by mssinglemama on January 11, 2010
John and Benjamin had a bit of a falling out over our Christmas vacation. And if you think a three-year-old and a thirty-year-old can’t be at odds, than I’m about to enlighten you.
In October, I gave John permission to take Benjamin into time outs when he witnessed bad behavior, or when John found himself on the receiving end of the bad behavior. For example, if Benjamin took a swing at John while yelling something like “you butt picker” John had my blessing to take him into his bedroom for a chat and a time out. Then, in November, John took his discipline approach up a notch and started intervening when Benjamin was throwing a fit directed toward me, his one and only precious mama.
Soon our plan back fired and Benjamin started acting out toward John – not only on occasion, but very often. He began saying things to John like “don’t talk to me” and started crying at the idea of John watching him. It wasn’t pretty.
After a particularly bad night over the holidays we all sat down and then I channeled Mrs. Brady and started off our first “family” discussion [click to continue…]
by mssinglemama on October 4, 2009
Last I checked Benjamin had just learned how to walk.
We still spent every night together cuddling up on one another in between play time bouts that included the likes of hide-and-go seek crawling and tickle attacks. My biggest worry when I took this picture was whether or not that scar from a fall he took would ever completely heal. Little did I know I should have been worrying about those two front teeth instead.
Then we moved out of my mother’s house and back to our little, big city where Benjamin, obviously, just kept growing. Here he also learned how to master the art of throwing fits.
The sweat on his forehead in this picture was from the hot August sun, under which Benjamin had been dancing for hours. First with me and then with some hippie dude. He loved men at that age, always wanting that extra attention from Mommy’s mysterious deep-voiced, broad shouldered brethren. Before I snapped this picture I took a quick moment to sit down with a tarot card reader. I needed some advice, the kind you can only get from a stranger with a knack for reading people and cards. [click to continue…]
by mssinglemama on September 30, 2009
When I first started dating John Bear his dog drove me crazy.
Every time I would come over Murphy would jump on me, scratching my bare legs with his thick doggy claws and if he wasn’t jumping he was panting and staring at me, all the while emitting a subtle doggy smell. When I put two and two together and realized that John let Murphy sleep up in his bed with him I freaked out, “Gross! That’s just so disgusting.”
“Why? He’s just a dog. He doesn’t even shed and he’s hypo allergenic.”
“Hypo allergenic? A dog can be hypo allergenic? You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“He’s not that bad, you just have to get used to him. I promise. And you would never let a dog sleep in the bed with you?”
“No,” I snapped, “Never ever.”
That was five months ago. Now Murphy spends every single day at my place while John goes into his office. The little white fur ball follows me everywhere and we even cuddle – on couches, on beds, anywhere we can. Benjamin adores Murphy. The two wrestle, chase each other and even play hide and seek. I just can’t imagine our life without that damn dog and I am completely smitten.
One day we were sitting outside of the coffee shop and a few older ladies walked by (they always love Murphy).
“How long have you had him?” they asked. [click to continue…]
by mssinglemama on September 27, 2009
After an out of town wedding and in the midst of my supreme (damn I can’t believe I got that drunk at the reception) hangover, I packed up coloring books, a few toys and some blankets and then Benjamin and I went to the park.
“It’s a great beautiful day outside, Mommy.”
“Yeah it is, isn’t it?”
“Yep, it sure is.”
We fed the ducks in our great beautiful day and then found a spot on top of a hill. We must have been there for an hour coloring and playing on our blankets and then the wind came.
“The wind, Benjamin! The wind is here.”
“What?”
“The wind. Look.”
He gazed over at a the trees on the horizon shaking and bending at the will of this invisible force. Then I told him to look up. The canopy of leaves above us danced back and forth, their rustling boomed in our ears and the tree’s branches were lurching back and forth.
“Wind, that’s the wind, Baby.”
And then he smiled, the kind of smile you can only experience at the age of three when you’ve just discovered something truly magnificent.
The wind.
See the rest of my weekend pictures here.
by mssinglemama on September 4, 2009
I’m announcing the winners to three contests today but you’re all winners.
You know why?
Because, long ago, you learned how to go on the potty. If you’ve seen this video you know I don’t like talking about bodily movements or anything close to them in public. But because Benjamin’s bowel movements, or lack thereof, are the reason I am up – right now – at 6:00 a.m., I feel obligated to share.
I am tired but happy, curled up in a little blanket on the big chair in the living room. Benjamin is coloring. I’m happy because he just ate a magnificent breakfast, breakfast fit for a big kid – three eggs and an entire bowl of oatmeal. He woke up at 5:45 saying, “Mommy, I’m hungry.” Hungry and awake because last night he couldn’t go on the potty and then decided not to go at all. The tummy ache or cramped up poopy feeling made him pass on his dinner. Like the bad mommy that I am, I completely forgot to force a bowl of yogurt on him before bed. Now here we are – awake before the sun is even up. [click to continue…]
