At preschool, there are often different theme days. Pajama day. Wacky hair day. Show and share day.
Today, Thing 3 offered up a new theme idea. He said, “Mommy, when is naked day? I wanna show my friends my booty…and wear a hat.”
Category: Thing 3
Thing 3
What I’ll Do For 15 Minutes Of Quiet
I’m home alone with Things 1, 3, and 4. SuburbanMommy took Thing 2 to his flag football game. It’s Saturday morning, the first 80 degree Saturday since last year, and the Things are very restless. Translation: I need 15 minutes of quiet.
Enter the water table. We use it all the time in the summer. It keeps their attention for a long time. But it has been sitting outside all winter and is filthy.
The dilemma: Do I let them play with the water table, which means I need to spend a lot of time cleaning while they are trying to “help”, making the cleaning process take twice as long, and I will need to change all their clothes again when they get each other soaking wet and the session ends in a fight-meltdown because water table always ends in a water fight?
Here is the answer.
Where Are The Bad Guys
There was an episode tonight where Thing 1 tried to impose his “rules” on him, so Thing 3 hit him in the face and was promptly sent to his room.
SuburbanMommy [in a stern voice]: There is no hitting in this house.
Thing 3: Then I need to go to a new house.
SuburbanMommy: What kind of house do you need to go to?
Thing 3: A house with bad guys.
Some of the bad guys he means include Darth Vader, and a dragon.
It is impossible to have a serious parent-child discussion with a kid who is constantly making you laugh.
Thinker, Feeler, Wildcard, Princess
Watching four kids develop, it’s interesting to see how, even though all four have the same environment, each develops into something very different. Their unique personalities emerged early on, and stay true even as they get older.
Thing 1 is The Thinker. He is reserved, and carefully considers his alternatives before acting. When you talk to him you can see the wheels turning. He is always thinking two steps ahead. He absolutely devours books and information like sports scores. His NCAA bracket entry is beating 99.6% of all entries on ESPN.com and you get the feeling it’s no accident.
Thing 2 is The Feeler. He is a people person. He loves being around his family and friends. He doesn’t ask where we’re going, but who will be there. He is sensitive and empathetic. When his brother and sister were crying as babies, he was very concerned and jumped to help them. Since his earliest years he has been a hugger, randomly walking up to me and giving a hug.
Thing 3 is without a doubt The Wildcard. You never know what you are going to get. At times he is sweet, sensitive, and follows instructions. At other times he is off doing his own thing, in his own world, running across a busy parking lot in chase of a bird. One minute he’s telling his sister her hair is so pretty, the next he’s grabbing her doll and throwing it down the stairs. He is a constant stream of consciousness, saying whatever pops into his head at the moment. His random questions have been well documented here. I defy you to spend 10 minutes in conversation with him and not break into laughter…that is, if he doesn’t drive you crazy first.
Thing 4 is The Princess. And not just because she is the youngest and only girl, so SuburbanDaddy can’t help but do whatever she asks. She is just such a girly-girl. You would think with 3 older brothers she would be rough and tumble, which she is to some degree. But she is all about pink, and purses, and dancing, and dolls, and pigtails, and we love every minute of it.
It Was Only A Matter Of Time
We all knew this was coming. It was only a matter of time. Frankly, I’m amazed it didn’t happen to me sooner. It will most certainly happen again.
Thing 3 had his first “I’m so sorry my kid said that” moment. Like I said, I can’t believe this was the first. If you’ve spent any time with him you know what I mean.
We were at the mall, in a public restroom. It was a small bathroom for a mall, with just room for two at a time. Thing 3 was finishing up washing his hands and looking for a paper towel to dry them.
The other party was ahead of Thing 3 at the paper towels. The only sounds were of paper crumbling, until, in a voice that was way too loud for the circumstances, which is pretty much the way he talks all the time, Thing 3 exclaimed:
That’s a fat guy!!!
Gulp.
Thing 3 was technically correct. Very correct. And I was thinking this is the last time I take him out in public.
It’s No Fluke
Just in case you thought the other day’s rambling was a fluke, I present these which were all asked, one after another, within one minute.
What happens when you eat a flower?
What is salad made out of?
One time I ate a shark and it was really good. It was a fire shark.
What do you make so the power doesn’t go out?
How do you make a mistake?
Winning
When you have two older brothers, winning is not something you experience often. So when given the chance you take it.
Thing 3 almost never, ever finishes dinner. He likes grilled cheese, milk, and fruit and not much else, literally. He doesn’t eat any meat because, he claims, he is allergic (not true, he is allergic to peanuts).
Except hot dogs which he says aren’t meat. He has a point. For years we have been putting meat on his plate. For years he hasn’t eaten it.
Tonight, he tried a meatball. Then, when he saw his brothers did not finish their dinners and would not get dessert, Thing 3 saw a chance to win at something.
He stuck it out at the table alone and forced himself to eat the meatballs. Now he gets dessert. That’s winning.
Not Every Day
Here’s something you don’t see every day. Things 1,2,and 3 all sitting down, quietly, and reading at the library.
And now you see why. The promise of a visit to Cold Stone Creamery for ice cream!
Followed by a stop at the toy store.
All of this was done by SuburbanMommy with the hope that there would be some peace and quiet tonight to watch the red carpet on Oscar night.
A better plan may have been to send SuburbanDaddy to the golf course this afternoon.