you're a good sport, charlie brown

For the past few months, we've been having a few issues with the little man's sportsmanship conduct. He's always been a bit on the competitive side, but lately, he's really been having a hard time with losing. A really hard time.

According to him, he does just fine when he plays with other kids. Somehow he manages to keep it together. But when he plays with us, there's a lot of "IT'S NOT FAIR!!!" a little cheating if he can get away with it, pleas to not count something that worked against him and an all out fit of tears when he loses. After a few ugly games of Sorry, we decided to put competitive games on hold for a while.

Each day he would ask to play Sorry, Skipbo or something else. And each day we would tell him we were taking some time off. We went a good three or four days of telling him we weren't ready to play games with him until he could be a better sport. Then this weekend we gave it a try. I must say the boy learned his lesson (at least for now). He was the ultimate good sport saying "Congratulations" each time he lost and even making jokes about his bad luck. I had to rig the Candyland deck after I won three times in a row -- c'mon, the poor dude can only take so much.

He did really well all weekend. There was one pretty intense game of Blockus when Papa won and the tears started flowing. He tried so hard to keep it together with deep breaths. It was hard to watch but I'm so proud of him for trying so hard. Let's cross our fingers that it lasts.

quote of the day

PAPA: Mmmm, that smells good, what are you making?

MAMA: Vegetable stir fry with peanuts.

ELIAN: (From the other room) Did you say vegetable stir fry with PENIS?

movie night

Last night we had movie night and watched Toy Story 3 (again). If you have not seen it, I can't recommend it enough.

The little man and I were in total snuggle mode on the couch. We got to the end of the movie when before heading off to college, Andy gives his toys away to a little girl (SOMEBODY GET MAMA A TISSUE!). I said to Elian, "So when you go off to college, do you think you might give Target to a little boy or girl?"

He responds, "I don't know. I'm not at that point yet." And there was more reflection and maturity in his response than I ever would've imagined. And I knew I wasn't blubbering because Andy was headed off to college, but that in about 12 fast years my little man will be.

(Unless he goes to the University of Minnesota and lives with Mama and Papa forever. I mean, not that I'm planning that...)