stink.

I often find myself calling Henry, "Stinker," and unfortunately, sometimes it gets shortened to "Stink."  Lately he hasn't been excited about getting his diaper changed and he runs and hides so sometimes Stink is appropriate.  And sometimes, he's just up to no good.

nice to meet you, tantrum. now go away.

This morning I watched in horror as my son screamed bloody murder and flung his body over his Elmo chair and onto the floor and screamed some more and writhed in what seemed like physical pain but what?  I don't remember kicking him in the teeth.  Oh.  That's because I didn't kick him in the teeth.  I did, however, tell him he could not bite my shoulder again.

It only lasted a couple minutes but I have a feeling it was just a glimpse of what is to come.  My sweet, sweet boy is normal!

In the end, he got up and wanted cuddles.  I reluctantly let him rest his head on my shoulder, the site of the original crime.  He put his head down, then lifted it up to give me a kiss and patted my ouch-y shoulder.

Sweet, sweet boy. 

cliche.

Every parent thinks their kid is the cutest.  I'm the only one that is correct.

Henry looooooooooves playing in his sandbox.  It got chilly again after that crazy warm spell in March so when he plays outside for a long time, he has to wear his hat.  It wasn't that cold on the day this photo was taken but Henry refused to play in the sandbox until he was wearing his hat.  His hair was soaked with sweat by the time he was done but he was so happy, he didn't care. 

conversation i never thought i would ever have with my child.

Henry likes to go to pet supply stores with me so he can watch the birdies and the hamsters and he especially likes the tropical fish.  Oh, and the boy loves turtles.  Turtles in books.  Turtles in the pond (real turtles).  Turtles in the bathtub (not real turtles).  

A couple weeks ago he went with me to a store to pick up some litter and other cat supplies.  We were looking at the hamsters and I noticed that one hamster cage was marked "males" and one was marked "females."  We were looking at the "females" because they were running around and playing even though it was the middle of the day.  Much to my surprise, as we were watching the "females," I heard the 70's porn music theme song in my head.  That's right, Henry.  Either a male snuck his way into the female cage or those are lesbians and oh.  my.  god.  They clearly like it rough.  Where did they get those whips and leather masks and handcuffs?  Okay, maybe not that rough.  It's possible that I have never seen hamster porn and that's not what they were doing at all.  But I've seen enough Animal Planet to be pretty sure we might as well have been in a dark skanky movie theater with other dirty hamsters.  Then I realized I was having this entire stream of thought.  Out loud.  While my son giggled at the lesbian (?) hamsters doing it. 

I was telling this story to his pediatrician yesterday (as you know, she also happens to be a good friend) and as she doubled over in laughter she said, "You know, Henry understands what you are saying and pretty soon he'll really understand. And someday you are going to get a call from his first grade teacher asking why Henry is telling his friends about hamster porn." 

At first this thought disturbed me and then what was more disturbing was I started to beam with pride and said, "That's my boy."

have i mentioned how awesome my kid is?

Henry came to cuddle with me in my bed at 5:45 a.m. today.  Then he snuggled in and we slept until 8:45 a.m.  I guess that's what happens after two full days of running and playing with cousins, aunts, and uncles. 

every day is a first.

So I have this awful insomnia because oh, I don't know, I'm under a little bit of pressure.  That whole raising a kid on my own thing and being 37 years old and my kid and I are still living with my parents because the economy is in the shitter and nobody wants to hire an old lady social worker thing.  I go nights without sleeping, or getting an hour or two of sleep.  And then my body pretty much shuts down and I sleep.  And I sleep.  And I sleep.  Last night the sleep stage of life began so it's 8:30 and I'm about to go to bed.  Yay!

But first I have to tell you about Henry's firsts this week.

Yesterday he insisted on walking on the treadmill.  Alone.  While it was on.  Of course I didn't let him do this, I stood behind him ready to catch him while ten million ways he could injure himself ran through my head.  But he didn't even stumble and he had a blast.  Laughed the whole time.

Yesterday he said "douche."  Bad bad mommy. 

Today he said "car."  Good mommy!

Today he learned to spin around and around and around until he got dizzy and fell down.  Laugh and repeat. 

Yesterday the tantrums began.  Two of them.  Before noon.  First, because he got caught playing in the cat's water and he got a stern talking to.  Second, because I made him leave the bathroom where he is only allowed to play in the bathtub, during bathtime.  I made him leave because he wasn't playing in the tub, he was opening drawers and pulling out random bathroom items, and it wasn't bathtime.  Oh.  The.  Drama. 

Today he played outside with his hero, er, his grandpa, for a looooong time while I watched baseball.  It wiped him out so tonight before bed we sat and cuddled on the couch and watched more baseball.  I explained some of the ins and outs of the game and it was wonderful.

I have so much to be thankful for and the list begins with Henry.   

this boy.

A few minutes ago Henry demanded a pacifier from the pacifier drawer.  He knows he only gets a pacifier when he goes to bed.  I handed it to him and he stuck it in his mouth.  He turned around and I said I guess it's time for a nap.  He went and found his blanket and then went to his bedroom, turned on his sound machine and waited for me to put him in his crib.

Sigh. 

I can't help it that I have the best kid ever.