Dino Addiction

Ever since the dinosaur expo on Mother's Day, all I have heard about is dinosaurs. "I want to watch dinosaurs," "where's my Chomper?" "Lets play dinosaurs," and best of all, "I'm going to see dinosaurs tomorrow."

Every night he tells me that he is going to see dinosaurs tomorrow, while this is incredibly adorable, it's also a bit sad - because the dinosaurs probably won't be back again until next year.

Lucky Aiden though, he has one of the greatest grandpas in the world who decided to take him to see the next best thing yesterday. The Denver Museum of Nature and Science.

He had a harder time understanding that the skeletons were dinosaurs - especially the ones without photo displays next to them, but it was still something new to explore.

Along with all the other exhibits, they were there for hours and Radalicious STILL had a hard time getting him to go home.

It blows my mind to see how truly tiny Aiden is next to the skeletons - at the Merchandise Mart they were to scale, but much smaller, so this really put things in perspective for him.

He was a pretty happy guy by the end of the day.

Especially since he got to have dinner with some of his favorite people - Aunt B and Dave!

Eating like a total gentleman of course.

We swung by our new place on the way home to pick up my empty boxes so I could refill them and went home to keep packing - it was very strange, by 10pm I was walking around looking for things to pack and having a really hard time finding them!

So now I have been thinking about what to do with Aiden's room at the new house - I think I am gonna save up for a nifty loft bed from IKEA that he can put his train table under and have a bigger mattress. But in the mean time, he really needs his bathroom put together, because that will also be the guest bathroom - I will no longer allow anyone into mine - yay!!

Anyway, I have decided that fish for kids bathrooms are way over done, and we are better than that ;) Plus, I am so not about the cutesy factor, I get it: fish, water, bath tubs, what a match...well not for us.

Aiden has always been into monkeys, it hasn't been just a passing phase for him, so I seriously considered a monkey themed bathroom. But now, with this new found interest in dinosaurs I have been wondering about making his room dino-themed and worried a bit, that if I spend all that money on a dino room, he'll want bears a week from now. So, to put it to the test, we are going to do a dinosaur bathroom!

Most of the stuff has to be ordered online - dinosaur bathrooms are not in high demand as it turns out, so they don't get stocked.

 But look how cute!

I've decided I can get the basics super cheap at IKEA (a green trash bin, green towels, etc.) and just use these accents to pull it all together.

We have a serious case of Dino-Fever at our house.

Baby Book Worm

It is no secret I have a book problem - I buy more books than I buy shoes, purses, clothes and make up combined. I actual have pro-active post-its around the house and work to remind me not to buy anymore books.

Anyway, every time I have to move, this book problem bites me in the ass - half of the boxes in my house are books. Last night I actually went through them all to decide if I could get ride of some (8 actually) and then pack them up. It was a mess.

I have just shy of 350 titles. It's overwhelming to think about how many words I have read, but I digress...while I was doing all this, Aiden asked if he could help, and if he could read Mommy's books.

I told him no, I really need to pack them up...so he went to his book shelf and brought all HIS books out to add to the pile. But they just didn't satisfy his literary appetite, so he perused my books and made a selection:

Oh my little baby book worm.

Reading Buddies

Aiden reads Boo Dog a story...

A Dino-Myte Mother's Day

Aiden and I had a very busy Mother's Day. We went with Randalicious to put flowers on Great Grandma Cormack's gave - and we were pleasantly surprised to see we hadn't been the first ones there.

After delivering the flowers we took Aiden to the Dinosaur Expo at the Merchandise Mart which he had been looking forward to all weekend - I kept trying to explain to him that they were "actual" dinosaurs, life size and much bigger than on TV so he would be prepared. Yeah, that didn't work.

He was really excited until we went into the very dark showroom where the dinosaurs were actually moving and making a lot of noise - even with me holding him he did not want to get close at all.

I got some really cool shots of the displays though!

Eventually he warmed up a bit and started touching them, growling back at them, and he even wanted to go back through the first couple display rooms to see the ones he was so scared of at first.

Lookout Grandpa!

He really liked the ones that were just his size - except when they snuck up on him...

While looking at one of the large displays for the 3rd time, I noticed him move toward a smaller, more Aiden-sized dino. In retrospect I suppose he was trying to touch one of the big ones but when I got closer and told him to smile with the small one behind him, I nearly gave him a heart attack!

He didn't realize it was there and boy did it spook him to get face to face with a dinosaur his size.

There were lots of activities to do after going through the exhibit - even sifting for rocks and crystals, which called for some seriously messy hands which he was not too happy about.

And we stood in line for face painting until he saw a girl come out painted as a dinosaur with sharp teeth and that put an end to him getting his face painted real quick, "No Mom, leave it my face alone!!"

The biggest surprise I thought was when he rode the dinosaur ride all by himself. Not only was I worried he'd be scared of the ride, but also the man who buckled him in and the climb up to the dinosaur. But, when it was his turn, he took off quicker than the guy could help him and got right on that dinosaur!

I was so proud of him! Four years ago on Mother's Day I found out I was pregnant and now here I am with a brave little boy who is off to glorious adventures on the backs of dinosaurs, how is this possible?

That smile is by far the greatest Mother's Day gift I could ask for.

 After the Dino exhibit we went for ice cream, Mommies eat free on Mother's Day at Cold Stone. 

And little boys eat like goof balls!

After an exhausting day, we snuggled up just the two of us on the couch to watch Rango.

 Someday, Mother's Day will be all about pampering and worshiping Mommy, but for today, I'm glad it's just about being with my little Papoose.

Tryin' to Find It

There's a road that goes to an old friend's house, where we grew up and we hung out. I've been on this highway for three hours now, and I'm trying to find it. I remember an old pinball arcade where we lived out all of our yesterdays, I'm sure it's torn down and gone away, but I'm trying to find it. And there's a feeling that I left behind, I felt it once running down my spine - the fear of God and the joy of life and I'm trying to find it.

There's a spot on Earth where you can go, to find yourself and free your soul. A place somewhere between hell and heaven, where no one hurts and all is forgiven - a door that leads to light and grace, but the keys are in the darkest place. It feels like I've been there before though I don't know what I'm looking for, but I'm trying to find it.

There was an attic in my granddad's house, full of history I need to know about of a life I've lived too long without, and I'm trying to find it.

And I know you're up there in your room, and I want so bad to heal the wound but I've hurt you in so many ways, and I don't know why you choose to stay, and I know that it's me that let it die, and there's a fire that's gone when I look in your eyes - an innocence I once had, a piece of me you miss so bad, and I'm trying to find it.

Now it's 3 AM and I'm on my knees, while he cries and his eyes look down on me as I search for the book that he loves to hear his Mommy read, and I'm trying to find it.

--Pat Green

Citizen's Arrest

Aiden has been pushing the limits - a lot - lately, wondering how far he can go. What happens when Mommy gets to 3 (1.....2.....3....)? Will I really get a time out? They won't actually take my fish away if I don't go to sleep right?

Likewise, we have really been sticking to our discipline guns. Every "hit" no matter how playful - gets and apology and a kiss. Every time we get to 3, Aiden re-reads the house rules:

then he sits in time out and thinks about how he can better uphold the rules. This morning he even started getting some privileges taken away for saying "no" to Mommy and Randalicious. The idea is, if you think, "No I don't have to do this, I don't have to cooperate," then Mommy is not at all required to spoil you anymore.

As any parent knows, discipline is the least fun no fun at all! It is exhausting, you feel like the bad guy, and listening to your kids cry in time out makes you a bit of a whiner yourself.

Well, last night I was on the edge. Aiden had been in and out of time out throughout dinner. I took away his milkshake, I told him we would not be playing play-doh, I tried everything. He always met my threats with "I'm sorry, I love you," and a big hug (he sure knows where the chinks in my armor are). Let me please inform you, under any circumstance, when a little boy tells his mommy "I love you" without being prompted - no matter how manipulative he is actually being - you can not stay mad.

But by the end of the night I was sick of going around and around and around, so when I got him somewhat settled down for bed, I retreated to folding laundry - a personal calming technique of mine. Things were settling, I was starting to relax and finally feeling a little less edgy - when the cat knocked an entire bowl of fruity pebbles onto the floor - a bowl of fruity pebbles which I told Aiden to put in the sink about 15 minutes prior.

I nearly came unglued - "Why me?" I thought, I wanted to scream! I tried my "anger inhibitor" and I took 10 deep breaths...then Aiden came over to where I was standing and said "Mommy, clean up yo mess?"

My mess? My mess! This kid is driving me crazy...before I could speak he said, "Mommy go time out."

I was totally stunned. And grateful. Mommy did in fact need a time out.

So I went to the time out spot, I read the house rules, and I calmed down.

After a minute, Aiden said, "Done whining?" (That's what we ask him when he is in time out) and I said, "Yep."

"Done time out Mommy?"

"Yes Aiden, thank you."

Aiden made a citizen's arrest and it worked. Even Mommy's need time outs sometimes.

A Great Great Great Grandma Indeed

Dottie Deiker has been in town for the last month - with Aiden spending as much time with her as possible. She flew home yesterday so we didn't get to keep her around for Mother's Day but Aiden got as much time as he could with his "Great Great Great Grandma" (as he says) this weekend.

As always, Dottie spoils her grandchildren and Aiden is no exception...

He got a glow in the dark puzzle - he has pretty much mastered the 100 pc selection from Walmart.

And a super cute Colorado shirt from Dottie's adventures all over town this last month.

But best of all, he got big smiles from his Great Grandma - hopefully enough to last him til next time :)

Parent Teacher Conferences Take Two

Things have really turned around for my Bubba this year - at his fall parent-teacher conference we were confronted with a speech barrier and poor responses, if any at all, to assessment questions. But with the help of speech therapy and some great involvement on behalf of Abiding Hope, he has come a long way.

He perfectly described a scene from a book, counted to 8 with no mistakes (higher with his own interpretation of sequence...) knew all of his colors, cut a line with scissors and man, my kid draws a mean circle!

He is talking wonderfully and communicating about his feelings. When one student pushed him, he was able to articulate to that kid how it felt and to resolve the conflict.

On top of that, he loves going to school! And best of all, he is now potty trained!! So he can attend Vacation Bible School in June and Summer Camp throughout the summer -- then he gets to go to the older threes class in the fall :) When we were talking about Summer Camp, Mrs. Hastings said he could probably move up to the older threes class during the summer since he is potty trained and that might help with their *one* concern.

Aiden, my precious angel - bless his heart, "growls" at other kids. Mind you me, I take parent-teacher conferences very seriously, but when Mrs. Hastings said that, I started laughing. Hysterically. I couldn't pull it together, I know it's not funny per se...but it's kinda funny. Considering last time I was crying after conferences -- to hear that your child "growls" at other kids is hilarious, period.

Anyway, the point is, he likes to play rough. He's used to playing with his doggies and his daddy, and his Lake Uncles - and they rough house. So that's how Aiden plays. Luckily, he gives 3 hugs for every growl he makes but still, the aggression might be tempered a bit by playing with older, more energetic, bigger kiddos.

So proud of my boy, he's really growing up - way too quick for my liking.

A Boy and His Dog

Play Hard - Sleep Hard