Girls

I am always trying to find ways to facilitate these girls' friendship.  Because of their girlish emotional states that are often very turbulent and unpredictable (sheesh it sounds like they are already teenagers) their friendship has not come as easy or as natural as the boys'.  Sometimes they are adorable together, playing for hours in a make believe world; and other times they fight and fight and fight.

 

One way I have helped them be friends is by keeping them in the same room.  It has come at a large cost because Megan wakes up around 5:45 or 6:00 and wakes Madison up.  She needs to sleep longer; she is tired and whiney the rest of the day.  This sounds awful and even as I am writing it I think, yes, I should put them in separate rooms.  But those early hours in the morning are sometimes the only hours when they are SO GOOD together.  Most mornings I come into their room and find some sort of wonderful scene.  On this morning they had turned the lights on in their castle and Megan was reading Madison a book.  If I separated them or taught Megan to quietly come out of their room each morning almost 80% of their "happy sister time" would be lost (another 10% of the remaining 20% happens after we put them to bed).  I tell myself in the larger scheme of things their friendship is way more important than a cranky 2 year old - but wow - a cranky 2 year old is hard!

 

I had to turn the flash on to get a close-up.

On other mornings they are playing some sort of pretend play with their dolls and stuffed animals.  They love making beds for them.  Megan has mastered the older sister roll of telling Madison what to do, but in a very "teacherish" way.  "Madison, this is how you make a bed, see, look at me, I smooth down all the sides, you don't want any wrinkles, see, now you try".  It cracks me up.  Madison is a very good student and loves when Megan teaches her how to do things.

 

When my mom was in town she bought the girls their first completely matchy outfits.  They love when they get to wear them and dress alike.

But not quite enough to take a good picture. :)  I pray daily for their friendship.  I believe strongly that sibling relationships are vital and can make all the difference in a child's life.  But I have to give myself grace to know that I am not in charge of it and it is THEIR relationship and not mine. 

Great

Today I was making egg salad sandwiches for my kids. This always makes me think of my great grandma - we called her "Great". Every time we went to her house she made us egg salad sandwiches (she grated her eggs with a cheese grater) and had starlight mint ice cream in a sugar cone after.

My grandma also makes them for her grandkids and great grandkids. When I gave them to my kids Brock said, "I love egg salad sandwiches because Great Grandma Brown makes them for us."

I am glad my kids have the same memories of their "Great" that I have of mine.

Daily Randomness

 

One Saturday morning I heard Brock yell - come take a picture of us.  They were so proud of their little bed.

 

 

Noah is still a very focused builder and player.  This should actually be a picture of him with his legos.  He loves to build and create things.  Then he just lays on the ground and plays with them.  I love it.

 

Megan spends a lot of her day in some sort of dress up.

 

And Madison is always cooking something.  Lately it is ice cream sundaes and smoothies.  She takes everyone's orders, brings it to you, takes it away when you are done, then she actually does the dishes, and puts it all away.  It cracks me up!

 

I don't remember why I took this picture. But I did.  A typical lunch - except for the chicken nuggets, their not typical - I haven't bought chicken nuggets in almost a year - but they were on sale at Costco and thought they might come in handy for a few quick lunches.

 

One day I decided to take pictures of what the house looks like after a few hours of playing - right before "clean up time".  Just to remind myself in a few years I guess.

We've got dress ups in one corner, baby doll stuff in another, kitchen a mess, and on the train table is some water colors drying.

 

  

Brock and Dad playing Startego.

Just Another Day... in Paradise?? !!

Funny how some days flip on you.  Today started terrible.  I was at the end of my rope.  It is always a bad thing when you start your day at the end of your rope... right?!  It was a long time coming.  It had been a long week.  There wasn't a day or night I wasn't dealing with all sorts of stomach bugs and throw-up.  I was up in the middle of the night every night with carpet cleaner and laundry; soothing some child back to bed.  And just when we had gone 24 hours with no one sick - another one would get it or re-get it.  And of course they are never just sick - the whininess is more than any mother can take.  Megan would go from 0 to 60 in under half a second.  Full blown screaming tantrums at the drop of a hat.  Friday was the worst.  I took them all to the store to try and find the strongest probiotic yogurt or kefir I could find.  They were awful - the kind of awful that when we were done I shoved them all into the car and walked the cart sooo s l o w l y to the farthest cart storage lane and then when I turned around and saw my mini van I burst into tears.  "Please don't make me go in there" - I could hear the fighting before I even opened the door. 

Saturday morning started with screaming and the fighting.  I yelled at Megan within the first 5 minutes of being at the breakfast table.  She wanted more milk in her cereal.  And instead of asking for it - she whined for it very very loudly... I had had enough.  I was done. 

I went back upstairs and thought about where I could go so I could leave Jason with the kids all day - I DID deserve it anyways.  But then I remembered my own belief.  When I am at my end - checking out never solves the problem as well as fully checking in does.  I hadn't really planned on fully "checking in" - I just decided not to "check out".  I knew it would solve nothing and I would have to come back.  I needed to be happy at home - a HAD to find a way.

Nothing really magical happened - I said a prayer (of course) - that my attitude could change, and I threw in a little plea that my children's attitudes could change as well.  Then we just went about our day.  Brock had a friend come over and invite him to go swimming with their family.  So Jason and I decided to divide and conquer the others.  He took Noah upstairs and decided to have some quality game time with him; they played chess, checkers, stratego, jenga, and a few others.  I had the girls (the ones I probably would not have chosen if I had a chance) but the best part was my attention wasn't divided.  I had nothing else to do.  We could do what ever they wanted.  We read some books under a blanket, we played kitchen and babies for a little bit, we played a Cat in the Hat matching game and a Super Why game and then we built a marble run tower.  No one yelled, no one whined, and the girls were great too :).  Then Brock came home and I took him to his soccer game while Jason stayed home and did lunch and naps.  Brock and I went to the store and his game and had some great talks.  Then when we got home Jason and I and the boys spent some time together talking and reading our new chapter book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, we read 4 chapters more than intended because the boys kept begging not to stop.  Then the girls woke up and I played with them some more while Jason did some school work with the boys and then we alternated baths and showers while we played with the ones not showering or bathing.

It sounds so simple - why can't it be accomplished more? I don't know the answer to that; today all the stars aligned and each child got a TON on focused, simple, quality time and attention.  And  that made all the difference.  They needed that.  I needed that.  It was easy.  It wasn't until the end of the day when I thought today was a good day, a REAL good day.  I almost had completely forgotten how bad it had started.  It was just what I needed.  They are good kids.  I am a good mom.  We just all forget that sometimes. 

Botanic Gardens

I think it was President's Day.  Jason was off work and the boys were out of school.  It was a beautiful day - especially for February - I think it was like 68!  We decided to visit the Botanic Gardens - we knew it wouldn't be beautiful - but we just wanted an outing other than a park.

 

Maddie and Jason

Even though the weather was wonderful the kids found a patch of ice that made a perfect skating rink.

I guess it tasted good too.

 

Brock took this of us.

 

And we found the most friendly little pony.  I can't wait to go back when everything is green and blooming.

Basketball

To just add a few last pictures from Brock's Basketball season.

 

He got to play with some boys from his first grade class.

And the whole team.  He had a great time and loved playing the games.  I loved watching them - basketball is for sure my favorite sport.  He had one week off - and now has his first soccer game on Saturday.

The sickness

I am going to blog - even if it has no point, or is not interesting.  That seems to be my life anyways - and isn't that the point of the blog.  To capture the real.

Speaking of real - things got real "real" around here the last few days.  Monday morning I went to help in Brock's class.  The girls went to my friends Hannah's house (she is my doppelganger - her name is Hannah, she dated her husband in high school, she had four kids in four years all the same ages as mine (their birthdays are all in the same month!), and a few other things, oh she is awesome - just like me:)  Anyways, she watches my girls once a week while I go volunteer in either Noah's or Brock's class and I bring her kindergartner home everyday. 

Anyways, to the point, I was IN Brock's class helping for an hour (this will become important information later) and then I picked up Noah and the girls and we went to the library.  At the library I got a phone call: Brock has thrown up - everywhere.  No warning, just... everywhere.  I go pick him up.  He told me his tummy had hurt all day.  Why didn't he tell me!  They do not pay anyone enough to clean up someone else's kids throw up.

We get home, put girls down for a nap.  Brock throws up 2 more times - not ever making it to a toilet or a bowl.  AHH! Madison woke up from her nap screaming.  Throw up is all over her and her bed.  Clean her up and put her in the bath  - while I clean up her bed.  She throws up in the bath, Brock throws up twice more while I am cleaning up Madison, her bed, and her bath.  This continues the rest of the night.  Both throwing up at least 3 more times.  Megan complains of stomach aches but never throws up, and Noah is as happy as a clam.

I sit all four on the couch, with bowls on their laps, and turn on a movie.  Brock threw up once in the middle of the night and so did Madison.  Tuesday morning I send no one to school even though Noah REALLY wanted to go.  I was not going to get another phone call.  All day Brock, Megan, and Madison are hunched over complaining of stomach pains - but no one throws up - all. day.  phew.

Tuesday night I shower everyone and at 7:15 I start c l e a n i n g.  The kind where it takes 2 hours to clean your kitchen.  I don't stop until 11:00 pm.  I continue in the morning (I sent the boys to school - both were fine).  Everything is cleaned and EVERYTHING is washed (all the way down to our baby dolls blankets and clothes).  All in all a good 8 hours of cleaning. 

And now - I start feeling.... off.  Girls are down for a nap.  Noah is watching a show.  And I am going to lay down. 


Oh and did I mention that we have just gotten over bronchitis and pneumonia!  Brock missed 13 days of school and Noah missed 6!  I took this picture during the "sickness".

We laid around in jammies under blankets and fell asleep randomly for a good 2 weeks.

Babysitting

I have started babysitting a 3 year old and a 9 month old for a couple of hours once a week.  I love it.  I mean... l.o.v.e. i.t!!   After my first week I posted on Facebook "I watched a 9  month old today and all was right with the world".  It is so true.  I feel like I am in my element when I have a baby around.  I just get in the mothering zone and I get so much accomplished AND I am a really good mom to all of them.  Not having a baby makes me lazy.  Not that I want to get into the whole

"are we" or "aren't we done" debate on this blog post - but although having her at our house seems to make my heart swell - it truly has not made me baby hungry.  I feel that we are done.  But it is nice to reaffirm and realize that I was good at it - and I could do it again if I needed/wanted to.  (Plus we still plan on doing Foster Care in a few years.)

 

I am not the only one that loves having a baby around.  When Jason came down the stairs for work, on their first day, she was sitting on the floor with a bucket of our baby toys - stuffing all of them, very thoughtfully, into her mouth; Jason said, "aw, I haven't seen that in a long time" and then he stopped and watched her for a couple minutes just smiling.  

 

And then - there are the girls.  Their whole life is complete when she is at our house.  All week they await her arrival.  She just soaks it all up too.  When she sees the girls she laughs and kicks her feet - it is so cute.

 

Here they are playing peek-a-boo at snack time.

And not to mention the three year old - we love him too.  It is just that three year olds are kind of a dime a dozen around here. :)  He is wonderful.  He gets along with everybody; he just wanders around our house playing with all of our toys and takes a 2 hour nap - can't beat that!