My children have been cleaning up after themselves. It started with Gavin. I told him it was time for lunch and miraculously heard, "Just a minute mom, I want to put my train set away." Huh?
"Uh, okay, Gav. Great idea! Way to go!"
The last week, he has been relatively consistant on wanting to clean up his room for me. So much so, that I actually had to stop him, so he could just get in bed for nap time.
Catching on to the obscene amount of praise I am doling out for this act, Bray has started putting his things "way". Before nap, he will run and find a toy to put "way." Or after book reading run and put his books back. It's awesome!
Considering that there are many moments this blog is a journey of the crazy ideas my kids have or wild adventures they take me on...I decided, I would give a shout out to when things work. Here it is! Waa-hoooo!!!!
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Not abused
My sons have an abused look about them lately. What is it with boys? It's like they attract corners, hard objects and anything that may cause their skin to turn interesting shades of blue, purple and yellow! I usually feel like I am pretty protective about not doing dangerous things, but these kids seem to have a magnatism for accidents.
Brayden is currently sporting a black eye...from a fall I did not witness, but did hear from the other room. (There is a suspicion here that a certain older brother was involved, however no confirmation.) He also has some lovely bite marks (confirmed: from afore mentioned older brother) on his arm and a lovely new purple bump developing on his head from a fall taken at church today (witnesses were there to attest, it was not from lack of parenting, but merely an accident). Gavin is finishing off a black eye, from a run in with the car door (also witnessed by friends) and both children have shin bruises that I can only say come from being little boys. (I am slightly suspicious that it may have something to do with how they climb the bunk bed ladders and use their shins as resting spots.)
I am considering having Brayden wear his helmet on all occasions and just carrying ice packs with me wherever we go. The good news is...our pictures were taken last month. Bruise free. This is me finding a bright side.
Brayden is currently sporting a black eye...from a fall I did not witness, but did hear from the other room. (There is a suspicion here that a certain older brother was involved, however no confirmation.) He also has some lovely bite marks (confirmed: from afore mentioned older brother) on his arm and a lovely new purple bump developing on his head from a fall taken at church today (witnesses were there to attest, it was not from lack of parenting, but merely an accident). Gavin is finishing off a black eye, from a run in with the car door (also witnessed by friends) and both children have shin bruises that I can only say come from being little boys. (I am slightly suspicious that it may have something to do with how they climb the bunk bed ladders and use their shins as resting spots.)
I am considering having Brayden wear his helmet on all occasions and just carrying ice packs with me wherever we go. The good news is...our pictures were taken last month. Bruise free. This is me finding a bright side.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Brayden...again
Well, the big news here is DADDY GOT A PRINCIPAL JOB! Yay for all dad's hardwork! We will post some details on that later, when we have it figured out a bit more. (He's still in Mukilteo for now, finishing his year as Dean, finishing and handing off his work as Summer School Principal, and trying to complete all the paper work to sign on in Gold Bar as of July first...it's a bit much and we're a tad overwhelmed.)
Anyway...all this means is dad is all work no play for a bit and mom is on full time kid duty. Today Brayden made me consider going back to work myself. Once again...five minutes of a back turned is five minutes of chaos. While the kids were happily playing puzzles, or so I thought, I went to try and look online to see what it would take to send Shawn's transcripts to his new district and send out one e-mail. I do believe it was less than five minutes before Gavin came to me with pen on his hand claiming, "Mom, I'm dirty."
It wasn't that bad, but I could hear shouts of glee from Brayden, which made me question how the pen got there exactly. I rounded the corner into the kitchen and proceeded to find: seven boxes of 24 pieces puzzles dumped on the floor, the "no kid allowed without permission" cupboard open and a mess, and Brayden covered front to back, up his arm, on his clothes, in his scalp, on his face, on his stomach and even on his back (how he did this, i have yet to figure out) in black dry erase...which does not come out with water or stain remover. Brayden was in the bathroom trying to scrub his arm off, with the pen, in the sink.
Deep breathe.
I marched the boys out to pick up the puzzles. Which really meant me sorting and picking them up and taking out all the pieces they put in the wrong boxes. Who knows how many actually have 24 pieces anymore, seeing as Gavin was finding some in the heat vent and behind couch cushions.
I then proceeded to start a bath and while the kids got in, took the clothes to the laundry room and pulled out the rubbing alcohol (surprising cleaning tip here: rubbing alcohol does take out ball point pen, and as it turns out in this case...the dry erase pen too!) . Upon reaching the bathtub approximately 3 minutes later, I find Brayden had already bailed out most of the bathwater with a cup and mommy's "special treat, way more than I ever spend on shampoo" shampoo, floating half opened in the tub.
Deep breathe.
I will admit, at this point, the tears are welling up. I had to walk out of the room for a time out. I wanted to scream, "What are you doing?" I actually might have, it's all a blur. I did however leave out the part about him being crazy and my swelling desire to drop him off on a friend's doorstep.
Onto bath clean up. I got the floor cleaned up with three towels, cleaned up the training potty, which had the lid up and was full of water, and I managed to get most the pen off my children, without bathing them in rubbing alcohol (I figured some may frown on this and CPS would NOT help the day go any better. As is, the house already smelled like a distillery from cleaning the clothes off.) I took brayden out first, and set him in front of his train set while I got Gavin. By the time Gavin was cleaned off, I found Brayden in the office playing on the computer. Fortunately, nothing befell the computer, because Mommy was way past the end of her rope already.
Lastly, as I tucked Gavin into his bunkbed, I realized there was black pen all over Brayden's bedspread and his whiter than white gate, that holds him in bed. Hmmm...I didn't realize the pen had made it that far. I didn't bother to look for more. I just ran out of the room.
I think I may laugh about this someday. Not today. Today, I keep reminding myself how great he was getting his haircut this morning, how brave, how cute and how sweet giving me hugs when it was all done. I am reminding myself how he loves to laugh and is not afraid to enjoy life. Even when it's risky. I am reminding myself how much I love this little boy who has my shoulders tensed up to my ears and my head throbbing. It's really quite a phenomenon.
Here are a few pictures for enjoyment.
Anyway...all this means is dad is all work no play for a bit and mom is on full time kid duty. Today Brayden made me consider going back to work myself. Once again...five minutes of a back turned is five minutes of chaos. While the kids were happily playing puzzles, or so I thought, I went to try and look online to see what it would take to send Shawn's transcripts to his new district and send out one e-mail. I do believe it was less than five minutes before Gavin came to me with pen on his hand claiming, "Mom, I'm dirty."
It wasn't that bad, but I could hear shouts of glee from Brayden, which made me question how the pen got there exactly. I rounded the corner into the kitchen and proceeded to find: seven boxes of 24 pieces puzzles dumped on the floor, the "no kid allowed without permission" cupboard open and a mess, and Brayden covered front to back, up his arm, on his clothes, in his scalp, on his face, on his stomach and even on his back (how he did this, i have yet to figure out) in black dry erase...which does not come out with water or stain remover. Brayden was in the bathroom trying to scrub his arm off, with the pen, in the sink.
Deep breathe.
I marched the boys out to pick up the puzzles. Which really meant me sorting and picking them up and taking out all the pieces they put in the wrong boxes. Who knows how many actually have 24 pieces anymore, seeing as Gavin was finding some in the heat vent and behind couch cushions.
I then proceeded to start a bath and while the kids got in, took the clothes to the laundry room and pulled out the rubbing alcohol (surprising cleaning tip here: rubbing alcohol does take out ball point pen, and as it turns out in this case...the dry erase pen too!) . Upon reaching the bathtub approximately 3 minutes later, I find Brayden had already bailed out most of the bathwater with a cup and mommy's "special treat, way more than I ever spend on shampoo" shampoo, floating half opened in the tub.
Deep breathe.
I will admit, at this point, the tears are welling up. I had to walk out of the room for a time out. I wanted to scream, "What are you doing?" I actually might have, it's all a blur. I did however leave out the part about him being crazy and my swelling desire to drop him off on a friend's doorstep.
Onto bath clean up. I got the floor cleaned up with three towels, cleaned up the training potty, which had the lid up and was full of water, and I managed to get most the pen off my children, without bathing them in rubbing alcohol (I figured some may frown on this and CPS would NOT help the day go any better. As is, the house already smelled like a distillery from cleaning the clothes off.) I took brayden out first, and set him in front of his train set while I got Gavin. By the time Gavin was cleaned off, I found Brayden in the office playing on the computer. Fortunately, nothing befell the computer, because Mommy was way past the end of her rope already.
Lastly, as I tucked Gavin into his bunkbed, I realized there was black pen all over Brayden's bedspread and his whiter than white gate, that holds him in bed. Hmmm...I didn't realize the pen had made it that far. I didn't bother to look for more. I just ran out of the room.
I think I may laugh about this someday. Not today. Today, I keep reminding myself how great he was getting his haircut this morning, how brave, how cute and how sweet giving me hugs when it was all done. I am reminding myself how he loves to laugh and is not afraid to enjoy life. Even when it's risky. I am reminding myself how much I love this little boy who has my shoulders tensed up to my ears and my head throbbing. It's really quite a phenomenon.
Here are a few pictures for enjoyment.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
My turn
Welp, it was finally my turn to get sick, I guess. Rarely do I actually catch something the kids have, but this time I took it in full force. I got a cold, turned sinus infection and have been breathing like Darth Vader for the last few days. My head throbs, my nose is completely plugged, I am coughing and, being pregnant, my friends Nyquil and Advil are not available. Yesterday, I was so short of breathe while having lunch and I couldn't figure out why. Finally I realized, if I chewed I couldn't breathe through my nose and so it was like holding my breathe every time I ate! It stunk.
Both the kids and Shawn have colds too, but they are functioning at a tad higher level than I am and have seemed to bounce back faster. (Well, maybe not Shawn. He's got it pretty bad, but is so busy that we are passing ships this week and we really haven't talked much about it. I am hoping he can see the Dr. on Friday.) The boys seem to sniffle and move on. Good for them!
I really am just not used to being sick and frankly, am not too keen on it. It isn't enough of a sickness to stop the daily routine, so I have been plugging along trying to be a good mom, but probably failing miserably. Yesterday, I did take the boys to play on the trains at Barnes and Noble, get a cookie and a new book. It was a nice treat for us all. But I can alway say, I have sunk to a new TV low with the children, just to get some down time.
Yesterday was also my month to host BUNKO for the group I play in. So I spent much of the day cleaning and preparing dinner and dessert for 12. I usually enjoy hosting, but was a tad sad that my week of all weeks was this one. I must have washed my hands a million times trying to sanitize! All in all it went well, however I didn't win any money and that was a bummer.
Today, I could be on the upswing. I can take a small breathe through my nose and my headache is a lesser throb. We have some friends coming for lunch that I know Gav will be pumped about and the sun is shining...which may mean some outside time for the boys. I am trying to be positive...not my forte.
I keep thinking about Job. I have no boils, my family is alive and all in all we are doin' allright, yet still I feel like I want to whine. Stepping back I am disappointed with myself for getting so down about something so minor. I wish I could rub Job's elbow and get some of his gracious praise worthy attitude. I am trying harder. Because, well...God is good and He does still sit on the throne. Cold or no cold. And frankly, I am very grateful to serve Him and that He tolerates my whininess with love, mercy and compassion. That is something very praiseworthy!
Both the kids and Shawn have colds too, but they are functioning at a tad higher level than I am and have seemed to bounce back faster. (Well, maybe not Shawn. He's got it pretty bad, but is so busy that we are passing ships this week and we really haven't talked much about it. I am hoping he can see the Dr. on Friday.) The boys seem to sniffle and move on. Good for them!
I really am just not used to being sick and frankly, am not too keen on it. It isn't enough of a sickness to stop the daily routine, so I have been plugging along trying to be a good mom, but probably failing miserably. Yesterday, I did take the boys to play on the trains at Barnes and Noble, get a cookie and a new book. It was a nice treat for us all. But I can alway say, I have sunk to a new TV low with the children, just to get some down time.
Yesterday was also my month to host BUNKO for the group I play in. So I spent much of the day cleaning and preparing dinner and dessert for 12. I usually enjoy hosting, but was a tad sad that my week of all weeks was this one. I must have washed my hands a million times trying to sanitize! All in all it went well, however I didn't win any money and that was a bummer.
Today, I could be on the upswing. I can take a small breathe through my nose and my headache is a lesser throb. We have some friends coming for lunch that I know Gav will be pumped about and the sun is shining...which may mean some outside time for the boys. I am trying to be positive...not my forte.
I keep thinking about Job. I have no boils, my family is alive and all in all we are doin' allright, yet still I feel like I want to whine. Stepping back I am disappointed with myself for getting so down about something so minor. I wish I could rub Job's elbow and get some of his gracious praise worthy attitude. I am trying harder. Because, well...God is good and He does still sit on the throne. Cold or no cold. And frankly, I am very grateful to serve Him and that He tolerates my whininess with love, mercy and compassion. That is something very praiseworthy!
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