I’m a little late in posting this link, but think of it as a planning tool for next year’s Jack-o-Lantern!

I get home from work today and drop my stuff down in the office. Then I head to the playroom so I can say hello to Shortstack, who was busy cutting paper. I ask him if he’d take a break from what he was doing so I could have a hug and kiss.

‘No thanks. But it’s not because I don’t love you. I’m just not in the mood right now.’

And while it wasn’t quite the response I was expecting, it made me feel even better than an everyday hug and kiss!

Do you think Papa Frog would notice if I borrowed Shortstack’s line?

Today Shortstack again declared ob la di, ob la da by the Beatles his “favorite-est” song. Rock on little dude!

Shortstack is really having a blast with the Firefly book club. The class earns free books based on how much is purchased. The books are very reasonably priced (there are usually at least two $0.95 options), so it makes it quite easy to buy a good number of them. It’s also been a great way to discover new books we probably wouldn’t have come across otherwise, and it’s always a nice surprise when they arrive. This month Shortstack chose:

Dem Bones
Wee Witches’ Halloween
The Halloween Play
The Nutty Nut Chase
Clifford’s Thanksgiving Visit

The service is pretty good, too. Shortstack got Count on Clifford free this month because one of the other books he wanted wasn’t in stock. And they’ll still be sending his original choice as soon as it’s available.

About a month ago, Grammie was heading off for a long weekend in Mississippi. I happened to look at the clock and mention to Shortstack that she would be there any minute. You could see the concern wash across his little face as he looked at me and said, ‘but it’s all flooded there…’ Of course I explained that they would be ok, and that the flooding happened in other areas of the state, and that it was mostly gone now. But his reaction really made me think. All of us grown-ups (I still have a hard time thinking of myself as a member of that group–is that how our parents feel about claiming their senior citizens discount???) have become oblivious and/or immune to so much around us–a prime example being all the marketing ploys we’re bombarded with every day. Sure, with major events like the tsunami, Katrina & the other storms, the earthquake in Pakistan, etc. catch our attention, but it usually doesn’t take too long for everyone to get back into the normal mode of operation. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. As parents, we are well aware that children notice every single little thing. Even with our highly tuned, super-sensitive parental radar fully operational, throw in the hustle and bustle of everyday life and it’s all too easy for the things that are really affecting and bothering our kids to fly in under the radar and surprise us later on.

I have tried to find some sort of balance between keeping Shortstack in tune with current events without overwhelming him with all the doom & gloom and all that comes with it. It’s definitely a lot harder than I ever imagined it would be. I try to stick with the facts and try to point out the positive in the situations and how important it is that we be prepared, and that we always help others, etc. I’d like to think I usually do a pretty decent job of finding that middle ground, but sometimes I do wonder.

One of tonight’s three bedtime selections was a book Shortstack chose from his school book club, Clifford’s Thankgiving Visit. When we were finished, I asked Shortstack what he’s thankful for.

‘I am thankful to you. And Daddy. And next year, when I have a dog, I will be thankful to it, too.’

On his way outside, Shortstack grabs his blue & white striped sweater off the hook in the mudroom.

‘I like this one. It was a present.’
‘Do you remember who gave that to you?’

Shortstack looks at his Daddy, as if trying to reconcile his father’s relatively young age with his seemingly complete inability to remember ANYTHING at all, and very proudly says:

‘GG did–she needled it just for me.’

I was trying to find out if Shortstack had eaten the banana whose peel lay abandoned on the counter. Not because I was upset about the peel being left out, but because I had to know every available option before attempting to coerce him into eating something other than the honey smacks cereal he’s been eating for TWO DAYS STRAIGHT. (I take full responsibility for this–he begged for Clifford Crunch, the great kids cereal from Kashi full of wholesome goodness with practically no sugar. But I was too lazy to go to a different store to buy it…)

‘Did you eat that banana?’
‘No, it wasn’t me. Maybe Daddy ate one…because he’s a MONKEY! May I have some more cereal, please?’

‘did you hear that? watch…’