Educational Hazard

Joshua has changed so much since going to kindergarten.  Bobby and I count the ways and add to them often.  I am sure Emily and I will both have a post at the end of the year about the innumerable ways kindergarten has affected our kiddos and about the million things they have learned.  I giggle when I say this, but in truth, some of this learning has been a wee bit inconvenient for mom and dad.

Like for instance, the unit on weather that Joshua’s class did a couple of months ago where he learned about tornadoes.  And the accompanying tornado drills.  The combination of which has now rendered him terrified of  the possibility of a tornado.  Yippeee!

The other day, he asked me what month it was, because he knew while he was on spring break from school it was going to turn from March into April.

“It’s April,” I replied.

“Oh NO! APRIL!  TORNADOES!” he wailed.  I guess they learned in school that tornadoes are more likely to happen during the spring, which to him means April.  Anyway, he was fairly sure a funnel cloud was going to form instantly and carry us all away.

Yesterday morning shortly after waking, he started in on his tornado talk as we were snuggling on the couch.

“What if we can’t get to the basement on time?  How come it can’t get us if we’re under the ground?”

I tried to convince him he didn’t need to worry about it, but he has taken to not believing a word I say, so it was difficult!

Then yesterday afternoon in the car on the way to Target, he said, “I know a tornado isn’t going to come when I die.”

“What do you mean, honey?”

“Well, God made heaven a happy place, and when I die, I’ll go there, and since God made it like that, no tornadoes can come there.”

GREAT. Now we’re talking about death AND tornadoes.  Yippeee!!

Last night as he was going potty before bed, he asked my husband, “What if a tornado comes while I’m sitting on the potty?”

FOR THE LOVE!!!

Then, 2.2 seconds after I tucked him into bed, the world’s LOUDEST thunderstorm began.  The kind that had me running around lighting candles and checking the TV to see if there were in fact, any tornado watches or warnings.

As you can guess, Joshua was a bit, um, AFRAID.  It took some creative talking to get him calmed down enough to where he could fall asleep.

I have a feeling this tornado talk isn’t over.  Ohio is a stormy place in the spring!  With my kindergarten boy and all his new weather knowledge, I think it’s going to be a very long rainy season.

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Post-Vacation Reality

Last night my family returned from a week-long vacation to my parent’s place in Virginia.  Actually Bobby and I were there for a few days BY OURSELVES (!) to celebrate our 10th anniversary.  We had a woooonderful time, there was much sleeping in and laziness and going out to eat.  And then, my sainted parents, who had been taking care of our kids at our house, drove them 7 hours to Virginia where we spent the rest of the week en famille, along with my brother Andy and his four kiddos.  It was SUPER-fun!  Pictures to follow soon!

This morning I think we are all definitely suffering post-vacation let-down.  (Although I did have an emotional reunion with my kitchen floor in which I lovingly caressed it with a broom. Or, as some people would say, I swept it.)  Joshua misses his cousins, (he goes back to school tomorrow, at least he’ll see his friends!) we all miss Bobby who had to go back to work today (and woke up sick, of course), and of course there is no milk in the house!  Also, the weather was perfect both in Ohio and Virginia last week, and today, it is GRAY outside.

And, my living room floor is covered in luggage!  Oy.

Still, I must say, I was so thankful to sleep in my own bed last night!  I missed it.

Now I’ve just gotta get my butt off the couch and commence getting back in the swing of things!

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The difference a year makes.

Today is Sammy’s 2nd birthday.

He’s gone from this…

To this…

To this…

I’ve been thinking all week about how much he’s changed in the last year, and it just amazes me.

Last year, he crawled. This year, he runs.

Last year, he could say “ball” and “mama” and “dada.” This year, he can say just about anything he wants.

Last year, I sang him lullabies. This year, he sings “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.”

Last year, he was still nursing. This year, he doesn’t even need a sippy cup.

Last year, he was mama’s boy. This year, he is daddy’s shadow.

On the other hand, much of him is still the same.

He still thinks his sister hung the moon.

He still sleeps with his “baby” every night.

He still sucks his thumb. A lot.

He still has the sweetest laugh I’ve ever heard.

He still loves to snuggle.

I still love him with all my heart.

Happy birthday, Sammy.

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