You Be in the Kitchen

I used to utter the phrase, "Daddy, you be in the kitchen" when my dad used to put me to bed when I was about Austen's age. I could just see him from my slightly ajar bedroom door, reassuring me that I wasn't alone in the house.

Austen is now doing the same thing. But, his phrase is "Mommy, on the computer!" Austen can just see me through his slightly ajar bedroom door if I work on the computer located directly outside his bedroom. Occasionally he'll offer me reprieve and tell me it's okay if I go eat instead but I have to wait until he gives me permission. Once he does, I know I am home free and I won't hear his frantic cries asking me to get back on the computer.

I'm sure my dad will chuckle when he recollects these moments - especially when I used to catch him not in the kitchen. I guess history has a strange way of repeating itself.

What's Austen Saying?

It's true what some say - as your kids grow, life with them just keeps getting better and better.

Yes, Austen keeps us on our toes but we delight in hearing him formulate sentences, which each day seem more complex than the day before. But the real joy is in hearing some of the things that he has to say.

Here are a few of his recent conversations with us:

- "No go to work, daddy. Go to the pool!" (This was said one morning as we were getting ready to go to work and Austen to 'school.' Can you tell he loves the pool/beach?)

- "Mommy, I wake up!" (Often my alarm clock, Austen usually shouts this from his room anywhere between 6-6:45am every morning. His legs aren't broken and he doesn't sleep in a crib anymore so it's beyond me why he doesn't just come in our room to tell me this instead of making me get out of bed to come get him to go to the bathroom.)

- "Not sorry!" (Who knew a 2 1/2 year-old really understood what it meant not to be ready to apologize. This what Austen says after he's hit poor Adler or just before he gets sent to timeout!)

- "Play with me!" (Austen's dad spoils him by building cool sandcastles at the beach or using books as bridges when he plays cars with Austen in his room. So Tom doesn't get much of a chance to read a magazine at the beach or to rest right when he comes home from work.)

- "Bye mommy!" (Usually he says this as he's shoving me out the door of his room when his cousins/godmother are over to babysit. They apparently are way more fun than me so he's all too happy to see me go. I guess I should be happy he's not like I was as a kid - crying myself sick when my parents would leave me with a babysitter.)

I hope these words straight from Austen's mouth bring a smile or two to your face like they did mine.

No More Candy!

It was fourth of July. We got up early so we could race to the suburbs and get a good seat at Tom's hometown parade. We shouldn't have worried. No one was there. Maybe it was the weather that kept people away. Or maybe it was past parade experiences. Or both.

We waited for the parade to start huddled under umbrellas and sitting in our chairs that lined the sidewalk. Firemen gave out plastic black or red fire hats to the kids. That was pretty cool. Austen got one of each color. Then the parade started with two Chip-like patrols leading the pack at a slow crawl. This is a pretty dramatic beginning I thought to myself as the sirens blared. However, the time it took for the groups following them to catch up should have been a sign that this parade was going to go on forever.

We saw the garden club, the rotary club, the girl scouts, a martial arts company, a bookstore and many others. You name it, we saw them. In fact, I think they let everyone and anyone be part of the parade and they all seemed to move at a snail's pace. They also all threw candy. This was great in the beginning aside from Austen getting beaned in the head with some Gobstoppers. But, after awhile there was candy lining the streets as the kids grew tired of getting up and stuffing the loot in their already heavy bags. I knew Austen had had enough of the parade when he yelled, "No more candy!" What kid yells that unless they are drowing in it and want to see something more?!

But there wasn't much more to see. The end of the parade was now in sight as we saw the much anticipated firetrucks rolling down the street bringing up the rear. Tom promised Austen 10 firetrucks. There were only two. What a let down.

Next year there will be more room on the sidewalks during the parade because I know there will be three less people there.

Then There Were Three

It was a beautiful Sunday evening. The heat wave that sometimes seemed oppressive released its grip and allowed cool breezes to ruffle trees and muss hair. Wanting to hold on to this blessed weather, Tom and I leashed Adler and took her for her second long walk of the day. We headed out the front door. Me, Tom and Adler. No Bugaboo stroller. No child asking for lollipops. Just me able to hold my husband's hand as he held Adler's leash. It was just the three of us again.

It's been so long since it was just three of us that my mind really has to think back and conjure up some memories from those days. Of course all I tend to remember is Adler pulling me along the icy sidewalks when I was about 9 months pregnant while I chastised her for going too fast. Or, the time she made me drop a full cup of just-purchased hot chocolate because something suddenly got her attention. Of course Adler is about 2 1/2 years older now and probably a much more mellow dog so this evening the three of us enjoyed our walk - running around chasing each other in the park and pretending Adler was a prize jumper as she leapt over park benches.

Austen has been on vacation at Grandma's house for three days now, but I don't think Adler has missed him at all. And, why would she? She gets to sleep later, gets all of our undivided attention and doesn't always have to have her eyes peeled for toy cars ready to run her over or Austen's broom that's swinging too close to her head.

What I'm sure she does miss though is the freebies. There hasn't been waffles from Austen during breakfast or hot dogs designated for "Abbie" from dinner. In fact, I'm sure she's lost a pound or two these last three days.

Not to worry, Adler, chicken nuggets are on the menu for tonight and Austen will be home in plenty of time to feed them to you.