Monday, March 26, 2012

Bears, Beets.....

Well, bears anyway.

 As I was driving home from visiting my mom earlier, I was quizzed by Olyut.

 "Who would win in a fight? A polar bear or a grizzly bear?", he asked.

 I replied, "I don't Olyut. What do you think? Who would win?"

 "NO! It doesn't work like that....you have to pick one".

 "Fine. Um, a polar bear? The polar bear would win."

 "Wrong. The grizzly bear would win."

 And suddenly, as I glanced in my rear view mirror, I could have sworn he was wearing glasses and a tie.

It's funny, I don't remember giving birth to Dwight Schrute.


Friday, March 9, 2012

Banjo Hero?

One December morning, right after getting Olyut off to school, I sat down to feed my baby when my phone started to ring. I picked it up to see who was calling. When I saw that it was Olyut's school, a million thoughts ran through my mind.....he's being bullied again, he forgot his lunch, he fell on the playground, he's sick and I'm going to have to pick him up. Nothing could have possibly prepared me for what happened when I answered the phone...
"Hello"
"-----"
"Hello?"
"--------"
"HELLO??"
"Ummm, Mommy?"
"Oh hi, Olyut...what's up buddy?"
"Mommy, I forgot to bring my, oops I mean Uncle Brent's....I forgot to bring Uncle Brent's banjo with me to school today. I need you to bring it to me"
"Brent's banjo? Why do you need Brent's banjo?"
"Because today is our class Christmas party and we're supposed to play an instrument for the class."
"you don't know how to play the banjo, bud."
"But I do. I really do!"
"No you don't Olyut, besides that is only for the kids in your class that take music lessons."
"No it isn't. Come on! Just bring me the banjo."
"Yes it is, your teacher sent home a note saying that some of the kids in your class take piano lessons and have wanted to play for the class, so she was going to let them play for your party. You don't take music lessons but you can start some if you want to. I don't even know where Brent's banjo is and even if I did, I'm not going to bring it to you. You don't know how to play it."
"I DO! I really DO!!"
"No you don't buddy. Now go back to class."
"-----"
"Olyut? Go back to class now please."
"Fine. I guess I'll just have to sing then." *click*

He hung up on me!

 It was ok though, I could hardly keep from laughing by that point of the conversation. I'm not quite sure how he got it in his mind that he could play any instrument, let alone the banjo that had been collecting dust in the deepest, darkest recesses of his Uncle's closet. But he was so sure. And I bet in his mind I was going to hop right in my car to bring it to him. And when it was his turn to play for his class, it would look something like this...

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same

I had a hard time sleeping last night. The air was full of anxious worry that I would somehow miss hearing my alarm clock. If I missed my early wake up call I would certainly ruin the entire day, and quite possibly the coming weeks and months.

 The night was full of tossing and turning, great anticipation, and sideways glances as the minutes ticked by ever so slowly.

 11:45

 12:26

1:17

 At 3:30 I finally gave up and crawled out of bed. My alarm was set to go off in 8 minutes anyway. I rummaged around in the dark for some warm socks. I threw on my jeans and a sweater. I grabbed my fleece blanket, coat, and camp chair. I'd be waiting in line for a while. Outside. I wanted to make sure I'd be warm and comfortable.

 I hopped in my orange minivan and picked up two of my friends and we were on our way. We got in line just after 4 AM with only two people in front of us. By 5:30, when they opened the doors for us to continue our wait inside, there were at least 25 people behind us.

We waited an additional hour and a half before we were each given a numbered wristband and told to come back at 6 PM.

 When we returned, we were among the few lucky ones. We got exactly what we were looking for, and the satisfaction was even sweeter than the result of similar excursions from my teens and early twenties.

Only this time it wasn't killer concert tickets, or the latest Harry Potter book that I walked away with.

This time, it was the smile on that sweet, little, 4 year old face as I told her I had secured her spot in the same preschool class as her BFF.

Monday, March 5, 2012

Can I Play With the iPad?

The Princess likes to get up early in the morning. Really early. But since daddy doesn't have to leave for work until Olyut leaves for school, we like to sleep in a little.

"But it's a little bit lighty out, that means its day time", she'll say when we try to send her back to bed.

We want it to be more than a little lighty out when we get up, so daddy came up with a brilliant idea. He changed the setting on our Netflix account to only show family friendly selections, we give The Princess the iPad in the morning, she climbs back in her bed to watch Dora or The Backyardigans, and we get to sleep a little longer.

 Most mornings it works beautifully. But every now and then there is a hiccup or two.

 Like one morning last week.

"Not right now, Sweetie Pie. It is downstairs charging right now."



This particular morning Daddy had gotten up early to handle some work problems and she didn't realize he answered her from the bathroom. Or that he hopped in the shower before she could ask again.


And she especially didn't realize that Olyut had gotten up even earlier than she had and crawled in bed with me. She was shocked by these revelations. But not too shocked to give Olyut a piece of her mind.

He just thought it was funny.