Saturday, February 9, 2008

Miles' Posse

Miles has friends.........


When we moved into our house in Florida, we thought we had moved into a neighborhood of mostly older people. On Halloween, we were pleased to find out how many kids there were. There are a number of two year olds, infants and newborns, but Miles prefers to party with the more mature crowd. We live on a cul-de-sac, and are surrounded by 5 and 6 year olds. They ring the door bell every day and ask if Miles can play. Mainly they want to drive his electric car, but even when they are not "using" him for his toys, they are pushing him around in the stroller and helping him ride his trike. They play house and Miles willingly gets dubbed "the baby".

He has a special affinity for a young lady named Makayla who's six. He wants to walk to the end of the street and meet her at the bus stop and he sits at the end of her driveway and pouts when she has to go in to do homework. Makayla in turn plays a variety of dominating female roles from his mommy, to his teacher, to his baby sitter and so on. She drags him by the hand and even manages to pick him up, toting him around like an over sized rag doll, as he hangs limply held under the armpits. My nightmare is another six year old named Ethan who is Miles' predecessor. He is reckless and rowdy and drives Miles around in the electric car like a drunk teenager, while Miles holds on for dear life grinning and laughing like the Cheshire cat. They are both adorably cute, but in my mind they are a future two pack of trouble, the Beavis and Butthead of Stipule Court.


Luckily all the parents are great and outside of our daily, after school, gab sessions, we all take turns keeping an eye on each others kids. There's about 8 or 9 of them when they're out in force, so it can be a bit overwhelming and all the moms keep telling me to have another baby now before their kids scare me into just one. Miles wants to do what all the big kids do, from roller skating, to skate boarding, to riding their scooters, so in order to have a toddler, I will have to have another baby, because this one is in such a hurry to grow up, even if he still has to play "the baby".


Miles, Megan, Ethan and William

Sunday, February 3, 2008

Touch-a-truck

On Saturday we went to a local event called Touch A Truck, in Safety Harbor, Florida. Miles loves all kinds of cars and trucks and we thought he would really enjoy being able to see them in person and get to check out the insides. He had a great time for the first half hour until he realized he didn't get to sit in the drivers seat all day and that he had to share turns with hordes of other kids. Eventually the lines got too long and he didn't want to wait, so we headed over to the playground at the park and Chris and I sweated it out while Miles ran around like a maniac climbing on everything (he's not very careful or attentive and requires hands on monitoring.......fun for all). Miles was sure to bring his two favorite Matchbox Firetrucks with him until the real trucks proved to be much more interesting and he ditched his cars to be able to steer the life size ones better. Here are a few shots from the park:




















Monday, January 28, 2008

I Just Don't Care Anymore!

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a little neurotic by nature. So I have decided to compose a list of all of the things that no longer bother me anymore. Having a child has had the unfathomable ability to change even someone as stubborn as me, but not completely. Not to worry some of the neuroses still remain. Here's my list of things "I am sooo over":

1. My child dropping food and then eating it off the floor......of pretty much anywhere.
2. Dirty diapers
3. Getting the stuff that goes in the diapers on my person
4. Stuff that comes out of the body in general (i.e. boogers, drool, half chewed food, etc.)
5. Dirty faces and unwashed hands (alright the hands still really bother me, but not enough to remember to always wash them.......Miles, not mine.......pleeeease!)
6. Using the TV as a babysitter (come on now, if you have kids, you've done it)
7. Getting to bed on time
8. Miles crying in public
9. Being the only parent with the "bad" kid
10. Feeding my kid nutritious meals (I'm lucky if he eats at all)
11. Silverware falling on the floor of restaurants
12. Fingerprints on glass/TV/any general household surface
13. Using the diaper changing station in public restrooms.......kind of
14. Giving my kid sugar
15. Dirty feet

On the reread, I've realized I've either become much more relaxed in my old age, or my parenting skills are gradually diminishing. Either way here's a few "freak out" ditties to remind everyone that I'm still just as crazy as ever:

1. Disinfecting supermarket shopping carts
2. Stains on clothes
3. Dirty fingernails
4. Touching public door handles
5. Incessant whining (everyone else's, not my own)

I could go on, but that's just enough crazy for tonight.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Miles Slept Here


This bed was found after a long overdue nap.....




This one after a hard play date. Either he was too tired to find the bed or
just didn't want to stop playing.....



This one was because of creative thinking. A very grumpy baby arrived at Nana's without a nap and mommy didn't want to wake him up. With important grown up errands to run, out came baby, car seat and all and with a little help from Nana, Miles found his way from the car to her guest bedroom, still attached to his car seat and still sleeping(for another 2 hours, yeah)....



Monday, January 21, 2008

Lowry Park Zoo

The pony ride


Big fish


Looking in the fish pool


Catching the "big one"


Petting zoo


Are you as tall as a pony?





Playing in the fountains


It's TIME to go home!