Category: Ryan

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Cole Mothering Parenting Ryan

Pee and Stomach Bump

Have you ever been around a male- it doesn’t matter who- your husband, your brother, your dad, your friend, as they spend their down time watching something that seems so silly-that you just don’t get, like The Three Stooges?  As they sit there laughing uncontrollably,  with beer running down their face, (or drool)  do you look at this male, and wonder 1. why is this so funny,  and 2. when did this start? 

Being the mother of two boys, I have the answers to these questions.  If you are a mother of more than one boy, thanks for checking in today, but you can skip this post, because you know.  If you only have one boy, or have girls, keep reading- this post is for you.

Boys- they feed off of each other.  When there was only one boy, and he yelled out “pee” there wasn’t anyone else around to echo “pee.”  I don’t think Ryan even ever uttered the word “pee” outside of restroom before Cole was born.  If he did, he certainly wasn’t laughing about it.   When another boy is added to the mix, (like Cole), he yells, “pee,” then Ryan bursts into hysterics, and also shouts out “pee.”  It is a verbal tennis match between the two:

Cole: Pee

Ryan: Pee

Cole (louder): PEE!

Ryan (even louder): PEE!

(Pause, but not long enough for Mom’s ears to stop ringing)

Ryan (laughing):  We said pee pee.

Cole (louder): PEE PEE

Ryan (even louder): PEE PEE!!!!

Cole (pulling down his pants and his diaper, and yelling ever LOUDER):  PEE PEE!!!!!!!

Ryan (about to go pee pee in his pants because he is laughing so hard): You have a pee face.

Cole: You have a PEE face.

Ryan: You have a super PEE face.

Cole: You are pee pee head.

Ryan: (shrieking and laughing) Pee pee head! 

And it goes on and on. Just like Curly, Larry, and Moe poke, hit, and make dumb noises over and over.  You can’t fight it- it just is.  I don’t understand what is so funny about pee and pee pee, but evidently it is hilarious to boys- just like the Three Stooges are to men.  I don’t know why, but I understand that nothing I can do or don’t do will change this.  It is just a part of the boys growing up, and finding certain things funny. 

Ryan and Cole also have a new game.  They call it Stomach Bump.  I am sure grown men do this same game drunk, in -20 degree weather when their football team scores a touchdown.  Stomach Bump is played by both boys lifting or taking off their shirts.  Then the stick out their stomachs as far as they can- showing their milk guts.  Then they step back from each other, like they are getting ready to dual. They run as fast as they can into each other, bumping their stomachs together (hence the clever name of their game). 

I expect tears everytime they do this, but even though they are both knocked down, they laugh, and laugh, and laugh, and get up to go do it again.  The other night, they tried to add a twist- Bath Time Stomach Bump.  Ryan stood up in the tub on one end, and Cole on the other end.  The milk guts started coming out, and mom stopped that game, before it began.  That is why parents are advised to stay in the bathroom when the kids are in the tub.  Because boys just come up with these creative games.  

I have yet to see two girls playing Stomach Bump, or the other varieties the boys have come up with like Butt Bump, Elbow Bump, and Head Crash.  (you don’t even want to know.)  But as their mom, even though I don’t get it.  They do.  They are having a blast.  They are doing something that they both find outrageously funny.  They are playing with each other and bonding over Super Butt Bump.  Most importantly, they are becoming friends. 

I suspect one day Ryan and Cole will grow up and they will like The Three Stooges- probably love The Three Stooges, and have beer running down their faces as they watch.  Their girlfriends or wives will shake their heads, and wonder what could possibly be so funny, and won’t understand it.   But after wtaching my boys at this age,  I know exactly why they do- it will go back all the way to now- to pee and Stomach Bump.

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Cole Family & Friends Ryan Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday- Three Men and a Truck

Ryan and Cole’s grandpa, Dan, works for a trucking company, and today he was able to stop by in between deliveries.  He let the boys get into the truck with him to sit, and here are the happy faces: 

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Wordless Wednesday has a variety of pictures- be sure to view some more!

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Ryan Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday- Spiked Hair

Ryan wanted me to spike his hair the other day, so he looked liked his Little O Doll (from Big O tires), and this was the result:

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Be sure to check out all the other pictures this week at Wordless Wednesday.

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Cole Household Mothering Parenting Ryan Shopping

To Complain, or not to Complain- That is the Question

I love Target.  I love shopping there, and could spend hours wandering down every aisle.  I usually have the boys with me though, and they are good for about half an hour, and then they are just done.  So I have shopping at Target down to a science. I know how much time I can spend lingering around, and how much time I need to actually shop.

Today after I picked up Ryan from school, we went to Target.  We had some more errands to run, so this was going to be a short trip.  Right on cue, about 20 minutes later, we were done, and the boys were getting restless.  There had to be 50 people waiting in the check-out lines and there were three lanes open. 

I used to work in  a grocery store.  I understand sometimes you just don’t have enough people to open more registers, and crowds come at odd times.  So I got into the ‘shortest’ of the longest lines, lane number 18, and waited.  And waited, and waited.  Fortunately we had the super deluxe cart, so the boys were having fun climbing on and off of it.  Fifteen minutes later,  when there was only two people ahead of me, I hear the cashier calling- “Ma’am, Ma’am,” and waving at me.

I don’t think of myself as a “ma’am,” so it took me a second to realize she was almost yelling at me.  I made eye contact with her and she informed me that she was closed.  She pointed to her light and it was off. 

I politely told her that I had gotten in her line before she turned the light off, and she informed me, rather loudly  (okay she yelled) and very rudely, “No you weren’t.”  Now I felt like she was implying that I have nothing better to do than to sneak into closed check-out lanes at Target, waste time standing there, and then lie about it- just for kicks.

I was contemplating my next move, when the mom in front of me, also with two boys, using their cart as a jungle gym, looked at the cashier and said nicely, but firmly, “Actually, she was.  I saw her get in line, and your light was most definitely on.” 

I told the mom, “Thank you, for confirming that for me,” and the cashier then said, “Oh, well- okay then, I guess you can stay in line.

She guesses I can stay in her line for the privilege of spending money at Target?   I so wanted to say something to her, but Ryan and Cole’s eyes were wide as saucers watching me.  Even though I had been ‘allowed’ to stay in the cashier’s line, there was no way I was going to- I was too mad.

So with my boys watching, I smiled again at the mom ahead of me, and nodded at her.  The cashier was still watching me, and I noticed they had opened another lane way down at the opposite end of the store (this was Super Target), so I told the cashier, “Actually, I am going to go to the line at the other end of the store- it seems to be moving faster.” 

I walked as fast as I could- I was so mad!  There was only one person in front of me, and he had one item.  When the new cashier asked me how  I was, I was honest. I told him I was upset, because I had just waited fifteen minutes in line, and then was told the line was closed, even though the light had been on.  I told him the cashier was very rude.  He apologized many times and told me he was actually her supervisor- he said customers should not be treated like that. 

I don’t complain at stores.  If I can’t find something, or they are out of stock, when they ask me if I found everything OK, I say yes.  I hope the cashier won’t get in trouble, but I felt like this was horrible customer service, and they needed to know customers were being treated like this.  I’m glad I spoke up this time.   

What about you?  Do you complain at stores when you receive bad customer service, or do you just let it go?

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Activities Cole Family & Friends Me Ryan

The ‘Awesomeness’ that is Mamma Mia

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So read my Evite invitation from my sister-in-law, Kat. 

My entire family saw Mamma Mia over the summer and just loved it.  Even my brother (who likes musicals) saw it at least three times in the theater.  I never got around to seeing it. Evidently I am not alone and Kat knew some other people that had not experienced the ‘awesomeness’ of it.  So she decided to throw a Mamma Mia party and basically invented the word, ‘awesomeness’ to describe the movie.

I was really excited to watch the movie at the party, eat the yummy Greek food we are bringing (the movie takes place on a Greek Island), and of course break out my Dancing Queen moves. I was going to save the ‘awesomeness’ for the party, which is on Saturday.

Then my sister, Mara, started telling me how much my niece Maelin, (who is 21 months) loves the movie.  She even has her favorite songs.  She dances to the songs.  If she wants to hear the songs, she starts asking for “Mia, Mia.”  Mara said my boys would love it, but I had my doubts.

On Christmas Eve, they brought over the DVD to my aunt’s house, and it was the funniest thing.  Three little kids- ages 4, 2, and 1, were totally mesmerized by Mamma Mia.  They should have been wound up and bouncing off the walls- after all in a few hours Santa was coming.  But they just wanted to watch the songs over, and over, and over.

A week later my mom sent the Ryan and Cole the DVD which came with a CD.  I had to break down and finally watch the movie with them one night, and then I understood the ‘awesomeness’ that is Mamma Mia.  I will never doubt again.  (I don’t want to give anything away in case you haven’t seen it,) but it is such a fun, and upbeat movie.  The music is great.  All the songs are from ABBA.  I also loved that fact that the main character, Sophie, who is 20, is not decked out in a ton of make-up, and neither is Meryl Streep, who plays her mother.  They look very natural which I think is a wonderful thing to see in a movie these days. 

That was about a month ago and Ryan and Cole ask to watch Mamma Mia EVERY day.  I’m not joking.  I don’t let them, but it has become a great motivator.  It goes like this (if you haven’t seen the movie, some of this may be lost on you, but if you watch it come back and read this, and it will all make sense):

Ryan:  Mommy, can we watch Mamma Mia- Coley wants to watch Super Trooper.

Cole: No!  I want to watch the Summer song.

Ryan: After Honey, Honey, Cole- remember?

Cole: Oh yeah.  Honey, Honey Mommy.

Ryan: Okay Mom, I think we will just watch it from the begining.

Mommy (me-expecting an argument and tears): I ‘ll tell you what.  You can watch Mamma Mia if you pick up the toys in your play room.

Ryan and Cole (as they eagerly run to their playroom): Okay, we’ll be back in a minute.  You get the DVD ready- Yay!  We get to watch Mamma Mia!

I keep waiting for the ‘awesomeness’ to wear off, but it is going just as strong today as the day they first saw it.  Kat was really on to something. 

I am still looking forward to the party, but since I have watched the movie and have heard it in the background almost every day for a month,  I can have fun without having to worry about missing any of the movie.  I can laugh, eat, talk, enjoy some good wine with good friends, and know exactly when Dancing Queen is on.  ‘Awesomeness’ at its best.  🙂

P.S. We have not listened to another CD in the car since the day it arrived.  I think the songs will be permanently etched in my brain- but at least it isn’t Barney over and over again.