football, fish, and fun

The Wilkison's had a great weekend! We took Matthew apple picking, something he has looked forward to since we went last year. Last year before we visited the orchard Matthew rarely ate apples, except for applesauce. He simply would not try a fresh one. He did, however, enjoy practicing picking the apples off the tree- even as a two year old he had a great imagination. Last year he grabbed an apple and sat right now on the grass to eat it. Ever since then he has been perfecting his love of all things apple. He has been bouncing around the house for weeks, unable to contain his enthusiasm for his upcoming apple picking trip. This year he was a tad more scientific about his fruit. He helped me put the bag in the large handled basket we brought and he carefully selected which grove of trees to head towards. He took his time choosing which apples would make it into his basket. And he found exactly the right one to eat right then.

We picked out the perfect pumpkin and headed to lunch. We went to City BBQ and did our normal routine - Matthew and Brad sat down and I went up to order. There was no line so I wasn't gone that long but by the time I found my way back to my boys the two of them had taken nearly every item out of the old diaper bag back pack that we  now use for sippy cups and extra underwear. The table was full of match box cars, monster trucks, wipes, sunscreen, and a very old and long forgotten bag of apple dippers from McDonald's. Yuck. They had also found a small tin of peanut butter cups that Brad's mother gave him last time we were in Cleveland and so were already eating dessert. sigh...

After lunch we walked around Easton and hit up the book store. We were looking for a foreign language book but instead came away with two books for Matthew. Typical, right? The good news is that the long walk around the outdoor mall helped push me towards my goal of 8,000 steps. What an awesome excuse to head to Easton!

Saturday night brad built a cozy fire in the backyard fire pit and the three of us played football. Our little guy is quickly becoming a fast runner! At one point in the game Brad threw the ball to me while Matthew was heading towards me at top speed, head down, ready to take me out. I threw the ball back to Brad to avoid being knocked down by my three year old. Imagine my surprise when on Sunday I saw the Cleveland Browns execute nearly the exact same play!

Sadly, when Brad left the backyard to take Matthew up to bed I somehow managed to kill his beautiful fire. Little did I know how he would retaliate...

Yesterday we visited Mom, who didn't seem to remember that earlier in the week she hung up on me in her anger over my cancelling her dentist appointment to "fit my schedule". I didn't cancel any appointments. I tried to explain to her that I did not know why she had the appointment on her calendar, but she slammed the phone down before I got the chance. Yesterday she was in a great mood, happily listening to her grandson share his apple picking story. She then asked why we hadn't brought her any apples. I have not one memory of that woman eating an apple. the whole process of Alzheimer's Disease is amazing to me. My mother used to hate coffee, most fruits, especially berries, and Chinese food. In the past year I have seen her eat all of those things. When I asked her about these changes in her tastes she insists that she has always eaten them. Kind of makes me think I am the one with the memory issues...

Despite spending hours making a Thanksgiving-like meal and watching an amazing football game, the highlight of Sunday came when Brad accidentally poured Matthew's fish, Stuart, down the drain. My boys headed up to the bathtub while I cleaned up the kitchen. Here is what I hear: laughter and water splashing, then Brad's slightly panicked voice asking me if I can come upstairs, right now. By the time I hit the top of the stairs he is asking for tweezers. I am picturing a huge splinter in Matthew's hand or something even worse, when Brad tells me that Stuart is in the drain. Oh. My. God.

By the time I find the tweezers and race to the bathroom Matthew is out of the tub, covered in soapy bubbles, trying to climb up to the sink to see what Daddy is doing with his fish. Long story short- Daddy worked on that sink for quite some time but in the end we found ourselves explaining that Stuart was most likely heading towards the ocean. Like Nemo. Of course, Matthew was appropriately saddened at the loss of his fishy friend, until he decided that he will name his next fish "Peeps". And no, I do not know why.

When I think about my weekend the pictures that jump into my head are my smiling little guy jumping up and down picking apples and running back to drop them, one by one, in the basket. I see the table at lunch covered with the entire contents of the backpack. I see the look on my son's face as he races towards me with determination in his eyes during our backyard football game. I see the look on my husband's face when he walks back onto the patio and sees that his once blazing fire has cooled to softly glowing embers. And I will always remember my husband and I sitting on the sofa after tucking Matthew into bed, trying not to laugh at the thought of poor little Stuart slipping down the drain. They say these are the moments we will always remember!

I think someone stole my lipstick

My mom has called me seven times since Tuesday morning.

Call #1: Tuesday morning
Mom: "I need a few things at the store. Toilet paper, hand soap, deodorant. Oh, and an inhaler."
Me: "I brought you inhalers last week."
Mom: "Oh, do you know where I put them?"
Me: "No, I don't. I can come over Thursday morning."

Call #2: Tuesday mid morning, left on machine
Mom: "Hi. I need a few things at the store. Toilet paper, hand soap, deodorant. And my list says toothpaste. (I love how she "blames" her list. It's not me asking for all this stuff- my list says i need it!). Oh, and you need to pick up some inhalers." (she then proceeds to leave the exact information for the inhaler on the answering machine. I don't get her inhalers at the store, I order them through the mail. And I just gave her two new ones last week.)

Call #3: Tuesday evening
Mom: "I am sorry I haven't called you in a while. (what?) I have a few things I need at the store. Toilet paper, hand soap, deodorant. And I can't read what I wrote next."
Me: "Toothpaste?"
Mom: "Yes! How did you know that?"
Me: "Lucky guess. Your new bed is being delivered tomorrow, remember."
Mom: "What about my old bed? Will I be without a bed? I need a bed!"
Me: You don't need a bed, you haven't used the bed you have now in months. But the guys will take down the old bed when they bring in the new one."
Mom: "OK. When is it coming?"
Me: "Tomorrow, I just said that."
Mom: "You did not say tomorrow. Oh, I need a few things. Toilet paper, hand soap, deodorant. Are you writing this down?"
Me: "Yes, Mom. I know."

Calls #4 & #5: Wednesday morning, left on machine
repeat Call #2.

Call #6: Wednesday evening
Mom: "Hi. Me again. I forgot to tell you that I need a few things."
Me: "Let me guess. deodorant, hand soap, and toilet paper."
Mom: "Yeah, I do need toilet paper. That wasn't on my list. Oh, and I broke my comb."
Me: "So you need a comb?"
Mom: "Oh. Yes. Bring me a comb. And I lost my lipstick. Although you know sometimes things don't get 'lost' around here."
Me: "I am not getting into this right now, Mom. No one is stealing from you."
Mom: "Fine. Did you know I was getting a new bed today?"
Me: "sigh."
Mom: "I need inhalers."
OMG.

Call #7: This morning
Mom: "I thought you were coming over last night."
Me: "No, I am coming over this morning. Plus, there was a tornado warning last night, remember? You all had to leave the dining room?"
Mom: "Oh, it was just a little weather."
Me: "I don't even know what that means. hey, do your old sheets fit your new bed?"
Mom: "Why wouldn't they fit? It's the bed I had at home."
Me: "No, Mom, it's a brand new bed."
Mom: "No, I had this one brought from home."
OMG again.
Mom: "Did I tell you I lost my lipstick?"