Jude, the Future Union Boss

So, Jude did his summer math for 5 minutes and then whined about wanting a break.  Andy said, “You’re going to be a union boss someday and they’re going to love you.  You’re going to flip things so that instead of getting a 10 minute break after 4 hours of work, you’ll have everyone doing 10 minutes of work with a 4 hour break.”

In Abby News

This just in by email from Andy at 1:45 p.m., “Abby had her messiest, most explosive diaper ever today. Her clothes are soaking in the laundry room sink.”

Declaration of Independents [Sic]

Jude attempted to declare independence by drafting and presenting us with this typewritten list.

Declaration of independents (For kids)

  1. Kids should get as much candy as they want because if they do eat too much they will get overweight and learn the consequences.
  1. Kids should get as much TV as they want because if they do watch too much they will get that time fly’s and learn the consequences.
  1. Kids should get as much game time as they want because if they do play too much they will get that time fly’s and learn the consequences.

Update on Abby

Abby is already 6 months old.  She’s ridiculously cute and has been keeping busy.

  • She went on her first airplane ride to Nashville earlier this month with Andy and me for a work trip.  Her behavior was impeccable, as expected and as usual.
  • She has started rolling as a means of travel.  The boys need to clear the floor of their tiny treasures.
  • She started solids.  Her first food was green beans.  She has also eaten carrots, sweet potato, apple sauce, and rice cereal.  She eats everything without a fuss.  Her least favorite food is the rice cereal.
  • She attracts a following wherever she goes.
  • She enjoys her jumparoo time.
  • She loves keeping me company in the Baby Bjorn while I clean the house or pack in anticipation of moving.
  • She laughs occasionally.
  • She loves watching her crazy, loving brothers.
  • She gets a bath everyday.
  • She still has fungus in her neck folds.
  • She’s still little, but is getting big.
  • She’s a wonderful baby — super easy and just a joy.

The Lunch Conundrum

During the week, while Jessica is at work, I need to make the boys lunch every day. We have a standing rule that we will not have the same thing twice in the same week (with the exception that we usually get pizza on Friday, and we usually have pizza on Mondays too).

The second rule we follow is that each boy gets to pick what they have for lunch one day, with Asher getting Monday (or the first day of the week, so if Monday is a holiday, he picks on Tuesday), Levi on the second day, and Jude the third. I’ll pick on the fourth day, and on a normal five-day week we’ll usually get or make pizza on Friday.

Jude has been whining lately that he doesn’t really get to pick on his day because he’d pick pizza if he could, but the first rule precludes that because Asher always picks pizza. Levi usually picks chicken patties (he likes the patty, like a big chicken nugget).

Normally if I can easily make two different things at the same time, I’ll give them flexibility. Chicken patties can be made easily at the same time as nuggets, strips, drumsticks, or fish sticks; so I’ll usually let them all pick what they want specifically when I make that, Asher often opts for the fish sticks. They all go in the oven on the same pan for the same amount of time.

So how do you deal with a whiny nine year old who wants to pick pizza, but can’t because his brother already did? Well, you quietly ask him what he wants when you know he’ll say “pizza,” then go ask little brother the same thing. Both “get to pick,” not knowing they’re both picking the same thing on the same day. We get the same lunch, but without the whining.

Now it’s only a matter of wondering how long it will last until they figure out they’re both picking lunch on the same day?