This morning he had only been awake for 10 minutes when he came running into our bathroom, where I was pulling back my hair, stopped short and beaming, showed me Dora (with her arms and head twised the wrong direction in an exorcist-like pose) and shouted "DARA"! Then he gave her a hug and promptly threw her at me. (Boys.)
Here is a picture I took as he ran past with his hot pink tutued girlfriend in a choke hold:
And here is where he left her in a pile of books when he found something more interesting to do: (pulling kleenex out of the box I left unattended as I snapped pictures)
I'd like to thank the gals at Brian's office for buying "girl toys" so I don't have to endure Brian's protests and eye rolls when I want to provide Aiden with an array of toys, irregardless of the social stigmas attached to them. (Don't think I have forgotten about the cabbage patch baby either, Bri!) Nevermind that we absolutely could NOT leave Tuesday Morning yesterday, where I had stopped in to look for children's life jackets and new books for him, without a three dollar pair of construction vehicles. I think everyone in the store heard me calmly repeating to my screaming 15 month-old "First we buy the trucks and THEN we can open them" as he banged the box in frustration along the shopping cart handle bar. I tried to maintain a serene face - and not burst out laughing - when I handed the sweet old lady at the register the thrashed, partially dis-assembled box with the trucks dangling by their packaging wires so she could scan the battered barcode. This, of course, was after our trip to the library where I had wrangled Aiden at the checkout table (he's discovered pulling things out of my purse and throwing them is a good way to make me put him down so I can retrieve my tampons and other launched items) when the librarian, who also teaches the story time, didn't recognize us. She smiled as she handed me a bookmark with the story time information and invited us to come "let him get some energy out". It made me feel better knowing that his frequent public maulings of her hand puppets as she tried to lead the group in Old MacDonald had been forgotten...
Sometimes I have to admit that Aiden's mild misbehavior keeps me in check and reminds me I need to be the responsible parent every once in a while. And then, as my wonderful Playful Parenting book suggests, there are times I am happy to just be playful. Like at midnight last night when Aiden woke up for no reason and wanted to explore in the dark and then have a snack. We sat in the kitchen eating toasted raisin swirl bread with cream cheese frosting, playing peek-a-boo and giggling softly so we wouldn't wake Brian. THAT I know I will remember forever!
Tay's What-Kind-Of-Mother-Are-You-Feeding-Them-That-For-Breakfast Divine Frosted Raisin Bread:
2 slices of cinnamon raisin swirl bread toasted
small dollop of cream cheese frosting
Spread frosting thinly over the toasted raisin bread just removed from the toaster and let it slightly melt. Serve warm. Works wonders on sick, irritable children and Monday mornings.
