When Mom's Out of Commission

Ever have one of those days when you just "survive" until bedtime?!? Today is one of those days. . .

Yesterday I woke up with some back pain. It didn't seem too bad, and I thought it may just be because my "sleep number bed" was set too soft. WRONG! As I got my lazy bones out of the bed, the pain became unbearable to the point that I could not stand up straight. How wonderful. . .

Fortunately, my husband was home yesterday. We packed up everyone in the car and headed out to do our grocery shopping. The whole trip was torturous to me. I leaned on the cart and moved slowly through the whole store. Ugh!

Upon arriving home, I took some Ibuprofen and that seemed to help. The only comfortable position I could find was sitting. I went to bed at 12:30, but didn't end up falling asleep until after 3 a.m. due to being so miserable.

Well, I felt a little better by morning, but that only lasted until I picked up my 25 lb daughter. . . bad move! I was in so much pain, I could barely do anything. I figured we would survive until my husband arrived home from work tonight. That being said, I thought it may be entertaining to take some pics of my day of survival.

We did our school work. . . and I did manage to make two birthday cakes, but besides that, everything else was unscheduled. I decided to walk around the house and take some pics of what I found. . .

Around 3 pm, the baby took a nap and I had the boys help me clean the house. They are really are good helpers. . . as long as they don't work together - lol! So, Evan put in the laundry and straightenend out the living room, Zack cleaned up the play room, and Kyle picked up the kitchen. Here are the before and after pics of each room. I think they did really well!

So then, if you're wondering how I am entertaining them as I type this, here you go. .

watching a movie

constrained in her high chair

 Oh, and for most of the morning, this is what I had to deal with from my precious baby girl. . .

Awww, I love her!

Coordinating Clothing

OK, so I brought the children to the dentist last week. . . all four of them. BUT, my husband was with me, so it went rather smoothly. I stayed in the waiting room with Jessica, while hubby went with each boy as they took their turn getting their teeth cleaned.

As I sat in the waiting room, the receptionist kept chatting with me (amazingly, there were no other patients around). I heard the usual, "Wow, you have your hands full" and "Awww, you finally got your girl, huh?" 

When it was time to check out, she looked at the whole gang and was surprised that all the kiddos were wearing some form of orange. Like others before her, she asked, "Do you match them all the time?" The answer is NO, but I do tend to coordinate them more often than not. Part of it is a bit "OCD," but the other reason is purely logical.

Here are the kiddos in orange

Picture this: you are at the park with 3 boys - ages 4, 3, and 2. All are "mobile" and climbing and jumping everywhere. The park is crowded and you hear a blood-curdling scream. You rush over to find your youngest has tripped on his own two feet and whacked his head into the wooden frame. Blood is pouring out - as happens with any good head wound - and you realize you must head to the ER. But where are your other two children? Ahhh, there they are, with the bright orange shirts. You yell to the oldest the get the middle child and head to the car. Everyone is buckled in a matter of minutes, and off you drive. 

Has this particular circumstance happened to me? NO. But, I have often "lost track" of one while watching the other and I'd like to be prepared for the worst. THIS is why my children wear bright colored, coordinating shirts when we go to the park, mall, children's museum, fireworks display, etc.

Two words: semblance and sanity. The children looking similar gives me some sort of "peace."

Anyway, back to the dentist's office.

The receptionist also asked (in relation to the coordinating clothes), "What. . . did you read some sort of parenting book?" LOLOLOLOL! No, I did not. I was not trying to copy the Duggars as I did not even know who they were when I started this. I was just learning from experience, as we all do when we are parenting. 

Another reason for coordinating my children when they are in public, is so they don't look like this:

This is my middle son and a sample of his clothing choices. As you can tell from his facial expression, he is pretty goofy sometimes :) My oldest and youngest boys like things to match, but my middle son just doesn't care.

When we are at home, I don't really care what they wear, as long as they're dressed - lol! But when we are out in public, they are representing our family, so they need to look presentable!

We may not be able (or willing) to buy all name brands or the latest fashions, but I do want my children to look nice when we're out and about. So, if we have an appointment in the morning or even just plan on doing some errands, I lay out their "nice" clothes. I don't let them wear jeans with holes in the knees or shoes that are scuffed and torn. I want them to learn to be proud of how they look without becoming cocky about how they look.

As an adult, doesn't it bother you when other adults are shopping in their pj's and slippers or waltzing around without any undergarments?!? It sure bothers me! I'm not saying that I always wear make-up or that my hair is always done, but I surely don't want people to think I just crawled out of bed!

And speaking of "crawling out of bed". . . if you look closely, you can see Kyle's hair sticking up quite dramatically. It is past the point of needing a haircut, so I would definitely have combed it. . . if we had gone out today!

Jack of All Trades. . .Master of None

My father is truly a "jack of all trades."

I don't remember my parent's ever calling an electrician or plumber. They didn't hire a chimney sweep or a carpet installer. I honestly don't remember my dad ever taking our vehicles to a mechanic! My parents remodeled our kitchen themselves (including staining all the cabinets!). And my dad also built his own garage/barn himself and re-sided our house on his own. He could plant and maintain a garden and also bake a great, wholesome loaf of bread. He laid his own concrete sidewalk and tore down and rebuilt the back porch too!

I think part of the reason he did everything himself is because he did not want to pay someone else to do something he could do on his own, but another reason is because he likes to stay busy with his hands. My dad is definitely a "doer!" And I don't mean that he is NOT a "thinker," but he just likes to stay busy.

Apparently, I have inherited the same behavior. The problem with being a "jane of all trades," is that I truly am a "master of none!"

I can hem or patch some pants, but I couldn't sew a dress. I can bake cookies or brownies, but can't "properly" decorate a cake. I can entertain children, but not throw an elaborate birthday party. And the list goes on. . .

It is nice that I don't need to call anyone when I want to make chicken noodle soup, but it would be nice to excel at something! I see people post pics on Facebook of beautiful hair bows they made or a 5 course meal they created. Sometimes it makes me a bit jealous, but fortunately, my family does not care.

The truth is, I like to stay busy. This means I want to accomplish as much as possible in as little time as possible. So, if that means that nothing I do is absolutely perfect, then I'm okay with that. After all, it is more important that my children are fed 3 times a day than have 1 meal with bunny shaped pancakes with fruit and yogurt on the side ;)

So. . . to all the "jane of all trades" out there - be glad you can do so much! I mean, our goal in life is to raise happy, healthy children. . . not win an award for the prettiest floral arrangement, right?!?

Why Does She Dress Like That?!?!

Wow, seems I haven't "blogged" for a while! Guess I've been a little busy with moving. . . and unpacking. . . and a constantly sick baby. Well, here's hoping I can get back on track!

I wanted to write about my dress standards because I read a quote that inspired me. "Dress in front of other men as you would want women to dress in front of your husband." It led me to think that people may not know why I wear skirts/dresses all the time. I don't intend this to be "preachy" at all! I grew up wearing all different types of clothes and did not have my current standard of dress until I was in my early 20's.

Let me start off by telling you that I do NOT have this dress standard because I attend a Baptist church and I do NOT have this standard because my husband. . . or father. . . told me I should. My dress standard was a personal choice that took months to become "settled" in my heart. I will also state, the way I dress is a STANDARD not a CONVICTION. As a former pastor once stated, "If a man with a gun tells you to put on a pair of slacks, PUT THEM ON!" This is not something I will die for . . . or leave friends for. . . or preach at somebody.

OK, so now let me give you some of my history.

I grew up a "tom boy." I loved playing with LEGOS (and they didn't have pink ones back then) and Matchbox cars. I HATED Barbie and only had 1 or 2 other dolls (one of which was a Cabbage Patch Kid my grandmother won for me). I loved climbing trees and playing in mud puddles. I got greasy with my dad when he worked on the car and I climbed up on the roof with him when he was fixing the shingles. I played soccer and tennis. Up until 6th grade, I could run faster than anyone in my class (which included a group of 20 boys) and I could beat all but one in arm wrestling. I loved riding my bike and playing outside and beating up boys :)

Now, none of those things is wrong. I hope my own daughter will enjoy some of those activities (I know she'll learn to beat up boys!). But, the thing with me, is that I didn't want to be a "lady" AT ALL! I hated dresses. . .oh, and those Easter hats! I didn't paint my nails or wear bows in my hair. I didn't dress up like a princess or read fairy tales (I did read a lot of Nancy Drew though). I did not want to learn to cook or sew or clean. Ironically, I did like ballet (but not the tutu part). ;)

So, I grew up wearing pants and often put my hair in a ponytail. When I started going to a Christian school, the dress code required me to wear knee length skirts and nylons - blech! Needless to say, I did not own any and my mom had to take me on a shopping trip. Through high school and college, I had the same dress code, so I obeyed the rules, but it was not my personal standard.

When I was in my 20's, I attended a church that "preached" standards. By that, I mean, the pastor would give Biblical reasons why he had certain standards in his life (not smoking or drinking, not listening to certain music, how his family dressed, etc.). I think it was the first time I had heard such preaching.

The Lord started working in my heart and led to two thoughts that really formed my dress standard. First of all, I wanted the way I dress to be modest and secondly, I wanted it to show others that I am a lady.

As for being modest, I know there are some who will say, "If a man looks at you the wrong way, that is his problem." WRONG! It is not his problem - it's his natural tendency. He is a man. That is how God created him. If you have a man who does not notice a woman in tight jeans or a low cut shirt, then I'm sorry. Men were made to be attracted by sight. And on a side note, that's why you should stay attractive for your husband :)

Others will say, that dressing "does not a lady make." And you are correct - to some degree. I am a woman no matter how I dress, but for me, dressing in skirts helps me to act more like a lady. When I wear skirts, I don't sit with my legs spread open. When I wear skirts I don't bend over with my behind in the air. When I wear skirts, I usually "feel" more dressy and therefore "hold" myself differently. I command more respect.

Take for a minute, the lady in Proverbs 31. She was a hard worker, no doubt, but she also earned the respect of others. She bought fields and sold linen. I assume this means she did business with men - which was not the custom in those days. That leads me to believe they respected her. And also, she didn't run around in "house clothes." The Bible states she dressed in "silk and purple." She didn't look like a "street rat." She had wisdom and was virtuous.

Now, I said all that to explain my dress standards. I do not intend this to change anyone else's mind. I have many friends who dress differently than I do. They are still my friends, and I do appreciate the fact that most of them dress modestly, even if their standard is different than mine.

Our pastor has said, "What do you think when you see a lady in a skirt?" The answer? She's a Christian (or at least she's religious). How you dress identifies you (whether you like it or not). I'm proud to think that people may see me and think "Christian" instead of seeing me and thinking "Soccer Mom." Although, to be honest, most people who see me probably think "Baby Factory" - lol!

Anyway, that's my two cents and you can take it or leave it. I just felt like taking the chance to explain my dress standard. Everyone has a standard, whether they can explain it or not. I am glad I know why I do what I do, and that I am able to give an answer to others!

Activities for Active Boys!

Now I hope my title is not offensive to those who have active little girls, but in my experience, boys "take the cake" when it comes to extra energy. This quality in boys makes winter a difficult time, because my boys are not satisfied with sitting down and using play-do, or sitting down to do a craft, or sitting down to play a game, or even sitting down to watch a movie! They will DO all those things, but not for any length of time. :)

I must admit, I really do miss warm weather. In the summer, my boys play outside at least 3 hrs per day (whether we go to the park, take a walk, or ride bikes), but in the winter - brrrrrr, it's just too cold. A 10 min walk with the dog is about all I can handle! So, due to winter energy build up, I have come up with a few ideas to help "tire out" my little guys.

1) Wrestle. Now this usually involves my husband, but I have been known to toss my boys around for a bit. And I always make sure to tire them out more than tire out myself, or else it would not be worth the trouble! ;)

2) Pillow jumping. This is a favorite of the boys. We have a large, square coffee table, so I lay the mattress from our toddler bed and every pillow in the house around the table. The boys climb up on the table and jump in the pillows - over and over and over again!

3) Exercise. Thanks to my husband, my boys all know how to do push ups and sit ups, so I challenge them to each do 10. Then I lead them in some jumping jacks, hoping on one foot, and marching. Takes a little time for me, but well worth it!

4) Bed jumping. Since my boys have bunk beds, they cannot jump on their bed, and since my husband and I have a sleep number bed, they are not allowed to jump on our investment, so we use the pull out couch! It takes up most of our living room, but the boys enjoy it!

5) Do chores. Now this may not seem fun, but my boys do not yet know that what they are doing is work! LOL! I have them try to carry laundry baskets, vacuum, carry boxes of packed up clothes, put the sheets on the beds (and believe me, putting them on the top bunk is a work out!), or wipe down mirrors and windows.

6) Tickle fights. Now this is pretty self-explanatory. I tickle, they laugh. . . and burn up energy! Fun for mom and boys :)

Now this is not an exhaustive list, but it does give some ideas. I also try to play some active games with them (like "Ring Around the Rosy") and take time to teach them some cooking/baking skills. I know there may come a day when all they want to do is sit on the couch and be lazy, so I'm enjoying there energy while I can

Babies Change EVERYTHING!

Who doesn't LOVE a new baby? They are soft and sweet, and sleep quite a bit! I remember when my youngest was just a few weeks old, a lady saw me holding my sleeping boy while walking down the cereal aisle at a local store. She said, "Don't you just love that age? They are so easy to care for!" I nodded my head and smiled, but inside I was thinking, "Are you crazy woman?!?!? I haven't slept more than 3 hrs in a row for weeks, my baby constantly wants to nurse, and the reason I'm carrying him is because he screams in his carseat the whole time I'm trying to shop!" Now, I know she meant well, but taking care of a baby is HARD work. Probably the hardest work I've ever done!

I decided to write a bit about this because I know at least eight ladies who are due to have babies in the near future. Some of them will be first time moms, others will be adding to their clan. Some will be having a new baby spaced closely to the ones they already have. In any situation, having a baby changes EVERYTHING! :)

Now, to keep your sanity, remember these key things:

1) Be prepared to lose your mind (otherwise referred to as "mommy brain"). Not that you will literally go insane, but I always had a terrible time thinking clearly during pregnancy and my children's infanthood.

2) Don't be discouraged if your house is a mess! I always prided myself in having an organized and tidy house, but shortly after having my son, I realized he took priority. You could ask a teenager to vacuum or fold laundry for you OR ask someone to hold the baby so you can vacuum or fold laundry.

3) Tell your husband or friends what you need! I had a hard time with this, but nobody knows how hard it is for you except for YOU! Tell them you need a nap, or 15 min for a shower, or some time by yourself shopping. Those who love you want you to be happy and healthy :)

4) If you have a baby that needs to nurse to go to sleep, or will only sleep in the swing, or takes a pacifier, DON'T FEEL GUILTY! Sometimes, well meaning people will tell you all these things are "bad," but you need to help your baby feel safe and secure, even if THEY don't approve.

5) Don't compare your baby with other babies (for good or bad). It's ok if your baby doesn't smile exactly at 6 wks old or walk on their first birthday. As long as you and your doctor are sure your baby is healthy, these milestones vary greatly from child to child.

6) Read books and ask others about taking care of baby. I probably bothered people, but I was always asking questions like, "When do I give him solid food?" "How did you relieve baby's gas?" "WHEN WILL HE SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT?" lol

7) Above all, take time to appreciate your little one because they will not stay little forever! :)

Confessions of a Control Freak

The term "control freak" is often used in a derogatory way, but a wise woman once told me, "It's okay to be a control freak, as long as you admit it" :) Well, I admit it. I am a control freak.
Now, I don't think I'm as bad as some, but nevertheless, I do tend to speak up more than the average woman and am not intimidated by telling people what to do. As a Christian woman, I really try to be careful about who I speak to and what I say. I don't want to be unsubmissive to those in authority (including my husband). And, by the way, he has the "final say" when we have decisions to make (even if I don't agree).
The thought of writing about this subject came to me as I was cooking dinner tonight. As my husband sat at the computer and my boys wreaked havoc, it crossed my mind that it doesn't bother me at all that my husband NEVER cooks. I realized that the reason for this is my "control freak" nature. If he did attempt to cook, I would probably be looking over his shoulder and "recommending" different ways to do things. It seems that my motto around the house is, "It'll be faster if I just do it myself!" I do the cooking, most of the cleaning, the ironing, and oversee most of my boy's activities. Although it is a lot to take on myself, I don't mind because. . . "It'll be faster if I just do it myself" :)
Now, because of my wanting to do everything, my husband now deals with teaching the boys "life skills" because I am too impatient. I did teach my 4 yr old to tie his shoes, but my husband taught my boys how to button/unbutton, zip, get dressed/undressed, make their beds, pick up toys/clothes, and turn on the coffee pot :) His motto is, "Why should I do it if you can do it yourself?" Wow! God knew what he was doing when he put us together, huh?
So, if you are a control freak, don't be too overbearing, but use your assets to get things done. And if you are married to a control freak, just take a deep breath and let them wait on you! LOL!

Bumps, Bruises, and Blood, Oh My!

If you have children, you know how often they are injured! If you have boys, you probably have experienced it many times over :) Our first "major" accident was when my oldest was 22 months old. The short version is that an old cemetery headstone fell on him and broke his leg. Another memorable incident was when my second boy was 17 months old and was bit by our dog. Now, over the last 4 years, there have been numerous bumps, bruises, and blood shed. As a parent, you must remember to STAY IN CONTROL! I've seen moms become hysterical over injuries, and that does NOT help the child. Stay calm, talk to your child, and help them to focus on something besides the injury. And remember, head injuries always produce a lot of blood!

Last night we spent a few hours in the E.R. with our 3 1/2 year old. He had been running through our church auditorium after the service and he tripped. It seems he bumped his head on the metal corner of one of the seats.

He cried at first, but settled down quickly. My husband is great at assessing injuries and calming down our boys. I was very happy that Kyle laid in my hubby's lap so nicely while we waited for an hour in the E.R. (Isn't waiting the worst part?)

A nurse came and shaved a bit off his hairline, then applied a numbing solution. Kyle said it felt cold like ice :)

When the doctor arrived 30 min. later, he "glued" Kyle's head and attached some "steri strips."

Kyle was such a good boy throughout that he received some stickers and a nice fleece blanket! He finally was home in his bed at midnight, and slept until 10 a.m. He woke up with a headache :) but is definitely playing like he usually does. Ah, the joys of parenthood! LOL

The Monotony of Motherhood

Do you ever accomplish something meanial, but still feel like shouting from the rooftop about it? Then, the thing you just accomplished becomes moot because there is something else that needs to be accomplished? Welcome to the monotony of motherhood.

Let's take laundry. One day you magically finish washing, folding, and putting away 6 loads of laundry before starting dinner. VICTORY! But then, your 4 yr. old spills milk on his shirt. For a minute, you want to tell him to still wear it when you go out, but you know it will start to smell. Ugh! And then, by the time baths are finished, you realize the laundry baskets are filled with dirty jeans, shirts, socks, and underwear. NOOOOOO! Those laundry baskets were empty just two hours ago!!!!!

Or, we could talk about floors. One day you vacuum all the carpets, wash the floors, and even clean all the bath mats. VICTORY! Then you see your 2 yr. old sitting in the middle of the living room with a box of fish crackers. You know what's going to happen when his brother comes in and wants some as well - "Mine!' "I need some too!" "NO!" - and then the box gets knocked over and little fishies are swimming everywhere. NOOOOO! Just because the floors are now clean enough to eat off of, didn't mean I wanted you to do it!

Now my favorite - the kitchen. You spend longer than usual preparing a nice meal for the family. After dinner, you put away leftovers, load and start the dishwasher, and clean up all the counter tops. VICTORY! You think this is wonderful, and decide to relax and watch a movie since you're so "ahead of things." But, before bed, you go to put your glass in the sink, and realize that the "milk before bed" cups are in your once empty sink. NOOOOOO! My sink had been empty and sparkling not so long ago!

For those of you who are not married, I know you face the same thing. You may pay off a credit card, then have the fuel pump go in your car, resulting in another charge on your account. It happens to all of us, but I will say, staying at home with my children, I now notice these things more often! Life really does seem to have us running around in circles! The only thing that keeps me sane is hoping that my circles are spiraling upwards :) Oh, and it helps when I hear one of my boys say, "Me really like your food, Mom!"

Say what?

I'm sure all of you are familiar with the variety of words children come up with as they begin to talk, like "woof" for all dogs or "go go" for all cars. I was thinking about the words my children have said and thought I'd share a few. Maybe it will give you a good laugh, like it did for me :)

When my oldest was little, he consistently said the word "stop" backwards. We would come to a red light, and he would yell, "POTS!" We always tried to correct him, but he continued to say it until he was at least 2 1/2! He also would say the word "lello" (pronounced like hello with an "L"). Now you would think he was trying to say the word "yellow," right? WRONG! He was saying "other!" Now, I hate to admit it, but he still says the word wrong now that he's 4. Whenever my hubby or I hear him, we make him say it correctly, but when he's in a rush, it still comes out wrong. People are going to think his favorite color is yellow - LOL!

Now my second son has always been a chatterbox, but has a whole different problem than his older brother. He says words correctly, but in the wrong order. For example, he is not a morning person, and frequently I will ask, "Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?" On days when he's particularly grumpy, I'll ask what is wrong. He will say, "I slept on the side of the bed wrong!" LOL

My youngest son is a parrot. He has been able to say words like bulldozer and spaghetti since he was very young, BUT he talks like a robot. It can be quite amusing. I will often hear, "More. milk. please. mommy." or maybe, "We go? to? the park? NOW?" My husband and I have noticed he does have the best manners at his age. I guess harping on the other two was worth the trouble :)

As a former teacher, I try not to get too "bent out of shape" about my children's speaking abilities. I'll work with them through the years, and hopefully they will not pick up on too much of this teenage slang that is prevalent now. If they try pronouncing the word "school" like "skul," I just may blow a fuse!

The Noise of Boys

OK, I have a little pet peeve to address today. It is the excessive amount of and various ways my boys can make noise! I grew up as an only child, so my dad was the only male in the house. Let me say, it was not comical to burp at the table. And heavens, if it came out the other end, it was a total embarrassment! Well, that is not the case in my house now. If someone belches at the table (or anywhere else, for that matter), it causes instant laughter. And if it's my youngest who lets out the burp, the laughs seem even louder!

There are many other noises I also hear on a daily basis - siren sounds, whooping sounds, automobile sounds, shooting sounds, and of course whining sounds :) About a year ago, my oldest boy, then 3, started humming a repetitive "theme song" he had made up whenever he was playing. The song caught on, and now all three boys hum, "da da da dum, da da da dum, ..." when they are playing. I admire his creativity, but sometimes, I just want QUIET!

Oh, let me not forget the sounds of play. This would include jumping - on the kitchen floor - while wearing boots. Or crashing cars into blocks. Or simply running through the house yelling something important like, "I'm gonna put you in jail!"

Although my boys are noisy, I will admit, there is one noise I could listen to all day long. . . the sound of their innocent little giggles :)

Shhhhhh! I'm trying to sleep!

Motherhood and sleep deprivation. . . they go hand-in-hand, don't they? This morning, as I awoke from a 5 hr snooze, I was remembering how tired I had been these past 5 yrs. I figured out that from the spring of 2005 until the spring of 2010 I had been either pregnant or nursing. For me, that meant little sleep!
When I first became pregnant in 2005, I had morning sickness EVERY NIGHT, so I had a terrible time sleeping. I would often be awake at 2 or 3 in the morning eating dry cereal, then would need to be up by 5:30 to get ready for work. My biggest complaint of pregnancy is it's invasion on my sleep habits! Then, as all mothers know, sleeping did not improve when baby arrived! I would be up nursing through the night, then up for work by 5 each morning (of course, I had to wake up earlier to get baby ready for the day!). This continued in some form or fashion for 5 yrs! Whew!
Now that I'm neither pregnant nor nursing, things are not so tough. Of course there are night's when I'm awakened because someone had a nightmare or wet the bed, but most nights, I sleep a good 7 hrs or so. So, for all you mothers who have newborns, I UNDERSTAND! And I want to tell you to keep "plugging on." Things will get better, and sleep will come eventually. Sweet dreams! :)

Boys play "dress up?"

During my 10+ years of teaching kindergarten, I always had a large container of "dress up" clothes for the children to play with on rainy or snowy days. They loved it! Most often it was girls putting on dresses, my old shoes, and carrying around purses. I had a few men's sport coats, but they were only used occasionally. Now that I'm a mom, I have no "dress up" box (to my boy's dismay). I'm thinking of starting one.

On any given day, my oldest son decides what he is going to "be" for the day. Sometimes it's a police officer, other times it's a fireman. He has also taken the role of detective, mechanic, and doctor. Recently, he has wanted to be The Lone Ranger (thanks to watching it on Hulu). He gets quite annoyed if I don't have the proper equipment for his "daily gig," so last night I fashioned a black mask for him to wear over his eyes (he woke up early just to put it on). And I don't know if it's good or not, but his younger brother is now following in his footsteps. We actually did our grocery shopping with two cowboys last night!

My plan is to head out after halloween to buy some accessories for the boys. My oldest really thinks he needs a sword and his brother wants a cowboy hat. My conclusion is that "dress up" is definitely not just for girls! I think it helps develop their imagination, I'm just hoping they don't decide to be defence attorneys some day! LOL

Sick Kiddos

Have you ever read the book, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day? It's one of my favorites, because, like the book says, "...some days are just like that." I awoke this morning to one little boy in my bed saying, "Mom, me no feel good." After 20 min. or so, another came in with a stuffy nose and a request to cuddle (highly unusual for that one, so I knew he didn't feel good). My youngest slept til 9, which is highly unusual for him, and I soon realized it was due to him not feeling well either. I could tell, it was going to be a "terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day."
Now Mondays are "clean up from the weekend" day, so I couldn't just ignore the mess surrounding me. My boys (though young) still are asked to help with clean up. It may seem "mean" to have my poor, sick children picking up toys and putting away their clothes, but I assure you, they would not have laid quietly on the couch and relaxed! Today I gave them candy for helping because I knew they were not feeling "up to par," and I definitely didn't require as much as I would on a typical Monday. I want them to learn that a cold is not the worst thing in the world, and that the "show must go on." :)
Now, that being said, I would like to add that my boys still have plenty of time to be "kids." With all the sickness, there was more reading books instead of building forts, watching DVD's instead of playing outside, and using Play-Do instead of jumping on the bed. However; the problem with sick boys is that it makes them more grumpy! Though I tried to do some housework and have fun activities for the boys, my youngest seemed to cry "at the drop of a hat" and my middle son had a few tantrums when things didn't go his way. By lunch, I was really needing a break!
At 2pm, I declared it was nap time. My older two boys happily went to there room to read books for a few minutes. I then held my youngest in the rocking chair as he took his nebulizer treatment. As I looked around, I realized there were no toys littering the living room, the kitchen table was cleaned off and dishes were in the sink, and I had somehow managed to do four loads of laundry. Whew! There's plenty more that could have been done, but as I glanced down at my 2 yr old, who was sound asleep, I remembered how much more valuable he was than a mopped kitchen floor.

The Nitty Gritty of Closely Spaced Kids

When I'm out in public, there are many things I hear from people regarding the fact that I have 3 boys so close in age. Many times I hear, "Three boys?!?! You must have your hands full!" Or, "Wow, they must keep you busy!" And my favorite, "Are you going to try for a girl?" Now, I know these people just feel the need to say SOMETHING, but it almost seems as though they feel sorry for me. DON'T! I love my boys :) They DO keep me busy, but what mother DOESN'T feel overwhelmed at times (whether they have 1 or 8)?
Some people say children born within 2 yrs of each other are considered closely-spaced, others say if they're born within 18 months of each other, it's like having multiplies. I do know it was a bit straining for the one month that I had 3 in diapers, but I really don't think it compares. Kudos to all moms who are raising twins or triplets - you really have your work cut out for you!
Now I will say, some days are much better than others. My boys are very active, and my middle son is what I would call "high spirited" (LOL). When all three are crying or fussing at each other, I have to take a deep breath and whisper, "I love you, I love you, I love you." :) I will say, it helps to have lots of activities planned throughout the day. I don't usually keep to a set schedule, but I do have one. Most days go about the same way: breakfast, play, preschool, craft, lunch, nap, DVD, outside, dinner, bath, books, bed! Of course, chaos is dispersed throughout the day. I have found gum stuck to the bathtub, popcorn stuffed in shirt pockets, crayon on my piano keys, and cereal dumped all over the floor, but fortunately none of these things were life threatening problems, and I laugh now as I think back on all of it!
If you have closely spaced children, take time to love them and laugh with them! Now that mine are past infancy, things are much easier! I'm hoping things just keep improving! "Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord!"