It has been a long time since I posted...oops.
I just had to document the "connor funny" that just happened.
He is about to go to bed (up way too late...even for summer) and he looked outside and saw the moon.
Connor: Wow Mom! Look at the moon!
Me: yes, wow...it is so big and bright. And it is a full moon.
Connor: it must have eaten a lot.
Such a sweetheart. :)
Additionally, today was the first day of the Providence Lake garage sale. After making quite a deal on an electronic Battleship game yesterday, he was up at 6:45 ready to hit the sales (that didn't open until 9:00). He kept asking me for money. Finally it occurred to me that on a brisk morning, he should earn his money...selling muffins and donuts. This neighborhood sale is a madhouse. He would learn all sorts of lessons in the process.
Too bad this brilliant idea came to me at 8:45 am. I didn't let it stop me and by 9:30-9:45 he and his friend Cam were set up in the driveway with chocolate and blueberry muffins, Connor-made sales signs, a full pot of coffee, little plates, coffee cups with lids, a communal stir stick, and 3 different kinds of coffee creamer. I did have to borrow 6 eggs and ground coffee, but we made it and each kid made over $9!
We will be out again tomorrow.
The whole process was MUCH easier with Declan asleep. The little man is EVERYWHERE. His new game is picking up pieces of mulch and running to the edge of the driveway and throws them into the road. Sweet. He does the same thing with rocks into the lake. Fun game.
He and Connor were both running around the house after dinner (homemade Mac & Cheese while Brian filled in for Mr. Tim on his golf league.) We took a selfie after both boys wanted to me ON my lap after dinner...I need to post it.
Anyway, I was talking to a friend and Connor was in his room building with newly purchased garage sale Brio blocks (that are too advanced for him at this point) and then we hear blood curdling screaming. I went running in there and Connor was crying. I asked what happened and he was pointing to Declan (who was backing away slowly) and Connor said, "he threw it at me". He was pointing at the floor and I saw an empty hanger. I said, "oh buddy, I'm sure it just scared you. It will be okay." (insert hug) Then I look at the floor again, there is also a very heavy metal stapler on the ground (Declan got it off the desk). Yes, he definitely threw the stapler at his head, NOT the hanger....
I feel Connor's head and there is a giant knot forming. I help him walk into the kitchen as I look for frozen veggies to act as an ice pack. Frozen chopped onions would work better than broccoli... Then I had to send Declan straight to the time out chair in the laundry room. He has only had to sit in it once or twice before. He was there a good 20 seconds before he got up. Then 10 seconds when I put him back.
Oh, and Connor said next time he would take broccoli...the onions stunk. hahaha!
I have so much work I need to be doing, but I lack motivation in a very big way. Today was sooo busy and a lot of fun and tomorrow will be the same. Perhaps I could watch one episode of season 2 Orange is the New Black before falling asleep and then I'll get up early tomorrow and work...
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Saturday, March 22, 2014
One of life's necessities.
Yesterday, I learned the importance of the sucker/lollipop.
All the boys in my Nealon family have hair that grows OUT. It doesn't just get longer and lay down, it poofs. I know many that would take this "problem" of vast amounts of thick, coarsely textured hair any day of the week. :) This hair also grows like it is on some sort of sterroid. I know for a FACT that we spend more (annually) on each male in our house getting their hair cut than I do in a year....and mine is typically cut and colored!
I digress.
Yesterday, Declan was looking shaggy. In addition to the previously mentioned challenges with his hair, he also has some sweet cowlicks that I think make his need for a haircut become more prevalent faster.
I took him at 2:45 following a remarkable 3 hour nap. He was happy and I thought this was our ideal shot. We had to wait 10 minutes at Great Clips. (Who knew 3:00 was a busy time?!) And then shortly after putting him on the booster seat and getting his smock on him, I quickly discovered they were OUT OF SUCKERS. Oh boy.
It went downhill from there. I had no idea that this sugary sweetness was such an integral part of his haircutting experience. He flipped out. He was trying to dive out of the chair. He would NOT sit still. I have never dealt with this. I have never experienced a crying child in the haircutting chair. Until yesterday. About 5 minutes in, I offered to hold him in my lap and let him watch videos of himself on my phone while the lady attempted to finish the cut. This lasted 5 minutes, but was still not without a challenge. Through additional tears (his, not mine) I finally just said maybe we would come back later to finish the cut.
So we left (I paid first) with his 3/4 haircut.
Several hours later, we tried again. This time, I found 2 suckers in our [seriously old] candy stash in the pantry and came prepared.
Wow.
The difference was remarkable. All of the same staff was there and one lady even said they thought I had twins...and he was the twin. Nope. That damn sucker makes all the difference in the world. He never cried, never attempted to dive out of the chair. He even let her use the trimmers on his neck.
Note to self, ALWAYS carry have a sucker in my purse in case Great Clips is out.
All the boys in my Nealon family have hair that grows OUT. It doesn't just get longer and lay down, it poofs. I know many that would take this "problem" of vast amounts of thick, coarsely textured hair any day of the week. :) This hair also grows like it is on some sort of sterroid. I know for a FACT that we spend more (annually) on each male in our house getting their hair cut than I do in a year....and mine is typically cut and colored!
I digress.
Yesterday, Declan was looking shaggy. In addition to the previously mentioned challenges with his hair, he also has some sweet cowlicks that I think make his need for a haircut become more prevalent faster.
I took him at 2:45 following a remarkable 3 hour nap. He was happy and I thought this was our ideal shot. We had to wait 10 minutes at Great Clips. (Who knew 3:00 was a busy time?!) And then shortly after putting him on the booster seat and getting his smock on him, I quickly discovered they were OUT OF SUCKERS. Oh boy.
It went downhill from there. I had no idea that this sugary sweetness was such an integral part of his haircutting experience. He flipped out. He was trying to dive out of the chair. He would NOT sit still. I have never dealt with this. I have never experienced a crying child in the haircutting chair. Until yesterday. About 5 minutes in, I offered to hold him in my lap and let him watch videos of himself on my phone while the lady attempted to finish the cut. This lasted 5 minutes, but was still not without a challenge. Through additional tears (his, not mine) I finally just said maybe we would come back later to finish the cut.
So we left (I paid first) with his 3/4 haircut.
Several hours later, we tried again. This time, I found 2 suckers in our [seriously old] candy stash in the pantry and came prepared.
Wow.
The difference was remarkable. All of the same staff was there and one lady even said they thought I had twins...and he was the twin. Nope. That damn sucker makes all the difference in the world. He never cried, never attempted to dive out of the chair. He even let her use the trimmers on his neck.
Note to self, ALWAYS carry have a sucker in my purse in case Great Clips is out.
Saturday, March 15, 2014
5 1/2 is funny
Earlier this week we were eating at the Zagar's house and there was a comb with a pick on the end on the counter. About 10 minutes into dinner, Connor holds up the comb and says, "Mom, this sure is a fancy fork!"
Of course it reminded me of Arial and "The Little Mermaid" thinking a fork is a comb...
Brian had to work at the Women's Expo today, so I got the baby seat put on my new bike (thanks Nana & MonteD!) and we pretended it wasn't 39ยบ outside. We made it around our big loop and about 100 yards from our house Connor chimes in, "Mom, why don't we just spend winter at the beach? The ducks do it."
Very good point, little man! :) Ducks also don't have jobs. But what I loved most was that I know he didn't hear this from somewhere else. He didn't say "fly south" or "migrate", just go to the beach. :) What is ridiculous is that his first time stepping in the ocean was at Castaway Cay on our cruise. He didn't feel great and the water was too chilly to really splash & play. The beach to him is along the shores of Lake Michigan.
Connor walked in on my plucking my eyebrows this afternoon. He was horrified. "Mom, WHAT are you doing?!" I tried to explain. "Why don't you want any eyebrows?" "Doesn't that hurt?" "You will look funny if you don't have eyebrows." In the end, he approved and said they were even. :)
His favorite game on Brian's iPad is "Stack the States". He knows many of the states now by shape and can place at least 10-15 on the map. Trying to raise him right. The only problem is that is still requires some major assistance for him because he can't read the questions. (Brian and I are now experts on US trivia and I got a new high score on the capital conveyor belt game: 72!) The last few days, all of C's artwork that he creates during "free choice" time at school has been American flags. He knows that we love them and I also think he likes practicing his stars. We only got in one argument over the amount of tape needed to adhere said flag to the fridge (stainless steel = no magnets).
Declan struck again in Connor's room. In addition to finding ALL of my hidden snack places (I admittedly hide kid-type snack food around the house so we don't eat it when we are grazing in the pantry. I say, "we" and I mean it...but I mainly mean Brian. :) Well, Declan finds ALL of the places and comes out with treats of all kinds. He runs up to me saying "Mum." with his little arms out. He is currently sporting his second black eye and a gash in his chin from a week and a half ago that probably could have used some stitches or glue, but it was on daddy's watch and he is fine. Good thing he's a boy. :) The black eye was at a neighbor's house. I'm not sure what happened, but she said he cried for about 45 seconds and had a red bump on his cheek. So of course it turns into a black eye. I digress.
[I assume] Declan broke the CD portion of Connor's clock in his room. I assume this because I've seen Declan walking around with it, and there is no way that is good for the machine. The little man drops or throws just about everything. Connor is all about routine and part of his routine is books, prayers, night-night music. He's been at a loss without music for the last week. I gave him Declan's sound-machine giraffe, but he said it just wasn't the same. Tonight I finally took the CD player from Declan's room into Connor's (Declan doesn't like listening to it anyway...he actually cries if it is on). It had a CD that Leslie/Gramma gave to me/Connor when he was just an itty-bitty baby. Connor asked if I was going to put his CD in and I said that I wanted him to listen to his very first night-night music tonight. He obliged. We have a space heater in the boy's jack-n-jack bathroom to heat both rooms and I leave the door closed until I turn off C's light. I told C I was going to open the door and asked if he was okay. He replies, "I'm just having a happy cry." What?! "Yes, a happy cry. I love my music, and this song, and I'm so glad I have it back." omg. My little love. :)
I'm trying to think of other funnies. Oh, he told me recently that he only takes a bath if it is a pattern. Yes, a pattern. Like, "Bath, no bath, Bath, no bath". or "Bath, Bath, no bath, Bath, Bath, no bath." I was not trying to be too much of a smarty, but asked if he was going to throw a shower in there or just stick to baths. :)
This morning he came in our room at 7:30 wanting me to get up....on a Saturday. Like the mother-of-the-year that I am, I told him he could turn on Netflix if he wanted and I would get up at 8:00. He couldn't find the remote (We have a chair that literally eats the remotes. Getting them out is like performing surgery.) When I came out at 8:00, I found 4 fully assembled puzzles on the fireplace hearth. He did come in our room twice, but I'm so proud of him for not harassing me...like he normally does. He put together 8 more this morning. The little guy is getting so stinkin' smart.
Oh, the other night when he was begging me to "watch a show" before bed, I finally caved and said he could watch one show in our bed. I was listing several shows that we have recorded on the DVR. "Octonauts, Rescue Bots, Jake & the Neverland Pirates, Daniel Tiger, Sesame Street, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" (Declan LOVES the last 3 in the list and Connor actually likes to watch them with him.) But I was really surprised to hear him choose Sesame Street. I looked at him questioningly and said, "Really". His response, "It is the longest." Of all the shows in the list, it is the only one that is an hour... See, I'm in trouble. He is smart as a whip!
Of course it reminded me of Arial and "The Little Mermaid" thinking a fork is a comb...
Brian had to work at the Women's Expo today, so I got the baby seat put on my new bike (thanks Nana & MonteD!) and we pretended it wasn't 39ยบ outside. We made it around our big loop and about 100 yards from our house Connor chimes in, "Mom, why don't we just spend winter at the beach? The ducks do it."
Very good point, little man! :) Ducks also don't have jobs. But what I loved most was that I know he didn't hear this from somewhere else. He didn't say "fly south" or "migrate", just go to the beach. :) What is ridiculous is that his first time stepping in the ocean was at Castaway Cay on our cruise. He didn't feel great and the water was too chilly to really splash & play. The beach to him is along the shores of Lake Michigan.
Connor walked in on my plucking my eyebrows this afternoon. He was horrified. "Mom, WHAT are you doing?!" I tried to explain. "Why don't you want any eyebrows?" "Doesn't that hurt?" "You will look funny if you don't have eyebrows." In the end, he approved and said they were even. :)
His favorite game on Brian's iPad is "Stack the States". He knows many of the states now by shape and can place at least 10-15 on the map. Trying to raise him right. The only problem is that is still requires some major assistance for him because he can't read the questions. (Brian and I are now experts on US trivia and I got a new high score on the capital conveyor belt game: 72!) The last few days, all of C's artwork that he creates during "free choice" time at school has been American flags. He knows that we love them and I also think he likes practicing his stars. We only got in one argument over the amount of tape needed to adhere said flag to the fridge (stainless steel = no magnets).
Declan struck again in Connor's room. In addition to finding ALL of my hidden snack places (I admittedly hide kid-type snack food around the house so we don't eat it when we are grazing in the pantry. I say, "we" and I mean it...but I mainly mean Brian. :) Well, Declan finds ALL of the places and comes out with treats of all kinds. He runs up to me saying "Mum." with his little arms out. He is currently sporting his second black eye and a gash in his chin from a week and a half ago that probably could have used some stitches or glue, but it was on daddy's watch and he is fine. Good thing he's a boy. :) The black eye was at a neighbor's house. I'm not sure what happened, but she said he cried for about 45 seconds and had a red bump on his cheek. So of course it turns into a black eye. I digress.
[I assume] Declan broke the CD portion of Connor's clock in his room. I assume this because I've seen Declan walking around with it, and there is no way that is good for the machine. The little man drops or throws just about everything. Connor is all about routine and part of his routine is books, prayers, night-night music. He's been at a loss without music for the last week. I gave him Declan's sound-machine giraffe, but he said it just wasn't the same. Tonight I finally took the CD player from Declan's room into Connor's (Declan doesn't like listening to it anyway...he actually cries if it is on). It had a CD that Leslie/Gramma gave to me/Connor when he was just an itty-bitty baby. Connor asked if I was going to put his CD in and I said that I wanted him to listen to his very first night-night music tonight. He obliged. We have a space heater in the boy's jack-n-jack bathroom to heat both rooms and I leave the door closed until I turn off C's light. I told C I was going to open the door and asked if he was okay. He replies, "I'm just having a happy cry." What?! "Yes, a happy cry. I love my music, and this song, and I'm so glad I have it back." omg. My little love. :)
I'm trying to think of other funnies. Oh, he told me recently that he only takes a bath if it is a pattern. Yes, a pattern. Like, "Bath, no bath, Bath, no bath". or "Bath, Bath, no bath, Bath, Bath, no bath." I was not trying to be too much of a smarty, but asked if he was going to throw a shower in there or just stick to baths. :)
This morning he came in our room at 7:30 wanting me to get up....on a Saturday. Like the mother-of-the-year that I am, I told him he could turn on Netflix if he wanted and I would get up at 8:00. He couldn't find the remote (We have a chair that literally eats the remotes. Getting them out is like performing surgery.) When I came out at 8:00, I found 4 fully assembled puzzles on the fireplace hearth. He did come in our room twice, but I'm so proud of him for not harassing me...like he normally does. He put together 8 more this morning. The little guy is getting so stinkin' smart.
Oh, the other night when he was begging me to "watch a show" before bed, I finally caved and said he could watch one show in our bed. I was listing several shows that we have recorded on the DVR. "Octonauts, Rescue Bots, Jake & the Neverland Pirates, Daniel Tiger, Sesame Street, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" (Declan LOVES the last 3 in the list and Connor actually likes to watch them with him.) But I was really surprised to hear him choose Sesame Street. I looked at him questioningly and said, "Really". His response, "It is the longest." Of all the shows in the list, it is the only one that is an hour... See, I'm in trouble. He is smart as a whip!
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
God
For some reason, when Connor and his friend Cam are together the conversation frequently turns to theology.
This was in the car on the way home from For the Kidz, open gym last night.
Connor: I am so tired of this snow. Cam: So is my mom! She said she was going to have to have a chat with God and Jesus about this. Connor: Do you think God is a giant? Cam: I think he is "this" big (didn't see the hand motion) Connor: Whatever size He is, He fits in our hearts...and can never get out.
Such a precious age.
This was in the car on the way home from For the Kidz, open gym last night.
Connor: I am so tired of this snow. Cam: So is my mom! She said she was going to have to have a chat with God and Jesus about this. Connor: Do you think God is a giant? Cam: I think he is "this" big (didn't see the hand motion) Connor: Whatever size He is, He fits in our hearts...and can never get out.
Such a precious age.
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Klackle's Family Orchard 2013
What a ridiculously crazy "gong show" this year. It was a beautiful Saturday in Michigan and the UofM game didn't start until 5:00, so the orchard was absolutely insane. Next year, I will pull C out of school to avoid going on the weekend!
Both boys still had a good time and Erin & Greyson Cook joined us in the fun too (Ron had to work).
Both boys still had a good time and Erin & Greyson Cook joined us in the fun too (Ron had to work).
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