Once upon a time..

Luca: “Mom, let me tell you a story…once upon a time there was a daddy tiger, a mommy tiger and two little tigers. The daddy tiger had an ipad in the forest. The mommy tiger said the little tiger couldn’t watch it because he lost his ‘pivledges’. The other little tiger stole the ipad and the mommy tiger didn’t know it. And maybe a starburst’…..

Teo woke me up this morning by trying to climb up the bed and saying ‘the huns are coming! while grasping for blanket handles. Then a few seconds later, he (acting like a lion) growls at me ‘Don’t touch my son’…a la Mufasa from Lion King.. The kid has watched Lion King and Mulan one too many times.

You are 5

Tomorrow Luca turns 5. I’m sure I blinked and missed 3 years somewhere… This boy who has been counting down the ‘sleeps’ until he turns 5 is quite the character. He has always acted like he is 35. The vocabulary, the imagination, the lack of a job and living with his parents….all something a 35 year old might have. This boy of mine wears a size 13 shoe. He really is the human L. He is eating me out of house and home and is always hungry. He is still shy but once he warms up..watch out. Kind of like his momma..

He is the main reason I started this blog and provides most of the fodder for it. He made it ok for me to go to work with crunchy smudge on my shoulders or to take off early from work, just so we can hang out. He made it ok to sit and watch Austin and Ally on Disney…even when he has already left the room.

He informs me about where my obliques are located and does a little song about his quads. He knows why we have bones and how we get energy. He knows all lyrics to a lot of songs he shouldn’t and makes me laugh each time….Thank you Taylor Swift. He is as passionate about berries as sweet tarts…and is so proud that he can pour orange juice for his brother. He has become a fierce protector of his little brother and equally a fierce tormentor of him.

He imagines with great detail and storylines. He loves to call people and talk about their day…most of the people we actually know. He loves to just BE with his dad. He loves to negotiate and give you options….mostly to get to stay up later. He loves his grandparents and gets so worried when they are sick. He is the #1 grandchild and loves to be the leader of the Faddis grandkids.

He informs you of details or directions in traffic that you might overlook. He is aware of where we go and how fast we get there…and knows what speeding means. I choose to take that as a good thing. He knows how to get beads in AND out of his nose. I choose to take that as a good thing as well.

He is our blessing.

Happy Birthday Luca….you are the best thing.

Those Cheerios are NOT for eating….

In the last hour, I am positive that my parenting has been judged multiple times.

Could it be because my children were screaming bloody murder in the car wash? Note to self: wash care solo next time.

Could it be that I fed my dog Cheerios and then found my kid eating them out of the dog food bowl? After I got after him for it, he looked at me like I was crazy. Granted, I know its a mixed message but still, I have parenting standards and eating out of the same bowl as the dog is one of them. Note to self: buy the stinkin dog food.

Could it be when we were getting dinner tonight at a Chinese restaurant and M took off like a shot? I was in mid order so I sent L to retrieve him. L came back with just M’s bear hat so it looked like M had been scalped. I stopped my order and found M suctioned to the wall behind the door to the kitchen. One door swing and M would have been like a bug on the windshield. Note to self: buy a leash for the kid.

What time is bedtime? Now? ok….