Wipeout and All Sports

One night, I was on the computer, and Jim was watching "Wipeout".  We never watch it, but there was nothing else on.  Dylan was supposed to be sleeping, but all of a sudden he appeared in the living room.  "Wow!  What's this?", he asked, mesmerized.  We told him he needed to go back to bed.  "Can you tape this for me?"

That is how there came to be "Wipeout" stations all over my house.  Pillows are bouncy balls, a footstool is a jumping post, couches are landing zones, and I am praying we don't take a trip to the ER.  He gets one hour of TV a day, and for the past 7 days that hour has been spent watching the same Wipeout episode.  He can do the commentary word for word at this point.  Seriously.

I decided the kid was in desperate need of some structured physical activity - "structured" being the key word.  I signed him up for a class at the YMCA called "All Sports".  Could there be a better class for Dylan?  Well, they didn't have a Wipeout class.  We missed the first class because my mind has ceased to perform properly (which is a fancy way of saying I completely forgot).  I think they did soccer for the first class.

This week they did kickball.  One thing I love about Dylan is how he just jumps in head first to everything.  Even though he missed the first class, the minute we got in the gym, he ran over, ready to start.  The class is for 4-6 years olds.  There are a number of 6 year olds, which is great, because Dylan needs to get used to not being the best at everything.  He did get upset that he wasn't getting the ball every single time someone kicked it, but he kept his composure enough that I think I was the only one who noticed.

I had a blast watching him in the class.  This week is tee ball.  Considering the fact that last summer he hit the ball so hard it almost broke our neighbor's window, I'm a little nervous.

Duda Daze

Most of you know that I started a new blog, right?  Well, today I'm featuring a Pittsburgh artist!  Go see her work here, and enter to win 3 of her prints.

Please give her some love in the comments!

Sesame Street Live

Yes, Dylan is five, so that makes him a little old for Sesame Street Live, but if it was in Pittsburgh before we somehow missed it.  We figured this was our only chance, because I'm pretty sure that next year he would probably scoff at the idea.  This year I wouldn't say he was super excited, but he was interested.

These are the things I'll remember...

*How easy paying for the tickets and parking online made everything.  We walked directly from the parking lot, into the Console Energy Center, without freezing in the 25 degree air.

*Dylan sitting there completely still, waiting for the show to start, and me worrying because that is not normal behavior! (I'm worried about the penny he swallowed days ago).

*Dylan watching the show with a wide eyed stare, and mouth open. (Jim commented that I watch t.v. that way!)

*The little girls behind us screaming, and hitting both me and my mom in the head with something.

*Dylan grabbing the bowl of popcorn and exclaiming, "Hey!  Who ate all the popcorn?"  Then, we looked over at "Bubba" and his hands were all greasy and he had bits of popcorn still stuck to his face.

*Abby singing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" to help Big Bird fall asleep.  Dylan, Jim, and I looked over at my parents and they were both "resting their eyes".

*Jim missing our turn and driving us all over Pittsburgh.  He likes to pretend he knows exactly what he is doing though.

Dylan enjoyed it, and now, thanks to this post I'll always remember it.

Independence

As Dylan gets older, I feel more and more comfortable not constantly knowing what room he is in, or what he is doing.  If things get too quiet, I usually end up investigating, but I'm comfortable for the most part.  Plus, if I'm being honest, I'm relieved to get a minute of peace and quiet!  It doesn't happen all that often, because Dylan is usually at my heels saying "When are you gonna play with me?"

Last night, Jim got home after Dylan and I had already finished dinner.  Dylan was amusing himself in the family room, so I decided to sit and talk to Jim while he ate.  We suddenly heard a gagging/choking sound. Dylan had swallowed a penny.  When we asked "Why did you do that?", we got the usual answer, "I don't know.  I didn't mean to!"  Sigh.  I guess he's not 100% okay being left alone yet!

In spite of that, today I left him to amuse himself in the family room again, while I cleaned up lunch.  When he came to get me, saying "I have to show you something", I was nervous.  "What did he break now", I was thinking.  When we walked into the family room and I saw this huge snowman taking up half the floor, I had to smile and sigh in relief.

A Quick Step Back

I love starting a new year.  It is a time of fresh starts, new hope, and resolutions.  But, first, I need to post about a few things.

We took Dylan ice skating for the first time, two days before Christmas.  I took lessons as a kid, and went ice skating occasionally, but I hadn't gone in a really long time.  Jim said he had only gone one other time in his life.  We weren't sure how much help we could give!

Now I remember why I haven't been ice skating in a long time.  First off, it is cold.  I don't particularly enjoy being cold.  Secondly, it takes forever to get ready to ice skate.  FOREVER.

Then, you realize that you didn't wear socks that are thick enough, so you have to buy overpriced socks in the gift shop.  Then, you have to re-lace the butt ugly, made of super thin material ice skates, that will cause your ankles massive pain.  You will wonder how anyone wears ice skates and endures that kind of pain?  You will suck it up, because you brought your kid to enjoy ice skating after all, so enjoy it YOU WILL.  You will frequently remind yourself of this fact, as you skate around the rink, grimacing in pain, as you hold up your flailing five year old.  You will feel as if you are using muscles that didn't even exist before, and you will wonder why the hell you thought this was a brilliant idea.  You will wonder why your husband isn't grimacing in pain, and it will finally occur to you, after the three of you somehow make it around the rink four or five times, this could have something to do with the skates.  You will try on your husband's skates, (because, yes, you wear the same size, as *luck* would have it).  You will swear about the unfairness, and cruelty to women kind everywhere, as you realize that men's skates have WAY more padding and support than the women's skates.  You will then take off around the rink, like a graceful swan, until you decide that while you are no longer in pain, it is still cold, and your five year old has already given up on ice skating.  You will shrug your shoulders and exclaim, "Oh well!  At least we tried!"  You have several pictures that make it look like it was a big success, but you will tell everyone the truth because, well, that's just how you are.

Keep this lovely story in mind when I tell you about the next thing, okay?  I found this idea...

Want a closer look?  Keep in mind that I wrote down exactly what Dylan said.  I gave no input, until the last one.

(If you want to make one, go HERE).

You might notice that his favorite food is "Max & Erma's cookies"?  Did you also notice that his favorite memory from 2011 is when we got a Max & Erma's gift card in a Christmas card?!  I successfully refrained from yelling "THAT?!  THAT'S YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY FROM THIS YEAR?! WE SPENT ALL THAT MONEY ON A BEACH VACATION AND THAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY?!"  Then, I got to "Biggest Goal for 2012" and he said "Go to Max & Erma's" and then my head exploded.  Oh wait, I think my head exploded when I asked what he wants to learn in 2012 and he said "How to ice skate"!

2011 - Dylan's Firsts

I have declared that 2012 is the year to get stuff done!  Jim and I already completed one project each.  I'll blog about that soon.  But first, something else I want to get done... Dylan's 2011 firsts!  I did this last year and it was so much fun looking at it this year.

January - First snow fort

January - First science class

February - first Pittsburgh stage show - Madagascar Live (I won the tickets!)

 March - First fire station field trip

May - First time letterboxing

 May - First "big boy bike"

End of May? - stopped taking naps.  "Wanna play?  Ready to play?  When are we gonna play?"

 June - first Vacation Bible School (at my parent's church)

July - first movie in a theatre - "Winnie the Pooh"

 July - first private swim lessons (with Valerie).  First time floating and putting his head underwater!

July - First time driving golf balls (at Bills Golfland, my childhood hangout!)

July - First wave pool and water slides.  Also, first time he only went on "big kid rides". (Idlewild)

 August - first time at a beach and boardwalk.  First time in the ocean.  (Ocean City, Maryland)

September - first baseball game and first time running the bases on the field.

 October - first time he picked his own apples in an orchard.  (Triple B Farms)

 October - first time playing tennis.  (With Mommy, at Heritage Park)

October - first time to make and eat caramel apples.

 December - first carriage ride with Santa.

December - First time ice skating.  (Bladerunners in Harmarville)

He also learned to read this year, (Level 1 books),  add, subtract, multiply, and became completely fascinated with counting money.

 I'm excited to see what 2012 will bring!