John said...

"Psycho teenage fourth graders, can you picture it?"

We're taking up a collection

Anyone willing to donate to the tooth fairy cause should contact me before Monday night.

John wants to wait to put the tooth under his pillow until after he can take it to show all his friends at school.

I'm sure they will be super impressed.

Actually, Jared and I both like Wendy's suggestion of a dollar coin, so if anyone knows where to find Sacajawea laying around, let me know.

Scheduling conflict

"John, I am NOT going to fight about that with you right now."

"Ok. I'll fight with you about it later. I won't forget."

Hittin' the Hard Stuff

Jared answered a call from the school today. Apparently John brought an empty bottle of vodka into class this morning. When confronted he said that yes, it was his and, yes, he did drink it. I guess the teacher freaked out a little.

Jared explained that we don't have vodka at home and that he was 100% certain that John did NOT ingest anything close to it.

When Jared finished his conversation with the teacher he came and told me. Of course I knew exactly what it was about.

Yesterday on the walk home from school John found a small EMPTY bottle of vodka in the gutter. It was the tiny bottle kind that you get on a plane trip or from the minibar in your hotel room. I told him to throw it away, but he insisted that he wanted it to add to his "poison" bottle collection for his Halloween decorations. After a few minutes I had forgotten about the bottle and he had placed it in his backpack.

I asked him about the incident this evening.

"It was in my backpack so I got it out with everything else."

"What did you do with it?"

"I put it on my desk of course. And I am still mad because they never gave it back."

Another one

I know people get tired of reading about John's little conversations, but I also know one person who loves them. And so here is another one for my dad...

"Do you know the worst enemy of bees?"

No.

"Their own stinger because once they use it they die."

One thing's for sure

"Mom, do you ever think about what the future will be like?"

"Yes. What do you think it will be like?"

"I don't know, but one thing's for sure, I'll be angry about something..."

Me too.

It's good to know you can always count on some things.

A heavy dose of the blahs.

It all started when I saw the weather forecast this morning. No real sun or warmth for the next 7 days. This is why I hate March. It always fools me. I've lived in Colorado for most of my life you would think I would be adjusted to the seasonal indecision that is spring. It throws me every time and here I am trying to deal.

We went to Chick-fil-a to get out of the house.

Just when I think I can take John to a play place he proves me wrong.

I am so tired. Tired and confused.

It's difficult when the line of what is socially acceptable and what is worth the fight becomes blurred. I know it's not right but I am tired and wish that someday it would be ok for two kids to just duke it out and get on with it. Instead we feel the need to get involved, say mean things to other people's children (John and I are usually on the receiving end) and make everyone more angry, sad, and upset.

I do not condone violence, but unfortunately I produced a son that has difficulty figuring out anything different. I hate that he gets frustrated and hurts others. I wish he wouldn't. Bogda says he just acts the way everyone wants to but knows that they can't. She loves that about him.

I call it a lack of impulse control and I worry because you don't get through life very easily without learning the art of impulse control.

Today he was provoked. Even after the incident the girl was provoking him by sticking out her tongue at him through the window. Her parents were oblivious to her behavior, but not to John's reaction. Don't get me wrong, there are instances where his behavior goes unprovoked, but at least today I could understand his anger.

I don't know what to do with this 5 year old that looks like an 8 year old with the impulse control of a 2 year old.

I just wish some parents wouldn't flip out... it makes me sad because I'm doing the best I can.

John's dream

A nightmare.

He and I are walking together in the woods.
He slips on gorilla poop (funny!)
The gorillas come out of the bushes and start attacking him.
I turn and look but keep walking

because I don't care.


I wish I knew who or what these gorillas represent

because I do care.

Croup

John has croup for the second time in two months.

Last night he said, "I guess I'll just lie in my bed of pain...."

Black and White

In a quiet moment this evening:

"Mommy, did you know you are following the bad guy, Satan?"

"I am? How do you know?"

"You are very, very, very mean to your children."

(and I thought today was better than most!)

"Who should I follow?"

"Jesus."

"What would I do if I was following Jesus?"

"You would be very, very, very nice to your children."

"Well John, I am trying very hard to do my best."

"Well I am trying very hard to love you."

Mystery Solved!

John informed me tonight at dinner that the reason the Indians (aka Native Americans) who lived in the desert died was because:

"it was too hot for their bald heads."

Three years of graduate school and $30,000 later, I never even considered this possibility.

He went on to explain:

"the one's who survived rode camels to Wyoming. The one's who died traveled by foot and when the year passed they were dead."*

Where was he when I was struggling to write my thesis???

*These are his exact words-- I had to quickly jot a note to myself-- my favorite is "when the year passed..." If you know John, you know he talks like this.

Spying

Conversation with John on the way to church:

(About a woman walking her dog) "I've seen that lady before."

"You have?"

"Yeah, I think just one time before. Not like the girl at school I see all the time."

"A girl? Do you know her?"

"No but I always see her and spy on her."

"Is she in Kindergarten?"

"No, I think 1^st Grade. I don't know who she is-- I just like to watch her."

"What does she look like?"

"Oh, I don't know, she's just interesting to me."

"Do you want to be her friend?"

"No. I just like watching her."

"Have you ever said 'hi' to, or smiled at her?"

"No. I just watch her and then if she looks at me I look away like I wasn't looking at her.

Like a spy."