Round and Round We Go

Conversation with Jarrett (4) this morning:

Me: What would you like for breakfast? We don't have any bread so you can have cereal or fruit.

Jarrett: I want toast with cinnamon and sugar. Lots of sugar!! (said with eyes bugging out, appearing like he's had sugar already!)

Me: We don't have bread. Cereal or fruit?

Jarrett: Can I have toast?

Me: We don't have bread!

Jarrett: Ok.

silence

Jarrett: Can I have toast?

Finally, the little light bulb goes off over my head! To a 4 yr. old, bread and toast are two different things. He doesn't realize that bread has to be toasted to become toast! I explain this as best as I can.

Jarrett: I will have cereal. With lots of sugar!!!

Me: Of course you will.

Am I Crazy?

One of the movies that gets played over and over again, daily, in our house is Cars. How the kids can sit and watch the same thing a gazillion times is a mystery to me.

So, needless to say, I myself have seen this movies 1/2 gazillion times.

Am I the only mom that cries at the end? When Lightning McQueen pushes the King to the finish line? (honestly, I am tearing up right now!) I even get teary eyed when McQueen is racing and he finally realizes that Doc and the gang are there.

We're talking cars, not people. Not cute, furry motherless Bambi. But normally inanimate objects.

And I know it's not a hormonal thing because I cry EVERY. TIME.

I am going crazy. I think.

A Young Boys Dream Comes True

Jarrett was in Heaven tonight. His Dad brought him a "gift" from work. For those of you that remember Poppers, you'll appreciate this:


Giant Poppers!

Only a truly magnificent Daddy would dig things out of the trash at work for his children.

Today, So Far

All times approximate. Names have not been changed to protect anyone.

5:30 a.m. Woken by Jeven's crying. I go to his room, ask him what's wrong, he replies he doen't know. I see he and his bed are soaking wet. I change both.

6:45 a.m. Husband asks me to set out his clothes. Like I am his valet?
6:48 a.m. Husband asks me to bring him a towel. Husband not on my good side so far today.

7:30 a.m. Wake Jayce and Josie to get ready for school. Argue with Josie about what she can wear to school.
7:34 a.m. Argue with Josie about eating breakfast.
7:41 a.m. Argue with Josie about brushing her hair.

8:10 a.m. Wave to kids as they get on school bus. (Good luck Josie's teacher!)

8:15 a.m. Take shower. Yell three times at Jarrett and Jeven to stop running. Jeven asks for milk. While I am in the shower. It always kills me that kids think we can do ANYTHING in the shower. (Mom? Will you read me a book? Mom? Can I have a sandwich?)

8:40 a.m. Pour both boys juice.
8:42 a.m. Clean up spilled juice.

9:30 a.m. We're at Walmart! Where I am asked no less than 3 times if the boys are twins.
10:38 a.m. Realize what time it is and that we need to get out of store to be home in time for Josie's school bus. Go to check out where boys get into fight over who gets to put the toilet paper up on the conveyor belt.

11:07 a.m. Now home. Unload groceries. Ask Jeven to put toilet paper and maxi pads in bathroom. Try to explain what the maxi pads are to a 2 yr. old. They're mommy's. Special things. No, they are not band aids.

11:20 a.m. Josie is home.

11:45 a.m. Make hotdogs, grapes and cracker lunch. Receive demands on how kids want their hotdogs--2 cut up, 1 in a bun. Present lunch. Spend next 15 min. threatening children to eat their lunch.

12:15 p.m. Throw together this cake with leftover frosting.


12:30 p.m. Put kids down for nap. More threats made.

12:57 p.m. Kids finally asleep. Make a pit stop in the bathroom where I find the toilet paper and maxi pads in the bathtub. Post this blog.

I haven't even done any of the things I need to do: laundry, cleaning, bill paying.

But you know what? I have a great book checked out from the library and I'm going to read it! But no, not in the shower.

Open Door Policy

Let me say first off, if you were to stop by my house at any given time, I would welcome you in with open arms. At your own risk of course, but I'd be happy to see you.

But, being a good hostess is not my strong point. Planning a get together at my house stresses me out to no end. Why? I am not sure. But, I've narrowed it down to 2 things.

1) I feel like my home's appearance is a reflection of me. If my house is not as clean as you think it should be, I perceive that to mean that I am not as good as you think I should be. If you don't like the new paint color, it hurts my feelings. Deep down I know it's just a matter of taste but it still hurts.

2) I don't like losing control of situations. We have rules in our house and certain ways of doing things. Who doesn't? And, when I have a large number of people in my home and things are done that aren't normally allowed, I have a hard time.

Both of these reasons, I am honestly ashamed to admit to them. As a Christian wife, shouldn't it come natural to be a proper hostess? But I am sure people leave my house thinking I am an uptight hag. I assure you, I am not!

I will continue to invite people over and plan gatherings because truly it's MY attitude that needs to change. I will work on being more hospitable. I promise!



In my defense, there were 15 people in our house. Not counting the 6 that live here regularly.



Jarrett sitting with dad, waiting to open presents!



Jarrett blowing out birthday candles on his Wall E cake!

Check Your Driver's License

I already removed mine. I suggest you all do the same. Now you can see anyone's Driver's License on the Internet, including your own! I just searched for mine and there it was...picture and all!

Thanks Homeland Security! Go to the web site, and check it out. It's unbelievable!!! Just enter your name, city and state to see if yours is on file.

After your license comes on the screen, click the box marked 'Please
Remove.' This will remove it from public viewing, but not from law enforcement.

Please notify all your friends so they can protect themselves too.
Believe me they will thank you for it.

check your license

Happy Birthday!

Yesterday was Jarrett's 4th birthday.
On one hand, I am terribly sad because 3 was so very much fun with him.
On the other hand, I am terribly excited for him. He's been waiting for his birthday for weeks.
All day, when someone would tell him "happy birthday" he would say "happy birthday" back.
Today, as we were out and about, random strangers would ask how old he was and he'd say 3. I'd have to remind him that he can now say he's 4!

We are having our family party, complete with birthday cake and candles later this weekend. But, yesterday, we went to Chuck E Cheese with his church friends. All 17 of them. To say I spent a bundle on pizza, soda and tokens would be an under statement. But it was worth it.

Here's some pictures. Before and afters so to speak.


About 24 hrs. old. 5lb 35 weeker. He was healthy but tiny.



Looking so enthused in his exersaucer.



Eating a yummy? pickle.



About 2 yrs. old. With his mullet.



Yesterday at the base of the slide at Chucks. It's about the only picture I could get him to pose for.

Hopefully, I can get some more good ones on Sunday.
(Actually, I am in the market for a new camera. If anyone has suggestions, please let me know. I want smaller, high pixels point and shoot. Nothing too fancy or expensive. But, I want decent pictures. You know, the best of both worlds!)

In case, it's not obvious, I love my 4 yr. old and hope he has many,many more happy birthdays.

Which is Worse?

That there is food to be eaten off the floor?

OR

That I not only let him eat the food, but took a picture?

Fun

Some time ago, I discovered that my wedding ring was missing one of it's smaller diamonds. My ring is not the most expensive, elaborate ring out there, but obviously, it means a lot to me. I was very sad.

Since then, I have not worn a ring. It's really the only piece of jewelery that I wear. I bite my fingernails so anything looks gross on my hands.
But, I do feel weird without a wedding ring. Especially when I am out with my 4 kids. It's not that I think I will get hit on because I am just oh so hot pushing that double stroller. I just don't want to appear like a single mom with 4 kids.


I was at a department store today looking at the costume jewelery to see if anything would pass for a wedding ring until we can get mine fixed. Jeven was in the stroller and Jarrett was free, on the loose, no strings attached. He was doing a pretty good job of following the stay-with-me-don't-touch rules. He was even helping me by picking out rings he thought were "gawgus". (Let's hope he gets better taste before he is picking out his future wife's ring).

I am uh-huhing at his selections and not really paying attention.

He decides to spin the jewelery rack as fast as it will go. Necklaces, earrings and other assorted gems are flying off the racks. Literally.

I was so embarrassed and angry!
Not only am I a single mom with 4 kids, now I have uncontrollable kids!! So white trash.

I put everything back the way it was, as best as I could, and high tailed it out of that store.

I have Jarrett by the arm and am saying "Jarrett!! That was SUPER naughty" (because, duh! any almost 4 yr. old can distinguish between SUPER naughty and regular naughty.)
His response?

"No, it wasn't. It was fun!".



Gotta love this kid. Darn him.

Teams

There is a question that comes up in our house often. From the children to either my husband or I, or one of their siblings. And the question is: "Are you on my team?". Not, "Are you on my side?" but TEAM.

If the one questioned answers in the affirmative, there is much celebrating. If the answer is negative, there is much disappointment.

When I am tucking Jarrett into bed, he will ask "Mom? Are you on my team?" and of course, I'll say "Yes" and he will exclaim with joy that "Mom is on my team!"

When we are driving to church, Jeven will ask Jayce "Are you on my team?" and Jayce says "No." Then we try and calm Jeven down before we enter the church so no one asks what's wrong and feel sorry for him. Because we feel silly saying "Oh, he's fine. Jayce just won't be on his team".


And we feel silly because we have no idea what game the teams are for. We don't know what the rules are. Or the time limit. Or the scoring procedures.

We just know that who's team we are on is VERY.VERY. IMPORTANT.

If we aren't on the right team, our children might need therapy.

Of course, maybe the therapist can tell us what game we're playing.