Thank you for all the comments and concern. Things are somewhat calm and I feel better, but I know some things will never be the same as before. Life goes on and I’m trying to accept the fact that I cannot fix everyone’s problems. Time to put away the Christmas decorations and start a new year.

My husband got an X-box for Christmas and video games are not my idea of fun. I get bored sitting here watching him try to blow things up! So despite my mentioned vacation before, I’m still around.

Since there will not be many new shows on TV with the writer’s strike, I’m guessing our evenings will be filled with Lego Star Wars for a while. Ethan is in his own little world of Transformers and Lego’s.

I went back to the orthopaedic doctor Friday for a 2 week check-up and to get these stitches out. Ethan went along and brought a Fisher Price camera (a gift from Christmas). It was quite entertaining for him to take pictures of the nurse removing the stitches. Although, he had her in stitches by the time it was done and had told her my feet stink and I was on drugs. Lovely.

I’ll leave you with a few pictures of our visit courtesy of Ethan.

I went to pick Ethan up from his morning pre-k and he came out crying. Inconsolably crying. While I tried to understand what was wrong, I realized he didn’t have a stamp for the day.

His class has a behavior system where if they keep their butterfly in the sky or on the leaf (which means they had a warning), then they get a stamp at the end of the morning. If the butterfly ends up in the jar (which is time-out), they do not get a stamp.

Ethan’s had some difficulty not acting like a rambunctious 5 year old boy this school year. He doesn’t argue or get into fights with other children. Most of his issues are with talking too much or acting silly. If I had to choose between the two, I’d choose the latter. We certainly do not tolerate physical aggression in our house, so it’s comforting to know he gets along well with the other kids.

After several weeks of coming home day after day without a stamp and hearing his teacher voice her concerns with his recent behavior, we instituted some changes at home. I guess that around age 5 things stop getting handed to you and you have to earn them.

If he does not get a stamp at school that morning, then there is no tv that day. Other things he must earn are dessert and special treats such as getting a slush from Sonic (his favorite).

It seemed to make a difference at first that his behavior at school affected his privileges at home. Lately it’s been pretty patchy with him coming home with a stamp around 2 days a week. We always talk about why he didn’t get a stamp, what behavior got him in trouble and what he can do different the next day.

I will admit that there are times I believe his behavior is just “being a boy,” but I recognize that his teachers are trying to prepare him for kindergarten next year. They are wonderful women with a lot of experience and seem to handle the children with patience and love.

From Ethan’s crying today I gathered that he got in trouble, but he insisted his butterfly was only on the leaf (which would mean when he got in trouble it was his first offense and a warning - which also means he would have received a stamp). I encouraged him to go back inside with me and ask his teacher about it. She explained that they were at gym class and that the same rules that apply in their classroom, do not apply in the gym. So his warning was really a time-out, which is why he did not earn a stamp today.

Ethan was devastated and frankly confused. Since he knew he only got in trouble one time then in his mind it was a warning, because that is what comes first and he was fully expecting stamp.

I admit that I am no parenting or educational expert, but does this sound reasonable to you? That a 5 year old would understand this reasoning? Not only that, but this is the same teacher that originally suggested we use consistency between school and home in rules and consequences.

Am I being over-sensitive or over-protective? I just do not see the consistency in changing the consequences because they changed locations.

Our 5 year old son has been pointing out patterns to us lately. When we play a game together he lets us know the order to go in.

“Me, Mom, then Dad. Me, Mom, then Dad. That is a pattern.”

The other morning he let me know that we have patterns in the meals we eat.

“I always have a fruit or vegetable and milk with dinner. Every night. That is a pattern.”

But he also pointed out something I already knew.

“You and Dad always sleep on the same side of the bed.”

As with most couples we picked our sides early. I am the left and he is the right. His statement made me think about where else my husband and I have patterns in our life together. I came up with several and they are all dictated by keeping our predetermined sides.

We’ve divided the bathroom sink and cabinets - my side is the left and his is the right. Just like in bed.

Our parking spots in the driveway are dictated by the same pattern. Even our sides in the closet and our seats at the dining room table are determined from our sides of the bed.

We’ve been living our life in patterns that a 5 year old can notice. I hope he recognizes other sequences in our life - like that my husband always kisses us goodbye in the morning as he leaves for work. Every morning, no matter how late he is running.

Even if he grows up and becomes the right side of a his own marriage, there are some good patterns he can continue.

Not because we’re on vacation and there is an outlet mall within 30 miles that I will hit hard this week.

Our little man has lost his first tooth! Isn’t it too early? He just turned 5 at the end of July.

We were out to dinner tonight with my family (on vacation) and Ethan was eating corn on the cob. My cousin, Laban, noticed a little blood on the corn and when we looked his tooth was gone! Thankfully we found it on his lap and it is now safely under his pillow as I type.

My big question is what is the going rate for teeth these days? I’m thinking this first one should be several dollars, then maybe $1 a tooth after that.

I asked for a boy. I asked many, many times that it be a boy. Mainly because I had no idea what I would do with a girl. I am not a foo-foo girl myself. My hair is in a pony-tail 99% of the time and dresses are reserved for very special occasions (such as your wedding).

I knew my limitations and putting matching bows in a girls hair would not be under my list of abilities.

A boy I could handle. No frilly things. No pretend tea parties. No matching clothes required. Boys just seemed simpler.

Guess what? They aren’t. Boys are loud, gross and did I mention loud?

As I write this a bug catching jar sits on our dining room table with a dead butterfly and cricket inside. On our dining room table! Placed there by a 5 year old boy who thinks it’s “cool.”

This week alone I cleaned a handful of rocks out of the dryer. I now realize the importance of checking his pockets before washing his clothes. See his clothes may be simpler without the glitter and bows, but boys come with sticks and trash.

For some strange reason he decided that peeing in the cup we keep in the bathtub was a good idea. I can only explain it with imagination and curiosity. And his male chromosomes.

Recently he discovered his newest talent of burping. Ah yes, I expected it when he was 15 and messing around with the guys, but no 5 year old should need to burp as often as he does! I’ve even threatened to take him to the doctor.

Need I mention the other stinky sound he’s grown quite fond of? The one most people don’t talk about amongst friends. Except our son. He’s proud to let one rip in church, at the library or in front of guests. It ranks right up there with picking his nose and eating it.

What you see pictured above is considered “treasures.” Things he finds, keeps and hoards like a pack-rat. It’s kind of hard to explain to friends who only have girls why your son isn’t playing with action figures. “Um….he prefers trash.”

But those of you with boys understand. I hope. Despite these characteristics I did not think about when I sent my wishes above, I’m thankful for the laughter he’s brought and the embarrassing stories I can tell his when he’s older.

CHECK IT: I have a guest post up over at Grammology. If you’ve never read the wisdom shared at their site, you need to. This post is in regards to an old brown chair my grandfather owned. Go visit.