Conversations with Seth

Seth loves ice cream and he is starting to help himself in the kitchen. Last night, before brushing his teeth and bed, he reminded me that I said he could have ice cream. Granted I had told him that about 5 hours prior - the boy has a memory!!!! especially when it comes to ice cream. He will even say, "mom, remember you said I could have ice cream yesterday and I never got any?" oops.

So he helped himself with a bowl last night and the talk went like this:

Seth: where is that big scooper?
Mom: in the green crock by the coffee maker.
Seth: yes, thats the big one.
Mom: you want me to do it?
Seth: no, I can do it. {gets scooper} boy, this ice cream is tough, but I am tougher.
Mom: Let it stand and melt some, it will be easier to scoop.
Seth: Mom, I am stronger then the ice cream.
Mom: fine, don't eat the whole carton.

few minutes later:
Seth: mom, I finished with the scooper and put it back.
Mom: back where? (no, he could not have)
Seth: back where I got it.
Mom: (walking to the crock, yes he did) Did you wash it before putting it back?
Seth: Oh, darn it, no.
Mom: Good grief child!!

Mother of the Year

My kids are pretty creative and they are starting to show some independence - and I am all for that as I was raised to be independent. We have been going though the "puke" sickness in the house - last week it was Sydney and this week it was Seth who stayed home from school on Tuesday. Out of the blue they just hurled whatever they could and then did not have an appetite. I actually thought for a moment that maybe if I got it I might lose a pound during the temporary semi-bulemic state. But alas, I am healthy. Well, today I got played. Seth woke up early and laid on the couch - normally he is quite a challenge to wake up (thank you Bennett DNA) so when this happens something is not right. He said his tummy hurt and although he went to school on Wednesday I figured maybe he relapsed. I told him he could stay home from school because you don't have to tell this mother that teachers frown on parents who send kids to school and puke at their desk. Blech.

Then when we were at Syd's gym class - my son, who cannot tell a lie, said he played an April Fools on me. What Seth? Mom, I really just did not want to go to school today so I said my tummy hurt, but I am really okay. Ah, well then you can clean the toilets when we get home and read 10 books and give me your DS.

Then there is Sydney who has figured out how to entertain herself when I am preoccupied with laundry, kitchen cleaning, and doing really, really important things on facebook like wordtwist and mafia wars and leaving comment threads all day: she helps herself to a lapfull of oreos and plops herself in the stroller in front, and I mean right in front of the TV. Look at how happy she is!!!!!! Mother of the year award is mine for sure.

Conversations with Seth

Seems these days more posts on Sydney are taking up space on the blog and really since Seth is totally into his Wii and fighting off General Grevais he has not given me much subject matter. I can attest though that he is doing well in school, hockey and is in good health. Just sometimes looks like a zombie when he is flying through space in his x-wing.

But today, I do have a conversation to post and here goes - hold on tight.

Mom: Seth, you have a game today are you going to skate fast?
Seth: Yup, but mom I am really worried about finding a wife.
Mom: ah, okay (trying to hold back laughter). You are only 7, don't worry about it.
Seth: But I am really concerned I won't find one, when will I get one?
Mom: you don't get one - like a prize - you will know its her when she makes you laugh and make you want to be around her all the time.
Seth: okay, but I am not having a baby come out of my stomach. Dads don't have babies. Where do babies come from.
Mom: You are right, only moms have babies - do you want a sandwhich?
Seth: No, just a snack.

Whew, another good dodge.

Seth has left the building

On his way out the door Seth left his mark in the frosty crisp grass.

One more day of a slight wind and the birch tree will be bare and it will be time to fill the pumpkin leaf bags. Oddly, I am ahead of the game this season, the garage just needs a few adjustments and the car can go in, the pumpkins (with good stems) are already adorning the entry way, the mantel is screaming with fall decor, and the bag of all our winter gear is in arms reach.

Oh happy day - and first day of October.

Conversations with Seth

Seth is much like me, not a morning person. After 8 years of marriage, my husband knows to tread lightly and not converse AT ALL, but that all changes once I get my coffee. I have learned that if I nudge Seth to wake him and then leave the room he goes back to sleep - I can't really blame him. So now, I have him get out of bed and come into our bedroom and we "wake up slowly." We wait for a beep from a digital watch and then get up. Between us getting back to bed and the beep we have quiet conversations to help wake up to. This one happened this morning:

Mom: hey, Seth I think there is one more doughnut left, do you want it for breakfast?

Seth: hmmmmm, yes.

Mom: Do you want the whole doughnut or half and I can put the other half in your lunchbox?

Seth: Oh, I have a good idea: I can eat half and give you the other half because I love you so much.

Its the little things that get you.

Kids are Fun

I am very fortunate to have a daycare at work where I can bring the kids for the few hours that I work. Yesterday, the daycare lady, Amber had her infant son with her and he was acting up, ready for food and a nap so Amber attended to him. Sydney watched this and grabbed a doll and started doing the same thing. Holding the baby doll, rocking it, and using a Lego as a bottle. Very cute - maybe a maternal instinct. I recall Seth on the other hand, when once in a similar situation, cover his ears and say "your baby is loud, can you make it quiet" - okay, not so paternal. When Amber's little guy finally dozed off she put him down for his nap, Sydney then took a cue and did the same - only she put her baby doll in the Fisher Price microwave and shut the door.

Seth has been watching Jon & Kate plus 8, the family that had sixtuplets, and the other day Seth, in a very timid tone, said "I don't want a baby to come out of me" I assured him that Daddies don't have babies, only Mommies do - an instant relief came over him and the questions stopped - thank goodness.

yummy brownies

Awhile back I tried having Seth help me with brownies and it was disasterous. I am a bit of a neat freak when I bake and when I have to dig for egg shells, clean up brownie mix off the counter because someone stirred too fast or knocked over the bowl then it just turned into a chore. I know, have patience. This time around, the words do you want to help were responded with an enthusiastic yes and this time it was all good.

Being very careful

see, no shells

Horsing Around

Seth is getting a chance to take some riding lessons. Today we learned how to brush Ted, how not to walk behind a horse, how to saddle up, how to get going and make that clicking sound, the importance of saying yikes instead of whoa, and how to steer. Next lesson we might go a bit faster. Seth announced he wanted a pet horse and Laura and I had a good little laugh on that. I said he needed to work in a stable before that ever happens.

Making Adjustments

The wind picked up and the clouds rolled in so no one was out playing and Seth decided to play this game. He pretty much taught himself how to play because the manual does not explain much and I really have no interest in video games. Seth, on the other hand, is quickly getting into them.

He must have been sitting on the floor playing for about 2 hours when he told me that his neck hurt. I told him to stop playing and go rest or do something else and instead he just laid back flat on the floor and said, "nah, this works" and continued playing.

Wall Worthy

Some art makes it to the fridge, some into his "school days box", but these two were framed and put into the "Art in the Park" competition. I had to bid on them to get back and Beth outbid me on the fish. Luckily, I made a color copy of it.

photoshoot - Seth

What's Seth doing?

Here is what a six year old does when he gets bored - dismantles and makes new characters. Meet Anniken D2 and R2 Skywalker.

Doe Rae Me

From his early days, Seth has always been a hummer. While he played he would hum, while he was dozing off to sleep he would hum, while in pre-school he would hum (Mrs. Davis was a bit concerned). I had gotten used to it and like my uncle who could no longer hear the crickets on the farm "uncle Ron, how can you stand those crickets all day?" "Oh, hmm those are crickets", I could not hear the humming. My sisters on the other hand did not have this "defense mechanism" and Beth would ask "how can you stand that?, Seth No HUMMING" Her efforts rarely worked because off he went humming. Yes, I even looked into autism or the new asperger syndrome and although repetitive humming is a sign of something - he did not match the other "red flags" so I was not concerned.

Well, thanks to the wonderful world of public school and specifically music class, Seth has turned into a singer. He will come home with some interesting songs and I can sit in my room and listen to him sing in his. Much like when Sydney wakes up and starts gabbing and then chuckles from some amusement.

This past weekend, Seth was playing outside with Gabby and a friend of hers. That night he had 2 lines from a new song. "I believe I can fly, I believe I can touch the sky" - Yes, a wonderful Mariah Carey song - I guess there are worse songs out there. I thought oh, oh, sort of a girly song - but then he started to add in his own lyrics. "I believe I can poke your eye" and "I believe I can eat a pie." Can you tell he has learned Rhyming in school and so now we make our own lyrics up and it just gives us a good laugh. Mom: "I believe its time to go to bed" Seth: "I believe I am not tired at all." Pretty soon our daily life could turn into a musical.

3D baby