Bring on the Spring...Winter Can Get Bent!

Let's face it. Winter in Indiana really bites. I mean, REALLY. I full accept it's not Montana or Canada or something of that ilk. But, for a non-snowbelt state, we get some rough treatment.

The worst part of it is the homebound, cooped up lifestyle it promotes. If we were more impartial to sub-zero windchills, 15+MPH winds and the proclivity to precipitate in a moment's notice, perhaps we could better-negotiate outdoor activity. As it is, though, we prefer to keep to the warmer clime of the homestead - or, other indoor locales - during this time of the year.Saturday, in the third leg of the "Wear Out the Boys Proper" Tour, we decided to give them a few additional minutes of clemency by stopping by our neighborhood park. It was cold and windy, yeah, but the boys nostalgically enjoyed the time they were able to spend romping about the park. We can tell they're ready to be outdoors more regularly, and we hope the weather cooperates with those desires, post-haste. If not, we may achieve a level of stir-crazy from which no one's nerves - not to mention household goods - may ever recover.

(K)

Ice Capades, We Were Not

Saturday afternoon, following swim lessons, Laura and I set a goal to get the boys as absolutely wiped out and tired as we possibly could. I had plans to go to a show that night, and we thought that by running those two ragged, we could ease Laura's solo management and lower resistence levels to bedtime.

While the plan was nice in theory, in practice, it didn't really prove to be an effective strategy. However, it didn't keep us from enjoying some family time together ice skating!

Laura and Jack went skating together once last year, or the year before, and here she is giving him some helpful reminders.

Laura bravely takes both boys on the ice while I maintain my wuss status and document the adventure from afar.

Into the breach: I don ice skates for the first time in well over 20 years. My first, and only other time attempting to skate, I thought I'd twisted my ankles into pretzels and vowed never to do it again. Funny what domestication coupled with empathy for your significant other as she struggles to help your offspring enjoy themselves will do to a man. Isn't that what the look on my face, below, says, too?

Above and below: cute and cuddly. The boys look OK, too.

See, now this is much better...we did actually thoroughly enjoy ourselves. My real complaining only started as I tried to wrangle Kian out of his skates and then keep him nearby as I struggled out of mine, all the while sitting on the floor in front of our rented locker while a gaggle of pre-teen girls munched crappy snack bar delectibles and stared at the rage that hotly simmered beneath the surface of my countenance.

(K)

Embracing an Internet Meme: The Commode Session

We're quite proud that, at just 2 years of age, Kian is fully potty-trained. In recognition of his achievement, we present the following montage of in-action potty shots. Guess which is the actual "poop face."

(K)

Against my better judgement

Earlier this afternoon while I was prepping dinner, I decided to finish watching the rest of last weeks episode of Hell's Kitchen. Kyle had taken his car out for a wash, Kian was napping and Jackson was playing basketball in the garage. Jack came in at one point and asked to air up the ball. Unfortunately the air pump outsmarted me, so I asked Jack to wait on Kyle. We agreed that he should gather all of the balls that needed to be refilled to make the most of it. He was in and out of the living room, game room, kitchen and garage. I suppose I noticed that he was watching the TV off and on, but didn't think much of it. Kyle joined us a few minutes later and sat down to watch the show while pumping up the various balls. At this point, I noticed Jackson laying down on the floor watching the show. He had asked Kyle to go out and play with him and Kyle said that he'd go as soon as the show was over. During the highlights for next week's show, one of the contestants made the comment, "I'll kick her ass". I grabbed the remote and turned the show off. This conversation immediately followed:

Me: I'm sorry Jack, I should have turned this show off earlier. I didn't mean for you to hear that bad word.
Jack: What bad word?
Me: Never mind.
Jack: What? Ass?
Me: Yeah, buddy. That's the one.
Jack: It's OK Mommy, everybody's been saying ass the whole time.
Me: Please don't repeat that word outside of this conversation.
Jack: OK Mom.

I sometimes forget that he's just a little kid and I should shelter him. That taught me that even though the show is on DVR, it airs late at night for a reason. I know he'll use that word eventually, I just didn't want to be the one to introduce it to his vocabulary.

until next time....lc