Toolin' Around on a Sunday Morning

We get the Sunday paper delivered to our house. We never read the actual paper-paper (hello, recycling bin); we get the paper for the sales ads.

G takes the "boy papers" - Best Buy, Circuit City, Lowes. I take everything else. I even have a system - coupons first, followed by the stores I'll never go to (Kmart, office supply stores, furniture stores), saving the best for last (Kohl's and Target).

We sit at the kitchen table, scouring the ads for things we "need" or want. Sometimes we're just browsing, looking to see what's new and who has the best price on Diet Coke or New Balance tennis shoes.

We drink coffee and fresh juice. We eat toast and sometimes eggs and bacon. It's relaxing, and it's our little weekend thing. I actually look forward to Sundays because of this quiet time.

Now, Pumpkin has taken an interest in the Sunday paper. As soon as G brings in the paper, P starts asking for "my tool book." Pumpkin is obsessed with the Sunday Sears ad.

He removes the "extra" pages - gone are the clothes, housewares, and appliances. P is only interested in tractors, tools, and garage stuff. He skims these pages like some sort of treasure map, talking to himself under his breath, taking it all in.

Finally, he crawls into my lap and asks me to read the pages to him. Like a bedtime story, I start, "Save 100 dollars! Now only 399 dollars, Craftsman seven drawer tool chest with ball bearing drawers! On sale! Ten piece screwdriver set with free carrying case! Fourteen ninety-nine! Your choice: tape measure or tool carry-all for under seven dollars!"

When P's had enough of my reading of his tool pages, he jumps off my lap, takes his advertisement, and sits at his little table in the corner of the kitchen. He'll spend minutes (feels like hours, but I'll take the 20 minute relief where/when I can) with the ad and a pencil, making tiny marks on the images, almost like he's taking notes.

We have to save his "tool book" for the entire week. P comes back to it almost every night, pondering the images, "reading" it to himself. When the next Sunday's ad arrives, the old one is discarded. And the cycle continues...

We're going on our first family vacation later this year (first trip that doesn't involve visiting family, friends, or our alma mater), and my parents recently sent a package for P to be opened on the plane when he gets antsy. It's a 200-page Craftsman tool catalogue. P will LOVE it!

I'm Home!

After being away for five whole days on a business trip, I'm finally home!

Why being home rocks:

• G was so patient with Pumpkin and potty training. I guess I needed some time away to regroup my thoughts on the subject, but we only had two accidents all weekend!


• Sleeping in my own bed, with my own pillows and my own blankets. Heaven!


• Being back on central time - pacific time was nice, but dude, it totally wiped me out.


• Getting to drive my own car. The rental place hooked me up with a massive SUV (they were "out" of sedans), which I couldn't park, didn't know where the blind spots were, and didn't feel comfortable in. It did come in handy, though, for escorting clients to dinner on Tuesday night (thanks, third row seats).


• Having P wake me up by saying, "It's o'clock, mommy! Time to get up! It's o'clock!"


• Catching up on TiVo'd shows. There wasn't any time for TV watching while away, and while I don't watch too many shows, I did miss those I do watch every week.


• Wet kisses and warm hugs by this little guy:

Now it's time to pack up for vacation - will I ever be able to put the suitcases away??

We Interrupt This Program...

...for the following announcement:

I fucking hate potty training.

That's all.

P's Catch Phrase

Scene: Family sitting around kitchen table, eating breakfast.

G: I think I'm going to mulch the flower beds today.

Me: (in my best mocking voice - since I've been asking him to do this for WEEKS, hands pumping in the air, just like P does when he's super excited) Oh boy, oh boy!

Pumpkin: Mommy, that's my line. Only I say that.

G: You were schooled.

Put in my place by a two year old. Nice.

Scenes from a Saturday: Princes and Pimps

Scene: I'm getting dressed in my bedroom; G is dressing Pumpkin in the nursery. Suddenly, Pumpkin comes running down the hall, wearing a diaper and a blanket wrapped around his mid section.

P: Mommy, I'm a princess.

(I can hear G groan.)

Me: Pumpkin, little boys are princes... I mean, more than one prince...I mean, you are a prince.

P: (confused)

Me: Mommies and little girls are princesses. Boys and daddies are prince-es, well, you're a prince. Let's turn that blankie into a prince cape.

P: (running back to G) I'm a prince! I have a cape!

Me to G: Ever realize that the plural of prince sounds like princess?
______________________________________________________
Scene 2: Watching the movie, Cars. Pumpkin points to something on the screen during one of the racing scenes.

P: Mommy, what's that?

Me: That's a blimp. It flies in the sky like an airplane, usually around sporting events.

P (turning to G who just walked into the room): Daddy, it's a pimp! A pimp! Pimps like sports.

Spring has Sprung

Spring and fall. My two favorite times of the year. Not too hot, not too cold, just right. You can be comfortable anything - from capri pants and short sleeves to long sleeves and jeans, wear a jacket or don't wear one, it doesn't matter.

I think I enjoy the seasons even more now that P is old enough to enjoy them, too. It's awesome to be able to come home after work/school and spend time outside. Voila this evening in photos:

P poses by the Japanese peach tree in the backyard. One photo and the photo opp was over.

P found the ONE patch of dirt in the yard and insisted on creating holes with sticks. Oh yeah, and Scoop needed to help. The house went on the market yesterday; I'm sure the extra drainage holes will add value.

"Seriously, lady, can you put down the camera and wipe my snotty nose. Geez!"

He Can Barely Say "Emergency," Let Alone Comprehend One

We don't allow P to watch a lot of TV. He gets to watch a show or two after dinner, before bath time, and we're very particular about what shows he's allowed to watch. "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" and "Handy Manny" are fine, for example.

I'm a huge fan of Disney. Heck, I was raised on it. My favorite movies are still Disney animated classics. I love that P loves Playhouse Disney. Playhouse Disney is wholesome, family-oriented, and fun - or so I thought.

Almost every night, P will beg for "just 10 more mim-ets" and we'll usually compromise with five minutes. Sometimes we fill that void, if he's been particularly good, with a TiVo'd episode of "Lou and Lou Safety Patrol," a Playhouse Disney short cartoon.

Last night may have been the last time we watch "Lou and Lou." The episode was called "Get Ready! Get Set! Emergency!" and I assumed it was like all the other "Lou and Lou" shows, focusing on teaching kids to do the right thing.

This episode was different. There were no "safety violations" but instead explicit instructions for preparing for a disaster. Mom is filling water bottles and storing them in a plastic tote. Lou and Lou ask her if she's thirsty. She replies the water is, "just in case" and part of the family emergency supply kit.

A flashlight, radio, batteries, first aid kit, and non perishable food items (in case "we can't use the stove") are gathered. Lou and Lou gather their own necessities for their backpacks in case they need to leave home in a hurry. Even the dog collects his bone in has bag. Lou and Lou even encourage kids to "talk to your parents about what you need for your emergency kit."

At the end of the episode, P crawled into my lap and said, "Why they need water and food, mommy? They go camping?"

P is not even three years old. He gets scared whenever "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" features the giant. He's innocent - and I want to keep him that way.

I know today's world is different than the one in which I grew up. But preparing for an emergency - terrorism or natural disaster - is not something my child, my baby, needs to worry about.

I would like to give the creators and writes of "Lou and Lou" a safety violation of my own for that episode. It's one thing to teach a lesson, but it's another thing to call out things a child doesn't need to know about or understand. There will be plenty of time for P to worry about things like emergency preparedness - but not until later, much later.

Shame on you, Lou and Lou. Shame on you, Disney.