Five

Wasn't this just yesterday?

 

Yet here we are today:

 

Has it really been five years?  I suppose it has been. Five amazing, crazy, wild, scary, exhilerating, exahusting, humbling, wonderful years.  I try in vain to express how much I love this boy.  But words fail me.  It's indescribable really.  It's something between feeling like he still is an extension of my own self and obsessive addiction.  I really am not complete without him.  A life without my Alex in it is unthinkable.  Impossible.  There is no world without Alex Richard Dillier.  He is it.  Even weirder, I feel exactly the same way about Max.  My whole world wrapped up into two skinny, knobbly kneed, messy haired, dirty finger-nailed, freckly nosed boys.

So far, Alex's defining characteristic is his creativity.  The kid is an artist through and through.  He would rather draw, paint, glue, cut out, fold, sculpt, color....than anything else.  He can turn ANYTHING into an art project.  A used popsicle stick, a postcard from the mail, empty toilet paper tube, a couple of packing peanuts and an empty diet Pepsi can becomes an airplane or a castle, add an empty egg crate and OH THE POSSIBILITIES!  Just the other day they got some Pillow Pets that came in a big box.  Alex took the box apart and made the "The Dillier Express" and the boys played choo choo train with that box for a week until Max peed on his train car and I had to throw it away.

He's learning the power of words, for both good and bad.  He knows flattery will get him what he wants.  A well placed "I love you" or "Mommy I think you're pretty" can earn him extra dessert or another episode of Backyardigans even after TV time is over.  He also is learning to use this power for evil with phrases like "I don't love you" "You don't love me!" "I wish I didn't have a Mommy/Daddy/Brother"...  Effecively crushing my heart into teeny tiny pieces.  But he is also able to really express his feelings to me now, "Mommy I don't want you to go to work because I miss you when you're gone"

With all the uncertainty going on the last few months about finances and John and my work schedules we didn't enroll Alex in preschool this year.  We didn't know if we could afford it and we didn't know even if we could afford it, how we would get him to and from school.  Our work schedules and finances are starting to even out now, but it's too late to enroll him for a Fall semester and I've decided to do some home schooling with him.  We do art projects and work sheets, work on writing and reading and math.  It's actually been really fun and as it turns out the book of Kindergarten level worksheets are a little too easy for Alex who flies through each worksheet with ease.  At this rate he'll be ready for 2nd grade level work by the time he enters Kindergarten!

He's enrolled in a karate class that starts next week and I'm hoping that he'll like it.  He did T-ball and soccer over the summer and we learned that Alex isn't into sports.  At all.  All through the game he'd come running back "Can I go to art class now?" he'd ask.  We gave up on soccer after just a few games because he just wasn't into it.  We chose karate this year because not only is it physical activity, but they also focus on respect, listening, patience, self-discipline, self-confidence...I'm really hopeful that it will be a good activity for him. He's just taking a short class through the local rec center, but if he likes it, I'll enroll him in the martial arts academy in our neighborhood where he'll actually have the opportunity to test and earn belts, etc...

He beats up his little brother and fights him for parental attention, but also acts like the protective big brother by always making sure that Max gets his fair share.  When we buy Alex a toy, he'll make sure we get one for Max too.  If we go to a restaurant he orders two of everything, one for him, one for Max.  Whatever he gets, he asks for one for brother too. Suckers, balloons, toys, paper crowns from BK...always one for me, one for brother.  If another kid pushes Max at the playground Alex goes into a rage "HE HURT MY BROYER!" and rushes in to defend Max (a little too aggressively, but we're working on it) It's this behavior that makes me know, deep down, these two will be close.  Sure, they wrestle and pick on each other, but they've also got each others back.   

Happy FIFTH Birthday Alex!  I am so proud of you!

 

*Daddy wrote a letter to Alex for his fifth birthday on The Dillier Man Blog, which is so wonderful I have to link to it here as well:

http://jmelee.typepad.com/the_dillier_man_blog/2010/09/to-my-son-alex-on-his-fifth-birthday.html

A summer of Facebook

I've been lazy and updating Facebook more than my blog.  Since I'm basically using my blog as a family journal/baby book/etc, I thought I'd put some of my Facebook updates here, save them for posterity as it were.

 

September 2010 (so far)

 

Alex, annoyed that the hippos were sleeping at the zoo yells "I ONLY SEE TWO FLOPPY HIPPO BUTTS!"

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We just have to get through the next 2 days and John is temporarily (or not?? we don't know) on a day shift for the next 2 weeks. It'll be just like being married! Oh, wait, we already are. I almost forgot.
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Alex and I escaped the house and went to a movie. We wanted to see The Last Airbender since we just finished the series last week, but ended up seeing Despicable Me, which was probably more appropriate for a 4 y/o. Anyhow, it was nice to have a little Mommy-son date with my boy.

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A beautiful day in Seattle
 

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A box of Pillow Pets came to the door today (thanks Mom!), who knew a bunch of furry animal shaped pillows would make the boys SO HAPPY! You'd think a chest of gold ingots landed on our doorstep with this excitement.

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Max got a lion and a hippo, he greatly favors the hippo, says it's "fuffy" and "I love him" and kisses him on the nose
 

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Alex got a penguin and a unicorn. Yes, my son is manly enough to have a unicorn pillow pet. He said he had to have the unicorn because he'd never seen one in real life.
 

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 Having trouble getting Max to eat his peas tonight, Alex came to the rescue squishing some peas up in his hand and telling Max "Hey, this is called bazonda, it's really good!" Max is now eagerly eating his "bazonda" as fast as Alex can squish the peas.

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Alex keeps asking me what I would like to do with my "figgy niggy" I'll be honest, I haven't got a clue what he's talking about.

August 2010

John opened a can of flavored almonds and Max points to them and says "Ew, kitty poo" They kind of do look like kitty poo.
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Some days I love our little apartment, it's low maintenance and the neighborhood is amazing, but some days it feels so...temporary. I wish we were ready, financially, to buy a house here, to really settle in and make it home.
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Whenever Max gets pruny in the bathtub or pool, he always says "Mommy! I have pee pee fingers!"
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One year ago today I visited Portland for the first time. Two and half weeks later, we moved here. It was a crazy risky decision that a year later I don't regret in the slightest.
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John's going out to buy a new xBox. Supposedly for "home based product research" for his new job. uh huh. sure.
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Big Truck Day was AWESOME!
 
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When I told the boys I wanted them to clean up, I didn't want ANYTHING left of the floor, they took me eriously.
 
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John sent the boys into the bedroom to wake me up this morning. Max came in and said "Mommy! I have moo sick for you!" and started blowing on his plastic recorder
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Something I'd rather not have my 4 year old say to me: "Mom, I'm really sorry but I need a lock pick. I need to break a lightbulb"
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can't figure why Max talks with a Louisiana accent. Must be all that cajun food I ate while pregnant.
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A sign advertising "kids eat free" sparks an uncomfortable conversation about cannbalism and ethics of eating animals when I jokingly say to Alex "eat kids free".
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John just accused me of being sarcastic in my sleep. I fell asleep while watching Phantom Menace last night and he won't let me rewatch the ending because when he tried to wake me up I said something sarcastic to him. Never insult the Star Wars, or John will withold your watching privledges.
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Alex: "I don't want to be a boy anymore, I want to be a girl" Me: "Why?" Alex: "So I can be the Queen Bee and everyone will listen to me"
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Alex is going through this weird phase where he doesn't like his butt cheeks to touch. Ya know, they just don't cover this sort of thing in parenting books. I'm just going to chalk it up to weird things preschoolers do and will eventually get over. God, I hope he does because he can't go through life holding his butt cheeks apart when he walks around.
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Alex LOVED the tour of the fire station this morning! Thanks to TVFR Station 67!
 
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The playground merry-go-round will now be known as the Vomit Inducing Toddler Flinging Wheel of Doom

July 2010

Alex was sent to bed early for spitting on his brother and he's now yelling from his room at the top of his lungs "MOMMY! I WANT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH YOU ABOUT THIS!" Apparently he is not happy with the way he's treated around here.
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John made lunch for us. Some sort of hashbrowns thing, pepperoni and broccoli w/ alfredo? butter? I'm not sure. I give him credit though, looks like he's got all the food groups in there :)
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Whenever I get out the markers, Max immediately gives himself tattoo sleeves. When we're done and go to clean up, all of Portland can hear his sobs "NOOOO! No washa my tatoooooooos!"
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We got a Blue's Clue's DVD from the library today, happened to be the first time Alex had ever seen an episode w/ Joe instead of Steve. Halfway through Alex says "turn it off. this isn't right"
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Alex is happily scarfing down one of my favorite "meals" that John thinks is disgusting. crushed up tortilla chips with melted cheddar mixed together with ketchup. The best part is Alex saying to John "come ON Dad, you gotta try it! It tastes REALLY good!"
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Alex: "I think you should get fired" Me: "why?" Alex: "Because you go to work EVERY DAY and we always miss you"
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Alex checked out a book about volcanos from the library today. After reading it I can't look toward Mt Hood without "Ring of Fire" going through my head. Also, Pompeii
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Telling Alex that I really want to go to the beach soon. "Well, we're going to need to bake some chocolate pies then" he tells me. "Why would we need pies for the beach?" i ask "Mom, you can't go to the beach without chocolate pies!" Well, ok then.
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‎"Do you want a cheese sandwich Max?" "BACON!" "Would you like some peaches?" "BACON!" "How about some yogurt?" "BAAAACONNNN!" "How 'bout bacon? would you like bacon?" "YAY!! BACON!"
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Alex is having an asthma attack, I THINK I've got it under control w/ Albuterol. But Alex is still saying it's hard to breathe, followed by, "Can I go to the dr to get a sticker now?" this is making it hard to decide whether or not to take him to the ER. Is it REALLY hard to breathe or is this an elaborate sticker acquisition scam?
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Busy day! Breakfast at Black Bear (where we ate biscuits the size of our HEADS!), OMSI, ride the MAX to PGE park, baseball game, fireworks!
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Told Alex we're going to a park on a volcano (Mt Tabor) Alex, worried, says "But there will be LAVA all over the playground!" I told him, not to worry that the volcano is dormant "Does that mean they put a lock on it?" he asks. Something like that buddy :)
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Highlight from Alex's Tball game: He stole third! As in ran to third, picked up the base and ran off with it.