Play-Learn-Grow-Repeat

From Monday Mom – Neetika:
We celebrate Christmas in our family, and I was looking forward to Haley understanding the holiday rituals better this year. I explained the usual stuff—you have to be good, we make cookies for Santa, he comes down the chimney and leaves presents, etc. Unfortunately, you can’t predict the reaction of a three year old. I thought she’d buy into it big time. Well, it turns out that this mythology has brought out a different reaction—earnest concerns about home security. Haley does not like the idea of a non-family member coming down our chimney.

As a result, Haley came up with a different plan. Here’s how it’s going to work: Haley’s father is going to meet Santa Claus on Christmas night at the end of the driveway at my parents’ home, where we are spending Christmas. Santa is going to hand him the sack of presents. Then Haley’s dad is instructed to say: “Now you get out of here or there’s going to be trouble!” Haley also mentioned that her dad should use ninja moves if necessary.

I’m not sure if Haley’s declaration will get her placed on the Naughty List. Hopefully Santa appreciates her precocious, protective spirit. Three-year-olds change their minds quickly, so perhaps by the time Christmas comes around, Haley will warm up to the chimney idea. If not, that’s fine too. We’ll pack the cookies and milk (and of course, carrots for the reindeer) to go!

Enjoy the holiday season!

I’m convinced you have to have a sense of humor to be a parent. It’s one of the things they should dole out in the hospital along with pain medication, immediately after you give birth. You know, it comes along with that instruction manual that comes with the kid…

Without a sense of humor, how would you deal with your kid having a meltdown in the middle of a crowded restaurant? Or any of those other memorable moments where you laugh because otherwise you just might cry in frustration…

The sun is finally shining after about 5 days of really horrific rainstorms. Earlier this week, we were faced with insane winds and monsoon like rain conditions. Andrew, of course, loved this because it meant he could wear his raincoat. Apparently, being yellow means that this jacket is AWESOME.

I picked him up on Tuesday, racing from my car to the front door, immediately getting drenched from head to toe. When I got Andrew outside – armed with his yellow raincoat – he was not phased by the pouring rain in the slightest. He ran around cackling, going up and down the hills.

And then he found the puddles. First he ran through them. Then he started tapping his foot in them. He looked up at me eager and said, “Mommy! You jump!”

I looked down at myself. My suit. My heels. And I decided who cares? That’s what dry cleaners are for…

I jumped into the hugest puddle, sending water spraying everywhere. I grabbed his hands and the two of us jumped repeatedly into the puddles, laughing hysterically. Other moms were checking us out, shaking their heads like we were crazy. A couple dads looked like they might actually want to join in.

Then we got home and Andrew proceeded to swim through a mud puddle. Oh yeah. He jumped in and tried to dog paddle right through the mud.

I finally got him inside. Removed the mud-caked shoes and pants. Then I went into the kitchen to make him dinner. He grabbed a container of pudding and wandered off into the other room to feed himself.

You know the feeling you get when things are a little too quiet for anything good to be going on? Well…Andrew had stripped off the rest of his clothes and covered himself head to toe in pudding. Chocolate pudding.

I raced after him, trying to keep him from touching anything. Little chocolate footprints covered the floor. I wrapped him in a towel and tried my best to wipe him down. That was right before he dumped half a container of macaroni and cheese on himself.

Did he make a total mess? Yes. Was it frustrating? Sure. But it was also hysterical. Because other than the inevitable bath, what else can you do but laugh?