some funny stories

John Mark is getting way too big for his own good. He basically thinks he rules everything, and in some ways, this is definitely too true! For instance, he rules his grandmas without even trying. If he just walks up to them with his mouth open, he is guaranteed to get a big ol' bite of something- and probably something sweet 99% of the time. So when they're around, he doesn't even bother asking anyone else for anything. He just hovers near them saying "muah" (more) until he gets what he is searching for. And now for a couple of funny stories (and one not so funny one...)

Funny first- John Mark is getting really smart. What he doesn't realize is that in all his smartness, he's letting us know just how much he really does remember about what he can and cannot do. For example, we have a bookshelf in the living room that is off limits for John Mark. Anytime he goes near it, one of us will say his name and say "no, no" and he will run off. But almost everyday it is guaranteed that he will run over to the bookshelf and try to touch something- he doesn't want to pull it off, just touch it. I was operating under the idea that babies have a very short memory, so maybe he honestly just forgets from one day to the next. And then it happened... one day I was doing something and I walked over to the bookshelf and pulled a book from the shelf. In about 5 seconds John Mark had run to me, got down by my face and said "no, no mommy!" shaking his finger at me. So now I know- he KNOWS not to touch it. He just can't resist trying- every. single. day.

Yesterday Chris and Kelly came over and ate lunch with us. We had some shakes from Braum's and I didn't really think anything of it. When John Mark got up from his nap he was running around playing. And then I noticed that it was quiet- too quiet. The kind of quiet that just SCREAMS to you "something is not right..." and so I said, (with a little quiver of fear in my voice at what might be to come) "john mark?" He emerges from the kitchen with a face COVERED in ice cream. I walk into the kitchen and see a Braum's cup tipped over on the floor of the kitchen, peppermint shake now covering my floor AND my boy. The only thing I can think is that he has dug this from the trashcan and started chowing down. I fought the waves of nausea at the thought of drinking old trash-can shake and called Kelly to see if she knew what she had done with her shake. Fortunately, she had set it in the empty sack from lunch and he had found it there and not in the actual disgusting trashcan. 30 minutes of screaming and a bath later, John Mark forgot about the treasure that he had found.

And now the not so funny... John Mark lost my wedding ring. I took it off to put my hair stuff in my hair and as he was running around, he picked it up and did something with it. It hasn't made an appearance in a diaper, so I'm pretty certain that he didn't eat it. So that means it's hidden away somewhere upstairs. And let me tell you- he's hidden it well. I've gone through all of his toys and looked just about everywhere I can think to look... so if you see me without a wedding ring on, that's why. I'm not having marital trouble, I just have an ornery little boy who likes to hide things.