I Was Wrong

I'm woman enough to admit when I am wrong. Remember Cameron's pets? Cameron was eventually convinced to release Joey and Twiggy, but promptly replaced them with a fresh catepillar named Leaf. Leaf seemed no more hearty than his predecessors, so I was impressed when he managed to make himself a little cocoon. Cameron was thrilled and for the past two weeks has been checking daily for Leaf to emerge, triumphant, as a butterfly. Leaf's cocoon looked a little, well, moldy to me and I was pondering how to dispose of the mess and break it to Cameron that Leaf had already earned his butterfly wings in the hereafter. Instead, when I returned home last night from a writing class (awesome, by the way), David informed me that when Cameron checked on Leaf he was flitting merrily about his small Tupperware container! Flabbergasted, I asked how Cameron had reacted, expecting that he would have been delirious with excitement. Instead, David tells me that Cameron seemed unimpressed. I mean, after all, he had never had any doubt that Leaf would make it!

Empathy is not his strong suit

Today, the boys and I had plans to go to the zoo with some new friends. Instead, I awoke with a splitting headache, nauseated and lightheaded. Okay, I thought to myself. This is a set-back. A few pain relievers and a cup of coffee and I'll be good to go. When just the smell of coffee set my stomach churning, though, I had to rethink things. The zoo requires walking and walking didn't appear to be a manageable task in my present condition. I called and cancelled with our friends and crawled to the couch. "It's okay, Mommy," said Cameron, patting my head. "I didn't really want to go to the zoo anyways."

Wow. What a sweet little boy I've got! I congratulated myself. Then Cameron continued. "So, Mommy. Today is the day I get to buy my light saber. How about we go now?"

So here's the background to this request. Last weekend, we made a quick stop at a drug store to pick up a few items. In the toy aisle, Cameron spotted a real Star Wars light saber (cue angels singing). He begged and pleaded, certain that this blue plastic was all that was standing between him and the Dark Side. Dashing his hopes, we left the store without the saber. Upon reaching our home, he emptied his piggy bank and entreatied us to return to the drug store. Finally, we struck a deal that if 1) he used his own money and 2) he had good behavior for the next few days we would return to the drug store on Wednesday and purchase it. Since that time, we've experience a pre-Christmas-like peace in our house, with Cameron not only behaving but offering to clean and help carry the diaper bag!

So, he was correct that today was the long-awaiting Trip to the Drug Store. However, I sorta thought that my hands-and-knees trip to the couch would signal, even to a four-year-old, that light sabers were not a top priority at the moment. I was wrong. While Cameron did appreciate that I was perhaps not in top form, to him a deal is a deal and I had made a deal that we would get the light saber on Wednesday. After several hours, when I at least felt able to drive, I gave in to his relentless pestering and he is now the proud owner of a light saber. It actually lifted my spirits a bit to see him run through the aisles of the store and reverently place the light saber on the check-out counter. And it did give me a chance to nap this afternoon, while he repeatedly "activated" his light saber and reenacted his vision of Star Wars.


And, for the many readers certain to be ready to spring into action and deliver me baked goods and flowers, I am feeling better!

Spoons are for sissies

As I fed Matthew his rice cereal this morning, he impatiently grabbed the spoon from my hand, scooped up some cereal and deposited in his mouth! After shoveling in a few more spoonfuls, he apparently decided that he was a fan of self-feeding but needed a more efficient method.
As you may have guessed, breakfast was promptly followed by bath time.

Note to self: Locate and install baby gates

My parents visited us last weekend, and about three hours after they left Matthew decided to crawl. Four days later and this kid is a crawling machine! Add to that, he's pulling up and cruising on anything he can get his hands on and I can't take my eyes off him for a minute!

We're number one!

Matthew and Cameron are best friends these days. Matthew has become mobile enough to chase Cameron, grab him and haul himself to standing, often throwing his arms around him in a kind of hug. In return, Cameron is initiating Matthew into boyhood -- rolling and wrestling and tickling him as they both scream. They're the best brothers and they want everyone to know it!

Cicada City

We're in the midst of a cicada infestation. Even from inside the house you can hear them, and when you step outside you are surrounded by an eerie sound, reminiscent of a soundtrack to accompany the landing of an alien spaceship. The cicadas plod up the tree trunks, droop from the branches and drop to the ground or in our hair (ugh!).
Cameron loves it.

Arrgghh, matey!

This weekend, Cameron had a rollicking good time at a pirate-themed birthday party. The festivities began with a treasure hunt, complete with maps. By the end, he and his friends were decked out in eye patches, hats and swords. The fearsome buccaneers ate hotdogs, ran wild, made ice cream sandwiches and survived the party without any mutiny. All that swashbuckling was a bit much for Cameron, though, and I snapped this photo of the weary captain when we arrived home.

Grandma Linda and Grandpa Frank were visiting, and Cameron roused himself so he might get in a little more pirate fun with Grandpa.Meanwhile, Matthew got reacquainted with his grandma. Matthew is reaching that age where separation anxiety rears its ugly head and was at first a bit tentative about this vaguely familiar stranger. It didn't take long for him to warm up, though. It's strange, Grandma Linda reminds him of someone . . . if only he could put his finger on it . . .

Grandpa Frank, with his deep voice and scratchy beard, was another story all together. Matthew was on high alert all weekend, on the lookout and ready to sound the alarm should he catch sight of scary Grandpa Frank. If Matthew is anything like Cameron, though, he'll be Grandpa Frank's best buddy in a few years. After all, as Cameron told Grandma Linda, "Grandpa Frank's a lot more fun than you."