Teenage years in preview

So we've had quite a ride lately. Cameron had his adenoids out two weeks ago. It's like we have a different child. He runs all the time. There really isn't a moment when he slows down. But we realize we're probably already getting a little peek at what Cam will be like as a teenager.

Here's an example: We went to the Earth Day celebration today. Cameron was so NOT into it. There was music to enjoy, games to play... But he didn't like any of it except for the popcorn.

Until we found two of his friends from school. Suddenly it was awesome. Suddenly he had Luke and Justin to play with. Suddenly they could share popcorn with each other. Hilarious.

It was also kind of nice just to be able to talk to adults. I need more of that.

Long time, no blog

So... There have been dozens of funny moments... And I've forgotten to post them.

Today is Easter. Cameron was very lucky and got some very cool toys... Including a Buzz Lightyear and Woody toy. He had a hard time at church because he couldn't bring Buzz to church (he says: "To infinity and beyond!"). Anyway. Cam immediately starting singing about Buzz with a tune created by the VeggieTales folks for its hero, Larry Boy.

Here's one from last week:
Cameron’s really obsessed with a little character toy from the movie, “The Incredibles.” He loves playing with Dash. One day, I sent Cameron to school but I had to take the toy away against his wishes... We don’t bring toys to school from home. It just starts fights. (My toy! No, my toy!) Anyway. I left the toy in the car and realized Randy should take it with him... So I put the toy in my purse to hand over to Randy.

But I forgot to give the toy to Randy.

SO, I get a call during a meeting. I answered thinking it was Randy... When a voice says: “Mommy? Do you have my Dash?”

I responded: “Oh no! Yes I do. I’m sorry buddy!”

“Bring it back to me.”

Very demanding little bugger. I ended up leaving Dash in bed with him when I got home. He was very excited when he woke up the next morning.

What a trip

Cameron and his Daddy got home yesterday from our big vacation in Florida.

We were delayed for many hours in Chicago as a snow storm roared. As we waited for them to finally tell us we could board the plane, Cameron decided to play plane. He asked me to sit on the floor with him. He pretended to buckle up and made sure I buckle up. He put his arms in the air and announced we were flying and then he bounced a little and announced we landed. Then he took his seatbelt off and said: "We in the new airport!"

I looked up and realized the entire gate was watching our performance. It was so cool.

I had to leave town again for a conference. Randy said when they finally got home, Cameron told him: "We had a great trip."

That is also very cool.

God bless....

Cameron had a rough time going to bed tonight.

According to Randy, he really wanted a drink of water or milk... But it was bed time and he had to deal.

So here was his first four items in his prayer:

Bless water... and drinking... and milk... and drinking

He's good.

I'm not done "prayering"

Cameron's found a great way to stall going to bed at night: His prayers.

Cam's prayer went a record 12 minutes last night. He prayed for everything from his parents and grandparents to his Uncle's girlfriend, his mac and cheese, the door, the window and the other window, the paint on the walls, the Tigers , the football team, his bed, pillow, books (and he named some titles), Kodah (his stuffed bear), his pajamas, The Wiggles, The VeggieTales (he called it BeggieTales), Little Mermaid, Beast and Beauty, Buzz Lightyear... The list just kept going. Everytime I tried to tell him "Amen," he'd say: "Wait, wait, I'm not done prayering."

He finally went to bed... But not for long. He had a rough night thanks to his latest ear and sinus infection. Poor kid.

We're hoping to figure out his latest ills... We're working with a specialist and hope to help Cam live a more comfortable life soon.

Oh that is really gross

I promised not to talk potty talk much.

But Cameron is officially in the regression phase.

He's never had this many poop mistakes and I think tonight's won the prize for the worst.

I won't give a ton of details. But Randy tells me he was doing okay with the clean up when he was helping clean Cam... He kind of detatched himself cleaning someone else up. But when Cam sat on Randy's arm... That's when he started losing it.

That is really gross.

Holiday's over

I forgot to mention -- Last weekend Cameron noticed I was slowly putting some of the decorations away. That's when he looked at me and said: "Holiday's over Mommy."

He seemed okay with it all.

Imagination takes a turn

So Randy got an iPod for Christmas and he was really obsessed with finding all of our CD's in the boxes we haven't unpacked since we moved. So he opened up a box that was half CD's and half VHS tapes. Those tapes include all of my Disney movies that we've never watched with Cam because we don't use a VHS player anymore.

Cam decided the VHS tape boxes are toys... Pictures of stories he can pretend with. Last night I called him from work when Cam told me he was playing Princess (I have Beauty and the Beast and other pretty girly movies from Disney). He was making up stories with the boxes as if they're toys because the poor kid has never seen a VHS tape box before.

So as he went to bed with Randy last night, he announced: "I'm a princess." Randy replied, "No, you're a prince." "I'm a princess." "No, you're a pince." "NO, I'm a princess." "You can't be a princess, Mommy's a princess." Cameron replied: "Oh."

That was the end of the conversation.

Until this morning. He decided he's a princess and started getting upset when I said I'm a princess and he's a prince. So I dropped it... Why not let the boy pretend what he wants to pretend. But then he announced I'm the Beast and he's Beauty. I tried not to feel insulted. I think we need to return to Buzz Lightyear and run around the house yelling.

Happy New Year!

Cameron likes to yell that at the top of his voice... It could be the sugar. He's had a lot of it during the holidays.

We've been busy with family and I haven't posted much lately... But I'll say we've had some very funny moments with Cam lately.

He's a little obsessed with who gave him what toy. He sits down and starts playing with something and he'll state plainly: "Grandma bought this for me." He is right about who bought the item almost every time. It's a little creepy.

Cam's also taken imagination to a higher level... He's Dash from the Incredibles, then seconds later he's Buzz Lightyear, when suddenly he's Woody. He likes to walk up to me and say: "Who are you?" I say, "I don't know, who am I?" And Cameron chooses a partner to the character he is at the moment. If he's Dash, I'm Mr. Incredible. If he's Buzz, I'm Woody. If he's Woody, I'm Buzz or Bullseye (Woody's horse).

Randy's parents found a pretty big rocking horse that's suspended by springs... Cam got to play with it over Christmas with his new cowboy hat. He called it Bullseye and had a ball. When we got home, we reminded him that he has Bulleye here with his smaller wooden rocking horse. Cameron called it: "Little Bullseye"

Happy New Year to everyone... I hope you have many reasons to smile.

On an adventure

Cameron left today to visit his grandparents for the holiday... And he traveled with his uncle! Mom and Dad stayed behind for an extra day... So when Cam left: He was going on an adventure!! He was very excited and got there safe.

Cameron loves singing Jingle Bells... And even holds the tune! Very cute.

This is going to be a really fun time. We have a really great camera and hope to get a ton of video that's easy to edit... Something Mom hasn't done much. (I'm much more into the still photography)

Catch up

I noticed one of my posts didn't actually get on the site.

Here's a quick rundown on what's up with Cam this month:

He's totally into the holidays. He loves it. He loves the lights and the gifts and the music. All of it.

When we talk about Christmas he says two things: Santa gives me presents and It's Jesus' birthday. He's a sweetie.

We're considering this the most pure of holidays. Cameron can't tell us what he wants. He talks about lights and "It's the holidays!" He's absorbing himself in the joy and not the greed.

What fun.

No more pajamas

Cameron's teachers told a funny story I should share.

The day after their big performance, the entire school had pajama day. So Cam got to spend his day in comfy clothes.

Around 4 in the afternoon, Cam went to the bathroom. When he was done, he came out without his clothes on. Why you ask?

He told his teachers he was done wearing pajamas.

It took some time, but they convinced him to put the p.j.'s back on.

Another name

Today I was named "Woody Mommy"

Cam also often pretends we're climbing a rope and we fall down. I'm not sure why. But it's funny to watch him fall down and giggle.

That reminds me of a strange moment over Thanksgiving.

Cam was standing on the top of his step stool when he suddenly yells: "Humpty Dumpty had a great fall!" And he belly flopped onto the floor. He expected the adults in the room to complete the nursery rhyme, he'd laugh, climb up and do it again. I had to put a stop to it... I figured dealing with a couple of broken ribs was a poor way to end the holiday weekend.

I'm Woody

Cameron not only makes up stories that I'm Mr. Incredible and he's Dash. He's now calling me Woody while he's Buzz Lightyear. Hillarious.

He has a different style for running depending on which character he's pretending to be: If he's Dash, he takes very fast, quick steps and waves his arms back and forth quickly. If he's Buzz, he sticks his fisted hands out in front of his face and kind of tilts his head down as if he's going so fast, he needs to be a little more aerodynamic. It's quite funny.

Christmas is in your heart

We put the Christmas tree up in the house and decorated with lights in the front yard... Cameron is talking about Christmas a lot now.

When we first turned on the tree, the look of excitement in his face was so cool. It's was like someone just told him he could eat an entire chocolate cake by himself. The next morning we came downstair to turn the tree on and Cam exclaimed: "It's beautiful!"

That night, Cameron and I were walking upstairs to go to bed. Cam looked up to me and asked: "Where I find Christmas?" I told him it's in his heart. He looked down at his chest and back up to me in amazement. I'm sure he didn't quite understand what I was talking about, but he gave me a Christmas hug when I asked for one.

So many things...

But I just haven't had enough time to list the funny stories about Cameron lately.

He's hillarious and having a ball with his Grandma and Grandpa Lee from Florida and Uncle Jon from Washington, D.C.

We were sitting at the table the night his grandparents and Uncle Jon got into town when Cam announces: "See all ten peoples at the table?" We counted for real... And Cameron stated: "See the six peoples?"

This Thanksgiving morning, Cameron asked for a family hug: "Faah-mah-lee hug." He also said repeated prayers during our Thanksgiving dinner... Including his secret Cameron word: "Vaah-vah-veh." I ask him what it means and he replies: "I not know." But he only uses the word when he's happy. So the prayer went like this: "Vahh-vah-veh. The whole wide world. Amen."

One other thing. Since Cam saw the movie "The Incredibles," Cam likes to say: "Mommy, you Mr. Incredible. I Dash. Let's run Mr. Incredible." We've been running a lot lately. It's fun... And I like pretending I'm Mr. Incredible. By the way, Cameron says "Mr. 'Credible" I consider that what a superhero would be named if he was a journalist.

We opened up a can of worms

Cameron discovered he can get out of his bed all by himself. That means nap time is not guaranteed and a smiling face can pop up in my room very early in the morning.

We're currently dealing with a high level of toddler obstinance. Any command is denied... In the last 24 hours, my wonderful potty trained baby decided he'd rather pee on the floor. He's angry, challenging... And then two seconds later, he's sweet and saying the cutest stuff.

I'm beating my head into the wall.

It doesn't help that his daddy is out of town. I think that upsets Cam more than I realize. He asks about Randy at the strangest time. Yesterday we were walking to the Tiger football game and suddenly asked: "Where's Daddy/" He's not a fan of doing things that we do normally as a family just with Mommy. The good news: Daddy comes home late tonight!! Hooray!

Big boy bed... Almost

Cam stopped sleeping in a crib as of tonight.
We turned his bed into a day bed. So he can actually get in and out of bed on his own. I'm not too sure if Cam understands that. We removed it right before bed time.

He was really excited about his "big boy" bed... Until I tucked him in. He asked: "Where the wood?" He pointed to the space where the crib railings used to be. He looked a bit panicked. I told him it would be okay.

So far, so good. He's been asleep for four hours.

This very well could be one of my last nights when I can enjoy silence and peace and not worry my child is wandering around the house awake.

Bare bottom

Okay.
I promised not to write too much about potty training. But we discovered the greatest training for Cam: No pants. Nothing. Bare bottom time is the best. We played all afternoon after our third soiled outfit was sent to the laundry. It was the first time the boy stopped what he was doing and went into the bathroom on his own.

It was amazing.

I'm a geeky mom. I know it.

Heck, I'm blogging about my child's potty training. That's really geeky.

Potty training is fun

Okay. Actually it's messy. But Cameron's doing a good job.

This is gross, but funny. He was bragging to me and his Grandma Lee that he made a "Big poop" in the potty. Then he stopped and said, "No Mommy. I mage a HUGE poop." Then he ran around the house yelling: "HUGE poop! HUGE poop! HUGE poop!"

I'll try to not talk too much about pee and poop in this blog. I promise