Mar

Finding a New Attitude

The week started pretty uneventful. Mom did start off the day on her back foot, realising that she had absolutely no petrol in the car whatsoever. Somehow, on a wing and a prayer, Mom got me to school on time and on fumes, as opposed to liquid petrol! Our LetterLand letter for the week was R for Red Robot. It was fun learning a new letter. While at school, I must have frustrated Nathi, as he bit me on my arm. It was really sore, for a while, but we’re friends again. Us littley’s seem to work out things quicker than big people. At home, I managed to get my fingers caught in the car door. Yes I know, it’s largely my fault, as I didn’t listen to my Mommy. It was so sore, and I screamed so loud, that I doubt I’ll need to be asked more than once to make sure I don’t put my fingers in the door. The rest of the day after school was spent at home.

On Tuesday morning Mom took me to school in the Merc. It’s been more than a week since it went for a service and none of us have bothered to move my car seat from the Volvo to the Merc. After Mom collected me from school, we popped into Mom’s office for a little while where she needed to finish off one or two things. I had a great time playing at her desk, doing ‘important’ things.

Daddy decided to work from home on Wednesday as there was a march in town, and he didn’t wasn’t to get involved in protestors. When I arrived at school Keagan dived on top of me, out of affection, to hug me. We had a little wrestle and I managed to free myself. Mom was quite impressed at my skills!

In the afternoon, my runny nose was getting worse and worse, so Mommy took me to see Dr Anthony. As always, it was really cool seeing him. It turned out I had an upper respiratory infection and some antibiotics were prescribed. I’m feeling much better since.

Mommy had a little shopping to do in the evening, so Dad and I stayed home to play squash. We closed all the doors in passage to make a squash court and we played a really great game. My skill in hitting the ball back to Dad from it bouncing once on the floor is really great. Mom and Dad are both really impressed.

On the way to school on Thursday morning I tormented the new iPad apps that Mom had purchased for me the night before. By the time the short journey to school was complete, I’d already mastered the new apps. Although Mom was impressed, she was also mortified. I told her not to worry, as I’d still play with them.

At home in the afternoon a massive thunderstorm was brewing. Before we could say Buzz Lightyear, Roxy had escaped. Within minutes someone found her and phoned us, so we went to collect her. At home Mom and I locked her in the laundry, where she proceeded to try escape. By now Mom was convinced that she must have hurt herself forcing her way through my child-proof gate. To be on the safe side, we took her to the vet. It seemed she hadn’t injured herself, but at the same time the vet did say that she was really old, and pretty soon we’d have to make some decisions. This made us all sad. I sat on the floor of the vet’s examination room hugging her while Mom chatted to the vet.

Friday was really busy! FasTrackKids was celebrating its 1st birthday, and in celebration we were having a teddy bear’s picnic. So when I arrived at school on Friday, not only was I stormed by all my friends to hug me and my teddy, which is the custom every morning, but I was stormed by my friends, with their teddy bears and pretty soon there was a teddy bear and one bunny scrum in the classroom. We all giggled until we cried. The picnic was awesome, and that was then followed by bike-Friday. Sadly, as per Friday’s, I had to leave early to go to Lauren for OT. On the way there though I fell asleep – must’ve been because I’m so fluey at the moment.

In the afternoon, once I’d woken up from my snooze, we headed off to iPlay to meet with Jennie and for me to play with Hannah and Samuel. It was such fun, and so good to see my little friends again.

Saturday morning was a boys’ morning. Dad and I went to the Wimpy for a greasy breakfast. Mom had an appointment so us boys were on our own. During breakfast we spotted Fanie and Sandy and we all had a good ole natter. After breakfast Dad and I popped into the Checkers to buy carrots. Next stop, the police station, to feed the carrots to the bunnies.

We walked through the SAPS’ offices and buildings, and Dad showed me where they keep the bad guys locked away. In the back garden of the police station were an abundance of bunnies. The first rabbit we encountered was a big white fluffy one, with a mouthful of grass. He got such a fright when he saw us that he dropped the grass, but when Dad tossed him a carrot the bunny was thrilled.

Wandering around the grounds we found more and more bunnies, all of whom received a chunk of carrot. We headed down to the SAPS Memorial, and there we found even more bunnies. We were running low on carrots, partly because there were so many to feed, and partly because I was eating more of the carrots than we feeding to the bunnies!

Once all the carrots were depleted we headed back through the offices to our car. In the charge office I high-fived the local cops. Arriving home we settled into the study just as Mom arrived home. We announced to Mom that Dad and I had a train emergency – we’d run out of track for my Thomas the Tank Engine TrackMaster set. So off we headed to ToyZone in Benmore Gardens, as they have the most awesome selection of TrackMaster accessories.

Dad selected two boxes of tracks (a selection of straight, turns and most importantly junctions). Mom found some cool educational toys for me too. The Dad was on a mission to find a tunnel for my train, but to avail. He then announced he’ll construct a tunnel for me, and off he went to the hobby section where the little trees and undergrowth etc. are kept. He really didn’t look at the hobby materials well, as Mom reckoned they looked good. Dad announced he’s going ‘old school’ and will be making it from scratch. Mom and I just raised our eyebrows are each other.

Next we accidently let Dad wander into the electronics section of the store. He found a uDraw Game Tablet for the Nintendo Wii. Before we could say Mister Maker Comes to Town the tablet, a SpongeBob SquarePants game and Pictionary for Wii were in the shopping basket. Satisfied that the train emergency was suitably addressed, we paid and left to go home and play with our new wares.

At home we hardly had to for lunch and Dad and I were already constructing an awesome Thomas the Tank Engine TrackMaster track in the lounge. Pretty soon Percy and Salty were zooming around the track, going over bridges and past the warehouses and loading docks.

Next we punished the Wii with some hectic SpongeBob gaming. We played and played, and then spent some time ‘drawing on the TV’ with our tablet. Granny arrived, as she was spending the afternoon and evening with us. Hugs and welcoming kisses were administered and I showed Granny all my new toys.

After settling Granny down, I put Dad to work on my tunnel. He disappeared to the storeroom and returned with mesh, wire, cable ties and some tools. He needed wallpaper glue to make papier-mâché, so he went off to the hardware store to buy ‘tunnel making materials’. Returning with wallpaper glue he also showed me some sandpaper that he bought that he thought looked like gravel and earth for the tunnel covering. Soon Dad was cutting mesh, tying wire to it and shaping it into a tunnel. I was satisfied with a mesh tunnel but Dad said that was just the beginning. He mixed up a batch of wallpaper glue and started applying strips of newspaper drowned in the glue to the mesh. Pretty soon the tunnelling mesh was completely covered with papier-mâché. I was thrilled, and was happy to use the tunnel like that. Dad announced it had to dry overnight.

Sunday morning I woke up and immediately headed into Granny’s room where we bonded and played while Mom and Dad slept in a little. Once everyone was up and ready to go we headed off to Papachinos in Fourways to have breakfast with Paul and Michelle and Chloe and Amy. I was thrilled. But first we dropped off Granny at Fourways Mall to pursue her favourite pastime –shopping.

We had a stunning breakfast, and although it was a breakfast date, Chloe, Amy and I had pizzas. We made our own pizzas from scratch and watched them being baked in the pizza oven. While we waited for the pizzas we played up a storm. Mom, Dad, Michelle and Paul were all having a really good natter, so us three kids just played and chomped on our pizzas. When it was time to leave, the girls presented me with a belated Christmas present, wrapped in pirate paper. I was ecstatic!

Hugs were generously dished out and we bid everyone farewell. In the car, ripping the paper off my present, I discovered a stunning wind chime, with base that I could paint to my heart’s content. At Fourways Mall we struggled to track down Granny – she was so engrossed that she didn’t hear her phone ringing. Eventually Mommy found her, reigned her in, and dragged her kicking and screaming back to the car. There another surprise awaited me – Granny had a nice big yellow Lego shopping bag. Inside, she presented me with a Buzz Lightyear Lego action figure. I was bursting I was so excited.

Needless to say, all the excitement resulted in my not having my midday snooze, and at home I immediately put Dad to the task of constructing the Lego Buzz Lightyear. I helped by deconstructing the meticulously put together Legos, making sure Dad was doing it right. After that construction project Dad got back to my tunnel. This time, instead of pasting newspaper papier-mâché on the tunnel he used white paper for the second layer, apparently it will make it easier to paint.

By now Mom, Granny and I were actually feeling quite impressed, and somewhat intimidated by Dad’s awesome tunnel building skills. Once all the white papier-mâché was carefully applied Dad left the tunnel in the sun to dry. I was keen to get going on using my tunnel, but Dad said it still wasn’t finished, and needed more time to dry, and then he has to paint and decorate it to look like a real hillside. Mom has been sent on errands to buy tree building and grass materials during the week!

Dad spent much of the afternoon then with his iPad, which was always with the word stupid, and succeeded with some words I’m not allowed to say, let alone type! It seems his iPad’s modem has malfunctioned and can no longer see it has a SIM card installed. I told him it happened because we introduced the Nintendo Wii tablet into the household too quickly, without acclimatising the iPad, and subsequently the iPad got jealous and decided to malfunction. Dad didn’t really see the humour in that, but I really thought it was funny.

In the late afternoon Granny had to go home, which made me very sad. I got over my sadness by turning my cot into a pirate ship, dressing as a pirate to sail it, and saying to anyone who would listen (cats included) ‘All aboard mateys’.

Well, that’s it for this week. My new experience for the week is having to find a ‘new attitude’ as Mom and Dad call it. When told to, while being contrary and tossing my toys about, Mom tells me to go sit quietly in my room and find a new attitude. I’m amazed at how well it works, as I normally return in a much better mood. In fact I’ve found it so effective that from time-to-time, when things do go to plan, I even announce to Mom and Dad that I’m off to find a new attitude and I do. I head to my room for a short time and return feeling much better. I’m also of the opinion, that from time-to-time, Mom and Dad would also benefit from finding a better attitude, but I’ve not yet tried to tell them this.

Until next week.

Love

Jarrod