IP gave himself a timeout!

IP has had a rough week. Yesterday, when told to sit in timeout, IP laughed and ran away from his teacher. He became such a nuisance that his daycare teacher called Dad and IP had to tell Dad what was going on. Apparently after the phone call, IP was very quiet for the rest of the afternoon. After 15 lectures on how to properly handle himself in a timeout last night, IP made some progress.

From Ms. Devine's email today:
"Just wanted to tell you that IP had an excellent morning. He even did very well on the playground. I redirected him to another activity when he started getting too carried away, but he listened and did well in the new activity. A few minutes before we came in he threw a handful of rocks and when I came to talk to him about it, he walked over and sat down in timeout on his own and stayed until I told him to line up to come inside. Definitely so much better!!! Thank you for your help and support.
Connie"

The Bubbas Poage - 2008

Left to Right: Collin with a Glock .40, Erroll with a S&W .40, Dad with a Mauser Model 98, Jordan with a Mossberg 12 GA, Jonathan with a Norinco SKS, and Cousin Bodie the pacifist.

The Bubbas Poage spend one weekend a year shooting on Great Uncle Gary's property. They camped in tents and ate 80 burritos for dinner, breakfast and lunch. Yes, Bodie ordered 80 burritos! Some of the burritos became shooting targets.

"Sometimes you get a blue card, sometimes you don't." -IP

IP attends Chapel every Wednesday at his school. Some children contribute to the offering/tithing basket. I ignored the fact as Dad and I feel we pay exorbitant school fees and a Chapel offering was a little over the top. Today, for the first time, IP brought up the subject of blue Chapel cards. (Blue envelopes for the tithing.) I asked, "Do you get a blue card?" "NO, I DON'T!" he replied with a irritated tone. Then he announced in a matter of fact manner, "Sometimes you get a blue card, sometimes you don't." He sounded like a mini-adult. I asked if he wanted a blue card and of course the answer was yes. I pulled out some change and said we could get a blue card with his name on it. He was so thrilled. Of course he lost his coins in the car and was very upset. I offered him a dollar, but he wanted his coins. Luckily, I found another two quarters in my purse. We made it to class just as the kids were lining up with their older Chapel buddies. He carefully put his coins in the envelope and I quickly wrote his name on it. Spying from around a corner, I watched him walk hand in hand with his 4th grade buddy to Chapel clutching his little envelope. He was so happy. In the future, I hope I don't dismiss the little things that seem so important to my little guy. I feel like a cheap-skate heel.

First Day Of Autumn

Today summer is officially over! I'm flying to New England in October as Josh will be there on business for three weeks. Can't wait to see the leaves turn, visit apple cider houses, and eat lots of clam chowder!

Take a hike Ike; We're having fun!

Grandpa and Grammi drove from Houston to escape Hurricane Ike on Friday. We spent the weekend visiting Grandma in Georgetown and eating ourselves silly. We ate a HUGE German meal at the Walburg on Sunday. Grandpa was in heaven. While in Georgetown's main square, we had the opportunity of looking at almost one dozen Ford Model A's. IP particularly liked the Campbell's Soup Model A because of its red wheels. Monday, I took the afternoon off work and we drove all the way to the Salt Lick for Central Texas' best BBQ. Monday evening, we caught three little lizards in IP's sandbox. One actually sat on IP's hand for over a minute.

Tile Project Part 2

The tile is complete. Now we have baseboards to finish. We spent Sunday painting the walls, painting base board, cutting baseboard, installing baseboard, caulking baseboard, and painting touch ups on the baseboard. We're not even 20% finished with baseboard installation and I'm tired of baseboard. However, the worst job this weekend was putting the toilet back over the poop hole in the master bathroom. There is no room on either side of our toilet to work, so Dad and I had a horrible time trying to line up the toilet over the hole and two bolts/screws sticking up from the floor. Finally, I had to lay down on my stomach facing the poop hole and line up the bolts with the toilet while Dad stood over me holding the toilet over my hands and head. GROSS!!!! After baseboard installation, we still have to seal the grout. I HATE home improvement! Luckily Grandma saved us from fast food and brought us dinner (Shrimp etouffee and blueberry pie) Sunday night.

Poor IP has been a trooper through this whole mess and didn't have much fun this weekend. While the workmen were grouting on Saturday, IP and I stayed at Grandma's. Grandma's neighbor, Ms. Rosie, came over and took IP for a ride in her new Smart Car. He enjoyed riding in the "cute, tiny car." However, when I asked him if he wanted a Smart Car when he grows up, he replied, "Oh no, I want a RACE car!"

This week, we didn't have any visits from the "big, pretty colored, growling lizard." I think the vanilla air freshener did the trick or maybe it was reading "How do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?" that gave IP the opportunity to make fun of lizards who try to sleep in beds. Last night, IP climbed into bed with us around 3:00am and then fell out onto the hard tile floor around 3:30. Poor thing! He cried for a little while, but was very stoic. Ouch...

"I have an ear infecrustacean in my right ear." - IP

I suppose an infection in better than a crustacean in the ear. IP has had allergies all summer long and so of course I was expecting an infection of some sort. Luckily this morning Doctor Angel said he just has congestion (not crustacean or infection) in his ear.

IP has had repeated nightmares of a "big, pretty colored, growling lizard" visiting him in bed. It started Saturday night when IP visited Nana. Last night, we armed IP with a flashlight, cardboard tube, and Ritz crackers and placed "guard dog" Tojo's bed outside his bedroom door. I also sprayed vanilla air freshener in IP's room because lizards don't like that smell. The Ritz were left for the lizard in case he was hungry; he didn't eat any last night. IP only woke me up once and he wasn't crying. Success? Maybe taking IP to the Dinoland exhibit this weekend will cure his fear?
UPDATE from Dad: ...at Nana's, he slept in the lower bunk of Jonathan's bunk bed. He was a little hesitant at first, but I told him it was like a cave, and then we had a discussion about what kind of animals live in caves, including - you guessed it - lizards. I was awakened at 4 AM by a shriek of terror and a poor little boy screaming that he didn't want to sleep in the cave any more because of the lizard.

While IP and Dad were in Dallas, I had planned to spend the weekend in Houston to attend my sister-in-law's baby shower. We (Grandma and I) didn't want to get stuck in traffic Monday (the day of the shower)trying to get out of Houston with the Gustav evacuees heading West, so we stayed home and packed up and sorted our closets. Most of the furniture has been moved from the bedrooms to the living room and kitchen in anticipation of more tile on Friday! Monday, I started painting new baseboards in the garage. Josh will begin tearing out the rest of the old baseboards. Fun, fun, fun. I would have had more fun in Houston. :(