the first of many difficult questions

Tonight Ethan asked me how babies come out of mommies tummies. Hmm. I was utterly unprepared for this question. I answered it as best I could, hoping he wouldn't move on to the next question that I knew would come. But he didn't rest--he asked how babies are made. WHAT?!?!? He is FOUR. Isn't that too early to expect a decent answer out of a parent? I really hadn't thought about this topic because I figured I had at least another five years before I'd have to answer it--guess not. I did okay with my answers and he seemed satisfied, at least for now. Ugh.

Today was Olivia's 2nd birthday! She was very sweet today. We've had a busy week of playdates and park time. Olivia's most favorite activity is sitting in a swing. She calls it the "whee" and will pull and tug on me to get me to push her. She also will take a swing at me when I try to remove her from the whee. I was going to buy her a swing for her birthday but then I found the very one I was going to pay full price for at a garage sale--for 2 bucks! I don't normally garage sale but the rush of finding the swing was exquisite. Might have to do it more often.

Ethan and I have been working on being respectful lately. When I tell him no or won't let him do something that is against our rules, or when he isn't listening to me, he gets angry and yells at me about how I am ruining his day, destroying his day, making him so frustrated, etc. I am trying to get the point across that despite those feelings, I am still in charge and deserve his respect. It is a tough concept for a kid, especially a talker like Ethan. But we had a great day today. He listened, obeyed, and was very respectful all day. I praised the crap out of him and told him the specific things he did to show respect and how told him how thankful I was for such a great day. Hopefully that will hammer the lesson home for him and we can continue to have great days like today. Sometimes I look at him and can't believe he is my little boy--he is getting so big!

Tomorrow we head up to Baker for camping with Grandpa Jimbo. Ethan and I are going; Pibs and Jay will stay home. Pibs at a campground is a little difficult to handle. Plus, it is fun for Ethan and I to have a special thing to do together, and I love camping so it works out for everyone. We'll swim, throw stuff in the lake, eat tasty food prepared by Camp Chef Jimbo (seriously, he made homemade pesto last time), throw more stuff in the lake, stay up super late and get up super early, chase after fish in the lake (I will only be spectating this one; I hate fish--but Ethan is passionate about sea creatures so I try to keep this a secret), and throw more stuff in the lake. Anything that isn't tied down. I think most kids respond really well to alone time with one of their parents and Ethan is no exception. We will have a blast.

That is about it from our homestead. It has been almost a month since I've blogged! I'm not even sure why I haven't posted. Just didn't have anything interesting to write about I guess. I'll post pics soon--they are on the other computer.