Soccer class

I may have mentioned that big guy and I signed up for a soccer class. Well, the class is at the nest- a hip ( ok, I didn't realize how hip) place in center city. It was advertised as a class for 2-3 years olds. Well. Big guy has some inherent soccer kicking skills so I thought we would join. Out first day was the Saturday after new years. We arrive just in time to go to class. Big guy had fallen asleep in the car, so he was very groggy and mostly clung to me the first ten mins. But we he was handed his very own soccer ball he Definitely pepped up!

So, most of the kids were running around like crazy people, except I did notice that everyone else seemed pretty tall and more on the three year old side. And you know, three year olds can follow directions and express themselves in full sentences, two skills that big guy is still working on. It was all going fine until big guy was laying on the floor and got hit ( I use the term loosely as I had time to say to big guy, you better move or that is going to hit you in the face). Then big guy started to sob and then continued to sob for the next half hour intermittently. Clearly, not the most fun we've had recently. We head home and I played it up as ok, not really fun, but it was our first class- it can only get better- right?

The next week I aske hubs to go with me just to ensure that it was really as bad as I thought or if I was just being sensitive. We got there early this time and ate lunch while big guy played with the trains in the hang out zone. That's when I noticed the skinny, hair blown out moms- not good for my self esteem. anyway- we head up to class and we are ten mins early. Everyone again is running around having a good time. Then the teacher calls everyone together and starts chatting about class. He asks everyone how last class went since he wasn't there. Some jerk parent has the audacity to say it was a bit unstructured. To which the teacher says its going to be ore ore structured now that he is there.

Dread. Clear dread on my face. More structure, I need less structure. He asks all the kids and parents to stand on one wall and we are going to do sprints. Everyone listens except for- ding ding ding- big guy who is still sprinting with joy throughout the room screaming like a mad man. Whew- tough crowd- I got a lot of nasty looks. So hubs and I spend the next ten minutes chasing big guy around the room trying to get him to participate in some kind of reasonable way to the activity. No such luck. We were both sweating. Hubs at one point looks at me and says, this is hell.

The last straw came when we were expected to have big guy stand on one circle while we stood on another a few feet away. Ok, we were done. We left the room with big guy sobbing hysterically. Needless to say, we put our account on hold until summer. Epic fail!

Drinking from a cup

Very cutely- big guy has figured out how to drink from a cup without dumping it all over himself. We've been practicing for quite a while but always with me holding the cup also. But this weekend when we were all alone- I left a cup of water on hubs's night stand while I went to use the restroom. I hear big guy walking towards me and he's holding the cup. I warily remind him to be careful because it's a glass cup. He holds it up takes a swig and hugs it to his chest. Then he takes another big drink and hands me the cup. And by hands I mean practically drops it and it's lucky my hand was there. And ever since he's been showing off his new skill. Very cool. And very not wet!

Of course

Of course...
It's the weekend and it snows
It's the weekend and it snows and I have a cold
It's the weekend and it snows and I have a cold and big guy is sick
It's the weekend and it snows and I have a cold and big guy is sick and hubs is on a conference until Monday
Of course...

Monster trucks

Ok, I have a new obsession. Monster trucks on Sunday afternoons. Hubs and I pretend to put it on bc we've hit the three in the afternoon grouchies on Sunday. Big guy will look over occasionally while he plays with trucks or sits on our laps and snuggles. But really it's hubs and I who love the giant trucks crushing cars and caravans. Doing awesome flips. Crash landing and breaking apart. It's awesome! I love having a son. It allows my inner nerd to come out- trains, cars, trucks, construction materials, star wars- um, ok that one is clearly a few years off. Anyway- I'm thinking we can go to moster trucks when big guy understands that he has to keep ear protection on. Yes!

Learning Chinese

Our nighttime routine includes watching the fresh beat band and ni-Hao Kai LAN! The first is a music show where big guy jumps and dances when they burst into song which is pretty often. The second is a show about learning Chinese and Chinese culture. Ni-Hao means hello in Chinese. Pretty cool, huh? I've been writing down the words we learn so we can practice. Very cutely big guy always waves and says hi when we say ni-Hao. Anyway- tonight we were watching and learning the word for snow- shh-yeah. I looked at hubs and said, "I wonder why so many Chinese words have "shhh" in them." he looks me right in the eye and says, " because they want you to be quiet." ooh- burn!

The nest

big guy and I signed up for a soccer class at the nest- a hip place in center city that has indoor play areas for kids. They have a lot of classes for all ages. Pretty cool and actually pretty close to where hubs and I lived when we were in college. Anywho, we've been there twice (more on that later). Today when we went early to hang out and eat some lunch before class. Since last time we ran in and went to class, this time I got to check the place out a bit, it's nice and clean. But what I mostly checked out was the other moms. Who were all white, all skinny as twigs with blown out hair and skinny jeans. And apparently all pregnant with number two. And they are probably all six months pregnant but look how I did when I was like two weeks pregnant. Damn it, these women are going to give me a complex! During our trip to the starbucks after for some peppermint hot chocolates, hubs let me know that I'll never be a nest mom if I keep drinking hot cocoa, thanks hubs for keeping it real!

Bite

big guy got bit this week. I know, I know, not again! The assistant director called me and said he got bit and that the bite may have broken the skin. Oh great. I called the Dr and they said if it broke the skin, they had to see him. damn, we had gone so long without having to go there.

Anyway, I'm driving to get big guy and getting myself all worked up. By the time I get there, I've got the whole conversation in my head how I want it to go. Big guy got bit b/c he reached for someone else's cup.

What I wanted to happen- I go in, tell them that big guy and this other kid need to be separated at meal times, they obviously agree and swear they will keep a better eye on my son.

OK, here is what actually happened:

I got storming into the room and the assistant director sees me and follows me in the room. I look at the teacher and start my tirade.
Me: "Big guy and this kid can't sit near each other during meal times. It's not acceptable that he got bit... TEacher cuts me off."
Ms. M: "Actually, big guy was on his cot and got up, walked across the room and took the kid's cup!"
Me: "Oh, oh. I didn't realize that big guy got up off the cot."
In my head, "Oh crap, I'm a crazy person!"

Then I spent the next ten minutes chatting b/c I didn't want to leave on a crazy note. Following the smoothing out, we went over to the dr's office. big guy's arm was fine, the dr said he gets to keep it! And she checked his tubes for me, still pretty and green and in place. She also weighed him- 34 delicious pounds! And now I have to set up big guy's two year appt!