What???? Wait a Minute Little Man. Let Me Get My Map for This Conversation!!

"You know mom, when I am 11 we will go our separate ways."
"Really?  That seems really soon because you are almost nine."
"Well, you will go and do your special stuff and I will go a separate way."
"Does that mean you won't live here any more? Can I give away your stuff?"
"Ah, No.......... I will come back after."
"Good because I would really miss you!"
"No you won't because you will be coming with me."
"I thought we were going separate ways."
"Well, I need you to do two things.  One, you need to cook for me and two is the most important.  You need to build a campfire."
"Only those two things?"
"Yup! And you will get paid!"
"Cool but who is going to tie your shoes?"
"Well, yeah, maybe three things but the campfire is the most important."
So, I guess I have 3 years to prepare for this separation and learn how to cook pizza on a campfire.  I will have to bookmark this Youtube page:

Love!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love???????????????? You Decide

Okay, so we all seem to tackle some difficult topics in our blogs.  Poop painting, abusive teachers, scary medical tests, incontinence.  We all can relate to some or all of the topics without a second thought.  Well, last night at supper, we had one of THOSE discussions.  James was talking about love. It is a topic we talk a lot in our family.  James being very black and white and apparently traditional, decided that love could only be between a boy and a girl (man and woman).  My daughter, being a child who accepts everyone for who they are, (unless they are inherently cruel) asked why can't a man love a man and a woman love a woman.  James didn't have a great comeback for this other than boys love girls and girls love boys, nuf said!
My husband, being the diplomat he is, took it one step further to hopefully give James another angle to look at and possible open his mind up a crack.  He told James that he loves his dad, brother and son (James).  After a second of consideration, James looked at his daddy and simply stated, "Yeah, well have you ever married a man?" "Ah,...... no"
I guess the door is closed on this conversation until James gets a little older and we dare to broach the subject of levels of love.
So today, I hope you find your bliss loving whoever you have chosen not just who society has decided for you.

Happy 236th Birthday America!!

The banter at the table is one of my favorite times of the whole day.  A time with the kids in the same space doing the same thing is simply magical!  One of the things that happens is word play.  Charlotte and James love to do a one-up-man-ship thing. Charlotte being 7 years older than James, she can usually win in the vocab phase of the game.  James almost always wins because he says something so classically James that she ends up laughing and he knows he has got her.
Can't really remember exactly what the banter was about tonight, but at one point my husband stated, "Ah, the semi-hostile sibling relationship!"  Charlotte retorted, "NAH!" "So a hostile one?" James' turn, "We are not hostile.  We are Americans!!"
So blow out the candles and celebrate the birth of our country. Celebrate the amazing relationships that are allowed to freely express their appreciation of each other.

Who's the Boss??

James announced today that when he grows up, he wants to be a boss.  A laudable goal and it takes him to a level of hopeful empathy for those he will be in charge of.  He went on to say that what he meant was that when he gets older and gets married to a girl he isn't sure who right now, they will have children and they will be able to boss them.  Interesting.....

For as long as he has been working with his ABA team... James has been told that his teachers and parents are the boss and he needs to do what they ask him to do without arguing with them.  James LOVES to argue with people in authority positions.  It has come to my attention as I have been dissecting these arguments that they tend to be because of his anxiety.  The harder he fights for his position, the higher level of anxiety he is displaying.  It has taken me such a long time to come up with this correlation but now that I am aware, I can, hopefully help him through this.  So little man, argue on and I will hopefully help you find your zen spot.  BUT you still have to do your work!

Lovin' Maps!!! Please Tell Us About Your State!

James ADORES maps!  Maps of anything, from any time in history, he just loves them.  On a recent trip to Costco he found a rug that is a map of the United States.  He was thrilled until he also found an Angry Bird Green Pig large plush toy and then he was down right giddy!! Anyway, back to the maps.  This map rug is currently displayed in our living room as James' room isn't ready for it yet.  He loves looking at it and has started a new game.  He tosses one of his treasure rocks and whatever state it lands on is where we are going at that moment.

Looks like the rock want to find
out about Iowa!! It had originally
rested on Missouri so that is where
we are starting.

I have talked to him about many of the states as I have visited or driven through.  I have been to 49 all except Alaska.  I have friends in a lot of different states and now that I blog and am on Facebook, well, my friends in states has grown even more.  So guess where he is wanting to go on his first state exploration?  On his map, the state is light green, close to the middle of the country, between Iowa and Arkansas.  Last night he chose.............. Missouri!!  Okay blogging and Facebook friends, what can you tell us about your amazing state?  Where are your favorite places to visit?  What makes Missouri special to your family? My little man wants to know!!

What?... Are You Kidding Me?... The Fish Pooped on MY Rocks!!!

Today was fish tank cleaning day.  James' self assigned job was to grab as many of the glass rocks as he could for his collection!  The fish were moved to safety, and James got to work.  He stuffed his pockets with the treasures.  I told him that they needed to be cleaned because the fish have been pooping in the tank.  "What!!!!! These fish are sooooo LAME!!!" He unstuffed his pockets as fast as he could and fled upstairs after washing his hands.  Apparently the fish are not allowed to poop on James' treasures!!  Finally the tank was clean and the 3 rocks that James wanted were set aside (a red, white and blue one).  Poor fish!  Just another day with James.  His way or NO WAY!!! No person or animal is allowed to be human or animal like if it goes against his rules!!

False Advertisement (Well At Least in James Speak)!!!!!

As parents, we are all prone to our kids seeing the newest greatest must-have item on a TV commercial.  James' new must-have, can't-live-without item is the Bright Light Pillow.  He apparently can't sleep without it and if he can't sleep no one will. Last night he came into the loft at bedtime with a phone number written on a piece of card stock.
He grabbed the phone and started dialing. My husband took the phone from him, placed it back on its cradle, and asked him what he was doing. James presented the paper and said he needed this pillow to ensure peaceful sleep. Apparently peaceful sleep is sleep that has a dream. He tried several times to dial the phone number before the phone was taken and physically retained by my husband. Even then he kept arguing for his position and demanding where Daddy had put the phone. Daddy told him he had not put it anywhere, and eventually James realized it was still in Daddy's hand. No fair! A very upset James stomped off, accusing us as his parents of not wanting him to have peaceful sleep.
The battle was put on hold for his nightly story time with Daddy, though additional arguments were advanced as he was being tucked in. Daddy lay down next to James's bed to make sure our son would stay put, a tactic that usually works when there is a tendency to get up and wander. This time was no exception. James loves company when he is going asleep. Story time ended at 8:40 P.M. By 8:55 P.M., James was asleep.
We did not hear a single thing from him except for one bathroom trip in which he put himself back to bed around midnight. The next time he appeared was 7:45 A.M. We inquired if he slept well. He said "Yes, but it was not peaceful." Any time James sleeps for nearly twelve hours seems pretty darn peaceful to me!

An example of the commercial that caused all the trouble...