Preserving Arts and Craps

I've been feeling nostalgic since Johnny finished Kindergarten last week, and have been thinking about all the things I'm going to miss as he gets older. 

I'm not sure why it is hitting me so hard, I never felt this way with James.  It could be (and I really hope this is not the case) that a lot of the cute things James did got lost in our memories b/c we were so focused on his progress and therapies, or maybe because Kindergarten lasted 2 years and we were emotionally ready for 1st grade by that point.

It might be that because James didn't speak until later on, and then couldn't verbalize thoughts or ideas at that age, so these Johnny-isms seemed the funniest things we had ever heard. It could be that I wasn't on Facebook and didn't keep a journal (which I totally regret!), so I didn't have the chance to look back and relive those moments.

Or, it could just be that I know I'll never have another Kindergartner in the house (unless he is left on our doorstep!).

Whatever the reason, I keep going back to some images and reminders of things Johnny has said and done, trying to preserve them clearly so I don't lose them like I lose everything else in that black hole I call my memory.

So, more for me than you, here are some of my favorite comments and status updates from the past 2 years:

Favorite Johnny-isms

 "Coughateria", "Chopped lips", "Arts and Craps" and things that "blow in the dark".

Fluffy and Kitty School Moments
- Playing Candyland w/ Johnny and his stuffed kitty. Fluffy is winning.


Fluffy at Kitty School



Kitty school is growing.
Each student has a desk, chair, pencil and eraser.

- It's Dance Party hour at kitty school. Johnny started a "Justin Beaver" chant. 

-There are about 25 stuffed animals in line to see the Vet. I think we have a kitty flu outbreak over here...

Johnny being Johnny

- Johnny: "Mom, how do you spell right?" me: "you mean like take a right at the light?" Johnny: "no, like when you tell your mommy something new that she's never heard of before, ever, and your mommy looks at you and says 'you know, you're right and you are very smart to think that' "



Johnny Multi-tasking

- Johnny just wrote his name in Australian. It is upside down...

- Teacher asked Johnny this morning what he wants to do when he grows up. His response: "I want to do everything, except be a priest".

- My favorite part of today was Johnny sitting down on the steps of the State House and singing "I'm just a Bill, yeah, I'm only a Bill, and I'm sittin here on Capitol Hill" (From the day we went to the State House to support the Autism Insurance Reform Act)

- Johnny Drama just came in the kitchen crying that he really hurt his leg. "What happened?" "I fell! ouch! It hurts!" "what did you fall off of? The couch?"
"NO! OUCH! The FLOOR!"

- Johnny started crying while changing into his pajamas. "Johnny, what's wrong, are you OK?" I yelled running from the kitchen.  "NO!  I got a rug burn putting the pajama pants over my knee!"

-Overheard Johnny talking to his new friend on the playground --
Johnny (in excited, squeaky voice): "Greg! We have exactly the same stuffed animal!"
Greg (confused): "You have a stuffed butterfly too?"
Johnny: "No, I have a gray kitty. But Greg (now using his serious teacher voice) you know why I said we have the exact same animal? Greg, wait. Do you LOVE your butterfly VERY MUCH?"
Greg: "YES!"
Johnny (excited again): "I LOVE my Fluffy VERY MUCH TOO! That is why I said we have the exact same stuffed animal!!"

-OMG, I just looked in the living room and Johnny is dancing to "DJ got us Falling in Love" - on roller skates!

 - Johnny saw something about Cupid and asked who he was, I told him that there was a story that people who got hit with Cupid's arrow fell in love with the person they were with. he said " OH, That is what happened! I got hit with Cupid's arrow when I met Kaydence!" (a girl he became good friends with in his pre-school class 2 yrs ago ;)

Johnny to James on the way to swimming lessons. "Wait, did you say "heart" or "hard"? Was it "heart" like "she stole my heart?"

- Johnny told Tony tonight he believes in God. And Fairies.
Religious Education successfully completed in the Macchi household.

- Johnny: "MOM! There is a BULLY on bus 3-5-9! We don't have a bully on our bus. The cooties come every few weeks though, so that is bad!"


Johnny's been playing with his new file cabinet all day.
I'm waiting for him to start calling the keys "my precious"...



- kids are playing fetch. Johnny is the dog as usual.

James: "someone said the 'S' word on the bus today."
Johnny: "was it the 'upid' or the 'uck' one?

- Umm, Johnny just told me he hears voices in his head that nobody else can hear. I'm wondering if I should take the File Cabinet of Fun story more seriously...;)

- Johnny just said "Mom, life keeps getting gooder".

And the moment that makes me appreciate "Johnny being Johnny" more than any other and realize I have a lifetime of these to come:
- Just watched Johnny lead James all the way around the pool club by the hand to show him where our chairs were. Possibly the sweetest thing I've ever seen.