A Very Thomas Birthday

On the 21st of September Joseph will be three years old. We are celebrating a few days earlier though, so the family can be here together on a sunday. Besides, this is the day he should have been born if he had not been stuborn enough to keep mommy in three days of labour. Not that I will keep that hanging over his heard for the rest of his life of course..... but I just thought I'ld mention it.

Last night, my wonderful Husband spent his evening and part of the night putting together Joseph's birthday gift: an Imaginarium Train table. Joseph, as you may know is utterly insane about trains, particularly Thomas the Tank Engine. Ama (Joseph's name for my mother) and Bill worked together for two hours to get the table done, then I helped the last hour after my mother went to bed putting some of the smaller things together. We applied some magic and wall stickers and.... presto we had a Thomas the Tank Engine traintable!! Hurray! It was well past midnight when both of us saw our bed, but it was worth it.







This morning Mommy, Dadda and Ama gathered around Joseph's bed to sing happy birthday and then he was carried downstairs to discover his birthday surprise. I wish I had words to describe his delight. I have however a video and if I can manage to upload it, you will see what I mean. He was not just happy, he was over the moon. He kept looking, touching, running his trains over the rails. We had serious trouble convincing him of the necessity to actually get dressed to go to mass!



At Church several people wished our boy a happy birthday, but his main interest remained getting back home to play with the traintable. Even the arrival of Aunt Sarah, Mimi and Pa, his aunt and paternal grandparents just meant that there were now more people to drag along to come and admire him as he raced around, pushing trains on the tracks, through tunnels and over bridges.

After everyone had gathered, the trains had been admired we made ready for a birthday tradition: pictures at JCPenny! But even here Thomas the Tank engine could not be excluded.

We skipped naps today, always a big risk, but a present from Mimi while at the restaurant made Joseph behave well and stay on his side: Cranky the Crane, a college of Thomas at the docks and a take along set provided lots of fun while the rest of us played pass the baby with Michael and ate.

Then finally we could go back home to play with the unbeatable train table again. I am convinced Joseph has run more than a mile in small circles around that thing today. Even the Thomas cake and further Thomas presents (Thomas boots, a Thomas rain coat and an umbrella, together with some fun grow along toys) were only sufficient for a break of half an hour, before the race began again.







That cake was a story by itsself. We wanted to order one at our local Publix store and asked for some information. We needed to decide between a pull apart cupcake cake and a cake. When I came back, they informed me, three days before the birthday party that they were out of Thomas the Tank engine kits. And I already had promised my little boy a Thomas cake. Oops. And I have never in my life decorated a cake. Double oops! I decided to be creative. I asked the bakery to make a plain round cake, with happy birthday on it, and red and blue (Thomas' colours) icing around it. Then I had the genius idea (if I say so myself) to use the heads of Thomas the tank engine Pez candy dispensers for decoration. The only thing I needed to add were some tracks.




Reluctantly we said goodbye to Mimi, aunt Sarah and Pa shortly after the cake and presents and played with the trains till it was time for the bedtime rituals to start. Mommy even snuck in a nap!
James received the honour of going with Joseph under the blankies and Ama read a Dutch story about, what else, a train, and then Joseph went off to the land of Dre.... well.. the island of Sodor I am sure, in his Very Thomas Bedroom.

Consequences

Joseph loves Thomas the Tank Engine. Joseph loves playing with the Thomas the Tank Engine table at the toy store. Joseph loves it so much that he will ask to go there a few dozen times a day. Since we do not want to aggravate the people of the toy store by playing there every day and never buying something, we ration visits to once every week or two. I try to explain Joseph how this works by using the calendar and showing him what day we are and when we will go. He dutifully listens and then just ask again.."Shall we go to the Thomas Table?" "Shall we go in the car and go bye bye to the Thomas Table?" Needless to say that today when we actually DID go to the Thomas table, I almost felt a sense of relief. Yes.. we are going to the Thomas Table.



Unfortunately, we did not stay long at the Thomas Table.



Joseph knows he needs to be gentle with his little brother. He also knows that he can not just do anything, or there will be a consequence. If he deliberately crashes into his brother when we are all playing on the bed, mama takes the little brother away. This is a big punishment and usually followed by wails of "I want him. Mama needs to come back!" He knows that if he throws his toys, they get taken away. (except for squishy toys that are allowed to be thrown). And he knows that kicking, hitting, or blatant disobedience mean time out. He knows all this.

So I do not understand why, after two warnings, he decided to deliberately push down his little brother, who is just learning to stand, while he was holding on to the Thomas table. "Michael can't play." is just no excuse, right?

So... up we grabbed Joseph, Michael went in the stroller and we moved out of the store, with a screaming and crying todler in his fathers arms who kept wailing that he wanted to go back to the Thomas table. His cruel parents however did not relent, and just kept saying that he should not have pushed his little brother (after two warnings, where we had intervened no less). Once at home I tried to explain to a still crying and hicupping Joseph that this was a "consequence" (hey, if he can learn the word metamorphosis, he can learn this one). If he pushed his little brother down, he was not a good boy. And if he is not a good boy he can not play with the Thomas table. Through hiccups and crying he told me he wanted the consequence. I guess he did not really understand. Ah well, he will in time. And one day he will thank us, right? Right?

StPetersInspiration

StPetersInspiration

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Sometimes you get a nudge

Some of the long time readers of my blog may remember that before I married I was a religion teacher in a public school. Being a teacher was not something I had ever expected to be. Through a whole series of events and nudgings from the Holy Spirit, I ended up with a Masters in one field, a bachelors in another and all of a sudden with the conviction that I was called to teach. I didn't expect to teach in an inner city public school, but I was led there and felt wonderful, knowing this was the place I needed to be.
I married and felt that my place was at home adjusting first to married life and then to being a mother twice. I had wonderful days, and hard days, and had no regrets about giving up my job, even though I missed the teaching sometimes, since my own little boys are still too young for any formal teaching (though they are definitely taught).

A few months ago it seemed the Holy Spirit put something new on my path. While I would not consider going back in the workforce an opportunity presented itself at my church, for a 15 hour position as a youth minister. My husband suggested me to apply. I hesitated... I would love to do this, but would it be too much time to take away from my family? I was interviewed and things seemed to go well. And still I doubted. Then the Holy Spirit intervened. At least that is what people in the parish claim. They had prayed for the Holy Spirit to send them the right candidate. Instead of one candidate they could not pass up, they were send two! I could accept the position with now only 10 hours on my plate, with 8 of those that can be worked from home.

The magic library

It’s been hot. It’s been really hot lately, and aside from church or eating out, we have been stuck at home a lot, trying to get the house back in order after nearly two months of traveling. Being stuck inside at home though has a negative effect on Joseph’s mood and behaviour, which in turn has a bad influence on mommy’s mood. To avoid spending a day in the grumps because I couldn’t get in gear, I promised Joseph a trip to the library.

Joseph loves the library. I guess it sort of falls in the same category as those bookshelves we talked about earlier. He loves books and, in the interest of full disclosure I must mention that the library also has lots of computers which he loves. So, around eleven we happily set off to the wonderful Richland County Public Library. The people there have known him since he was barely two months old. They’re kind, helpful, and the library itself is so child friendly. Joseph loves it.

So, of we went on our adventure. First of all Joseph got to go on the elevator. He loves elevators, and escalators. And they have BOTH. Then, into the children’s section we went, with Michael slowly waking up in the stroller, and Joseph ready to explore. Up to the puzzles first. Then some books. We read 'Gossie“, and “I love trains.” and Michael listened along and looked at the pictures.
I am trying to teach Joseph more and more about the library, and I want him to be as enthousiast about it as I am. So, when he rushed past some more books, and wanted to go on the elevator, I swallowed my first reply which was: “No Joseph. We can’t. See? Mommy has the stroller.” Which would have probably be followed by much arm pulling and progressively more exasperated “No, Joseph. No!” Instead, I sort of forced myself to think: “Why not?” And unbuckling Michael, I left the stroller between the up and down escalator and up we went. Then down we went. My boys loved it and then I got a further idea.

I crouched down, Michael on my arm and holding Joseph back who wanted to go for another ride up and lowered my voice. Children seem to automatically know that when grown ups lower their voice a bit, things get interesting. I pointed at the desk and asked Joseph if he saw the people behind the desk. Of course he did. Then I told him that these people are…. Magic! I am not sure if he really understood the word, but at least he grasped that it was something very special. Then I went on and explained to him that if he wanted to read a book about anything… anything at all, he could just go up to them, and ask them. And they would find him that book. That at least sounded cool. So up we went, but when he stood in front of the desk, my little boy couldn’t think of a single subject. I had the impression that some of the librarians had actually heard my little ‘magic’ comment, because they seemed to have a twinkle in their eyes. I suggested a book about Jesus and Joseph immediately grasped at the idea. So very officially I asked the librarian if they had a book about Jesus. And yes indeed, they had. We followed the very kind man to the right section and he pulled two books for us. Joseph was impressed.

One of the books was an absolutely beautiful illustrated book about Jesus by an author called Demi. The writing was a bit too difficult (the book is based on the KJV of the bible), but he does recognize the scenes of course. We talked about it, pointed out sheep and birds with Michael sitting on my lap. We pointed at Mary in the nativity scene. We talked about what was happening at the wedding in Cana. We pointed at fishes and bread. We went over the last supper and I told him that was what we remember at mass (Theology in kid size! I should write books) And then it became harder. How do you explain the crucifiction to a two year old??? Joseph in the mean time had grown slightly impatient. He skipped a few pages and we saw the descent from the cross. I explained that Jesus had died. Before I could ask him if he knew what death was, he flipped forward to the end where we see the resurrection and concluded “And they lived happily ever after. The end”.
What more was there to say? No way I could explain it better, right? So I put the book away and ran after him.

On the way to the puzzles he was distracted by two other boys who were cutting and coloring at a table. He joined them and immediately started talking about his new friends. Zeke and Cody were wonderful, including the much younger boy in, and offering him scissors and crayons. I think I scored some mom points in the eyes of all of them by folding a little boat, and after admiring triangles and alligators, we went home.
I LOVE the library.

A three bath day...

Today started pretty well with church and the chance to see our wonderful faith family again after a month of (wonderful) holiday in Belgium. The weather was hot, there were no big meltdowns and Michael slept his way through our little lunch at the Chinese restaurant. Joseph behaved very well there and all was well with the world.
Then the day started to go south a bit. I discovered when looking into the car mirror after exiting the chinese restuarant I had a blue smudge on my neck. To my horror my new beautiful natural stone necklace was bleeding colour not just on my skin, but on my beautiful blouse, the one I was wearing for Michael's baptism. Despite putting stain remover on it immediately after coming home, I am not sure if I can fully get it off. Still, I spoke sternly to myself not to make a mountain out of moleshill and shrugged it mostly off, hoping it could be righted.

Then there was the poopoo incident. Potty training is not easy, and Joseph seems rather resistant. We asked him if he was making poopoo and he firmly denied doing so, but was discovered a bit later not to have told the truth. He had so much not told the truth that both pants and shirt needed to go in the laundry immediately and mommy had to put him in the bath tub to scrub him clean. (Bath number one here) I managed to hold on to patience and used the opportunity to tell him about the difference between telling the truth and lying. And reminded him of the ten rules that Jesus wants us to follow. Well, we have only just started with two of the rules: listening to mommy and daddy and now telling the truth.
It was rather hard to stay angry though, since he strutted around after the bath in his bath shrug with the bunny hood proclaiming how cute he was. Hmmm guess he has heard that somewhere....

The boys did pretty well after that, though Michael for some reason still wants to be carried mostly by mommy instead of dada. After Joseph went to bed, Bill and I had great fun feeding Michael his first bite of solids, and the accompaning pictures turned out so adorable, I forgot any remnants of a bad mood and uploaded them for everybody to see.



Shortly after Joseph's nap ended dadda went to the radiostudio for an interview with Cynthia Hardy of On point and mommy stayed home with her two boys and a music dvd to dance on. Joseph being curious wanted to play with mommy's camera. Now this is a boy who is drinking out of a wedgewood cup without breaking it. While he is as wild as they get, he can definitely be careful. He has played with that camera hundreds of times, though usually within armslength of mommy. Today I let him just play with it and try to take pictures while I nursed Michael. And of course that is when it happened, my wild boy forgot to be careful and.. broke the camera! I am not sure if he dropped it first or managed to get the lens stuck first and then dropped it in frustration, all I know is that I looked up, saw it drop, saw the batteries roll out and when I grabbed Michael under my arm and went to the camera... it was broken.
Joseph kept trying to take the camera and repeating "camera, camera... Joseph has the camera". And I admit I raised my voice when I answered him sharply: "No more camera, Joseph has broken the camera. It is broken!"
He started to cry and I felt even more miserable. Not only was my camera broken, but I had yelled at my son for something that was essentially my fault. After all... I should not have let him play with it. I apologized, and told him that mommy should not have yelled at him but also that she was sad that Joseph had broken her camera and that he should be more careful.

I definitely felt somewhat blue the remaining time while I was waiting for Bill to return. After he did, he spoke to Joseph about being more careful as well, and I took a moment for myself. Just a moment to load the little toy I had kept for just such an occasion: A BUBBLE GUN. We took Joseph and Michael outside and while Bill started to water the newly laid sod, I took out the bubblegun and blew hundreds of bubbles. That was fun. THere are very few things in my opinion that work as well against the blues than bubbles. Unless it is... a two and a half year old running like mad through the water of the garden hose. He had such fun... so much better than any water park could be. Then I had a brilliant idea. Joseph is resistant to having his hair washed. I dashed inside for some shampoo, and put it on his hair while he continued to run in and out of the water. (bath two right there) There we were on our front lawn, Joseph with foaming hair running up and down like a lunatic. Bill holding the garden hose with one hand and Michael under the other, and I blowing bubbles and laughing till I had tears in my eyes. Especially when Joseph managed to fall down in the sod, get mud all over him and tried to run on even when his pants was falling down to his knees. It was too good an opportunity.
Bill went inside and got out the big canon camera and we snapped up some pictures.



Then Joseph took another bath (yes, we are at number three) inside and is currently running around in his bunny towel again proclaiming his cuteness.
Ahhhh... life is good!