Master of the Stairs

Jack has been wanting to go down the stairs for some time. Me... I didn't want it to happen anytime soon. This kid is growing up way too fast. But since he kept trying to mimic his brothers as they go up and down the stairs, and our stairs are rather steep, I felt it high time that I teach this little boy the bum trick of stairs. He mastered it instantly. Much faster than the other two. He was so proud of himself. He now purposely goes up and down the stairs to do his new trick. And he's only fallen once! Luckily I was right there at the landing and it wasn't that bad. Here is a video and some pictures of the stair descender

Fit for a Four-Year Old

I feel like all our stories in public happen in Target... I guess we live there? Sure feels like it sometimes. Anyways...

The other day we had to go to Target. Nowadays, whenever James knows we are going to Target he asks me beforehand if we are going to look at toys. I said, maybe, we'll see. So basically a 'yes' to a four-year old? I think so.

We went to Target and we only ventured on the side of beauty/health and food. No where near clothes, toys, shoes, home, etc. I was so proud of myself. We go to check out, and once James realizes we are getting ready to pay, he flips out. Flips. Out. I literally checked the other two boys before realizing it was James who was crying.

James: We haven't looked at TOYS!! We need to look at. The. TOYS!!
Me: Buddy, I'm so sorry. I totally forgot. But we're here and we need to go.
James: No!! I need to look at toys! I want to be the BAD GUY! I am not good!

There was a bit more, but it all blended together in the few seconds this took place. I realized I had a choice- be angry that he was making such a scene over toys OR see it through eyes and see the humor from my perspective. And I say humor, as in, you've got to laugh at tough situations. I mean, it was kind of a cute fit. Seeing it from his point, I would totally be freaking out, too. It was just cute how much it mattered to him. I picked him up and held him while I tried not to smile too much. The cashier was a younger girl and was kind of avoiding eye contact, which was also kind of funny. I remembered I had stuff to return in my bag, so I headed over to the Customer Service desk. The guy who was  manning it was out front with carts and it's someone who's been there for a while. When we were getting things for James to potty train almost two years ago, he was our cashier and he talked to me about potty training his daughter. So I obviously know he's a parent. On the way over, this was our conversation:

James: I want to be mean! I am being the bad guy! I'm so mad!
Me: You are so much fun right now.
James: NO, I am NOT so much fun right now!
Me: Yeah, I know. It was sarcastic.
James: No, it was NOT.. carstic! 
Me: Yes, it was. It was sarcastic.
James: No, it WASN'T! I am being IMPOSSIBLE!
Me: (chuckles) You are right

The guy had to come behind the counter, and I could totally tell he was laughing. Which made me feel more relaxed. There's something so refreshing with knowing others are thinking, "Oh man, been there done that. It's more funny that it is annoying" James kept saying things about being bad and mean while I did the return. One of the things I returned was Spiderman 2. Totally forgot we already had it. James caught a glimpse of it and immediately started to calm down and start a barrage of questions that is so him.

James: Why are we giving it back?... We already have it?... Why is Doc Occ bad?... His robot arms made him bad. But why?... There is a black Spiderman. Why?... What made him bad?... He became Venom?...
Me: I accidentally got it. I forgot we had it!... Yes, we have it already... His arms made him bad. He is good... They didn't want to go away, so they made him bad... Yes, there is a black Spiderman, but you can't watch that one yet... A small black thing (my way of explaining it's a symbiote) gets on him and turns him bad. He wasn't happy... Venom made him bad, it makes him think badly... Yes, he became Venom but didn't like it so he made it go away. It then attached to someone else I can't remember (Eddie Brock, totally remembered later!)

I was totally happy we had got distracted with talk of Spiderman. That lasted until he had to sit in his car seat and he started up again. Luckily by the time we got home, he was over it. I was super surprised at his fit, but was so glad to find a happy place with it.

Make Me Feel Better

We just got back from grocery shopping. When I was buckling James up, I scraped  my hand pretty bad (pathetic, I know) on his car seat. Now I'm sitting on the couch and James came over to be silly and grabbed that hand and we had the following conversation:

Me: Ouch! Bud, don't squeeze that hand.
James: Why?
Me: I hurt it on your car seat.
James: Why?
Me: Well, I didn't mean to. It was an accident. See? It got scraped
James: Oh. (patting me on the head and giving me a side hug) I will protect you, I will protect you...
Me: Oh, you're so sweet! Could you kiss it better?
James: No. But I will give you a shot (running over to his toys) and check your heart!

Unfortunately, I recently packed away their doctor toys due to lack of interest. But glad to know he wants to officially make me better. Future doctor?? ;)

Add a Y, Why Don't Cha??

This came out of nowhere. And it might be one of the cutest things ever.

Like a month (or so?) ago, Gavin all of a sudden started adding a 'y' in his vowels. I remember the first word I noticed it. We were getting in the car after church and I said something to James about getting out of Gavin's spot and Gav goes, "Yes, my spo-yot!" To break it down, it's like spa-yacht. Make sense?? He now does it to almost every vowel in his words! Back = Ba-yack. Hand = Ha-yand. Ball = Ba-yall.

Because Gavin's talking couldn't get any cuter... it now has. And kind of harder to understand, but gol... so cute

Social Faux Pas

Apparently there are social lessons I need to teach James, now that he talks to everybody. I expected things like this to pop up. Kids say whatever. Like the other day at Costco, a sweet old lady in a electric wheelchair had to stop and admire our cute little boys. She asked James if he was being good, and he sheepishly said, "Do your legs not work? Are they broken?" She didn't hear him and I pulled him aside and whispered to him that she has a hard time walking, but she's ok. Being satisfied, he didn't ask her again and we moved on. Today... well, something else was said today.

I had a book on hold at the library and needed to return our books, which were due at the end of the week. We got my book and we went to the children section, where they played with the puppets and giant horse and I perused the books. There was a mom (who was rather put together, kind of jealous) and her 7ish-9 year old daughter. The daughter was really nice and played with the boys. Her mom sat down at the little table, where there is a basket of tiles to match and play with. The daughter joined her, so of course James had to follow his new friend. He sat down, and Gavin quickly followed. James decided he wasn't close enough to his new friend and too close to Gavin, so he scooted his chair in between new friend and her mom. I was done, so just kind of hovered around them. James excitedly looked up at me and said, "Mommy! Look, I have a new friend!!" I have been teaching James that when he makes new friends to ask them their names, so I asked him what her name was. He asked her. Her name was Ava. They kept playing and he asked her again what her name was. She giggled and said, "It's Ava! I already told you!" She thought it was cute he asked her again. Then, for some reason, this is the next question he asks: "Do you have a daddy??" What?? Ava replied, "No. My daddy died... (looking at mom) right, Mom?" WHAT?? Of course James asks this of the sweet little girl whose daddy is dead!! The mom took it in stride, though I could tell it stung a little, and said, "Yes, honey..." I could not believe it. He then proceeded to say, "Oh... your daddy is dead... What was his name?" I wanted to just tell him to stop talking about her deceased father, but I was just stammering and trying to say the right thing. Ava said, "His name was Andy". I quickly muttered, "I'm sorry... James, we need to get going." Yeah, I know I didn't handle this well. My social awkwardness was all too present, but I did not expect him to ask that random question. We did not leave right away due to boys not wanting to leave, but we finally did. Once in the car, I let James know that maybe we shouldn't ask those kind of questions to people we are just meeting. We need to ask questions more like - what is your favorite color?- what do you like to play? etc. 

Oooohhhh... what luck we had today. He's learning, which means we're learning. This is going to be fun!

Sister?

James loves telling us who our parents are. "You're daddy is... Papa Pat! And you're mommy is... Gramma SANDY! And Daddy's daddy is... Papa Jim!! And his mommy is Gramma... Chris!!" I wish I could add the squeakiness, but alas, I cannot without video. Since he's got our parents down pat, we've been working on who our siblings are. Mine are pretty easy, and he gets them the majority of the time. But Brad is the 5th of 6 surviving kids. And loooooots more cousins. James can remember a few, but still needs help. One thing he has picked up on is that I have one sister, and Brad has one sister. One day I asked him, "Do you want a little sister? Or another brother?" And he said, "Yeah! I have two brothers!" He asked about how he doesn't have a sister and I told him he has brothers instead. A few days later, we were going over our siblings again. We were asking about Brad's sister and afterwards, James says, "What about MY sister??" He looked a little confused and concerned. We laughed a little and told him he probably won't get a sister, but that it is ok. He has two great little brothers to play with and be friends with. That seemed to do the job to calm his mind (for now). 

I know if it were up to James, we'd have lots more babies. He is such a great big brother and loves to dote on Gavin and Jack. He has become quite the comforter and helper. Even though we are most likely done adding to our family, it's great to see James ready to love more if any decide to join us. I remember worrying when pregnant with Gavin, of him loving and accepting his little brother and how that would go over. And I worried again with Jack, seeing as how they were both still so very young. James has been a huge example of acceptance and love. He doesn't know any better that he has had to share his parents with his brothers more than most little kids do. This is his life. And he loves it. 

"Hates" Butter

For some time now, James has declared he hates butter. We have pancakes/waffles almost every weekend and if he sees us getting the butter out (because who doesn't want some on their pancakes or waffles??) he HAS to remind us he doesn't like it. Do we listen? Not all the time. That's the magic of butter- it melts. You can't see it. Especially when you put something like syrup or cinnamon and sugar or honey on it afterwards. It's just a wonderful thing to moisten something that is dry. And let's be honest, our string bean needs the extra calories! So I sneak it on when I can. Can he taste it? Heck no! So does he hate butter? Nope. He likes the taste. He hates seeing butter. If something has cooled off too much and he can see it- freak out. Until I "take it off". So funny how picky they can be and have no idea how much they really like something.