"June 3rd Pickle"

More adventures in nanny-land!

School's out! ...I'm not quite sure what to make of that fact yet. Going from the care of just one child during the day and then and all of a sudden transitioning to three, I have a feeling I'm going to get triple the exercise! One thing I've noticed about the littlest, Adam is that I've got him tied around my finger. When I tell him to do something, all I have to do is mention his "Good Job Jar" (marble incentive) and he obeys. That is, only when he is JUST with me. When he is around his more outspoken and defiant older brothers, he becomes one with them. He's a perfect angel one minute and a little turd the next! Something tells me I'm going to have to set some strict guidelines and develop greater structure, now that summer's here. Routine, discipline, and flexibility! Unfortunately, since kids do thrive off routine, I know the discipline and especially flexibility issues may just pose an incredible challenge to me, the caregiver! But I'm ready! grrrr!

The boys are over at a friend's house right now, which NEVER happens. Usually the entire neighborhood meets over here. The Sweeney's have the only flat driveway on the block with a basketball hoop. I feel like a daycare service sometimes! So this brief moment of serenity is to be enjoyed.

We have a couple "pet" squirrels that live in our yard. Once in the early spring we dumped some old, stale nuts onto the ground and they were gone before we could shut the door, it seemed. Since then the boys have been tossing them peanuts every couple days or so. One squirrel has even come close to taking them right out of our hands! Those things can be annoying, but they are fun to watch when they come close and lean their paws up against the window--I can see them now as I look out the sliding door. They beg just like puppies! I suppose they'll starve to death once our stash of peanuts runs out! lol

It's Adam's birthday today--June 3rd. We made him a "pickle" cake last night. Now, don't wrinkle your nose, it's just a German chocolate cake with green frosting, cut in the shape of a pickle. The meaning behind the decor is that last year Adam received a card in the shape of a giant pickle for his birthday. Ever since then whenever anyone asks when his birthday is, without skipping a beat he declares, "JUNE 3RD PICKLE!" I think he was a little bummed because at first he thought we were going to use the green frosting to make a "Shrek" cake!

Oh yeah, and speaking of Shrek--2, anyhow, I made a big mistake. Adam finished his marble jar last week and so for his prize I took him to see a movie--THAT movie. It's a good thing preschoolers are still naive when it comes to subtle (well, and sometimes NOT so subtle) cinematic "adult humor". I'm sure you saw the first Shrek. Even some of the content in that movie ruffled my tail feathers, mainly for the fact that it is a CARTOON, for goodness sake! If the industry is going to put that kind of stuff in movies in general, that's their problem. But just don't make it appealing to kids using animation! That's wrong! It's cunning and clever and money making, but it's wrong! I will spare the details, but I will just say that I'm certainly glad Adam doesn't know what a "thong" is! Good grief...

Where was I going, anyway?? Adam's birthday... Oh, the bliss to be 5 again! Trouble is, we didn't realize how easy we had it back then. Everything was a free ride and we had no idea! Someday those boys will have to get them a job. And I'm sorry, it ain't gonna be replacing Torey Hunter for the Twins! LOL Where did the years go, anyway? Five years old seems like a blink of an eye away. Aaron commented last night (yesterday being his final day of school) that 2nd grade was the fastest year he'd ever been in school. Each year hastens the one before it, so it seems. That's because when we were 5, one year approximated exactly one fifth of our entire life! I know this year for me is going by quickly. I will have to say goodbye to the Sweeney boys in August. That will be hard.