There are times when I wonder if our children are really on the same planet as us. My 3 1/2-year-old son Milo can be so mellow and mild-mannered at times, you wonder if he has any concept of what is going on around him.
One morning when I took Neva, my 6-year-old, to school, I left the other two children at home with my husband Bob. I said goodbye to Milo, who was standing watching television at the time. When I returned 15 minutes later, Milo was still in front of the TV, standing in the exact spot I had left him.
"Hi, Milo. What are you watching?" I asked.
"Dora," came his reply, eyes glued to the set.
I left the room and went about starting my morning chores. About 5 minutes later, the show had ended and Milo came to the kitchen where I was doing dishes.
"Mommy!" he exclaimed, excitedly. "You're home!"
Happy sweeping!
Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Thursday, February 23, 2006
A Few Whiskers Short of a Catwalk ...
My 6-year-old daughter Neva insists on wearing her shoes on the wrong feet. She feels they look better that way. And she'll put on a summer dress in the dead of winter because the colour is to her liking. When it comes to colour co-ordination, Neva wears so many different clothes at the same time that she looks like a painter's palette after a frenzied artistic spurt.
Now Milo, who happily announces that he is now 3 1/2, wears his shoes in the house, but is hard pressed to remember to put them on when he goes outside. He does have his own couture moments. He'll rifle through two drawers of clothes to find anything with "Bob the Builder" on them and will wear everything he finds.
As for 2-year-old Willa, she's simply more interested in taking her clothes and diaper off.
Happy sweeping!
Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com
Now Milo, who happily announces that he is now 3 1/2, wears his shoes in the house, but is hard pressed to remember to put them on when he goes outside. He does have his own couture moments. He'll rifle through two drawers of clothes to find anything with "Bob the Builder" on them and will wear everything he finds.
As for 2-year-old Willa, she's simply more interested in taking her clothes and diaper off.
Happy sweeping!
Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
She Nose Shopping ...
When my oldest daughter Neva began speaking I remember marveling at all she had to say. Later as she began to form short sentences, I was regularly amused at the ideas she would connect together.
A few years later, my son Milo would begin to do the same and I was still enthralled. As if I had never before experienced a child learning to express themselves. And now my two-year-old daughter Willa is at that same stage. And I am still amazed by the coupling of unrelated thoughts that somehow make sense.
Willa and I were sitting together the other day, just enjoying each other's company when I tickled her nose and asked her:
"What's that?"
"My nose," she replied.
"Where did you get it?" I asked.
"Grocery store!" came her reply.
Happy sweeping!
Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com
A few years later, my son Milo would begin to do the same and I was still enthralled. As if I had never before experienced a child learning to express themselves. And now my two-year-old daughter Willa is at that same stage. And I am still amazed by the coupling of unrelated thoughts that somehow make sense.
Willa and I were sitting together the other day, just enjoying each other's company when I tickled her nose and asked her:
"What's that?"
"My nose," she replied.
"Where did you get it?" I asked.
"Grocery store!" came her reply.
Happy sweeping!
Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
"Have You Reached a Verdict?"
Among the cobwebs there sits a deep shelf above the cupboard by our front door. Its contents look down upon us with suspicious eyes, wary of what may come next. And my children stare back blankly, the pain of their losses evident on their furrowed brows, wounded tears still streaming down their cheeks.
It is here where toys are condemned to serve their sentence for their indiscretions. In one way or another, each toy has incited anarchy, a lawlessness whereby my children are forced to abandon the virtues of sharing, of kindness, of civility.
And so, for what may seem like a lifetime to a child, the worst offenders are banished to their prison awaiting our pardon as they quietly reflect on whether they will once again be brought back into our children's world, or find themselves being quietly kicked out that front door.
Happy sweeping!
Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com
It is here where toys are condemned to serve their sentence for their indiscretions. In one way or another, each toy has incited anarchy, a lawlessness whereby my children are forced to abandon the virtues of sharing, of kindness, of civility.
And so, for what may seem like a lifetime to a child, the worst offenders are banished to their prison awaiting our pardon as they quietly reflect on whether they will once again be brought back into our children's world, or find themselves being quietly kicked out that front door.
Happy sweeping!
Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com
Monday, February 13, 2006
You Ought to Be in Pictures ...
About a week ago, a neighbor of ours had taken a photo of my youngest daughter, 2 year-old Willa, as she puddled around wearing his boxing gloves. He enlarged it, then framed it and gave it to her for her second birthday. Willa was thrilled, and after hugging it for an afternoon, she gave it to me. So, I quickly tacked it on the wall in my office before anyone else thought of a better place for it.
As I was hanging it I was looking around at all the photos I have of my kids scattered here and there. I noticed for the first time that they are all the same 5" x 7" size. In fact, most of the photos we have displayed are that size.
And for two day it's really bothered me. Maybe because they are growing so quickly and I want to hold on to them just the way they are for a little bit longer. I really can't say, but I know I want to hang bigger photos of my kids.
Happy sweeping!
Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com
As I was hanging it I was looking around at all the photos I have of my kids scattered here and there. I noticed for the first time that they are all the same 5" x 7" size. In fact, most of the photos we have displayed are that size.
And for two day it's really bothered me. Maybe because they are growing so quickly and I want to hold on to them just the way they are for a little bit longer. I really can't say, but I know I want to hang bigger photos of my kids.
Happy sweeping!
Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Dinner Lament ...
We've three little chairs,
One for each of our cares,
In colors of red and blue.
Each child takes a seat,
When it comes time to eat,
Around their table askew.
Our youngest leaves first,
Complaining of thirst,
As she quickly marches away.
Our eldest declares,
As she stands on her chair,
Her dislike of tonight's entree.
Which leaves only one,
Our cheeky young son,
Who doesn't eat much anyway.
Each one leaves their plate,
In its uneaten state,
Their behavior in disarray.
Then I reach for the wine,
And Kathleen and I dine,
A mother and father alone.
It's evenings like this,
That in time we will miss,
When our children are finally grown.
Happy sweeping!
Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com
One for each of our cares,
In colors of red and blue.
Each child takes a seat,
When it comes time to eat,
Around their table askew.
Our youngest leaves first,
Complaining of thirst,
As she quickly marches away.
Our eldest declares,
As she stands on her chair,
Her dislike of tonight's entree.
Which leaves only one,
Our cheeky young son,
Who doesn't eat much anyway.
Each one leaves their plate,
In its uneaten state,
Their behavior in disarray.
Then I reach for the wine,
And Kathleen and I dine,
A mother and father alone.
It's evenings like this,
That in time we will miss,
When our children are finally grown.
Happy sweeping!
Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Wearing Down the Dressers ...
The other day, I saw my wife Kathleen running all over our house chasing my two-year -old daughter Willa, who really didn't want to get dressed. This usually is not an issue, but Kathleen and I needed to pop across the street to retrieve some office furniture our neighbor had given us.
As things quickly degenerated, Kathleen naturally became more and more frustrated. Willa of course turned from a gleeful baby to a shrieking demonic apparition. Thinking I might be helpful, I gave it a shot. Bad idea. Willa was just not going to let us get her dressed.
We finally gave up trying and went outside for a breather and to figure out how to get across the street and pick up the furniture before someone else steals it from their porch. Moments later, my 6-year-old daughter Neva opened the door, a triumphant look on her face. And Willa followed behind, fully dressed.
Happy sweeping!
Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com
As things quickly degenerated, Kathleen naturally became more and more frustrated. Willa of course turned from a gleeful baby to a shrieking demonic apparition. Thinking I might be helpful, I gave it a shot. Bad idea. Willa was just not going to let us get her dressed.
We finally gave up trying and went outside for a breather and to figure out how to get across the street and pick up the furniture before someone else steals it from their porch. Moments later, my 6-year-old daughter Neva opened the door, a triumphant look on her face. And Willa followed behind, fully dressed.
Happy sweeping!
Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Dog Daze ...
As many of you know, our household functions somewhere between the edges of chaos and anarchy. So naturally when my mother asked me if we could take her dog while she went of a vacation for a month, I jumped at the opportunity.
The first day was a little rough for all of us, but by the second day, my mother's dog regained her appetite and started to fit right in. She came to enjoy sharing her meals with my two-year-old daughter Willa who regularly ate the kibble and made off with dog's treats to return empty handed.
At 11 years old, the dog was quite set in her ways. So I was surprised at her tolerance with being mauled by the kids for days on end. She really took things in stride. She wasn't bothered by my 6-year-old daughter Neva regularly picking her up like you would a cat nor did she care when 3 1/2 year-old Milo and/or Willa would use her as a pillow.
So when my mother called to check in to see how we all were making out, I let her know everything was fine, her dog was fitting in quite nicely. I did neglect to mention that on the first day, we lost the dog briefly, and that a few days back, someone in our house had tried to paint it a nice shade of blue.
Happy sweeping!
Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com
The first day was a little rough for all of us, but by the second day, my mother's dog regained her appetite and started to fit right in. She came to enjoy sharing her meals with my two-year-old daughter Willa who regularly ate the kibble and made off with dog's treats to return empty handed.
At 11 years old, the dog was quite set in her ways. So I was surprised at her tolerance with being mauled by the kids for days on end. She really took things in stride. She wasn't bothered by my 6-year-old daughter Neva regularly picking her up like you would a cat nor did she care when 3 1/2 year-old Milo and/or Willa would use her as a pillow.
So when my mother called to check in to see how we all were making out, I let her know everything was fine, her dog was fitting in quite nicely. I did neglect to mention that on the first day, we lost the dog briefly, and that a few days back, someone in our house had tried to paint it a nice shade of blue.
Happy sweeping!
Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com
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