This, That and the Other

Having three very unique children can be challenging at times.  They seem to come at me in all different directions with ideas, attitudes and such.  Let's just say life is never boring.  For instance:

I had a rough day and I guess it was showing because Jason, my four old, pulls me aside in his fatherly, wise way.  You know that look of concern, with the hand on your shoulder.  Suddenly I feel like I am the child.  He says to me "Mom, you are very tired today and grumpy.  You know if you took a nap you would feel a lot better, then you wouldn't be tired and grumpy" end of lecture and he seems extremely proud of himself for offering some good advice to Mom.

Emma declares while brushing her teeth that she is ALLERGIC to boys. Yes, indeed, allergic to boys.  And let me tell you, I am very happy to hear this.. I know God will heal her at the right time.

Aaron now calls me shorty and gives me that blingy smile of his, you know braces showing, orange and blue.  My 13 year old, surprise child with red hair that just a few years ago was hugging my legs now thinks it is cool that I have to look up to him. 

Actually all of my children have made it their goal to be taller than Mom.. Good Luck Emma, I have a feeling you will be living in the land of giants for quite a while.

So a little this, that and the other keeps me going!  A new day, a new adventure..... 

Adventure in toilet seats

My littlest one, Emma, is very petite.  We tell her all the time she lives in the land of giants.. so I can understand how some things might intimidate her, but the toilet seat?? oh my....

A few weeks ago I hear her let out a scream that definitely gets my attention.  She screams a lot so my reflex time is kinda slow.  But this particular day I jumped up and ran.  She met me coming down the stairs crying and holding her hand.  I asked her what had happened and she said "the toilet seat broke my finger!!"  ok.. she was so dramatic it took everything I had not to laugh.  Then she got mad at her brothers.  I tried to show her how to put the seat down without slamming her finger in it but she continued to have issues until Jason stepped in to solve all toilet seats problems.  Rather than just putting the toilet seat down when he was done he decided HE would teach her how to do it. It went a little something like this.  (I did not venture in there, just let him have it.. I stood outside the door and laughed MBO)

Jason:  See Emma, this is how you do.  Take the seat in one hand and slowly put it down, slowly, very slowly. SEE, just like that.  Now it is your turn.
Emma: I cant do it.
Jason: yes you can, slowly.
Emma: Ok, I will try.
Jason: SLOWLY!! Good, Good.. YOU GOT IT!!  Emma you did it!!
Then Jason comes running out of the bathroom so excited!  "I did it Mom, I taught Emma how to put the toilet seat down"  He was so excited, you would have thought he had taught her to ride her bike or something..  :)

For the last couple of weeks, all has gone well, till tonight.. Emma had a relapse and it went a little something like this:

LOUD Scream and a "aaaahhhhhhhhhh!  Jason!!! you didn't put the toilet seat down."
Now, I am sitting with Jason and this is his response.  Slaps his head and says "WHAT!..... I just taught her how to put that seat down... " He gets up and huffs himself in there and says "Let me show how to do this again.. "  and he goes over it all one more time and and then makes her do it and ends with "see, you got it!! good job" 

And all is well in their four year old world again.  Maybe Emma will get a revelation and explain to Jason how life would be so much simpler if he and his brother would just put the toilet seat down when they get done.  She may be petite but she can be a little spicy when the mood hits her  :) 

Momma, you got issues!

Ever have one of those days when you wake up on the wrong side of the bed and all your children decided that that day would be a perfect day to get on your very last nerve..   Yep! Me too!  I think today might be that day.  You know the kinda day you beg God to be merciful to you, pray your children will get so involved in being super hero's or something that they forget you exist and leave you to ponder life..   BUT instead they all get up on the wrong side of the bed too and spend the whole day involving YOU in all their issues! 

"Momma he pushed me.. Momma she looked at me, Momma I gotta go pee, Momma I am tired! Momma she is touching me, Momma I am hungry (even though they have eaten everything you have in the kitchen)...  Momma, Momma, Momma...!!!  Momma, she said they sky is blue...  Yep, that kinda day.. 

BUT it is pretty bad when your four year old tells you "Momma, you got issue's today"  hhmmm... you think!  I had to admit he was right.  Asked God for some grace for the day and put on my happy face cause Thing 1, 2 and 3 need me to be all I can be!

So, two hours of swimming, chicken nuggets, How to train your dragon and some fresh baked chocolate chip cookies brings me a few minutes of peace.  Gotta admit the chocolate chip cookies was my idea and yes, I ate the cookie dough :) The simple pleasures of life, especially on a day you got issues!

Listen and obey! But I dont know how.....

Friday was one of those days that I guess I really stressed LISTEN and OBEY!!  Because when I put the kids to bed Jason had something to say..  "Momma, when I grow up I will listen and obey and do whatever you say.. "  I tried to explain that if he started practicing now it would be so much easier when he grew up.  "But Momma, I don't know how to listen and obey!"  oh my... I tried to explain how simple it was.  You just listen with your ears and do what mommy ask you to do.

He must have really thought this whole listen and obey thing thru because in the morning when I asked him what shoes he was going to wear his response was "whatever shoes you tell me to wear.."

Merry Christmas, already!!

Somehow today I ended up with a bunch of Christmas books at the library... maybe it was a deep down longing to wear a sweater, to see my breath when I walk outside, to need to wear flannel jammies...

Caught! 

So at bedtime we read Christmas stories and the kids loved it!  Emma began to remind me of her fear of all things Santa Claus.. Then I began to remember some of our Christmas adventures!

When she was two we lived in Italy.  This was the first year she was really introduced to Santa.  All the kids were so excited, waiting for Santa to make his entrance and when he did Emma made a run for it while Jason stood mesmerized by this big man in a red suite and white beard with a bag full of presents.

Jason mesmerized, waiting patiently for Santa to c

all his name :)

 
 We began to understand why every time Santa was mentioned she would tell us she was on the naughty list!!  It seemed Emma had some how determined that if she was on the naughty list Santa would not visit her house.

I am on the naughty list Santa!

This past Christmas she made me tell Santa he had to leave ALL presents on the front door step.  Every night at bedtime she would make me check the doors to see if they were locked and then in the morning we would check outside for presents.

Can't wait to see what it is this year, cause this child has imagination!!

Stick a fork in me I am done!!

Today I was standing in front of the mirror in the bathroom after rounding everyone up to brush their teeth.. and I let out a big sigh and I hear "What I am gonna do with those kids"  Jason, standing beside me, watching me.... he always seems to say what I am thinking..

It has been a whirlwind of adventure the last couple of weeks.  Two weeks ago I went to camp with Aaron and did some exploring in the mountains.. it was beyond fun as I did not have any little people following me around for a few days and I got to unwind and breathe.  I loved exploring the trails in the Brevard North Carolina area.  It was beautiful time for me to reflect on life and rediscover a few things... but I gotta admit I did miss the dynamic duo though it was nice to get reacquainted with Aaron who seems to have been lost in the shuffle of raising demanding four year olds.. He is an amazing kid.

I have spent a lot of time at the beach this last week, riding the waves with some of my favorite little people and just enjoying life, FOR REAL, as Jason would say and a lot of time dealing with a four year old going on 15, Emma!  I asked her the other day what in the world was I gonna do with her when she does become a teenager and she just gave me a big ol grin.  I am gonna love her and love her and love her!!

At this point though... I am exhausted from all the running here and there... so I would say stick a fork in me I am done!!  :)  But it is fun watching my kids enjoy their summer time even if it wears me out. 

Diving for dinosaurs!

Jason has always been my adventurous one.  He started walking at 8 months, running, climbing and swinging on the kitchen door cabinets all before one.  To say he keeps me on my toes is an understatement.  But I love his zeal for life.  He is precious.  The doctor told me one time he was precocious. 

Today I spent hours diving for dinosaurs.  He has learned to swim recently and diving for toys is his passion.  He loves to hang on to my back and ride with me to the bottom of the pool to retrieve his dinosaur treasure.  I love it too.  So for hours I dive for dinosaurs with my little buddy hanging on.. soon he will be too big. 

On the other hand today he did lay ups with melons as I scanned the aisles looking for something.  Did not even realize what he was up till I heard a lady laughing, as I saw the melon go flying into the basket..  Then after shower time he disappeared with his partner in crime, Emma and came back with a new hair do.. He said he wanted it shorter on top..... Big Sigh... Deep breathe...

But tomorrow I will be diving for dinosaurs.  The grow up so fast and I do not want to loose this carefree innocent season of  my little ones.. when mommy's are cool, especially when they dive for dinosaurs.

Memories, pressed between the pages of mind...

Today being Father's Day, I know most of you probably spent time with your family...  As with most of my life, today was a hodge podge of this and that.. Spent some time with my husband as the kids presented him with his Superman shirt.  Jason (Aaron too) was most excited about this because he has one just like it.  And Emma was excited because she had decorated the tissue paper we wrapped the present in.  All in all it was a good day then off to the airport we went.. my husband is on the road again. 

My husband presented me with a statement today that has been churning in my mind all day..  Regret... I hope I don't look back one day and see that I wasted so many years and have no good memories of the times I spent with my family. 

Christmas 2009

So this afternoon as I took my little dolphins a swimming, I began to show them how my dad use to send me flying thru the air in the pool. I remembered how we would stand on his shoulders and jump off and the many times he and my Grandfather would take us to the creek and we would wade thru cold water, exploring.  As I watched the joy on my little ones faces as we played and swam I reflected on the good things in life, the little things that bring pleasure.  The time spent together.

I miss my Dad.  He went home to be with Jesus almost a year ago.  I use to love to sit with him and just talk about the weather or politics or our favorite in his last days, The Swamp People!  I have good memories pressed between the pages of my mind and I pray my kids will too.

Now, I am off to figure out how how to wow my kids with scientific experiments.. we gonna make a volcano that really erupts...  whoo-hoo!

My day went a little something like this....

Woke up very early on a Saturday morning from a little voice saying something about a wet bed.. was having a dream that I did not want to wake up from..

Had to try to explain to a curious four year how the Incredible Hulk turns green.. something about altered DNA  and no, Mommy can not turn into the Incredible Hulk, well.. not today.

Had to try to explain to the other four year that hell is not a place you want to go.

A little basketball with the 13 year old.. a graduation party, a frantic call about a four year melting down due to lack of sleep and a quick grab and go at Publix.

Jason running around the pool draped in a white towel looking like he is going to a toga party singing "I am funny and I know it"... giggle, giggle, giggle...

Dr. Emma declaring my blood pressure is high (no kidding, kid, I wonder why?) and I am in need of shots. "Don't forget to say ouch, Mommy, really loud!" Then insisting only baby lotion will help me.. I smell like a newborn coming home from the hospital.

Good night hugs and kisses with Emma declaring "Mommy I love you so much... sometimes!"

Sometimes you just feel like screaming.

Being a mom of three kids has it's moments.  What I have learned with my kids is everyday it will be something new, they are so unpredictable and hysterically funny at times.  I have a soon to be thirteen year old, Aaron and a set of four year olds, Jason and Emma which I call the dynamic duo.  They have caused me to gray prematurely and loose most of my hair.

Tonight was no exception to the endless fun I have with the dynamic duo.  I was putting them to bed, this is alone can cause me to want to scream.  They don't like bedtime, but I love it!  I think most mom's with a set of  four year olds who have a zeal for life love bedtime too.   

I got them into their beds and I am thinking to myself almost done.  Emma realizes she is missing something and I know from experience that this is not looking good, a meltdown could be coming really quick. I suddenly get a little frustrated and I voice what is inside my head "Emma, you make me wanna scream when you do this" when suddenly I hear a loud scream behind me and Jason says "like that momma"?  He so caught me by surprise, but he was right on, that is exactly how I would have done it. 

We all had a good chuckle out of this and Emma found what she was missing and all is well in our little world this night!