Chinese Water Torture

Sam and I had a big date last night. We slept late this morning...6:45! I woke up to the sound of rain falling and then I heard Sam's sweet voice singing his rain song as he lay in bed. What a wonderful way to wake up! I decided today was a good day to publish this post that I actually wrote last week.

Yeah. I don't mind torturing my kid. Not if it leads to a video this cute:

And by the way, I didn't realize the water was as frigid as it was until I stopped filming and felt it myself. But don't blame me. Sam's the one who turned all the hot water off!

You Capture. Week One.

So, there's a new photography challenge (no, not a contest!) opening up this week at I Should Be Folding Laundry. Each week, we will be challenged to take photos with specific criteria. The challenge this week was to take a photo of something you love without using your flash. I'm joining the challenge because I love to learn from others and I'm still trying to figure out my new camera!

Click here or on the "You Capture" button in my sidebar to get all the details so you can join, too! Stop by and check out all the other photos as well.

My entry for "You Capture. Week One."

I love my feet! Not in a fetish kind of way. I don't even notice other people's feet. My feet are probably the only part of my body that I am proud of. The only part I don't want to change. My feet are good to me, so I am good to my feet. I take them to get pampered at the spa. I take them on vacation. Sometimes I splurge and let them get pampered while on vacation! They're keepers!

Doin' some feet flirtin'!

Distracted

I'm wondering if Sam has A.D.D.

This is Sam on the way to the potty the other day:

If he does have A.D.D. then I can't imagine where he got it fr...Oooh, shiny things...

DaddyCakes

Last weekend, Scott woke up craving pancakes! That's really good for Sammy and me because Daddy makes the best pancakes! Sam had so much fun helping Daddy. Daddy made the letters that Sam requested:

I ♥ Faces Kid Entry

Here is my kids entry for the I ♥ Faces Photography Contest this week. The theme this week is WONDER.

Please check out the other wonderful kid entries and leave lots of encouraging comments at

I ♥ Faces Adult Entry

Here is my adult entry for the I ♥ Faces Photography Contest this week. The theme this week is WONDER.

This picture of my mother and Sam was taken when my parents took us to the zoo for Sam's 1st birthday.

Please check out the other wonderful adult entries and leave lots of encouraging comments at



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And, just for the fun of it, not to be considered an entry, here is the picture that followed that "wondorous" moment:

Yeah, my mom might kill me, but maybe she'll forgive me if I win!

It's Too Early

Remember the doughnuts from Saturday?

Sam is in a cycle again of coming into my bedroom in the middle of the night and dragging me back to bed with him. He claims he wants to get on the couch and watch a movie, but somehow I manage to wrangle him towards bed and he falls asleep within a few minutes. This is how it's been for about 5 nights. Uneffective.

So last night he tried a new tactic.

Remember our "fishtank light" rule? The aquarium in Sam's room is on a timer, with the light going off during our read alouds each night and coming on at about 6:15 each morning. Sam knows that he's supposed to stay in bed until the fish light comes on in the morning. This hasn't worked very often. He knows the rule...he just doesn't really follow it. So this morning I hear the pitter-patter of Sam's feet coming down the hall at about 1:00. I meet him in the hallway, turn him around, steer him towards the bed and we climb in. He, as usual, asks to go watch a movie and I, as usual, tell him no.

"It's too early, baby."

"But the fish light is on," he says.

It is then that I notice that the light is indeed on. Before coming to get me, my child moved his stool over to the dresser and reached way back to the timer to turn the light on.

How in the heck am I going to survive this child's mind in years to come? I really didn't know kids could be this manipulative clever this early.

Barack'n the Potty and Other Tales of Brilliance

Scott and I had been sitting on the fence about Sam's brilliance...until tonight! He is officially brilliant. Not just because he asked to read the "Barack Obama Book" (Time Magazine) while he was in "the library" today:

But also because of the conversation at dinner tonight.

Scott treated Sam and I to heart-shaped Krispy Kreme doughnuts this morning for Valentine's day. It was a very sweet treat!

Sam and I were on our own for dinner because Scott had to play a gig at Fort Jackson. Scott actually left here with a fever after spending all afternoon on the couch. Not a great Valentine's Day for him, I'm afraid. But I digress. Sam and I spent most of the afternoon with Missy and Carson at the movies and then to Barnes and Noble for a little train table time and a few books. Sam fell asleep on the way home and slept until I woke him for dinner. We enjoyed a romantic dinner of fish sticks, lima beans, couscous and apple slices with caramel. Sam gobbled up the fish sticks, wouldn't try the caramel or the lima beans, and oddly only ate a few bites of couscous. Odd because couscous is his favorite. I really began to think that he just didn't feel well. And he was playing the part well.

"Mama, will you eat my apples"

"Sure, Baby." (I love apple slices and caramel!)

"Mama, will you eat my beans?"

"Of course, dear." (I don't usually clear his plate, but he was being so pitiful and sweet. So, I obliged!)

"Mama, will you eat my couscous?"

"No, I'll save that for tomorrow. You might want it then."

A few moments passed and Sam looked down at his now cleared plate.

"Mama! I ate my dinner! Can I have a doughnut!"

Did my son really just plan that whole scene out so that he could get a doughnut?!?!

After a cute, lopsided conversation about who actually ate his dinner, I, of course, got him the doughnut. 'Cuz that's the kind of mom I am! (And, because he gave me lots of sweet, sweet looks!)

Oh, was his face ever cute as he exclaimed "I ate my beans!" Miraculously, he was healed! My little, too-smart-for-his-own-good-sometimes genius was healed! Break out the doughnuts!

Don't Believe Groundhogs, Y'all!

Spring is definitely almost here! The two first signs I always look for: robins and daffodils. I saw at least 100 daffodils on the way to work this morning and a few minutes ago I saw a lone robin. Those are definite signs for me every year. Couple those with the gorgeous weather we've had the past few days and now I'm feeling spring fever in a bad way.

Next I'll be looking for dogwood tree blossoms.

Oh, spring is so close I can almost taste it! This time of year is when I really love the south!

Bees Are Yucky!

Monday evening, Scott and Sam accompanied me to the school board meeting. I had to be there anyway since my school was hosting the evening, but they came because the school board was recognizing the newest National Board Recipients, of which I am one. So my posse came to support me!

Anyway, imagine a large activity arena, the kind with the sunken floor, stage in the middle, seating all around, filled with about about 150 people walking around before the meeting. We sat in the very back and spent pre-meeting chasing Sam around. Past us walks this lady, who I'm later told is a principal, wearing a yellow sweatshirt, black pants, yellow shoes and pigtails in her hair with big yellow bows. It was very hard to tell if she was dressed up for some reason or was just being herself. Either way, she looked ridiculous! If she wanted to get noticed, she did. Thankfully, Sam didn't notice her...right then, anyway. But a few minutes later, he spotted her across the room and exclaimed, pretty loudly...

"Mama, look! A bee! .....Eeww! I don't like bees! Bees are yucky! I don't like bees!"

I thought I would wet my pants! All I could do was laugh and try to cover his mouth! God knows, we were all thinking it!

"Sh*t with noodles..."

I've been trying for a few days to get a recording of Sam singing his song o' the week "My Favorite Things." Finally, after about 2 hours of trying and countless bribes including m&ms, a PB&J sandwich and a trip to the zoo, I got it! Although, I can't figure out why, for the very first time, he added the word "not" in there a few times...Anyway, enjoy!

(Sam is 2 3/4 years old in this video.)

Now, I have to get us both ready to meet Carson at the zoo!

Gas Money

I was tempted to sell Sam on eBay this week. I won't. But I was tempted.

Tuesday evening, we met some dear friends at Chick-Fil-A for an impromptu 3rd birthday party for Bradley. Here's the birthday boy:

Sam had a ton of fun...watching all the other children climb up to the top of the indoor climber!

We had a heck of a time getting him to climb up. And when we finally got him up, we couldn't get him to come down! Twice, a team had to be sent in to rescue him and bring him down. He would not go down the slide or climb through the tunnel. This is as close to the slide as he would get, and no, he wasn't coming down it:

All the other children, who didn't even know Sam, were trying to coax him through the tunnel or down the slide. They were so sweet and patient! We finally got Sam to climb up the other side and into the one area he had been wanting to explore:

Sam had a lot of fun playing with all the big kids and Bradley. Leaving was not so much fun. He cried and cried! "My Bradley! My Bradley!" I got lots of fun looks from the people in the restaurant. I wanted to scream "He's 2!" or "Hey! I'm sure you did this, too!" But I didn't. I just patiently walked him out, holding his hand, thanking God that I wasn't the dad who was carrying his child out kicking and screaming! And as soon as we got settled in the car, he was fine.

So I won't be selling him...this week. Besides, a friend asked how much I thought I could get for him. I'm thinking I wouldn't get enough to fill my tank with gas. So it's really not worth ithe trouble anyway!

By the way, here's Bradley's little french fry grabbing sister, Tori. Isn't she a cutie?

I Never Knew Fear Until Tonight

Panic set in as I felt the worst feeling I've ever felt tonight. Sam ran away from me in Wal-Mart this evening. He took off through the clothing racks. I couldn't find him and I was panicked and terrified at the same time. I just tried really hard to listen for him and finally heard him calling me, a slight tone of panic in his voice. But he was OK when I found him. I hope I never have to feel that again. If it does happen again, though, and it probably will, I realized later that I may have had better luck if I had gotten down on the floor to look through the racks.

Funny. Last night I wanted to auction him off on eBay for crying so loudly in Chick-fil-a. Tonight, I'm thanking God for letting me feel that fear for only just a moment and for then returning him safely to me.

Ew, what an awful feeling.

That's Right Ladies...He Bakes, Too!

I had a great surprise one day this week when I picked up Sam from Ms. Pat's house. She met me at the door with a bag full of diapers and pull-ups. "Here, we don't need these here anymore." I asked her three times before leaving if she was sure. Sam had been three days without wearing anything but underwear, even at naptime! So, to celebrate, Sam and I made cupcakes!

Sam chose the cake mix, the frosting and the decorations for the cupcakes. He is a man that obviously knows what he wants because he very quickly chose a chocolate mix and chocolate frosting. Thank God he seems to be more decisive than I am or we could have been there all day!

Once I cleaned the kitchen so we could find the countertop, I got out everything we would need and prepared all the ingredients so that Sam could add everything to the bowl.

He did a good job, only spilling a little bit of mix. "Oops!"

He was determined not to miss a speck!

After adding the cake mix, the oil, the water and the eggs, he was ready to mix. This being his first time using the mixer, I had to actually teach him to keep his fingers out of the bowl while the batter was being mixed. (I can't imagine who taught him how to lick the bowl!)

Time to fill the cups! This step wasn't so bad...

...until Sam realized he could use the spoon to eat the batter! I had to finish filling the cups!

The cupcakes finally went into the oven. We made two dozen! Here are the decorations Sam chose. He really wanted to find monkeys to put on them. I have no idea where that idea came from, but we went to three stores. No monkeys! Thankfully, in the last store, he found the hearts and seemed happy with those.

With the cupcakes out of the oven, Sam could hardly contain himself! He didn't seem to mind that they were hot. He couldn't keep his hands off!

Finally, the cupcakes cooled off enough for Sam to add the frosting and the hearts.

Amidst all the cake mix, spilled water, dropped batter and crumbs, this is the only time that Sam seemed to notice the mess.

After almost 2 hours, we were finally done and ready to eat.

Can't you just see the anticipation on his face?

You might think that after spending money for all the ingredients, cleaning the kitchen...twice, accepting that the white t-shirt was ruined, and spending almost two hours in the kitchen with Sam making cupcakes that I would be upset that this is all he ate:

Not at all! We had so much fun! And it does my heart good that he didn't want to eat the whole batch. I have trained him well!

Kudos to you if you noticed that Sam ended up wearing nothing but his Thomas underwear by the time we were finished. You didn't expect anything less, did you?

By the way, Allison, you don't have to worry. Sam did not put his grubby hands on or dip his spoon into any part of the cupcakes we took to Ms. Pat's! I made sure I took special care of those!