Dear Santa, I hope you like coffee because that's what was decided we're leaving for you Tuesday night!

December 22nd

day 356

* Some days you just wake up and feel loved. This morning was that day. Nixon, for some reason, ended up in my bed around 2 or 3am. He woke up when he heard Mac come home and went to play in his room for a while, letting me sleep.
  Around 9am, Nixon climbs back into bed with me and says "Mommy, you need a cuddle" and cuddles up with me and took a little snooze, sleeping on my shoulder. 

* I had some errands to run, and took Nixon with me of course. Nixon was content in the backseat, counting stop signs! No PSP, no iTouch...just me and him with my GPS telling us where to go. And he was great!

* me: Nixon, guess what we're doing Tuesday?

Nixon: What? Is it Christmas?

me: No, but close. We're making cookies that we'll leave out for Santa Tuesday night. 

Nixon: Yay! Oh yeah, cookies, oh yeah! *doing his little butt wiggle dance while he says that*
me: Nix, what should we leave Santa to drink with his cookies?

Nixon: I don't know. Umm.....I got nothing, Mom.

me: Well, a lot of people like to leave him milk with his cookies. But...Santa has a long journey to make on Christmas Eve. Do you think he might like something warmer? Like maybe coffee?

Nixon: Yeah! Mommy, coffee is a perfect choice! Santa will be SOOOOOOOOOO happy with a cup of coffee and cookies. Coffee is good for Santa!
me: How do you think Santa takes his coffee? Creamer and sugar or black?

Nixon: Mom, you're hurting my head....it's coffee! Just make it hot. 

* me: *switching the channel to the Eagles game* Whoo! Yeah baby! 

Nixon: Mommy, you need to be quieter, you hurt my ears.

me: Nixon, the Eagles are winning 14 to nothing right now! That's awesome!

Nixon: No it's not! The Eagles need to lose win!
me: What did you just say?!? Did you just say the Eagles need to lose?!? In my house?!?
Nixon: *laughing* No I said lose win! 

me: I don't even know what that means, but I'm choosing to only have heard "win".
Nixon: Yeah, I want them to win! Go Eagles!! *and he runs around the living room flapping his arms* 

I am LOVING this kid and his behavior at school!

* I had my concerns about today, especially when it started with me having to wake Nixon up for school. My worrying increased when my car doors were all frozen shut (thankfully Mac was able to get them open) and Nixon was being a bit of a pill about getting ready for school and then again when it came time to put his gloves on.

* My concerns were for naught. Nixon was standing at the classroom door, looking out it, waiting for mac and I. Uh-oh, here we go, I thought as we approached.
    He had a band-aid on his pinkie and wanted to tell us about his owie. Other than that, he had a great day! His teachers were happy with him, I was proud of him and best of all, Nixon was smiling and proud to show-off his sticker card for the day! Just a really great and awesome day at school!

* Nixon comes running in from the kitchen to the living room and says "I LOVE YOU, COOKIE MONSTER!". Mac was at work, so I asked him, "Am I Cookie Monster?". Nixon says "Yes, and I love you!"
   It was just a random outburst of affection for me from Nixon, and I ate it up! He is wonderful! I even got snuggles tonight before he went to bed.

More snow, more whining!

Dec. 10th
Nixon's first school pictures! I'm biased, but he is adorable!!
Day 344

* We had another band of snow come through today. It was predicted to bring 3-6 inches of snow, we ended up with about 2 inches which quickly melted after it stopped falling around 1pm.
    It did come down pretty hard a times and Nixon was fascinated by the giant snowflakes.

* Nixon had a serious issue today with whining and talking back. I don't know what the problem was, but I'd had enough! He was just being rude for no reason. At one point, I sent him to his room and Mac decided the spare bedroom was a better place for him no toys.

* But he also had his sweet moments too. He cuddled under the blanket on the sofa with me, laying down on my chest and watching TV with me. He was being totally adorable and very loving. I'll take these moments when I get them.

"It's snow! It's raining snow from the sky!"- a winter weather gem from Nixon today.

Dec 8th: Nixon and his first ever snowman
Day 342

* Our county had a winter storm advisory in effect from this morning until 10am Monday morning. Having grown-up outside of Buffalo, NY myself, the conditions that were being predicted were laughable (1-3" of snow!! some icy rain) but as this is only the second winter Nixon has been in a place where snow happens, I got a little bit of that old familiar joy when I saw big, fluffy flakes coming down from the sky around 11am.

* Nixon stood by the back door and just watched the fluffy flakes fall. Just awed as they started sticking to the garbage can and the table we have outside. He looked at me and said "Mommy, look! It's snow! It's raining snow from the sky! It's a lot of snow!" He was so happy!

* I got Nixon bundled up: thermal shirt, tee shirt, sweatshirt, jacket, beanie, gloves, pj bottoms (because he doesn't have long johns) and jeans plus boots. Then I got myself all winter ready and we headed outside! My baby boy was so excited! We tossed snow at each other, took a short walk to the backyard and played back there, made a mini-snowman (Nixon's first snowman of any kind!).
   After we came inside, I made us hot chocolate with marshmallows, because any other kind is a waste!

watching the snow fall...just awed by it.

Nixon threw a snowball at me! He was so happy to be playing in the snow.

Back to school after a week off and a mom & me date in the afternoon.

Dec. 2nd...........  day 336

* The day started out not so good...My phone shut itself off during the night, so I woke up late. Which meant I woke Nixon up late. He wasn't really excited to wake up until I told him it was school day. Then he was almost too upset to get up because he was going to miss me. 

   Eventually, with the help of some fresh-from-the-dryer-clothes, Nixon was ready for school.  

* After school, which Nixon had a mostly good day at, he and I had a wonderful mom & me date at the local mall followed by lunch at Denny's. We rode the little train they've got set up at the mall, which Nixon was so happy I let him ride because the last time we were at the mall he didn't get to ride it. He also got to see the giant fish tank at the mall and see the pufferfish, his favorite fish in the tank. 

* Tonight, as Nixon got ready for bed, he asked about our tree and other holiday decorations. They're all in our storage unit at the moment, but I told him if he cleans up his whole room before I wake up in the morning we can go get everything tomorrow and start decorating.
    He was so excited he almost didn't go to sleep, he wanted to stay up and clean his room.

My awesome lunch date (and BeBe) and I, on the train at the mall. 

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all! Nixon and I spent the day in our jammies and never left the house. We watched the Macy's parade in the morning together and then had to turn off the cable because it was acting all wonky.
Since we had Thanksgiving dinner on Tuesday we didn't do much today but veg out, nap and watch Charlie Brown Thanksgiving specials!

Nixon's still sick and is starting to complain that he can't hear out of his ears. Yep....it might be doctor time, for real.

I'm going out tomorrow night with a few people Mac works with, who I met Tuesday. I haven't gone out with anyone in well over 6 months. As Nixon was getting ready to go to bed, I told that tomorrow night he and Daddy would be doing his bedtime because I was going out with some friends. He freaked out and started crying! He was convinced he was never going to see me again, and I was leaving him forever! I mean, this was a for real freak out! I've never seen him do this before! It took me over 45 minutes to get him to finally stop crying and calm down so I could read him a bedtime story!
Talk about some serious Mommy guilt!
He finally laid on my chest and listened to my heartbeat. I asked him what it was saying and he said "I love you, Nixon".

Opps...that's one joke that went too far.

* Nixon had an awesome day at school today! He had an index card full of stickers! Not one meltdown and was totally playing nicely with other kids when I arrived to pick him up! It was a wonderful change from the past couple weeks.

* I heard today, that Disney has their own on-site jail. I jokingly said "I just decided my goal is to go to jail at Disney! It sounds like a lot of fun!".
   Nixon was in the room with me and he got real serious real fast. He come over to me and said "Mom, you can't go to jail. We need you here with us" and he gave me a hug and kiss.
   He told me more than once I shouldn't want to go to jail, because jail is for bad people and I'm not a bad person.
   I told him I wouldn't be going to jail and I'd behave.

   He's such a buzzkill! (kidding....I'll go to Disney jail when he's old enough to WANT to be rid of me)

Theme of the day seems to have ended up being: Music.

* While he was eating breakfast, I had some music playing. Nixon was getting up and dancing instead of eating and it was getting closer and closer to time to leave for school. Mac told Nixon he needed to sit down and finish eating. Nixon says "But I need to finish dancing first!", the only thing missing was jazz hands!

* Today Nixon had a great day at school! He got a hug from both his teachers, lots of praise and a special sticker before he left for the day! Mac and I were 2 happy parents when we picked him up, that's for sure.

* And then this happened:

* Finally, while helping me get the recycling together for pickup tomorrow morning, Nixon and I were listening to some music. First up? Matchbox Twenty "She's so Mean". I loved hearing him sing the chorus with me. It was awesome! Because he's liking music I like and because he's singing along to songs.
   The next song was Pink's "True Love". This song we sang and danced together!

If I stop asking stupid questions, he'll stop having to answer my stupid questions. Some day I will remember that.....

* Today was wet and cold. It's fall for sure. I was able to sleep in until 11am because Mac got last night off. He was up with Nixon, who was very good about letting me sleep in.

* Nixon is quite possibly the most stubborn and picky eater ever! Today I gave him a choice for dinner: fried rice (he says "I don't know what that is") or spaghetti. After I explain fried rice and let him know he either chooses one or he goes to bed without dinner, he says "Fried rice! I want your fried rice, Mommy."
   So I make the fried rice, put his in a bowl, cool it off in the freezer and give it to him. He says "I'm not eating that!" and I was seriously sad. Mac wanted to send him right to bed, but I knew if I could get him to take one bite he'd like it. Eventually, thanks to me agreeing to give him a pickle, Nixon took one bite. And just like I knew he would, said "Mmmm, this isn't bad. This is good!" In the end he ate half of what I gave him, which was pretty damned good considering he started out saying he wasn't going to eat any of it.

* I had to run to the store tonight. Since it was wet, cold and rainy I went alone. I was gone not more than 30 minutes, but when I walked in the door Nixon says "Oh Mommy, I'm so glad you got home safe!". Ummm.....what now? Apparently, Nixon was worried about me driving in the "bad weather".
Sweetest.Kid.Ever!

* Tonight I read Nixon "I Love you, My Only Child". We don't often talk about Nixon's status as an only child, but sometimes I like to talk to him just because. Tonight, after I read the book, I asked him if he was happy with our family...
Nixon: Yes.
me: Do you ever feel alone, without a brother or sister?
Nixon: Umm....yeah.
me: Really? You're lonely?
Nixon: No! I have you and I have Daddy and the cats.
me: Nixon, did you just say you felt alone because I asked you?
Nixon: Yeah. I'm really happy mommy!
me: Oh Nixon, I'm so happy too!

This is how I found him when I walked into his room.

This is how I left him.....

He's the best self-esteem builder ever!!

* I was getting dressed for a signing at Third Eye Comics, which I was really looking forward too. As I was doing my hair, in a new style, Nixon comes into the bathroom and says "Wow, Mom, your hair looks super pretty." Awww!
   After I was dressed, and finishing my makeup, Nixon comes in and says to me "Mommy, you look great! Really pretty!"

this is what Nixon called "Really pretty". 

* Nixon: Knock, knock
Mac: Who's there?
Nixon: It's me, Nixon.
Mac: Nixon who?
Nixon: No! It's just me...Nixon! Get it?
me (to Mac): He's cute, so he'll get by.

* Nixon is now reading exit numbers on the highway! He likes to read off each exit as I'm passing it and tell me "Mommy, that's not our exit yet". He's also obsessed with counting all the semis he sees. Last night he counted 24 in our 8 mile drive.

Sometimes Nixon is just a little too brutally honest about why he loves us...just ask Mac.

* I slept in until 7am. My alarm went off and I hit snooze more than once. I got out of bed, completely expecting Nixon to come bounding into the bedroom when he heard my alarm going off. I was totally unprepared for Nixon to still be sleeping when I entered his room. I had to actually pick him up off his bed before he woke up, then he told me "No, Mommy, it's too early for me to get up". He finally woke up, but he was a little confused because it was still darkish outside and I was telling him it was time to get ready for school.

* Nixon: You're my best mommy!
me: Aww...you're my favorite boy.
Nixon: You're my favorite girl, Mom.
me: What about Daddy?
Nixon: Umm....well, he's my bestest charger guy. You know cause he charges my PSP and iTouch for me.
me: Nice! *very sarcastic* You need to tell Daddy that.
So Nixon runs into the living room and tells Mac he's Nixon's favorite charging guy.
Mac: Guess I know my role in his life.
me: At least he doesn't blow smoke up your as about where you stand with him *laughing*

Days like today make me realize without Nixon I might still have a shred of dignity and self-respect, but then again those things are overrated when I get to spend time playing on the floor with Nixon and some kick-ass Star Wars toys!

* Some days you've just gotta get down on the floor with your kid and play Star Wars battle games with him.
   Today was that day! Nixon had a couple awesome Star Wars vehicles and he was having a ball playing with them by himself, but he was having so much fun, I got down and joined him. Complete with sound effects and all, I might add! I do a mean pod racer sound effect.
   Nixon was laughing at me and then he hugs me and says "Mommy, you're the best mommy I ever want!", which is pretty much the best compliment ever because it'd suck if he said I was the best mom he never wanted.
   These are the days I'll love and cherish forever!

* For some reason even when I close the door, I still get invaded in the bathroom.
Nixon: *knocking on the door* Mommy, mom...are you in there?
me: Yes Nixon, I am. I'll be out in a bit.
Nixon: Mommy, you have to let me in! It's an emergency!
me: Holy crap Nixon, what's wrong? *opens the door*
Nixon: Mommy, I saw the stink coming out from under the door and you don't have the fan on. That is very dangerous.
me: Nixon, are you freaking kidding me right now? You saw the stink?
Nixon: Yes mommy. It's very dark and very stinky. I think something is rotting in here.
me just staring at my kid
Nixon: It's rotting from your BUTT!!! hahahahaaa
me: Nixon! Out! Now!
Nixon: But mommy, I saved you life, I turned on the fan to gt the stink gone!
me: Now you get to be gone too!
This funny conversation brought to you by the US Navy....for "allowing" Mac to work 7 days in a row and taking away 2 of his days off, including today. How I wish I was kidding and making the above conversation up....No, that really happened. 

he's adorable, even when he's sleeping facing the foot of his bed. 

When you get down to the logic behind the things he says, he really is a sweet and caring child! Sometimes he is shockingly deep for his age.

* Nixon, Mac and I had a very interesting conversation today.
Nixon's had an odd borderline obsession with telling me he wants to be back in my belly and be a baby again. It's crazy, because he never says he wants a baby brother or sister, it's always he wants to be a baby again. So, this afternoon after Mac woke up and we were all just kind of laying around in our bed, I asked Nixon about it.
me: Nixon, how come you want to be a baby in my belly again?
Nixon: because you want a baby.
me: What?!? NO! I really do not want another baby!
Nixon: No, you miss baby me.
me: Oh! I see....
Nixon: So, I can be a baby again for you and you won't miss baby me any more.
me: Oh baby....I do miss you being a baby, some days, but I LOVE the you, you are now. You're so fun and talkative and you are wiping your own butt now!
Nixon: Yeah, I do wipe my own butt!
me: If you were a baby, you couldn't eat by yourself or walk and you'd have to wear diapers...that's not fun, right?
Nixon: No. That's not fun at all.
me: Honey, I do sometimes miss you, as a baby, but not enough to want to lose the you you are now! I love how silly and awesome you have become.
Babies are boring.
Nixon: But you call me "baby" a lot.
me: I call you "baby" because you are, and forever will be, my baby boy. It doesn't mean I want you to be a baby again. But, it's very thoughtful that you wanted to be a baby again because you thought I wanted that.
Nixon: Yeah.
me: But buddy, your dad and I...we don't want any more babies. You are it for us, okay? You are the only baby we need and want!
Mac: Yeah, we're not doing that again!
Nixon: Okay....can we go downstairs and watch TV now?
me: *to Mac*...and he's over it all now.

* Nixon was wearing a Nike tee today. He asked me to help him read it. He spelled the words and I told him what the word was. It was kind of cool that Nixon noticed his shirt had words on it and wanted to read it.
   He needs to stop growing up!

* Anyone who has cats will know that they tend to put their asses in your face almost any chance they get. Evidently, Nixon has been watching the cats do this, because as we were relaxing together before Mac left for work, Nixon used the "ass in face slide" move on Mac.
   Mac was sitting on the floor, in front of me, while Nixon and I were on the sofa. Nixon decides he wants to get off the sofa, and rather than get off closest to me where there is lots of room, he puts his ass in Mac's face and slides by him in the most awkward and inconvenient way possible!
    Mac and I both sat with stunned looks on our faces, and Nixon finally says "Oh, excuse me", and goes about his business!

Days like today, I have no idea why the gods smiled on me and gave me Nixon...but I'm so grateful they did! He's amazing!

* I found a dead cricket this morning...in the living room. Apparently my cats will play with it till it's dead and then walk away. Nixon asked if he could leave it outside so it could wake up. How do you say no?
I didn't.
I helped him open the sliding door so he could put it outside. Once it was outside and we closed the door, I reminded him that it was dead and it'd most likely get eaten by another animal.
He says "No mom, look! It's moving!" and it was, because of a slight breeze (he placed it on the table next to the door), which I explained to him, reminding him that it was really dead.
His response? "If you say so mom, I saw it move."

* Nixon: Laying down is my favorite exercise.
me: You sound just like mommy
Nixon: Yeah.

* Nixon started telling me tonight about a bed he hasn't had in almost a year. It's his red, plastic toddler bed. He was telling me about his bed, the toys he brought to bed with him and the fact that "I slept in the little red bed when I was a little, little boy. Not a baby, but a smaller boy." I adore that he is developing long-term memories and he can tell me if he was a big boy or a smaller boy.

* Nixon saw flowers at the store with me today. I was at the register and Nixon ran over to the bucket of packaged bouquets and says "Mommy, these are beautiful and you would like them, right?". I'm not really a flower person, but....how do you not love that your child sees something and thinks of you?
I told him "Nixon, those are lovely. You know what?! I think, you should tell Daddy you want to get those for me. I think that'd be a really nice idea, don't you?"
He stood by the flowers and thought, then said "Yeah, Daddy will like doing that for you. It'll make you smile too."
The cashier was listening and watching us the whole time, she said "You have a very sweet little boy, momma. You must be proud."
She has no idea!

It's a two-for post today!

   Since my laptop was acting like an ass last night, I couldn't get the post done.

*Saturday:
~Nixon had a trip to the thrift store with Mac & I, that resulted in him finding a twin for BeBe. It's an identical bear in every way as his beloved BeBe, except this one is blue. He is now known as Blue BeBe and Nixon has 3 bears in bed with him plus Pinkie Pie.

showing off his thrift store finds: Pinkie Pie (G3 version) and Blue BeBe

~Nixon is telling me he has a secret note. It says "To my baby boy, I love you." I say that to him daily, and it's now his secret note!

~ I asked Nixon "If you have a boy, when you grow up, what would you name him?"
Nixon: My name, Nixon.
me: You'll name him Nixon?
Nixon: Yeah!
me: So, Nixon Junior?
Nixon: No. I changed my mind. I'll name him Junior. Just Junior.
me: If you have a boy, you're going to just name him Junior.
Nixon: Yeah, that's a good name for a boy!

*Sunday
~ I love Nixon giving me awesome compliments like "You look good mom" while I'm making his breakfast or "Mommy, you do that well" as I make him a sandwich. The best happened today (sadly I was out getting some alone time, while Mac and Nixon were home together), when Nixon was napping. He sat up and sat "Mommy, you look good" and went back to sleep.
Complimenting me in his sleep, even when I'm not around? He is perfect!

* Nixon got a Happy Meal last night. The toy is a Power Ranger toy, which is a piece of a larger toy (to of course get you to buy more Happy Meals). Nixon comes in to wake me up today and says "Mommy, I have a big problem. I have one arm but I need: 1,2,3,4 more pieces....you need to take me to get more Happy Meals!"
   Yeah, I see that happening...you wake me up and and start demanding Happy Meals?!? How about getting me some coffee first? Geesh, I thought I had him trained better than that!

The day Nixon grew up and approached Mac....like a man!

* You know what's adorable? Listening to your child hum classical music for no reason at all. I don't care what people say about Little Einsteins, Nixon picked up the music they play and he enjoys humming it. Today he was playing with his play dough and humming Beethoven! Awesome, right?  The best part is he was completely ignoring Mac and I being in the room with him and he was just totally all about the humming while he worked.

* If you've been around men for any period of time at all, you've undoubtedly seen the "man hug". Nixon "man hugged" Mac today! Mac called Nixon over, after Nixon did something pretty darned cute, for a hug. Nixon leaned in for the hug, then turned leaving space between Mac's chest and Nixon's upper body.
   I was cracking up! "Holy crap, did you just get "man hugged" by our 4-year old?!"
Mac says "Yep, I'm pretty sure that is exactly what just happened."
I asked Nixon for a hug, and I get a full-on hug and kiss. Yep, it's just Mac! haha

Days like today just turn me into a big puddle of melted mommy goo!

* Nixon found a Legos Star Wars comic book today at Third Eye Comics. He's watched the Star Wars Legos movies and was totally "MOM LOOK AT THIS!" when he saw the comic books. I told him he could choose one and ask Mac for it. He chose the one with Yoda on it and off to find Mac we went.
Nixon: Dad! Look! Can I have this please? *shows Mac the comic book*
Mac: That's awesome buddy. You really want this?
Nixon: Uh-huh, it's awesome!
Mac: Well, you're going to have to choose: the comic book or the box toy.
Nixon: The book!
Mac: That was really easy.
me: Too easy...wait for it....
Nixon: NO...I really want them both please!
me and Mac: And there it is!
Mac: I'll get you both but you have to be good until we leave.

He got his Star Wars comic book! :)

* Nixon comes up to me while I was relaxing a migraine away. He starts singing "Jingle Bells" to me and then says to me "Guess what, Mommy? Santa will be coming and putting lots of presents under our tree soon! But...we're missing a tree" 

Baby boy, it's only August...slow down on the Santa talk. 

* Nixon saw a commercial for E! Total Divas. He said "MOM it's my favorite show!". I asked him if he liked the show because his "girl" was on it.
He stopped and said "No, Mom. She's not my girl."

I asked why not and he comes over to give me a BIG hug and says "You're my girl!"

   Mac says "I used to say the same thing to my mom. I even told her she needed to leave (stepdad) so I could marry her." 

   Is it okay that I totally melted at both of my boys and their childhood adoration for their moms?