Shy

Legend had his first day of preschool today. I made a very big deal out of it. Nice new outfit and hat, lunch kit, back pack, and lots of photos. We have been talking about how to behave there and how to make friends for a few weeks now.

Me - "Legend, how are you going to be at preschool? Are you going to be....mean?"
Legend smiles - "No. I'm going to be gentle, kind, quiet, and happy. No roaring at friends."
Me - "That's right! And how will you make friends?"
Legend - "Hi! I'm Legend. Want to play with me?"
Me - "Perfect! You're ready for preschool!"
A little bit of social coaching never hurts.

We finally get in the car this morning, with plenty of anticipation.
Legend grows very quiet in the back seat.
Me - "What's wrong, Legend?"
Legend - "I'm too shy for preschool. I'm too shy."
Me - "Really? I don't think you've ever been shy in your life."
Legend mumbles - "I am too shy."
Me - "Oh. Well, Mommy will be there the whole time today, and Cash, and Kayla too. You are going to have a great time. Don't worry."
Legend - "I'm so shy."

He quietly insists that he is "too shy" the entire 10 minute drive there.

As soon as we pull into the parking lot...
"Mommy! I'm not shy anymore!"

He got over that quickly.

The Important Things

We are at a private ultrasound clinic.


Daddy - "Oh wow! Legend, look! That's our baby!"
Legend, fiddling with a waiting room toy - "Wait a second. First I have to..."

About a minute later Legend runs straight up to the screen, blocking all of our view.
Legend - "Oh. Baby. It's soo cute!"

He always knows just what to say.

.............

The technician announces the baby's sex.


Daddy - "Legend! You're going to have a sister! The baby in Mommy's baby is a girl!"
Legend can tell we are all very excited. He looks at the screen we are all shouting and pointing at.

Legend - "Baby... It's got a head... like me!"

Cheerio

Legend has recently decided that peeing standing up is way better than sitting down. The problem is: Aim.
I had heard that giving little boys a target helps them keep the stream in the right direction.

Legend - "I have to pee!" It always seems to come as an urgent surprise.
So, keeping the aim issue in mind, I grab a Cheerio from the cereal box and plop it into the toilet.

Legend, before I even get a chance to explain - "Oh no!"
Me - "It's okay Legend. See if you can hit it with your pee."
Legend - "That's my cereal! Oh no! Get it out!"
He makes to reach down to fish it out.

Me - "No, no, Legend. I put it there on purpose. See if you can hit it with your pee!"
Legend - "No! It's my cereal. It not go in the potty! No, no."

So, I flush the toilet to get rid of the Cheerio.
Legend, upset - "Oh no! It went down! Get it!"
Me - "No, it's okay. It's gone. Go pee."
Legend, defeated - "My cereal."

He finally pees.
I will never try that again.

Freak Out

Kayla finishes a puzzle all by herself. I usually have to help her a lot; puzzles are really not her forte.
Kayla raises her hands in the air triumphantly - "I did it, Auntie!"
I burst into cheering and clapping.
Uncle Cody sees what the fuss is about and does the same.
Cash and Legend come running.
Cash - "Wow! Good job, Kayla!"
Legend - "You did it!"
Kayla buries her head in her hands and acts coy.

A few minutes later...
Me, calm and quiet - "Kayla, I am so proud of you for doing the puzzle all by yourself."
Kayla - "Don't freak out, Auntie. Don't freak out."

Intense

Cody, in an attempt to encourage good eating at dinner - "You guys are INTENSE!"
Cash - "No. We're not in tents. Tents are only for camping."

Shower

Legend - "Daddy! Wanna play?"

Daddy - "I have to go jump in the shower."

Legend - "Oh no! Don't hurt yourself!"

The Dominion of Kayla

We are piled in the car on our way to Kayla's house for a pool party. What a treat! Everyone is very excited, including me.

Legend wants to reiterate the plan - "Where are we going?"
Me - "We are going to Kayla's house for a pool party."
Cash - "Yay! I love swimming!"
Legend - "Kayla live in Canada."
Me - "That's right. She lives in Canada, just like us."
Legend begins to sing - "Ooooh Canada! Home is Kayla's land. True love!"

I guess if Canada belongs to Kayla, she really is the princess she and the boys make her out to be.

Camping

I am sleeping kind of miserably on a blow-up mattress in a tent. After Legend thrashing in his sleep beside me and repeatedly slapping me in the face half the night. After the cacophony of a murder of crows at that ungodly hour of first light. After having to get up and pee in the dark 5 times. After wind, and dogs, snores, other people's babies, and squeaky mattress, I vaguely feel a small person crawl on top of me.

Legend pats my cheek.
I squint at him.

Legend pops out his soother - "Mommy. I wanna say I love you." And he gives me a big, wet kiss.

The very best thing about sleeping in a tent is waking up to snuggles from my boys. It makes it all worth it.

Fart Jokes

Legend lets one rip after his bath tonight.

Me - "I heard that."
Cody - "Peeeew! Legend, did you fart?"
Legend grins - "I farted."

Me - "Yes. You should say 'excuse me.'"
Legend - "No. Papa and Nana."
Me - "Papa and Nana?"
Legend smiles goofy- "I farted on Papa and Nana."

I can only assume he is talking about a funny fart last time he was with his grandparents... I'm hoping.

Hard Work

Legend and I drop Cody off at work this morning so that I can keep the car for the day.
Legend is a little confused about what we are doing.

Me - "Come on, Legend. We need to get our shoes on now. We have to drive daddy to work."
Legend - "We go in the car? We're going camping."
Me - "No, we're not going camping. We're dropping daddy off at work."
Legend - "No. Daddy stays here."

Shoes are on.
Daddy - "Okay Legend, let's get in the car now."
Legend - "Bye bye, Mommy."
Me - "I'm coming with you. I am going to drive daddy to work."
Legend - "No. We stay here."

We get to Cody's work.
Daddy - "Okay, I'll see you guys later."
Legend - "You going potty, daddy?"
Daddy - "No, I'm going to work."
Legend - "You go potty at work?"
Daddy - "Well, maybe later."
Legend - "Bye bye, daddy. You gotta go potty."
Daddy - "Okay... bye bye."

We get back home.
Legend - "Where's daddy?"
Me - "He had to go to work."
Legend - "We're going camping?"
Me - "Not today. He had to go to work. Remember? Daddy works on a computer. He works really hard."
Legend - "Daddy had to go potty at the computer... I want to watch a show."
Me - "...Okay, let's go watch a show."

Exhaustion

At a BC day celebration today, Legend gets an "unlimited" pass to the bouncy house, truly limited only by his own stamina.

Legend bounces and bounces, slides and climbs, and bounces some more. Eventually, it is clear that he has run out of steam. But, he would be loathe to admit it.

He climbs to the top of the bouncy house slide and stops and just sits for a moment. There is a line forming behind him.

Daddy - "Come on Legend! Your turn!"
Legend's face scruntches as he whines a little, not sure how to get out of having to slide again.

Daddy - "Let's go bud!"
Legend forces himself to slide down, but fakes a foot injury half way down.
Legend - "Ow! I hurt my foot. Have to come out. I'm hurt. Ow!"

The perfect excuse to leave the bouncy house while saving face, and get a ride from Daddy back to the house too.



After Daddy carries Legend all the way up the big hill to my parents' house, he finally puts his son down in the driveway.

Legend stands on the pavement, hangs his head and slumps his shoulders, clearly exhausted.
"Daddy, you're heavy."

Time Out

Legend, Roisin, and I are waiting in the car for Cody to come out of the store with our picnic dinner. We are on our way to the beach.
Legend is getting impatient, whining and fidgeting.
Roisin warns him - "Legend, you're gonna get a time out."
Legend is furious - "No time out! I don't want it!"

Me - "It's okay Legend. Roisin, it is not your job to give Legend a time out. That is Auntie Kate's job. Please don't tell him he is getting a time out. Okay?"
Roisin nods - "Okay, Auntie Kate."

Quiet for three beats.

Roisin - "Legend. You're gonna get a time out."
Legend screams and kicks - "You time out, Roisin! No time out me! Your time out."

I'm pretty sure she just enjoyed making him freak, and she is apparently good at it too.

Arrival

We decide to take a trip to my parents' house for the weekend. After about half an hour of driving, we pull into a restaurant for a quick lunch.

Legend is sure we have gone the wrong way - "We're lost. We lost, Mommy?"

After driving the two hours to my parents' house, Legend is excited to finally see our destination.

We turn into the driveway.
Legend shouts - "I found Grandpa's house! I found it! I found Grandpa's house!"

Did he think we were lost this whole time?

Porcupine Hug

Legend announces - "Hug altogether!"
So, on cue, daddy and I scoop Legend up into a three-way hug, faces close.

Legend - "Ouch! Ouch!"
Daddy - "What? What's wrong?"
Legend points to his daddy's furry face.
Legend - "You got a porcupine on it. Your porcupine hurt my face."

Daddy - "Oh my. Perhaps it's time for a trim..."

Preparations for Brotherhood

Legend and I are having a nice time before bed, snuggling, reading stories, singing lullabies, and chatting.

Me - "Legend, I think you are going to be an awesome big brother."
Legend - "Me? Big brother? I'm not a brother. I'm a boy."
Me - "When this baby comes out, you will be a big brother."
Legend - "Baby coming out?"
Me - "Yes, eventually... when there is snow on the ground."
Legend - "Baby coming out? Get water! Get towels!"

Where on Earth did he learn that?