So after a very long and tiring day, I am resting on the couch. My almost 2 1/2 year old son is playing happily with his toys, which I am so grateful for. I just need 15 min to rest before I make dinner......At this point, I have no idea what I am in for. ***minor segue here....I was a normal child. I would like to think that I was no more destructive, violent, hyper, obnoxious at any age than other kids. I don't remember being a brat, so therefore I would hope that I was not. However...

I'm up in the middle of the night because I'm at the point where I just can't get comfortable anymore. The house is quiet and my husband has been home for less than 12 hours. My son wakes up and calls from the other room, "MOMMY, DADDY, MOMMY, DADDY". I was right here on the computer, so I was able to get to him before he woke up all the way. I never did figure out what woke him up or why he was crying, but I will never forget that he is already calling for his Daddy. I can't explain...

After much harrassment and nagging, my amazingly wonderful husband has decide to stop lurking and start writing. I am so excited because i have been a fan of him for years....he really does have a way with words. Plus, he is cute. (He will hate me for saying that in public! hee hee hee) So, I'm counting on all you really cool people to check him out and make him feel welcome....stroke his ego and convince him to write some more..... His alter ego is Hyperborean Wanderer Link For goo...

My mother in law called and asked me what I want for Christmas. I didn't know what to say. I don't want kitchen stuff (kitchen is too small) i don't want knickknacks (house is too small) I don't need anymore scrapbooks supplies (house is too small, but I'm sure I can make room) I don't really watch movies. I only read the books my husband buys....I never have time to find a book. I don't want clothes...I NEED some that fit, but I don't want to get too comfortable in this size. I'd l...

Does anyone have kids that wake up at night crying? My son has been doing this for quite some time now and while they don't usually seem bad enough to be "night terrors" he occasionally does have a bad episode. I'm not sure why he is doing this or even if it normal. He is too young to explain what is wrong so most of the time I dont' know why he is up and crying. Occasionally he will tell me something happened and it is ussually something that bothered him durring the previous week or ...

I'm thinking of skipping Christmas. Not completely, I do have a tree up with lights on, no decorations though. I have a nativity set up too. But that's it. I think I am done. I dont' want to decorate the tree. I don't want to wrap presents. I dont' want to mail out the dozens of cards that I hand-made and even pre-addressed and stamped. I don't want to hang stockings or give gifts. I don't want to hear Christmas music or make cookies for my neighbors. I just dont' want to do ...

Boy was pottytrained (finally) when HW came home from Iraq. All said, not so bad. Just a few accidents, but fairly painless. ...Until today. For the last week or two, he will start doing the "potty dance". All parents know this one. The child starts spazing out, hopping from one foot to the other and/or running back and forth. Our son has perfected this. He looks like he is on speed when he needs to pee. It starts slow. He will start bouncing and start looking around as thou...

Every parent knows the feeling of pride, joy and love that is experienced when your child first says "mom' or "dad". It's more intense than anything else, a feeling so strong that it can bring tears to a grown man's eyes and warmth on the coldest day. For the last few years, I have been the primary parent in my son's life. I was the first person he called when he was hurt or sad. He raced to show me the cool things he discovered. I was the one who he depended on for help and comfort. ...

This morning I overheard a discussion between my husband and son. Scene: Boy races into the room with his puppy (formerly known as "Puppy", who now sports a nifty black cape.) "Hey Dad! This is Rypto the SUPER dog!" "Rypto, huh?" (He looks at me and mouths, "where did this come from?" I could only shrug.) "NO DAAAAD. Rypto the SUPER dog!" "Ah. I see, he's a super dog." "NOOOOO. RYPTO. THE. SUPER. DOG." "Okay. Okay. Rypto the Super Dog." "That's right."

My son, who just turned three is incredibly competitive. Amazingly so. Here is a typical morning conversation... Me: "Good Morning. I love you!" Boy: "I love you FIRST!" Me: "Well, I love you too." Boy: "I love you TOO FIRST!" What a great feeling to know you are loved that much!

It is facinating to listen to a child...especially one with the attention span of a gnat! This morning I woke up and was headed to the computer to check my email before the kids woke up and I noticed that my son's bedroom light was on. He was halfway through getting dressed in his favorite spiderman outfit. This is fantastic because he can get dressed by himself...I suspected that he could do it and was happy to see he finally caught on to the idea that Mom doesnt' have to do everything!...

I decided a few months ago to start reading a scripture every night with my son. We also memorize one scripture every month as part of our daily devotionals. This month was from the Doctrine and Covenants "Behold, mine house is a house of order, saith the Lord God and not a house of confusion." (I chose it as part of my New Year's resolution to get organized.) Connor has a hard time saying the word confusion and says "fusion". After we talked about what it meant, he started sa...

To preface this article, I know that the majority of you could care less about what my son is currently doing or saying, but I like to write about this stuff because...well, HW gets to read it and it gives me something to say. After 2 hours at the park, I convinced my son to come home with my by promising a bubble bath. "If we hurry and run to the car, when we get home, you get to have... a bubble bath." (said with lots of forced enthusiasm...) "A bubble baf...? A BUBBLE BAF?!?!...

Today at breakfast, my son looks up from his oatmeal and says, "Mommy, I'm a dolphin." He then goes back to his oatmeal, leaving me a little surprised. I've never heard him pretend to be a fish or dolphin before. Although, to be perfectly honest, I often find myself mildly amused and surprised at what he tells me. He often tells me strange things at breakfast; I think he is trying to explain his dreams. He looks up again. "I splash." Slight pause and then, to clarify (as though I m...

So today in the bath, my 4 year old yells, "MOOOOOMMM" I come running. "What's this?" (Internal sigh.) "That's your scrotum." (Brace myself.....here it comes. Think: Do I have to deal with this already?) "What's it for?" "What's it do?" "Why do I get one?" "You have it because you are a boy. That's just the way it is." (Please leave it at that. Please.....) "oh, okay. Did you know that I am as strong as Superman?" (Thank goodness)