I Moved!

Hello! I decided to use Wordpress as my main blog! I started a new blog called Kidsights: Insights we experience through the eyes of our children. Please go visit my blog and subscribe! farrahtm.wordpress.com. Thanks!

Life's True Teachers...

Having a child is the most challenging yet rewarding experience one could ever have. My four year old son teaches me things every day and he doesn't even realize it. He teaches me to stop and recognize the little things in life and teaches me that it's the simple things that truly matter.

For instance, the other day we pulled into a parking space at Publix and he noticed that someone had littered and left their empty drink cup on the ground. He exclaimed with energy and urgency, "mommy, they disobeyed god!", as he pointed to the cup on the ground. I exclaimed to him, holding back the laughter, that not everyone follows the rules and that's unfortunate. I thought the discussion would be done at this point and was ready to go about our day until he said, "you know mommy, we could pick it up".

Now, the thought had occurred to me that we could pick it up and walk across the parking lot to put it in the trash but I was too preoccupied with what was next in my schedule to even think of actually doing that. But, there was no way I could tell him no because not only would I crush his idea but I'd be a horrible example. So we got out of the car, picked it up, and walked to the trash can. He was so proud of himself and we celebrated with hugs and high fives as I told him he was a good Samaritan!

It is the pure goodness and and enthusiasm in children that we should all learn from and apply to our everyday lives. My son reminds me daily what is important and what truly matters. I hope others can see this priceless gift that children posess. This ability to look at everything with an open heart and open mind. Makes me wonder at what age does a child's clean slate get exposed to the harsh realities of the world and what can we as parents do to cherish their spirit??

The Alligator said Dammit

SO Griffin already knows he isn't supposed to say dammit because he recently brought that word home or heard his dad say it and was taught that you aren't supposed to say it. The other night in the bath he had his toy alligator and toy frog and explained to me that the alligator was gonna eat the frong. When the frog "got away" according to Griffin, the Alligator said dammit! When I reminded him that it was a bad word he said, "but mommy, I didn't say it, the alligator did". Now how in the world am I not supposed to crack up at that. That was a good end to a very stressful day since he had caused a Code Yellow in Kohl's by running away from me and hiding for about 10 minutes. Of course, this was the most terrifying 10 minutes of my life, but he thought it was a game and was not happy when I went to pick him up at customer service and told him he was in big trouble. Aaaah, the joys of kids!

Obama Spanks the Bad Guys

Just when I think my son has said something funny he comes up with something new. So last night he had his winter program at his pre-school where he so gracefully picked his nose as he stood in the front row singing and messing with his police hat (yes a police hat at a winter program, see my pictures). He was hysterical of course but when we got home and we got all bathed and settled into reading before bed he tells me, "Mommy, Obama spanks the bad guys". I was like, well in theory, I guess yes he does!

This morning on our drive to school he requested that I play MC Hammer's, "Can't Touch This" and danced and sang in the back seat like the little hip hop star he is. And it was his idea to give Miss Cindy, his teacher, a little glass heart that he has and after giving it to her he ran away embarrased because he realized he had done something sweet for her. I think he has a crush on Miss Cindy. She tells me that he has been more clingy on her lately. Very cute. I'm sure that when he starts saying Badonkadonk to her from the Hardees commercial, she will find that appealing since he has no clue what it actually means and Cindy, being an educated African American woman, surely knows what that word means! Fun times!

My Tummy Says Food

Griffin is learning more and more each day and totally makes me laugh all the time. Even when he is grumpy. Recently he wanted to take a bath after I had already given him a bath (which he screamed all the way through) and I didn't want to let him take another one. He was being quite a bear and hitting me and standing there naked and wet and refusing to let me put pajamas on him. He ended up telling me that he wasn't my friend anymore and he wanted to talk to Daddy. As soon as I went to call Todd he changed his mind and decided we were friends again and all was well.

Another time, I wouldn't let him bring his toy into his school to put in his cubby because I knew he would lose it like he has before. He wasn't too happy with me so he says, "I DO NOT have my happy face on right now". I was trying hard not to laugh but instead told him that it is ok that he wasn't happy but that sometimes we don't always like the things we have to do and we don't always get what we want. Hopefully that sinks in!

One night recently he also wanted to put some lego thing together. I told him he could save it for when we saw Patrick. The next morning he asked again and I told him that he couldn't do it yet because we were going to school and we could do it that night to which he responded, "but mommy, yesternight you told me that Pachick would help me". How funny is that? YESTERNIGHT is now my new word for last night of course!

His latest and most helpful phrase is how he expresses that he is hungry. It is really cute but the only problem is that he usually waits until we are settled in bed with a book ready to go to sleep for the night and it is usually after he didn't eat his whole dinner. When he is hungry now he says, "mommy, my tummy says food". That will now be my phrase for when I am hungry!

The coolest thing though is that I am reading the Twilight book and am addicted to it. The other night he came up to me and said that the word Apple starts with A because he saw the hands holding the apple on the front of the book. It's good to know that the money we put into pre-school is worthwhile! LOL!

Meliz Mamidad

So Griffin is absolutely adorable about Christmas this year. I guess it's because he is more aware of what Christmas is now. The other night we were driving home from a friend's house and he noticed Christmas lights. He got so excited and asked me to make sure Daddy put up Christmas lights at home. So we drove through our neighborhood to see if anyone had their lights up yet and one person had lots of lights. We were holding hands we often do (I put my hand in the back seat on his lap and we hold hands that way). As soon as we pulled up he got so excited and gasped at them! It was sooooo cute. At one point I let go of his hand and as we drove off he said, "Mommy, will you please hold my hand again?". So I held his hand and told him holding his hand was one of my favorite things to do, and he responded with, "I like holding your hand too mommy". I about died. That's why I'm writing about it so I never forget it!

Saturday we were in Publix and Feliz Navidad came over the speakers. He heard it and immediately started singing "Meliz Mamidad" over and over. That night in the bath he asked me to sing it for him so I sang the entire chorus and he sang along with me. He pronounced the spanish words pretty well! Then, this morning he decided we were the doodle bops and he made an announcement through a funnel he found in the kitchen. He yelled, "ladies and gentelmen, it's the doodle bops". Then he made me stand up in the middle of the living room and sing Meliz Mamidad and play a pretend guitar. It was so funny. Then it was his turn and after I announced him he sat on the fireplace and performed for Todd all the while playing the "kapano" (that's his word for Piano).

I swear, this kid gets more and more adorable every freaking day!!! And smart too, he even remembered how to sound out the spanish words for Feliz Navidad, which will now always be called "Meliz Mamidad". So in the Christmas spirit, "MELIZ MAMIDAD EVERYONE!"

Pirkle Pie

So I just decided to start a blog because I have so many cool and wonderful things in my life that should be written about...I have great friends, a wonderful boyfriend, and an amazing son. They make me laugh and make me happy so I figured, why not start a blog and record my memories that way so I can look back at them anytime!

My first blog is about Patrick William Pirkle. He is my adoring boyfriend and he is so wonderful. Every time we see each other he does something new to amaze me. Now, this isn't all magical crap like the movies where he whisks me off of my feet and I feel like I'm on cloud 9 or anything. I mean he's romantic but it isn't all about that. It's the little things he does that just floor me each time we see each other. Sometimes, it's the fact that he remembers to pull a Coke Zero out of the fridge and put it on the counter just before we go anywhere because he knows that I will want one, and other times it's something as huge as the fact that he drove here from Vero and took me back to Vero to take care of me after my operation, and then drove me back to Gainesville and then turned around and went back home one weekend.

If you can't tell, we have a long distance relationship right now. We are 3 hours apart and it's ok for now. We both actually enjoy our independence at times so it's not impossible but we do look forward to our weekends or every other weekend together. This past weekend he was here in Gainesville and we were out to dinner. I brought up what sizes he wears because I wanted to be prepared, as always, in case I wanted to get him some clothes for Christmas. Well he whips out his blackberry and on it begins to read all of my sizes (which I knew he had saved). I knew he had saved the sizes but what he started to read after that floored me. He had a list of things he knew I wanted that he had planned on purchasing for me...cute yes...but here is the kicker...one time, a while back, I told him that I really want to have a romantic dinner in Sausalito overlooking the golden gate bridge in San Francisco and the city. I mentioned it in passing but this man of mine, wrote in his blackberry that I wanted to do that! Can you believe that? I mean, this is only the tip of the iceberg with this man. He cooks, he cleans, he has a successful career, he works out (has a gym at home), he is giving/caring, he is romantic, he is sexy, he is HOT, he has a great family, he loves animals, he is amazing with my son, he gardens, he does wood working, he does his own home projects (crown molding, painting, pond building, etc), he can draw, he can take amazing photos, he gets along great with all of my friends, and he loves to travel. I could go on and on...oh and he was patient enough to wait for me to commit to him while I tried and tried to push him away at the beginning! He said he waited because he knew there was something about me that was special...not sure what that is but glad he knows!

I don't know how but I have hit the jack pot here...who could ask for anything more really? We aren't perfect and never will be but I just hope and pray that I don't do anything to mess this up....