My Little Valentine

Carter's first grade class took a mini field trip to our town post office yesterday.  The class had prepared a valentine ahead of time to put in the mail.  The kids were allowed to mail their valentine to anyone they wanted.

I just checked our mailbox today, and Carter's valentine was there waiting for me.

Ahhh.....

Be still my heart.

Health OR Happiness?

Oh my....what a dreadful choice, but yesterday, I had to make that choice for Carter.

I picked happiness.

Our school has a basketball league that plays games against other kids in our county.  This league includes kids from 2nd grade to 6th grade.  Since my boys are obsessed with all things sports, they are always excited about their first opportunity to play a new sport.  Our current sports repertoire for this year includes 3 basketball teams, 3 baseball teams, one track participant, one soccer team, and one football team.  We basically live at gymnasiums and fields.

This year, Carter wasn't yet technically old enough to be a part of the basketball team, since the league begins at 2nd grade.  Except that the league has an exception.  If there is a team that is lacking in enough players, then a younger child is allowed to move up.  Our 2nd grade team only had a couple of players, so a couple of the 'little brothers' were asked to play to fill the team.

Carter was ecstatic with this news. 

He found out that he could play basketball a year earlier and immediately went to his room to dig up some shoes that looked like basketball shoes and some clothes that resembled a uniform.  He was thrilled for his first practice and was even more pumped about his upcoming first game.

Unfortunately, the day before his very first game, Carter came down with a case of strep. 

Argh!

He woke up with a fever, headache, stomach ache and sore throat.

We spent the morning at the doctor's office and pharmacy.  Then we spent the afternoon snuggling and watching television.

By the evening his fever had gone and he was eating a little bit. 

Before bedtime he asked,

"I am gonna get to play in my first basketball game tomorrow, right?"

I knew that he probably shouldn't play, but I also knew that if he felt better by morning, that I would totally consider it.

Carter slept well and woke up with no fever, but feeling draggy.  He promised that he felt better and he really, really wanted to play.  I knew he was lying about feeling better.

I caved.

I couldn't imagine telling him that he couldn't play.  He would just be so sad to miss it.

I pumped him full of the magic kid drug...aka Ibuprofen.....and we set off for the gym.

Perhaps, we made the wrong decision, because he wasn't very much help to his team.  

The first whole half he pretty much just stood around and looked dazed and indifferent.....like this.....

Poor kid.

I'm a loser.

I sent him out on the court to participate in a game that requires lots and lots of endurance and vigor.

He had neither.

Until...I gave him that second dose of the magic mood enhancing drug for kids....ibuprofen....which helped.

He started flailing his arms in defense to prevent the other team from scoring or passing the ball.

Even though he wasn't the star of the team...by any stretch of the imagination.....he managed to get through it.

He was happy that he got to play in his first game.

And luckily, his health has returned today.....even without the magic drug.

Today I have a happy AND healthy kid....who is looking forward to his next game.

Oh, and PS.....my middle kiddo, Sawyer (#34), had his first game of the season yesterday, too.

His team was awesome!

Sawyer was the king of the fast break yesterday.  He had a bazillion steals.

If he had hit all his fast break shots, we would've really raised some eyebrows with a super high score.

Except, most of our shots were missed.

So we won, but the score was only 10 to 1.

Still, I would call it a successful day.

Oh, and P.P.S.....

Please vote for me to help get me back on the front page!

Knots On A Counting Rope

  Carter's first grade class celebrated Thanksgiving today at school.  Instead of just making the traditional handprint turkey, the class celebrated in a special way.  They made "Stone Soup" together by recreating the recipe from the book Stone Soup.  Each child brought something in to help with the meal. Then, they got to enjoy eating it after it cooked all day. 

But the real treat to me today was the class story time.

  Mrs. Posey had asked Carter and his Pop, my Daddy, to read a story to the class.  She wanted them to read the story, Knots on a Counting Rope.

The story is written as a conversation between a young Native American boy and his grandfather.  The boy is asking his grandfather to tell him the stories from his birth and childhood.  The boy keeps interrupting with parts of the story, because the boy already knows the stories by heart.

 Each time the story is told, the grandfather ties a knot in the counting rope.  The story goes, that when the rope is full, that he won't tell the stories anymore.  The story hints at the reality of human mortality.

When I saw the way Carter looked up at him, I had to swallow hard at this part of the story.  I'm glad Carter's grandfather has a long rope.

haPPy erLe Berth Day To Me!

On the eve of my 36th Birthday, I am already being showered with love.

Even Carter can see that my eyebrows are gnarly and that I have a bit of trouble making my hair look styled.

Although he overlooked my large, red prominent nose, I think his art depicts me pretty accurately.

I love that kid.

It's gonna be a great Berth Day!!

I'm A Force To Be Reckoned With

I am Mom.

I am law.

    I have the power.

I have conquered mountains.

I overcome evil.

I have killed the enemy.

I laugh in the face of danger.

Muahhh ha haha haha

I have......

Ummmm......gotten carried away while wearing Carter's Yoda costume?

Ok fine. 

I have really only conquered mountains of laundry.  And I have pretty much only overcome evil in nightmares.  The only enemy I have ever killed was a rodent or a bug.  And when I am laughing in the face of danger, it's a nervous laugh......but still.

I am Mom. 

And any Mom who will put on this silly mask to play with her son is a force to be reckoned with.

Carter is a much cuter Yoda than his Mom, but he lacks my fierce moves.

 Haaaaaay Ya!

Zing...Zing...Zing

Whoosh

Carter was not amused.



Will You Sign My......Sock?

Tonight, as Bradley walked in the door from work, Carter ran excited to him screaming.

"Dad, will you sign my cast?"

"What!?  What cast?"

Then, Carter thrust his arm toward Bradley and he sees that his cast is only a sock on his arm.

Carter had been pretending that he had broken his arm while playing football.

Like any good Daddy would, Bradley happily signed Carter's cast...er...sock.

Actually, we all did. 

Even the preteen friend that Tucker had with him today after school.  We all signed the sock.

So far, we haven't had any real broken bones.  We haven't had any stitches.  We haven't had any major injuries requiring surgery.  We have been basically injury free, with the exception of fairly minor scrapes and sprains.  I hope it stays that way, but with 3 boys who are very active, a real cast may be in our future one day.

I am much happier just signing a sock.

My Son is in Jail

As Carter was gathering up the laundry, he was carrying two baskets back to their proper places.  He quickly realized that there was an easier way to carry the baskets.  One on top of his head, of course.  That soon turned into having one basket on his top half and one on his bottom half.  The laundry chore would have to wait.  There was more important things to do.

He called out,

"I am in jail!"

I snapped a photo and went about my business doing the dishes.

But he stayed in jail.

And stayed.

and stayed.

He said that his jail cell had a mail slot.  If only he could get some mail to read while he was in jail.

So....I found a notebook and sent some little letters into his mail slot.  After all, he looked lonely in jail.

This made him a happy little jail bird.

But then, while he was held captive, I asked a few more serious questions.

Who is the prettiest girl you know?  I set him up to make my day by answering, "It's you, of course, Mom!"  But no.  He answered, "Now Won". Translation....."no one."  For a kid who always makes a perfect score on his spelling test, he sure gets sloppy with his spelling at home when he is playing.

And these serious quesions....

 The night before he was jailed, Carter had fallen asleep in my bed with me while we were talking and snuggling.  He typically doesn't go to sleep in my bed.  He had just drank a honking big drink and never went to the bathroom.  He wet all over me.  This is not typical. So I asked him, "Why did you pee on me when we were snuggling?"  He answered honestly.

Translation..."I did not know it was coming out."

My little jail bird could've stayed in jail all day long if I had spent the rest of the day sending mail.  But after a while, I was tired of sending mail to the little convict.  So I sent him one more note.

He eventually released himself from bondage and we finished our chores. 

His 'What To Do List"

  Earlier in the week, I found out that Bradley would be off on Friday.  Like any good wife would, I made him a "To Do List" for his day off.  On the list was chores such as, fix my car brake light, mow the yard, and go pick up the camper from the repair shop. I am certain Bradley appreciated my suggestions. 

  Carter noticed his Daddy marking things off of his list.  Carter decided he needed his own list for his day off.  He called it his "What To Do List".  Here is what Carter wanted to accomplish on this lovely Saturday:

1. Play Football Awt side

 2. Do Ckores

3. Go To Prade

4. Watck Auburn

5. Love Dad

6. Love Mom

 

I must say that Carter was very productive today.  I am thrilled that I made it onto his list.