Selective hearing is prominent even at 4 years old

Just about an hour before bath time every night, my two little ones shed their layers of clothing to run around totally buck naked. They love to feel the wind whipping through their unmentionable places. A total transformation takes place once the underwear comes off. Thy act like they've just been given a new lease on life - running around, chasing each other and acting all giddy.

Well, just after the "nudey" hour started Friday night, Seth was running around the love seat over and over and over. Toys were scattered everywhere and I had had enough of it so I told him to stop running. He chose to continue running and I started counting the rounds out loud "okay, that's one time you've gone around after I told you not to... that's two times... if you do one more, that's three strikes which means a pop" (that means the wooden spoon and he knows it). Well, guess what. He looked at me and listened as I got to number three. Dad got the spoon. Now remember, Seth has absolutely nothing on. After about 15 seconds of struggle and him giggling, "whack!" - one good pop on his butt. He ran off like a scalded dog, hollering and crying, grabbing his butt and wishing he had a bucket of cold water to jump in to put that fire out. Don't get me wrong, I know it hurt. He was truly in pain. But he knows what the countdown is and as much warning as you give him, he continues to push the limits. The only thing we can do is follow through with the end result stated so he knows we're serious and not push-overs, right?

Here's where the funny part starts.

He got mad and sassy. He gets this way quite often. But this time I played along. He tells us, "I'm going to Nana & Papa's!!" I replied, "Go ahead. You may want to take your blankies and just sleep with them tonight."

"Well I'm going over there RIGHT NOW!"
"Okay, see ya later."

Remember, he's naked. He proceeds to put on his shoes and warns us again that he's going over there. Again, I encouraged him to go. He walked out the door in his birthday suit and me and Allen just burst into laughter. We ran to the front window like school children watching a school mate walk into a trap we had just set. He was still standing on our front steps. My guess is that he was hoping we'd open the door and tell him to get back inside. That didn't happen. A few seconds later, he started on his journey, with the outside pole lights shining on him. We stared as we laughed, and waited for the door to open at Nana & Papa's house. Allen said, "I wonder what they're gonna say to him when he gets there." Abbey said, "They gonna say 'boo-hoo!'"

We laughed and laughed and laughed at her!

A few minutes later, the door opened again and I saw Papa's head coming out. Being the school children we are, we giggled and ran back to our places - he in the computer chair and me in my rocking chair. Papa walked in holding him and said Seth had told him Daddy popped him and he didn't know why. Go figure!!!

A cherished memory | Gator date night with my son

My dad keeps telling me to update my Blog. Updating a blog is easy as long as you have the material to use. I keep thinking of a special event or something really funny to center a post around. Well, in the past few days I've finally got some good material that's more than just a one-line quote that sent us into laughter or a funny short story.

Seth and I had a date night Thursday night. We were given tickets to the Gator basketball game by someone I work with. I didn't want to accept them before finding out if he was really interested in going, so I called home to Nana & Papa's. Nana answered.

Nana: Hello?

Me: Hey, can I talk to Seth?

Nana: Sure - Seth, Mama wants to talk to you.

Seth: Hey Mom.

Me: Hey, would you like to go see the Gators play basketball tonight?

Seth: WHAAAT??!!!

Me: Yeah, we'll go see the Gator basketball game! You want to? It'll be a date night for just you and me!

Seth: Yeah! Hey, Nana! Me and Mama are going on a date to see the Gators play basketball!!!

So, the answer was yes - he was very interested in going. This thrilled my soul!! 1) He actually wanted to go to a basketball game, and 2) he wanted to have a date night with ME! My first "real" date with my son. Just me and him. Him and me. And to a Gator basketball game where the seats are right under the basket, two rows up. (This lady has given me tickets before so I knew they were very good seats before I even accepted them.)

So after I rush home from work, I got him changed into his Gator shirt and I changed into my Gator gear. We said our goodbyes to Dad & Abbey (who also get a date night together). I grabbed the camera and off we went. He was excited for something he had never seen in person before. I was excited at his excitement and wondering how he'd react in that HUGE O'Dome with all the excitement and loudness.

We finally made it there in what seemed like 2 hours because of the traffic backups on University Avenue. We found a good spot in the front lot and walked up to the O'Dome. He had no idea what he was about to experience. I knew, but he didn't. That knowledge had me a little giddy! Before going to our seats we had to stop at the concession stands to get something for dinner - the traditional hot dog I always had to get at a Gator game, no matter what kind of game. (Bear with me for a minute as a veer off to some old memories.) We used to go to quite a few Gator football games with my Grandpa's tickets. I can't remember a time at one of those games where we didn't get a hot dog. I've had the priviledge to go to many games in my adult life and yep, you know it - I had to get a hot dog. It's just not a Gator game without a hot dog.

Okay, back to October 28, 2010, 7 pm. We got a hot dog, a large Diet Coke and a bag of cotton candy. $12. I didn't care - it was date night with my son, right? We made our way through the doors to the inside of the O'Dome at just the time they were doing the pre-game thrill - lights down, video screens on showing the names and numbers of each player, fans cheering crazily. It was loud. LOUD. I really thought he would be scared but when I looked over at him to see his reaction, he was starting to run ahead of me. I knew at that moment he was a true Gator. He wanted more. And more he'd get! Just then, the lights came back on and as we got to our seats, the game was starting. Our seats just so happened to be on the Gators' end for the first half. The players were right in our face and looked like giants. He was in awe!! The first Gator basket was made and the crowd went wild! He cheered and clapped right along with everyone else, saying "He made it, Mom!"

A little ways into the game he spotted Albert. I had told him Albert and Alberta would probably be there. He was thrilled to see him, although he was up in the nosebleed section. I have no idea how he saw him up there really. But he latched on to him, following him as he made his way through the sections to shake hands and have his picture made with fans. All of a sudden he dropped out of sight. "Mom, where'd Albert go?" "I don't know - he'll be back around in a few minutes." He went back to watching the game, watching the crowds and eating his cotton candy. Right before half time he asked if we could go and get popcorn. Sure we could! I was hoping we'd see Albert on our half time walk around the dome, so I had my camera ready.

We got to the concession stand and chose an empty spot with a nice woman behind the counter. I asked, "Can I get a popcorn please?" "Small or large?" "Small." "That'll be three dollars." I said to Seth "Tell her thank you." His eyes were getting big as he pointed behind the lady to the soft pretzel case. He said in what seemed like slow motion, "WOW! I see a really fresh donut back there!!!" The lady and I looked at what he was pointing to and I giggled, correcting him that it was a pretzel, not a doughnut (after all, I KNOW my doughnuts). She, on the other hand, burst out in laughter and said to me, "He didn't just see a doughnut, but a REALLY FRESH doughnut... hahahahhahahah!" We all laughed and as we walked off, I could still hear her laughing even as we rounded the corner.

Yes, this story is long, but bear with me for a bit longer. I'm trying to insert as many dramatic effects as there actually were that night.

By the time we got back, it was half time so we just walked around for a few minutes. He wanted to see the drums in the band. The band was on the same end of the court as us, but on the opposite side, so he could hear the drum the whole first half but not see it. So we walked around where he could see it. As we stood there, we watched the half time show, a bunch of students in a dance-off. We laughed at how goofy they were acting. Let me just say, I was loving this time with him. Finally half time was almost over (and no Albert sightings, I might add) so we finished walking all the way around and made it back to our seats right as the 2nd half was starting. Just as I looked into the student section to our left, there he was. Albert was in the midst of the Rowdy Reptiles - on our level! Seth spotted him just as I did and I told him that we'd watch him and when he walked back up the steps, we'd go find him. A few minutes lapsed and there he goes, up the steps. We grabbed the camera and ran up our steps. As we made our way around to meet up with him, he had actually gone into the ... oh, I don't know the real name for these ... the hole where the entrance/exit doors are. We scampered as fast as we could without getting in trouble for running. As we went through the first set of doors he had stopped at the concession stand to chat with the people there. Then a lady was telling him someone was outside to see him, so before he went through the turnstile I yelled "Albert - don't go out just yet!" He turned towards us, then fell down on the floor when he saw Seth, who was several feet shorter than him. He leaned back on his elbow and patted the floor next to him, gesturing for Seth to sit down. Seth was smiling the whole time and giggling at how silly Albert was acting. He finally sat down next to him and there it was - the photo opp we'd been waiting for all game long. My boy got his picture made with Albert the Alligator - the official mascot of the Florida Gators!! I know, I know. Lots of folks get their pictures made with him. So what, right? No, this was something I had hoped to have in my photo archives one day and I finally got it. A cherished snapshot memory of a special date night.

After that, we floated back to our seats on a high that only a true Gator fan would understand at this moment. We even showed the picture to the lady on the row beneath us. She acted interested but I doubt she really was. No matter, it was exciting to us. A few minutes later - about 10 minutes left in the game - I asked Seth if he was ready to go home yet. He said no. Fine with Mama. A few minutes later he said he was ready to go. So we gathered our stuff and headed out. When we got in the car, I had to call home to tell Allen we were on the way. Seth had to tell him about his special photo. He was also telling him about Alex Tyus, one of the Gator players. He seemed to like him, I noticed. Then after that call, we had to call Mimi and tell her the good news. Then Pepaw and Mamaw. Then Aunt Sheila, Jessica and Justin. By that time we were home. Papa drove in behind us, coming home from school. He walked over to ask Seth if he had a good time and he told Papa about his picture with Albert. I think most of the county would have known if I had a way to announce it. He told me I had to post it on FaceBook. lol

I love my son!