Growing Pains

As Cole has breezed through one milestone after another, I find myself becoming increasingly wistful. I have loved watching him grow and change, but it has also been bittersweet. The knowledge that this is the only time in my life that I will get to cherish these moments is always is the back of my mind. It seems like he changed from infancy to toddlerhood, and to being a "big boy" in the blink of an eye. I was looking at him just the other day and marveling at the big boy he has become. Gone is the pudgy cheeks, the rolls on the legs, and the baby tummy. It's been replaced with long limbs and lean muscle. Just this past week, he has been calling me "Mom". "Mom, come look at this." "Mom, let me tell you something." Mom? What happened to Mommy? I'm still Mommy when he is sad or hurt, but for the most part I'm Mom. Mom just seems like a grown-up word. Sigh! I will remember all the changes Cole has gone through because they are forever engraved on my heart and will embrace each new step with gusto. After all, there is nothing I want more in life than for Cole to live a long and be happy.

To pee, or not to pee

On Saturday, Cole and I went on a long shopping trip with my mom. We are getting ready for the Hawaiian cruise this summer. Cole was in a great mood all day, especially considering we weren’t even shopping for him. After finishing our shopping we headed to Marble Slab Ice cream for a little treat. As we were leaving, Cole wanted to go play in the water fountain outside and jump off ALL the benches. Well, the adults were tired and ready to go. I finally had to go pick him up off a bench, which made him pouty. When he’s mad he likes to play favorites. So, of course, he automatically wanted my mom. She offered a piggyback. In full pout mode, he wouldn’t look at me and moved his leg when I tried to touch him. The entire time, he is mumbling things to my mom about me. You know, “My mom’s mean”, “I only want you Granny”(I don’t remember his exact words just the general grumbling). We were about halfway to the car and we started laughing. My mom said, “Don’t laugh, I’ve got to pee.” Of course, Cole keeps grumbling and we laugh harder. Then suddenly…my mom got this horrified look on her face. It was a combination of terror, embarrassment and shock (I look I won’t soon forget). She says, “It’s not funny, I’m peeing in my pants.” I started laughing harder as we were hurrying to the car. She says, “no, really it’s not funny, I can feel it dripping down my leg.”-still laughing herself. She immediately gets close to the back of the car and she’s embarrassed. I look down and sure enough there is a dark stain on the front of her blue jean capris. I started laughing so hard (doubled over, back cramping, laughing). Cole looks at her pants and says, “That’s disgusting.” More laughter. She gets a towel to sit on, Cole climbs in her car (still mad at me) and they drive off.

I get into my car to follow her home, look down and realized, I peed too! I hard a dark (although smaller stain – I might point out). I started laughing again so hard I could barely drive. When we get to her house, I jump out to show her, what had happened (you know, so she wouldn’t feel alone) and she starts peeing all over again. It was so funny! Cole is looking at us and saying “disgusting, mommy and Granny peed in their pants.”
So, I know the story is gross and embarrassing (sorry Mom!) but it was hysterical at the time. The next day I took Cole to the park and he had to poop and we hurried to find a potty, he said, “Mommy, if I poop in my undies you can’t be mad because you and Granny peed in your undies yesterday.” So true, so true. Luckily he made it to the bathroom in time. Pretty sad when two adults go shopping with a four-year-old and he was the only one who didn’t have an accident.

Dance with me

Thursday night after work/school I decided to get a haircut. My mom had picked Cole up from daycare and I went by to get him and we headed to the mall. My butcher, I mean stylist, was running about 30 minutes behind. I decided to go to Dillards and try on a dress that I had noticed last week. I NEVER wear dresses, but with the cruise coming up, I decided to give one a try. As soon as I put it on, Cole exclaimed, “OOOH, you look so pretty mommy, that outfit is cool, I want to dance with you.” He jumped off the bench and took my hands and said, “this is how we hold a girl to dance” and we danced around the dressing room. Did I get the dress? Nope... sadly, the mirror isn’t as kind as my loving son’s eyes. But, it was worth the dance!

Happy birthday!

Cole’s first official birthday party went very well. We had a good turnout and the kids had a blast with the train tracks. Cole got so many presents; I don’t know what we are going to do with all his stuff (time to donate). Cole was very sweet and thanked each kid as he opened the gift, while proudly holding the present over his head to show everyone. Everyone had a good time. Tomorrow is Cole’s “actual” birthday. (He loves the word actual, “Oohh, an actual knife, it actually cuts, etc.” I can’t believe he is already four. It seems like just yesterday he was my “baby” (although, he always will be even when he’s fifty). He has gotten so big, almost it seems, overnight. He is so articulate, funny, loving, stubborn, bossy (don’t know where he gets that) and just a blast to be around. It seems like everyday, he has new phrases like, “I TOLD you” (said in the child sing-songy tone), followed by a hug and “I love you, Mommy”. For his “actual” birthday, I am bringing cupcakes to school and we are going to dinner with Granny and Papa. I have the only four-year-old that wants steak and potato for his birthday (for every meal for that matter) and then we will come home and open his last remaining gifts and have cake (again). I’m going to make a promise to myself to cherish each day because he is growing up so very fast and I don’t want to forget a single moment (okay, maybe I’d like to forget a few). Happy 4th birthday, Cole Bug!

Birthday stress

I’m not good with new people. I never know what to say and am always uncomfortable. For Cole’s birthday this year, I’m stepping outside of my comfort zone. Yikes! (See, I will do ANYTHING for him). For birthdays, ONE, TWO, and THREE we had family parties. This year he really wanted to have a party with friends. He’s been invited to numerous day-care friend birthday parties in the past four years and we finally attended the first one last month (at Toys R Us). Cole had a great time and after much consideration we agreed to have it there. Only problem….after all that….only 1 kid has RSVP’d. It is a kid that was his “berry best friend” and moved before Christmas, so he hasn’t seen him in awhile (which will be fun). So, I’m a little stressed that he will only have BIG kids at his party and I will have to pay for 12 kids regardless, but oh well, what can you do? Cole will have fun, anyway!