Mr. Z

This is a Z Day, I guess. Let's all sit around and discuss a few of his most endearing traits, Shall we? You know, the traits that could also drive a mom inSANE!?

Trait #1: That whole Immediate Gratification Thing? Ahem. Yup. That's him.
The kid WILL NOT wait for anything. He gave the Taco Bell cashier his change the other day (after we had already paid with a credit card), because he couldn't wait until we arrived at the store to spend it.

We saw a Spiderman figure at Meijers on Saturday. One that shot webs from his fingers and could "climb" walls and stuff. One that said cool things, like "Hey. I'm just your friendly neighborhood Spiderman!" It was on clearance for $6. I asked Z if he wanted to save up for it, and he quickly answered, "No. I don't want to save up for anything." While he still talks about that Spiderman he "SO wanted" at the store, he hasn't changed his mind about saving up for it.

Z helps with various chores around the house, and I'll pay him a quarter or so. He CANNOT WAIT to go out and spend his newly-earned money. He cannot think about anything else. The coins literally burn a hole in his pocket (or something to that effect, because he always seems to lose it) unless he spends it that very day. (It's pretty unlikely that we'll run out the door for him to spend his money, so it has usually disappeared before we get to go anywhere. I keep thinking, "Poor kid." But the truth is, he doesn't really care that much.)

Trait #2: PEOPLE PERSON.
The boy gets his energy; (his happiness, his joy, his ability to LIVE) from interacting with other people.
The kids still have quiet time every day. For two hours. Partly for my sanity. Partly because they are with each other all day, every day, and I think it is good for them to develop the skill of entertaining themselves.
Z can hardly stand it. He used to pop his head out every five minutes (or seconds?) and ask, "Is it done yet?" He can tell time now, so he has no excuse on that end. But he STILL comes out to ask every other question he can think of. "Did we eat lunch?" "When is Papa coming home?" "Can you fix my Spiderman costume (the one that has been broken for the last 2 months)?" "Why is my hair white but B's is brown?"
The rule is he can come out to go to the bathroom, but besides that, he has five minutes added to his quiet time for every time he opens his door. He doesn't care. He just WANTS to see SOMEONE! Usually, he ends up taking a nap; not so much because he is tired, but because he just can't handle the quiet!

(Just a second ago, he opened his door, and I responded with, "E (Proper 1st name even!), shut that door." And he did shut it. I just had to remind him to go IN his room before he shut that freaking door.

The other day, Z was having too much fun outside. I asked him to come in, and he pretended to not hear me. He did come in, finally, but he missed his opportunity to eat lunch. He was a little upset (while not that much effected, because nothing really bugs him too much, really). I said, "Z, usually life is better if you do what we ask you to do." And he said, "Yeah, well, better isn't always funner." And that, folks, is the third trait of our boy's.

Trait #3: Looks for the FUN in Every Situation.
Usually, I am so overjoyed to have a kid that likes to have fun. But sometimes, like when he got bored sitting in church (he was sitting by an elderly friend of his, so I had no control) and decided to walk up the middle aisle and in FRONT of the speaker to find something more fun to do, which involved clomping down the echo-ey staircase and down into the basement. (?!) I could have beat the little punk. (I mean "beat" in the most kidding way possible, so quit giving me that "look", stranger in the booth across from me at Applebees.)

Love you, Beeks. Love you alot.