They're two, they're four, they're six, they're eight... shunting trucks and hauling freight...
I love, love, LOVE my little boy. He will be three in the spring. He is gorgeous, funny and let's face it...a frickin' genius. Really, I truly believe he is smarter than the average toddler, along with the rest of all the proud parents on the planet.
Speaking of planets, he is very into the solar system. He names all the planets and can pick out the Big Dipper in the sky which just blows me away. I love that he calls cherry tomatoes "moonsquirters" with a bonafide british accent, courtesy of Charlie & Lola. My new favorite is that he now says "how 'bout" all the time. For example:
Daddy: Hey, how about if I read a book to you?
Peanut: How 'bout Mommy?
Mommy: Hey, how about we change that poop dipe?
Peanut: How 'bout NO?
Little pisser. Are you still with me? Have your eyes gotten that glazed-over look yet that people who don't have kids tend to get when some parent or other is blathering on and on about their kid? I used to get that look too. Of course if you don't have kids, I doubt you're checking out this blog.
Remember the crap-ass train set we bought from FISHER-PRICE, whom, by the way...does NOT stand by their products whatsoever when they are purchased from area stores only to be determined pieces of crap upon getting them home? Due to space issues we moved the train set into his bedroom. It sits there, untouched. I know my husband feels badly about it, because he's the one that picked it out, and was hoping he would get much enjoyment out of it. He did though...he got enjoyment out of all of the presents we bought him until at least January 1. I don't take offense, the kid is two for gods sake. Will it be any different when he's twelve? I doubt it.
So the point of the train story is that he has done what we were praying he would not do...become a Thomas The Train disciple. I've always felt smug about the fact that while other parents are running around like crazed lunatics battling for various Thomas garb...saving coupons to get 40% off of a single piece of train track, etc., my husband and I were thanking our lucky stars that we weren't being forced to break our bank accounts for the dopey-looking train and Sir Stupid Hat or whatever because, as my genius son has stated, "Thomas is boring." We thought so too.
Well, apparently the Thomas Fairy has been spending his nights in my son's bedroom, sprinkling him with Thomas dust or coal dust from the coal car, I don't know...but overnight he has become Thomas' biggest fan. My day care provider had a small set at her house, not a giant train table or anything, just a simple plastic set. He loves it. It's all he has talked about all weekend. This morning, he said "How 'bout Thomas?" instead of "How 'bout Mickey Mouse Clubhouse?" and sat through the whole thing. As I sip my coffee at the kitchen table I realize I'm frantically searching ebay for Thomas.
I escape to Walmart to get some much-needed toiletries. I decide, just in case, to peruse the Christmas clearance toys. Awesome deals! I bought a Mr. Mouth game for $5 as well as Hungry Hungry Hippos. I'll save these for his bday. I'm ready to turn around and skedaddle when I stop in my, oh I don't know, tracks shall we say.
There, on the highest shelf, sits all of the Thomas clearance items. They scream out to me with their bright-red low price stickers. I see $30, I see $20....not enough to suck me in. But then I spy a box that's not marked, that's slightly different than the rest of the sets. I look closer. The heavens start to sing. It's $10. A simple set with a loopy track complete with Thomas himself, a bridge, a tunnel, a train station and some decorative shrubs. I snag it. I feel guilty because I know my husband will be even more disappointed, because he knows our boy is going to blown away by this when he wakes from his afternoon nap and sees that his fantastical Mommy has assembled it for him as a surprise.
I just can't help it, I just want to make him happy all of the time. Does this mean he will be a spoiled brat? Why have I suddenly found myself stumbling over the difference between wooden, die-cast and plastic Thomas stuff? Why is the theme song burrowing a hole in my brain...oh what's that, something's climbing out of the hole - it's Sir Topham Hatt! And James! And Percey and Gordon and GAAAAHHHHHHHH.
Just what I did NOT want to happen. I've become one of them. One of those crazed lunatic parents I've previously mentioned. But I know that the look on my son's face will make all of the craziness worth it. I just love that little peanut.
Update: Train set went over fabulously. He got much enjoyment out of it for 40 minutes, then the evil DVD's were calling his name. Husband seemed smug about the fact that the train set wasn't great enough to distract him from t.v.
Speaking of planets, he is very into the solar system. He names all the planets and can pick out the Big Dipper in the sky which just blows me away. I love that he calls cherry tomatoes "moonsquirters" with a bonafide british accent, courtesy of Charlie & Lola. My new favorite is that he now says "how 'bout" all the time. For example:
Daddy: Hey, how about if I read a book to you?
Peanut: How 'bout Mommy?
Mommy: Hey, how about we change that poop dipe?
Peanut: How 'bout NO?
Little pisser. Are you still with me? Have your eyes gotten that glazed-over look yet that people who don't have kids tend to get when some parent or other is blathering on and on about their kid? I used to get that look too. Of course if you don't have kids, I doubt you're checking out this blog.
Remember the crap-ass train set we bought from FISHER-PRICE, whom, by the way...does NOT stand by their products whatsoever when they are purchased from area stores only to be determined pieces of crap upon getting them home? Due to space issues we moved the train set into his bedroom. It sits there, untouched. I know my husband feels badly about it, because he's the one that picked it out, and was hoping he would get much enjoyment out of it. He did though...he got enjoyment out of all of the presents we bought him until at least January 1. I don't take offense, the kid is two for gods sake. Will it be any different when he's twelve? I doubt it.
So the point of the train story is that he has done what we were praying he would not do...become a Thomas The Train disciple. I've always felt smug about the fact that while other parents are running around like crazed lunatics battling for various Thomas garb...saving coupons to get 40% off of a single piece of train track, etc., my husband and I were thanking our lucky stars that we weren't being forced to break our bank accounts for the dopey-looking train and Sir Stupid Hat or whatever because, as my genius son has stated, "Thomas is boring." We thought so too.
Well, apparently the Thomas Fairy has been spending his nights in my son's bedroom, sprinkling him with Thomas dust or coal dust from the coal car, I don't know...but overnight he has become Thomas' biggest fan. My day care provider had a small set at her house, not a giant train table or anything, just a simple plastic set. He loves it. It's all he has talked about all weekend. This morning, he said "How 'bout Thomas?" instead of "How 'bout Mickey Mouse Clubhouse?" and sat through the whole thing. As I sip my coffee at the kitchen table I realize I'm frantically searching ebay for Thomas.
I escape to Walmart to get some much-needed toiletries. I decide, just in case, to peruse the Christmas clearance toys. Awesome deals! I bought a Mr. Mouth game for $5 as well as Hungry Hungry Hippos. I'll save these for his bday. I'm ready to turn around and skedaddle when I stop in my, oh I don't know, tracks shall we say.
There, on the highest shelf, sits all of the Thomas clearance items. They scream out to me with their bright-red low price stickers. I see $30, I see $20....not enough to suck me in. But then I spy a box that's not marked, that's slightly different than the rest of the sets. I look closer. The heavens start to sing. It's $10. A simple set with a loopy track complete with Thomas himself, a bridge, a tunnel, a train station and some decorative shrubs. I snag it. I feel guilty because I know my husband will be even more disappointed, because he knows our boy is going to blown away by this when he wakes from his afternoon nap and sees that his fantastical Mommy has assembled it for him as a surprise.
I just can't help it, I just want to make him happy all of the time. Does this mean he will be a spoiled brat? Why have I suddenly found myself stumbling over the difference between wooden, die-cast and plastic Thomas stuff? Why is the theme song burrowing a hole in my brain...oh what's that, something's climbing out of the hole - it's Sir Topham Hatt! And James! And Percey and Gordon and GAAAAHHHHHHHH.
Just what I did NOT want to happen. I've become one of them. One of those crazed lunatic parents I've previously mentioned. But I know that the look on my son's face will make all of the craziness worth it. I just love that little peanut.
Update: Train set went over fabulously. He got much enjoyment out of it for 40 minutes, then the evil DVD's were calling his name. Husband seemed smug about the fact that the train set wasn't great enough to distract him from t.v.
Labels: Charlie + Lola, cherry tomatoes, Fisher-Price, genius toddler, proud parents, solar system, Thomas The Train
posted by Lo at 11:08 AM
15 Comments:
My son isn't a big Thomas fan, but my sister happened to mention recently that Michael's craft stores sell Thomas stuff, and the Sunday paper circulars usually have discount coupons. It's worth investigating, if you have Michael's where you live...
check it out:
Michael's, Ithaca New York
Sorry, I thought that link would take you to results, but if you click on the red script after 'did you mean...' then go to page 4, Oh brother! Well, long story short it's on Meadow street?
Mum - thanks for doing the research, but we've been avoiding Michael's like the PLAGUE due to multiple friends of ours going broke over all the Thomas stuff they sell - I think they sell mostly the wooden sets and they are so expensive. Unfortunately Michael's and AC Moore caught on that people were using up all the 40 and 50% off coupons on Thomas items, so now they have most of the items marked at 20% (still not enough IMO) and they don't allow you to use the coupons on them - LAME!
Thanks for looking out for me though :)
Whoa, that IS lame. Sorry. If your son is anything like mine, this too will pass. His third birthday he was totally obsessed with construction trucks. Now we are on to star Wars. This obsession looks like it might stick, though.
Nuggets:
the coating is not crunchy, so if that is a criteria for toddler consumption you may choose to delete this comment.
1 pkg of 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
1/2 c parmesan cheese (use the pre-grated kind, like Kraft)
1/2 c bread crumbs
1 t paprika
1/2 t thyme (optional)
2 T sesame seeds
olive oil to dredge chicken in
I find it easier to cut chicken into "nuggets" if it's slightly frozen. Lightly grease a cookie sheet and preheat oven to 350*. Pour about 1/2 c olive oil into a bowl. Combine all ingredients except oil in another bowl. dip each nugget in the oil, then dredge in the crumb mixture, place on greased cookie sheet. Continue til all bits are on the cookie sheet then place in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until they are done (nicely browned) because they are small pieces, they may cook faster, check them often.
Serve with dipping of choice (we like ranch, and eat celery sticks with them.) Wishing you success!
-Becky
Thank you for the recipe! I'm putting them on the menu for the weekend, will let you know how they go over. I'm very pleased with the fact that last night was the first night EVER that he ate the same thing that we did, without prompting, begging, bribing...and I did not have to rush around the kitchen making him a special second meal. Little victories...tx again!
Excellent! Do you like salmon? Because I have a really good honey-ginger glazed salmon recipe that my son LOVES. I think because it's sweet from the honey. He also likes soup - a LOT. Which kinda surprised me, though I don't know why. At 2 and even 3 it was definitely a high chair meal though.
Soup seemed like a no-brainer to me but alas my son will not eat it, and believe me I've tried many variations! Yes my husband and I do like salmon, I'm always looking for different ways to cook it. I haven't had any luck getting our son to eat any seafood...yet!
Honey - Ginger Glazed Salmon
3T honey
3T dry sherry
3T soy sauce
2T fresh lime juice
1T finely grated fresh ginger root
1T dijon mustard
4 6 oz. salmon filets (about 1 inch thick)
vegetable cooking spray
1. combine first 6 ingredients
2.put salmon and marinade in a zip loc bag and refrigerate for 20 minutes or up to 1 hour.
3. heat broiler or grill - coat broiler pan or grill with the vegetable cooking spray. arrange the salmon, sides not touching. cook 4 inches from heat source til done (8 to 10 minutes) turn fish only once during cooking - use a LARGE spatula.
I like this best grilled, and it's also a good marinade for chicken.
It is sooo nice to meet you! Thank you for your very open and honest comment at Manic's. I really appreciate when a lurker opens up, and now I've found your blog and was laughing at the Thomas story, and the moonsquirters, etc. And, in just reading this one post, it's apparent to me that you are a very, very, very good mommy!
Manic - thanks for reading! I appreciate it. Also thanks for saying I'm a good mom. Most days (okay every day) I doubt myself so it's good to have positive reinforcement.
So funny I came back here after your curly hair comment on MM and I'm reading and laughing and thinking how cute about all this stuff, and then I think I'm having deja vu and I'm like, I READ THIS ALREADY, and I am still laughing! You need to post more!!!
Hi there! I saw your comment on Manic Mom's contest pose and thought I would stop by and say hello, one curlytop to another! People always ask me if mine is natural and my standard reply is, "do you think I would do this to myself?!" I'd like to see them wake up in the morning looking like Medusa and then ask them how much they like it!
How long and curly is yours, exactly? Mine is several inches past my shoulders, wet, and a few inches les than that when dry! And I've had a full-grown male cockatoo stuck in it. Check out the pic on my front page to see my moptop. www.acharmedlife.typepad.com (For some reason the link doesn't always work when I post a comment, not sure why). Nice meeting you and I'll see you around (I bookmarked you for later!
Deb (otherwise known as DebbieS or debangel)
MM - aw, thanks! I want you to post more too ;) Your last blog entry was a teaser! tx for stopping by.
Deb - hi and thanks for stopping by. My hair sounds like yours. It's really kinky, I can never get too much taken off before it's too short. I'm going to check out your pic.
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