Plus, they have prize drawings. Lot of fun for the kids.
I hate that he does these kinds of things to us. We’ve talked about strangers and the danger of running off. But he is so impulsive. So we hurried as much as we could through the crowds to the front of the theater. No sign of him. Hubby took 9yo in the bathroom to see if kiddo raced in there because he knew that was where we were heading. No. People were everywhere and keeping the 2 littlest kids with us was difficult. I’m scanning the crowd, looking for oldest and panicking inside that he might have been silly enough to run outside. You start to worry if someone is abducting him because he’s out there all alone. Or is he going to do something reckless like run in the road or fall from something he decided to climb. He IS that impulsive. I’m holding girlie by the arm and she is trying to get away. Faces are streaming by but not the one I’m looking for. Then he runs up to me and grabs me around the waist, whimpering. The panick roiling in the pit of my stomach mixes with extreme relief and annoyance at him for putting us through that. And I feel sheepish about it, but I was glad to see that he was scared too. Not that it will dissuade him from doing things like this in the future. He still will. I think I am cured of family outings for good long while though.
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Time keeps ticking, ticking away… right on up to Happy Birthday!
Sunday, Sep 16, 2007
My little baby girl turned one last weekend. The year just flew right by. I held her in the hospital and then it feels like I blinked and we were singing Happy Birthday to her. I knew it would happen but I still can’t help feeling like she can’t possibly be one yet. Even her Daddy asked me if I was sure about her birthdate. He’s definately in denial. Just wait until she wants to have her ears pierced or go on a date or… Let’s leave the rest to another day. I’ll have her all grown up within two sentences if I keep going! Her birthday party was fun. She had a fun time opening her presents and chirping her excitement. She was adorable! It makes me smile just thinking about it.
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12:46 AM (UTC -4)
Tiny Dancer
Saturday, Aug 25, 2007
My baby girl is a beautiful tiny dancer. If she hears music, she grins and bobs up and down, clapping her hands. If she is happy, she flashes her most fetching smile and performs what I call a three point twirl. If she is really happy she does several unsteady twirls until she finally plops on the floor. Every so often, she also likes to plant her forehead on the floor in what looks like the precursor to a somersault. She is really fun to watch! Hurray for babies : )
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08:50 PM (UTC -4)
Back to School
Saturday, Aug 25, 2007
The boys went back to school this week. Someone asked me a few weeks ago if I was looking forward to them going back. The answer was not really. I know a lot of parents get tired of their kids constantly underfoot and likely fighting together. And so they look forward to a few hours to themselves and having the kids in school. But I knew that I would miss the carefree summer days. Less time to make pancakes. Travelling to the schools three times a day. Homework out the ears. Stressed out kids. Teachers that will get fed up by certain antics and behaviors. Worrying about how my boys are behaving and how they are being treated. Wondering if classmates will bully this year like they did last year. Will my seven year old get choked by a classmate again? Will my nine year old get his arms all clawed up again? Will they both get knocked down for the umpteenth time? Will one or more of them go missing at one point or another <again>? I’m not sure I like public school. I keep trying to have a good attitude about it. I keep trying to remind myself that my boys need to learn to deal with all types of situations and personalities. And I try not to worry that their self-esteem will possibly be obliterated by the time they reach junior high school. On the bright side, the teachers for this year seem great and I’m trying to be optimistic about the classmates and my boys. One day at a time and a positive attitude, right? Thinking positive thoughts…
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08:05 PM (UTC -4)
My Brother’s Wedding and Another Little Boy Lost
Saturday, Aug 25, 2007
My youngest brother got re-married last Saturday. We had been having a run of flu for a week and a half. Some members of the family were still sick. We went with the intent to stay for the ceremony only. After the ceremony and a quick bite of food for those who were not sick, we all headed home. On the way home I started thinking about when my husband and I got married. I got to thinking about how my twin brother was super sick that day. He laid on some chairs for the whole night. But he stayed – even though he felt so terrible. So, I dropped off my husband and my two oldest boys and headed back to the reception with my four year old boy and my 11 month old girl. When I got back to the reception center, I visited for a few minutes with family and then I stood in the entry hall with my sister. I was holding my baby girl on my hip and my four year old was standing by my side. He asked to go upstairs in a conference room and watch a movie on a television that he knew was up there. I told him to wait a minute and then I would take him up there. He wandered around the hall a little and finally hid behind a chair. I looked back there and he grinned at me. I figured he was playing some sort of game. I was talking with my sister and other family members as they arrived at the reception and I would look behind the chair every few minutes. Each time, my little boy would smile at me. Then I glanced behind the chair expecting his silly grin and NOTHING! He wasn’t there. My heart dropped. I looked around the entrance hall to see if he had come out just as I was looking behind the chair. No sign of him. I asked my sister if she had seen him. No. I started going from room to room calling his name. I went outside and walked around the reception center calling him. Then I went upstairs to the conference area and called him. Panic was pounding inside me like a wild drum. Several family members joined the search. My dad came back outside with me to help me look. I wanted to cry. I whimpered to my dad that I didn’t want my little boy to be lost and I was afraid that he could be taken. My dad reassured me that we would find him. All I could think about was how small he was, that I didn’t like this part of town, and that he has a speech delay that could make him more vulnerable to strangers or harder to understand by anyone trying to help him. We were passing one of the side doors of the reception center when my mom called out that they had found him. The relief that floods through you at such a moment is indescribable. All the panic and all the scary thoughts that have been whirling through you like a hurricane just suddenly clatter to an abrupt halt. And then a shift to extreme relief – and thankfulness. Thankful that all the terrible things you were imagining could happen didn’t actuallyhappen. So where was my little undersized speech delayed four year old through all this? Upstairs in the conference room with the television. And the naughty boy hid from me when I went up there and called for him. He came out when my sister went up there again to re-check the rooms upstairs. Ooooh! The urge to lecture! At least he did say he was sorry that I had been afraid and sad. The remainder of the wedding was much more peacefull and enjoyable. I hope my brother will be happy in this marriage and that they take good care of each other. It was a beautiful wedding and reception (except for the missing boy episode) and a lovely launch into their new life together. I wish all the best for them.
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07:04 PM (UTC -4)
Baby Steps
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Walking! My baby girl is walking! We watched her cruise around the furniture for several weeks but now she has gotten more daring. At first she tried standing all by herself. She would clap and squeal with delight. Then there were the tentative steps away from the safety of the furniture she had been holding on to. And now, she toddles all over the place. With an excited smile she careens down the hallway. She <cringe> can even climb the stairs. Mobility. I am so thankful to have her and the boys. They keep me on my toes and awake to the every day goodness in our lives. For the baby, all experiences, sights, sounds, tastes, discoveries, etc are so new and amazing. You can see it on her face. And it is such a reminder not to grow complacent and take what we have for granted. Through her eyes, what seems ordinary is really extraordinary. My life would be a lot less meaningful without them.
Okay, now some little playful predictions. I tell my oldest boy that he should be an actor. He has a tremendous imagination, strong emotions of all ranges, and loves entertaining. Alternately, his dream job would be to test video games. That kid would live in the electronic world if he could. With ADHD and such a strong personality, he would also make a great leader of some sort. He is certainly no follower. I think he will need to find something that he is really passionate about that he can totally throw himself into and harness those abundant energies. Something with a lot of variety to keep those rapid pulses in his mind engaged and stimulated.
My second son would make a good diplomat. With an older sibling with ADHD and a younger one with speech delay, he has had to learn to be a bit self reliant. His older brother will ask him to make peanut butter sandwiches for a snack. And he has perfected the art of sweet talk. He will butter us up one side and down the other and be entirely sincere about it. He says things like “Mamma, you’re hair looks so pretty” (and it’s in a messy ponytail that the baby pulled parts loose from) or “Mamma, you look so nice” (and I’m wearing my clean the house grubbies and the baby wiped her lunch on my shoulder) and “Sister is so cute!” (even with cereal face, she really is so cute) He is always saying something that just sets your heart singing. He might also make a good counselor or therapist. He is a great listener and so sensitive and empathetic.
My third son is harder to predict. He is four and has a moderate speech delay. He is also undersize. He wears a size 2T pants and places in the second percentile for weight and the fourth percentile for height. He is so tiny and communication is sometimes hard for him. He loves to play and gets this little sparkle in his eye that is quite enchanting. He has just started exercising his little imagination and likes to play pretend games. I think he would benefit from an active job. Something in sports (probably not basketball or football) like soccer or racing. He might make a good jockey. When he is a bit older it will be easier to tell what he likes.
The baby is just too young to predict. She is so pretty and I call her my little ballerina but that’s just in fun. She has only begun her move to mobility and isn’t yet light on her toes. She does have quite a diva streak in her (just try to take something away from her that she shouldn’t be playing with and oh-my, SHREIK! Your ears will ring) Maybe she should be a celebrity…okay, that was a joke, really!
Alright, so there it is. Time to put away my crystal ball. In the real world, they will arrive at whatever job they find or that finds them and that they don’t entirely hate all in due time. Hey, I’m still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up… For now, they get to be blissfully oblivious happy children.
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10:18 AM (UTC -4)
Ruffled Cast-On
Thursday, July 19, 2007
A couple of days ago, I was working up a little loom project and I wanted a ruffle at the bottom. I know how to do this with my crochet hook after the project is finished but I wanted to avoid having to join yarn to the project and weave more ends in. So, after some thought and trying some things, I came up with what I am calling the Ruffled Cast-On. This is just like the Crochet Cast-on but with more chains between pegs to give a ruffled look to the item. I am working on a hat using this cast-on tonight and will post pictures of it tomorrow to show what it looks like. The directions for what I have been doing are:
Complete the Ruffled Cast-On by making a slip knot with the yarn and place it on your first peg. Place your crochet hook through the slip knot and chain eight times. Place the eighth chain on peg two. Chain eight more times and place the eighth chain on peg three. Repeat this process for all pegs. At the last peg, chain eight times and place your eighth chain on peg one. Make sure the working yarn is behind the pegs. You should now have two chains on peg one. Knit the bottom chain over the top chain. This counts as your first knit for peg one. E-wrap all remaining pegs and knit off. Continue E-wrap until desired length.
Anyway, I am excited about the look this creates and wanted to share the how to with you. Have a great day!
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Birthday baubles and big time blessings
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
I am editing this to add that I bought paint to fix up my bathroom with birthday monies also. I got reduced price mis-tints to save money but I think the colors will work. I am really proud of how far I stretched my money. The most expensive thing I picked up was that book for my boys and my hubby : ) and it was less than $20! Yay me!
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My birthday was last month. Here is what I have been collecting with birthday dollars:
A tatting shuttle
A hairpin lace loom
3 Tunisian crochet hooks
Old timey embroidery patterns
A weaving loom (found on ksl classifieds)
1 yard of purple ribbon for a crochet baby dress I am making
2 baskets for my foyer
2 picture frames
Buttons for Yellow Rose Dress
Beading kit (turtles) to make with the boys
5 feet lace trim for Yellow Rose Dress (liked it better than the first purple ribbon)
A Dangerous Book for Boys (so Dad and boys can have fun bonding)
Postage stamps
I was also given some pretty wind bells that I hung right by my front door and my sister made me a memo board and an embroidered pillow that looks so pretty in my front room.
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Now, I have been feeling so fortunate lately. I have such a wonderful husband. He works so hard to provide for us. He seems to delight in spoiling the kids with little treats and goodies. He simply adores his baby girl and takes such delight in spending time with her. He is even talking like he isn’t quite as sure he wants her to be the last baby. I tease him that we can have another one when I am 60 because it is more common in today’s world. I also feel like my children are such a blessing. They fight and they can get up to all the familiar tricks that kids try and heaven knows that they bring the stress at times, but life would be so much emptier without them. I have been watching the coverage about the missing teen from Kansas and it makes me realize how fortunate I am. I feel so sad for that family. It is so easy to get complacent and think that there will always be another time to talk, spend time together, share a moment, show your love, etc. Yet, every single exchange is important. Every memory needs to be captured and held onto. And it is important to make special moments. When my seven year old was missing on May 11th, I kept thinking “What if we don’t find him? What if I never see him again? What if I don’t get another chance to tell him I love him and how important he is to me?” And even now, we have slipped back into the normal routine and grown complacent again. Hopefully they know that I love them with all my heart and that they are so important to me. I tell them all the time that they are my little treasures. I have told them from time to time that even if I lost everything else, if I still had them, I would be alright. I am grateful for my blessings and know that my Father in Heaven loves me. I hope and pray that the missing girl in Kansas will be able to go home to her family. I know they are praying for more precious time with their loved one.
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12:15 PM (UTC -4)
Little boy lost Part 2
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Back to the story. So, one would think that with the day’s earlier adventure, my seven year old would be right out front waiting for me after school. When I pulled into the school parking lot, my thirdgrader was standing at the curb, smiling and waving at me. I pick him up and we pull toward the front of the school to look for my seven year old. No sign of him. Not to worry… I’m sure after the field trip fiasco, it was top priority to make sure he boarded the bus to come back to school. So we wait longer. Kids are drifting away on their way home. Then both the buses drive away. Still no sign of my first grader. More children meander down the sidewalk to walk home. Soon, the parking lot is almost completely cleared. A teacher walks over to the van and asks who I am waiting for. Then he talks to some of the other teachers assigned to ensure safety in the school yard. I am still in the van and can’t hear what is being said, but it is written all over their faces that they have not seen my little boy. They walk into the school without another word to me. I start to worry. I call inside the school and ask if someone can make sure that he was on the bus back from the field trip. I am assured that he was. Then, a very confident man I have never seen before comes out. He is wearing khaki pants, a long sleeved white shirt (must be baking in it, too) and a tie. He assures me that my boy walked out front with his class and nods like that is the end of the story. I point out that he is not out there now. I have gotten out of the van now and I am walking back and forth in front of the school. I am looking in corners and scanning the school yard. Smug guy goes back into the school. Thanks for the help… I call back inside. Finally, they offer to page my child. I say I will hold. I hear my first grader paged to the front of the school three times. The secretary comes back on the line, says that he has not responded to the page and asked if maybe he didn’t just walk home. I say that he would not have walked home without me. I am asked if I would like to talk to his teacher. I say that I would like to talk with her. Then I wonder if maybe he did decide to walk home. Kids do some wacky things sometimes. So, I decide to drive home really quickly to make sure he isn’t there. I start crying. I call my husband and tell him his son is missing for the second time today. I ask him to call the school and let them know I will be right back and not to let the teacher leave before I could talk with her. Always diplomatic, he calls and growls that his “son is missing again and that Mrs. ________ is not to leave until he is found!” Not delicate or shy in any way. I am driving and scanning the faces of the children walking home. I am crying and imagining my little first grader left behind at the field trip and terrified. Or abducted right from the front of the school (This was actually attempted this year at the elementary a few miles from here) My mind is producing all kinds of worries. I see no sign of my little boy and head back to the school. I am met outside by smug man and teacher leading my sniffling first grader to the van. Where was he? “Sitting in the front bushes because he was too hot” The bushes that I walked past at least six times. The bushes right below one of the PA speakers that paged him to the front of the school. Words escape me. I am exhausted from the emotional roller coaster I have been riding all day. Maybe I DO want to homeschool after all… I am SO ready for this school year to be over!!! I just know I earned some silver today! It will show up in my hair in the near future. And I totally think this is why mothers deserve a Mother’s Day.
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11:35 AM (UTC -4)
Little boy lost – Part 1
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
On Friday, May 11th, my seven year old had a field trip to the dinosaur park and museum. First his class was going to walk along the river parkway trail. With a young baby, I didn’t think I would be able to help with the entire field trip, but I offered to come along for the walk by the river. The idea of all those first graders walking along the river made me nervous and I thought I could help out with that part of the field trip. So, I rushed around all morning getting everyone ready. We zipped out the door with drinks in a cooler pack, food for the baby’s lunch, stroller, hats, sunscreen, backpack for the one child going to class rather than a field trip, purse, sunglasses, etc. And we were even on time! Yay me! We drop my third grader to his class and wait for time to leave for the river parkway trail. Now, I have been on this exact field trip when my third grader was in first grade. However, I don’t entirely remember how to get there. So, of course, I am counting on the ability to follow the buses there. (Can you see some fore-shadowing here?) Now, the traffic lights all conspired against me and I am soon far behind the buses. Not to worry, I can follow this SUV that I recognize from the parking lot at the school. Also, I sort of know where I am going… All is fine until we are almost to the destination. The SUV I am following isn’t changing lanes and I am pretty sure the street we need to turn on is coming up. So, I change lanes and everyone begins to follow me (gulp). I turn on the street where I think we are supposed to be going. The parkway follows a river and the street I just turned off of is generally pretty near the river, but I am driving quite a ways and not seeing the parking lot for the parkway. Oh, did I turn too soon? Panic. So, silly as I am, I turn down a side street that cuts through a neighborhood. And the line of cars following me, well, they follow me. Aaaaah! I hurry and dial my husband’s cell phone. I tell him that I am lost and that all these cars are following me. He sounds a bit exasperated while he gives me directions that lead me right back to the street I just turned off of. Ooops! Of course, by this time, the cars following me have figured out that I was not the best person to follow and have left my goofy parade. Back down the street I thought must have been a wrong turn and just about a block further than I actually drove, there is the parking lot and the buses and all the vehicles I led astray. Blush… I park and get the stroller out, then the drinks, then the baby, then my four year old, then my purse, and finally my hubby’s sunglasses. The sun is pretty bright and, well, there may be some disgruntled parade participants over there too. I push the stroller over to the group to listen to the instructions they are giving. When I reach the group, I hear a lady petulantly telling another person that they were following someone who decided to “turn to soon”. So, she either knows exactly that it was me and is sending an indirect message, or she isn’t sure it was me and I am NOT confessing! (Oh, hee hee. That was me. Wasn’t that a fun little drive? Nope, not happening!) I am glad when the group starts walking. Whew. I told my husband later that I need a sticker or sign for the van that says “Don’t follow me! I have no idea where I am going.” You know, as a public service to others. Well the walk gets under way and I am pushing a stroller containing a 16 pound baby girl, a 28 pound toddler boy, about five pounds of drinks, and who knows how much my purse weighs. We go up slopes and down them. My cute little four year old adds to the workout by providing resistance with his shoes on the wheels or the blacktop. As we walk, my seven year old tries to fill my purse with an armload of pinecones. Almost an hour later, we are finally nearing the dinosaur museum and I am ready for a rest. Then, my first grader’s buddy convinces him to “race” us to the museum. This old borrowed stoller is not built for racing but I figure they are okay. They are still within the group and everything will be fine, right? The other mom in the group stays with me also. When we get to the park, our boys are not standing right there waiting for us. The other mom makes a few passes through the group looking for them and asking if anyone has seen them. Now I start worrying. What if they didn’t know where to turn and kept on going past the park? What if they fell in the river and no one in the group saw it? This other mom finally gets a man from the group to walk back down the trail to look for them. I am walking back and forth in front of the museum calling their names. My four year old is whimpering about wanting to go home and my baby is starting to really crank up. I think at least one of the teachers is going to help search but they go on with the field trip as if no students are missing! They check into the park and start passing out lunches. I want to look for my missing child but I don’t want to get far away in case they find him at the park. I decide to give the teacher my cell phone number so she can call me if they find him. I have not paid to go through the park so I am trying to get her attention through the fence. A little red headed boy keeps telling me that I have to go around. Finally, I am able to convince him to go get the teacher. But, she doesn’t come. She keeps handing out lunches. I call my husband and tell him that our son is missing and that I can’t get anyone to come help me look for him. I ask him to say a prayer that we will find him safe. Then, I hear a mom tell the teacher that she thinks I want to talk to her. I hear the teacher say that she knows and something else that I couldn’t quite hear. After I watch about ten more lunch bags go out to children, I am getting anxious and head back out to search. The teacher catches up to me and asks if I want her to come help me look for the boys. I say that yes, I think that would be good. Apparently, after I called my hubby, he called the office and said “My son is missing from his field trip and my wife can’t get anyone to help look for him. I want that situation rectified now!” Anyway, we trade cell phone numbers and she heads one way down the path, while I head the other way up the path. I am calling their names and looking at the river for signs that they may have fallen in. I am praying over and over that they didn’t and that no one has taken them. I walk and walk and am coming near a rustic restaurant in the area when my cell phone rings. It is the teacher. The boys have been found! Oh my heart! My knees feel like rubber and I can’t even describe what my insides feel like. I guess it’s a mixture of relief like a huge weight is lifting and lingering stress like a strangling clamp on my heart. I head back down the trail and meet my seven year old and his teacher out in front of the museum. His eyes are red and I think he must have been scared and crying. I hug him and tell him how worried I was. I want to tow him back to the van and take him home but I let him stay for the remainder of the field trip. I want to stay and make sure he doesn’t get lost but I only have a small amount of food for the baby and nothing for my four year old. I plead with my seven year old to stay with his group this time and let him go back into the museum with the teacher. With another prayer in my heart, I sit on a bench out front and give the baby her snack. Trying not to worry, we head back the way we came, get in the van, and drive home. Surely he won’t get lost twice in one day, right?
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01:11 PM (UTC -4)
The Last Kiss and Saying Goodbye
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Last week, on friday, I took 3 pizzas and 3 dozen cookies to my Aunt Lael and Uncle Don. Uncle Don has been sick for many years now. I just wanted to be helpful and thought that bringing dinner would leave them one less thing to worry about for the day. So, from 11:30 am to 5:00 pm I was in my kitchen (except when I sat down to feed the baby) making 6 pizzas and 6 dozen cookies. Then, I hurried off to get ready to deliver them. The timeline was supposed to be by 6 pm… then my toddler made stinky in his underwear and had to have a hurry bath during which time the baby decided to have a rest stop too. So, we leave the house at six and my hair is still wet from the shower and no makeup (EEEK!) I get the pizzas to my Aunt’s house about 16 minutes later than I told her I would bring them. My Uncle Don was being tended to, so I couldn’t even go see him. : ( So I headed home and fed my kids dinner. On Sunday, I stopped back at my Aunt Lael’s house to pick up my pans because I didn’t want her to have to worry about bringing them back to me. This time, I was able to sit in Uncle Don’s room and visit with Aunt Lael. I patted Uncle Don on the arm and we talked about some good memories and about when they lived next door to us while I was in high school. When I left, I asked if I could give Uncle Don a kiss. I kissed him lightly on the forehead. I’m not sure if he knew I was there or not. He didn’t wake and talk with me but he moved his eyebrows around and seemed to be trying to say something a few times. We headed off to my mother in law’s house to celebrate her birthday with her. Later that night, near 11 pm I think, my mom called to tell me that my Uncle Don had passed away. I can’t even begin to say how glad I was (and am) that I had visited with him that day. I almost put it off to the next day while most of the kids would have been at school. I would have missed the chance to kiss him goodbye. It made me realize how important each day is and not to put off spending time with the ones I love. We may not have tomorrow.
Uncle Don’s funeral was Thursday. I am so soft so I should have been better prepared and brought tissues with me. My mom had to give me a handful. I was doing fine until I read a note included in the memorial handed out at the beginning of the funeral. It was from Uncle Don’s 10 year old grandson. He talked about how much he was going to miss his grandpa and that he wished he could be here to teach him pottery. My Uncle Don made the most beautiful pottery. You can see some of it at the Navoo restoration project done by the LDS church. Anyway, this little note broke my composure, yanked the heartstrings and turned on the waterworks. The funeral was really touching and I saw some family members that I haven’t seen in years. My favorite part of the funeral was a recording that my Uncle Don made before he passed away. (He had something called Wagners Granuloma (?) and knew he would be leaving us soon) He began the recording by saying “I’m sure you are all wondering why I have called this meeting today…” He had such a sense of humor and it was so great to hear his voice. I love my Uncle Don and will miss him but I know he is better now and no longer suffering. The funeral was a peaceful close to a chapter of his life and an uplifting glimpse of his legacy. I love you, Uncle Don!
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06:32 PM (UTC -4)
The weekend
Monday, Apr 23, 2007
Friday: I deliver everyone to school. The morning routine goes pretty well. I go back to pick up my 4 year old from pre-school. I am taking him to the store to pick a reward for no accidents in his underwear for a whole week. He seems fine at first, but then he kept sitting on the floor and asking to go home. So we head for home. I am just putting down the garage door when I hear “BLUH”. Throw up all over him and his car seat. Eeeeew! Car seat is pulled out, clothes are stripped off, two towels later boy is plunked in the tub, carseat etc. dragged out onto lawn and hosed off, little guy put in pjs and laid down to rest. Whew! Little sick one throws up twice more then drifts off to sleep. Not very much later, I have to drag him back to the van so we can go pick up his brothers from school. I put a blanket under him (just in case) and off we drive. We just pull into the school parking lot and “BLUH” Thank goodness I put down a blanket! By dinner time, this little guy started telling me he was “hunry” and hopping around the dinner table. A short lived flu bug? Something he ate? Who knows? Just glad it was brief 
Saturday: Spent a lot of time doing yard work. Took the baby out with me at one point. After a few minutes, I realized I better move her out of the sun. Too late! By bedtime she had very pink cheeks! Oh poor baby!
Sunday: Much needed downtime! Looming and watching movies. Over too soon…
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07:31 PM (UTC -4)
It’s Monday all week…
Thursday, Apr 19, 2007
Who says you can only have a “monday” on Monday? This week, Monday was classic bad luck. The kids were out of control in the morning and they made themselves very late for school. When I finally finished busing them to school, I decided to clean and vacuum out the van. At any given time, I am likely to have half the sand from the playground scattered about my van. So, with shop vac in tow, I set out to conquer the kid clutter. In between peek a boos and silly faces for the baby, I suction and sanitize. I’m doing great and feeling good about my progress when I -OOOPS!- LOCK THE BABY IN THE VAN! How does this happen? Well, you vacuum for awhile. You bump the door lock button with your vacuum hose. Of course you have set your keys down on the driver seat because they keep falling out of your jacket pocket. It’s a bit breezy and you are a great parent who doesn’t want your baby to be cold. Since you are moving to the other side to clean, you shut the door on the side you were working on and try to open the other side. Presto! Baby and keys safely locked inside the van! (think Sid from Ice Age) I’m a genius!.. Oh huh-ney… can you come home and rescue your daughter from another one of her Mommy’s goofs? And wouldn’t a spare key be a wise investment?
I knocked a shelf off the pantry door six times. My husband finally got out a screwdriver and made some adjustments. I think he was tired of watching my clumsy show and really just wanted to block my access to the closet door…
I was sitting at the computer reading a sad story and weeping (yes, I’m soft) when, GASP! It’s time to be at the preschool to pick up my four year old! AAAAHHHH! Anxious dash to the preschool follows this realization. I’m so sorry, teachers! (how embarrassing!)
My husband actually told me that maybe I should “take it easy” and “not try to do anything else for the day” Silly! Not me! I march out to the garden Monday night and rip a non-producing row of raspberries right out of my garden. They’ve had six years and put forth berries once. Five whole little flavorless berries. About an hour later, I’m sporting a few dozen scratches on my arms, but the row is gone. I win!
Tuesday I am HURTING! I have had a ruptured disc in my back for six years now. I am sorely paying for my bravado in the garden last night. I shuffle around pathetically all day and even lifting my 15 pound baby girl is near impossible.
Thursday. Today. The boys won’t get ready for school again. They wrestle on the bed. They ignore the clothes I gave them to put on. They lose their socks. Everything I say to them goes unnoticed. I head out to the van. I’ts past time to leave. I get the youngest kiddos buckled in the van. Still no boys! I honk the horn. Seven year old yanks his curtain open and looks surprised. Looks like they didn’t even realize I wasn’t in the house anymore. They come running out in a panic – no coats, shoes, socks, or backpacks. I march them back in to gather up these kinda important things. In the hurry to get back in the van and on the way (now 15 minutes behind schedule) oldest son shuts his fingers in the van door. <SCREECH> “Mommy! Mommy! (now freed from the door and wrapped in a hug – big tears <I hope> on my sweater) Oh, the terror! That was horrible! Oh, pain…” In we troop for an ice pack. Call hubby. ‘Could they be broken? Should I take him to the doctor? etc.’ Finally on the road 26 minutes behind schedule. By the time we reach the school, the two oldest boys are back to their normal dynamics – wrestle, argue, horseplay, repeat. I guess the fingers must be okay. Do mommies get vacations. I think I feel a gray hair coming on… maybe a dozen of them. And a headache…
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12:07 PM (UTC -4)
A (busy) week at a glance
Monday, Apr 9, 2007
Here is a recap of my week:
Sunday – nothing special. Being that it was April fools day, I tried to draw mustaches on hubby while he was napping. I guess he doesn’t sleep heavy enough. (It probably didn’t help that I started giggling before I even started drawing on him. I’m just no good at pranks) He just kept wiping it away and muttering at me to stop it.
Monday to Wednesday – pretty average.
Thursday - We all load into the van on schedule to drive kids to school and the battery is dead! Someone left a light on in the van for more than 16 hours! Hubby has to come home and give it a jump. Yay, hubby! He’s our hero. Oldest son said that when he grows up he hopes he can be just like his dad and marry someone just like me (maybe he means in constant need of rescue : D ) and when his family gets a dead battery in their van, he will come and fix it for them. Middle son had a “Show and teach” at school about rocks. When we were practicing for it, oldest son was having a meltdown in the background. I wasn’t surprised that middle son didn’t remember much of his report and had to mostly read it to the class. Still, he did a good job.
Friday – Appointment for oldest son to review ADHD medications. This is a doctor filling in for his (who is on maternity leave) This doctor somehow arrives at the impression that oldest son may have PDD, Aspergers, or Autism and a learning disability. She orders up tons of testing. Best mom in the whole world (mine) came to watch half of my kiddos while we trooped off to this appointment. My parents are so great! After we get home, kiddos play outside with a neighbor friend and THE GLASSES GET LOST AGAIN! I’m starting to think I’m not kidding about supergluing them to oldest son…
Saturday – Happy birthday to my littlest boy! He’s the size of a two year old, but he just turned four. I spent some of the day getting ready for his birthday party and we went to the park for awhile so he could have some extra fun on his birthday. Oh, and oldest finds his glasses within 30 seconds (after numerous previous searches) because I pointed out that he would have a harder time searching for Easter eggs without them. Go figure!
Sunday – Happy Easter and a birthday party for my littlest guy. The minute my littlest guy woke up, he started talking about his “baket” and the “buyie” He wanted to know if the Easter bunny had come while he was sleeping. Candy consumption occured before breakfast, shhh – don’t tell anyone! We went to church. We came home and the baking began. For once, I was actually ready when people showed up. Yay, me! It was a great party. It is so fun when the family gets together. But, wow! It was hectic and a bit squishy in my little front room : ) After everyone headed home, I sat on a chair to rest. I had a big headache and was really just waiting for bedtime. I woke up in that chair at four in the morning! Hubby says he tried to wake me for bed but I wouldn’t wake up. Tee-hee! I was pretty tired, but I didn’t intend to sleep in the chair.
And that concludes a busy week!
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11:23 AM (UTC -4)
Glasses lost, glasses found…glasses lost, glasses found…
Saturday, Mar 31, 2007
ADHD and glasses is a bad combination. Oldest son has adhd. And he has two pairs of glasses. He is constantly forgetting to wear them. In the bustle of trying to get kids to two different schools in the morning, I usually realize that he didn’t bring his glasses as I am dropping him off at his school. I tease him that I am going to superglue them to his face. I think he doesn’t know that I am kidding. Hmmm, it would solve a lot of problems… Like how I always find them on the floor, wedged under the back end of some little tv junkie (I can’t call them couch potatoes because they always sit on the floor two feet in front of the television) Or I find them under a hundred toys in his bedroom. Or I go to kiss him goodnight and he is asleep with his glasses skeewampus on his face and a book on his chest. Or they are wedged between the matress and the bedframe. Or they are left in the bathroom on the edge of the bathtub. Anyway, you get the idea.
He has also lost them twice already. He has had them for less than a year. The first time a pair went missing, we turned the house upside down. We searched every nook and corner. We asked oldest son many times to try to remember where he left them. Finally, I thought it might be possible that he actually did wear them to school for once but then didn’t wear them home. So, I ask his teacher if she had seen them. She said she hadn’t seen any in the classroom but she thought that a pair had been found in the library. I walk to the office and ask if oldest son’s glasses had been turned in there. A receptionist opens a drawer and one by one, six pairs of glasses are pulled out! None of them were the pair I was looking for (maybe those kids have forgetful tendencies too) So, back to the house to think about any hiding places that might have been overlooked. Next day, the school calls to say that they have found another pair of glasses and maybe they belong to my oldest son. Can I describe them? Yes, they are copper frames with orange earpieces; they have the Nintendo logo on them because that will help oldest look “cool while he plays gamecube” and they look like they have been flung across a classroom – because they have. Yep, these must be yours. Oh, good! I’ll be there in ten minutes! I pick up missing glasses attached to a bright yellow paper with very wide, very sticky packing tape. I consider using the tape to secure glasses to oldest son’s face…
On to pair number two. This one just occurred last week. On Sunday, oldest son has a playmate come over and my three boys plus playmate run out into the backyard to play. They play for quite some time and then playmate has to go home. My three boys are dragged back in to get ready for bed too. Very shortly after coming in the house, oldest son exclaims “I left my glasses outside!” Ok, where? “Well, I didn’t want to wear them while I was jumping on the trampoline, so I threw them at the neighbors fence” -exhale, count, still mad, oldest son gets a grumpy lecture- All family members troop back out to search the grass for a pair of glasses. Driven back in, after about four passes between the trampoline and the fence, by the dark, and the hungry mosquitos. No glasses! Searches conducted again several times on Monday. Oldest son looks very dilligently (comparatively – he does have adhd, after all) because he is not allowed to play video games until his missing glasses have been located. Tuesday night, glasses are located by hubby, pushed down into the lawn (someone must have stepped on them) but still intact. Yay! Someone bring me the superglue…
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08:41 AM (UTC -4)
A Mom should be prepared for anything…and carry cardboard boxes everywhere she goes
Thursday, Mar 22, 2007
Picture it. You arrive at school with your forgetful guy or gal. All the classmates are carrying creative cardboard box cars. Your little forgetter cries “Oh, no! It’s the class party! I was supposed to bring a car!” You smile your superest Super-mom smile and say “Here you go, sweetie. Have THIS box. I was just using it to carry the baby, general craft supplies, tissues, bandaids, and my latest crochet project! Within minutes your little absent minded darling has a fabulous cardboard car with tissue upholstery, bandaid headlights, and a crocheted steering wheel! In the meantime, add some ribbon handles and it can take the place of your much too little purse!
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10:20 PM (UTC -4)
My first post – Meet Guppygirl
Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007
My life in a clamshell…I wanted to try a blog to “capture” some of the moments that I know I won’t remember later. And I am hoping to keep friends up to date and maybe gain a few more. So, for my first post – a brief intro. I have been a stay at home mom for a year now. I waited 8 years to get to this point. I have an incredible husband who sacrifices so much to make it possible. I have four cute little kiddos. We are really busy and really happy most of the time. If I had a genie in a bottle, I don’t know that I have any wishes… well, maybe a self replenishing yarn supply and more time for yarn and video games!
My oldest kiddo arrives at a very wise realization:
Saturday morning, I discover my littlest son watching cartoons and sucking on two magnet pieces from a set my oldest son owns. Now oldest boy has been warned many times of the dangers of these magnets and told to keep them off the floor and in his room. So, I take the drooly pieces from littlest boy and put the whole set away on a shelf. Soon after, oldest realizes his magnets are missing. When he realizes their fate, he launches a very vocal ‘return my magnets’ campaign. Tears are shed. Absurd logic and tactics are employed. Oldest is wrapped around my feet more than once. Shortly after dinner, I feel my resolve slipping. Should I offer a compromise? Would his grandpa be willing to take him somewhere for an hour or two? Will oldest find me if I hide in a closet? Then he comes to me and utters this very intelligent sentence: “Mom, I decided it’s a waste of energy to fight you.” Angels are singing gloria! I smile. I feel relief that we can move on now and I feel proud of him for learning. I point out that I was never fighting him, only sticking to my decision. Then, I offer to purchase his magnets from him so that he can go buy a safer toy. I’m no miser. I don’t enjoy taking beloved things away. He also has the option to purchase his magnets back again when the littlest ones are old enough to keep toys out of their mouths. He decided that this was an acceptable arrangement and peace returned to the house for a while…Bring on the ‘when are you going to purchase my magnets from me?’ campaign. Oh money man…your son wants to talk to you!
