Aye Aye, Captain Patrick the Pirate

Today’s conversation on the way to Jean’s. . .

The scenario: Patrick is wearing the red cup we use to wash soap out of his hair on his left hand as his “pirate hook.”

P: Mom, I can be a bad pirate. Dad can be a bad pirate. Blaise can be a bad pirate. John can be a bad pirate.

Me: Okay.

P: Mom, you can be a good pirate. And Ava. And Ava’s mom. And Stacy. And Kim.

Me: Kim is Ava's mom.

P: Oh, yeah.

Me: And who else?

P: And Jenn can be a good pirate. And Eric can be a bad pirate. Girls are good pirates and boys are bad pirates. And we’re gonna need a bunch of swords.

Me: Okay.

P: And I going to be the captain (salute) with a hook and a BIG sword. Pirates need boats, too. We need boats. Pirates look for an X. You gotta yell loud – X! – when you find it. And the X means treasure.

Me: What’s treasure?

P: Gold is treasure. And food.

Me: Like what kinda food?

P: (Without hesitation) Ice cream. PB&J. Hey mom, there’s a Jeep.

Thinking about #3. . .

LAUGH
BELIEVE

Jenn promised. July 24, 2008. 33 seems like a good time as any for #3.

Jenn & Erics Couple Shower weekend

I LOVE the Mom and Daughter pic!
These flower headbands were the best! It made me feel all "sunshiny." I need one to wear at work. And I SO would!
The Happy Couple.

WHY do I think this is funny?

Kim's tag

*Maybe I should. . . practice the presentation I have to give Tuesday at New Student Orientation.

*People would say that I. . . have a good laugh.

*I don't understand why. . .I think the LOL cats are so funny, but they are.

*When I wake up in the morning. . .I turn on my hair straightener and start the coffee.

*I lost my will power to. . .reason with a 4 year old – not all the time, but sometimes I just have to give in to keep my own sanity.

*Life is wonderful with. . .a blow-up pool, Patrick and a “best of Robert Earl Keen” cd playing in the backyard.

*My past made me. . . appreciate those people who love me for who I am.

*I get annoyed when. . .good people are continually taken advantage of.

*Parties are not. . .the same until someone changes outfits.

*Dogs are. . .loyal, but not for me.

*Cats are. . my kind of pet.

*Tomorrow I am going to. . .practice my presentation for New Student Orientation and coordinate a wedding at St. Es.

*I have a low tolerance for. . . unappreciative people. Let’s make that a ZERO tolerance.

*I'm totally terrified of. . .scuba diving.

*I wonder why I thought my life would be. . . story book?

*Never in my life. . . wow this is a hard one. . .I don't like "never". . .

*High school was something that. . . provided me with a lot of good memories. I miss cheering and show choir.

*When I'm nervous. . . I laugh. When I am nervous about public speaking, I get really wordy. This is why I should be practicing my NSO presentation instead of completing this!

*Take my advice. . .love yourself first! And everything else falls in line. Thanks, Lucille Ball.

*Making my bed is. . . something I do every day after I turn on the coffee. I have a very regimented morning routine.

*I'm almost always. . . drinking green tea when I am at work.

*I'm addicted to. . . working out. I never thought I would be. Maybe it’s the Catholic guilt in me, but I feel very guilty if I don’t work out some every day – especially on days when Patrick is with Paul. I accumulated almost 30 miles in just the first 3 days of this week!

*I want someone. . . to cook for. And microwaving chicken nuggets for Patrick doesn’t really count.

I couldn't resist

Perfect Paddy Weekend

How much fun is sidewalk chalk?! This is Pirate Paddy and Pirate Mom. I have the peg leg.

This weekend was PERFECT! The only thing we had to do was go to tee ball. Friday night we went to the Tech-Baylor baseball game. It was a GREAT game! Great defense. And got to see some home runs, too. They gave away Coach Hays bobbleheads, which Patrick is calling "Coshays bobbler." Too bad they couldn't keep the winning up all weekend. Here Lugnut #4, Paddycakes Codd. Aren't those little baseball pants the cutest?
We spent all Sunday afternoon in the backyard. MAN, did I need a day like this. We could not asked for more perfect weather. We played pirates with swords, we played Star Wars, we colored with sidewalk chalk, we blew big bubbles, I pulled him around in the pool, we watered the flowers, he practiced his swimming, I read my Rachel Ray magazines. We ate popsicles and ice cream sandwiches and oranges and apples. It was an absolutely perfect, PERFECT day. I really needed a laid back fun day with my little man. He discovered how much fun a water hose can be. And found his swim mask in the shed.
He announced that his mask and swim shoes (aqua socks) made him swim faster. He also announced that he was a "good talker underwater."
Nothing is better than a weekend day spent in the backyard with you favorite little man, listening to Robert Earl Keen and working on your tan.

Little known talents I bet you didn't know

This post has nothing to do with Champ - I mean, Mr. Tootknocker - I just loved this picture and had to share. I love that Patrick loves John so much.

I've recently realized 2 new talents.

1. I am skilled at reading upside down. By that I mean when the words are upside down - not me. Patrick likes to look at/read his Highlights and Ranger Rick magazines at dinner. We sit across from each other, so I must read upside down. And I must say, I think I am a pretty proficient upside-down reader. If you ask nicely, I might demonstrate.

2. I can spell sdrawkcab (backwards). Not that this is a necessary daily skill, but I can do it. I think I first became aware of it playing Cranium. But I practice sometimes. In fact, I spelled sdrawkcab while visiting my grandmother in Floydada just last week. My mom thinks it's a spatial thing, even though I am not a spatial thinker; I think it's a visual learner thing.

Now you know. Impressed?

Hello Spidey! Now we're really wall-walking!

Patrick wanted to climb the wall at the gym again last night and I had my camera this time. (Who takes their camera to the gym?) The harness is cinched up as small as it will go. Ben, the wall guy, said Paddy is the youngest kid he has ever seen climb the wall. I am just so proud of him that he wants to do this. A little scared, too, that if he is so comfortable doing this at 4, what is he going to want to attempt at 14?!

My Mother's Day 2008

Me and the REASON I get to celebrate Mother's Day! May 11 was my actual due date - that would have made for a really special Mom's day, but I am not complaining he was 3 weeks early. He was still 6 lbs 14.5 ounces! Not a day goes by that he doesn't wear that Spidey suit. The flowers in the wagon were just the ones we planted in the backyard.

Saturday evening Patrick and I went to rent movies and he of course got. . . a Spiderman cartoon – what else – and I saw Pete’s Dragon in the family section. Pete’s Dragon was one of my favorites, if not my absolute favorite, movie when I was about Patrick’s age. My parents have several stories of me telling people about my invisible dragon Elliot (the dragon in the movie.) Now Patrick is telling stories about Elliot being with us – just like I did! That’s kinda scary, but in a sentimental way. After Patrick watched the Spidey movie, we watched Pete’s Dragon together on a palate on the Tech room floor and ate little pizzas together. I could sing all the songs even to this day! He has been telling everyone that Pete’s Dragon was one of my favorite movies when I was a little girl.

Patrick has been waking me up in the middle of the night with his bad dreams. I don’t think he wakes up, he just cries and screams. Seriously. He woke up once Saturday night and walked into my room. I picked him up and he was all crying and I couldn’t get him to stop. I asked him what he needed and he said “I need you.” Ah!!! It’s sweet and therapeutic to hear that my “big boy” needs me even though I don’t think he is fully aware of what he does when he wakes up.

After church, Patrick and I went to my parents’ house for lunch - Patrick says it’s a rule that we go to Doodah and Papa J’s after church for lunch. Dad grilled steaks and made baked potatoes and my grandfather joined us. After lunch, we all watched Pete’s Dragon. Just after watching it twice Patrick started singing some of the songs
I surprised my mom with a pedicure before the Stamps’ wedding. You can't see them in this picture, but we both had sassy little flowers painted on them too, which really messed with Patrick. I also got her some flowers for actual Mother’s Day. Yes, that is a Tanqueray bottle as the “vase.” They had an empty one and I said I thought it would make a nice vase in her green kitchen. She laughed, but I took it home, soaked off the label and gave it to her yesterday. How perfect is it with the “T” and all.

Mom and Dad bought me lots of flowers for my flower pots for Mother’s Day. So after Pete’s Dragon, we went to my house plant. And Dad did my lawn. No more breakdowns about the pitiful shape my lawn was in. Funny story – he was edging along the fence in the back while I was watering one of the pots by the fence and something totally hit me on the forehead. We didn’t take time to pick up Rudy’s poop and think a piece of old poop hit me in the head!!!! My yard looks amazing now with the cut grass and colorful flowers. I am excited about hanging out in my backyard now. Dad got me and Mom orchid Mother’s Day corsages – which we wore all day, even while planting flowers. All in all we planted 19 – yes NINETEEN – flower pots. Heaven forbid my mother and I actually relax and take it easy on Mother's Day. Like mother, like daughter.

Happily Ever After. . . the Wedding of Mr. & Mrs. John Chance

The Tye Family
Mr. Chance and those crazy blond bridesmaids (stolen from Jenn's pic, but who took it?)
me and the lovely bride - seriously, Stacy was one of the most beautiful and most calm brides I have ever seen (Jennifer Adling photographer)
me kissing Mr. Blaise - what a sweet and handsome boy (Jennifer Adling photographer)

I am still laughing about snorting during the ceremony. "Is this guy a preacher or a golf commentator?" Oh Jennifer! I'm just glad Stacy thought it was funny.

Oh yeah, and I won the "grandma in-grandma out" bet, too. And y'all thought I was crazy for guessing 24:10. Who's paying up on that one?

Happy Mother's Day 2008

"All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother."- Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)

Here’s to moms. Especially MY MOM. Reasons, things, memories I love about my Mom, Grandma and Mammy…

1. She’s MY Mom. No one else – well, other than Josh – can say that.

2. She knows when I need to hear “I love you, sug. It’ll be okay," in the last few months more than ever Sug is short for Sugar. When I said last year on my Mother's Day blog that I thought the shortened version should be “sHug" with an H, she took noticed and has been typing sHug ever since.

3. She taught me how to cook from scratch and from the heart. Or should that be from the stomach? She passed along her “sense of spice” (although she much prefers gah-lic and I prefer curry)– we don’t necessarily need a recipe to cook. We can both just kinda make it up. She’s also the queen of cooking new meals with leftovers. Her Chinese low mien or turkey enchiladas are her best leftovers.

4. She’s pretty crafty with a sewing machine. She can hem my pants and skirts, fix Patrick’s holes in his jeans, and make super superhero capes. She’s also much better than me at making bows. She has tried her hardest to get me to be crafty in a sewing way, but I know my level of patience and it’s just not there for sewing. I’m sure glad she was in 4-H.

5. She was adamant that Josh and I take piano lessons. It was a chore, but it taught me how to read music. Knowing how to read music was a bonus when I got into choir. I was in choir all 6 years of junior high & high school and I owe my singing talent all to her. It’s funny . . . when I sing with the choir or even in the congregation, my voice naturally sings what she is singing even if I don’t necessarily know the part. The only song we can sing 2 different parts on is “Silent Night.”

6. Along with the musical talent she passed along, I also got her dancing gene. Oh, Marsha can shake it. And LOVES TO. I have heard many stories about her dancing adventures. If we are at a dance, I know I can count on Mom to be by dancing machine partner.

7. She’s a first-class hand shark concert puppeteer. That party at Jenn’s & Eric’s was SO MUCH FUN! Who knew that hand sharks could sing “The Star-Spangled Banner,” John Denver and the Mamas and the Papas. I am laughing right now thinking about that one. I don’t know if everyone else found it as entertaining as we did, but that was some concert.

8. Her “Marsha-isms.” Just a few. . .

a. She thinks it would be fun to play “short base” not shortSTOP, but short base.

b. She thinks she’s a good “fluffer.” And by “fluffer” she means of bows and flowers -even though I have told her what a “fluffer” really is.

c. She was telling us a about a meeting she was in and said they were “knocking ideas off the wall.” What she actually meant was “knocking around ideas” OR “bouncing ideas off the wall.”

d. After 4 years of watching Tech football, she asks “Who’s Taurean Henderson?” Season ticket money well spent.

e. She recently told my dad he looked "H.Q." By that we assume she meant a cross between GQ and HR.

9. She’s the best “Doodah” a daughter could ask for. She has stepped into the role of grandma with such enthusiasm and delight. It’s fun to see her (and Papa J) interact with Patrick in ways I was never able to interact with my grandparents. I am thankful that they are young enough and healthy enough to be able to play tackle or horse or catcher with Patrick. And that they are close enough to be able to enjoy him everyday if they wanted. I am thankful that she can be the "Paddy wagon" when I can't (that's what we call it when Doodah or Papa J picks him up - clever, huh?). I find it humorous that she can’t say no to a 4-year old who wants just one piece of chocolate before bedtime. Or one more episode of Blues Clues. She (and Papa J) has truly embraced what being a grandparent is all about.

10. She’s MY MOM. I think I already said it, but that’s a big enough reason to mention it twice.

On grandmas. . .

Grandma – my mom’s mom- could always remember birthdays. And there over 60 of them on that side of the family! We are Bednarz's remember! She was also good with just “just because” notes and pass it on cards. I think I inherited my birthday-remembering, card-sending talent from her. She also had such a strong faith and commitment to the Rosary. I want to become stronger in my faith. I know she is one of my guardian angels who can help me strengthen my faith. I definitely didn’t get her baking ability. She could always bake the perfect dessert and baked almost every day.

Mammy – my dad’s mom – is one with-it 90-year-old. She calls me out of the blue to talk about the Rangers and Tech sports. She often calls while a game is on TV to ask about plays. I love that she is an avid Jeopardy! watcher and Ken Jennings fan. I think of her on the days when I get to watch it. She always has a cross-word puzzle lying around and we have actually finished a couple together. I appreciate her for her no-nonsense way of life and that she just calls out of the blue. We moved her into an assisted living facility last week. She knew it was time and she knows almost everyone there. I am excited to go visit her new digs tomorrow.

These are 2 more ladies that I owe a lot to, but still have a long way to go to be the example they set.

On friends. . .I am so fortunate to have so many “cool mom” friends. Each one of them has taught me something new about what it means to be a mom. I hope I am a good “mom friend” in return.

Gargles and Toty belts

2 recent Patrick funnines. . .

1. Doodah and Papa J gave him some Buzz Lightyear Night Vision GOGGLES for his birthday. They have 2 little flashlights on the temples. He either calls them his GARGLES or Cyclops, which is a super hero on his Memory game.

2. He's been way into super heros lately, branching out from just Spiderman. Doodah made him a brown Naugahyde belt for his Halloween Obi Wan costume than has become his Batman TOTY BELT. I keep trying to tell him it's a UTILITY BELT but he insists that's it's a TOTY BELT. He even sleeps with his TOTY BELT.