For as picky as my boys can be, they sure have no problem eating their favorite foods out of the trash! We had opened a bag of Oreos a couple of weeks ago and the boys ate most of the pack. However, the ‘self-seal’ bag of Oreos was not properly sealed when they were put away on a high shelf. They were put on the high shelf so they were “out of sight, out of mind” for the boys. I noticed the other day that the self-seal bag was not sealed properly and more than likely not been sealed since they were put away so I threw the pack away.
The next thing I know, I see Darren sitting in front of the trash can eating the Oreos out of the trash can. Granted, they were sitting on top of the trash, but still.
Last night I see a stick of butter just laying on the shelf in the fridge and the wrapper a shelf below it. I pick up the stick of butter to discover that someone (Justin) has been taking bites out of it as if it was corn on the cob! He has only done that with butter sticks and not margarine sticks, so I know what he prefers.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Baby memories
My sister Carla had a baby boy yesterday, and I went to the hospital to visit my newest nephew after work. He is a cutie, but I can’t figure out which of his siblings he resembles. I must have been feeling kind of sentimental as the drive home had me reflecting on many things.
How I had my first baby almost eight years ago and I have absolutely no recollection of my in-laws visiting that night with Bruce’s brother and wife. I was told they were there and there are pictures to prove it, but I must have been so exhausted during their visit that I recall nothing.
How Carla was 20(!) years old and working second shift at Dorthy Love and the nurses allowing her to visit me after visiting hours that night. How I woke up to see she was in the room and was absolutely thrilled and fascinated with her nephew. How she told me to just go back to sleep and she was going to sit and hold him and look at him for a while. How when I was emotional and crying that my son had a cone head, Carla said his head would be fine in a few days (and it was round the next morning).
Fast forward to five years next month when I was pregnant with Darren and fell on my belly while falling on Nathan. How labor was a pain (get it? Pun intended), but recovery was a breeze. How my scrapes and body hurt more from the fall than the actual delivery.
This July will be three years since I delivered my last and how I was so antsy just to get out of the hospital. How when the doctor told me that since it wasn’t my first kid, and if I was comfortable with it, how I could go home when Justin was released. I jumped all over that opportunity just so I could go home and get some decent rest.
Everyone says to enjoy the early years as they will fly past although it doesn’t feel like it now. And day-to-day it seems like a forever, but looking at it in a year time frame does make the time fly.
How I had my first baby almost eight years ago and I have absolutely no recollection of my in-laws visiting that night with Bruce’s brother and wife. I was told they were there and there are pictures to prove it, but I must have been so exhausted during their visit that I recall nothing.
How Carla was 20(!) years old and working second shift at Dorthy Love and the nurses allowing her to visit me after visiting hours that night. How I woke up to see she was in the room and was absolutely thrilled and fascinated with her nephew. How she told me to just go back to sleep and she was going to sit and hold him and look at him for a while. How when I was emotional and crying that my son had a cone head, Carla said his head would be fine in a few days (and it was round the next morning).
Fast forward to five years next month when I was pregnant with Darren and fell on my belly while falling on Nathan. How labor was a pain (get it? Pun intended), but recovery was a breeze. How my scrapes and body hurt more from the fall than the actual delivery.
This July will be three years since I delivered my last and how I was so antsy just to get out of the hospital. How when the doctor told me that since it wasn’t my first kid, and if I was comfortable with it, how I could go home when Justin was released. I jumped all over that opportunity just so I could go home and get some decent rest.
Everyone says to enjoy the early years as they will fly past although it doesn’t feel like it now. And day-to-day it seems like a forever, but looking at it in a year time frame does make the time fly.
Friday, February 17, 2012
The Power of Suggestion
Last night Bruce was at his boyfriends’ house and I was sitting at the bar writing out bills while the boys were watching TV in the living room. Darren walks thru and tells me that he is going to go stinky (code for going poop). Nathan and Justin follow Darren into the kitchen about 30 seconds later and Nathan asks where Darren is at. I tell him that he is taking a poop. Nathan then decides that he has to poop now too. I tell him to use the front bathroom. (We keep the front bathroom toilet water turned off as the toilet leaks and that is on Bruce’s fix-it list. For the last six-nine months….) Nathan says he does not want to use the front bathroom. Of course Justin chimes in that he has to go stinky, so I tell him to use the front bath. Along the way, Justin gets distracted and decides to play.
Nathan goes into the master bath and decides to start harassing Darren by telling him to “hurry up.” From my experience, when you tell the boys to hurry up at anything, they move even slower. I finally convince Nathan to use the front bath. By this time Darren is done and now Justin remembers that he said he had to poop. Justin must have thought that he had to poop because of the power of suggestion because he just sat on the toilet for a while before hoping off and declaring he was done and didn’t have to go.
Nathan goes into the master bath and decides to start harassing Darren by telling him to “hurry up.” From my experience, when you tell the boys to hurry up at anything, they move even slower. I finally convince Nathan to use the front bath. By this time Darren is done and now Justin remembers that he said he had to poop. Justin must have thought that he had to poop because of the power of suggestion because he just sat on the toilet for a while before hoping off and declaring he was done and didn’t have to go.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Rough weekend for Darren
Darren got a few battle scars this weekend. Friday night he was running around and I went to grab him so that he could stop. Somehow in the process of grabbing him and he trying to evade capture, I must have scratched him with my ring. On the right side of his nose, almost beside the inside corner of his eye, he starts bleeding. Luckily he was able to shrug off his injuries after I apologiezed and kissed it.
Then on Saturday night Darren walks too close to Nathan while he is playing tennis or golf on the Wii. He got hit with the remote on the back swing. That scratch is about a 1/4" closer to the outside of his nose and starts bleeding. I confirm he is okay and then proceed to tell him this is why he needs to stay back when someone is playing on the Wii.
When Nathan hit Darren, he immediately claimed that it wasn't his fault. I told Nathan that I know he didn't do anything wrong. However I did have to yell at him a little later as he was swinging the remote and let go of it and hit Justin in the ribs. I told him that he better put the safety strap on and if I see him without it, he was grounded from the Wii for two weeks!
Then on Saturday night Darren walks too close to Nathan while he is playing tennis or golf on the Wii. He got hit with the remote on the back swing. That scratch is about a 1/4" closer to the outside of his nose and starts bleeding. I confirm he is okay and then proceed to tell him this is why he needs to stay back when someone is playing on the Wii.
When Nathan hit Darren, he immediately claimed that it wasn't his fault. I told Nathan that I know he didn't do anything wrong. However I did have to yell at him a little later as he was swinging the remote and let go of it and hit Justin in the ribs. I told him that he better put the safety strap on and if I see him without it, he was grounded from the Wii for two weeks!
Kindergarten
I signed Darren up for kindergarten screening/registration the other day. He goes on Friday, March 30. When I told Darren that I signed him up for kindergarten screening/registration, his eyes got real big. I think he was excited to be tested for school. However, he will have to test better than about a 85% before I send him. I think he is ready academically, but not in maturity. I'll keep everyone posted!
Lots of sleep
I hope my boys are in good spirits today. For the first time in a long time, they got 12 hours of sleep last night. They were up late Friday night, up early Saturday morning and repeated the process that night and Sunday morning.
Sunday morning about 7:00 Justin walks in my room and walks around the bed and stage whispers, “Mom. Mom. Mom.” Until I reply “what?” Justin tells me that he has to go potty. I tell him to go and that he does not have to wake me up so he can go to the bathroom. (I can’t wait for him to outgrow the announcing of when he needs to use the restroom.)
After that he decides that he is going to crawl in bed with his big brothers and sleep. Of course that just wakes the crew up and soon we hear all three of them forgetting that they are supposed to be quiet if Mom and Dad are still in bed. Then Justin comes in and tells me he is hungry. I tell him that there are Pop Tarts on the bar and to help himself. I have got to get the third one trained to be more self-sufficient!
Sunday morning about 7:00 Justin walks in my room and walks around the bed and stage whispers, “Mom. Mom. Mom.” Until I reply “what?” Justin tells me that he has to go potty. I tell him to go and that he does not have to wake me up so he can go to the bathroom. (I can’t wait for him to outgrow the announcing of when he needs to use the restroom.)
After that he decides that he is going to crawl in bed with his big brothers and sleep. Of course that just wakes the crew up and soon we hear all three of them forgetting that they are supposed to be quiet if Mom and Dad are still in bed. Then Justin comes in and tells me he is hungry. I tell him that there are Pop Tarts on the bar and to help himself. I have got to get the third one trained to be more self-sufficient!
Friday, February 3, 2012
Reflections
I grew up hearing that I resemble my mother the most out of all my siblings. Last Friday Bruce and I happened to be in the local watering hole with the boys. My aunt Patty (who is more like a big sister than an aunt) comes up to said local watering hole and spoils my boys. The local watering hole was getting a crowd so it was decided that I would go home with the boys when Patty decides it is not fair that I stay home while Bruce is out. She calls her teenage son and convinces him to watch my boys for a few hours so I can join the party.
(That is a lot of back story to explain the next part!) Anyway, I am back in the local watering hole when my baby sister walks in with her friends. She of course ignores us, while her friends all come over to say hello. Sometime later, little sister is at the jukebox and makes some comment. I must have rolled my eyes or made a face and Patty looks at me and said, “You looked just like your Mom when you did that!”
Not sure why, but that really struck me for some reason. And I did not take it as an insult; to the contrary I thought of it as a compliment.
(That is a lot of back story to explain the next part!) Anyway, I am back in the local watering hole when my baby sister walks in with her friends. She of course ignores us, while her friends all come over to say hello. Sometime later, little sister is at the jukebox and makes some comment. I must have rolled my eyes or made a face and Patty looks at me and said, “You looked just like your Mom when you did that!”
Not sure why, but that really struck me for some reason. And I did not take it as an insult; to the contrary I thought of it as a compliment.
How many are you?
I just thought of this story and decided that I had to share it.
Last Sunday afternoon we were getting ready to go to my Mom’s house for her birthday dinner. Which was probably the reason that prompted Darren to ask the question, “How many are you Mom?” I hesitatingly reveal my true age of 35 to Darren. Darren confesses that he does not know how to count that high, so I make him count with me. Once we reach 35, I stop. Darren then asked, “How many will you be at your next birthday?” So then I count up one to 36. Seeing the question forming on his lips, I tell him that I will then be 37, then 38 and I stopped counting at 60. Darren then looks at me with wide eyes and innocently asks, “And then you die?”
Chuckling I explain that it is up to God when we die and I might live to be a 100, or I could die tomorrow and no one knows how long they will live. I guess to a boy, who is almost five, 60 seems like forever away.
Last Sunday afternoon we were getting ready to go to my Mom’s house for her birthday dinner. Which was probably the reason that prompted Darren to ask the question, “How many are you Mom?” I hesitatingly reveal my true age of 35 to Darren. Darren confesses that he does not know how to count that high, so I make him count with me. Once we reach 35, I stop. Darren then asked, “How many will you be at your next birthday?” So then I count up one to 36. Seeing the question forming on his lips, I tell him that I will then be 37, then 38 and I stopped counting at 60. Darren then looks at me with wide eyes and innocently asks, “And then you die?”
Chuckling I explain that it is up to God when we die and I might live to be a 100, or I could die tomorrow and no one knows how long they will live. I guess to a boy, who is almost five, 60 seems like forever away.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
The need to vent
I am going to take a brief foray into a self-pity party. I know that I have many blessings, but sometimes you just need to vent.
I am a salary employee at work which sometimes has its advantages, but it obviously has its disadvantages too. I left the house yesterday morning at 6:30 am so that I could get the boys to daycare and be at work by 7:15 am for a meeting. I did not get home from work last night until 6:10 pm. I was away from the house for almost 12 hours! And while I did take a lunch, it was work related. To get lower premiums for workers comp, you can attend safety meetings once a month. Kurt was unable to go yesterday so I went to the meeting and had lunch all the while a speaker talked about OSHA safety standards.
It is because of days like this, that Nathan hasn’t learned the prayers that he is supposed to for religion. We struggle just getting homework done at night. By the time dinner is made, cleaned up, baths given and taking care of whatever else may pop up that evening, it is 8:00 pm. I have to sit down and relax with the boys otherwise they keep getting up and seeing what I am doing. It is nice to sit down and relax with them and watch some TV because once they are asleep, I am in bed about 9:30-10:00. I require too much sleep and morning comes entirely too early to get much else done.
I am a salary employee at work which sometimes has its advantages, but it obviously has its disadvantages too. I left the house yesterday morning at 6:30 am so that I could get the boys to daycare and be at work by 7:15 am for a meeting. I did not get home from work last night until 6:10 pm. I was away from the house for almost 12 hours! And while I did take a lunch, it was work related. To get lower premiums for workers comp, you can attend safety meetings once a month. Kurt was unable to go yesterday so I went to the meeting and had lunch all the while a speaker talked about OSHA safety standards.
It is because of days like this, that Nathan hasn’t learned the prayers that he is supposed to for religion. We struggle just getting homework done at night. By the time dinner is made, cleaned up, baths given and taking care of whatever else may pop up that evening, it is 8:00 pm. I have to sit down and relax with the boys otherwise they keep getting up and seeing what I am doing. It is nice to sit down and relax with them and watch some TV because once they are asleep, I am in bed about 9:30-10:00. I require too much sleep and morning comes entirely too early to get much else done.
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