He Did It!

This late afternoon I took Grant down to the WIU track and we just started running together. I said:
"Don't run fast, just move your feet enough to say you are actually running."
"When you feel like you want to stop say these words out loud: You are wrong brain- I CAN do it!"
"If your breathing gets really hard take air into your nose and out through your mouth really slowly but really deeply."
I've never actually witnessed him listening to everything I said and actually doing it! Funny thing was that I said those things right before we started running. Once our feet started moving we started a game. We played 10 questions, 20 is too long when you are trying to distract a five year old, or 30 year old, whatever! He started...I asked:
Jo: Is it an animal?
Grant: Yes
Jo: Is it a mammal?
Grant: No
Jo: Is it a land animal?
Grant: Sometimes
Jo: Hey, it has to be yes or no
Grant: Well, ask a yes or no question
Jo: I did
Grant: I can't answer it with a yes or a no
Jo: OK is it a Frog?
Grant: Hey, no fair
Jo: yes it is. yes or no?
Grant: yes
Jo: My turn
(lap 1)
Grant: Is it nocturnal?
Jo: What?
Grant: Does it only come out at night? Like Daddy (laughing out of breath)!
Jo: I know what it means but why wouldn't you start with: is it an animal?
Grant: I don't know.
Jo: No
Grant: Is it a thing?
Jo: Well, it isn't an idea...
Grant: Mom! Yes or No!
Jo: Yes
(lap 2)
Grant: Ok is it an animal?
Jo: ummm, technically for the sake of 10 questions yes
Grant: You don't play this right
Jo: I'm just saying that some things can't be answered with yes or no.
Grant: I know you are just going to say Dragonfly
Jo: Hey no fair!
Grant: Yes or no? Laughing.
Jo: No!
Grant: Liar!
Jo: Yes!
(Lap 3)
Grant: My turn
Grant: You won't get this one
Jo: is it an animal?
Grant: No its in the human body!
Jo: sound of loud laughing mixed with tough breathing: Did you mean to say....
Grant: NO! I forgot what we were doing for a minute!
Jo: Is it blood?
Grant: no?
Jo: is it lungs
Grant: no
Jo: is it the tricuspid or mitral valve?
Grant: Kindof
Jo: is it the heart?
Grant: Yes!
(Lap 4)
Grant: Hey Mom are we done with our three laps for today?
Jo: Yep, plus 1 ! WE JUST RAN YOUR FIRST MILE WITHOUT STOPPING!
We jumped up and down and hugged and of course as we held hands on our way back to the car he squeezed my hand three times...our secret way we tell eachother "I love you."
Wow, I see into my future and all the days that are like these and it looks fun.
Oh, wondering why I didn't mention Jake? I left him at home with his Dad because Ted told me to. I felt guilty doing it, because Jake is well, high maintenance. Ted worked 11pm-7am last night then someone couldn't make their shift this morning so he was lucky enough to work straight thru until 3pm this afternoon. After I got back with Grant and Tropical Snow Ted went to bed. We will see him tomorrow I hope.
At one point this evening Jake got a time out. It started like all the others: (a rude comment, hitting, kicking, throwing something at someone...just plain being mean). I atually started my stopwatch instead of a timer this time. When Jake finished his screaming, flopping, running out of time out, only to be put back again and again, his begging, his trying to break the walls, when he finally finished it had been 65 minutes. It would have gone on longer but I think he heard Grant and I playing the piano together. Grant actually asked if Jake had been in more than in time out during this time or if it was all one. I told him that it was all one and he couldn't believe it. He asked if that was the longest timeout I had ever given and I said no way. I had given him (Grant) many lasting well past that. I had witnesses. (God blessed me with two very strongwilled children and extenuating circumstances that often negated my hard work.) Unfortunanelty, the moment I had been waiting for all day was ruined due to Jake's Time out. I wanted to take the boys to the nursery at the YMCA so I could practice my 3 mile run and lift like I usually do on Thursday nights. Plus I really needed it after being with the boys for so long alone. But, I faced it and decided I had another plan. I was mean mommy to Jake and put him to bed at 7pm. put Grant to bed at 7:45pm and then I went outside and ran laps around the property. It is very rolling with hills and trees and it reminded me of our high school cross country training course at the Golden Hills Country Club Golf Course. I ran until I couldn't run anymore and then I felt oK with today's workout.