laughing. The things he comes up with, sometimes. Really, 90% (okay maybe 75%) of the time, he listens to me, honestly. It wouldn't be so funny if he was saying it mean...he is just so matter-of-fact.

We went and had dinner at my parents, where he continued to whine. He fell asleep on the way home at 5:30 (which never happens). YIPEEE!!!YEAH!!!!ALL RIGHT!!!! So, I know he was tired and didn't feel good. I'm pleased to report that he woke up in a great mood this morning and we had a great time this evening after school/work.

Homework

Cole was sick yesterday and got to sleep in this morning before going to "school". After picking him up today, we headed home. I had planned on going to the gym today but he still wasn't feeling well. I told him that I needed to finish my homework. After making dinner, I snuck into my bedroom real fast to watch a few minutes of the Olympics . Cole jumped up on the bed, put his hands on his hips and said "Mommy" (in a "you are in trouble tone"), "your supposed to be doing your homework, not watching TV!" Damn, busted by a 3 year old. So, like a good Mommy I turned off the TV and finished my homework. :-).

P.S. After attending a daycare birthday party at Toy's R Us on Friday night, Cole and I were talking about what he wanted to do for his birthday. He said he wanted to have a party at the "Homo Depot". Oh, that made me laugh. I was telling this to some friends and one the girls said, "Well, how does he EVEN know what a homo is?". Duh, he doesn't that's what makes it so funny, he really thinks the store is called Homo Depot!

Just because you are old it doesn't give you a right to be rude!

Two nights ago, Cole and I stopped at KFC after work/school, before hitting the gym. Across the street from KFC is an apartment complex that had caught fire sometime during the day. There was a lot of fire damage and the firemen and clean-up crews were still hard at work. Cole LOVES firemen (don't mind them myself) and was enthralled. As we were walking into KFC, he was talking in a normal toddler voice and said he wanted to go sit next to the window to watch the fireman. As he was talking, an old man and old woman (older than my grandparents) turned and glared at us. I just looked at them, thinking "what is their problem?" Cole went to sit by the window (several tables away) and was glued to the apartment/firemen the entire meal. While he was eating, he was talking (again in a NORMAL toddler voice) "the firemen are working", "look they are moving their things", "why are people taking pictures?" "why did the fire burn the apartment?", etc. I could overhear the older couple going on and on about "kids have no manners these days", "kids should be seen and not heard", "kids are so hyper because parents give them coke and then ignore them when they act out", etc. The woman, kept looking over her shoulder and glaring at us. When I hear people talking about Cole, I get very upset and angry. But, I was giving myself the mental pep-talk, "just ignore them, be the bigger person, etc." After all, Cole was speaking NORMALLY, was GLUED to his seat, not up running around, and we were eating at friggin' KFC. So, there I was be the bigger person, while the comments continued and then the man loudly said, "if that was my grandson, I would put him over my knee and spank his ass." Excuse me? That was it!!!!!! I walked over to the table and asked if there was a problem and the man said "we came hear for a quiet dinner and your son hasn't shut up once" and repeated the "children should be seen and not heard." "A quiet dinner?" I said, "I'm sorry I missed the valet parking out front and the four star restaurant , I thought we are at KFC." It continued from there. Poor Cole never even turned around, he was still SITTING there looking out the window.

I just couldn't believe the nerve of some people. If they wanted a different table they should have asked the waiter to move them...oh wait...I'm sorry, we were at KFC!!! A few minutes later as the couple began to walking out, two more families were coming in and the old man turned to his wife and said "good thing we are leaving, there are more unbehaved kids coming in".

The next time I take Cole out for some fast food, I will make sure we are dressed in our formal wear and I tape his mouth shut, like a proper mother should! Or....maybe not....maybe I will sit and enjoy my son's wonderful stories and play-by-play of things around him and hope all the old, unhappy, rude people go to Luby's were they can enjoy other old people!

Playscape

Last Christmas, my parents, my grandparents, Cole's dad and I, all put money towards buying Cole a playscape. It was one of the playscape kits that come with all the hardware and you purchase the wood. The playscape became a huge issue between Cole's dad and I. It was never a priority for him and for months the wood just sat in our backyard. It took him forever to build, finally, it was mostly done after about six months. Still after all that time, it never had a ladder. When Cole wanted to play, he either had to climb up the slide or I had to lift him up, over and over again.

When I moved out, his dad said that he would move the playscape to my parent's house. They have a huge backyard and we are over there all the time. But of course, he never moved it. He even took a week off at Christmas "to have time to move the playscape" but never did. The house will be gone for good by next week. So if we didn't move it soon, we would never get it. I HATE to ask people for help with anything. It makes me uncomfortable. Since Cole and I left, I've had to relay on others, more than ever. One of my co-workers, volunteered to help move the playscape and he is handy, so I knew he was probably the only person I know that could do the job. My parents rented a U-haul for us. My co-worker, another friend/co-worker and her boyfriend met us out at the house. It took a few hours but we got it apart and even had some laughs while working. The people who are currently in the house said they had asked Cole's dad where the ladder was and he said that he had taken it off and moved it to my parent's house already. PAAAHHLEASSSE! One year later and no ladder was EVER built, just another lie to add to the pile.

My co-worker and I hauled it back to my parents house and then he assembled it (better than it was before). Cole had a blast playing on it. It still needs a ladder, but at least it is moved. What a feeling of relief to have the playscape moved and re-built. Now only, if we can have a ladder built in less than a year! So, thanks to everyone who has helped me out the past few months!