Keeping us laughin’

August 26, 2013August 26, 2013Leave a comment

Our girl. She is a rock. While Mario is having a hard time in kindergarten, she remains stoic and independent, heading into class by herself and trying to toughen up Mario. “Buck it up!” she continues to tell him.

When we were at Bob Evans on Saturday night,our waitress spilled a glass of water all over the table. Jon looked a bit annoyed because it almost got all over him and Maria bitingly said “we’ll, she has got to be new since she can’t even balance the water.” Little sass girl. Sure enough, two minutes later the waitress returned with napkins and said “I’m sorry, I’m in training.” Ri smiled at all of us.

When Jon explained to the kids that he was just tired from a long week, Maria scolded him. “You need to learn to meditate, dad. You just put your palms together and hummmmm.”

She surely keeps us laughing, which is exactly what we need right now. Love ya girlie.

P90X or Legos

August 26, 2013August 26, 2013Leave a comment

Mario’s buddies came over this weekend. They wanted to play Legos or build a fort. But Mario had a different idea.

P90X Yoga and Abs workout.

At one point during crunches, Quinn started whining “this hurts my belly so much!”

Mario’s response: “It’s gonna make you strong and have big muscles. Keep going.”

I see personal training in his future. Of course, it will have to be training the stars cuz he will want some publicity. Remember how he punched out his bedroom window with the hopes of getting on Channel 4 news?

After their intense ten minute workout, Mario hopped up and pleaded for some food. “We need to put energy back into our bodies after that workout!” I was impressed since he usually eats nothing. The only problem was he wanted donuts instead of steak. We compromised on spaghetti with lots of garlic bread. I have a feeling we will see a 180 degree turn in a few years related to his eating, especially if he continues to workout like a maniac. I think he gets it honestly….

Kindergarten woes

August 24, 2013August 24, 20131 Comment

Ri took this picture earlier this week at drop off to kindergarten. I was trying to console Mario who was completely distressed at the thought of going to school. Jon and I were taken aback with this behavior because Mario has been so excited to start at Maria’s school.

Every single day was awful. He cried and pled to leave with me. He asked to be “disqualified from Kindergarten.” He begged to stay home “just one more day.” It was heart-wrenching to look in his tear-filled eyes and see that baby boy pout. The worst was Friday. The guidance counselor came in to be with him while I left. She asked him if he wanted to draw. He shook his his head no. Then she said;

“Let’s go see Mr. Hopper, the bunny rabbit.”

Mario shook his head no again.

The counselor said: “Come on, it will be fun. You can even take a friend with you.”

Mario’s response: “Ok, I will take my mom.”

My heart crumbled. I’m his friend. I so can’t wait to use that when he is a teenager.

In my mind, I know that he is going to be just fine and we will look back at this transition and find humor in it. After all, he runs down the steps after school in a great mood. But in my heart, I am sick to my stomach as I walk out the doors every morning. I just want to start my day with a smiling child. So, I am dedicating my free time to researching every website about how to deal with a child that hates kindergarten. I know it will likely be a task of futility because every kid is different and I need to just figure out what Mario needs… but it makes me feel better. Probably by the time I have researched every site, Mario will have acclimated to Kindergarten and all the techniques I read about will be useless. Let’s hope….

Mario’s first lost tooth

August 21, 2013August 21, 2013Leave a comment

After a week of tugging and pulling, Mario lost his first tooth last night while eating a chicken nugget in the back seat of Jon’s truck.

“I felt something hard in my chicken nugget and it was my tooth!”

He had made it bleed earlier in the day with me and I had told him to stop pulling at it and let it come out naturally. So much for listening to mom. It was welcome excitement after spending most of the day at Children’s Hospital getting his left eye examined due to a cut that his best friend Quinn gave him while dancing.

He has high expectations for the Tooth Fairy. He woke up this morning and found five single dollar bills under his pillow. He counted them out one by one and when he got to the last one, he sighed and said in an exasperated tone:

“I got five dollars.”

“Five dollars! I only got 25 cents when I was a kid.” (I have to add my “I walked ten miles uphill and barefoot” stories in as much as possible).

He looked at me with an understanding expression but then quickly added “Dad still owes me $5 for allowance so at least I will have $10.”

I’m worried he is going to start yanking at all of his teeth in order to get up to $25.

Rocco Awesome goes to school

August 15, 2013August 15, 2013Leave a comment

Dear Mario:

Mom and dad love you to the moon and stars and sun and back. How many times have I said “Hey Mario, guess what?” And how many times have you replied “I know, you love me to the moon and stars and sun and back.”

As I walked out of your classroom this morning feeling a little nervous about how your first day in kindergarten would go but also really excited for you to experience school and all that it entails, I thought about all the times we had mouthed those precious words to one another: “I love you to the moon and stars and sun and back….”

I hope that when you start to feel a little lonely or scared, you will reach for those words and they will lift you up and bring you the confidence to get through the day. Because you are an incredible little being full of imagination and curiosity, and dad and I have no doubt you will take that kindergarten class by storm!

You have been so excited to start school – counting down the number of days since the end of Spring. We could tell you were a little nervous this morning but you got dressed and packed your lunch and put on your book bag like a pro. And when we talked about walking in with you, you demanded to walk in alone. Eventually, you let down your guard somewhat and let us walk in behind you.

You did exactly as Ri instructed – placed your book bag on your pre-selected hook, deposited your lunch box in the bin and stuck your magnet on “Packing.”

Then you sat at your desk and began to complete your first kindergarten task: draw flowers in a vase. Other kids ran around and held onto parents but you got to work. After all, you’ve been anxiously awaiting homework since watching your sis do it all last year!

And then we said goodbye.

And you shyly looked up with those melting eyes and that perfect face and I wanted to sweep you out of the chair and take you with me. But instead I smiled , hugged you, told you you’d be great and walked towards the door. Dad hugged you, too, and gave you a fist pump. You waved at us with a bit of hesitancy but also a bit of pride. You were officially in kindergarten, and you had completed your first task as instructed by your teacher.

You are going to be a superstar; we have no doubt about it. After all, you did name yourself “Rocco Awesome” when you were only four years old. We can’t wait to see what’s next.

Love,
Mom and Dad

Can and can’t

August 14, 2013August 14, 2013Leave a comment

We have decided this is it.
You can’t go any farther than third grade.
You can’t get any taller or lose any more teeth.
You can’t need a bra.
You can’t keep getting bigger feet.
You can’t grow out of stuffed animals.
You can’t giggle about cute boys.
You can’t put on deodorant.
You can’t want to walk home by yourself.
You can’t want me to stop at your classroom door.

Ok, we know all of those are impossible but can you at least fulfill some of the “can’s” below…

You can stay our baby.
You can keep hugging us.
You can kiss us a thousand times a day.
You can snuggle with us.
You can laugh so hard with us and Mario that you fall off your chair.
You can draw us pictures.
You can ask us to rub your back.
You can sit on our laps.
You can talk to us about anything.

We know you are gonna have an incredible third grade year, Ri Grace, and we love you so very much! Always stay curious and open to new possibilities!

Love, Mom and Dad

Back to school

August 13, 2013August 13, 2013Leave a comment

I got a glimpse of what our mornings would look like this school year when I asked the kids to get ready for back-to-school night at Stevenson. Ri threw on an old tank top and a hat because she didn’t want to brush her hair. She was ready in five seconds. Mario, to the contrary, was in his room for ten minutes before I yelled to him to hurry up.
“I can’t get my button buttoned!”
He sounded frustrated. I walked upstairs and saw him standing in his room with clothes scattered around him. He clearly had tried on numerous outfits before landing on the one he was wearing. I buttoned the too button of his shirt but not before trying to convince him that he could keep it unbuttoned and look cool.
“Mom, it looks stupid like that and it bothers me. I want it buttoned to the top.”
Mario knows best.
He then walked into our bedroom and found the hair gel. Jon gave him his old gel to use and Mario thinks that is too cool. He stood in the mirror for at least five minutes dipping his fingers into the gel and tussling his hair. I kept telling him he looked fine and he kept saying “hold on one more minute, mom, I’m almost ready.”

Jon and I know now that we will need to wake him up a half hour earlier than Ri so he can get dressed and do his hair. God love him. When he walked outside, Ri exclaimed “look at that darling baby boy!” Mario frowned and yelled “stop embarrassing me Ria!” He was clearly nervous.
But the night went well. He found his classroom and chair with Ri’s help. She made him practice putting his magnetic name on the “Packing” side and the “Buying” side of the wall, and she showed him where to write his name. She’s a good mama bear.

Mario made a new friend immediately and ran around with Quinn and the new friend all night. Maria was off on her own with her girlfriend, Anna, never to be seen until the night was over. I couldn’t even get a picture of her. Just wait until the first day of school tomorrow…she will be begging me to leave.

Pumping it up

August 8, 2013August 8, 2013Leave a comment

I have further confirmation that Mario is my son. Previous confirmation: his desire to take a run first thing in the morning; his love of chocolate donuts; his hatred of driving long distances; and his crazy personality. Present confirmation: his love of a P90X workout at 8 in the morning. Nothing like watching your five-year old pump up his biceps and do V sit-ups as you get ready to head to work.

His reason for doing them: “to be the strongest boy in his Kindergarten.” I love ya, kid.

Shots for Mario

August 7, 2013August 7, 2013Leave a comment

Mario made it through his shots yesterday…barely. You would have thought he was undergoing major surgery. Jon and I debated about whether to tell him the night before: Jon was adamant against telling him and I was for it. Of course, I did it and Mario had a complete meltdown. He threw himself in my arms and pleaded for us not to take him. Patty got to witness the insanity since she spent the night with us. I can’t believe how anxious and stressed he gets over shots. For being Mr. Tough in every other area, he sure takes a hit in this area.

I rubbed his back and scratched his arm (he loves when I scratch from the top of his arm all the way to his fingertips) and he eventually went to sleep.

The next morning he woke to the fear of heading to the doctor. He again pleaded to not go for another week. He cried to Patty hoping she’d intervene (which she would have if he didn’t absolutely need his shots). We let him play on the iPad until we had to leave.

“I want everyone to come with me” he begged as we got ready. So Jon, Patty, Maria and I all went down to the doc’s office. He went back and forth between Patty and me while waiting to head back – looking pathetic as ever.

Meanwhile, Maria sprawled out on the couch and gave Mario orders to get her water to try to take his mind off of the shots. When he brought Patty and I water and none for her, she exclaimed “What?! None for your big sis?!”

We walked back to the room and as soon as we stepped in, Mario cried and begged to leave. Maria again tried to calm him down by pointing at the used needles and saying “Look Mario, the needles aren’t that big!” Way to go Ri. He cried harder.

Jon promised him $5 if he made it through being a brave boy.

The nurses came in and had Jon sit on the table and bear hug Mario. I stood behind Mario and held his elbows. Mario wailed. He pleaded “let me tell you one thing!” He told them to wait a second. They did. Then he pleaded “let me tell you one more thing.” They did. He asked if the shots would hurt. We reiterated that they would be over quickly. He pleaded again “let me tell you one more thing!” We said “this is it Mario. What is it?” He looked at Jon with big old tears and said “I don’t know I just want one more thing.” He knows how to procrastinate.

The nurses and Jon and I caught eyes and knew it was time and boom – shots in both arms and we were done! They put band-aids on and it was over… but not for Mario. He wailed on the floor and on the table about how much his arms hurt. Then, after the drama and as Jon was about to leave, he sniffles out “where is my money?”

We knew we were back to the old Mario.

Pittsburgh weekend

August 5, 2013August 5, 2013Leave a comment

It started with a German Shepherd and a little mutt jumping in the back of the Volvo. Our trip to Pittsburgh to visit Aunt Sarah and Jorge was awesome on so many levels including the hysterical ride in the Volvo with the kids in the back seat nuzzling up to Stella and Mona until Stella tried to jump over the seat and Sarah jumped in the back to school her. Ri and I laughed so hard.

We made it to Sar’s apartment in one piece. We decided to forego the kids museum because we got in later than we expected and because the kids were much more into hanging out with Sarah. We decided to head to the animal shelter because the kids were wanting to hold a dog and Sar and I were each secretly thinking maybe we would take one home (Jon, meanwhile made me swear that I would not engage in such activity).
The shelter was clean and did not contain the usual musty-dog smell of a shelter. It had to be privately owned. We looked at all the doggies in their kennels and quickly decided we wanted to hold Paquita, a chihuahua. We approached the front desk attendant and asked to get him out.

“You have to fill out this paperwork first.”

It was two pages of questions. The lady read over my responses and quickly pushed the paper to the side.

“We don’t allow adoptions farther than 75 miles away.”

Sarah and I looked at each exasperated. We just wanted to hold Paquita. We knew what to do. Sarah filled out the paperwork as if she was going to buy a dog. The attendant knew exactly what we were doing. She started to grill us with questions and then chirped “we don’t have anyone to show you a dog until later.” Sar and I would not be stopped. Sar filled out another piece of paper to see a kitten. After ten minutes, we were in a room with a grey-colored kitty. The kids fought over who could hold her. Sar and I cracked up over the paranoid attendant checking in on us every three minutes. Not exactly what we expected but it was all worth it when we headed to the door and found big ol’ plump bunnies. They were too cute with their double chins and short legs.

The kids were dying to see the hotel after that so Sar dropped us off while she got the dogs. They knew exactly what to do once we checked in – they got on the elevator, found the room, opened the door, scoped out the room and put on their bathing suits. We took a quick swim and met Sar downstairs for a trip to the downtown fountain.

The kids took turns holding Mona as we walked from Market Square to the fountain. Market Square is a quaint little dining area with a center courtyard. I really liked downtown Pittsburgh. You could see the inside of the baseball stadium from our walk. The hills were magnificent with houses peppered all over them. Trains clamored past us. I love old downtowns.
Sar told the kids they could wade in the fountains and they wasted no time. Mario went in up to his chin and Ri quickly followed. They had many admirers, including the dogs.

After soaking themselves, we walked over to the Reflective Pool for more “wading.” Sar and I were chatting when Mario came out with his fist balled up. He opened it to reveal a load of change (mostly pennies) that he had gathered. “This is awesome, mom!” Soon after that, a policeman stopped on his bike and chastised Sar and I for letting M&M in the pool (it’s not allowed; I told the kids that they had one cool mom letting them engage in illegal activities). As soon as they got out, Mario started whining about being cold. I knew it.
I carried him back to the car while Ri walked without one complaint (she could last in the Arctic with no issues). We were almost to the car when Ri noticed a horse-drawn carriage. She begged for us to take a ride and I could not say no. Sar stood back with the dogs and we hopped in. The lady waved Sar over and yelled “you can get in with your dogs!” We couldn’t believe it. There we all were in a carriage riding through downtown.

Ri was in heaven and kept repeating “this is the best!” After the ride, we traveled back to Shadyside, changed at Sarah’s, and headed up the street for Mexican. Sar ordered fish tacos much to my concern but I found out that I love them. They were delicious. Mario took two bites of his quesadilla and passed out on my lap.

Sar and I got some quality sister time in at the restaurant which was my heaven. Then she got to try out Mario’s scooter on the way home. She cranked it with Ri even doing a jump! When we got home, Ri begged to stay with Sar. We explained to her there would be no breakfast buffet or swimming. She decided to go with me. On the way home, Sar called complaining that she missed the Ri-ster. I asked Ri if she wanted to go back and she jumped up in her seat and shouted “yes!” So I drove her back to Sarah’s and Mario and I went to our room and slept soundly together all night.
We woke up the next morning at 8 (beautiful) and went swimming. He raced me in the pool (swam four laps like it was nothing) and performed “magic” in the hot tub (he waved his hands underwater and made ripples). We were both starved by 9:30 and devoured some waffles and bacon at the buffet (Mario commented “Ri is going to be so mad she missed this.”).
We said goodbye to the hotel and booked it over to Sarah’s. The whole crew was there. Ri loved spending the night with Sar; she slept with the dogs and then with Sarah and Jorge in their full size bed. There is no way Jon and I would have slept.
The family drove to Frick Park for a Sunday hike with the dogs. It was a typical Menkedick hike full of inclines and great finds – touch-me-nots for the kids to squeeze, daddy long legs, beetles, and a snake in the porta potty.

We were famished when we left the park and darted straight to a quaint brunch restaurant in the Point Break? neighborhood. It had ridiculously yummy food – frittatas, pork and slaw omelette, salmon watermelon salad, and chocolate waffles. We ate and laughed and guessed who sang songs that Ri named.
We took a walk around Sar’s neighborhood after brunch and found a darling street with shops. I loved a card shop called Kards Unlimited. It had New Yorker cards and a ton of others. I could have sat in there for two hours.
Dad attempted to ride Mario’s scooter, which provided much laughter. Actually, I think his nickname should now be Speed Racer. He moved on that thing.

We left Pittsburgh at 4 and got home by 7:20 (with a stop at the gas station for ice cream and potato chips even). Exhausted and spent, we walked in the house to hugs from Jon and Patty.

Another weekend well spent – goodbye Pittsburgh and Spahr Road – we are lobbying hard for a Sarah and Jorge move to Columbus!

"MOM!"

Adventures in the Life of a Working Mama