THE ADVENTURES OF THE JAC ATTACK!

A Blog about a clever boy and a mom determined to out-smart him.

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

The Art of Manliness

I baked chocolate chip cookies yesterday.  I came home from Texas in a horrible mood and I needed to apologize to my husband for being a virtual grizzly bear.  The cookies worked and I think I have been forgiven.

Every day I am so thankful that I am not a single parent.  Single parent must be one of the hardest jobs on earth.  Jess adds so much fun to JAC's life.  I can watch from a distance as he teaches JAC the art of being a man.  It is a job I could never do quite as well. 

JAC has become a budding architect and wants to spend hours building with his blocks.  After the completion of two rickety block structures I'm sick of the activity.  Jess will spend hours building.  Together he and JAC will incorporate other toys into the fun creating a landing pad for a toy helicopter or a house for the trains.  Jess does it naturally without effort and JAC thrives under his dad's instruction. 


I let father's day pass without posting a word about Jess.  Jess is the best father I know and he completes his duties with excellence.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Basking in the Ordinary

I am drinking my afternoon coffee.  My hair is in hot rollers and I'm basking in the ordinary.  I am savoring my normal routine in my own little house.  It is excellent.

I have a standard rule.  I don't buy toys.  Toys are expensive, kids quickly lose interest and your home soon looks like a cluttered daycare.  Instead we spend many hours outside at the park or inside refashioning my kitchen utensils.  I know I sound like a big jerk and we do have a few toys that were gifts from grandparents or hand me downs.

Today JAC woke up and started a continual banter about baseball. My heart softened.  I put him right in the car, drove to Target and picked out a baseball bat.  I think it might have been one of the best days in JAC's short life.  He was thrilled.

We took our bat and ball to the park and played for hours.  We took turns running imaginary bases, pitching and hitting.  Eventually when that grew old the bat was turned into a gun, used as a shovel and then ridden all the way home like a horse. 




I guess some rules were made to be broken.  Are you a rule breaker by nature?  What rule have you broken lately?

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Travel Plans

I'm busy packing for an early morning flight home.  I can't wait to be back in my own territory.  I have packed our suitcase. It is bulging from shopping trips and new hand-me-downs from my mom.  As much time and effort as I put into packing our suitcase, I find packing the baby bag is the most important part of the trip.  Here is my no-fail flying with a toddler plan.

The baby bag can be broken down into six categories, snacks, incentives, entertainment, clothes, diapering and misc.  Here is a little bit more about each category.

Snacks:  Packing for a flight is about packing for a contingency.  You never know when you might be stuck on the tarmac or in the terminal.  I bring enough snacks to make it through most of a day.  I skip the sugary snacks because they make JAC hyper and render my incentives useless.  I stick to gold fish crackers or sugar-free fruit snacks.

Incentives:  I always carry some motivation for when things are spirally out of control.  It is usually Tic-tacs and a small bag of Skittles.  If JAC becomes very upset often I can bend down, look him in the eye, reassure him and offer two Skittles.  This incentive will brighten his mood and help us move forward.

Entertainment:  I have tried many combinations but finally I have decided less is more.  I bring two toys, two books, a package of cool stickers and some colors.  I always travel with a notebook and pack a surprise.  This trip the surprise was a Slinky from the dollar store.  If I pack more toys they seem to lose their value and end up rocketed over the seat.  Instead I try to invent funny games.  We look for pictures of dogs in the Skymall catalog.  We turn the vomit bag into a puppet.  We pretend to fish with the loose end of the seat belt.

Clothes:  I always bring JAC a change of clothes and a light jacket.  I also bring a fresh shirt for myself.  I don't know why but every time we fly I manage to get disgusting.Compose

Diapering:  I bring enough diapers and wipes for two days.  I pack most of them at the bottom of the bag and place two at the top of the bag.  I want to reach them in a hurry.  In the front pocket I pack four zip-lock bags for dirty diapers before placing them in the trash.

Misc.:  I always carry a few random items that are not kid-specific but come in handy.  I always have my phone charger.  I also carry chap-stick and hand sanitizer because JAC thinks both of these items are fun in a pinch.  I also always pack his favorite blanket just in case we need to spend the night in an airport.

What are your great travel tips?  Do you have any favorite in-flight games?  We like to write thank you notes to our flight attendants and cover them with tractor stickers.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Learned or Taught

I have just a few remaining days here in Texas.  Today I purchased a few things for our flight home.  I perfected a system for flying with a toddler.  It's involved but it works.  I have been reading a collection of travel writing in my free time.  Travel writing might be my favorite genre of writing and I believe when you travel no matter how germane the destination you will always create a story.

I always feel like living with a toddler is a akin to a science project but lately this has seemed much more pronounced.  He is learning so much.  This week week JAC desperately wanted to run with me instead or riding in his stroller.  I let him out and he joyfully sprinted over half of a mile.  Mid-sprint he took a hard fall on the cement blooding his knees.  He was stunned and whimpered.  I bent down and told him, "We're almost there.  We can do this because we're Team Connelly."  He shouted, "Team Connelly!"  He ran the rest of the way holding my hand and using the other hand to hike up his shorts because they were bloody.  I was so proud.  It made me think, JAC loves to run because I love to run.  Sometimes the best taught lesson is just a little enthusiasm.

Later we went to the park.  I told JAC to put on his shoes and he put them on the wrong feet.  I didn't change them because I didn't want JAC to doubt his own independence.  After a few minutes of playing at the hot park he showed me his feet.  They were covered in horrible blisters.  I learned shoes must go on the right feet.

His feet hurt and he wanted to go home but when he saw the ducks at the pond he found a second wind.  He ran towards them trying to pet them.  As he ran he shouted, "Feet hurt, ouch, duck, quack, quack."  We never were close enough to touch a duck.  They headed for the deep water.  JAC was horribly disappointed but recovered when he saw a huge mound of dirt.  He energetically grabbed huge handfuls of the dirt before I could stop him.  The dirt was a giant ant mound and JAC cried and cried as I furiously tried to dust the ants off of him.  JAC learned that ducks do not like to be chased and some dirt is not for digging.  I learned to expect the unexpected.

It was a rough day but we rallied and the following day went to the zoo with my sister.  We fed crackers to the giraffes.  The have dark, tongues almost a foot long.  It was a blast to feed them and fun to learn how slimy a wet giraffe tongue could feel.

Today JAC was hanging out in the back yard with the cat.  The cat was dosing and he gently pet her.  Soon he covered her up in his blankets.  Little boys who nap like to have blankets and he thought a napping cat would too.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Boom

There is nothing quite like a West Texas thunderstorm.  I have seen thunderstorms in many locations but in West Texas they are bigger, louder and wilder.  JAC experienced his first Texas thunderstorm last night.  All day the air had seemed heavy and I knew a big storm was brewing.  Around midnight a loud crack of thunder shook the whole house and my little boy sat straight up in bed.  "Mommy!" he petitioned.  Terrified he jumped into my bed wrapping his arms around my waist and twisting his legs between my legs.  I hugged him tightly and we watched the terrific spectacle together.

Lightning flashed every few seconds, hail fell and torrents of rain flooded the yard.  In our upstairs room surrounded by windows we felt like we were part of the great electrical show.  I held JAC and explained that the loud "Boom" was thunder and it was the work of our Almighty God.  After every flash of light we would wait for the next BOOM.

Eventually the storm moved on and the thunder seemed less loud.  JAC looked up at me and did his baby sign language for "More."  I asked him, "More what, honey?" He replied, "More BOOMS, mom."  This is one of my favorite things about JAC.  While he might be initially fearful his courage grows quickly and he is ready to embrace the unknown.  I love the Wild West Texas Storms and I'm glad JAC witnessed their power.

JAC wanted to watch the storms and we stood by the window together in the pitch black.  A few minutes later JAC asked to check on his Aunt La.  JAC loves La - my sister Laura - with all of his heart and wanted to ensure her safety.  We sneaked downstairs and he was delighted to find La still awake enjoying the storm too.  JAC is such thoughtful, brave thunder loving kid.

Friday, June 17, 2011

Shopping



Sometimes when you're shopping for funeral attire and feeling a bit glum its nice to have an exuberant two year old to cheer you up.  Its especially entertaining to watch the dress shirt bin become a child's playground and by the end of the trip you're not really feeling sad at all.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

When In Texas

We are in Texas for the next two weeks and I miss my husband.  We took the scenic route to Texas, first stopping in beautiful New Mexico for a family funeral.  New Mexico was cool and dry.  Texas is sweltering but I like it.  It feels uncomplicated.  It is just plain hot - nothing more and nothing less.

JAC is loving Texas, rejecting all naps and instead dragging my mom's cat around by its back legs while it hangs limply in his arms.  About twelve times a day he stops and says, "Mom the air is hot!"  I just smile and reply, "Welcome to Texas."

Helping Noni Water Plants

Dragging the Cat Around while the Dog Chews its Ear

Noni's Readily Provide Cake and Whipped Cream
We have been swimming, running and closely watching Prairie Dogs.  This is a bittersweet trip because we stand on the threshold of a entirely new life.  We will be an odd form of nomad moving every two years. It is hard to know what this really means so today I will enjoy the simplicity of the Texas heat.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

The Coolest

Just in case you ever wonder - The Connelly's are the coolest family ever!  We had a very cool Saturday.  It started with homemade blueberry pancakes.  Next we loaded up the truck and drove to the Potomac for an early morning kayak adventure.  Last year JAC always rode in my kayak but this year he prefers Jess' company and I understand why.  It is a pleasure to watch them together as they take little side trips to explore turtles or view large birds.  We also saw two bald eagles.  They are massive and majestic.




After kayaking we ate granola bars for lunch and played at the park. Finally, we drove home to put JAC down for his nap.  While JAC napped we took turns going for a run and prepared a homemade rhubarb pie together.  Later in the evening we met new friends at a local park for live music and a picnic.  JAC ran wildly about and danced up front.  He was rocking out.  We let him stay out extra late and he made the most of it.  We even played a ruckus game of tackle football.  This is why we're the coolest.  Our family never lets a weekend pass without a cool adventure.

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Chasing Tail

In the next room is a very loud rowdy boy refusing to take his nap.  We have had a very eventful morning and the excitement hasn't quite worn off.  We have early evening plans and a boy without a nap does not make a good dinner date.  So, today JAC is re-learning the lesson that we all know so well.  Many times in life you just have to do things you don't want to do.  It is inevitable.

Yesterday the weather was perfect.  The temperatures peaked in the mid-seventies and a breeze blew gently through the neighborhood.  Something about the weather seemed so free that it reminded me of the mountains and we stayed outside all day.  We went to two different parks and we stopped along to way to investigate anthills and pick flowers. 

In a few years JAC will be going to school and I hate the idea of such a free creature being trapped behind a desk.  I suspect the teachers will say he is too lively, too loud, too active but I know he is just right.  He is filled with wonder and excitement.  He is a keen observer of the world with a soft heart and abundance of spirit.

JAC is suffering from allergies and is a snotty mess.  Yesterday as we walked to the park he tightly grabbed my legs and rubbed his face into my rear end.  For a moment I was thrilled to be on the receiving end of a rare hug but I quickly realized it wasn't a hug.  JAC was wiping his nose on my back side rubbing snot all over my pants.  Apparently my butt was a prime Kleenex opportunity! 

We took Roxy to the park.  The park was empty and I let her off the leash to run.  When she wandered too far I called her back.  She came racing up and JAC was thrilled by her return.  He pet her softly and then grabbed her nub of a tail.  He  said, "Roxy tail?"  I replied, "Yes Roxy has a small tail."  I could tell he was thinking this over  and in a moment he charged my back side and start pawing around looking for something.  He looked up curiously and asked, "Mom's tail?"  I explained that we were not dogs and didn't have tails but this did not seem adequate.  A few moments later he was spinning in circles in the sandbox try to clutch his own rear end.  When I asked him what he was doing he paused and said, "Find JAC tail."  I couldn't help but laugh.  It was a perfect lazy Friday with my funny little boy.

Friday, June 3, 2011

Summer Blast Off!

For the third year in a row we attended the Summer Blast Off at Wolftrap Park.  This is one of our favorite D.C events.  It features a concert by the Marine Corps Band followed by the most impressive fireworks display I have ever seen.

We arrived extra early and joined the masses and raced to claim our perfect lawn seats by staking down our blanket.  I brought homemade popcorn and fresh cookies.  We purchased two frozen Mojitos and while we listened to music JAC flirted with the high school girls sitting in front of us.  He eventually conned them out of some Twizzlers.  A few minutes later we looked over and he was sitting in their laps.




After the concert we watched the fireworks.  They fire them off so close that the ground shakes and the air fills with the smell of gun powder.  It is a fantastic display.  We returned home near mid-night.  We were all very exhausted but also very happy.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

The View From Here: A Story Told in Pictures

On Memorial Day we went running at one of our favorite spots.  It is a four mile loop around a lake.

It was a really hot and sweaty run, but a lot of fun.  Here we are post-run extra gross and sweaty.

JAC played at the park after the run.  It was so hot that it he really didn't want to play long.

This is my nasty sprained ankle.  I sprained it on the aforementioned run.  After cursing a bit I laced up my shoes tighter and kept running.  The next day my ankle looked like this and Jess demanded we go to the hospital for x-rays.

I refused to go because hospitals are for sissies.  We compromised and I promised to spend the day with my ankle elevated on ice.  This is a picture of Roxy flopped on my lap while I ice my ankle and read Backpacker Magazine.
The moral of the story is that it is nice to have a cute husband to run with.  Marriage is a series of weird compromises and weirder conversations.  (For instance, yesterday Jess and I discussed how many times I have likely broken my ankle in our marriage.  Jess said four, and I insisted no, they were all bad sprains.)  Nevertheless its nice to have someone around who insists you put your feet up and chill out every once in a while.

Also, reading Backpacker Magazine makes you feel cooler than you really are.  You should try it sometime.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Let's Go Nats!

We have friends who have season tickets to the Washington Nationals.  When they don't use their tickets they give them to us and through their generosity over the years they have officially turned us into baseball fans.  We were thrilled when they called on Friday to offer us tickets to the a Saturday afternoon game.  I can think of few more patriotic things to do on a Memorial Day weekend than take in a baseball game.




The whole family dressed in red to show our support for the home team.  The tickets are in the suites and when an afternoon shower sent many fans running for cover we continued watching in comfort.  We ate our fill of game day junk food, cheered loudly, and I kept stats.  Despite our most enthusiastic efforts the Nationals lost to the Padres.  We were a bit disappointed but we had so much fun that we hardly noticed the loss.

After the game we took a detour as we walked back to our car to see the boats on the river.  To our surprise the city just completed construction of a beautiful river-side park.  The park had a fountain and a bunch of little kids were stripped down to their underwear running through the water.  We took off JAC's clothes and let him join in the fun.  He raced through the fountain for over an hour.  It was a blast to watch his enthusiasm.  The fountain emptied into a waterfall filling a pool below.  JAC did some swimming in the pool too.  Eventually we had to pluck out  our wet seal child  kicking and screaming.  It was a wonderful afternoon - absolutely memorable and I can't wait until we can go again.