midnight swim, anyone?

Yes, I am the WORST mom! He's been ill with a runny nose today, so depressed because he didn't feel like doing anything. We tried to cheer him with movies and pizza. And when I put him down for his nap, he said "I can't go to sleep, Mom, there's still so much to do!". But he did go to sleep, and I had to peel him out of bed three hours later, so drowsy and grumpy. We had periods of happiness throughout the day. David let him pick out a Redbox movie last night and he chose The Superhero Squad Show. This meant that he periodically donned his Batman cape and 'flew' around the house (largely by jumping on our bed and turning somersaults, bouncing up to strike his superhero pose) today when he was feeling up to it. He had periodic bursts of energy, but then he'd feel bad again and snuggle in on the couch or in his beanbag chair. He went to bed sad, and I went in later to snuggle with him and check on him. He was still awake, had the covers pulled up over his head, told me his Daddy was mean because he picked him up and took him to bed. And here's the Bad Mom part: I asked him if he'd like to go for a "midnight swim" in his kiddie pool. David saw us walking to the door in our swimsuits and looked at me as if I'd grown a third head. Technically, it was 11:08, NOT midnight, but way past his bedtime on a day when he's been sick with a cold. We had a ten minute pool party before coming inside and bundling up in towels and then pajamas. He's going to sleep happy now. And he never got any part of him north of his belly button wet, so no wet hair or wet head to make him feel worse. And we made a fun 'summer night' memory.

Earlier today I researched some things about the Appalachian Trail while Dennis attempted to punch computer keys to distract me. David is hiking a section next month with our pastor and I told Dennis we were all going to Virginia to support Daddy while he hiked. Dennis said "Virginia? We can't go there! There are polar bears in Virginia!". I corrected him, although maybe incorrectly--I never researched to see if there are any zoo polar bears in Virginia. Hmmm....

Memorial Day fun

Dennis and I enjoyed a lazy day at home today. He said his ear was sick this morning, so we might be making a doctor visit this week, but tonight he says he's fine. I sure hope so! He had a super time splashing (me) in his kiddie pool, playing with his bath toys and demanding that I move his pool to the shade every few minutes. It IS in the shade for much of the day, but he wasn't a fan of the couple of hours of brightness.

Tonight he was tossing "why, Daddy" questions at David, dozens of them, when David finally said "I don't know everything, Dennis." Dennis asked "well, does Mommy know everything?". David told him I didn't, and Dennis said "well, don't worry--I do!".

Skipper D

He captained a couple of different types of watercraft today. After he swam with Allison and me, he asked for a break for a minute. We were sitting on the dock and he said "hey, Bob, can you take me for a boat ride?". He agreed to do so, and we all finished up our Freezer Pops and took off on the pontoon boat. In a surprising turn of events, Dennis drove us the entire voyage! Bob stood behind his chair most of the way. He did come and sit beside Dennis in the Captain's chair when we got into heavy boat traffic, but Dennis soon informed him "hey--this is my seat--you need to get up!". When we got out to a big open area, Dennis turned the wheel to the left and held it there. We turned about 6 good circles in one direction, all of us laughing hysterically, before Bob convinced him to turn the boat toward home. He turned a half circle in the opposite direction and then aimed it the right way.

When he got back in the water later, he piloted this makeshift 'kayak'. He climbed on the float with the idea that he'd use the noodle as a paddle. He didn't get far, but he had fun trying!

grocery store pirate

It was Pirate Day today. I don't know why. Dennis put on full pirate regalia and we visited Winn Dixie and ate at a Mexican place. He got lots of looks, lots of compliments, and he spent the majority of the time standing in the shopping cart with his arm extended, finger pointing out in the direction he was ordering me to go (in his best pirate voice, of course). I love his creativity!

He was scheduled to have a Man Night with his Daddy tonight, but we completely wore him out swimming in the lake. On our way back to town to drop him off with David, he fell asleep in the car and didn't wake up once he changed cars and got home. So David and I both had easy nights!

potty mouth

Gran reported to me that Dennis told her some rather disgusting jokes about pee and poop. Tonight I asked him about it, wanting to know where he learned to talk like that. He asked "do you know where I talk like that? In the bathroom. With my friends." I asked which friend and he said "my imaginary friend named Ironhide (name of his newest Transformer)--we talk about poop and Decepticons." I asked him if Decepticons pooped. He said "I don't know, Mommy--do they have butts?". I asked him if Autobots pooped and he said "yes! They have Auto-butts!" (then cracked up at his own wit).

During his toenail trimming tonight, he closely watched David (who was handling the clippers), and when he got to the little toe, Dennis yelled "NO! DON'T CUT MR. TINY!!!". Oh, the torture!

before my head explodes

I'm sensing the immediate arrival of what must be the 8th migraine I've had in the past month. I was helping Dennis clean his room, and I'd reached my limit of Lego retrieving effort, so now I'm stretched out in bed and considering sleep. Dennis is pounding on my closed bedroom door currently, and David is exercising in the den. I'll leave you with this tidbit of Dennis behavior. I was sitting at the table, eating lunch with Mom, when I heard Dennis yell from the bathroom "MOMMY! COME IN AND SEE THIS REALLY BIG POOP I JUST DID!!!!!". Such a nice thing to think about during the meal!

Note: 2 of our butterflies emerged from their cocoons this morning! We're still waiting on the third one to pop out.

gnomeo screeps, do you?

We had a little Family Night tonight after choir. David was completely exhausted from his day at work, and I was pretty worn out from cleaning up and having a very long planning meeting at the preschool. We went from the church to Wendy's and from there to buy a kiddie pool for Dennis (on sale for $8.95 @ Fred's--woohoo!) which David strapped onto the car Griswold-style for the ride home. Allison called me and while we chatted, Dennis sat in the backseat mimicking every sound I made on my end of the conversation (causing David to laugh uncontrollably). And he invented a new word at Wendy's. While he was slurping a bite of shared Frosty from his Dad's spoon, he said "listen--I'm screeping it off the spoon!". I asked what 'screeping' was and he told me "it's scraping and eating and slurping at the same time." I might have to notify the Webster's folks.

We concluded our day with a movie night, all snuggled in (but apart from each other because hey, it's HOT) and watching Gnomeo and Juliet (very cute, pretty funny).