Words of a Child

It’s always interesting to listen to a child talk about teachers. Especially to me, since I was a teacher and have many, many friends who are teachers!

Rowdy Rebel was telling me about school and how much he likes his friends. (All of his friends are very rowdy, just like he is, of course.) His teacher at school is very warm and patient. I like her a lot. She’s very beautiful as well–this isn’t important but does kind of factor into this story, as you will see momentarily.

So I ask from time to time how things are going with the teachers. I asked Rowdy Rebe about his pre-school teacher, “So, how’s your teacher? Does she seem happy with your work lately?”

Rowdy Rebel says, “Oh yes. She’s VERY nice.” I thought, well, this means Rowdy Rebel must be doing well–still being good in class. Thank goodness.

Then he stops, turns around and looks me in the eye to add: “BUT, she has a mustache.” Okey dokey.

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Deep Thinker has been the unfortunate victim of two crushes.

One happened last year. A girl accidentally made him bump into a door, and this gave him a huge black eye. Then, she developed a crush on him. She’s very cute (in my opinion), but as he puts it “bossy and mean.” This year, they’ve kind of become friends. So that’s nice.

This year another girl–we’ll call her Ann–has apparently told her friends that she loves Deep Thinker. He tells me in horror “THE WHOLE SECOND GRADE knows about it! It’s very embarrassing!” as he makes a horrified face. Poor thing.

I was trying to make him feel better. I said, “Honey, but Ann is so adorable.”

His response: “Don’t be fooled Mom. She’s NOT as nice as she looks.”

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We got a cord blood discount of $250 using a coupon code to keep down the cost of cordblood storage with our second and third children. We didn’t do this with our first child due to the expense…That was in 2001. Over the last 7 years, cord blood research has been used to cure cancers, diabetes, cerebreal palsy and other conditions (and injuries)–they have even cured children with the cord blood of SIBLINGS (see success stories)…In addition to the coupon, here are ways I found to bring the price down:

1. Get $150-$300 off with a Discount
   Provide a cord blood coupon code when you enroll by phone or online at a cord blood company. Most companies list a code right on their sign up page.
2. Cord Blood payment plants–use these in combination with the cord blood coupon code, so no need to put a lump sum on a credit card.
   
3. Get a repeat discount if you have another child, use the same cord blood bank to get a repeat client discount of $300-$400.

Many families decide not to store cord blood, but donate it instead. Either way, it seems like a great way (and an easy way) to help doctors cure conditions that seriously affect the lives of children.  The research and successes so far are amazing!

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It’s Election Night! After the votes were tallied, Deep Thinker and I watched the speeches tonight by McCain and Obama. I kind of started regretting that because I was missing a lot of each speech due to my son’s MANY questions.

First, Deep Thinker asked me a MILLION TIMES why the guy who won didn’t go first. Why did the guy who lost give his speech first? That doesn’t make much sense he said.

During the speeches, he asked me over and over and over, “Okay, what’s he saying? What’s that stuff MEAN?”

Then Obama concluded his acceptance speech. The crowd in front of Obama was clapping their hands and waving their flags.

My little Deep Thinker said, “Look! Everyone has little American flags!” Then he looked at me with his eyes open wide–and as seriously and innocently as only a child could, he asked, “Are the people at McCain’s speech waving their flags too, Mom?”

Image Credit: Photographer Stacy Braswell

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My sister flew from the East Coast to visit us this week! The boys are SOOOO excited. We’ll refer to her as Aunt Super Cool, since that’s how the boys feel about her:) And me too. Aunt Super Cool is not married, and she doesn’t have children. She might have children at some point–if she gets married. We shall see.

Sometimes people ask her why she doesn’t have children, but I sense they feel a little hesitant. Well, this week Rowdy Rebel became curious about the topic, and he didn’t feel at all hesitant.

He said, “Aunt Super Cool, why don’t you have babies?”

She said, “Because I’m not married. Why, do you think I need to have babies?” Rowdy Rebel said YES.

So, his aunt said, “Really? When do you think I should have babies?”

Rowdy Rebel answered, “Oh, I don’t know…the day after tomorrow.” he he.

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We were watching the final debate between the presidential candidates tonight. I like to hear what my sons think about lots of things. I thought I’d ask them what they think about the presidential candidates. Not surprisingly, I couldn’t get anything edgewise out of my four year-old except that he wants to play Nintendo. Understandable.

But my seven year-old has had something interesting to say. He piped up, “I want that guy to win,” and he pointed to Obama.

I asked why. He said, “Because, that will be something new for us! We’ve never had a brown president before in the history of our country!”

My first thought was, “Should I explain one or two of their stances on issues? And that we don’t vote based on race or new or interesting but how we feel about issues??? No…too complicated.” But my second thought was, “Well, I must be doing a good job–my son is open-minded and accepting!”

Until he followed it up with this: “Besides, I don’t like the old guy.”

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What a fun conversation I had with my four-year old yesterday! He wanted to know all about college. There are several punchlines in this conversation, so I’m just going to share each line with you as he asked and answered questions:

Rowdy Rebel: “Mom, when I go to college, can I do whatever I want?” (I answered, “Well, yes basically.”)

He asked: “When can I go to college?” (I said at age 18.)

He continued, “Can I go when I’m 16?” (I said no.)

Next, “What will I do in college?” (I said learn about stuff.)

“What stuff?” (I said that he will choose what to learn–maybe art, maybe science, maybe math.)

Rowdy Rebel said, “Mommy, I know what I want to learn in college.” (I asked, “What?”) He answered, “I want to learn how to make lemonade.”

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Yesterday Rowdy Rebel and I were rushing out the door. We needed to pick up Deep Thinker from school. I told Rowdy Rebel to turn off the TV (as he considers this his important chore, no comment on how easy or un-chorelike it is…he’s only 4 after all…). Then I bolted out the door, waiting for him to follow. And I kept waiting.

After about 45 seconds, I rushed back inside and asked what was taking so long. Rowdy Rebel was leaning against the TV and jerking around, almost like he was dancing. I thought, “There he goes fooling around again!!!”

I said, “Come ON! We’re going to be late.” I leaned over and quickly turned off the TV, grabbed Rowdy Rebel’s hand and started toward the door (again).

He started SOBBING. A little exasperated, I asked, “WHAT?”

With his mouth was turned into a sad little frown and tears in his eyes, he looked up at me with a devastated expression and said, “Mommy, I was trying to turn the TV off with my BUTT.”

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Rowdy Rebel is apparently an angel at pre-school. Isn’t that ironic?

But of course, his best friend is the “wild kid” who is not only wild, but seems quite mean. Rowdy Rebel and this child LOVE each other. They want playdates together, they share snacks, they throw sand at each other…

I’m encouraging Rowdy Rebel to have a larger group of friends. Last week, I paid close attention to the children in his class who were playing nicely, quietly, and respectfully. I was trying to figure out their names to then encourage Rowdy Rebel to try playing with them more often.

I asked, “Who was the boy in the blue shirt with Lightning McQueen? (Lightning McQueen is the red car from the movie “Cars”–and Rowdy Rebel’s HERO.) Rowdy Rebel answered, “Maybe that was Chris.”

I followed up, “Yes, this was probably Chris. Let’s double check. What does Chris look like?”

Rowdy Rebel answered, “Well…He has a nose…eyes…and hair.”

I burst out laughing. For a second Rowdy Rebel looked puzzled. Then it must have clicked, and he said “OOOOOOhhhhh, everybody does, right Mommy?”

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Well, Deep Thinker doesn’t REALLY babysit. He’s only 7.

But he looooves watching and entertaining his baby brother. And what intrigues me most is how talented he is at doing this. He can get the baby to take a pacifier more quickly than I can. When Deep Thinker talks, the baby looks in his direction (because he already loves Deep Thinker).

Just now, Deep Thinker said the sweetest thing ever. He was playing with the baby. Then the baby fell asleep. Deep Thinker looked up at me and said, “Look at that. I got the baby to go to sleep. And it only took me 30 minutes!” (That would seem like a long time to me, but not to Deep Thinker. His pace is slow like nature’s:)

Rowdy Rebel also LOVES to take care of the baby. Unfortunately, he gets a little WILD about it, as with other things in life. But it’s awfully sweet to watch him trying as hard as he can to be gentle.

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