knitting librarian

Yesterday we were at my cousin Brian’s for a picnic and swimming. AJ was using water wings and doing really good. At one point, he asked me to blow up the wings more, but being me, I sucked the air out instead. He was swimming with just one side of the water wings blown up and doing really good. He swam about 5 yards with them this way. When we took them off completely, he swam about 2 yards. I can’t believe how well he’s doing. I’m very proud of him.

This morning he was eating his breakfast which he described as “scrumptious”! Where does he get these words?

He went to his friend Garrett’s for a playdate this afternoon and had a good time. I picked him up and after dinner tonight we went out front for him to ride his bike for a bit. He rode from the front of our house up to the nearby alley (probably about 25 yards) and back several times. He did 2 laps up and back four or five times. The last time, he rode past me and across the parking lot in front of the house. He wasn’t able to stop himself and he fell over. He wanted to walk the bike back to the house but we didn’t let him. He ended up riding back to the house and hopping off the back of the bike without crashing. He’ll probably master both swimming and riding without training wheels in the next month!

Today was Zoe’s first day of daycare. AJ went to my mom’s today to save us a few bucks before returning to school full time next week. AJ woke up cranky as it was because I woke him up. He hates it and it always starts his day of badly if we have to wake him: dressing is guaranteed to be a battle. While John battled him, I got Zoe dressed and ready for Marilyn’s house.

After everyone (but John) was dressed and ready to walk out the door, AJ turned to me and asked if Zoe was coming with us. I told him that she wasn’t, he was going to NonnaPop’s and Zoe was going to Marilyn’s. He started to whimper and said “She can’t!” (My heart was already breaking and this did not help!) I reminded him that Marilyn had taken very good care of him for a long time and that she would take good care of Zoe too. He still wasn’t happy. I finally decided that he would need a reassuring phone call that all was well, so I offered that Daddy would call Marilyn at lunch time and check on Zoe and then Daddy would call AJ to report how Zoe was doing. This seemed to satisfy him.

We had two crises on the way to the van: AJ bumped his head on the front door when we were putting on his hoodie sweatshirt and something (maybe the storm door?) scratched his leg on the way to the van. Of course, I did both on purpose. Somewhere along the line, I thought once I got him loaded in the car we’d talk about Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, but I’m pretty sure I forgot by the time I got him buckled into his car seat so that didn’t happen.

When we got to the parking lot to meet Mom and Vince, AJ was initially excited, but as soon as he was out of the car he got clingy and shy. I picked him up, gave him hugs and reminded him that we’d call later with an update on his sister.

I called Marilyn at my first opportunity which was about 11:15. She told me she was surprised she hadn’t heard from me sooner because I’d warned her I would probably drive her nuts today. Zoe was fine but had a small crying session before settling down for a cat nap in the early morning. Marilyn woke her for her bottle and she was back to sleep by the time I called.

After we got off the phone, I reported in to John and told him I’d call AJ. It took me a while to get him because they were out riding bikes—he did 9 miles on the trailer bike behind Vince! When I finally talked to him, he told me about his bike ride and then handed the phone back to Mom. I had to ask to talk to him again to tell him about Zoe, so I guess he forgot he was worried.

After work we had a social for faculty. Mom and Vince brought AJ to me there and he had a walking stick in his bug collection jar he wanted to show off, so we went back inside to show it to the science guys. He showed it off to several people including the chorus teacher’s daughter. On the way home, I asked him what the best part of his day was and he told me showing the walking stick to the little girl. I can’t wait to tell Marisa!

He also told me that he was going to go to college so he could have lots of money.

“That’s good, AJ, what will you study in college?” I will take my scooter and I will learn how to ride motorcycles.

“You will?” Yes, you have to go to college so you can get money.

“That’s right, you do. But you need to learn how to do a job so you can earn money. What kind of job do you want?” Just riding motorcycles, like my Dad.

“Your Daddy doesn’t ride motorcycles.” I will buy him one so he can.

“I don’t think you can ride motorcycles for a living.” (And I’m thinking to myself, unless you’re planning on going to Clown College!) He assured me he can and that’s all he wants to do. I love talking to my four year old!

Well, today was my first day back to work. Zoe starts daycare tomorrow—today she went to my mom’s for the day. When I dropped her off, Mom was still in bed (and Zoe was asleep). My stepfather took her and her accoutrements and saw I was teary. He said he’d give me a hug but he knew it wouldn’t help and would probably make it worse. I did manage to get through the day without actual crying, but the tears sure did well up a few times! This is the first I’ve left her with anyone other than John. I missed her.I was going to call when it was time for her first feeding because Mom was asleep when I arrived, but one of my co-workers who is a good friend of my mom’s told me I wasn’t allowed to call because my mom deserved to be trusted with her grandchildren. I didn’t call then, but when our first meeting of the day was over at 11:15, I did call, but mostly because I needed her to look up a phone number for me. Zoe was fine of course. (And Rita was right, my mom didn’t need me making her feel like I don’t trust her because I certainly do!)They brought her to me at the end of the day and when I asked if she was all right (she was really fussy two nights ago and most of yesterday—I think she may be teething already!) they informed me “she was a perfect angel.” I’ll try to be better tomorrow when she officially starts daycare!School will be over soon enough and I’ll get to spend my evenings loving her up!

It’s been cold, rainy, disgusting weather here the last three days and AJ must be going stir crazy. I ended up taking him to McD’s to play. He was really good while we were there. When we came home it was rest time, but he decided that he wasn’t going to rest and he was a holy terror. He was throwing toys, hitting and kicking and spitting at me. I was so furious that even now writing about it, my blood pressure’s rising. I ended up holding him in hopes that would calm him down because sometimes that works. He continued to hit and kick and said “I want out.” Well, I fixed him. I carried him downstairs and deposited him on a chair on the front porch. I told him he could be out until he figured out how to act in my house. (It was either this or kill him!)

When he came back inside, I thought he was okay, but it wasn’t until he’d thrown three more toys that I promptly deposited in the trash that he figured out he’d better stop throwing things. I told him I thought it was time for him to go back to school and a schedule. He wasn’t happy and says he doesn’t want to go back, but I can tell you right now, I do. I can’t wait! It’s going to kill me, but I can’t take too much more togetherness with my darling son right now. He also can’t ride his bike for two days from the beginning of his fit.