Guy's 5th Birthday... Pirate theme, of course. Aarrgh!

Guy's Birthday Month

I was determined to have a birthday party for Guy this year, partly to make up for the lack thereof last year. We were out of town and I didn't get to follow through with anything, although I picked up a few decorations. Besides that I love to plan and host parties.

I we decided we would hold off on the big party until Grandma moved out here, so she could celebrate with us. That would happen three weeks after his birthday. He had a mini birthday with his dad in the park a few days before. On the day of, we were invited to an old time friend of mine's house to join her and her boys and her friend's boys for a little water day in her back yard. We brought cupcakes and hot dogs for all to enjoy.

Later that day we bought a carrot cake and sang happy birthday out in Frankenstein's tent on the front lawn. We had so much fun singing that we did it again and again.

The next day, Sunday we had dinner guests. I made a chocolate cake with cookie flowers on it to celebrate Guy's birthday with my brother and sister in-law and our guests.

My mother just moved out with us, this last Sunday and my dad's sister and her husband came to visit and they brought cupcakes and a gift for Guy.

Then on Monday we had the Final Birthday Party for Guy Smiley. It turned out great, in spite of the odds. I was stressing the whole weekend because I knew there was a lot to be done before the party. I couldn't have done it without all of my family's help in getting the boxes cleared out of the rooms from moving and setting up for the party.

We had jellyfishing with nets and balloons. Then we blew bubbles. I made these special labels for the bubbles that said, "Guy Smiley's 3rd Birthday August 13th." with a picture of Spongebob and Patrick blowing bubbles that said, "It's all in the technique." Then we had hot dogs and hamburgers and krabby patties with fruit salad. We had gold fish served out of a plastic little fish tank with a fish net. I forgot to bake the french fries, ha, oh well. It could have been worse. Oh, and I made star shaped ice cubes to use in the drinks.

After that, we played a game of sponge toss. Then we had cake and ice cream. The cake was a big hit. It turned out more green than yellow, but it was still freaking cool.

Lastly Guy opened his gifts. After opening the first one, he looked up and said, "I need go pee." So we paused while Frankenstein helped him in the rest room. He was slow at unwrapping some of the gifts, then with the gift bags he just pulled stuff out till he got to the bottom and went on to the next gift. I think he is still discovering some of the gifts he got.

I passed out fish pens, gummy krabby patties, bubbles and balloons to the kids as they left.

Phew! I am glad that part is over. It ended just in time for me to get sick. =(

Guy V.S. the Toilet II

Since Guy's babysitter (Grandpa) found a job, and school was starting I had to find a day care for Guy. I noticed one that I drove by on my way home. I enrolled him in their program. I was excited to know that he will be getting some education there and he will be engaged with organized activities with several other kids. I was especially excited to find that they will assist with the potty training!

I figured I would let Guy mess their hard floors instead of wetting on our carpet or couch. So I got brave and sent him in underwear instead of pull-ups. The first couple days I found a surprise in his backpack that they sent home with me. They will wash a child's clothes if they wet in them, but they cannot clean them out if they are pooped in. So, they send them home in a zip-lock bag, poop and all!

I made a deal with him, that if he would go poop in the toilet at school, I would let him pick out a big candy bar from the store. (I have been giving him the snack size ones when he goes poop on the toilet at home, which only happens about once a week.) I asked a couple times if he went poop in the toilet at school and he said no. I wanted to give him one day anyway for having dry shorts that day. He declined my offer!

One morning after I got him dressed without his diaper, I was just a minute away from being ready to go out the door, when I hear him from downstairs say, "Mommy, I need go pee pee, poo poo potty." I tell him to come upstairs to the potty. I turned to go down the stairs and I rush down to help him come up. When I pick him up, I realize that he has actually already started going through his shorts and on the floor. I tell him to hold it as I carry him up to the toilet. He managed to pinch off a few drops to save for the toilet.

That first week of Pre-School, I felt as if it was a miracle that I was able to get to work at all. He had a hard time letting me go when I would drop him off because we get there just in time for the kids to take a nap. He puts up a fight, just for me so I know that he loves me and I'll be missed. =) When I pick him up, I can tell that he has fun there.

Guy is doing much better about going pee on the potty. One morning last week, he just walked into the bathroom and did his business without needing my help. It made my day! He still struggles with getting the poop in the toilet, though.

One morning, he was out in front with underwear on and he pooped in his pants. We talked about it before he went out there and we located all the potties, including the little one in the garage. At this point I decided to take some drastic measures. I brought him over to the garden hose where I have to spray out his shorts. Then I turned the hose on his butt. He ran and cried a bit, but he was fine. I took him up and put him in the bath.

He continues to go poop in his shorts and I promised him I would spray him with the hose each time he goes in his shorts and I have followed through with it, and he doesn't seem to mind it. Two days ago, I think he did it so I would put him in the bathtub!

Impression of Our Cat

We had to put our cat, Newman to sleep a few weeks ago. He was 18 years old and he was going poop inside the house and puking and peeing in the garage. We couldn't put anything on the floor without the risk of him marking it. We were constantly cleaning up one of his messes.

I was concerned that Guy would be missing him. He liked to cuddle with him, even though he had been scratched a couple times for being too rough. So far, Guy hasn't asked where the kitty is. The only mention of him is when he randomly calls out, "Kitty poop garage," as if to tattle on him.

Wake Up!

Guy's favorite little game to play lately is to surprise you by saying, "Wake Up....go sleep......Wake up..." over and over again. He cracks himself up when the person pretends to be sleeping then suddenly awakened by his voice.

On our way back home from shopping on Saturday, I looked back at him in the rear view window. His head was resting on the side of his car seat and I figured he was asleep. I continued watching him for a minute because he looked so cute. A punk song had come on the radio in the mean time. Suddenly he lifted his head and started rocking back and forth in his seat to the music. He caught me by surprise.

"Wwaake Up!"

This One

Guy was playing with his doll that we got for him to potty train him with. He calls it "My Baby". I asked him if his baby has a name. He said, "Yeah."

So I asked what his name was. He said, "This One".

Can't wait til bathtime 

The Bathtime Ritual

At the very mention of bathtime Guy will usually resist and tell me, "No like bath." Once the water is running and the bubbles are forming he is usually occupied with throwing his toys into the tub. He has boats, blocks, spiders, bugs, frogs, ducks, turtles, balls, bowling pins, cars, rackets, swords, bubble blowers, letters and numbers. Sometimes he will even bring a special toy in with him like his fishing pole.

I am always on the lookout for new bath toys to keep him interested. There was a time when I had to fight him, kicking and screaming to get him into the tub. I went so far as to get in the tub by myself and try to make his toys so tantalizing by laughing and playing with them without him, in order to get him to want to come in the tub with me. Days when I didn't have an extra 15 minutes I had to do a quick dunk and call him clean. Grandpa came in a couple times and asked if I put acid in the water. One would think I had by Guy's reaction to it.

On a good day though, he will climb into the tub and start playing with and talking to his toys. This gives me a chance to drag my stepper into the bathroom and get a work out while he is splashing around in the tub.

Regaedless of his mood, he always dreads it when I wash his hair. He refuses to look up when I pour the water on his head and he will not let me lean him back to dunk it. The result is that the water runs right into his eyes and he worstenens it by wipes the soap into his eyes with his hands.

When that's over he is usually ready to get out of the bathtub. So I'll wrap him in a towel as he climbs out. He gives me a big hug and pushes me over and says, "Down Mommy." We lay on the grown for a few minutes while he calms down. Then I start giving him serberts on his neck and we giggle. Sometimes he tries to give them back. That or he will smoother me with kisses and ask me, "More kisses?"

We get up and I make an attempt to dry his hair. While I am getting his diaper ready he will often sneak out the door and go streaking and squealing into the living room and find Grandma or Grandpa and whoever else might be home. Then I go hunt him down to put his diaper and pajamas on.

Fooshing Over the Bridge 

Fishing for Trees

This is the second Christmas that I have spent with my parents and son. Last Christmas I went overboard and bought up a whole bunch of toys for Guy. This year I just bought a few choice gifts such as a toy computer and saxophone, some books and some animals that grow to 20xs their size when placed in water. His favorite gift was the one he got from Grandpa. The same gift that I had in my cart when we were in WalMart and he threw a fit about something else, so I left it along with the other things in my basket and hauled him out of the store. That gift would be a Sponge Bob Square Pants, child size fishing pole.

I took him to Apple Hill a few weeks ago and there was a group of kids there fishing in the pond. We sat on the hill and watched them cast out and bate the hooks and we even saw a few catch a fish. Guy was asking to give it a try and I told him maybe Grandpa would take him out another time to go fishing.

When I told Grandpa about this he was excited to know that he wanted to try fishing. From the time we came to live with my parents, Grandpa has been saying how he can't wait to take him out fishing and hiking and hunting. Guy was only 6 months old when we moved in. Grandpa used to talk into Guy's play phone and say, "Hey Guy, get your fishing gear and come meet me at the lake and bring that cute girlfriend of yours, we'll make it a date, and bring Mommie along too." Then Guy would get on the phone and say,"Going to go!"

Grandpa did his shopping on Christmas Eve and the fishing pole didn't even get wrapped, (which is actually pretty typical for my dad. He gave ours to us from the bag he bought them in) before Guy discovered it and brought it out for me to see. He asked me to "bopen" it for him, translation= open. Thus was the commencement of the "bopening" of the gifts. We have a tradition to open one gift on Christmas Eve, but there has been occasion that we get on a roll and just open them all up that night, as it was for this year.

We decided to keep Guy's fishing pole up in the closet unless someone was helping him use it, or else the line would get tangled up or he might pull Plankton, the weight on the end off again. Guy kept nagging at me about "fooshing". He would take my hand and lead me to the closet where his pole was kept wanting me to get it down for him. I had to explain that we are keeping it safe up there so that it won't be broken when he actually gets to go fishing. Grandpa got it out later and taught him how to cast in the hallway.

When he woke up the next morning, the first thing out of his mouth was, "fooshing". This was as bad as when he was obsessed with basketball. It's not hard to figure out what's on his mind. Grandpa and Guy went in the backyard to practice fooshing some more. Guy immediately went to the bridge and dropped his line down into the creek below. It hadn't even occurred to Grandpa that this was the perfect place to practice. Guy would let the line drop down in the creek and reel in the line and say, "catch' em". He caught Plankton over and over again.

Later that evening Guy had his fishing pole out to show his Aunt and Uncle. While everyone else was in the kitchen having some Martinelli's, I was doing the dishes and I heard Guy in the other room and he sounded like he was in a panic. I came in the room to find the Christmas tree lying in the center of the room! I called for some help to get the tree propped up again. Guy had cast his line into the tree and got it caught in the branches. He tried to reel it in and pulled the tree right over!

"Catch' em!"