Sleepover fun

Tonight my friend Jessica hosted our playgroup mock sleepover. We headed over for pizza with healthy sides of fruit and veggies and while the kids ran around and played, we had some meaningful adult conversation. The men stayed in the kitchen while us girls went upstairs to "supervise" the children. It was a really great time that included a popcorn snack, kids snuggled up on the couch listening to bedtime stories and culminated with magical glow wands in a dark room. These times are the ones that I hope my children keep in their memories. This is childhood and I am so blessed to have opportunities like these to share with my boys.

Snow Day Princess Movie

It is a snowy Saturday again and in spite of that, I took Cole to see a movie and out to lunch, then we ran a few errands. We went to see The Princess and the Frog. It was cute. I was glad to hear southern accents from the "princess" who was also African American. Over the years, the pattern for princesses in Disney flicks were pretty much the same. Girl loses mother, girl has conflict with evil step-mother/caregiver/witch, girl is damsel in distress, enter Prince whats-his-name on a galloping steed to save the day, get the girl (usually by kissing her) and "they all lived happily ever after". All beautiful, white girls who end up wealthy and in love - in a beautiful flowing dress, nonetheless.
This particular princess was actually not a princess at all but rather the daughter of poor black parents living in a small shack outside of New Orleans, LA. The father is the one who kicks the bucket - it is implied that he died in military service. The mother supports the dream of the waitress daughter to open a restaurant which had been her father's dream. There is some heavy wishing on a star but the father gives the advice that you can't just wish on a star, you have to work hard too. Good advice.
The girl ends up meeting a prince who had been changed to a frog by a voodoo doctor because the voodoo doctor was greedy and had a plan to extort money from the wealthy family in NOLA. Circumstances lead her to kiss him and then she turns into a frog herself. Hilarity ensues and they meet up with a firefly and an alligator who help them through their quest to become human again. Not to completely give away the ending, they eventually discover what is important and they accept their fate, with the girl to ultimately be the heroine of sorts and finally everyone was set up for a happily ever after.
I liked this story and am glad that there is more diversity in Disney Princesses now. Not only do we have Mulan, we have Tiana. Poor Disney - and I say that with my tongue-in-cheek because they are by no stretch poor - has been in a storm of controversy since this project was announced. In the category of you are damned if you do and damned if you don't, I am glad that they did it and hope that the lasting legacy of Princess Tiana is that more little girls can go into a Disney Store and relate to a princess featured there. I was always a Snow White girl myself.

Warning: Bragging Mother Alert!

Today was the parent/teacher conference with Cole's preschool teacher. Ms. Connie is the very best and we love her very much...I can say this with certainty because she is the only preschool teacher we have ever had an experience with. You know, we have that sort of track record that we can, indeed, crown her as "The Best".

Anyway, she directed Cole and Rhys to the toy area and we sat down to talk. She had a score sheet, of sorts, with check marks next to a long list of items. The sort of things that they score them on are behavior and socialization, gross motor skills, fine motor skills, writing his name, cutting, etc. He is meeting and exceeding his level in all areas except for the fine motor skills which is fine with us. He will catch up with pencil control and scissor grip.

Ms. Connie told us that he is at the point already that he has mastered the 3-year old program...wahoo! Not that we were afraid that he would be behind going into the 4 year old preschool program, but it is nice to know that he already recognizes all of his upper case and lower case letters, can count to 10 without any trouble, and can draw a really great face, nose and all.

Bravo, Cole...now if we could just get you to stop talking during Circle Time and you will be golden.

Must go to gym

Since we have been sick, I haven't been to the gym in what seems like forever. I can't take the boys to kids club when they are sick so even when I am well, the gym gets no visit from me. I am planning on going to the gym at some point today. I really must go. I only HOPE that it will help improve my general attitude. Somethings gotta give. I think I am just tired of winter and tired of being sick and stuck at home. Cole is wheezing again with a chesty cough. If I don't go today, I doubt I will get out tomorrow.

Can I get a time-out?

Discipline with Cole seems to be a cycle that we go through. It seems like we can be really strict, consistent, and reliable in our discipline process. We use a version of 1-2-3 Magic with him because it really does work. Unfortunately, for him really, we get lax and let the odd back-talk slip through. We ignore it when he gets out of bed when he isn't supposed to, etc. He realizes that he can get away with things and it starts to get out of hand and then we have to reign him in. When we start this process, he realizes that he can get attention from being naughty and he does even more naughty things. Then we have to remind ourselves to be swift with our punishments and not give any additional attention to the issue.

Once again, we find ourselves in the part of the cycle where we have to reign him in. This is my least favorite time. This morning I started fresh and, though I prepared him for it last night, he has spent a lot of time in time-out. I do hope that he catches on and this doesn't go on for very long. I am sure that it is hard for him to realize why we call him down so often. Believe me, it isn't something that I enjoy doing but I won't stand for his disrespectful back-talk and his complete disregard for our direction and requests...phew. I guess no one ever said it would be easy.

You can't have a weak constitution

So, I found myself with a box cutter blade within millimeters of Rhys' wrist today in the checkout line of Trader Joe's because he had tightened the knot of a balloon string around it to the point that his hand was turning purple. The man at the checkout didn't have scissors, only the box cutter. The TJ Associate squinted his eyes and bit his bottom lip as he couldn't look away while I went to work cutting away the string. I told him that he probably thought that I was crazy...he was silent. I then told him that it was okay to tell me if he thought that I was crazy...still silent. Finally, I successfully relieved said boy from said balloon and I looked at the man, who was still not so sure about what he had just witnessed and said, "You can't be the mother of two boys and have a weak constitution." I paid for my groceries and thanked him for his "help".

Getting a good attitude about...FOOD

So, I thoroughly have enjoyed working my way through some recent back issues of People Magazine lately and am drawing some inspiration from the stories. I also am going to start a to-do reading list since book suggestions have to come from somewhere. Finally, I am gaining some self confidence because I am pretty good at the crossword puzzle and the spot the difference photos. It is sort of like Highlights for adults and I am digging it.

Among the latest issues was a story about Alanis Morissette. A couple of years ago, she had an indulgent tour and packed on the pounds. She had been long suffering from eating disorders and only in the past year has turned her life around by changing her attitude about food. I think that I change my attitude about food every month or so. As a southern girl, food is for the soul and the body. My job is to make sure that I am not feeding my soul with food that is not so great for my body more than I am fueling my body with food that doesn't always warm my soul. It is hard to tackle this concept in the winter when heavy stews, hot chocolate, and warm baked goods are the things that warm my soul.

SO, here is the way I am thinking of it at the minute (incidentally, I have been pretty successful over the last 72 hours or so; therefore, this is probably going to last): I am loading up the dishes that warm my soul with the food items that fuel my body. It is a pretty simple concept. I made fried rice and cut out most of the fat and sodium and doubled up on the veggies. I froze some old bananas and blended them with a little soy milk and chocolate chips - Cole called it a banana split but it was more like a banana blizzard. I keep my snacking hands busy peeling an orange when the mood strikes me and I am back to chewing gum when I just must have *something*. I am also drinking more ice water and cutting back on the carbs.

Now, I know what food I need to eat, I know how to cook those foods, and I know what foods that I should avoid. It is just a matter of reminding myself of why I am craving certain foods and what my best approach in addressing those cravings is. Many times this week, I have reached for a sugar-laden convenience food and asked myself how it will fuel my body. It stopped me every time. Two thumbs up for the girl with her hand in her pocket from the girl with her hand in the fridge.