A Little Behind . . . .

I have not written as much as I think about writing (Every. Single. Day.), but they say a pictures is worth 1000 words. Here, then, are my updated entries!

My Little 50's Boy . . . Look at that front curl!

Zee Artist!

I Want to be Just Like My Daddy.

Sir Thaddeus of the Delightful Imagination!

I'll finish scrubbing the floor at the commercial, Mom!

If you let me keep this binky, I'll let you have one!!

Dad & Thad Late Night Snack Session (Otherwise called Thad's Successful Attempt of Getting Out of Bed and Staying Up With His Pal Longer!

Thad's New Best SuperFriend!

Until I Can Get a Tatoo, My Girl's On My Shirt!

Avast Ye, Scurvy Dogs. Argh!

We've Been Working on a Project This Summer: PART 2

When last we left Thad, he was snoozling away in his Big Boy Bed with his Bed Pals. The next morning, we made a huge deal that HE WAS SUCH A BIG BOY! SLEEPING!! IN HIS OWN!!! BIG!!! BOY!!! BED!!! YEA, THAD!!! He looked at me and said, "Do I get a trophy, Mom?"


Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm . . . . Of course you do, Thad!

"I didn't expect this! I didn't prepare anything to say! Oh my! There's so many people to thank!"

"You know, I really worked hard for this. I never thought I would be able to sleep without my mom. But my parents never gave up on me. They believed in me. They seemed to want it more than I did!"

"Wow. I am just so stunned. I just tried to do my best, you know? I did some research on how it felt for others to sleep in their own beds and then tried to step into that experience, you know? I didn't want to let my audience down. It's all for them, you know?"

"It's definitely been my most demanding work--it has just made me dig deep inside myself. And I asked myself repeatedly: 'Can you really do this?' And my parents kept reassuring me that I could. I really, really, really could!"

"I'm King of the Bed!"

We've Been Working on a Project This Summer: PART 1

Once preschool let out, I had three goals for Thad to accomplish in three months:

1. June: Sleep in his own bed by himself.


2. July: Wean off his nighttime binkies (needs 3-4: one for mouth, one for each hand, and ideally one to clip onto the bridge of his nose. I don't know.).


3. August: Make use of the restroom facilities thus making diapers obsolete.

I know that all you seasoned moms are laughing at me because you know what is coming next, don't you? You may call me delusional; I prefer to call myself a visionary.

Whatever I am, I am the mother of a Big Boy who is sleeping in his own bed, by himself, but with frequent escapes to the Motherbed. This means Mom and Dad are up several times a night putting escapee back in Big Boy Bed.

This also means that said Big Boy still enjoys binkies and diapers (Although he most enjoys naked time, which we have to regulate with a timer so we can get out of the house once in a while, but that's another story.)!

Here's the story in pictures:

First, we got a wonderful captain's bed for Thad with a good boxspring and mattress. It is quite high off the floor so we decided to opt for bedrails rather than stitches. Just a personal preference.

Then Thad and I went looking for some Sleep Pals. We spent about an hour with the menagerie at Toys R Us and Thad finally felt like Pablo (from the Backyardigans) and Puppy Dog would be great company in his Big Boy Bed.

Turns out he was right! Pablo does a great song-and-dance routine each night before bed, and then Puppy Dog keeps watch over our Big Boy!

To be continued . . .

Character Abounds!

So happy to be on his bike!

Enjoying a lollipop before blast-off.

The only thing under that coat is a diaper!

"Take a picture of me, Mom! Of me! Of me! Take it, Mom!"

A monster is after Daddy!

Look at All the Cuteness You've Been Missing Because I Am a Slacker Blogger!

Even Superheroes need some lunch!

An accordion duet with Great Bea!

Roping the chairs that broke outta there pens.

Grandma tickles me . . . No, really she tickles me!

Grandma Johnnie Would be So Proud!

My Grandma Johnnie, who passed away nine years ago, was a birder extraordinaire. Several times a week, if not once a day, during the summer, she would round up stragglers into the car and we would drive all over the farm and beyond looking at birds. It is a passion she has handed down to her daughters, granddaughters . . . and now her great-grandson.

For my birthday (43!) Pete and Thad got me a birdhouse and the birds--including my Grandma's favorite, the red cardinal--have FLOCKED to our backyard! It has been a joy!

Thad has really gotten into the birds and will go outside and, standing under the tree, talk to the "birdies": "Thank you for coming to our yard, boidies! Come eat, boidies! We have more food for you!"

So it was clear he needed a pair of binoculars, which he has put to good use!

I delight in watching Thad watch the birds with me, and I grieve I cannot share this with Grandma Johnnie.

Cowboy Thad

Thad has a new ride. The "cowboy hat" is my gardening hat. It suits the purpose.

He rides well!

From Whence Did This Enter the Lexicon?

Currently, everything is "Yucky and Doity, Mom." Whatever he doesn't want to do or touch.

"No, Mom. That is Yucky and Doity."

Ooooooooooo. Kay.

Look Who is Sleeping in His Big Boy Bed!!!

Last week Thad and I talked about his lonely Big Boy Bed. I told him that Friday night he was going to get to sleep in it finally! On Thursday, I told him we would go and pick out two buddies for him to take to his new Big Boy Bed. Much excitement was built!

Friday afternoon we went to Toys R Us and after a lot of careful consideration, Thad came home with Puppy Dog, a border collie, and Sleepy Pablo, one of the Backyardigans.

We went home and got ready for bed. (I slept on a mattress on his floor for the first week; tonight I am next door!) He climbed up into bed, cuddling Puppy Dog (his official name), and with nary a tear or complaint, 20 minutes later he was asleep.

And it's been smooth sailing ever since. He has made a couple half-hearted attempts of telling me he is going to sleep with me, but no problem getting into bed. He also told Pete that he was going to sleep with him, but again, once Pete talked up the Big Boy Bed, he was fine.

We are VERY, VERY PROUD of our Big Boy!

Where's Thad?

This is a game we play often. He puts a hat or a blanket or a shirt over his face and we say, "Where's Thad? Daddy, have you seen Thad? Where did he go?" All the time, he is giggling, gigglinb, giggling. Then he throws off the cover and says, "Here I am!" And rolls around laughing!

But my favorite is when he puts on the lion mask and chases us around growling while we scream for Thad to come save us!

He will chase us around for about 30 seconds, then lift off the mask and say, reassuringly, "It's just me, Mom. It's just me."

Oh, thank God it is you, Thad. Truly, thank God.

His Photography Skills are Coming Along . . .

You just have to make sure that you are in the general area

at which he is pointing the camera lens . . . which may require some gymnastics.

Our personal favorite: the self-taken photo . . . of his feet!

Thad's New Job!

Babysitting!!

a Word Picture

I am not allowed to take a picture, but close your eyes and see if you can picture it yourself . . .

Thad has a swim mask on, upside down, along with his superhero cape. (Black, which doesn't exactly go with his red, white, and blue striped shirt and blue shorts.)

He just walked up to me:

"How do I look, Mom?

"Do I look cool?"

Why yes, Thad. Yes you do!

Proof I Am a Good Mom!

I made playdough (playdo? How DO you spell it!?) for Thad. Without chemicals, with wonderful vanilla smell, and EDIBLE!

AND it doesn't stick to anything and it cleans up well and best of all . . .

THAD LOVES IT!!!

Living With SuperHeroes . . .

. . . is TOO MUCH FUN!!

Camp Christianson

Thad really wants to go camping. So Pete obliged him . . .

Roasting "marshmellows" (grapes) over the fire

Everyone knows you have to blow on the marshmellow before you put it in your mouth!

Mmmm-mmmm . . . perfectly browned . . . and even better with ketchup!

No Explanation Needed