From the past 1

I literally just clicked on 2009, then randomly chose the month of April. I saw this post and knew it must be the first From the Past installment. Will there be future installments? Who knows.

Copied and pasted version. I really love this little story because it's something I would have vaguely remembered but not in such detail. And it totally captures Mark's creativity. I kind of miss the super spy stage.

Super Spy Mark

Mark is a super spy. Make no mistake, he's not pretending to be a super spy. He really is! It's very exciting! " Today Mark is getting rocket shoes and a helping hand." He has found another super spy at school that he gets his gadgets from and teaching all the tricks any super spy needs to know.Some things you will find interesting about super spies...

1. Super spies do not do chores.

2. Super spies have powers

.3. He *might* "rocket home" from school in his rocket shoes tomorrow. (Must remember to tell my friend who picks the boys up.)

4. Super spies have many gadgets. Mark's gadgets include an invisible Ipod, power, invisible lasers. That's all he has so far, but he plans to get many many more gadgets.

5. Super spies also read over my shoulder while I'm blogging this and inform me of typos. This must mean they are really very smart!

Apparently, this topic is hot hot hot at kindergarten. I did inform Super Spy Mark that he needs to talk about this at recess or other free time, and not while his teacher is teaching. I'm pretty sure Super Spies have to learn about reading and math too.

* sentence that is quoted came straight from Mark's mouth, thought I should give him credit for that line.
*Zack is now telling me that he too is a super spy. He has flying power.
*Also we really must find a way around item 1. Because, no.
*I keep adding to this post because, frankly I find this hilarious. Although I have moments of wondering if he in fact is going to get to school today and NOT get rocket shoes & be very disappointed. He said something to the affect of I hope S really gives me my rocket shoes today. Also, this morning he was asking me everyones shoe sizes. So, I tried to gently tell him that the rocket shoes might be "Invisible" like his Ipod, and he said quite seriously. "Mom, you know the Ipod IS real."
So, not sure what to make of this except to find it so extremely funny.

Another Blast From the Past

Yesterday I was dealing with some major nap time madness of the variety which takes the 2 year old 2 hours to finally fall asleep. I was irritable and frustrated because I need Ben to nap so I can stay sane get anything done around here.



As I tried to remember what Eric and Mark were like at roughly the same ages Zack and Ben are I initially thought it was so.much.easier. Then I had a flash of memory that made me crack up at my selective memory. Oh, the things I repress!

One day, in our house in Georgia I put two small boys in their beds for naps. This was before Eric started PreK, and he was still technically napping, although obviously not well, so I'm going to say they were 2 and 3. Things were fairly quiet and I was happy that I won the naptime battle without an actual battle. Score one for Mommy! Only, then I went out to check the mail and heard voices. Being slightly slow, I wandered back inside wondering why I could hear them so well when they were in their room. I puzzled it over for just a second and stepped back outside. I can laugh about what I saw now. Then it scared the life out of me. My two and three year old boys had opened their bedroom window, pushed the screen out and climbed right OUT. There they sat, between the house and the shrub playing with toys they had brought out.

Sigh. This is when we learned about these alarms that were so loud that the kids were too scared to open the window! We've recently put this on the garage door since Kevin decided a hook and eye would be annoying. Something about wanting to be able to get in the house when he gets home from work.

Yes, this reminds me that they also were once crazy toddlers and I made it through that stage with them. Maybe I'll survive this too.

From My Childhood

Often I shake my head and wonder if the things my kids do are NORMAL or if I should worry when they do crazy things. Some of my favorite moments are when I see someone else's kid act squirrelly, or do something silly, or drive their Momma nuts. I know, that sounds so evil, but really it's just a matter of "Oh thank goodness it's not just my kids!" That feeling of not being the only one in the boat is a huge relief!

Recently, my 2nd cousin (hi Pam!) emailed me because she was remembering something my little brother did when he and I were kids.

I think I was about 13 which would have made him about 7. Eric will be 7 very soon. It's hard to remember my brother being that age. We were home alone and I was supposed to be keeping an eye on him. I vaguely remember trying to read and he was driving me a little crazy. I clearly remember him putting a shoe in the microwave and it did nothing. (One of MY shoes by the way!) I think at that point I went to my room and kept reading. It NEVER occurred to me that he would put something else in the microwave. Something else being the television remote control. Suddenly he ran to me saying the microwave was SPARKING and I went and sure enough, craziness in the microwave. I opened the door and soon realized the remote control no longer functioned. When mom and dad got home, I played cool like I thought the remote just needed batteries, not mentioning the incident. I sincerely was hoping and maybe even praying that it would work. Okay, so my knowledge of electronics maybe wasn't great. I let my parents go to the store, buy batteries, and only when that didn't work did we fess up to the microwave incident. To the best of my memory the microwave still worked... we got a new remote control. I only slightly remember getting in trouble for LYING (by omission, but still...) I'm sure some punishment was enforced but I can't recall what it was.

I do remember that when Jason was questioned WHY he did such a strange thing he answered "because when I put the shoe in it didn't do anything." That's little boy logic if I've ever heard it!

I share this story because, although it wasn't particularly funny back then, it is hilarious now. Frightening, too, because I have to go through 7 year old boyhood FOUR times!!!