The Barn House…

Being a passenger train engineer, The Hubby has to travel or work overnight sometimes. When he does, Trinity would sleep on my bed to keep me company. But lately that hasn’t been the case, because The Hubby has been working afternoon. And Trinity is getting to big to sleep in our room. And he’s got a perfectly good bed in his own room…

Well, this week The Hubby’s schedule changed where he leaves early in the morning, and Trinity seems to know when his dad gets up at 5:40am, so he would get up and climbed in bed with me. This morning I was sleeping soundly, and he jumped up and just hugged me really tight. And he said, ‘I miss you, mama’

And I turned around and gave him a hug, and I said, ‘I missed you too, baby’.

Trinity: Why can’t I sleep with you guys anymore, mom?

Me: Because daddy says no, and because when you sleep with us, you kick us and move around too much.

Trinity: Daddy is mean.

Me: (being the ‘favorite’ parent at this time) Yes, he is. (muahahahhahahha)

Trinity: You know what we can do mom? We should go to Home Depot and buy daddy a barn house and just let him sleep in the barn house, and we’ll put a bowl in there to give him his food and water.

Me: Whatttt? Why would you do that?

Trinity: So I can sleep with you and daddy can sleep in the barn house.

Well, son….that is one of your better idea yet…but I’m sure The Hubby wouldn’t agree…What do you guys think?

Only If There’s Noodles…

Being a working mom with a full time job can be so tiring…sometimes. Today is one of those days. The boys requested that I make Beef Stroganoff for dinner. And after a long day at work, I came home and did just that. The responses I got from them made it so worthwhile…
But not without another one of Trinity’s episode…

We were sitting down eating, and I hear him slurping his food and making ‘mmmmhhh’ sound every 5 seconds. Now I understand he’s only 6 years old, and he’s just REALLY enjoying his food. But the slurping and constant ‘mmmmhhhh’-ing can’t be ignored. Can you imagine him going on his first date and eating something really good and doing that? NO, I will not let that happen.

The Hubby and I came from the upbringing that tableside manner is very important. Not that we really apply it strictly to our house rule. But we know that when we’re eating in public we don’t act like a Neanderthal. And we hope to raise our kids the same way too.

I looked at The Hubby and kinda pointed at Trinity with my eyes. And the Hubby said to Trinity:

Hubby: Trinity, please do not slurp or make sound when you eat. Manners please…

Trinity: It’s just so good, dad.

Hubby: I know, but if you’re going to eat like that, we can let you eat outside. And you can make all the noise you want.

Trinity: Why?

Hubby: Because that’s how animals eat. Do you want me to let you eat outside? We can put your bowl out there. You don’t even have to use any utensils…

Trinity: …uhmmm…OK, only if there’s noodles.

And ladies and gentlemen…this is where the Hubby and I lost it. And the subject was dropped. See how quickly he got away from another lecture?…I think he does this on purpose…

Who’s the Boss Now…?

I was getting Trinity ready to go to school this morning, when the Hubby came downstairs to take him to school. And it was 7:50am, and the Hubby said that it was too early to leave then, because that means he’ll have to wait in line for 5 minutes…Really??!!

I disagree with this of course, because Trinity has cut it close too many times by the time he gets to class…and I don’t want him to think that’s okay.

Of course being the opinionated child that Trinity is, he chimed in:

T: I agree with daddy…it is still early

Me: No, it’s fine, you just have to wait a few minutes…

T: But he’s the boss, you know…

Me: I thought I was the boss…

T: No, daddy is the big boss here…

Me: …(speechless)…

It literally took me by surprised that it took at least 30 seconds for me to even be able to respond…

Me: Okay, the next time you want to go to Toys ‘R’ Us, let’s see who’s the boss then…see if he’ll buy you anything…don’t come running to me then…

T: (with the most serious look on his face) “Now…mom, let’s not be a Smart-Alec now…”

Yep, my son just called me a smart arse…of course he puts it nicely…but nonetheless…he did call me a smart arse…
I must’ve given my parents so much griefs growing up to be blessed with one that is too smart for his own good…At time like this is when I have to remind myself of the Serenity Prayer-parenting version that is…

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change…
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference,
Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time…
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace,
Taking this worrisome world as it is, not as I would have it,
Trusting that everything usually turns out all right and probably will again,
That I may be reasonably happy in this life, and supremely happy with him in the next…(when he has kids of his own.)

Switches and Coal…(The Hubby)

Trinity was talking to his mom today and asked her when UPS was going to ship us something. I guess he gets excited at the prospect of opening up a package. He recently had his birthday party, so he’s in good gift-opening shape now.

Since we are rapidly approaching Christmas, I suggested that maybe I could ask Santa Claus to ship him a few pieces of coal via UPS. Trinity wasn’t too enthused by this wonderful idea. His reply was pretty good I must admit:

Trinity very casually suggested that perhaps he should log on to SantaClause.com (never heard of it) and order some switches and coal for me.

When I asked him why would he do that, he replied- “It’s a present for parents who aren’t nice to their kids”.

I guess he put me in my place.

An Itch to Move, a StepMom and Camel City…

Out of the blue Trinity is talking about wanting to move to another city. Not sure what prompted this. I had to go to work today because I have an event, and I figured since it’s a Sunday, there won’t be a lot of people in the office. I decided to take him along with me so we can hang out. As Hubby was taking us to the office, Trinity said:

T: I want to move somewhere

Me: Where?

T: I don’t know…another city.

Me: Why?

T: Because I want to go to another school

Me: Won’t you miss your friends?

T: It’s okay…So can we move?

Me: Ask daddy…(my respond to everything…)

T: Dad, can we move somewhere?

Hubby: Not now son, I don’t think we can move your mom away from her mom…(very true)

T: Why do you want to be close to your family all the time, Mom?

Me: Because…I want to

T: Fine, you can stay here with GrandMa… and Daddy, Bambino, and I can just move somewhere…that way you can be close to your family, and I’ll just have Daddy, and a StepMom and Bambino…

Me: Whattttt????

Hubby: Why are you gonna say stuff like that for? and where do you want to move to anyway? Do you want to move to San Diego?

T: Yes!! and I’ll just have Daddy and Bambino…no StepMom then… But I really want to move

Me: Why?

T: So I can eat crabs, and live in a different house…

Me: You can eat crabs anywhere….

Hubby: What about the Bay Area?

T: Where is the Bay Area?

Hubby: San Francisco, where Milpitas is…

T: Yes, I want to move there…

H: Do you want to move to Washington State?

T: Yes, let’s move there…

And on and on it went…

When I was tucking him to sleep tonight, the subject of moving came up again…and Trinity asked me…

T: Mom, can we move to Camel City?

Me: Where?

T: Camel City, so we can see Kyle again…

Me: Kyle moved to Temple City not Camel City…

T: NO, his dad said that they were moving to Camel City…

So I think I have an idea of where this moving thing came from. One of his classmate moved to a different city because they bought a house in Temple City (or ‘Camel City’), and he probably misses his friend a lot…
I know we’ll move eventually, but according to Trinity tomorrow is his last day to be in the same school with his friends, before we move to another city…

Diary vs. Diarrehea

I came home from work today, and couldn’t wait to spend time with the kids. The minute I approached my walkway, I can hear them screaming and hollering. Then I walked in the house…well, it was more like a house of terrors.

Toys were strewn all over the floor, TV was blaring. I think Trinity was watching Dexter Laboratory…
I went to change my clothes, and when I came back downstairs Trinity asked me, “Mom, one day can you please buy me a diarrhea?”.

ME: ‘Whaaaattt?’

T: I want to buy a diarrhea, you know where you can write down and draw things like a journal…

I was about to pee my pants…but I proceeded to explain to Trinity that what he wanted is called a ‘diary’ or journal, not Diarrhea…

Kids…I tell ya!!

Turning 6…

Just a quick shout out to my first-born, Trinity…
You are 6 today, seems like only yesterday we were going to the hospital to get all 11 lbs. 3 oz. of you out of me…we thought you were a big boy then…and you’re only gonna keep growing…
Don’t grow to fast baby…

Bribery at Six

The Hubby and I try to set a routine for our kids as far as bedtime goes, and for the most part its smooth sailing. For school nights, it is 8 o’clock lights out, or on weekends, it’s 9 o’clock. Usually by 7:45pm they should be done brushing their teeth and be climbing in beds. That way we have 15 minutes to read.

The Hubby is much better in implementing this rule, whereas I usually let them hang out with me till 8:30pm. (or as The Hubby calls it ‘Stalling Tactic’)
Yes, I am a pushover when it comes down to bedtime. I just feel with my work schedule usually I don’t come home until 6:30, and 1 hour is not enough for me to see the kids, play with them, or just simply spend time with them. Call me selfish, it doesn’t matter…I figure a half hour less sleep in exchange for a half hour of quality time is a fair trade.

Anyway, this Friday night, Trinity and I were playing downstairs…when all of the sudden he asked me:

Trinity: Mom, can I stay up later tonight?

Me: No…

T: You know mom… I have an idea, I will give money If you let me stay up later.

Me: What money?

T: My whole savings…deal?

I could not believe my ears when I hear him trying to wheel and deal even resorted to bribery in order to get what he wants… I guess one can look at him as being ‘resourceful’…either way, The Hubby said he got that from me…I will not disagree. God help me…

Girlfriend(s)…

Sometimes it scares me to see how ‘mature’ Trinity is for his age…and part of that I wonder if I was the one who egged him on to become so.
He’s had a ‘girlfriend’ since he was 4 years old, granted it was Olivia, the pig from the TV show on Nick Jr.

Recently my friend Rosalie have been keeping me company a lot since the Hubby was out of town, and having spent a lot of time at my house watching movies and hanging out, Rosalie is Trinity’s current girlfriend. This is how they got together…

Sunday, June 6, 2010.
Rosalie: “Trinity, Do you want to be my boyfriend?”

Trinity: “Yes, but my mom said I can’t have a girlfriend until I’m 15.”

Rosalie: “Well, that’s fine. Do you want to be my boyfriend when you turn 15?”

Trinity: “Okay…(long pause)…You know when I’m 15, some people are gonna be old.”

Rosalie: (holding back laugher) “You mean, like me? You think I’m gonna be old when you’re 15?”

Trinity: “No, just some people.”

Yes, some people might think that I am not fit to be a mother to let him or encourage him to have a ‘girlfriend’ at this age…but I figured it’s all in good fun, and he’s his father’s son afterall…

His current ‘girlfriend’ even went to the movie with us to go see Toy Story 3. And he was loving every moment of being doted on by 2 women at the theatre. (ICEE, popcorn, candies on either side of him). But being a boy that he is…(full of sneaky tricks up his sleeve)…

We were walking out of the theatre, I was getting something out of my purse…

Me: Trinity, here go walk with Rosalie, can you hold her hand?

Trinity: No, I twisted my arms…

Me: What???!!!

Trinity: I twisted my arms so I can’t hold her hand

Rosalie and I just started laughing out loud…yep, he’s his father’s son allright…I need all the strength and support I can get to raise my boys…

Mr. Discipline (The Hubby)

I was talking to Trinity’s mom on the phone last night when I hear him begging her to let him talk to me.

Soon Trinity is on the phone informing me that Bambino threw one of their Thomas engines at him. Not only was Trinity indignant- he demanded retribution.

“Dad, we need to give Bambino a time-out”, he said. I told Trinity, “Ok, have mommy give him a time-out and tell him not to do that again. We’ll give him a 5 minute time-out”.

Trinity didn’t think that 5 minutes was even close to being an acceptable punishment. He casually suggested that Bambino in fact deserved a 22 minute time-out. Man, this kid is tough.

I preceded to to discuss this rather lengthy sentence with Trinity. He was made aware of the fact that he isn’t a perfect angel himself, and 22 minutes is pretty hard core.

Trinity thought about my point for a second, and then proceeded to ask if we should perhaps ground Bambino. Yeah, big brother has been on lock down before, so he can attest to the “joys” of this punishment. It took quite a bit of resolve to not laugh out loud.

Again, Trinity and I discussed the realities of being grounded and as to whether or not this would be fair. I think at some point during this conversation, he must have imagined himself in the hot seat because he ultimately agreed that 5 minutes of time-out would be just fine.

Not going to make an assumption, but I think Bambino got a break last night.