Mickey!!!!!!

I've been trying for a while now to find a tv show that Carmine would sit down and watch - I know he shouldn't be watching a lot of tv, but until you've stayed home all day every day with a very rambunctious almost-2-year-old, don't judge me for allowing him a little bit of tube time - and we finally found one.

He's now completely obsessed with "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse." He'll come running into the living room, climb up on the couch, and yell "Mihmey! Mihmey! Mihmey!" until you put it on. I've recorded a bunch of episodes, but since he's not even 2, he's perfectly happy to sit and watch the same episode over and over and over again. And he really sits and watches it, very intently.

Seeing as how he's dead set against going to the gym (I went there the other day to pick something up, and he started whimpering when we pulled into the parking lot, so I think we're in this for the long haul), I'm glad that I at least have a way to get half an hour of quiet time every day. Or an hour, if need be.

And I found a Toys R Us gift card in my wallet the other day, and found myself up in Warwick this morning, so we stopped in and got him a big plush Mickey, and he's of course completely thrilled. He's carrying Mickey around with him everywhere. Mickey played at the playground with us after we picked the boys up from school - he even went down the slide a few times.

And tonight, when I was reading Carmine books at bedtime, he took his favorite duckie book and held it out in front of Mickey, and started pointing to the pictures and 'reading' the book. Is it just me, or is that not completely adorable?

For all his completely adorable moments - including when he said "love you" to me yesterday at naptime, completely unprompted, and when he kissed my hand earlier in the day - he's definitely well on his way to the terrible twos. Lots of screaming, lots of tantrums, and lots of throwing and banging and stomping of feet.

I had forgotten how hard this stage can be.

But I suppose when you think about it, it makes sense that they act a little crazy at this age. He's still a baby in my eyes, and still a baby in a lot of ways, but he wants so badly to be a big kid. It must be so frustrating.

And although he is saying a ton of words - actually said his first sentence today - "Hi Daddy!" - there's still a lot of things he can't effectively communicate to us. Thus, all the screaming.

He does have a lot of words now, though, and tries to repeat everything we say. He usually does pretty well, but there are a few words that he just can't even come close to getting right. One of them is 'truck,' for which he says 'ah-dee.'  I have no idea why, but 'ah-dee' is as close as he can come to truck. And his cup is still his 'buppy.' That's what we all call it now, though, so I think that one's going to stick for a while.

He tries so hard to keep up with his brothers. It's so funny to see him take off running after them. Last night Dante was doing somersaults, and Carmine was right down there with him, trying to do his own somersault.

And one night when they were going to bed, Carmine wanted to climb up into Gabe's bed, so I helped him up there, thinking he'd just sit on the bed. But he crawled right up to the top of the bed, pulled the covers down, laid his head on the pillow, and covered himself up. He was fully prepared to go to sleep there, I think.

Gabe thought it was really cute, but thought it would be even more fun if he climbed in with Carmine.

Carmine, however, did not like that idea one bit. As soon as Gabe tried to get into the bed, Carmine started pushing him away and yelling "Mine, mine, mine!!!!"

I have no idea how he learned the word "mine," but he's become very adept at using it.

The whole no-gym thing has definitely shaken up our routine the past few weeks, and it was really getting to me, but I've finally accepted the fact that this is how it's going to be for the foreseeable future, and I'm not letting it stress me out anymore.

I'm also not going to even try to bring him for a while, because it's just torture for all involved - for him, for me, and for the poor women who work at the daycare.

So for the time being, I'm getting in as many early, early morning workouts as I can - sneaking out to the gym before anyone's even awake, which means waking up before 5am. It sucks getting up that early, but I'd rather do that than go at night. I'm a morning person, and I always feel better if my workout is done early in the day.

And once the marathon is over, I'm going to start working out with the Fit Families group that I'm a part of. There's a ton of opportunities for getting in a great workout, while still being able to bring Carmine with me. So it won't quite be 'alone' time - which was one of the reasons I loved going to the gym so much - but I'll get the stress relief of getting in a good workout, and I'll be in good company, too.

I don't know how long I'll keep him away from the gym. I'll just play it by ear, and be thankful that I do have some other options.

And when I need some Mommy time, there's always M.I.C.K.E.Y.

Comments

[Mom and Dad]

enjoyed this so much....Carmine is certainly a very amusing almost two year old trying very hard to be like his big brothers, but still keep his own very charming personality ! ....

[Wes]

where did he learn the world "mine"? Why from his older brothers of course! Hard to believe Carmine is almost two, and you're on the verge of qualifying for Boston. My how time flies!