Giving Thanks 2007

I figured I should at least keep up with tradition and post what I am thankful this Turkey Day when it comes to the MP:

His unique joke telling techniques
When he walks around singing to himself
When he signs obscure Christmas songs at the top of his lungs (Oak Ridge Boys anyone?)
Ellie
His cheery morning disposition
That he wakes me up with a kiss
His random acts of kindness – opening the car door for me, asking me how my day was
His laugh when he is tickled
His love of water
His begrudging affection toward the dogs
His appetite
That he laughs in his sleep
His back seat driving (“mommy how fast are you going?” “that is TOO FAST”)
The way he imitates his teachers
Cuddles on the couch

I hope you have a safe and happy holiday!

New and Improved! (ok, New at least)

I apologize for not doing a better job of keeping up with the blog, because I HATE people who have blogs and never post to them: I have become one of my pet peeves. Ew.
But in my defense: I have just started a new job, the MP started kindergarten and is trying to settle in and I have just finished one class toward my MBA (Accounting) and started another. All in all, things are pretty hectic.

So I had planned to write a post entitled “The Happiest Kid in the Word” all about how the MP walks around singing, is a constant source of amusement for all of the people in his life, makes the most of a bad situation, etc. As I was planning out the post (I think about the blog on a regular basis, just not when I have access to the site or a typing instrument) I was driving him to daycare, we get there, things are good. We get inside and he has forgotten something in the car (probably his non-toy item for show and tell) and I run back out to get it.

When I come back in he is bawling. Apparently he thought I had left even though I told he and he acknowledged that I was coming right back in. He was sobbing and wailing as I left this time for good. So much for that blog post.

I try to be a fair and honest mother when it comes to the MP. I certainly do not hold any illusion that he is perfect or the best behaved kid in the world.

But recently something happened that had not occurred in his entire daycare career. There was a note sent home by his teacher. Asking to talk to us. This can only mean one thing: bad behavior (dun, dun DUN). As you can imagine, I flew off the handle. Peppering him with questions as to what he had done wrong, why he was in trouble, what had happened. And not getting a straight answer.
So I of course did what any sane rational mother would do: I punished him without any idea WHY he was being punished. Yeah, I am striving for mediocrity here people.
I made him go to bed early, wouldn’t let him watch tv and was pretty unfriendly to him the rest of the night. If he had just TOLD me why he was in trouble I probably wouldn’t have been so mean.
As it turns out he was having trouble (and still is) paying attention and behaving himself at daycare. Part of his day there is spent in a classroom environment where they have work to do and have to pay attention. The MP doesn’t seem to understand that he should be behaving as he does at Kindergarten and NOT jumping around like a frog.
We are working on it. I am prepared to fall back on the old standby of bribery. Some things never change.