A Spelling Champion?

Tonight, Ethan and I arrived home after running some errands and picking up some dinner for me. I sat down to eat my Arby's and share my potato cakes with Ethan and we turned on the tv--it just happened to be on the Scripps Spelling Bee. Ethan was completely captivated immediately.

He stood in front of the tv, hands clasped like many of the contestants, and he would repeat the words as they were given to the students. He would even sort of finger spell them in his hand (or pretend to) just like they would. Then he would repeat the word over and over until the next one came up. He did this for almost an hour (with breaks for climbing on the chair and jumping on Mommy).

Some of the words he was saying (Click for pronounciation and definitions):
Sheitel
Nacarat
Bogatyr
Ecrase
Posaune
Thymele
Prosopopeia
Sinicize
Aptyalism
Opificer
Hyphaeresis
Kulturkampf
Taleggio This was Ethan's favorite, he was saying it long after the show was over. What can I say, he is my kid and he loves cheese.
Introuvable
Guerdon (The winning word)

At the end, when the boy was getting his trophy, Ethan yelled out, "He's Taking a Drink!" loudly and over and over again. I guess he wants a big gold cup like that too. Maybe someday we'll have our own little spelling champion.

A New Day

After flipping the switch yesterday and suddenly going full force into 2 (almost 3) year old behavior--Ethan redeemed himself tonight. See if you don't melt at this one:

While reading stories tonight:
M: "What do you want to read next, Ethan?"
E (snuggling in close and holding my face in one hand): "I Love My Mommy."
M: "I love you too." (with a tight squeeze)
E: "I love my Mommy and my Daddy."

And just like that, my sunshine returns.

Just One of Those Days

I've just had more than I can take today. At every turn today Ethan was telling me "NO!" or "Don't tell me what to do, Mommy." or just running away from me. He's usually not this difficult, and I usually have a lot more patience, but it was just one of those days. And it makes you feel like a failure.

Why is he acting like this? Why aren't I handling this better? And of course, in reality, the answer is: he's almost 3 and this is how it is going to be for a while, no matter what you do, and it is going to wear you out. But in the moment, you just wonder what you're doing wrong and you feel guilty for not thinking he's an absolute angel every second of the day.

Of course, as soon as he hugs you after a time out, or (finally) falls asleep for the night, you go back to thinking he's an angel and looking forward to the next day, the next smile, the next hug. It's a really good thing those things come up pretty frequently amid the tantrums and contrariness.

The First Mile

This morning, about 6-7 weeks after I started running, I ran my first mile without stopping to walk at all! It was actually 1.04 miles to be exact! (I found out after coming home and using www.mapmyrun.com.) I'm glad I went the extra block or it may not have been a mile.

I forgot my watch today, so I'm not sure what my pace was, but I'm guessing it was in the 11-12 minute range. It's probably better that I didn't have my watch--I would have been tempted to walk around the 9 minute mark if I'd had it. I usually run between 5-7 minutes before walking, but have done as many as 10 before.

So, now it's on to the next goal. . .making this a regular occurrence!

Of Course

R: "Ethan, what video do you want to watch?"
E: "The basketball video."
R (incredulous because we've watched the Cars movie every night for 3 weeks): "Really?"
E: "Of course."

Yes, why would you be so silly to think anything else, Daddy?

Little Helper

E: "Mommy, what cha doin'?"

M: "I'm cleaning."

E: "Can I help?"

Enjoying the Game

Rick and Ethan enjoying the TCU baseball game on Saturday.

Dye Job?

Today at the zoo, Ethan and I were watching the gorilla when a woman, in her late 20s, early 30s, looked at Ethan and asked me, "Are these natural?" Now, Ethan's hair was curling up because it was really hot and humid, so at first I thought she meant the curls (which would have been weird enough), but then she said, "these highlights, are they natural?"

Are his highlights NATURAL????? What the heck did she think I did, take my 2-year-old son to the salon for a dye job?

I honestly can't get over the absurdity of her question. Had I not been so flabbergasted by it, I could have been a real smart a** when answering her, but as it was I just had to tell the truth: "Yes, they are natural."

I didn't see any children with her, so let's hope there wasn't a little baby girl waiting at home for her with a perm and red highlights in her pig tails.

Mommy Come Get You!

11:00 a.m., Waters house: We're having a talk about how if we go to Chick-Fil-A for lunch and Ethan wants to play in the play area, he has to come down the slide by himself.

M: "Ethan, the playground is for kids only. Mommy and Daddy can't play with you like we can at the park. If you want to play there you will have to come down the slide or climb down on your own. Do you understand?"

E: "Yeah. Ethan slide by self."

M: "Can you do that by yourself?"

E: "Yeah!"

12:15 p.m., Chick-Fil-A playground:

E (wailing and crying): "MOMMY COME GET YOU! MOMMY COME GET YOU!"

And so, with other kids waiting to come down the slide and another mother crawling in to get my kid because she didn't apparently approve of our choice to try and make him come out on his own if he got mad enough, I climbed backward up the slide to get him. We'll be going through the drive-through now for a while.

Little Man Down

E's got a fever and says his ears hurt. He didn't take much of a nap, but is now dozing in front of his "Cars" movie. Poor little man. Guess maybe now he's the one that needs "relief."

Bear Feels Sick

We're reading "Bear Feels Sick" before bed tonight. . .

Ethan: "Bear's sick. Poor Bear. He needs relief."
Me: "He needs RELIEF?"
Ethan: "yeah."

Do you suppose Bear spells that R-O-L-A-I-D-S?