The Boy Who Thought He Could Fly

So I have totally decided that we need to tear down the wall between our kitchen and living room for reasons other than great resale potential. That wall has become a barrier between me and my sanity. What? (you are thinking to yourself) How can a wall prevent you from having sanity? Well, my friends, let me tell you a little story about the boy who thought he could fly.

The other day I was in the kitchen working away at making dinner for my two kiddos. Something in me said that I needed to go into the quiet living room and take a look around. Anytime the house is quiet I usually need to search for the trouble. As I rounded the corner I saw it. My precious 3 year old sitting on top of his tractor with the trailer attached and the look of pure joy on his face. Normally, this would be a perfectly acceptable activity however today was different. Jeffrey was in fact sitting on his tractor however, the tractor was sitting on our coffee table. I arrived just in time to stop his attempt at flying off the table with his little Fisher Price, green hand me down from his cousin Jackson.

Now you are saying to yourself, "what did she say?" Well, knowing how sensitive Jeffrey is I knew that if I quickly and loudly reacted (the way I wanted to) he would have freaked out and probably fallen off the table. Instead I slowly walked towards him and in a low calm voice said, "what do you think you are doing silly head?" He began to laugh just as I reached him and picked up the total package and replaced it on the floor. At this point I began to talk to him about how first of all the tractor doesn't belong on the table and second of all he doesn't belong on the tractor ON the table. It was a long talk but in the end I think he understood.

The following day I felt pretty good about myself. I realized that I solved a very potentially hazardous situation without any tears being shed by either party. I was walking tall and feeling very successful and in control. Our day was going by as any other day until I went into the kitchen to cook dinner. As if it were a summer rerun on CBS I felt that feeling in my "mommy gut" to go look for trouble. I exited the kitchen and as I rounded the corner there stood Jeffrey on his art table counting. I knew this drill as it is the same thing he does just before he jumps off a curb or his art stool. This time he had an audience. Bubba was sitting directly under him in his walker and Molly was sitting just past Bubba. I didn't know what to make of the situation. Was he preparing for an Evel Knievel jump over the brother and dog? Was this his first attempt at crowd surfing? The possibilites were endless but every one of them ended with us taking a trip to the ER. Once again I approached the daredevil with a calm patience so not to spooke him and asked what he was doing. He said, "jump mommy! Watch!" I said, "oh I just don't see this being a good idea." I then asked him the key question, "Jeffrey, don't you remember what mommy said yesterday?" At that very moment I realized what I was up against. His response was classic. He looked at me with completely innocent eyes and said, "but mommy, the tractor is on the floor!" He was right! I had not been specific enough.

Ahhh, what a road I have ahead of me. It is going to be a fun adventure but one with a lot of bumps and bruises. I just hope that Band-aid can keep up with the demand.:-)