Not sure what got into Monkey this week…

but I like it!

He has gone to school, happily, every single day this week.  This has not ever happened to my recollection.  Previously, our best weeks were a whiney Monday, decent Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and then a whiney Friday.  We were happy with that, anything is better than the fits we used to deal with, but now he’s really raised the bar!

He bounced his way into class this week.  The teachers’ reports say that he’s been very social and very verbal.  Yesterday, he played at the sand table with one of his classmates for TEN minutes with no adult intervention/support.  They stood there, together, playing and taking turns/swapping toys for 10 minutes.  

He has been loving Circle Time this week too.  He keeps requesting that they do the weather song and they have been obliging him.  Yesterday, it was one of the other kids’ turns to talk about the weather and he showed each of the kids the letter “S” for sunny and, when he got to Monkey, Monkey pointed and said “Ess” as clear as day.  The other kids were so excited to hear him talking, lol.

WHO IS THIS KID AND CAN I PRETTY PLEASE KEEP HIM?

I’ve got nothing.

It’s my typical post-event let down.  Not that I’m let down over how the holidays unfolded, I’m not at all.  I enjoyed myself very much…it’s just now I’m back to every day life and after all the planning and excitement I’m feeling a bit “blah.”

Monkey continues to do well in school.  He’s had two great days back so far and he was thrilled to be at school this AM.  Seriously thrilled…that wasn’t sarcasm!

It’s too early to start regaling you with my plans for Monkey’s birthday, although I have already settled on a theme.  (Yes, it’s in May.  I know, I know.)  We’re still weeks from starting our garden and I’m guessing you all aren’t that interested in all the goodies I’ve found in my various seed catelogues (I have 4 in the satchel that I carry back and forth to work and I am eagerly awaiting a 5th.)

Is this what “calm” is like? Weird.

Christmas? BTDT.

We had our final Christmas celebration on Sunday.  This year the holiday season seems to have stretched on for an eternity, I’m sure we’re all glad to be done with it for another year 🙂 

We spent Sunday with Duhdee’s family in New Hampshire.  We had a great time visiting with everyone.  Monkey played very well with his cousins.  There was a bit of a discussion over “sharing” and what exactly sharing involves.  It seems that the definition is open to some interpretation amongst the 2-4 year old set.  Silly Auntie thought it was pretty well established.

I know I’m probably sounding like a broken record but I am still continually amazed when Monkey shines as he did on Sunday.  He played with his cousins, he circulated amongst the grownups, he ate his dinner (mostly) with a fork, he let his Uncle J. hug him, he let Grampy pick him up and touch him, he used his words/signs to communicate, he smiled for his Auntie D. upon request…it was just amazing. 

 Let this be encouragement for anyone who’s little ones aren’t yet doing this.  A year ago he would have hid in the playroom all day.  He would have avoided the adults.  He would have refused to sit at the table.  He would have eaten only standing up and only with his hands.  He would have cried if Grampy, Uncle J. or Auntie D. had tried to interact with him directly…the best we could hope for was that he’d stay in the same room or line of sight of them.  What a difference a year makes.

Back to the grind.

After two consecutive three day work weeks (and the 3rd day of each was cut short by two hours thanks to my employer) we are back to our regularly scheduled programming. *sigh*

I expected tears this morning when we dropped Monkey off but he was fine.  We left him happily playing at the sand table with his friends.  He did try to pull the “potty” card on us at one point to stall but it was half-hearted at best, lol. 

Now I need to try to get back into the daily grind!  I’d much rather be home watching The Lion King for the 4,743rd time but I suppose…

An update on the missing toy…

Since Grammy asked below, it STILL has not arrived.  UPS says it will be delivered today…we shall see.

**Edited to Add**

I am done with Toys R Us.  That is it.  I finally called to complain, I was hoping to let a little time pass so I would not lose my temper.  FAIL.

First, I was able to get the shipping refunded.  Considering that I paid for overnight shipping (which doubled the cost of the gift) and it’s now been a WEEK and they totally missed the holiday…that seems like the least they could do.  I then asked to speak to a supervisor because it is really not the CSR’s fault.  It’s not the supervisor’s fault either but they get paid to listen to these complaints.

I then spent 15 incredibly frustrating minutes being hung up on and having to navigate their bulky and annoying automated phone system only to be hung up on again TWO MORE TIMES.  By the time I did speak to a supervisor I was furious, so much for waiting to cool off.

I told him the situation and he acknowledged that they dropped the ball.  My order was placed in time they just totally screwed up.  He apologized and I said an apology doesn’t go very far in this sort of situation.  It was a Christmas gift for a 4 year old, the ONLY gift he had asked for.  He was quiet for a moment and then inquired if I would be interested in a promotion to come back to shop with them again.

I might have cursed at him and slammed the phone down.  I don’t lose my temper that completely very often and it didn’t help…much.  They’ve seen my last dollar though…that helps a little more.

I hope everyone enjoyed the weekend!

We had a very nice weekend here. We were totally, utterly lazy on Saturday. I think the only person to leave the house all day was me when I walked the dogs. Otherwise we just lay like vegetables all day long. It was glorious!

On Sunday morning, we drove Monkey to his Grammy and Grampa’s house for a sleepover.  Duhdee and I had been invited to the wedding of a very dear college friend and we could find no babysitters! 

The drive up was a lot of fun.  I sat in the back seat with Monkey and we made up a game of going under bridges.  I learned that Monkey can say “bridge.”  When I told my mom she wondered how many other words he can say that we just haven’t asked him about.  That’s a very good question, I guess I had better start asking him more often!

Another “game” we’ve made up recently is that I’ll say a word and pause, Monkey will then give it his best shot.  This is how I discovered he can say bridge, lol.  There are two sentances that we’ve been concentrating on for the most part, two sentances that are very appropriate for Monkey.  One is “I love you” and the other is “I am funny.” Lately Monkey has been repeating the first word or two after me and then jumping in and offering the third word without prompting.  I find that very encouraging.   Yesterday I started with “I” and he prompted me with an “am!”  After I repeated “am,” he finished with “funny.”  I’ll have to get his version of “funny” on video because it’s adorable.

After we dropped off Monkey, we drove home and relaxed for a little while.  Then we took a cab over to the hotel where the wedding was being held.  We had so much fun but I forgot my camera!  Argh!  Duhdee even bought me a new one for Christmas that would have fit in my itty, bitty purse.  Bummer because I really wish I could have gotten a picture of Duhdee as he nearly strangled himself while trying to break open the pinata! ((Seriously the most fun I’ve ever had at a wedding!))   I will have to see if I can get copies of a few of the pictures because the brides looked beautiful and it’s not that often that there is someone to take pictures of Duhdee and I together, all dressed up even!

Duhdee is off picking up Monkey, he seems to have enjoyed his overnight visit according to the early reports but this is no surprise.  He loves staying the night up there.  He knows where the peanut butter is stored and they have two little doggies who will play “fetch” (as opposed to our medium sized doggies who only play “keep away,” which is not nearly as much fun!)  What more can a boy ask for?