The Smell of Adventure

Along with his Mama, Alex has fallen in love with the Old Spice commercials featuring Isaiah Mustafa. After he'd seen the newest one; of Isaiah walking on a log, catching a cake, walking through a kitchen and 'Swan Dive[ing]' into a hot tub, Alex asked me to play it again and again.

Luckily I found the Old Spice channel on You Tube that not only features Mustafa's commercials, but also all of the video responses the agency had Mustafa record in response to fan's internet comments and tweets. This included one recorded to Demi Moore that involved Mustafa beating a pirate pinata with a fish and opening it without ever looking at the thing. That one seems to be Alex's favorite.

Soon after spending some time playing these videos, Alex was walking around saying 'Hello Ladies', in a strange accent. Then I could hear more snippets of the commercial's copy coming out.

'Do you like the smell of adventure???'

Watch out Isaiah Mustafa. There's a new heartbreaker in town.

Saturday, July 31

The Big Celebration: Playland

Alex didn't take his nap as I would have hoped. We'll be working back in a Quiet Time when Big Boy Boot Camp starts, but not today. This means that we'll be heading to a night at Playland on no nap. Oh well, maybe it means that sleeping in the Big Boy Bed will be easy. He's bound to be passed out when we get home.

Alex was confused as to why we were leaving for Playland so late. We'd already had lunch and it seemed like the afternoon when we got on the bus. We arrved at Playland shortly before 6 PM and we were due to meet Daddy at about 7:30.

Alex went on some rides like the boats and the kiddie carousel. We grabbed a bite of chicken quesadilla at Cocina Fresca. Of course, Alex didn't want any until I had some. We walked around watching the games and the Grinches, as he always wants to do. We stopped to watch the show of 'Wonder', featuring music of Stevie Wonder. It was there I noticed that Daddy had called, so we left for a quieter space to call Daddy.

Daddy was at the carousel like we'd planned. Alex was surprised to see Daddy there. We told him that we were going to have Family Dinner AT Playland and then stay to see the fireworks. He was getting to be a Big Boy now, so he could be out at night for a very special occasion.

We ate at Burger King, so that Alex could get his beloved 'lemonade', which he asked for by name. (I'd given it to him on an earlier occasion because it was the only non-carbonated drink I could get at Burger King that didn't have caffeine as well.) What Alex wanted more than anything else was to play the video games and arcade games with Daddy. They played a driving game and some quarter/ticket winning games. Daddy even won a water squirt gun for Alex. Alex was thrilled! He'd wanted a squirt gun for weeks!

Then it was time for "High Voltage" again. Alex loved it again, clapping with the crowds over the juggler. Soon enough, we needed to change Alex's diaper, fill up his water gun of course and head to see the fireworks. The water gun was a goodly amount of competition for the fireworks, but eventually they won over.
We ended our night with a family ride on the Ferris Wheel and on the submarine; Alex's two favorite rides. Of course, some lemonade had to be included to end the evening as well.

We took a cab home and by the time we got to West Street, our Big Boy was out cold. Getting him to sleep in the Big Boy Bed with no bedtime bottle was a breeze - because he was already asleep.

For the win!

Friday, July 30

Next Stop in Big Boy Celebrations: The Park

We'd joined J. Tumbleyou Tumbles and we'd had our ice cream, but Mommy now wanted to collect some special items to mark this big celebration. Our next stop towards our Big Boy Boot Camp Kick Off was Florence Street Park. Mommy wanted some nature treasures to mark the special day.

Alex was happy to visit the part of the park that he calls 'My garden'. It's a special butterfly garden, planted within a wooden circle. Through the years, we've seen plenty of bunnies and squirrels find cool shelter in the grasses there. Now, however, was the perfect time of year to see the butterflies it was planted to attract.

Mommy snuck some clippings from the garden to help represent the season. Alex continued to walk around in 'his garden'. Mommy was lucky enough to capture a butterfly in photos. Alex laughed when he saw them flying around. 'Come to my garden, butterflies!'

He didn't want to leave it, of course. I talked him into it by telling him that we could go get another apple from the apple tree. I lifted him up to the lowest branch I could reach and we picked a new apple. (Alex wants to plant the seeds so we can have our own apple tree. )

After Mommy collected a few more clippings from around the park, we were ready to go. Only the promise of warm milk coaxed Alex out of the park, but he needs to take a nap! We have a huuuuuge night planned.

Friday, July 30

Next Stop: Carvel

After it was time to leave J. 'Tumbleyou Tumbles' - about which Alex was not happy in the LEAST - we headed off to Carvel for a Last Day of School treat. On the way, I told Alex that on days he has class, I would sit at the deli across the street and work on my Mommy journal over a cup of cofffee. That seemed to put his mind at ease about where I would be when I wasn't in class with him, but he asked about the 'other gym times - not class'. I assured him that he and I WILL play together during the 'other gym times - not class'. He cheered.

When we got to Carvel, I ordered a tiny soft serve vanilla with rainbow sprinkles for him and a small soft serve vanilla with chocolate sprinkles for me. We sat down at the table and he pushed his tiny cup towards me. 'You have this one. >I< take this one', he said as he grabbed my ice cream and slid it to himself. You know how this ends. Me, done with ice cream sooner than I expected and trying to get SOME of my ice cream with chocolate sprinkles. That was met with 'Stop stealing my ice cream Mama!!'. The larger amount of ice cream was left half eaten - too much for a little guy. Sigh.

When he was done he wanted water. So I said we'd go home for water. Not good enough. I watched with amazement as Alex got up from the table and tried to open the heavy door to the ice cream parlor. He fell backwards the first time and was more successful when I helped him the second time. I figured he would get in there and see no water at the ice cream counter and agree to leave.


Jokes on me - he recalled exactly where the refrigerator was with the bottles of water in it. He walked over to the fridge, opened it up and removed a Dasani water. Then he walked over to the counter and announced "I'd like to buy this water, please!" I was too amazed to say "No", so I bought the water.

He had to stop a few times on our way home to drink more of it.

Friday, July 30

J. Tumbleyou Tumbles

There's a kid's gym on Boston Post Road that Alex has wanted to join FOR-evah! The first time I checked them out about a year ago, they were waaaaaay overpriced, wanting the equivalent of about 100 a month for one weekly class and about two additional opportunities to use the gym per week - both of which occurred during times I would be trying to get naps back. Uh, no thanks. My own gym is only 79 dollars a month and I can go there anytime I want. We joined Bruce Chung's Tae Kwon Do instead and Alex loved it!

But Chung's doesn't have the art classes and music classes that J.W. Tumbles has. It doesn't have the playground equipment and bouncy balls. After all, it's really a dajheng for martial arts. Alex has wanted to go back to the 'other gym' every time we pass them.

I picked Alex up from his last day of school and walked straight to Tumbles. I found that their prices have crashed and that they have expanded their available hours. Now for the equivalent of 67 dollars a month, Alex will get an instructed class and 9 times a week to use the gym. We can go to Open Gym any time and Pay-to-Play if we wish. We can sit in on a music class to see if we'd like to sign up for that too, which we'd get for a discount because of our other class.

Very good Tumbles. You got yourself a new student. We joined for the session that ends September 3 and just in time for OPEN GYM!!! Yayyy! The director invited Alex to play right then and there. We took off our shoes and had ourselves a time.

First class is next Wednesday afternoon.

Friday, July 30

Last Day of Day Camp

Today was Alex's last day of school. I was a little sad for him, but he seemed to handle it well. He said good-bye to his favorite aide, Jo-Jo and good-bye to his teachers. They gave us the last of his art projects and some photos of him taken through the weeks.

On the way out of school, Alex asked me if we could go to J. Tumbleyou Tumbles (J.W. Tumbles) now that he can take gym classes. Our conversation last night about choosing whether he wanted to take Tae Kwon Do with Master Chung or go to J.W. Tumbles for his gym classes seemed to pre-occupy his mind this morning. Oh! I see. Yeah, well, see ya Nursery School! I'm going to TUMBLES!

I told him that I was so proud of how well he handled going to school, we would join Tumbles today.

Bye Mamaroneck Community Nursery School! Enjoy the rest of your summer! We're off to Big. Boy. Boot. Camp!!!!

Friday, July 30

Bye, Bye, Baby!

It's been a big month. We've been busy with fun and we've been busy with learning. Through this month, I've had the chance to see just how much Alex has grown. Placing him in Day Camp gave me the opportunity to watch him thrive independent of me and make connections with other people. I've watched him deal with punishment and reward; with instruction and choices.

Dan and I decided that it was time to do away with the last of the Baby Things in Alex's lifestyle. We told Alex that on the last day of school, we would kick off a new phase in his life: Big Boy Boot Camp. I'd been preparing Alex for this new phase for a couple of weeks, telling him of the things to which we would say 'Goodbye'. 'Bye-bye beanbag!' 'Hello, Big Boy Bed!' And new sheets! 'And a new blanket!' Alex added.

'Bye-Bye bottle! Hello, cups all the time'. He wasn't too thrilled about losing his pre bedtime bottle, but he meekly said 'Hello cups!'

'Bye-bye diapers! Hello underwear!' He was a lot more enthusiastic about that one.

So Mommy made a big chart and ordered it printed on a poster. She ordered a whole bunch of treats and prizes for the Big Boy Boot Camp. And she made a certificate for Alex. It would certify that Alex was officially done with being a baby. He would receive that at a special ceremony with Daddy along with a Kick Off prize that we received from Abeula.

The big day is tomorrow - July 30th. That's Alex's last day of Day Camp. Let's let the festivities and learning begin!

Thursday, July 29