Well, not exactly...

It has always been a pet peeve of Cole's when a cookie, graham cracker, pretzel or any snack falls apart into pieces before he has taken his first bite. When he was a toddler, he wouldn't even touch it without much coaxing if it wasn't 100% whole. It has been a quirky and vexing issue as one can imagine.

Since the back pack I carted around as my diaper bag and which now houses essential and emergency "stuff" certainly isn't padded and carrying around tupperware containers would be ridiculous, over the years Cole has learned to deal with his sometimes multi-piece snacks or he has gone snackless. However, it is still something that irks him at 4 years old and he will purposely dig around in a bag or box until he finds an unscathed item to eat. I mean I am a perfectionist but this takes things to a whole other level??? But I guess we all have those things that make us who we are despite driving those we love nuts because of them.

Anyhow, I recently had taken a bag of things to the tailor to be mended. When I picked him up from school, he asked what errands we would be doing. I told him we were going to the tailors. He asked "what is that place again" as I had originally told him that it was a place where people could fix holes in our clothes. So I reminded him that it was the place where the lady was repairing the zipper on our pillow cover and some of our clothes. Cole shoots back "with glue?" I laughed and said, "no, they sew up the fabric with thread/string which is more flexible"

He looks at me in all seriousness as I glance at him in the rearview mirror and says "can they put my snacks back together when they fall apart?"

Cole & Calliou

I must confess that Cole watches way more TV than I ever thought I would allow. Life is what it is and reality is reality, thus, Sprout, Nick Jr. and occasionally the Disney channel are quite frequently on in our house. Don't get me wrong, Cole is fantastic at entertaining himself, racing around the house with his ski/skating helmet on as if he is on a NASCAR track or pretending to fly the plane we created out of a box or jumping from part of the sectional couch to the other falling into a pile of pillows again and again and again. He will draw pictures, play games on the computer or IPHONE and make a mess with playdough. He has a terrific imagination.

However, independent he is becoming as he does say roughly about half the time, "I can do it myself or Mommy, go do something", but as I feel both of us age faster and faster, luckily for me the other half of the time he still likes to play with me. So I am often down on the floor with him lining up monster trucks so they crush one another or acting as a tunnel as he flies between my legs with his matchbox cars. We read, we snuggle and giggle, we build forts and we pretend to be pirates. I love my Mondays and Fridays with him!

Anyhow, I digress as the point of this post is about his TV time; so like when Dora the Explorer, Thomas the Train and the Wonder Pets were his fascination (those are for babies now he says), Cole has become quite attached to the character of Calliou. Calliou is a 4 year old boy with a cat and baby sister who loves adventure. Calliou goes to school ("like me" Cole says). Calliou has fears and dislikes similar to Cole (like crowds and vegetables); Calliou loves planes, things that go fast, ice cream and getting dirty (the writers must do their research or have 4 year olds because it really is spot on). Anyway, Cole gets so excited when Calliou comes on and at the library he saw Calliou DVDs on the shelf so now we have those as well.

I know the show's opening jingle word for word (as does Cole of course) but I love that the show has a very real life storyline, language and simplicity. I'm glad that Cole finds comfort in watching Calliou so that he knows he is not alone as he experiences life.

But...sometimes it has so much energy...

So, there are many of hundreds of parenting moments that the manuals, books, magazines and guides fail to mention amongst their pages of advice and insights. I cannot tell you how many articles I have read about how wonderful it is once your kiddo no longer wears diapers/Pull-ups. And though, yes it is nice...I am STILL dealing with pee and poo. Just because Cole is potty (and poopy) trained doesn't mean I am free and clear. I am still wiping his bum trying not to get toilet paper stuck between his cheeks. And most annoying I am finding myself continuously walking into any of our three bathrooms and moaning outloud when I see the puddle of pee settled on the back of the toilet lid (behind the seat). Yes, that little flat space that is directly behind the line of fire. It seems to collect in/around the lid attachments which makes cleaning it more than just a quick swipe with a tissue. I remind Cole incessantly that his pee needs to be aimed INTO the toilet and he nods his head in agreement and yet, he has yet to fine-tune this skill. He typically still waits until he is nearing the accident-zone to get to the bathroom and by then, he is lucky to get his pants down and himself faced in the right direction. In the morning in a half-awake state, I cringe as I can even hear the varying "ting" as his aim moves around. I realize in the grand scheme of life, that puddles of pee really aren't anything to get all crazed about but alas, it is driving me crazy. The kid can kick a soccer ball straight, aim a hockey stick or a golf club for its destination and draw straight lines on a piece of paper, so why the challenge with keeping the pee where it belongs!? Exasperated one night, we posed this question and as usual, his reply was so within the realm of logic, we just had to shake our heads, "...but the pee sometimes has so much energy". Indeed...

It's boring...I'm tired...It will make me sick...I have a tummy ache...

Oy Vey...Cole has entered the realm of the excuse...anything that he doesn't want to do, anywhere he doesn't want to go, anything that is out of our routine he attempts to thwart with one of his four pleas...

They are becoming quite rote and anticipated and he is realizing this so I hope he becomes either more varied or gives up this phase, which I know only means another phase of some sort will replace it but this current state of "whining" is driving me batty...

The imploring looks of despair that accompany the aforementioned pleas would be almost laughable if they weren't downright vexing; sometimes however you just have to laugh. Of course he gets highly irritated if we do crack a smile but sometimes suppressing my reaction to such a dramatic air is nearly impossible and a much better reaction than losing my patience.

Eating what he doesn't want to eat off his plate after he has eaten what he wants"I have a tummy ache", driving to school in the morning "it's boring", running errands "I'm tired", taking medication "it will make me sick"....picking up his toys "I have a tummy ache", brushing his teeth "I'm tired", going to bed "it's boring"...

I'll say it again, OY VEY...