Happiness and Real Life Lately

Happiness and Real Life Lately

• 5.21.2012

What put a smile on my face this past week:

 Jed copying his dad.

Bron likes to relax with his hands behind his head.  Jed does too.

::  An evening with my friend, Kristen, and her baby girl.  We chatted and ate and planned to do some really cool projects together.  Fun!

::  Dancing to the radio with Jed.  Jed smiled and laughed and put his head on my shoulder.  Precious moments.

::  How Jed sounds like he was born in London.  "'Elloo," he says over and over.

::  Jed's run.  Now that he's out of a cast, Jed's leg is healing up well.  Jed runs everywhere!  And he runs with a little hop in his step.  Love it.

::  Hot meat from the grill and summer salads.  I love summer food.

::  Sunshine and warm weather.

::  Me: "Jed, what does Mom say?"  

    Jed: "'Elloo!"

 ::  Meeting friends (old and new) around a fire ring at the park and roasting giant marshmallows and starbursts.

 ::  How all the kids in the neighborhood ride around on bikes and golf carts.  Sweet.

 ::  Playing with Jed at the park.  He's fearless on the giant slides, but gets nervous when I push him too high on the swing.  That's when he sat in my lap and we happily swung together.

::  Bron bought me a brand new pan that doesn't stick and sits flat on my stove top.  Hallelujah!

::  Finally put up the window treatments in Jed's room.  They look great!

::  The look on Jed's face as I handed him an ice cream cone.

::  A much needed late night conversation with my hubby.

::  Friends who came over and made us a delicious authentic Italian meal followed by a rousing game of Settlers.

::  Me: "Jed, do you want to be potty trained?"
Jed: "Oooo!  Oooo!"  (train sound)
Oh, the simple mind!  Haha  I don't think we'll be attempting potty training any time soon.

 Drinking out of the hose.  Notice how Jed is drenching himself at the same time!

*****

As great as this past week was, it was also a looong week.  You know that old adage, "You can either have nice things or children, not both?"  Well, apparently it applies to dogs as well.

Tyke is technically still a puppy.  He likes to chew and dig and make messes.  Sometimes I want to throttle that dog!  He dug up all of my tulip bulbs, ate all of my roses, destroyed my drip system, and chewed through the wires that run our sprinkler system.  Needless to say, the dog has been banned from my courtyard.  Luckily, no permanent damage has been done and Bron is a stud for fixing what can be fixed.

Also, the terrible-two's have hit us with hurricane force.  Jed has suddenly decided that whining is his primary form of communication.  He also chooses to ignore us when we tell him, "No" or "Stop."  His disobedience has caused him lots of time with his nose on the wall or time-outs in his room.  These new behaviors make parenting lots of work!  (I know our own parents are snickering right now.)  This summer's goals?  Working on COMMUNICATION and LISTENING.  It's going to take lots of time and consistency and most of all, patience.  A part of me thinks that no matter how much effort I put into helping and training my child, these behaviors are just something that he'll grow out of.  Am I right?  I don't know, but I have to do something to maintain my sanity!  Maybe the dog will outgrow his chewing habits too?

It's a good thing that Jed is still so innocent and cute.  I'll love him till the world ends.  As for the dog?  Well, he's procured his station here because he is uncommonly good with Jed.  He takes anything that little boy can dish out.  They're buddies.  And... I guess I kind of like the dog too.

 Running with trucks!