Good Guys and Bad Guys in the Bathtub

Dylan has been obsessed with "good guys" and "bad guys."  This theme is woven into Dylan's play all day. 

Superhéroes, pirates, trucks, princesses...no matter what he is playing with there is always good and bad.

So why should the bathtub be different?  As I checked on him this evening, I entered and he had all pirates stuck to the walls. 

"Mommy, the good piratas are over here, but the bad ones are on this side.  Mommy, they are going to hit the bad guys with a tree.  Watch!"

And wow.  Those naughty pirates had it coming.   
 

Checking on Zebras

Last night, like almost every Friday, we have movie night.  We are all usually exhausted from running all week and getting up at the crack of dawn.

We watched Jumanji.  I love this movie, and so do the niños.  The last time we watched it, we were at the beach.  So it kind of brought back some nice summer memories, just as summer this year, is beginning.

But this time, at the end of the movie, Dylan inexplicably began crying.  I was holding him at the time, as Eva was snuggled up with her Daddy, and I couldn't imagine what was wrong with him.

"Mommy," he sobbed.  "The zebras all got sucked up into the book.  But they're so cute.  Now they are in the book!"

I tried to rationally explain about how it's not real, blah, blah, blah.  This wasn't going to cut it.  Someone was really overtired.

"Dylan," I asked, "Would you feel better if we went to check on the zebras tomorrow?  I can show you that they are safe and still ok."

"Yes, Mommy."

And so this morning, the first words out of his mouth:  "Mommy, are we still going to see the zebras today?"

One day I will miss this.

Eva getting dressed for the zoo

The Eight Stages of Dinner

When Jeff lost his job at the airport, one of the things he was looking forward to, was dinner nightly with his family.

Little did he know, that the ninos had been working on developing the Eight Stages of Dinner.  I think they have perfected it.  They practice every night. 

First, we have the Shock Stage.

"What?  I can't eat this.  I don't like this dinner.  I can't eat it."

That lasts for about two minutes and then launches promptly into Denial.

"I'm not eating it!  I'm not!"

This stage also does not last long, probably because we are completely ignoring them at this point.

The next stage, Silliness, is the longest, and most intolerable in my opinion.  There is spilling of beverages, dancing in the seat, creative usage of utensils, playing with food, games, squealing and other loud obnoxious noises, singing, and pretty much any behavior not appropriate for the dinner table.

This is usually about where Jeff and I finish, and leave the table, because Dyleva is just fooling around. 

Next comes Anger.  There is yelling.  "I don't want to eat my ____!  I don't like _____ !  I want ____ instead!!!"

Sometimes -almost immediately coinciding with the next stage- is Depression.  Sorrow.  Crying and sobbing at the dinner table.

The Bargaining Stage actually comes right in between the crying and sorrow.

Dylan especially, is infamous for, "Can you give me a deal?!  Can you give me a deal please?"

The Testing Stage is next, and a quick one.  This is where the ninos try to find creative solutions to their problems, like "accidently" dropping food on the floor, feeding it to Marley, or even sharing.

"Mommy," asks Eva, "How about Dylan eats my carne and I will eat his beans?"

Last, and especially not least, we have Acceptance.  The ninos finally eat what is expected of them.  By now, its nearly bed time, and dinner has lasted almost two hours. 

For babies and toddlers that LOVED to eat and had great appetites, these recent behaviors bewilder me.

So...anyone want to come over for dinner???

Sunshine Power!

Oh Saturday mornings are beautiful.  They are even more beautiful when Dylan is not awake at 6:30, but so be it.  We were up with the sunshine.

I promised Dylan if he didn't freak out getting his haircut yesterday, that we would go somewhere today.

So after a very perky Team Umizoomi episode with a golden fairy singing about Sunshine power, we had breakfast, and we were off!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI2hWKLmmNg


We were off to look for spring.  We wanted to find proof that it has in fact, arrived.  (After all, it snowed last week...)

Dyleva and I began with a nature walk.  I told Eva to dress for a hike. 

 

This is what I got. 

 I am all done fighting over clothes.

 

 So anyway we get to the park.  Mommy's park.  And it's windy.  This is Eva cracking  me up in the parking lot.
 

Eventually, after a costume change, we walk.  We begin to look for spring.  Dyleva is super excited as we explore our surroundings!  Moments after arrival Eva finds a snake, and some mud.  She also discovers a red plant beginning to grow. Dylan finds nesting geese, and finds a diamond in the water!  

nesting geese

red plant

mud

culebra

diamond in the water

The ninos play in tree forts and play on fallen branches along the way.  We also had a run in with some cranky geese, met a turtle, and talked with some eagle scouts.

After our nature hike, we had a lovely picnic in the sun, and went to play at Dylan's park.  That morning we came full circle.  I followed the ninos around the park, as they were singing "Sunshine poweeeeeer!  Sunshine poweeeeeer!"

And then they crashed.

Oh Dyngus

It's all about the Dyngus.  Unfortunately this year, we didn't participate. 
Our Easter holiday began jam packed.  On Good Friday we dyed eggs with Lola and celebrated accordingly. The weather was actually semi-decent.  On Saturday, we celebrated Polish Easter with Grandpa Jim and Grandma Sue.  There was an Easter egg hunt and the ninos played together. 

Sunday morning the ninos woke up, looked in Dylan's closet and continued to search the house.  Eventually, they circled back to the lazy susan and Dylan's closet again and found their Easter baskets.  We went to brunch at Tia Rhonda's house, and dinner at Tia Jill's.  Two more Easter egg hunts.

By Monday morning, Dyleva was tired.  And feverish.  We made it to Grandma Candy's house in the morning, but we decided to sit this Dyngus Day out.  Instead, thanks to Titi, we watched the Pirate Movie.  Awesome!

By Tuesday, Eva was feeling better.  I took Dyleva to Explore N' More Children's Museum.  They had a lot of fun.  It was Polish Culture week.  Unfortunately for Eva and Dylan, they head back to school in a day....I will be at a loss with what to do with myself!

The Little Green Men

Eva came home from school yesterday, all excited. 

"Mommy, Jacob. K says you have to set a trap to catch a leprechaun.  And he says they like chocolate."

I thought, "I don't know Eva.  We're Polish.  I have never tried to catch a leprechaun before."

"Well Mommy, we can make a trap in the living room and in the sotano and in your room-"

"What would you do if you caught one?"  I asked.

She thought about it for a minute.  "Well he would give me gold."

So before I knew it, Eva, Dylan and I were creating a trap for the leprechaun.

It was ultra-sophisticated consisting of a laundry basket propped up by a fireplace log.

Under it, the ninos placed lace (?), chocolate kisses, and Dylan donated a chocolate coin. 

~~~~~~~

I woke Eva up the next morning, yelling at her for setting the trap.  The entire house was trashed.  Cupboards open, spilling out onto the floor.  Towels and clothes thrown all over the place.  Shelves ransacked and thrown everywhere.  The dog was green.  There was toilet paper all over the house.

 
 

 

 

 

"Eva!  What did you do?!!!"

Eva found it hysterical.  She was cracking herself up and couldn't believe all the mayhem the leprechaun created. 

The trap was down, but there was no leprechaun underneath.  There was a small gap, where he must have escaped and then went into his fit of rage.

Dylan had a slightly different reaction.  He burst into tears.  Granted, it was 6Am, but he was upset that the leprechaun took his gold coin before he left.
~~~~~

Later that day, I picked the ninos up from school.  Holy hell broke loose all through the school as well.  I have never seen Dylan so animated.

Really Leprechaun?

 


"Mommy!  I have to tell you 5 things!  The enano put all the chairs up on the tables, he put glitter on the circle rug, he put glitter on the tables, he made the water in the potty green, and he has green footprints on the floor and up the wall!!!"

Where's my gold?

As he checked off on his fingers.  The boy has never uttered anything quite so long before. 

Eva also had similar stories...slightly different.  Her leprechaun typed on the computer and messed with their daily lunch count.

I asked, "Do you really think it is one leprechaun, or more?"

Dylan was convinced their was four
leprechauns because they used teamwork to put the chairs up on the tables. 



First Ward Parade



 

Dylanisms

Today Dylan was under the weather, so we both called in sick.  This has never happened before.  It is extremely rare for me to be home alone with just my son.  It was delightful and eye-opening.

Eva, my love, and my precocious princess, never stops talking.  I love that that she shares...everything.  Sometimes it is bothersome at her insistence on being the center of attention, but she is five.

Well Dylan had the floor today.  He talked and talked-without interruption or comment.  The boy frequently speaks with a stutter.  There was no stuttering today.  Which shows me....it might just be his way of getting a word in edgewise. 

Here are some slightly out-of-context Dylanisms from our day together.

***
Me: Dylan, How is your belly feeling?

D: It's okay.  It keeps saying "Feed me again, feed me again, feed me again."
***

Me: Come on fuego. (Me trying to get a fire started in the fireplace.)

D: You know Mommy.  It just needs time.  Just like the manta electrica.  (Referring to why the electric blanket is not immediately hot when you plug it in).
***

Me:  I'm tired.

D:  Don't worry Mommy.  We are going to take a nap in a little bit.
***

But my favorite is when we were reading "The Boy Who Cried Wolf."
The boy cries wolf three times and the villagers run to his rescue to find no wolf.  The next day the wolf appears, and Dylan's response was, "Of course Mommy, he has been calling him."

Love that boy.