The night he went to bed without dinner....by choice...because he said my soup smells "gross"

December 7th
Day 341

* Nixon woke up today and kept coming over to my side of the bed saying "Pssst, Mommy, it's me Nixon." I'm not sure why, but he feels the need to introduce or announce himself every morning.

* I made soup today. It was a yummy potato and ham soup. I asked Nixon if he'd try a bite when it was ready. He had said yes....until the time came to try it. He refused, fought, cried and ultimately asked to go to bed instead of having to eat a BITE of my soup.

* Nixon did not go right to sleep. He was in his room, but not yet sleeping. Mac and I were watching Will & Grace and Mac got a little loud with his laughs. Nixon comes down the stairs and says "Daddy, can you please be more quiet? You're laughing so loud I can't sleep." He also asked if Mac would help him open the fold-out chair in his bedroom for him. Mac apologized for being loud, but said no on the pull-out chair. He told Nixon to go to sleep in his bed.
   When we went to check on him Mac mentioned the pull-out chair thing. I grabbed the camera, because if I know one thing about Nixon, it's that he tends to be adorable when he wants something and has to do it himself.

This is what we found when we checked on Nixon....adorable!

Gems from today....

* Today started with this:
Nixon: Mommy, it's dark outside, I have to go back to sleep so the sun will come out and it will be a sunny day.
me: Sorry baby boy, but it's time to wake up.
Nixon: No Mom, that's wrong. It's time for sleep...see, the sun is still sleeping.
And with that he got back under his blankets.

* When I picked him up at school. the little girl who adores Nixon greeted me with "Nixon had a bad day today. He made a lot of bad choices.". *sigh* I was totally prepared for a meltdown when I found him. It wasn't bad. He was in the play kitchen area, with one of his teachers, putting away the plates/bowls they had played with.
His teacher told me "He had a good day. He came over and asked if he could cook me dinner. He set the table, made me food and then told me he had to clear the table and wash the dishes. He was very polite about it all.", with a big smile on her face!

As we made our way to the door, his teacher stopped and asked if I knew about the "painting situation". Oh boy, here it comes, I thought when I heard her say that to the other teacher. It wasn't that bad. The class was doing a painting project, but Nixon was insistent that he couldn't do it "because my hands will get yucky with all that messy paint". His teacher came up with a very good solution: she gave him a pair of gloves to wear. He put them on and had no problem with the paint.
So my kid likes to be clean and not make a mess? Most moms would kill for a kid like that, right? It's less the mess and more he doesn't like the feel of paint on his hands. Either way, he had a great week at school and I couldn't be happier!

* Driving in the car today, Nixon suddenly says "Mommy, someone is talking to you. It's a little boy named Nixon!" I had to laugh, because he was the only other person in the car with me, but because it was raining and kind of crappy out, I was so focused on driving I wasn't exactly listening to him.

Oh the conversations I have with Nixon!

* I was lucky enough to be given the morning to sleep in. And sleep in I did. I didn't get out of bed until almost 11:15am. When Nixon saw me he said "Mommy, your hair is a mess!", child's honesty knows no bounds.

* I took Nixon to Third Eye Comics today, to catch up on my comic books, and Nixon was a gem. As I was cashing out he was playing with these fingertip tentacles. He likes to make an entire hand of them. I was done and ready to leave, Nixon was staying put continuing to add more tentacles to his hand. I said "Nixon, you need to come here now or I'm leaving without you". He suddenly runs up after me and says "MOM! You can't leave without me. I'm a little boy and you have to take me with you.", I tell him "But you're cute, I'm sure someone else would take you home and keep you safe, especially since you never want to listen to me.", his reply was simply awesome "But no one else is my mommy like you are. You have to take me home because I belong with you!"
   Yes, yes you do, my love.

* This final conversation was a doozy:
Nixon: Do you have a baby in your belly?
me: No! I'll never have another baby in my belly again. You were the baby I'll ever have in my belly.
Nixon: I was little when I was in your belly.
me: Thank gods yes you were.
Nixon: I was in your belly and I was little, then you pushed out of your belly.
me: Yep, you were ready to come out and I pushed you out of my vagina. And you've been in my arms ever since.
Nixon: Awww
me: Nixon, do you think I need a baby in my belly?
Nixon: No, lots of people have babies in the bellies. You don't need one.
me: Really? So you're okay with us having a small family and never having a baby in the house?
Nixon: Yes. Because babies are noisy and hurt my ears. And...they poop in their diapers. That's gross!
me: Oh, kiddo, I love you so much right now!
Nixon: I love you too, Mommy!

excuse the runny nose....snot faucet remember?!?

* Nixon got his library card today! He was so proud, so happy and so excited! He picked out 3 books and a dvd to check out. He even chose a book for me! He was wonderful and loves the library.

He gets a crazy cowlick every night as his hair gets longer. 

Nixon's very advanced...he's not going to runaway from home, he's taking an airplane!

* Mac woke me up today and said Nixon was asking for eggs and bacon. I promised him I'd make breakfast for him last night and he was ready for it!
   I made bacon, eggs and toast for the three of us. During breakfast, we started talking about football (duh, it's Sunday, of course football came up!) and Nixon says, out of nowhere, "The Eagles are going to beat the Giants!". I'm an Eagles fan so that was music to my ears!
    Nixon went on to say that the Dolphins (Mac's favorite team) was going to beat the Jets. He didn't actually know who was playing whom, but he was making these predictions and he was sticking to them.
    Sadly, the Eagles did not win and the Dolphins lost to the Patriots.

* Nixon: I'm going to pack my things and fly away?
me: Are you running away from home then?
Nixon: No, I'm going to the airport and go on a airplane.
me: Oh, okay. where are you going?
Nixon: I don't know.
me: How are you buying your ticket? You're cute but you can't fly for free, kiddo.
Nixon: I don't have any dollars!
me: Well, it's a good idea but I think you need to plan a little better.
Nixon: Well, fine! Then I'm not taking BeBe! *as he leaves to stomp upstairs to his room*
me: Oh Nixon, I'll take BeBe. I'll love him while you're gone.
Nixon: Fine! You take him! *brings me BeBe and stomps up to his room*
This was brought on by....well, I have no clue what brought this on. He just decided he was going to fly away from us. And he was unimpressed by my lack of emotion as he tried leaving! Later, he did try extorting a thousand dollars from me, I think for his plane ticket. I was coming downstairs and he was sitting on the bottom step. He stood up and tried blocking my way, telling me "Give me a thousand dollars and I'll move!", I gave him a kiss and tickled him as I passed him.
   I ain't got no thousand dollars for 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.

He's not picky, he loves all of me! And he's not afraid to tell me the parts that really take more to love.....

 

* I picked Nixon up from school today and his class was outside on the playground. Three little kids saw me, and immediately started yelling "Nixon, you're Mommy's here!". Apparently, according to another mother also picking up her son, they'd done the same thing to two other children when their moms came as well. 

* Another week of all good reports from Nixon's teachers! Two weeks in a row and I couldn't be happier! He's getting into the routine and really getting used to school.

* I took Nixon to a local bookstore having a Clifford the Big Red Dog book reading and appearance today. We got there just as Clifford was walking to his reading chair. Nixon saw him, said "hi" and waved, then decided he wanted to play at the train table instead.
   We left with a new My Little Pony book, to prevent a meltdown when I kept him away from the train table (there were lots of younger children there and a few less than attentive parents...one child in particular had thrown those small wooden magnetic trains at other kids multiple times, hitting one child in the back quite hard. The child was less than 2, but still the mother wasn't doing anything to correct or prevent the throwing, because she was too busy talking to other moms there)

* I told Nixon "I love you to pieces!" today. 

Nixon: You love my pieces?

me: Well, that's not what I said, but yes. I love you from the hair on your head to the toes on your feet!

Nixon: I love you pieces too, Mommy. All you pieces, even the stinky ones like you butt when you fart! 

me: Thanks kiddo!

...then Nixon met the neighbors and almost insulted them.

* We were heading out to the car, when this happened:
Nixon: Mommy, why'd that person spill coffee in the grass?
me: I'm not sure honey, maybe because the grass likes coffee like Mommy does?
Nixon: I wanna ask.
(he walks over to our neighbors and proceeds to look for where the coffee went)
Nixon: HI, I'm Nixon, where'd the coffee go?
neighbor: Hi Nixon, what a cool name *nods to me*. I'm S.
Nixon: HI S. Don't you like coffee?
S: *laughs* I do, but I pour some in the grass every day. I know it's kind of tacky.
Nixon: Oh, does the grass like the coffee?
me: *trying to help S get away from Nixon's sudden on-set of never ending questions* Honey, the grass LOVES the coffee, look hoe green and full it is!
Nixon: Oh yeah! Good job! *gives S a thumbs up* Bye S, nice meeting you.
And just like that, Nixon met one of our neighbors. Then got into my car and said "Mommy, the grass is pretty, but you're better when you drink your coffee."

* The rest of the day was relatively uneventful. Though Nixon did impress me, once again. Since I already wrote a blog about it, I'll just link it for you to read. Trust me, it's worth the read.

* Nixon asked me today to put one of his missiles back into his Star Wars speedracer. I did, because I've done it multiple times already and Nixon hasn't figured out the trick which only frustrates him and makes him *almost* throw his toy.
   When I handed it back to him, Nixon says "Thanks mom, you're my hero!" Best.Thanks.Ever!

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*

Today's lesson: budgeting

* Today I tried teaching Nixon about money and budgeting. It was a fail, but not really on his part.
   There was a large yard sale very local to us, that was all geek stuff: GI Joes, Transformers, Star Wars, video games, comic books...just amazing years of collection. We gave Nixon $5 for the yard sale, it was his to spend on whatever he liked. He saw an old GI Joe Cobra 4-wheeler, and went searching for a red guy to ride it. It had to be red because the 4-wheeler was red. Later he found a Bumblebee transformer that he liked. Those 3 totalled his $5 and he was good with that.
   He spent the rest of the time playing with all three toys, and making his awesome robot sounds and "pew, pew" sounds. The guy selling everything came over and started talking to Nixon (and us). He ended up just giving Nixon the toys he'd picked out! He even grabbed another Transformer and gave him that one as well.
   We paid for everything else we'd picked out and all said our "Thank you"'s. Seriously, this guy was just looking to know that his collection was going to be appreciated and enjoyed and while he is selling to raise money for his family, you could tell it was more about seeing the joy his collection was bringing to other people.
   He is a wonderful guy and Nixon is very happy because of this man's generosity.

* Nixon is picking up on sarcasm, almost a little too well. He keeps saying "I love you Daddy" but the way he says it sounds like he just told us to eff off! As long as we're not getting complaints that he's doing this at school, we're good with it. He's gotta be allowed to develop his own sense of self and there's no safer place than at home.

I adore Nixon, but we might need to talk about his team support. This is not how I wanted the Eagles season to begin....yes I am blaming my kid for my team's bad performance!

* Mac asked me what happened to this hilarious moment from last night. The honest truth? I forgot about it when I did last night's post.
   The story:
Last night Mac called his mom to talk to her and let her know he's fine, given everything going on nearby in DC I had a feeling she'd be worrying a bit. She talked to Mac a bit, then me and finally she spoke to Nixon. Nixon gets on the phone and says "Why did you forget about me, Nana?". It was hilarious!

* Today. Nixon decided to play dress-up most of the morning. He was a transformer, a soldier and a giant pile of clothes on the floor that resembled my room when I was teenager. He stood over the pile of clothes and started saying, out loud, "What do I want be? Who am I right now?"...exactly like me when I was a teenager! He ultimately decided he was going to be a boy, in a tee shirt and undies.

* At bathtime tonight, Nixon and I were talking football. The Eagles are playing tonight. I asked Nixon if he thinks the Eagles were going to win.
Nixon: Yes!
me: Really? That's great why?
Nixon: Because Eagles fly high in the sky.
me: I can't beat that logic, baby boy.
Nixon: Duh! I know that's why I said it!

Today Nixon started trying his hand at stand-up comedy, his delivery is good but we'll work on his punchlines together!

* Nixon walks up to me, wearing his plastic HULK Halloween mask. I say "Hi HULK" and Nixon says (from under the mask) "I'm not HULK, it's me Nixon. See my eyes?"
   He then tells me he's wearing the mask to hide from the bugs.

* Nixon: Knock, knock
me: Who's there?
Nixon: Me!
me: me who?
Nixon: It's me, Nixon! I'm right here!
and he runs away laughing!
It's his first knock, knock joke so I'll give him a break. It still made me laugh! Why? Because I'm his mom and I laugh at him when ever he's totally adorable!

* I took Nixon to Pet Smart today, to get some cat things. While we were there, Nixon and I walked around to look at the animals. Nixon went from wanting a hamster to a bird (never happening!) to a fish. Since we're already thinking of getting him a fish for his birthday, I'm good with the last one.
   We went and looked at all the tanks, including the really odd looking googly-eyed goldfish ones. Nixon declared these fish "so adorable!" and the clerk in the fish department looked mildly amused when I responded "You and I have wildly different definitions of 'adorable' there kiddo".

I don't know who is telling my kid he "can't" do things or like things because he's a boy, but I'm not raising him like that, so stop trying to break his spirit and ruin his purest happiness in life.

* Nixon and I went out for a mommy & me breakfast date. It was a surprise I did for Nixon just to give Mac some total peace in the house. We went to Dunkin Donuts and just sat, ate and enjoyed each others company. He was a total gentleman, using his manners, eating politely and being adorable.
   We even brought home a donut for Mac.

* Nixon and I were watching our usual Sunday morning cartoon, My Little Pony to tell the truth, when Nixon saw a commercial for Easy Bake ovens. What happened next broke my heart:
Nixon: I can't like that. It's for girls.
me: Nixon, you can't like what? The oven?
Nixon: yeah, 'cause it's for girls.
me: Nixon, I want you to understand something right now: There is only one thing that a girl can do that boys can't do and this is carry a baby in their belly. And there is one thing boys can do that girls can't and that is pee standing up without making a mess, because boys have a penis.
Anything else in the world boys and girls are equal. If you want to bake you can bake.
Nixon: So, I can bake cookies?
me: If that's what you'd like. Do you want to bake?
Nixon: No. Not now. But mommy, I'm glad I can do those things.
me: Nixon the only thing I don't want you to do are things that hurt other people and break laws.

* Nixon did something awesome last night, I can't remember what, but I was sitting on the sofa and put my foot out and asked Nixon for a "foot five", totally expecting him to high five my foot with his hand. He didn't. Instead he lifted his own foot up and touched my foot with his. He said "Haha Foot Five!"

Another night, another weird position sleeping on the floor.

I can only help him get over one fear at a time, today was his fear of thunder!

* Ah, rainy boring thunder-filled day! What a wonderful Thursday! Nixon and I spent the day laying around playing a matching game on his iTouch together and watching Phineas and Ferb together. Pure awesomeness!
   Did I mention thunder? Because there was plenty of that and Nixon is not a fan of thunder...at all. He was just starting to get freaked out when I came up with a most brilliant explanation to take his fear away. That explanation is far from conventional, but you know what? It worked, because after I told Nixon, he was laughing and totally unafraid of thunder.
   The magical explanation? It's not thunder, it's clouds farting! And Nixon found this hilarious! He'd start saying "Eww...the clouds just farted, Mommy! That's stinky!" and laugh! So much better than the crying and the screeching that he'd had previously.
    Just one more example of me being mom, less perfect more real and doing what I now will work for my son and helping him get over a fear.

* Nixon's telling me today he doesn't want to go back to school "because the kids are mean and hurt me." I know this is all over the block incident yesterday but I can't let him start developing a fear of school now over one bad day.
   I tell him there are bad days but we can't let them ruin our good days. I also told him that the other kid apologized so Nixon has to move past it and put it behind him, like it was an accident. I hope it works, because it's only the 2nd week of school and I don't want anything to dampen his enthusiasm.

He knows coffee of any type will make me feel better and after he had a night terror, there won't be photos in tonight's post.

* Mac, the best husband ever!!, brought home a bottle of Starbucks Vanilla Frappuccino for me this morning. Nixon takes it out of the fridge and brings it over to me "Here, Mommy, you look like you need this". I ask him if I look that bad and he says "Well.....yeah." then giggles and hands me the bottle.

* Just when I thought today was completely done and there was nothing else to include in tonight's post: Nixon woke up in a crying panic and Mac & I raced up to his bedroom to find out what happened. Are you sick? Did you fall out of bed? Did you have a nightmare? *he sounds like he's going to barf* Take him to the bathroom. Give him some water! I don't have any water here, take him INTO the bathroom! All while Nixon is still crying and not making any sense.
    Mac takes him into the bathroom while I turn on the light in Nixon's room and check to see if he had gotten sick in bed. He didn't, so I went into the bathroom to check on the boys. We still don't know exactly what happened but Nixon wants to be held by me.
    I decide to do what we've done since Nixon was a little, little guy and had night terrors...we took him outside for a little fresh air. We took him out there and let him calm down. Then he asked to go back "in there", which meant in the house. Back up to bed he went and after a few minutes of snuggles with me, a few songs and my usual nightmare/ bad dreams talk he was ready to go back to sleep.

I apologize for not having a photo with tonight's post. I promised Nixon no photos tonight because Nixon tends to sleep extra lightly after a nightmare/night terror episode like this one. If the flash woke him up he'd have another fit, and because tomorrow is a school day I'd rather he gets sleep. 

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!

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

"She makes my face go *jaw drops* she's soooo pretty!", yes, indeed that is something Nixon said today....all on his own.

* No day is complete without Nixon and I making cashiers laugh with us and having a stranger listening to us and rolling her eyes at us. Our conversation today:me: Nixon, please stay over here by me (he was only 5 feet away, but he was too close to the exit to make me comfortable)

Nixon: Okay mom. I don't want to go to jail!
me: I'm happy to hear that, it's very good that staying out of jail is one of your goals in life.
*cashier chuckles*
Nixon: No, Mommy, you need to stay out of jail!
me: Nixon, I have not gone to jail so far in my life and I plan on keeping that streak alive. If I can stay out of jail, I'm sure you can too.
*cashier laughs again* That's a good role model you have son, your mom tells you life like it is.
me: Thanks, I try to keep things honest with him.
Nixon: Yeah, my mom's really great! Can I have my truck now?
me: Yep, when all else fails, bribery...works every time.
*cue the stranger's eye rolling and cashier laughter*

But for real, what mom wouldn't want to take an opportunity and encourage their child's goal to stay out of jail?

* Nixon has never really shown much interest in any woman, beautiful or otherwise, besides myself. It's not at all concerning to me, I don't care and it's not something I'm pushing on him because he is only 4.
   That all changed tonight.
   While watching E! Total Divas, Nixon had his very first jaw dropping moment when he saw a girl. He saw:

Ariane, Nixon's "SOOOOO pretty" girl

Nixon's face when he sees her 

Nixon says "OH MY GOD, Mommy, she's soooooo pretty! She makes my face go *cheeks sucked in, eyebrows go up and jaw goes open wide*. She's super pretty!" I say "Nixon, you think she's really pretty?" Nixon says to me "Duh, Mom, did you see my face?!" and he does it again!
  How adorable is that?!

Read me a story...but not that one, only Mommy can read me that one! And other ways Nixon lets us know where our place is in his heart.

* Nixon woke up today and was awesome. Super quiet, snuck downstairs and played with his toys. Then he came up and told me "Mommy, the sun is up and I'm hungry. Let's start the day!", and start the day I did.

* Nixon was doing his learning path on my computer, when the battery warning came on the screen. Nixon says "Mommy, you need to plug it in, the power is low!".
   I get the power cord and plug it in, while Nixon runs over to the switch that controls the outlet I plugged it into. He flips the switch and says "Let's get this power flowing right!"

* At bedtime, I ask Nixon if he wants Mac to read him the new My Little Pony books we have for him. Nixon quickly says "NO! Just you, Mommy." but he did let Mac read the "I love you, Stinky Face" book that we've read to him since he was a baby.
   Mac says it's okay, My Little Pony is just Nixon and I's thing and that's cool. Mac and Nixon have comic books together.  

He's doing math he's so excited for our trip to NY, he got a massage and gave me a massage....I love my baby boy!

* Nixon says to me this morning "Mommy, we've got 2 weeks before we leave for New York. That's forever!". I tell him, we've got 2 days and he looks at me and says "That's not so very long. I go to sleep and wake up and then it will be one day! Wow, mommy, that's not long at all!"
   He then tells me to start packing. haha

* Nixon misplaced his iTouch today (well Mac's iTouch) and was pissed because that meant he couldn't play Angry Birds. He comes over to me and tells me I have to find it for him. I told him since I didn't touch it last, I wasn't looking for it. I went one step further and told him if I did find it before he found it, I was keeping it until we left for NY on Saturday.
   I thought he was going to lose his mind! Well, he did kind of lose his mind. He cried, yelled and kept trying to tell me I lost his iTouch.
   Mac finally found it, after Nixon apologized and was looking for it at the same time.

* At dinnertime, I tell Nixon: "Listen, if you think while we're visiting friends and family, you will get away with acting up and mouthing off and being horrible, you are wrong! I will find a place to put you in time out and you will be treated like we're at home. Family will not stop me from correcting your behavior. You know that right?"
   This kid took his plate and tried to walk away from me! I stopped him, make him look at me and took his plate away....you take food away from a Ball and he gets it. He got it, or at least knew enough to listen to Mac and I, look at me and told me he got it.
   We shall see......

* Nixon, after his shower, says to me "Mommy, can you do the bang, bang on my back?" It took me a minute to get what he meant. He likes when I use the side of my hand pinkie to wrist, and lightly chop his back as a massage. What's even better, is after I did this to him while he was stretched out over my legs in my bed watching tv, he decided it was my turn so I got the same massage from him AND I got a back scratch from him!
   I love him and his thoughtfulness.

poor baby has a cough but keeps telling me he's fine...yeah, so fine he's sleeping with his mouth open :(

It's always nice to start with a warning..or advance apologies in my case. His teacher has been forewarned and she's still excited to have Nixon in her class!

* Nixon says to me this morning, sweet as could be "Mommy, I think it's time to get out of bed. You need to brush your teeth. Me too, but you do the most." I adore my son and I love this adorable, blunt honesty of his.

* We, Mac and I, are mildly addicted to TMZ the show. We watch it so much Nixon now knows the closing bit and gets angry when he can't do it. Tonight he had just taken a big swig of water and he couldn't swallow it in time, so he acted out the "I'm a lawyer" with his hands! He is so hilarious!

* I went to Nixon's school to picked up his new student packet and pay the remaining registration fee. As luck would have it, I was greeted by his teacher! So, being me, I apologized for Nixon's dry-witted sarcasm (in advance) and also for "being that mom on the first day with snot leaking down my nose and not wanting to let go of my kid". We both laughed and I told her, I was kidding....kind of. I'm hoping I remember tissues, or at least wear something with sleeves.