The Ouchie Bobbum Bear

Naked boys streaking around our home’s upstairs is not an uncommon scene these days. It’s fun to shed yourself of restrictive outerwear and enjoy the total freedom of movement possible in your birthday suit. It feels a little dangerous, and sometimes it actually is as Benji unfortunately found out recently. While dodging traffic at an uncontrollable speed, Benji sideswiped a cabinet latch that dug a long deep scratch along his bottom. It bled, turned red and began to swell. After stopping the bleeding, Mommy applied a bear shaped icepack to the injury. Benji milked the accident for all the sympathy he could muster the rest of the day, never letting go of his ouchie bobbum bear.

Potty Mouthing

The newness has worn off and given way to routine. Using the potty has lost its appeal, and now it’s an inconvenience or so it seems. Over the last month or so, the boys have begun to backslide on their potty training progress. Accidents have become more common, and parental patience has been exhausted. Stern lectures have fallen on death ears, or so we thought. Today, Benji filled his underwear with an odorous product just minutes after refusing a bathroom opportunity. I left him waiting in the bathroom while I addressed his soiled briefs. On my return I could hear Davey also in the bathroom giving his brother grief. He was repeating almost word for word what I had said to him the previous evening for the same offence. “Bad boy. Big boys use the potty Benji, babies use their pants. Bad boy!” I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Researchers validate our instincts

Sandy and I received a very pleasant surprise recently. I found an article offering suggestions that could make parenting three-year-olds a little easier. Researchers say rituals are very important to young children, and household routines and schedules give them a sense of security. Transitions are difficult at this age, and they suggest parents provide warnings of upcoming changes so the children have time to change gears: “ten more minutes till bedtime.” They suggest encouraging independent activities to build more self-reliance. As a matter of course, they suggest pointing out colors and numbers “There’s a blue Mommy car (VW Bug)” or “I see six tanker cars.” Sensory experiences like sand, mud, finger paints and puzzles provide excellent opportunities for learning and developing coordination. Our surprise was that we already do these things, not by design necessarily, but by instinct.

Kisses Make Boo Boos Better

When you’re three, a Mommy or Daddy’s kiss is required to make little ouchies heal. It’s too bad that children outgrow this miracle medical procedure, although the sidelines of high school football games would get awfully crowded with all the parents standing by to kiss their sons ouchies after every play. Still, at this age it works like a charm, and when you have active twin boys, the kiss healing business is brisk. Stubbed toes, bruised knees and scraped fingers seem to be the most common areas kissed, although I did have to address a bitten tongue and sore teeth with smooches recently. For diaper rash, they’re on their own.

Loco Motif

On our way to Missouri last summer we stopped north of Evansville to see a caboose in a photographer’s backyard. Hers was very original looking and she referred us to another home nearby that offered a really nicely painted customized caboose. The owners had renovated their rolling stock into a “getaway” room handsomely decorated in a railroad motif. One item that attracted the boy’s attention was a poster illustrating various important historical locomotives. Later in the summer, while visiting a railroad museum in Pennsylvania, we spotted the same poster in their gift shop. The boys received this poster for Christmas and became equally excited by the vivid photographs. It now hangs in what is becoming our train room.

Sunday School Demerits

When we arrived at the Sunday School classroom door this morning following church to collect the boys, the teacher asked for a word with us in private. This seemed rather unusual, and we were anxious to learn what the matter was. The nice young teacher said she had had to place Davey in timeout. Apparently, he had built a tower of wooden blocks and Benji had knocked it down. Davey retaliated by going up side his twin brother’s head with one of the blocks, creating a raised bruise and dramatic crying episode. In the car we asked Davey if he had hit his brother and he replied in a sweet voice “Yes, sorry Benji” and his brother replied, “Sorry Davey”.  If only we all could resolve our differences like that.

Long Distance Birthday Greetings Grandma

Considering that they live over 800 miles away, we are very fortunate to get to see Grandma and Granddaddy Roe several times a year. Unfortunately, Grandma’s birthday commonly falls on one of those in-between times, so we have to send her actual birthday greetings long distance and be flexible on party dates.  Last year, snow delayed their New Year’s visit and we held her birthday party a week afterwards. The year before that, we were in Florida for Christmas and celebrated her birthday a week early. Our first and only birthday party with her on her actual birthday was the most memorable. We spent it in our basement hiding from a tornado. Now that was a party, but so is every opportunity to spend time with Grandma Karen.