Oh, poo...

It has been a bit of a week friends. Early in the week Jack started getting pretty sassy about what he would and would not eat. He would refuse lunch but demand his favorite yummy snacks. He would refuse dinner and expect ice cream before bedtime. One day he looked at Beth and rather crossly declared "JAX NOT EAT THAT." I decided we couldn't run around being held hostage by a three year old so Beth and I started the policy of "you don't eat lunch, you don't get snacks." He refused his lunch and Beth said "OK - but no snacks." He didn't care until snack time. He wanted a snack and she offered him the lunch he had refused. He still refused the lunch. On the way home he kept pointing out fast food places and telling Beth "Jax go to that house." Beth told him "No, you didn't eat your lunch." He would say "Jax likes fries and chicken." She held her ground. Good job, Beth!

I made potato soup for dinner that night, but he refused to eat it. He demanded bread, he demanded fish sticks, he was cross. I just kept telling him he could have bread if he ate some soup. He just kept playing with the food. I wonder if he thought "if I play with it long enough, it will LOOK like I ate some..." That plan didn't work. He played so long that it was bedtime. I gave him one last chance and he flung a spoonful of soup onto the table. I just picked him up and took him up to bed.

The next morning I knew he would be hungry so I gave him a sippy cup of milk while I made scrambled eggs (a sure hit.) He slammed down the milk and then picked at his eggs. I thought his little tummy was full from drinking the milk too fast. Well, who knows what was going on in his tummy but as we were heading out the door he puked in Wyatt's diaper bag and all over the outside of his own bag. That's right friends - both bags full of puke. It was on the floor, the carpet, the chair, Jack, the bags...it was a nightmare. John put together two new bags while Mom and I cleaned everything up. You know when something is so disgusting that all you can do is sit there and laugh? That was me: sitting on the floor barely able to clean up the mess and laughing hysterically. By the time all was said and done, we were 45 minutes late. Jack seemed to not have any troubles the rest of the day. I did rearrange dinner plans to make sure there was something Jack would eat without catering to him. Meanwhile, Wy eats about everything in sight, unless it is a vegetable.

Since we are doing Seussical, I had John bring the boys to opening night. I thought it would be perfect because mom and dad would be there to help out if the boys got crazy. Well, neither of the boys made it through the whole show. John and Wy stepped out about a third of the way through. John left Jack with our house manager Areli, who is in love with Jack. Areli had to take Jack out about 10 minutes before the play was over because he was flopping around on the floor and calling out "Ribbit! Ribbit!" (There are no frogs in Seussical.)

On opening nights, the theatre hosts a reception for the cast and audience. We provide food and drinks and many times the Coterie puts out pizza. This was the case Friday night. I got in line and piled some fruit and veggies on my plate and then I grabbed some pizza. Poor Jack stood at the table with the crossest look on his face. He kept asking me for pizza and I just kept telling him that he could have some as soon as he pooped in the pot. Then he stood there looking at me with his eyebrows scrunched together and stomping his foot every few seconds. He was not happy.

Well, Jack got some pizza Saturday night. Mom thinks he played us, but I'm not sure. I can honestly see it from a few different angles. Just so you know, I thought about taking a picture of the tiny sludge in the pot, but I decided you would rather I didn't. Anyway, I made a huge deal over the little bit in the pot and since I never quantified the poo in the poopin' for pizza rule, John and I put a pizza in the oven. Now, let me tell you that 5 MINUTES LATER there was a nice sized package in the backside of Jack's pants. Do you know how badly I wanted to revoke the pizza? After a few minutes of thought I decided to go ahead and give him the pizza. I never told him that ALL the poo had to be in the pot. I just told him he had to poo in the pot.

The next morning Jack started telling me all about how he pooped in the pot last night and wants pizza for breakfast. I told him he had to poop in the pot today - and that ALL the poo had to be in the pot - No pizza if he pooped in his pants. We'll see what happens and how long this one takes... Last night John said to Jack "I would give Wyatt pizza if he pooped in the pot." Jack grabbed Wy and sad "Wyatt! You get pizza for poop in the pot! Come on, Wyatt!"

OK - now for the random stuff...

I'm trying to get Jack to brush all of his teeth not just the ones in the front. He was brushing the other morning and I told him he needed to brush the other side so he turns away from me. We go through this 3 more times with Jack turning away from me in different directions until I realize he thinks I'm telling him he has to turn around to brush his teeth.

I have officially joined the ranks of 'mothers with children whose favorite toys are missing.' For as much money as has been sunk into all the Thomas trains around here - only about 15 of them can be found. I have looked in bags, under furniture, in cars, in and under over and behind - these babies are M.I.A.

Wy time: Little Wy wants to do everything Jack does. Mom took them on a walk yesterday and when Jack ran through the leaves, Wyatt followed. When Jack found a stick to use as a walking stick, Wy found a stick to carry too. When Jack looked at flowers, Wy did too.

When he gets excited Wy dances: he stamps his feet and pants hu-uh-hu-uh-hu-uh-hu with a huge grin on his face. Sometimes the stamping turns him in circles and then he has to look around for you because you mysteriously disappeared from view...

Wy loves to sit at their little kid table, open the drawer, stick his hand in and close the drawer. He completely freaks out when his hand is stuck in there but doesn't understand he is closing the drawer. And finally, the boy has no fear. He climbs everything in sight. He likes to climb a chair behind the sofa, wiggle up over the back of the sofa then fling himself down onto the seat of the sofa. As far as language is concerned, he is only interested in the names of trains. I thought he was saying "mama" but it turns out he is desperately trying to wrap his mouth around Mighty Mac.

OK, friends, I know there are no photos this week. It was a bit nutty. I apologize and promise to get some shots in the next edition, which I hope will be back to Friday! Until then, God bless and keep you all!

Love, A, J, J & Little Wy guy