James's bff, Gabe, came over this afternoon and they promptly ran out to the back yard. When I went to check on them, I found that they had filled up the wading pool with the hose and stripped off all their clothes. James, pointing to himself with both hands, exclaimed, "Mom, I go swimmin' wike dis!"
Just as Analise and I were on our way out the door this morning, James insisted he join us in the Whaling Days parade. (This is the third year that we have been in it with our Montessori group.) He came last year, but in the stroller. This year he said he could walk. So, we rushed out. We parked in the Target parking lot and started to make our way through all the other parade entries. James really liked these cars. He's a Pixar nut.
I was busy taking pictures while Analise was busy NOT holding James' hand and he bit it on the sidewalk. (Okay, so in all fairness, she did hold his hand for a brief moment. At least there's photographic evidence of it.) Lucky for us, there were EMT's on bikes and we scored some free band-aids. ('Cause I am not a prepared mother and I never have band -aids in my purse.)
We were in line (in the HOT sun) waiting for about 45 minutes and by the time the parade actually started, James was melting. "I nee a drink, Mom." (Remember how I'm not prepared? Yeah, I didn't have any water.) James, pointing at Arby's: "Right dare, Mom. Dare's drink right dare, Mom." (Nevermind that we were on the parade route by then.) Me: "I know it's hot. We just have to finish the parade, it's not very long, and then we'll get a drink." Yeah, the parade really isn't that long, but the walk back IS and up a hill. Well, we finally made it back to the Target parking lot and went inside to get Icees. We usually get a small icee and a popcorn to share when we go to Target. Oh, no. Not today. We got three LARGE icees, hold the popcorn. James, when he saw the size of the cup: "You get me a big one, Mom? Oh, ho! It's a bigger, BIGGER one! I nee blueberry, Mom!" I know you do, James. How else does one procure a blue tongue?
We went grocery shopping yesterday: James: "Mom, I wan gummy bay-ers." Me: "Um, not this time. You have to be good to get a treat and you just hit Genevieve." James: "Oh man!" . . . later James: "I nee mini charms." (That's James for Lucky Charms) Me: "We're getting Kix and Cheerios." James: "Oh man!"
Just now (it's 9:20pm), James brought me a box of penne pasta. "I wike dis kine Mom. I wan hab some." Me: "It's time for bed. We can have it tomorrow for dinner." James: "Oh man!"
"Oh man" is a very useful phrase for a 3-year-old boy.
Also, James has been potty training this week. I've been trying to send him to the bathroom about ever half hour. I try to use my most excited voice, like it's a really fun thing to do. Me: "James! (These are excited and eager exclamation points!) Go potty! Hurry!" He's usually in the middle of playing legos, or lincoln logs, or cars, or digging in the dirt, or watching tv, or playing wii, or any number of things that are actually more exciting than going to the bathroom. James: "Oh man!"
About 9 times out of 10, James produces some pee when I make him sit on the toilet. But when you go every half hour, you're bound to run out of pee sometime. When that happens, he says, "It's empty."
He hasn't gone #2 on the toilet yet. Baby steps. I thought he was close to going the other day, though, so I had to entertain him while he sat and waited ever so patiently on the toilet seat. We made a short movie of him demonstrating how to do "shaka". (Papa Dean taught him "shaka" a few weeks ago. He's been practicing.) James also insisted on taking off his shirt for the movie. Apparently, he's a bit of an exhibitionist. Don't worry, though, no little boy parts were exposed in the making of this movie.
Today, James climbed up onto my lap and said to me, "I wan go on da train." Me: "You want to go on the train?" James: "Yeah, da train!" Me: "Where do you want to go on the train?" He thought for a few seconds and answered, "Uhhh . . . on da ter-racks!"
On Friday, James was looking a little pathetic said, "Mom, you sad." Me: "Why am I sad?" James: "You miss Nate." Me: "Yes, I miss Nate." James: "Mom, I'n sad." Me: "Why are you sad?" James: "I miss Nate, too." James: "Mom, Papa's not sad. Gramma's not sad. They go Azil uh see Nate." James realizes all too well that everyone's happiness hinges on their proximity to Nate. And, he's a little jealous that Gramma and Papa are in Brazil right now.
Jen asked me yesterday if James needed a bike. "Yes he does," I replied. So, Jen said she would bring over Simon's barely used, very little, Spiderman bike. I told James about it. Me: Aunt Jen is going to bring you a Spiderman bike. James: Ann Jen got me a PRESENT!?! Me: Yeah, but I think you should go on the potty before you get it. James: Ann Jen get me a present.
Well, our week started out fun with my mom and dad still here and has become increasingly less fun since they left. We took them to the ferry on Wednesday afternoon and said goodbye. I told the kids I would take them to McDonald's on the way home, mostly to distract them from being overly sad. But, after they got out and we got ready to pull away, James started crying softly and said, "Papa an Gramma goin' see Nate. I wan see Nate." Oh, he broke my heart and I cried a few tears, too.
Then, we went to McDonald's and I accidentally stole a double cheeseburger. How did you steal a double cheeseburger, you may be wondering. Well, we drove through and got our food. I pulled into a parking space to divvy up all the nuggets and fries and there was no double cheeseburger to be seen in the bag. So, I was a little bit annoyed, but just went in and told them I didn't get my double cheeseburger and asked them to bring it out to me. ('Cause I'm the kind of parent who is irresponsible enough to leave the kids in the car and run in for a minute, but responsible enough to not leave them longer than that. Thereby, inconveniencing others for the sake of my children's safety. That's also why I don't return shopping carts unless I'm parked right next to the cart corral. Is that what they're called?) Anyway, I later realized that the original double cheeseburger was merely hiding under the massive stack of napkins in the bag. Geesh, like I need or even want to eat TWO double cheeseburgers. I wasn't even that excited to eat one. I took it to Kitsap Sports and had Mike pawn it off on one of his hungry employees.
Well, this all started when my youngest brother, Nate, left us in September 2008 to serve a church mission in Brazil for two years. He and my boy, James, are pretty tight, so I started including the James Funny Story of the Week (JFSW for short) in my weekly emails to him. Realizing that there are lots of other people who find my James amusing, I decided to start a blog dedicated to only him. Now, that Nate is back, I have a new blog to record all the funny things all of my children say and do. Check it out: www.welcometonylandia.blogspot.com
Just as Analise and I were on our way out the door this morning, James insisted he join us in the Whaling Days parade. (This is the third year that we have been in it with our Montessori group.) He came last year, but in the stroller. This year he said he could walk. So, we rushed out. We parked in the Target parking lot and started to make our way through all the other parade entries. James really liked these cars. He's a Pixar nut.
IS and up a hill. 
Well, we finally made it back to the Target parking lot and went inside to get Icees. We usually get a small icee and a popcorn to share when we go to Target. Oh, no. Not today. We got three LARGE icees, hold the popcorn. James, when he saw the size of the cup: "You get me a big one, Mom? Oh, ho! It's a bigger, BIGGER one! I nee blueberry, Mom!" I know you do, James. How else does one procure a blue tongue?
Today, James climbed up onto my lap and said to me, "I wan go on da train." Me: "You want to go on the train?" James: "Yeah, da train!" Me: "Where do you want to go on the train?" He thought for a few seconds and answered, "Uhhh . . . on da ter-racks!"
