No More Monsters

Keyven’s usually pretty good about going to bed when we’re at home. What can I say, he’s my son. The kid loves his sleep. Lately, though, we’re definitely in the “imagination running wild” phase, as is evidenced by his nearly non-stop jabber/stories/conversations that go something like this…

Keyven: (mid-run-on-sentence)  … and then Wyatt told me I should just get the syncolater because I was in closer proximity, but I only had forty-sixty magic coins…
(Yes, he really started using “proximity” in sentences this week.)
Me: Are you talking to me?
Keyven: Nope. I’m just talking to myself.
Me: (suppressing a chuckle) Okay, honey. Just checking.
*chatter continues, unfazed*

Like I said, all this rampant imagination has the unfortunate side effect of making bedtime an hour-long ritual of calls for me and trips to his room for more covers, less covers, a song, a glass of water, monsters. You know, the usual 4-year-old bedtime things.

This was tonight’s scene…

Keyven: Mommy!!! There are monsters in here bothering me!
*I walk down the hall to his room*
Me: There aren’t any monsters down here, Keyven.
Kevyen: How do you know?
Me: I told them that they can’t come down the hallway to bother you because you have to get some sleep.
Keyven: (paused, contemplating whether or not he buys this line) Well, can you check my closet to make sure there aren’t any in there?
Me: Sure.
*I turn on the light, open closet door to reveal floor to ceiling bins & boxes/a ridiculous amount of crap that needs to be organized*
Me: (looking up at Keyven) See? No monsters.
Keyven: (jaw dropped) Whoa. Is it because there’s so much stuff in there that the monsters don’t have any room?!
Me: (half-sighing/half-laughing) Yup. That’s exactly it.

And ten seconds later, his head hit the pillow. I haven’t heard a peep from him since. So, I guess I feel better about the neglected spring cleaning around here. I’m going to think of it as a monster defense system instead.

To Infinity… and Beyond

A while back, when I posted an anecdote about Keyven on Facebook, my cousin Marci made a comment along the lines of “Hey, didn’t there used to be a blog about this sweet boy?” So, every time I’ve posted some story or funny line about him since then, I’ve thought of the blog… and meant to write.

This time, the story is a little longer than is fitting for a FB status update, so I decided what better time to post something on the blog than now?! Plus, I have a super-adorable picture of my little man from this morning before school.

As long as Keyven has been obsessed with the “Cars” movies, we have said that we love each other “to infinity and beyond.” Even though I’ve tried to explain the concept of infinity to him, I wasn’t sure he got it. I figured it was just a catch phrase he liked repeating. Well, yesterday he proved me wrong.

Yesterday, I picked him up from school yesterday (we call it school, but technically it’s daycare) and found out that he had gotten in trouble for helping some other boys on the playground play “keep away” with another kid’s hat. On the way home, we had a serious conversation about why that wasn’t nice, and how it would make him feel if someone did that to him. He wasn’t a happy camper about getting in trouble, but he got the point.

When we got inside the house, I knelt down to give him a hug. “I love you, Keyv,” I said to his somber little pouty face. And these were his exact words:

“Well, mommy… considering the conversation we just had in the car, I only love you a little bit right now. But probably tomorrow I’ll love you to infinity and beyond again.”

It was all I could do to not laugh out loud at his adorable proclamation. I don’t know where he comes up with these things… how many 4-year-olds say, “considering the conversation”? Instead, I squeezed him tight and told him it was all okay.

Thankfully today, all was well. He even told me on the way home that he wasn’t mad at me anymore and spent the whole evening randomly telling me that he loves me, and giving me hugs to make up for it.

Photo: Keyven, dressed for school in a tie & shirt he picked out himself.

Tornadoes & Prayers

Most of you know by now about the tornado that devastated Joplin, Missouri. This event literally hit home for us, as Joplin is just 30 miles from where we live in Pittsburg, and the home of my sister, Victoria, her husband, Max, and their new baby boy, Carter. It also happens to be the place where Nana, Pops, and Keyven were visiting that Sunday night. He was staying with them while I was away for the weekend (in, ironically, another place that suffered from weekend tornadoes… except I was camping).   Here is a little story from my mom that she shared on her Facebook page about what happened after they came out of hiding and tried to assess what had happened.

“As 3-month Baby Carter and 3-year-old grandson, Keyven and I sat cuddled up on the couch trying to understand what we had just experienced in Joplin. Keyven sat nearly trembling and literally pushing into me as close as he could. Victoria + Max had just gone outside to assess the damage when Keyven said,”Nana, I think we should pray.” Not quite knowing whether he totally understood what had just happened. I said, “Okay, do you want me to pray?” He said,”No I will”. He held my hand and put his other little hand on Carter’s head and began,”Thank Jesus for being safe, for Nana & Pops, for Victoria & Max, for the people outside, for the thunder to make flowers and for our house to be safe. Amen” I had to realize that love, life, and blessings comes in little miracles through the eyes of a three year old. I feel blessed tonight. Praying for the people outside tonight.”

I’m so glad that my family was kept safe through this terrifying event. They were just blocks from the main path of destruction that ripped through Joplin. Everyone is fine, and Keyven is talking very openly about what happened. He is a little more concerned than usual about the thunder. He says he is afraid that the rain will make the buildings fall down and catch things on fire. Having been through my fair share of traumatic events, I am doing my best to listen to him and comfort him when he talks about it. I’m thankful he was with Nana & Pops who guarded him and protected him with love and prayers.

I realize the readership of my blog is spread pretty far and wide, but here is a link to a local news station site – KOAM TV 7 – listing the most up-to-date needs for donations and how you can help. Right now, they desperately need monetary donations. If you are local and wanting to volunteer, please call the Joplin Tornado Recovery hotline at 2-1-1 (locally) or 1-800-427-4626. They can register you as a volunteer and let you know where you are needed most when the time is right. There are also many, many local fundraisers popping up in surrounding communities like Pittsburg where you can take donations. Also, if you know of any families affected by the tornado who will need furniture or household items, please have them get in touch with me. I am moving next week, and I have some things I can give away to help out.

Thanks for all the prayers that have been sent our way over the past couple of days. Please keep us in your thoughts, as we are bracing for another round of severe weather in the area this evening. Remember to tell your family today that you love them, and be thankful for all you are blessed with in your life.

I love this kid.

Some excerpts from this evening’s activities. Just too cute to not share.

Tonight we hung out with some other mommies & kiddos — Sara & Alli w/Mac (16 mos.) and Sarah w/Bella (4). Had dinner, went to the park, and then met up at Starbucks for coffee on the patio in the beautiful weather while the kiddos played around. It was really, really nice. I only wish I had started hanging out with these mamas sooner than a month before we’re moving!

At one point on the patio, Keyven started holding hands with Mac and walking around with him. Then they started hugging. The best part was when Mac looked up at Keyven and his little face just lit up in an ecstatic grin as he gave Keyven a huge hug.

Later, at home, Keyven and I were reading his bedtime book. These days, it has been back and forth between the book that Grandma wrote for him and our Finding Nemo “behind the scenes” book with chapters about every character. Tonight, it was Nemo.  In order to not have read this whole book every night, I taught Keyven about chapters and tell him we can read a certain number each night. He picks them out of the table of contents and then we search for the page number in the book pages. It has become quite a little routine for us. (I knew it was working when tonight he told Alli that something in his book was “on page 26!” — and he was right.)

One of the sections he picked was the coral reef. We found the page, and I pointed to the big illustration in the middle of it. “Who lives there?” I asked.

“Nemo and his daddy!” And, before I could ask another question, he added, “You know what their house is called? It’s an anemone!”

I must have been glowing with pride. I told him that two weeks ago when we first started reading this and I can’t believe he remembered — AND could pronounce it perfectly. I hope he learns to love reading as much as I do. It makes my heart so happy. 🙂

At Last

Done!

As of yesterday, I am officially a graduate of Pittsburg State University and the construction management program! I had a wonderful day of family, friends, and celebration. Thank you to everyone who was a part of it, and thanks to ALL the people who have helped me get to this day — whether I know you in real life or online, friends new and old, located near or far, your thoughts, love, and encouragement all contributed to getting me to this day.

Here’s a video of my actual walk, but the best part is towards the end, when Keyven tries to whistle like Nana and then hollers at me.

And, for those of you not on Facebook, here’s a link to pictures from the day.

Next up: moving back to D.C. in two weeks!