Excited for Christmas

Andrew has been excited for Christmas since Halloween. This morning he was disappointed to learn that Christmas being after Thanksgiving did not mean the day after. Setting up Christmas helped his disappointment.

Lighting pumpkins with Uncle Scottie

Wendy and I grew some pumpkins in the backyard garden this year.  Karoline happily helped our two boys empty their carving pumpkins and cut in fancy designs. We had ghosts, a normal pumpkin face, and a cat with a moon. Scott helped the two boys light the pumpkins outside once they finished. 

I have to say that Andrew and Cameron's pumpkins look a lot more fancy than any pumpkins than I ever made as a child. 

Car drying

We cleared out the garage enough to move the car in. Andrew noticed that the car was wet from the rain and spent the next ten minutes drying the car off.

Painting pumpkins

Paving the driveway

The pavers came to completely re-asphalt the driveway in front of our house.  Watching fascinated the kids. Andrew spent the entire day (over six hours) watching them. Only taking breaks to go to the bathroom. He ate all of his meals on the porch. 

Getting back into the water...polo

This last Monday while at swimming with the Olympus Masters Swim Team I overheard someone mention that they play water polo on Thursday nights. I was intrigued. I have not played water polo since playing with the Utah State club team in roughly 2004.  I love the game.

So this evening, I played water polo.  I had fun. I learned that over a 10-15 yard sprint I can still keep up with almost anyone. I learned I can still get separation from my defender and get open fairly consistently. I learned that I can still play pretty good defense.  I also learned that I can only do all the above in short spurts of 3-4 minutes real time before I lose steam. Motivation to swim more and get more in shape I guess?

The Power of "Ice Treats"

During our recent trip in Washington D.C. the boys both got to sleep in the same room as their parents. We did not realize until we returned home how much Andrew enjoyed the experience.

After we returned for several weeks Andrew woke up at least once and sometimes more between midnight and three A.M. and joined his parents, especially his mother, in bed. At times Cameron joined his brother in his wandering. Needless to say returning children to their beds and/or sharing the bed limited our quality of sleep.

Eventually, there was a compromise made. Andrew couldn't sleep in the bed, but could sleep on the floor. This was not a good compromise; Andrew still woke up his mom every night; who then spent several hours trying to go back to sleep.

In an epiphany, stroke of genius, or bad parenting Ben stumbled upon a solution. Just across the street from our house is a hawaiian shaved ice shack. The ice shack made a significant impression on Andrew last year.

As soon as the trailer was put into place this year he became excited about going there for "ice treats!" Everytime we passed the ice shack, Andrew gave us updates on the progress of the location set-up:

"They have tables!"

"They have umbrellas!"

"They umbrellas open!"

"They OPEN!"

The epiphany, stroke of genius, or bad parenting alluded to earlier? Ben, bribed his eldest child.  If Andrew stayed in bed all night and did not wake up his mommy the next day he would get an "ice treat." Call it a Hail Mary or shot in the dark. Andrew immediately agreed. Time would tell whether he would remember during the middle of the night.

That night; Ben and Wendy slept beautifully without any nocturnal interruptions from little boys. Even when Ben woke up at six A.M he did not realize the motivational power of the "ice treat." An hour and a half later, Ben returned to the house to find the two boys happily, but quietly, playing on the couch in the front room; without a Mommy. This was surprising because usually in the morning the parent's bedroom door is slammed open with exclamation of "Morning! Sun up!"

Instead, Daddy entered the rooms to whisper of, "Shhhh! No wake mommy!!" Andrew made sure to go to the bathroom quietly, washed his hands quietly, and made sure the Cameron also did not get close to the bedroom door.  His motivation was so high that when Ben finally went in to wake up "Mommy" he had to explain to Andrew that he would still get his ice treat.

Bubblegum "Ice Treat"

Since then? Andrew sleeps in his own bed. Mommy and Daddy sleep through the night. Who knew the power of "ice treats?"