Half-pint Loves Cheesecake...

This afternoon, as I sat down at the computer to send a quick email, Half-pint intrrupted me... "Mom, can I have some ice cream?"

"No."

"What about a Popsicle?"

"No, I need to send ONE email, then I come help you...we'll figure something out."

"Okay." He sounded a little disappointed.

I finished composing the email and was working on the long address list when Half-pint came in again...

"Can I have some cheesecake???"

"No cheesecake. I'm almost finished, then I'll come help you."

Half-pint disappeared and I finished the email. When I got to the kitchen a minute or two later, I was shocked to see Half-pint with the remaining cheesecake (nearly half the cake) smothered an inch deep in NesQuik Chocolate granules (we're completely out of chocolate sauce, and he doesn't like cherries). He had to use a kitchen chair to get the NesQuik, which I intentionally keep out of reach, then drenched the cake in it and started to eat the center out of all the remaining pieces. I calmly and firmly told him to go to his room. To my astonishment, he actually obeyed with little fuss...I'm sure he knew he was busted!

Quarter-pint's Favorite Cereal...

Like Half-pint and Daddy, Quarter-pint has a favorite cereal...

He goes nuts when we're at the grocery store and I pick up a box or two. He wants to eat it right then and there!

Half-pint Has a Future in Music???

Today we were waiting in the car because we were just a few minutes early for Half-pint's class. I had the radio on and a Taylor Swift song began to play. I asked Half-pint:
"Do you like this music?"
"Yeah...it's called Rock and Roll! I LOVE rock'n'roll!"
"You love it?"
"Yeah, I LIVE for rock and roll! I have a rock and roll band!"
"You have a rock and roll band???"
"Yep, Cousins T and A and I have a rock and roll band. We play rock and roll at Grammy's house. We play our rock and roll band all the time!!!"
He's a great kid!

Quarter-pint Finally Gets a Haircut...

Quarter-pint finally got a haircut. The first time (around a year-old) really didn't go very smoothly, so I was quite hesitant to take him in again. He basically screamed through the entire ordeal originally, so you can understand my hesitation. Quarter-pint's hair was getting really long and shaggy. This time I insisted Daddy come with me; so we made it a family affair. I oversaw Half-pint's haircut, while Daddy stuck by Quarter-pint. Surprisingly, Quarter-pint sat still in the chair, but he cried out "Daddy, Dadda, Dadda" and whimpered the entire time. He looks much better with the new doo, but I think I like his hair a little more shaggy.

Half-pint Makes Me Laugh...

I really enjoyed a conversation Half-pint and I had in the car today. Here's a little bit of it:

"Mom, I want to go to Mexico."

"We don't have any trips planned to Mexico, but we are going to the beach soon, remember?"

"Mom, you ever been to Mexico?"

"Yep, remember last time I left you and Quarter-pint at Grandma's house for a few days? Daddy and I went to Mexico."

"When I was a baby you went to Mexico, and left me with Grandma? I want to go to Mexico! Scooby-Doo goes to Mexico in my DVD movie."

...Trying a different approach because I could sense he was pretty serious about going to Mexico...

"Mexico is really far away-you have to take an airplane."

"What about night-night? Are there beds on airplanes?"

"Nope."

"You have to sleep in the chair?!? That's crazy!"

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This morning, I came downstairs from brushing my teeth and found Half-pint in the family room with a surprise for me.

"Look Mom, I have new underpants---light-up underpants!"

Sure enough, he was wearing Daddy's head lamp like a pair of underpants. Thankfully he still had on his own underpants and his pajama shorts! What a kid!

(Sorry, I couldn't resist taking a picture!)

Half-pint Designates"Naughty Day"...

The title pretty much says it all... my kids apparently got a memo about Monday being "naughty day". I was not so fortunate to get that memo. I knew it was going to be bad when Half-pint earned himself a time-out by 8:30 in the morning. I can't even remember what he did-but it was obstreperous enough to spend some time on his bed. His second (or was it the third?) time-out came after he threw toys at my visiting teachers-just a mere couple hours later. After my sweet visiting teachers left, we had lunch and nap time for Quarter-pint, along with "quiet time" for Half-pint. He stayed in his room for an hour, but that didn't quell his naughty nature. He ended up with at least four trips to his bed for time-out (I had honestly lost track by the end of the day), not including the quiet time. I couldn't take my eyes off him-not for a second (literally)! The last time-out trip I told him if he got one more he would stay on his bed until Daddy got home. That seemed to have some impact because he straightened up a little.

Quarter-pint got in on the action too, mostly by screaming "MOM" at me if I wasn't holding him, and being generally disobedient-all day. Despite all the unruliness, I was really proud of myself for keeping my cool-the entire day. I talked with Half-pint about it a little as I was tucking him in bed.
"Are you proud of me for not getting mad today?" (I certainly was!)
"Yeah, but I just want you to calm down so I can have what I want!"
It was a good thing he was already in bed!

First thing the next morning, Half-pint was at it again. I knew I didn't have any calm left in me and quickly nipped his bad behavior in the bud...
"Remember what a bad day we had yesterday? Remember how I didn't get mad?...that's not going to happen today-so can you be good today because I don't think I can not get really mad today, okay?"
"Okay Mom , so I don't spend all day on my bed? I be good today so I can watch Scooby-Doo?" (his current favorite cartoon)
"That's right-let's have a better day today."
"Okay. I watch Scooby-Doo!!!"
We had a much better day-(it certainly helped that Half-pint went to preschool all morning) at the zoo with Aunt C2 and cousin L!

The Boys and Easter...

We've enjoyed celebrating Easter with family for over a week. Half-pint helped me make some Easter goodies-little cakes. He was really excited to help me decorate them-and then eat them! (Notice the eggs that Half-pint decorated-bottom right.)

Half-pint loved the THREE Easter egg hunts he did-with cousins, school-mates and aunts. Thanks to everyone who set them up! Quarter-pint was really getting the hang of the hunt by the second one. It was a greater surprise to find his favorite treat-CHOCOLATE-inside the eggs!

Half-pint was SO EXCITED to wake up this morning to see that the Easter Bunny had made a stop at our house! He came upstairs to find me and show me the new Imagination Movers CD he got and said "Look Mom-what the Easter Bunny bring me!!! Now we DANCE!" Both boys loved the little flashlights and toothbrushes they found in their baskets. We all had a great time together!