Vday at the Q!

Picked up Z from sugarland...err Montessori valentine party...yesterday afternoon and knew his gymnastics coach was in for a great evening of corn-syrup, red dye-induced fun! I about freaked out when I saw a jug of red fruit punch sitting by the school door. Eyes huge, I looked at my little bundle of conversations hearts and said "Um...please tell me you did NOT drink that stuff today."

Z: I did not drink it mommy, it has red dye and I can't have red dye and we are not allowed to have that at our school. (hey at least he knows he can't have hyper dye whew, we are learning).

Apparently some little girls' mom thought that stuff would add a lot of fun to a party for 3 to 5 year olds...we have a lot of work to do folks (channeling Jamie Oliver now), but I digress. The teachers made her take it home and never gave a drop to the kids...whew. But some candy here, a cookie there...and oops where did those red sprinkles come from...CRAP! If you're kids get overly hyper, I challenge you to look at the food dyes and the high fructose corn syrup they are consuming. Call me a paranoid quack or whatever you want, these things DO make a difference in many children's hyperactivity and behavior....especially my Z. He cannot tolerate red dye, period.

So off to gymnastics we went. I warned coach Raleigh that Z may be a little distracted and crazy, but that we'd talked about trying to control the mouth and body even when you feel like going nuts!! He wasn't deterred and said it was better for the boys to have too much energy than not enough. I think the boys have really grown on Raleigh; he does such a good job with them and they seem really attached and impressed by his crazy strength. Have to add that he put on quite a show for them, hoisting himself like a flag from the door frame, defying gravity and telling them which muscles had to be strong to do that. The boys were flabbergasted and couldn't stop talking about it all night.

We hit Q'doba after gymnastics with the Campbells. Zachary and Andrew have become pretty good friends and they enjoy hanging out. Didn't realize till we got there it was BOGO kissing night...kiss your sig. other and you get a free entree...sooo stinking crowded, but a really fun promotion no less. So we kissed in front of the cashier....Z and Andrew were being entertained by several firefighters who happened to be there. I think the guys were getting a kick out of the boys.

Z kept going over to their table and telling them all kinds of interesting information about a fuse that's freaking out in our car causing the climate control lighting to blink every once in awhile. He was holding court as usual...with them and with the people at the next table. He commands an audience most everywhere we go and I rarely know whether to try to stop him and apologize or just let him fly. I think the look on the spectator's faces usually helps me figure out when to pull him back...most of the time they get a kick out of it...but some people are just bumps on logs and apparently don't like kids...their loss :)

Firefighters told Z and Andrew they need to come by the station....think we'll do just that on Z's birthday because by my calculations, they'll be on duty again that day!