Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Three on a bike

So exhausted on this long day.  The spring time change is kicking my butt, and I am only recalling now that I remember having similar problems in years' past.  Not complaining though, because having daylight until after well after 7 pm is just delicious.

I have dug deep and found enough in reserves to put my bitterness I felt towards my supervisor aside.  Good thing, too, as many of my colleagues are feeling what I felt last week, and it helps to not have all of us wanting to slap her silly.  I hold onto slight hope that she will grow into a decent supervisor, but these growing pains are not fun for any of us.

I never did have that beer at 4:14 pm.  I forget what happened.  Life, I suppose.  Oh well...

I need to move onto a happy subject.  My baby, sweet Three who turns 6 already next week (already he's six?  how did that happen??) decided he wanted to ride his bike without training wheels.  I tried to teach him last summer for about 7 seconds, but he got angry and didn't want to do it.  "Fine," I said.  "You have your whole life to learn how to ride a bike."

In the fall of last year, I arranged a trade with a neighbor for a tagalong (we had one that was too big and she had one that was too small - love when these problems are so easily solved).  Three and I rode all over together on the tagalong, and he loved it.  "Woo Hoo!" he would shout, as we zipped around the streets of Madison.  "Go faster, mom!  Faster!!"

So, on Sunday Bob pulled down Three's bike, sans training wheels, from storage.  I was lazily lounging in bed, and I heard Bob say, "Three!  Look at you go!  How did you learn how to ride a bike??"  I popped up out of bed and looked out the window, and sure enough.  He was wobbling down the sidewalk all alone on his bike.  "Mom taught me," he shouted back.

Not true.  Other than riding (faster!) on the tagalong and that ill-fated 7 second lesson, I had nothing to do with this.  Three worked all day on Sunday.  Wobbling, a little less the more he rode.  A little more confident with each lap around the block.  He used the brakes more than his shoes.  He figured out how to start and turn.  And now, he is completely independent and loving it.  And, yes indeed, going faster!

So, for the last two days, he has ridden his bike to school.  He asked me to write his combination to his lock on a sheet of paper, which he carefully folded and put in his pocket.  When I picked him up from school yesterday, he carefully unfolded his sheet, and said, "let's crack the code!"  He thoughtfulness and care broke my heart a little.

My baby is growing up.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

March 7

Well hey there stranger,

Yup, I've been absent from this here blog lately.  We are in the throws of some major changes at work, and it is making me exhausted and a bit cranky at the end of the day.  And, no one wants to read a cranky blog.  I had a very bad meeting last week (felt terribly insulted by my new supervisor) and I am digging deep to find the will to move past it.  But it is hard.  I had a one-on-one meeting with her today, and I spent most of my time chewing her out in my head.  I'm feeling very tight around her, and I don't like it.  I need to move on.  Digging deep.  Digging still.

Moving on...  I am implementing a brand new parenting strategy around here.  Boy One and Two have been bickering all afternoon (the entire 1 hour that they have been home).  What's new.  So, I am making them take the dog for a walk around the block every time they complain about each other.  "Uh oh, looks like you need more time to figure out how to be good brothers together.  Why don't you take another walk!" I cheerily suggest.  After only 2 walks, the tide turned and they went across the street the play basketball at our neighbor's hoop.

I'm going in interrupt myself here.  I just love the fact that my neighbors', whose children are all adults now, have kept up their basketball hoop and have invited my children to play there.  My kids frequently are over there playing, and they bring their friends over also.  I need to bake some cookies soon and bring them over as a thank you.  Such sweet neighbors I have.

Back to the children.  Well, that didn't last.  They just came in and added to their litany.  I suggested another walk or a joint effort of cleaning a room together.  They came up with the idea of heading down to the school to play basketball there with a neighborhood friend.  I told them I'd swing by in about 30 minutes on my way to get their youngest brother (who is thataways on an after school playdate) and One said, "No!  We need longer to bond!"  Yes, I get it that I'm being suckered, but if it gets them out of the house for a while, I'll take it.

I have more to add - so much more - but not now.  I am considering cracking open a beer and enjoying the silence of my house.  Is 4:14 pm too early to drink alone?

Back soon (I hope).