Lisa the Plumber

One of the best parts of Josiah being three is that he can now handle most of his own personal hygiene issues with only minimal supervision. He can mostly handle all potty chores, dressing himself and even putting on his own shoes if he has the right motivation (playing outside).


A draw back to this new freedom is that he does not always use the appropriate amount of toilet paper.

Yesterday morning he was using the potty when I heard a strange noise, followed by a frantic call for help. Water had overflowed the potty and was pouring all over the bathroom. I quickly turned off the water supply and started mopping up the mess with bath towels. When the water had drained a little from the pot I tried using our plunger, but to no avail.


Dan has been working long hours the last few weeks on a project at work and I knew he wouldn't be available to look at it. Last night, on the way home from church, I called my dad for advice. One option was to rent a snake and have Dan crawl up on the roof to snake out the drain. Yesterday it was 68 degrees here, which wouldn't have been so bad, but today it was 32 for a high. Brr!

So today Josiah and I headed to Lowe's for a new plunger. As we came in a man asked if he could help us.

"We need a new pwunger," Josiah stated.

The man looked at me, confused.

"We need a new pwunger," Josiah said a little more emphatically.

"Right this way," the man said as Josiah confidently took his hand and walked with him.

"What kind of plunger do you need?" the man asked me.

"I fwushed too much paper," Josiah said, sadly.

"Oh, you need a potty plunger. Which plunger do you like?" the man asked him, stopping in front of a display with more kinds of plungers than I had ever imagined.

Josiah picked one that the man said would be the best for the job and we headed to the front. We had one stop to make to get duct tape for a separate project and Josiah insisted on carrying everything. I told him that he had to hold my hand. He solved the problem by putting the duct tape on the handle of the plunger and off we went.

At the cash register he insisted on lifting the things to the register by himself. Our cashier was nice and took his scanner down to Josiah's level. Josiah told him the he was going to fix the potty.

We came home and after just a few plunges with the new super plunger the potty gurgled and flushed with more pressure than it has in a long time. Josiah has promised not to use too much paper!

Starving Artist

This week is going to be a cold, wet, possibly snowy week. Yesterday, in an effort to find new ways to keep the very happy three year old from becoming the very grouchy three year old I went to Target, looking for a new adventure to keep little hands occupied. While walking down the arts and crafts aisle I had a sudden Kindergarten flashback! There, right before my eyes, were the little pots of watercolor paints I had so enjoyed as a child, and they were on sale!

Today the rain started, but the three year old still begged to go outside. Who cares that it's 34 degrees. Who cares that it's pouring down rain? Who cares that he has a cough?

I bring out the paints and all thoughts of going outside disappear! Quickly I am transported back in time to my childhood. Now, though, I am the one cautioning against using too much water. I am the one saying, "Use the tip of the brush. Don't mash it down."

Evidently painting is really hard work because I suddenly have the very hungry three year old. He's not ready to stop painting, but he's starving nigh unto death! So, with paintbrush in one hand and PB in the other he continues his masterpiece for Daddy.

When he thought I wasn't looking he tried drinking the water we had been dipping our brushes in. It brings back memories. :-)

Cabin Fever and The Very Grouchy Three Year Old

Being a FL girl, born and raised, living in TN has been quite an adjustment. Spring, Summer and Fall are great. It's fun watching the seasons change. From the wide variety of flowers in the spring and summer to the brilliant foliage of changing leaves in the fall, it's a great place to live.

But, then comes winter. It rains. Day after day after day the sun does not shine. It's always winter, but never snows. The snow we do get lasts usually about 24 hours and isn't enough for snowmen, snow angels or sledding. It's just enough for trapping you in the house until it melts.

The trees are bare. There's no leaves anywhere.

Suddenly, without warning, cabin fever sets in. Normally happy and cheerful people become gloomy and grouchy. Tempers get short. Everyone gets restless.

Then, out of no where, the sun comes out. In the middle of January a day gets into the 50's! Joyfully we shed heavy coats and gloves for lighter coats and head outside. Three and a half hours later we finally come back in, exhausted but much happier. The next day, though still warm, the sun fails to return. Undaunted we head out for another three hours.

By the third day the 30's return. Rain and sleet hit the roof. But, for a little while the gloom was lifted and the very grouchy Mommy and the very grouchy three year old are happy.

Josiah's thoughts on heaven

For several months now Josiah has been fascinated by death and heaven. I know, I know, it's strange, but he asks all the time what's going to happen when he dies. It's my fault. He told me that he was going to love Maggie, our dog, forever and ever. I had to go and open my big mouth and point out that someday Maggie would die. I wish I'd kept my big mouth shut!!!

So last week Josiah was talking and talking until I asked him to be quiet for a few minutes. When I told him that he could talk again we had the following conversation:

"When I die and go to heaven can I talk?" he asked.

"Yes," I replied.

"To God?"

"Yes."

"Yeah," he yelled, clapping his hand and jumping up and down. "I love God. Him is my best friend in Heaven. When I die I going to sing Holy, Holy, Holy with Him."

Josiah's Fractured Fairytale

Josiah’s Story

Once upon a time there was a little old woman who baked gingerbread cookies. The gingerbread man who was green like me (we played Candy Land Monday night and he was the green piece) ran away to the bridge with the fox and the troll. The troll came out and said “Who’s that crossing my bridge?” The gingerbread boy said “Don’t eat me! I’m too tasty! Eat my big brother.” (Here the story was interrupted by peals of laughter by me!)

The troll and the fox let the gingerbread boy pass because the fox was a nice fox and said, “Come home and live with me forever, forever, forever.” The gingerbread boy went home with the fox to his cave where they saw the bad witch. They took her back to the bridge with the troll. The big brother gingerbread boy came to the troll. “Who’s that crossing my bridge?”

“It’s me the big brother. I’m going to knock you into next week! Watch out for the fishes!”

The witch fell, too, and melted and went down the drain.

The big brother and the green gingerbread boy named Josiah all went to the cave with the nice fox who is mommy.

The end.

It's about time for a new post

I just realized that I haven't written anything since Sept! We've actually been sick a lot the last few months and time just slips away.

Josiah is growing by leaps and bounds. He never quits talking and asking questions. One day I asked him why he asked so many questions.

"That's what my mouth is for," was his reply.

Whining

As you can see from my previous post, some bad habits had crept into our family. One of the most annoying was whining! I thought I'd share the age old but new for us method that has made whining much better.

"What is this remarkable cure", you may ask. It's THE CORNER. Yes, that's right. Standing in the corner. It's the perfect place to compose yourself when you feel the urge to whine and complain. There's nothing to do there, nothing to see, just you...and your nose...in the corner.

Here's a little testimonial. Last week Josiah didn't want to eat what I made for supper. Now, I had made pizza, yes, homemade, yummy pizza, which he really, really likes. Would he eat it, no. "I don't like pizza,"he whined.

Did I loose my cool? No! Did I lay on the guilt trip about how hard I had worked and slaved over that pizza? No! Did I cajole him to take a bite to see how tasty it was? No! I simply told him to stand in the corner until he could speak to Mommy nicely and without a whine in his voice. Just two minutes of boredom in the corner did the trick. He came back and ate his yummy pizza with a smile.

Then came the inevitable question, "May I please have a lollipop."

"No," was the answer. Not what he didn't know was that we had ice cream. He instantly started whining.

"Because I want one," he pouted.

Back he went to the corner. This time Maggie, the dog, decided to go with him.

"I can't talk to you right now, Maggie. I has to stand in da corner. I has to talk nice," he cried as he moved a pile of toys that I had placed in the aforementioned corner while he finished eating.

Fortunately, little boys whose noses are in the corner can't see their parents laughter behind their backs! Hehehe.

Two minutes later a happy boy was back and got to eat his ice cream with his mommy and daddy.

We're on our third week of using the corner and all it takes now is a reminder of where whiny children go. The whine dries up almost instantly! :-)