Raising a Grown-up

Occasionally you will hear my mother say something to the effect of "Kristine's been a grown-up since she was 4."

 

I never really quite got what she meant until this morning.

 

We were running a little later than normal and I suggested breakfast in the drive thru at Mickey D's.  Also I needed gas, so he could eat it while I pumped gas and then we'd go to school.

 

I discovered roughly two weeks ago that if I hold onto the beloved chocolate milk until he was done eating, then he's more likely to eat and not fill up on chocolate milk.

 

Well, he ate his sausage Mc*Griddle and was finishing it up as I parked in front of the school but hadn't gotten to the chocolate milk yet.  I asked him if he wanted the chocolate milk or if he wanted me to bring it with me when I came to get him this afternoon.

 

He said "Bring it wif you this afternoon....but Mommy?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Don't forget to take it in to work wif you, so it doesn't get hot, okay?"

 

"Ok, I'll take it in and put it in the fridge at work."

 

"Ok, good."

Conversations at the water cooler.

You might want to put your water down before reading this one.

 

"Are you taking all our water?" 

 

As I fill my 2 quart pitcher to make tea for the day.  "You do realize is comes from the tap, right?"

 

"Yeah, but isn't something like only 3% of the water in the world drinkable?"

 

"If I'm not mistaken, it all gets recycled at some point anyway, right?"

 

"I guess, the cycle of water.  Yeah, but let's not talk about that."

 

I'm guessing he knew where I was headed with that, but let this be a lesson to you, you should probably shouldn't argue water consumption with someone who knows about how waste water treatment plants work and that odds are 3 or 4 people already drank this water once anyway. 

 

As my environmental prof said "Ivory may be 99.4% pure...but sewage is actually better than 99.4% pure water, so think about that.  And the closer you are to the equator, the more likely you're drinking something someone else already did."

So this week has been fun...

NOT.

 

Between apprehending a burglar on the street on Sunday evening, and coming home to a dog crate full of puke and poop last night, thinking that the lady I had ordered books from was coming also, since she sent me a card that said she'd be there on 9/13 and I believe yesterday was 9/13 - but she never showed, which was okay, since I was busy with the cleaning and trying to get the horrid smell out of the house anyway...can I just say how much I'm looking forward to what today has in mind for me?  And also maybe I should win some kind of award for the longest sentence ever.

 

************

 

Oh sure, you want to know about the burglar, right?

 

At roughly 8 pm Sunday night I got a knock on the door.  I had trouble getting out the door due to the barking dogs to ask what was going on, and the guy was waving at me and shaking his hand like a phone.  When I finally got out there he yelled to me to call the cops.  I heard another man yelling something about "YOU WERE IN MY CAR IN MY GARAGE!!!"

 

So I called 911, for I kid you not, the 8th time in my life.

 

1 - watched a guy fly out the windshield of the box truck he was driving after it hit the concrete barrier, then watched the truck bounce around a little and hit him as he laid over the concrete barrier,

2 - guy stops in the right lane of the freeway to chit chat with people on the side of the road, turns his car off, in the dark no lights, IN THE LANE, street race behind him hits his car, (1& 2 happened over the same weekend)

3 - my own car accident where woman left car in neutral to fill up gas then was surprised when it rolled down hill into the street into my car as I drove by,

4 - boy runs stop sign into side of my truck,

5 - woman driving drunk pulls into oncoming traffic at intersection to wait for light to change to turn left, then proceeds to rear end another car a little while later as wells as a few very close side swipes,

6 - cow loose on road (why yes I do live in Texas),

7 - kids on the street looking in cars suspiciously (get off my lawn!!),

and now, 8 - burglar.

 

As it turns out the suspect had already gone through one of the cars parked on the street and proceeded to go into the man on the end of the street's garage (smart choice dude, that guy's a lawyer) and was pilfering through his car when he caught him.  He chased him through several backyards and 2-3 other men and a couple dogs on the street joined the chase.  They caught him in front of my house and stood watch over him while waiting on the police, football linebacker style.  He gave up at some point and sat on the curb.

 

The police put him in the car within about a minute of arriving and then moved the investigation down to the end of the street where the garage portion of the crime took place.

 

I went out shortly after that to talk to the neighbors.  Nearly everyone on that end of the street had come out by then.  At that point we discovered that other cars may have been involved and everyone went around checking their stuff, and discussing how we should really lock our walk-in garage doors.  And the police said there had been several burglaries on another nearby street - maybe it's the same guy.

 

And that was the end of it, except for the whole unsettling feeling of violation, which I'm sure will fade with time. 

 

The good points however, are:  1) they caught the guy.  2) our neighbors are apparently vigilant enough and care enough to help a neighbor in need.  3) that guy didn't have a gun, and no one was shot.  4) After the initial knock, Scarlett did her job as protector, knowing something was going on, sat in the foyer and guarded the door until the police got there.  She barked occasionally and I even tried to kennel her to calm her down, but she refused to move until she thought everything was cool again.  (Fiona hid somewhere. And Landon sat on the bed watching a movie, unaware of anything.)

 

************

 

Well, dog puke doesn't sound all that exciting now.  Just annoying.  Plus I had to put the crate back together this morning and I dropped half of it on the top of my foot and have a huge bruise forming as we speak.  Also I believe Scarlett was better this morning, she was able to hold down food, which she couldn't do last night or I would have dropped her at the vet's office this morning.

Monthly Newsletter #47

Dear Landon,

I don’t know that I can pin point anything specific you’ve done this month developmentally. I know you’re beginning to sound out small words, and recognize the letters that words begin with, so that’s pretty cool. You’ve begun to realize that a plan we make is not for right now and not necessarily for tomorrow, but somewhere in the future. Plans to go to New York. Plans for your birthday party, etc.

I am trying to involve you in decision making, because it’s a skill you need. I’m catching a bit of flack for letting you decide where we go on vacation from some people, but honestly? It’s your vacation too. You have proven to be an excellent decision maker for things like hot dogs vs. pizza at your birthday party (hot dogs) or whether should see the Statue of Liberty, and Coney Island while in New York (yes).

You have proven to not be such a great decision maker when it comes to clothes. Just this morning I sent you off to school wearing the same shirt you wore yesterday – picking battles and all that. On the bright side, you are getting yourself dressed. However, I was a little concerned when you threw the shirt I had picked out for you out of the closet and closed the door this morning. When you came out you were proudly wearing yesterday’s shirt. Granted, it was not stained or visibly dirty, and it did match the shorts I had picked out, but still, the principle of the thing. After a brief kerfuffle I gave in, but I told you that under no circumstances would you be wearing it again tomorrow – and you agreed to those terms.

You recently discovered my cowboy boots in my closet and have been wearing them around the house every chance you get. Occasionally announcing a need for a lasso or a vest to complete your ensemble.

You are still having a bit of trouble with change. Your Sunday school class changed from one room to another, and I could not BELIEVE the fit you threw. Under no circumstances were you about to walk into a new classroom, how dare I even suggest such a thing?! You chose to play with the babies in the nursery instead. It took me a week of explaining that it was the same class, just a different room, and that this new room might even have some cool stuff to do in it that the old room didn’t have. And you STILL threw a fit about not being in the “right” class. You did however, make it through the class and decided that it was a pretty fun class after all.

You continue to amaze me, and complete strangers with your sense of boundaries. While standing in line for hamburgers and hot dogs at a playground dedication you ran loose around the building. I had given you no instruction as to where you were and weren’t allowed to be, but knew you’d always come back. I do count my blessings that you have those innate boundaries and will not wander too far, I probably would have already lost any other child that I know if they were mine.

As the summer ends and we pick back up with the school year, you’ve asked to be enrolled in a sports class at school. We had originally planned to enroll you in a music class, but when I looked up what you’d be learning in that class…well – I’m not impressed, you pretty much could move on to the 6-8 year old class if only you knew how to read – as you’ve mastered all the skills they talk about teaching the 4-5 year olds. So maybe in a year or so I’ll be able to find a one on one piano teacher for you. Not that I needed any other encouragement than you wanting to do it, but it is half the price of the music lessons and during school hours, which means I don’t have to take you anywhere. Anyway, I signed you up for the sports stuff beginning this week. I hope it’s all you dreamed of.

What I really need you to work on this month is our drop offs. We are having some issues with drop offs in the morning again. I’m not sure what really changed, I have even tried going back to bribing you with stickers and a prize when you fill your chart with 10 stickers. You say you know I am always coming back to get you, and I know you are fine by the time I turn the corner in the hall, so what gives?

Love,

Mama

Hmmm

Am I the only person who has trouble knowing what to do with myself with a contractor in the house?

 

I don’t want to follow them around like I don’t trust them, but I also don’t want to be unavailable if they have questions…

 

In other new – AC went on strike yesterday.  Unacceptable in 100° weather.

 

Also – newsletter is typed…on my office computer…so – look for it on Tuesday.