Unmet Expectations

This morning, as I was taking JK out of his car seat to take him into daycare, we had the strangest and sweetest conversation:

JK: Momma, I no want to go to school.
MM: You don’t?
JK: No. I no want to.
MM: I know babe, Mommy doesn’t want to go to work either.

He looked at me with a surprised expression.

JK: You no want to go to work?
MM: No. Sometimes I am sad at work. I miss you. I’m sad because I want to be home with you.
JK: Work make you sad?
MM: Yes, sometimes work makes me sad.

After thinking a moment…

JK: Daddy’s work make him sad too?
MM: No, Daddy’s work is a happy work.
JK: My school make me sad.
MM: It does? Why does it make you sad?
JK: Sometimes I want to watch Yetter Factordy at home.

Hahaha! And here I was thinking he was gearing up to tell me that he missed me too. Ahh well. A momma can dream right?

The Twisted Toddler Conversations

I've documented many of the adorable conversations we have with Monkey. It's hard not to be tickled by his musings and observations. He has such a fresh and funny perspective! But they aren't all cute, quippy little conversations. I think the latest mix of half-year development (which I hear is harder than year marks), winter cabin fever, family sicknesses and just plain ol' boredom, has made some of the conversations with Monkey a bit of...um...an exercise in Mommy's patience.

Either that, or he's a very fickle 14 year old girl in a 2 year old boy body. I haven't figured this one out yet.

Just so you don't think our lives with a toddler are all peaches and cream, here is a sampling of the "other" conversations that ensue in our household.

But before you read on, please at least consider the advice I try to take: Never judge a family by their two year old. Amen!

*****

MM: JK, do you want milk or apple juice?
JK: Apple juice.
MM: (starts pouring apple juice)
JK: (screeching as if his life is in danger) NOOOOO!!!! I want milk!

*****

JK: (yelling) Bubby, no take my toy!!!
MM: JK, use nice words please.
JK: (yelling louder) Bubby, no take my toy PLEASE!!!

*****

MM: JK, do you want a time out?
JK: (nods head vigorously)
MM: (picks up JK and takes him to his room)
JK: (wailing as if he's just lost his dog) No want time out! No want time out!

*****

MM: JK, we're about to leave. Please put on your shoes.
JK: (looks at me, but continues playing with stuffed monkey)
MM: JK, please put on your shoes.
JK: (stares at Mommy)
MM: JK, please put on your shoes.
JK: (walks towards the shoe box, but gets distracted with trying on Daddy's shoes)
MM: (more slowly and deliberately) JK, please put on your shoes.
JK: (ignores me completely, tripping on Daddy's shoes, falling and crying) I fall down!
MM: Okay, JK. Mommy's going bye-bye now. See you later. (walks out the front door)
JK: (great wailing ensues!) Mommy, I don't have my shoes on!

Really?!

*****

We are challenged daily with balancing love and discipline. It's hard. N and I come from very different disciplines in our childhood and we're trying to find a happy medium that works for our boys. With JK, we work hard to praise, praise, praise when he does something good. We do lots of high-fives and verbal encouragements, which generally works very well. But I have noticed that nothing quite stirs this little boy's soul like some good one-on-one quality time. Just a little bit of one-on-one time with him a day and he is truly the most agreeable little boy. We get lots of conversations like this:

MM: JK, let's go potty one more time before bedtime.
JK: Otay! (scampers undistracted to the bathroom)

"Otay!" Right up there with "I love you Momma", it's really one of my favorite words around here.

Fishers of...

Dinner time is usually the time we get a funny conversation or two with Monkey. Last night was no exception. He was talking about what he wanted to do after dinner.

I need to preface this with the fact that we have two outdoor dogs. Just keep that in mind...

JK: Go fishing!
MM: You want to go fishing? But it's raining today. Where are you going to go fishing?
JK: Fishing outside. (pointing to the backyard)
MM: Fishing in the backyard? But there's no water to go fishing in. It's just grass.
JK: (mulling over what I said)
MM: You want to go fishing in the grass? What are you gonna catch?
JK: Dunno.
MM: Are you gonna catch frogs?
JK: No! (giggling)
MM: Are you gonna catch snakes?
JK: No! (giggling more)
MM: What are you gonna catch?
JK: (thinking...) Poop!

Hmm. Yep. That's about right.