Short Order Cook

While making Brighton’s and my breakfast this morning, Brighton and Emme had a little conversation.

Brighton:  Emme, if you want to order something, you tell me, I’ll tell Mom.

Emme:  Gooooooooowooooooo

Me:  Did she order something?

Brighton:  She wants boobies.

Me:  Well, OK!

Brighton:  TWO BOOBIES COMIN’ UP!

It’s going to be a fun day 🙂

They’re in Cahoots I Tell Ya. CAHOOTS!

Let me set a little scenario for you:

STORM:  blowing, raining, hailing, thunder, lightening, BooM, crash, etc etc.

WEATHER MAN: The storm should be hitting Mechanicsville around 9:20, Stanwood 9:25…blah blah blah.  Severe thunderstorm, tornado watch (you get the idea…basically, get the hell to the basement)

Cumulus Clouds

I knew I had turned the corner to adult hood when I could no longer see shapes in the clouds.

I remember as a child, laying on the ground, gazing up at a robins egg blue sky filled with fluffy white clouds.  I would see dogs and cats and witches and dragons.  I would watch as they danced and floated and disappeared right before my eyes.  Then another new shape would come into view just as the old one was disappearing.   I could lay there for hours pointing out new shapes and figures and scenes, and I did.  Often.

I had all but forgotten about this fantastical time in my life.  I remember back at that time, and it seemed magical, almost like a connection between the universe and little me.  “See what I can make?  I know you’re there!”  it was saying to me.  And I responded with giggles and pointed stares.

Then I got older, and I suppose more cynical.   I had all but forgotten about this lovely time until my son was old enough to know how to point out shapes in the clouds.  I realized I could no longer see shapes in the clouds.  I felt an odd, deep, gloomy warmth in the pit of my stomach.  Trying to remember how I saw them, what I did to pick them out, trying to remember…seeing them.  Brighton would pick out this shape or that, and sure, I could see them as he picked them out…sort of…but not like before.  Before they literally jumped out of the sky at me like a 3D movie.  But not anymore, they were a faint blurr of white and blue.

Today as I was driving home, on a beautiful fall day like those that have blessed Iowa all summer long, and I looked up into the sky, and I saw a dragon with a curled nose and an open mouth ready to spew fire on any cloud in his wake.  Then I saw a running puppy, seeming to run after the dragon.  Then just below, I saw an alligator complete with a mouth full of teeth.  And I smiled.

I know I’m older, and more cynical, but at least I know that I still have enough of a child’s imagination to see images in clouds so I can share this with my son and my baby on the way.

A Melting Pot (No Pun Intended)

Today, Brighton, Andrew and I attended a multi-culteral wedding in Iowa City.  A friend of ours, Claudio, who is an Argentinian Jew married a Chinese woman that he met Salsa Dancing here in Iowa…talk about meant to be.  It was in the Agudas Achim Congregation in Iowa City with Rabbi Jeff Portman.  Let me preface this by saying that I love Jewish Weddings.  The tradition, the music, the laughter, it’s all wonderful.   To top it off, the weather was perfect, there were many different cultures there, Chinese, Japanese, African, Polish, North American, Argentinian, and a few I’m not sure of.  But we were honoured that Claudio and his new wife (I’m sorry, I haven’t mastered how to spell her name but it’s pronounced Shou-way) invited us to be part of their special day.

The thing that always gets me is that no matter what the language, kids can always play toghether and enjoy each other’s company.  During the outdoor wedding, Brighton eventually got bored, as did a couple of other kids, and he ended up playing with a Polish boy and a Chinese girl.  The other two spoke English, but it didn’t matter.  They played so wonderfully and added to the music of the wedding.

That said…

After the beautiful service and the romanticisim of the day, we went to the Memorial Union in Iowa City for the reception at the River Walk Cafe.  Started out wonderful.  Brighton was his usual charming self, first making the older couple sitting at our table laugh with delight.  Then we were joined by a young couple from Chicago.  If I didn’t know better, I’d think she was Jennifer Garner.  She looked JUST like her.  And Brighton was smitten.  Then he started to get bored, and tired, and got a little obnoxious but nothing I couldn’t handle.  He munched on fantastic cheeses, crackers and an abundance of fresh fruits.  Until he had to go wash his hands.  So off we went to the bathroom.  FF about 20 minutes.  Brighton came back to the table, (before dinner) and exclaimed to everyone at the table (keep in mind, this is a very academic group, very intelligent, very refined) “I POOPED” He said!  YAY he pooped…indeed he did.   However, I hadn’t planned on him letting everyone at the table adn the next know about it. Earlier he had giggled about the fact that he “farted” and it took a while to talk him down from the hilarity it apparently yielded.

So the lesson learned here is humility.  It doesn’t matter if someone lives in the world of academia or in a small rural town in Iowa.  Kids are kids.  There is no such thing as “behind closed doors.”  What we do and how we are at home is going to be reflected in the other parts of our lives.  Which isn’t a bad thing.  I’ve always figured that as a mom, I’m not going to attach certain stigmas to normal bodily functions or his body period.  Everyone poops is what we’ve always told him.  We’ve never explained the difference between “Polite” company and “casual” company.  We’ve never had the opportunity.  But we are a ferreal family and he should be proud of who he is.  I just wish he’d be a little more discreet at weddings….

Worst Toy Award

And by “Worst Toy” I mean one that gives mom and dad the biggest headache (at least THIS week.) The Bubble Tummy Bubble Blower is my pick for worst toy this week. Not that I have a weekly post on my least favorite toy, but I certainly could. Let me tell you why.

Cute little rabid buggar

This cute little bubble blower draws you in with it’s sale price of $8 (normally $9.99) which in my opinion isn’t much of a sale, but I do know they don’t get cheaper than that. Then the next thing to suck you in (other than your child’s constant requests for it) is the cute little face and little clear bubble belly. “Ok” you say. “What the heck,” you say. “It’ll be fun out on the deck or in the park,” you say…Well the first time you purchase it, you take the 30 minutes to take it out of the box all the while littering your kitchen with bits of torn cardboard, wire, teeny magnetic screws, and plastic bits. Insert 2 AA batteries that cost almost as much as the toy itself, fill the cute little bugger up with the bubble solution which is much more difficult than it sounds, follow the fairly complicated instructions (for a bubble machine anyway) and VOILA! Nothing. Nada. Not a bubble. But plenty of mess, what with all the bubble drool and froth protruding from the mouth.

Then you return it to the store that you got it from, get another, follow the same steps as above, this time succeeding in the bubble blowing task. YAY. Except that the cute little bubble bellied puppy now looks more like a cute little foaming at the mouth rabid dog as you sweet talk “oh so cute little puppy wuppy!!!” it lobs your index finger off and you have to go through a series of painful and time consuming rabies vaccinations…

The end.

Busier than a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs

Yep, that’s explained our last couple of weeks. I’ve finally gotten to sit and relax the last couple of nights. Andrew’s been busy laying tile in the house and I’ve been busy working odd schedules and running the boy hither and tither. Not to mention a 12 hour in one day trip to get my niece in Council Bluffs. I managed to stop at the Apple Store in Des Moines on the way as well as The Edge Pro where I get my shears, blades, and dryers repaired-and also buy new. I don’t konw how I did it but by the time it was all said and done, I spent over $500 between the two places…wha?

Anyway, there’s not a lot left to do on the house now. Andrew is working diligently on the floors and today I hope to finish painting Brighton’s room and then help Andrew with the tile (begrudgingly…I despise tiling…) so he can start on the bamboo flooring either today or tomorrow.

Things are really coming together now in the new house and we couldn’t be more thrilled! I’ll post more pictures as we get them. In the meantime you can see some at http://www.flickr.com/photos/simplysilly

HA-NAH! At least I think that’s what they were saying?

Tonight was Brighton’s trial night of his Tang Soo Do class.  It’s a mixed martial arts class for toddlers age 3 & 4.  A mix of Korean, Japanese, and Chinese martial arts.  All the other kids were in their “Gi” and little Brighton was in his gap pants and a tee shirt!  Anyway, being my son, he immediately introduced himself to the Instructor, Mr Swanson.  Then proceeded to answer all of his questions with straight forward answers.  Then he ran around the studio like a mad man until the other kids came for the instruction.  I have to say, Mr. Swanson was absolutely fantastic with the kids.  He never got angry or irritated, but gently-but firmly nudged them where they were supposed to go.  I also liked the idea of giving respect to the teacher “YES SIR!” and bowing before they stepped on the mat.  Of course, Brighton didn’t do that…but hopefully he’ll get it eventually.  Look for photos on Flickr!!

Is NOTHING Sacred?

I must start this \”rant\” by saying that I worked at Starbucks for a brief stint a couple of years ago.  I think…9 months?  Anyway, prior to that, I was a fervent Starbucks customer.  So I take things like I am about to write, very personally…

It's not what it seems..

Why oh why does Starbucks now have STICKERS for the drink labels?  Perhaps it\’s just through the drive through, but still, it takes my Starbucks experience and turns it one step closer to a McDonalds drive through.  Seriously though.  In this economy, in this place and time, a sticker A STICKER on the outside of my $4 drink is so not appropriate.  All I can think of is \”Is it so freaking HARD to write on the side of the cups now a days?  I mean, how much are these stickers costing?  Along with ink and the printer?!  Aren\’t Sharpee\’s so much cheaper?  Are the Starbucks employees getting dumbed down?\”

Please Starbucks, if by some weird and crazy circumstance you read this post, please PLEASE ditch the stickers…Part of the whole Starbucks Identity and Character are wrapped up in an illegible series of black tick marks and hyroglyphics along the spine of my cup.

The Blog has Moved

For the time being, this blog has been moved to WordPress.com.  I originally used blogger (which I actually prefer…) but then when I switched to a MAC, blogger was no longer compatible, so I switched the blog to wordpress.  As well, the new blog has taken a bit of a turn in content.  I’ve started to blog not just about Brighton but also about the family.  I’m hoping to link the two blogs in the near future so it will be a seamless transition between the two, but until then, please visit From an Acorn Small

Thanks for following Brighton’s blog for so long!!!

Is Mercury in Retrograde or Something?

Cripes.  I feel like I’m wading through bad energy (at the risk of sounding like a mystic hippie) for the last couple of weeks.  Ever since the full moon, work has been crazy, my son has been abominable, everyone has been sick, my car broke down (something with the transmission I think) tonight for the first time since I’ve had it, our bunny Jerry has ringworm…RINGWORM! (just so you know, it’s a fungus, not a worm, and it’s very common in rabbits,) every news station keeps reminding us just HOW in the toilet our economy is (which includes Andrew and my investments … i won’t even go into how much money we’ve lost…) it’s just like oozing bad chi all over the place lately.   No matter how many times we watch Horton hears a who and his cheery and silly antics, we just can’t shake this bad feeling.  So far, the house is going great, we’re only 6700 over budget (and that’s our budget, we’ve got some fluff added in.  It’s finally coming along.

There are cute moments with our son too, like for instance this morning, (which FYI wasn’t cute this morning…) when Brighton woke up and I asked him several times if his eyes itched (because he kept fussing with them.)  Finally he said “NO!” so I let it be.  Then while in the car on the way to preschool, he started fussing again, so I asked him again and he said “MOOOOM!!  DON’T TALK TO ME!!!” Which means he’s sick of me asking a question he doesn’t want to answer…then he says to me, “Turn the music up loud so I can’t hear you!”  After the inital shock of that mouthy comment, I explained to him how that was not a nice thing to say.  He didn’t seem to care much.

We’re enrolling him in Tang Soo Do classes hopefully this summer.  Maybe those guys can teach him some manners!!!  We sure can’t do it!