B - according to M (age 5)

I did this interview with M twice - once about B and once about me. These are his responses about his dad:

1. What is something dad always says to you?
MTS - Don't shoot at people

2. What makes dad happy?
MTS - Hugs and kisses

3. What makes dad sad?
MTS - if I don't give him a hug and kiss

4. How does your dad make you laugh?
MTS - tickles me

5. What was your dad like as a child?
MTS - he liked transformers

6. How old is your dad?
MTS - I don't know. I forgot.

7. How tall is your dad?
MTS - smaller than you (points at me)

8. What is his favorite thing to do?
MTS - play with me

9. What does your dad do when you're not around?
MTS - works

10. If your dad becomes famous, what will it be for?
MTS - tennis

11. What is your dad really good at?
MTS - playing with me

12. What is your dad not very good at?
MTS - not running as fast as me

13. What does your dad do for his job?
MTS - tutors

14. What is your dad's favorite food?
MTS - Asparagus

15. What makes you proud of your dad?
MTS - That he sometimes gives me treats when you (points at me) aren't around.

16. If your dad were a cartoon character, who would he be?
MTS - Superman

17. What do you and your dad do together?
MTS - play

18. How are you and your dad the same?
MTS - same eyes

19. How are you and your dad different?
MTS - He's taller and I'm shorter

20. How do you know your dad loves you?
MTS - Because he just does

21. Where is your dad's favorite place to go?
MTS - to the Tropical Smoothies restaurant

Me - according to M (age 5)

I did this on Facebook, but it was super cute, so thought I'd share here too for those of you who have not entered the 21st century:

1. What is something mom always says to you?
MTS - Be nice or you'll go in time out

2. What makes mom happy?
MTS - Hugs and kisses

3. What makes mom sad?
MTS - punching

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
MTS - tickling

5. What was your mom like as a child?
MTS - she liked her little wooden rocking chair

6. How old is your mom?
MTS - um, 25.

7. How tall is your mom?
MTS - taller than my daddy (ha, ha - I'm not)

8. What is her favorite thing to do?
MTS - play with me

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
MTS - work at Marriott

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
MTS - soccer or maybe diving

11. What is your mom really good at?
MTS - racing. Although you never win, you're really great.

12. What is your mom not very good at?
MTS - running very far

13. What does your mom do for her job?
MTS - She works for Marriott. Do you work for Marriott or at Marriott?

14. What is your mom's favorite food?
MTS - Broccoli

15. What makes you proud of your mom?
MTS - Loving her

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
MTS - Elmo

17. What do you and your mom do together?
MTS - play

18. How are you and your mom the same?
MTS - we have the same color skin

19. How are you and your mom different?
MTS - she's bigger and I'm shorter

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
MTS - I know it in my heart

21. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
MTS - McDonald's

Inside the mind of a 5 year old

Yesterday, after watching the end of Tarzan (the Disney version, of course), M. turned to me and said, "Mom, when you die is this the way it works? You get to say a few things and then you go straight to Heaven?" Kind of caught me off guard b/c I hadn't really been paying close attention to the movie, although I knew (spoiler alert!!) that the dad-gorilla had died. I thought is was fairly perceptive of him to make that connection. Lest you be concerned, we don't watch violent movies here - nothing rated higher than G - but occasionally the good folks at Disney will have someone die in the movie and usually, as M noticed, they get to say a few words before they go. Interesting that he picked up on it.

Last week he came home from school and told me in a very solemn voice that their class goldfish had "passed."
I said, "Passed? Like died?"
He said, "Yes, that is what Ms. Carole said. (again with a very serious face and slow, solemn voice) He passed."

At this point I'm pretty sure he clucked his tongue and shook his head. Made me feel like I was having this conversation with my own grandmother.

3 Generations

We have a great picture from when M. was a baby of the four male generations of the Stroud family (were this the middle ages, we would say I have successfully "done my duty" as have the Stroud wives who precede me). Sadly, Pop Pop passed away in 2006. But Sunday I took a great shot of 3 generations of Stroud men after we attended the Harlem Globetrotters game. A handsome looking bunch, I think. Of course I"m a little biased because I am married to one of them and the mom of another!

Spring Break

We started off spring break with a bang by going to see the Harlem Globetrotters on Sunday with Pop. M had a great time, although he didn't quite understand it all. He got a mini Harlem Globetrotters ball and has been having fun trying to make it do the same tricks that the Globetrotters can do!

Today he is off to Zoo Camp - a Radical Rainforest Adventure! Sounds like fun. And, finally the sun broke through the never-ending clouds this morning. I had almost forgotten what it looked like, it's been so long!

The other day, after stripping off his shirt so that he could paint "Indian stripes" on his chest, arms, face - you get the picture - he turns and looks at me and announced "Mom. It is too cold in here. I have duck bumps." :-) He gets angry when I giggle at his funny little sayings but sometimes they are just too cute to hold it in...

Why having a boy is so great

When we discovered at our 20 week ultrasound that M. was going to be a boy, I was a little worried. I grew up with a sister and wasn't sure that I would know how to be a good mom to a boy. But, man, someone knew what they were doing! I love being the mom of a boy. It is fun to build with Legos and race around on wheeled vehicles. And, boys are hilarious. 2 cases in point:

1. The other day M was crying on the sofa because his ears were still hurting him after his surgery (poor thing!). So, he's crying and I'm trying to comfort him and then all of a sudden he toots (passes gas). He looked at me, I looked at him and we both just started laughing. At which point, he tooted again and we laughed even harder!! And, it effectively stopped the crying too.

2. I served asparagus for dinner on Monday night. At first, M refused to eat it, said he doesn't like asparagus. When I explained that eating asparagus will make your pee stink, he suddenly LOVED it and ate about 5 spears. And, the next morning was rewarded with stinky pee, which he found vastly amusing!

See - boys ARE hilarious :-)

"Isms"

Today M and I were watching Lady and the Tramp together as part of our week-long movie fest following tonsil surgery. At one point, one of the dogs was speaking in a Scottish accent and he leaned over to me and said "Hmm, that's kind of unusual for a dog." He was quite serious and it was very funny.

Later, my mom texted to say she had landed at the airport early. I turned to M to let him know it was time to go get her and he said, "Yes, but has she arrived at the gate yet?" I seriously sometimes think he is 5 going on 25!