Gavin has a cold, or, as he calls it, "a coughing sick" and did not go to preschool today or yesterday. I, too, am getting such a sick and I am not as happy as most people probably would be. I know I am alone in my dislike of colds, but if hating colds is wrong, I don't want to be right.
The good news, however, is that Gavin's behavior has been much better these past couple of days. Not perfect, mind you, but we never asked for, or expected, perfect. I think he's getting used to going to preschool and his new schedule (though being off for two days can't help). He's been a much happier kid (despite being sick) which means he's been more cooperative and much more polite. So I've decided he can stay.
That's not to say I won't still read Your Three-Year-Old: Friend of Enemy, which my mom bought for me as soon as she read my last post, even though I was joking about wanting it because it seemed so sad. Thankfully in real life it doesn't seem to be that depressing. It's even pink with a close up of a little girl in an ugly hat on the front, so it can't be all bad. I will read it and report back.
Yesterday Stacy had to stay home from work to tend to Mr. Coughing Sick. Today I stayed home with him, but I don't go to campus on Thursdays anyway. He goes to morning preschool on Tues. and Thurs. and I go to the library to get some work done. Trying to cram an entire work week into the three days I am on campus (MWF) is impossible. I've tried it. Having a couple of hours in the morning to get work done on the days I am home with him is really helping be to stay employed and sane. Well, just employed, but still.
I accidentally taught Gavin to say, "I'm going to punch you in the face" today. Before you panic, no, I did not threaten to cold clock my son. I was getting him his car seat (because even though we are both feeling sick, there were some things that had to be done outside of the home today like going to the credit union so old women could gush over Gavin's gorgeous curls) and he, not paying attention, flung his arm outwards and upwards, his hand just grazing my chin. I, largely involuntarily, made some kind of sound akin to "whoa" and Gavin, the ever-curious gent that he is, asked why I made such a sound and I responded, "Because you almost punched me in the face." And then I hardly had myself in the car and my seat belt buckled before he said, kind of to me, kind of to himself, "I'm going to punch you in the face." I told him that was a terrible thing to say to someone, but I really didn't have much credibility on the subject at that point.
Gavin has been learning about time and is constantly asking questions
about what day it is. Not as in what day of the week, but as in, "Is
there another yesterday coming up?" which is what he asked Stacy
yesterday and then me today. Other queries include, "Is today
yesterday?" and "Yesterday will it be tomorrow?" I just asked him, "What
day is it?" and he said, "What?" I repeated the question and he said,
"I don't understand what you're saying." I repeated the question again
and he said, with his most serious thinking face, "I thought today was
tomorrow."
Hey, do you have $80 to spend on a gift for an awesome kid and you're about to blow it on some kind of plastic LeapFrog bullshit reading thing that you're totally going to regret buying because it is loud and eats batteries and even after you give it to your kid he will still prefer to steal your iPad and eventually will manage to break both? Don't do it! Subscribe instead to McMullens the children's book imprint by McSweeney's. Gavin is a subscriber (okay, I am and I somewhat reluctantly hand over the books to Gavin, so really this is a good gift for all ages) and we both really dig the books so far. In fact, a short while ago we were cuddled up together reading The Night Riders (which has no words so not only does it require imagination, it also can be read in any language including Gavish, a language he made up himself), and Benny's Brigade, which came in the mail today. All of the McMullens books I've read have ranged from good to excellent (the vast majority of children's books I read, and I read a lot of them, I deem merely okay) and for $80 you get 8 beautiful hardcover books (with bookjackets that, when unfolded, double as awesome posters) as they are released by writers and illustrators who are a testament to the craft. I realize I sound like I work for McSweeney's here (and let's be honest, I totally would), but I seriously love these books and what kid (or grown up) doesn't like to get packages in the mail? Especially when those packages contain children's books that are not about Elmo or giving things to a mouse/pig/cat that are unhealthy and inappropriate for their diets or a glasses-wearing aardvark who looks nothing like an aardvark or Disney Princesses singing "I'm too sexy" or whatever it is they do (get married mostly, I think). Amen.
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