Rudolph's Full Name

I've been working with John to make sure he knows some emergency information. He knows his full name (John William Lydon) and his sister's full name (Kathleen Annette Lydon). He knows we would never send a stranger to pick him up, even if the stranger says his mommy said it was OK. And to run and scream and find a policeman or teacher. Some scary stuff.

But the conversations are priceless.

Here are some of our conversation tidbits...

Me: John, what's my name?

John: Hmm?

Me: What does daddy call me?

John: Hun.

Me: What's our address?

John: Our dress has a skirt and a tutu.

John: Do you know Rudolph's full name?

Auntie and Me: No.

John: Piccadilly Carmen.

Who knew?

A Dog Named Bo

About 2 months ago, we moved John to a big boy bed. A super cool firetruck bed which he LOVES. But won't sleep in. He was up. Up up up. Most parents are used to their kids not wanting to go to sleep (hence the "Go the F*ck to Sleep" book), but John took this to new levels with hours of calling out, crying, sitting in the hall. We'd walk him back to bed. He'd get up. We'd lay next to him, read books, tells stories...he'd get up. We'd offer him rewards. Or take away toys. He didn't care.

Finally, I made a huge reward chart for him. He can see the reward for each night he goes to bed well/quietly. It's right there -- picture of the reward, and an empty box waiting for the shiny, smiley face sticker he gets to put up in the morning...IF bedtime went well.

And I must say I was AMAZED.

First night. No problem. WHAT??

And the reward (besides VERY proud mama and daddy) -- CHEETOS! Ah, the power of Cheetos!!

Yesterday, he got to go with Tom to get donuts for breakfast -- in his JAMMIES! And he told the donut lady all about why he was lucky enough to get donuts...and got rewarded AGAIN with a special blue donut hole.

So, this bring us to today...John did well last night...and this morning's reward is a book. A few days ago I told John a story about Tom's cousin in Ireland who has this big huge dog. The dog is non-violent but protective, and when a repairman came to their house when the owners weren't home, the dog knocked him over and laid down on top of him. And held him there for 2 hours. HA! GOOD DOG!

Well...John asked for a book about a dog who knocks people over.

OK. I can do that.

Here's what I made for him:

A Dog Named Bo

By:

John and Annie’s Mama

Bo was a dog.

He was big, and grey, and very friendly.

And when I say ‘big’, I mean Bo was a giant- sized dog…almost the size of a pony!

He had outgrown his dog house, so now Bo lived inside his owner’s house.

Bo was very protective of his home.

One day, a repairman came into the house, and he surprised Bo.

Being friendly, Bo didn’t want to scare the repairman.

But being protective, Bo did what he thought was best. So he jumped up on the repairman and knocked him down.

And laid down on top of the repairman until Bo’s owners came home.

Bo’s family was proud that Bo protected their house.

And the repairman decided he’d only come back to the house when the family was home.

The End