Happy Easter!

* We don't make a big deal out of easter. This morning I slept in a bit, while Mac fed Nixon. By the time I woke up Nixon was just finishing breakfast. I brought the baskets down with me (yes, we each got a basket because we can and that's how we roll here) and we had fun opening the small gifts in our baskets. Nixon loved his 5 pack of Matchbox cars, which he knew he was getting and kept asking for every day since Tuesday, while Mac liked his Star Wars/Superhero basket. Not a whole lot of candy, but enough to make Nixon ask for some every 3.2 seconds. Including asking for ours because we weren't eating it fast enough.
Since he doesn't get candy a whole lot, when he is given it I still limit how much he gets to eat in a day. Of course, in Nixon's opinion, it's never enough and I'm ruining his fun. Oh well, party pooper mom table for 1, your table is ready!

Darth Vader wearing bunny ears?? Awesome! Happy Easter everyone! Ours was geek'tastic. 

today was a MUCH better day

he loves free swag, just like his dad.

* From the moment I rolled over and realized it was morning, I knew yesterday was over. My first coherent glimpse of Nixon this morning, was one of him lying belly on the floor, legs kicked up behind him while he gently and carefully leafed through the pages of a My Little Pony comic book I'd left on my night stand. He was telling himself the story as he saw it, and he was quite pleased with how carefully he was handling the book.

* We met Mac at Third Eye Comics for a signing, and something that doesn't usually happen, Nixon got a little piece of his own free swag today. He got a free map from the 2 creators that were given to all the customers waiting outside. Nixon was so happy! We got it personalized for him and will hang it on his wall in the very near future.
Nixon also got a large applause from people in line, when he cried "BOOOO!" because his number (really mine) wasn't called for the giveaway raffle the store was awesome enough to do. It was in good fun and luckily the employees find him adorable, but in the future that's not going to be okay. Today he was just following his dad's lead....that's a whole 'nother issue.

* The night ended with Nixon getting a few minutes of naked time. I don't know what he has against clothes, but if letting him be naked for a bit makes bedtime easier, I'm all for it.

Thank gods today is over!

* Today was honestly one of those days that just started bad and never really got better. Nixon was in a funk of a mood and it showed. He was cranky, bossy, sassy and all kinds of mouthy. Instead of going and running errands with us, he was sent to take a nap because I could not take his attitude for another minute.
I thought his behavior would improve when he woke up, and it did for about an hour, and then he was just as horrible as before.

Thank gods today is over. I can not stress enough that while I love my son, today had me seriously looking for a bottle of wine and a child that hadn't been stolen by aliens overnight replaced by a rotten pod-person.

"I'm a big brave boy but I need my sleep"

* There's something about the movie BOLT that just sends Nixon to tears. Tonight it was the squeaker carrot toy. Nixon curled up on my lap crying because "Mr. Carrot" was sad and missed Bolt. He was a sad little boy for about 10 minutes all because of that squeaker carrot toy. Then, he starts crying at the end of the movie because he was so happy Bolt and Penny (the little girl) were together again.
He really is an emotional mess sometimes. But he's MY emotional mess.

* Nixon walked over to me, cocked his head sideways and just stared at me. It got a little creepy. I asked him of everything was okay and he said "Yeah. I'm just being a zombie." Then he walked away, only to do it all over again a couple more times.

* After Nixon went to bed, on time without a single fight. Less than 10 minutes later I hear him at the bedroom window saying "Excuse me, can you keep it down? I am trying to sleep it is bedtime now be quiet!" to the noisy passersby on the sidewalk below. I went upstairs to check on him and he says "Mommy, did you hear me? I was nice but they need to keep it down."
Of course, no one outside could hear him, but I wasn't going to take his pride away. He was adorable! Climbed right back into bed, under the covers and said "Mommy, I'm a big, brave boy. But I need my sleep too."  

Amber photobomb.

...and then I helped him with math and explained belly buttons

* Nixon: Can I have 2 vitamin cars?
me: Nixon, you already had your 2 vitamin cars today.
Nixon: Oh.
me: *holding up 2 fingers* You had your 2 vitamins today, so now you have zero left.
Nixon: Mommy, may I have zero vitamin cars?
me: Yes, you may have zero vitamin cars.
Nixon: I can?!
me: Yes.
this went on for quite a while before Nixon got frustrated and realized he was not going to get more vitamin cars.
Fun with Math.

* Nixon, looking at a photo of a friend's newborn baby, asked me about the umbilical cord. I don't think I scarred him too badly:
"Well, when a baby is inside it's mommy's belly, that big white cord is how it gets food. After it's born, the cord gets cut and in a few days it will dry out and fall off. Leaving behind a belly button, which is a little piece of forever proof of the time you lived in mommy's belly."
Nixon looked at his belly button and said "I see it!"  

..and then he cleaned his plate. twice!

* Nixon is a picky eater. If we go out to eat, it's not uncommon for him to leave food on his plate.
This morning, we dropped my car off to get work done, and headed to Denny's. Nixon picked his kids meal breakfast (3 small pancakes, eggs, 1 slice of bacon and 1 sausage link), and yeah we had a rough start but once the food arrived he was good to go. So good in fact, he cleared his plate!
Then at dinner....he ate 2 slices of pizza!

* He skyped with his Nana tonight. She saw his hair cut for the first time, since he got it cut, and she asked him where his hair went. He says, all super relaxed, "oh, it's all gone now". Then tells her he's a big boy, but still MY baby! Awww, right?

* Nixon sat on my lap and we read a My Little Pony Friendship is Magic comic book together. Yep, we're kind of awesome like that.

Snow day = Happy day, if you are Nixon.

* In Target today, Nixon and I walked by a baby who was crying in the cart. Nixon says to me "Mommy, why is that baby so upset?" like I'm magically supposed to know why every child in the world is upset. I tell him I don't know and he says back to me, as serious as he could "Mommy, we should try to make that baby smile. It's not happy when it's crying and today should be a happy day. It's snowing outside!"
The women walking behind us were laughing as Nixon explained this reasoning!

I'm raising a little gentleman. Yeah, I'm pretty proud

* Nixon says to me "Mommy, I have something to show you. Let me hold your hand so you don't step on a sharpy (the floor was covered in Lego's)". Such the little gentleman. He wanted to show me the pantry where he asked for crackers.

* "Mommy, I like to be naked. My clothes just come off and *ta-da* I am naked!"

* At bedtime, Nixon says to me "Mommy, why do you call me your baby boy?"
me: "Because you are my baby boy."
Nixon: "Really?"
me: "Yep. And one day, when your older and all grown up, you'll probably have your own boy or girl and they'll be your baby boy or baby girl. Even then you will still be my baby boy."
Nixon: "Can you sing me my baby song? It's my favorite song."
And sing it I did.

When your child asks you to sing a song you made up just for them, you sing it...every time. 

Yesterday was a very long day.....

* Nixon seems to love the new movie  The Croods. He doesn't call the one character "Belt" by his name, instead he calls him "Da-da-dahhh" because that's the sound he makes in the latest commercials being shown.

* I had to go get gas for my car today. Nixon says "Mommy, you need gas so we don't get stuck in the dark?" It's pretty accurate, so I agree with him. After all, I only had about an eighth of a tank left, so it was a real possibility if I didn't fill up.

* My best friend, and Nixon's aunt Franny, is in the area for school for 2 weeks. She flew in tonight and we drove to the airport to pick her up. Her flight came in after 10pm, we got to the airport closer to 1030pm and park, Nixon still had no idea who we were picking up. He was overjoyed to see her! Especially when I let him "chase" her through the airport towards the parking garage elevators!
We didn't get home until after midnight and he had fallen asleep in the car around 1130pm, but like every other time he's fallen asleep in the car, he woke up when we got home and stayed up until almost 1am!
He was up around 730am this morning....

I might be raising a nudist...oh well.

* I adore Nixon and his odd ways. Today, he decided it was a good day to be naked. Who doesn't get tired of clothes now and then?!? Maybe I'm doing this whole parenting thing wrong, but if we've got nothing going on, and the door & curtains are closed, I let him go naked for a while. Sometimes, letting him spend a few minutes naked, makes it easier to get him dressed.

* Nixon made scrambled eggs by himself! Well, he scrambled the eggs all by himself, then asked me to cook them because he's still nervous around the stove. And at only 4 years old I think it's a healthy fear to have.

He does have to wear clothes to bed...you know, in the event of a fire or something like that, we always wear clothes to bed...

It only looked like a giant Lego's penis...it was really a Lego's podracer!

* Nixon was playing with his Lego's today. First he made 2 Tie-fighters, then he made a Podracers. He was so proud of the podracer, he came running over to me and said "Mommy, guess what this is?" (it looked like a penis...I know this is not the right answer) I ask for a hint. He says "It's from my book, it zooms really fast....Anakin drives one". Ahh..."Nixon that is an awesome podracer!"
He couldn't wait to show Mac!

* Nixon build a castle...a castle in the living room....a castle made of pillows...pillows from all the beds upstairs. Then the castle fell. So Nixon just made a pile of pillows and kept jumping on it. Then he tried to say he couldn't carry all the pillows upstairs because "they are too big and I am just a little boy".

* We've reached the 1001-reasons-to-get-out-of-be-and-not-fall-asleep phase.
Tonight it was: 1) You didn't read me a story (he got a cartoon before bed, in our bed with me), 2) I'm thirsty and need my water bottle,  3) can I have hugs and kisses please?

My super-optimistic child returns!

* Nixon woke me up this morning and says "Mommy, its a little cloudy but still a beautiful day outside." He's so chipper and optimistic, most times I love that about him but first thing in the morning before coffee....it might be a little too much. But it gets me out of bed with a smile on my face.
First day of Spring and Nixon is as chipper as the birds outside my window.

* After his nap, Nix usually wakes up very cranky. Today he woke up so happy and smiley Mac swore he didn't napped at all. It's very rare that Nix doesn't come down the stairs, grumpy and mean looking like me when I first wake up in the morning.

he came into our bed, drew on the windows, tried to demand coffee....and I still love him!

*At a little before 1am, Nixon came into my bedroom (I was still awake) and said he was afraid of the dark. His room was too scary and wanted to sleep in bed with me so I can keep him safe. I let him, after going into his room and getting his nightlight while turning off the aquarium picture light. Then he snuggled under covers, told me I was his best friend and fell asleep. 

* Nixon and I used markers for windows and drew on the sliding glass door today. Nixon drew an awesome self-stick figure! And a race car....with a rock falling on it. Not sure why the rock fell on it, but he enjoyed it and drew it all by himself, so I'm cool with it.

* While I was drinking my coffee this morning Nixon came over to me and said "Mommy, you forgot my coffee. My coffee is yummy, with milk and it goes in my blue Superman mug." I just looked at him. I hadn't forgotten, he didn't ask and coming up to me like that is NOT going to get him anything.

* No bedtime story tonight. Nixon chose to take forever cleaning his toys up and took up his story time. I'm working on teaching him consequences of his actions. He's not a big fan of this latest parenting endeavor by me but he's catching on.  

"whoop, whoop sucha lady"- Nixon

* Nixon loves to sing PSY's song "Gungam Style", but he makes up his own words. Instead of "sexy lady" he says "whoop whoop sucha lady". I'm not complaining about that because it really is better than my 4-year old singing "sexy lady" all day. It's just random when he decides, out of nowhere, to start singing it and hasn't even heard the song recently. Makes me wonder what goes on in his head!

* Nixon says he's afraid of the dark. He has a nightlight in his room, but he tells me tonight "it's not bright enough". So I offer to put his aquarium moving picture light in his room, and he says okay...but leave the nightlight too, for BeBe. So now Nixon and BeBe are afraid of the dark and they both need their own nightlights??

He loves his shoes!

* Nixon is a picky eater. I'm starting to deal with that. Today he was eating lunch and only had to eat 2 small pieces of cheese, then he could eat his dessert. He kept stalling and taking tiny bites, but still asked for his candy. I finally told him "Nixon, I'm going to give you 2 warnings. If I have to say something a 3rd time, I get to eat your candy!" He was not a fan of that, but he did finally eat his cheese and get his candy.

* Nixon has a pair of converse sneakers he LOVES. Except, they are little too small (his toe is all the way to the tip of the toe in the sneaker). He asked to wear them today, even though he admitted they are tight on his feet, he said "but they don't hurt". That's my boy! Loves his shoes!!

I think he's catching on to my camera and flash...he did this after I moved the chalkboard. haha

He gets his rewards and entertains people all day long

* Nixon got his TMNT reward today! He was overjoyed and practically ran to the back of the store to see the toys and choose his prize. He ultimately chose the blue one (Leonardo), with only one choice before. He happily carried around the store and showed it to anyone who paid attention to him.

* Nixon answered the door with me when our pizza delivery arrived. The delivery guy was awesome and friendly not in a creepy manner towards him.
Pizza guy: How old are you? (to Nixon)
Nixon: Uh.....crap on a stick!
PG: What's your name?
Nixon: I'm Nixon!
me: Nix, how old are you?
Nixon: I'm 4.
PG: My daughter is the same age.
me: Does she say "crap on a stick" to random people?
PG: No, but...
me:....it's better than the other more colorful alternatives, right?
PG: *chuckling* Yep, sure is. Have a great night!

Nixon, dinosaur slayer and savior!

* Nixon has been a little mouthy and overly disobedient lately. Today was the day I took stand, drew a line in the sand, and refused to bend. He is not happy about it, but by bedtime he stopped talking back and started listening. I may be laid back, but I'm not going to be my child's doormat!


* Nixon was playing with his dinosaurs. He says there is a mommy, a daddy, a grandpa and a baby one. He was lining all his dinos up to kill, then asked me to keep the baby one safe "because he's so cute". A few minutes later he brings me the rest of the family to keep safe "because the family needs to keep the baby safe and not be dead".  He's so random!

Sometimes, I take a picture of Nixon and just fall in love with him a little bit more. This is one of those photos. I can't explain why, but I am in love with him because of it.....he is just perfect!

Thank you, sparrows, for the literal birds (minus) bees talk I had to have with Nixon today because of you horny birds!

* While Nixon and I were on the way into Rite Aid today, Nixon's eye was caught by the ear-splitting squawking of birds. I look over, at where he was pointing, and see 3 sparrows having what can only be described as a birdie-orgy under the shopping carts. Nixon says "Mommy that baby bird is hurt! We need to help it quick!"
me: No baby, she is not hurt. Those birdies are just trying to make baby birds, but they get a little loud (as I keep walking with him)
Nixon: They have baby birds?!? I want to see the babies!
me: No honey, they are making babies, they don't have them yet.
Nixon: Will they have them when we leave?
me: No Nixon, it takes time for the birds to make the babies. Birds have eggs that they need to lay in nests.
Nixon: But those birds weren't in a nest.
me: (oy, I really stepped in with that one) No baby, they lay the eggs in the nest, they don't make the babies in the nest.
Nixon: Baby birds are made on the ground?
me: Yeah, we'll go with that!
**Thank gods he didn't ask where baby dogs/dinosaurs/people come from...**

I believe in telling him the truth but keeping it simple. It's easier that way and there's no having to remember the lies I told him the next time he asks me. 

Secret Agent Nixon...

* Nixon and I were playing "Secret Agent". It's simple. We communicate by talking to our wrists, referring to each other as "Secret Agent Mom" or "Secret Agent Nixon", and he goes on missions I give him. He told me "Secret Agent Mom, I broke the laser", but was confused when I replied "Secret Agent Nixon, that is coming out of your paycheck."
It's all fun and games until mom ruins it by making it too real-life.

* Nixon used to have night terrors and had started sleepwalking when we started our move from Okinawa to Maryland. We'd find him sleeping on the floor, in the bathroom, in the hallway, almost on the stairs (!!) and then he just stopped.
There's no picture tonight because as I was upstairs getting ready to take it this happened:
Nixon opened his bedroom door, but was obviously disoriented: I sick mommy.
me: You're sick? Did you get sick? (he was scratching his throat)
Nixon (had climbed back onto his bed): Yeah, I think...over there.....
me: Nixon...did you get sick or are you going to be sick? (obviously, I know I handled this WAY wrong. )
Nixon: I don't know
me: Nixon, go to the bathroom
(while he's going to the bathroom I check his room and see there's no vomit anywhere)
He is in the bathroom, just peeing.
He gets back into bed, and looks like he is going to cry.
Then it hits me...he thought I was mad at him and he wasn't awake enough to know what was going on. He had just gotten up to go to the bathroom and I startled him with questions! I'm a giant asshole mom!
Hugs, kisses, "i love you" and he's fast asleep...but I just couldn't disturb him and take his pictures tonight.

He started the day a little low, then recovered enough to show his ass side, got a haircut and his 7th smiley face!

* I woke up this morning, to find Nixon lying on the carpet in my bedroom looking like he's about to vomit. I quickly tell him to go to the bathroom (three or four time "Nixon, hurry go to the toilet..the toilet, Nixon go to the TOILET!"), jump out of bed and follow him into the bathroom. He dry heaved, but felt clammy and looked just awful!
He snuggled in our bed for a couple hours watching TV. Not sure what was wrong with him, but he was definitely off for lack of a better word.

* I was talking to Mac who was in his geek corner of the house, about 15 feet away from where I was sitting. The TV was on and Mac is partially deaf so I have to speak loudly to talk to him, since walking over to him would just make sense.
Nixon: Mom, you need to calm down. I'm watching tv.
me: *I ignore him and continue talking*
Mac: responds, and we both laugh.
Nixon: "You too, Dad. You are being too loud!"
he says this without an ounce of sarcasm, dead serious.I burst out laughing, and Mac instantly corrects Nixon for talking to us like that. I was SO in the wrong on this one!

* Nixon finally got his haircut today. He was awesome during it too. And it's all gone now. It was a total buzz job, which is good since he's been saying his head is itchy no matter how often I wash his hair.

TMNT update: Nixon reached 7 smiley faces!! He did all that work to earn it and when I told him he finally got 7 smileys, he couldn't have cared less.

He showed how much he is like his dad today....I like it!

* Nixon: I'm packing up. *grabs his now empty boxes*
me: Are you going somewhere?
Nixon: Mmhhmmm. I'm packing up my suitcases and going to the comic book store.
me: Suitcases to the comic book store?
Nixon: I'm all packed up. Oh wait! Something is missing.
me: What's missing?
Nixon: A chair. I'm missing a chair!
me: What do you need a chair for at the comic book store?
Nixon: For at the airport. For waiting.

(I didn't get it either. But it made sense to him...I guess.)

He is one smiley face away from his TMNT. I did not see, hear or feel his fingers in his mouth at all today! When I mentioned this to him he said "that's because I kept them out all day! Fingers do not belong in my mouth, because I am a big boy." One more good day and he gets his TMNT toy (action figure...whatever. He'll have earned his reward!)

"....I fell and bumped my brain"

* Nixon says to me today "Mommy, my fingers are dry now. I wiped them off". Nice. I've started random finger checks. This is where I ask him to show me his fingers. Once today they were dry. The second time I asked him he says "Hold on a minute mommy", and he walks away with his back turned to me, then comes back and says "Now they're good. I wiped them off."
Yep, today was a sad face kind of day.
On the plus side (because I think my son's cup-half-full attitude is rubbing off on me), I haven't caught him with his fingers in his mouth while he's asleep in almost 2 weeks. To me, that is a far bigger deal than him putting them in his mouth while he's awake. Awake, it's a choice he's making...but asleep, he's doing that on a subconscious level. To get over that first, well I'll take it as a win.
But he's not getting no TMNT for it.

* Nixon was goofing off instead of cleaning up his toys. He was climbing in and out of a large box we use to store his dress-up clothes in. He, inevitably, took a tumble backwards out of the box and hit the floor with his head. He didn't cry, but he did come over and tell me "Mommy, I fell and bumped my brain. It's inside my head and I hit it. Kiss my brain please."

He's a sweetheart...and he's all mine, for as long as he wants to be mine!

* Nixon says to me this morning "Mommy, I need energy. Do we have cookies?" I like how he knows food gives him energy, but I'm not giving him sugary snacks for energy. He got peanut butter and jelly plus oranges and a glass of water.

* We watched Finding Nemo tonight and Nixon came over at the very beginning of the movie to give me a hug and kiss. Why? Because he wanted me to not be sad when Nemo's mommy "gets lost" as Nixon says. I love that he thought to comfort me during a part of the movie he knew was sad.

TMNT update: smiles and frowns hit a dead-heat today, at 5 each.

He's a nudist and a comedian in the making....and he's a normal 4-year old with normal 4 year old fears.

*Nixon's first "knock, knock" joke
Nixon: knock knock mom
me: who's there?
Nixon: it's me package Nixon, from the mail truck
me: It's me package Nixon from the mail truck who?
Nixon: here, I have a delivery for you...it's a frog!

Eh, it's a work in progress but he's trying!

* Nixon asked if he could get naked and run around wild before bed. Since the curtains are closed and it's just us, I told him to go for it. I don't know why but this kid loves being naked! He asked for a "fun hug" and I told him he couldn't have one while naked. So he put on undies and a tee shirt, walked over to me and said "Mommy, I have clothes on, fun hug now please!" haha

* In the car today..
me: Nixon, what's your name?
Nixon: 4
me: No. Nixon, what are you called?
Nixon: I am Nixon.
me: Yes, that's your name. What's Daddy's name?
Nixon: Daddy.
me: No, Nixon, Daddy's name is Mac. Do you know Mommy's name?
Nixon: Mac?
me: *laughing* No, my name is Rea.
Nixon: Really? It's not Mommy?
me: Only you call me mommy. But it's important that you know mommy and daddy's names, so if you ever get lost you can tell a police officer and they can help you find us.
Nixon: You are going to lost me?!
me: Not today, but some day it might happen, but never on purpose.
Nixon: Okay.
me: What's Daddy's name?
Nixon: Daddy's name is MAC!
me: And what is my name?
Nixon: Rea! Your name is Rea! And I am Nixon Mathieu!

TMNT update: today was a frowny day. He was fine until bedtime when I found him sucking his fingers hard and fast while I was reading his story. Total count- 5 smiles, 4 frowns

Long live Bucket Head

* Every morning Mac is home, I get to sleep in without worrying about what kind of trouble Nixon is getting into. It's one of the most awesome perks of having Mac as my parenting partner. On those days, I get greeted, after I get out of bed and finally head downstairs, by a giant hug from Nixon who excitedly cries "Mommmyyyyy!" as soon as he sees me. He says it in such a way it makes me feel like I'm the sun in his world. That greeting never gets old!

* Nixon was incredibly cranky and pissy while we were running errands today. Very uncooperative and mouthy, just being a punk beyond his usual punkness.
  We got home and told him it was naptime. He took an almost 4.5 hour nap! Mac asked if we should wake him up, the answer is always no! He's either sick, fighting something and bout to get sick or heading for a growth spurt when he sleeps like that. Whatever the cause, I never wake him up when he's sleeping if I don't have too. He's been super cranky lately and this nap today just proved there's something causing it, I just don't know what yet.

this is Bucket Head!

* Nixon has this orange plastic bucket that has seen better days. Today he put a big crack in it and I said it was time to throw it out. Nixon was devastated! Big, real tears over this bucket.
I couldn't take it. I told him to calm down I'd fix it. And I did. I duct taped that bucket up! It's not breaking or cracking again anytime soon...or ever. Normally, I'd have just thrown it out and let it go, but he was honestly very upset about it being broken and I couldn't not fix it for him. It's his "bucket head" bucket, you don't just get rid of "bucket head".


TMNT update: 5 smiley vs 3 frownys! If he keeps this up he could get his turtle by this weekend!

I have my limits...I could not bring myself to put the bucket on him in his sleep. Putting it above his head was as close as I'd go.