If He Wants It, He'll Probably Build It

Our dinners, well meals, are pretty crazy. They are noisy, it's difficult for Bob and I to carry on any type of conversation, food is either being dropped, thrown or spilled, and some instruction or discipline is usually being carried out for such.

When the kids finish eating, and they've suffered long enough by sitting at the table for "family time," we let them go play while we finish eating. As sweet as it is, they obviously want to be with us since they end up back in the dining room with noisy toys.

The only room on our main level that has carpet is the living room, so there are certain toys we prefer to have live in that particular room. Basically anything with knobby plastic tires doesn't need to be on slate or wood.

The other night, Bob specifically reminded Sam to keep a certain toy off the hardwoods.

Here is Sam's solution to that request.

That trail ended up going around the corner to the left, and included pillows, blankets, puzzles and box lids. So resourceful.

And please know that Bo is saying "cheese." He does it every time you pull out a camera. Fantastic.

A Couch Full of Blessings

Our Small Group adults (8) are officially outnumbered by children.

Let me introduce you to all ten of them, 9 born, 1 obviously still in the oven.
(Try to look past the blurry picture. We were lucky to have everyone somewhat still and somewhat looking at the camera.)

We are surely blessed.

*Photo Credit: Steven Hailston

Before Their Innocence is Lost

Two year-olds are difficult to parent.
From my vast experience, let me tell you three year-olds aren't a whole lot easier...sometimes even more difficult.

Some days, it's too easy to get frustrated, too easy to take them for granted, and too easy to wish away a couple months. Then you get reminded by, oh say, maybe your husband, that we (he and I, the ones in the deep of it) will miss this.

We'll miss this.
We.will.miss.this.

We'll miss the cute pronunciations like ambudamps (ambulance - S), butnon (button - S), wumping (something - G), Bun (Sam - G).

We'll miss the cute attachments to night-nights or stuffed animals like Grey's baby lion, or Baby Wion, to whom he says, "I'm gunna nuggle you now, Baby Wion." precious


We'll miss the wonky teeth and the money we will spend to straighten them, the bombarding-from-behind-choke-hugs, wrestling on the floor, jumping on the couches, screams in the middle of the night that can be stopped only by rocking in the chair with me or their dad.

You see those three sweet little faces at the top of this page? I know we'll miss all this stuff that sometimes seems overwhelmingly frustrating, because I know there will come a time, soon I think, where some of the child-like innocence is lost.

So until I'm just gonna do my best to soak it all up while I can.

He's a Toy Whose Batteries Never Need Replacing!

Here, you'll see Bo is being tucked in because Sam is all done playing with him and he should go to sleep.

I Ask Myself the Same Question

"Why hasn't that made it to the blog?" - Bob

Sorry about the orientation AND the poor quality. Maybe that's why...

Who Doesn't Like Outtakes?

We had some family pictures done a few weeks ago by my friend, Ashley. (She and I trade off work. It's definitely the way to go!)

Here are some outtakes.

A nice little sequence of pain, courtesy of Sam.




I don't know that I've ever seen anyone's eyes shut quite this tightly...



I don't even know what's going on here...but I do know I love those sweet hugs.




And we'll end with this one.
Sam's got this new thing where he grabs everyone by their necks. I don't love it.

Just a Little Idea of What It's Like With Three

Our termite inspection was scheduled for this morning, at 10.

I put Bo down for his nap around 9:30 (paci-less).
Turns out that darn paci was wrapped up in his blankets, WHICH I shook out looking for it.

Around 9:45 he was explaining how discontent he was with the situation by cranking up his mad scream.
So, I went up to try and calm him down slash look for the paci again.

During that time, Sam unlocked the front door for the termite guy.
He was 15 minutes early.
When does THAT happen?
Side thought: Where was Grey?

I realize there is a male voice I don't recognize coming from downstairs so I lay Bo (screaming) back in the crib.

As I'm coming down the stairs, I'm going over in my head what I must look like and making sure that I'm at least presentable. (shirt? check. pants? check. crazy hair? check. shower? nope.)

So Sam is standing there greeting the termite guy who is standing outside the door, surely confused by this unaccompanied 3 year old who is inviting him in.

Termite guy gets started inspecting.

In the back of my mind, I'm trying to figure out when to email some insurance information to Bob and wrap up an invitation order. (I don't know about anyone else but those things I have to remember to get done that aren't actually making noise really compound stress.)

I go check on Bo again...he is still screaming.
Normally the child goes right to sleep but I knew he was going to require extra attention since he had no paci.

I realize Grey has his 2nd poopy diaper. Change that as I'm telling AJ the guy was early and now I have no rush to get dressed.

Then I hear the basement door close, so I can only assume he heard me. Oops.

As he's explaining what else he needs to check and I'm telling him how to open our pesky fence door, I realize I've got a huge poopy diaper in my hand.

Please remember Bo is still screaming, Grey is galloping around and Sam has asked me no less than 47 questions since the termite inspector arrived.

Also, I haven't had any coffee yet.

We Went to See the Big Fish & Whales (There Were No Whales)

A week or so ago, we went to the GA Aquarium. This trip was full of anticipation especially since we were planning to to the week before and decided to bump back the trip due to illness. Shocker. We drove over Sunday night, spent the night at my parents' house, which is on the market. Anybody looking for a house in Snellville, GA?

We got to hang out with the Stantons (always fun) and see Amy's new little baby bump! It's so fun letting all the boys play together but we're still hoping for a little girl for the Stantons' third.

After grabbing breakfast at Panera, we headed downtown to the aquarium. We saw all kinds of fish, frogs, otters, seahorses, penguins, and then my favorite, the huge aquarium at the end with the giant sting rays and whale sharks, otherwise known as whales. Well whales according to Sam.

We had a blast, but listen, taking 3 kids under 4 to the aquarium is a lot of work. Sam and Grey wanted to run in different directions, see different things, and fuss. Yep, apparently the slide is scary. And you know what? I can force Grey down it and he'll like it. I can't force Sam down without looking abusive. What I'm trying to say here is that there was a lot of yelling and kicking going on while I was tring to talk to him about going down a slide. A slide people. Slides are supposed to be fun! Any.way.

I think Bob's favorite part was chasing both boys while I was feeding Bo. Am I right, Bob? No? Or was it lunch? That $27 lunch that we stretched between the 4 of us. Ha.

The boys really seemed to enjoy everything. I do think they'll have a whole different sense of enjoyment from it when they're a little older. It was so fun to see them watch these really colorful or playful or huge animals for the first time. Sam's favorite was either the Penguin area or the Whale Sharks/"whales". Grey really seemed to enjoy all the other kids who were at the aquarium with us.

What a wonderful thing it is to see amazement in your kids and what a funny thing to hear some of the questions they come up with. Ahhh, good times.

This is Where I Am

If you've come into contact with me in the last month or so, you know two things (1), we've been sick for many weeks now and (2) my precious oldest child has been giving me quite the run for my money.

You would know this because I can't seem to keep from whining about it to anyone I am talking to.

Know what I think about that? I'm kinda tired of it. I'm tired of having those things to complain about, but even more, I'm tired of being that person who complains so much.

A friend of mine, Jenna, recently posted about a book giveaway another friend of hers was doing. To enter, you had to write about something you love about your kids.

Wanna know something sad? That particular day, it was hard for me to do that. Not hard to come up with things I love about them, but hard to make myself want to focus on those things. Ugh! If that doesn't earn me some kind of parenting award, I'm not sure what does. I'm pretty disgusted at myself for ever thinking that way about my children. The precious, hilarious, sweet little boys that I've been gifted to watch over.

Anyway. In my comment, I thanked that lady for "making" me focus on what I love about my kids. I needed it. They needed it.

I didn't win the giveaway but did realize this book, Loving the Little Years: Motherhood in the Trenches, is currently buy one, get one with free shipping. That free shipping really pushed me over the edge to go ahead and buy 2. Well that and the fact that I got teared up after reading the first few pages (check out the "look inside" right under the picture of the book).

So, I'm copying Jenny (who also has an adorable son named Sam!) and I'm giving away a copy of this book.

To enter (leave a separate comment for each thing you do:
Leave a comment telling me something you love about the kid(s) in your life. (gotta do this one!)
Tweet about this giveaway.
Facebook about this giveaway.

I'll pick and announce a winner Wednesday, April 27th. (Please be sure I can contact you).

Here's what I said about my three littles:
I love Sam (3 1/2) for calling payloaders, Miss Payloader b/c of a book that asked him to look for the missing payloader, for halting the energy that courses through him to be gentle to his baby brother, for giving awesome “around the neck” hugs and for pointing out to me when he does obey/use good manners/help out like I’ve specifically asked him to.

I love Grey (1 1/2) for the little pouty face he has recently perfected, for telling everyone, every.one, “hi” again and again and again, for running in to give sweet hugs and waiting at the door for his dad every day, for bringing every blanket available to me for his baby brother and for the mischievous little eyes he squints when we tell him to “cheese it up.”

I love Bo (5 months) for his sweet and calm disposition, for snuggling right into the base of my neck, for smiling so easily, and for sleeping so well!

Who Buys Hand-Me-Downs?

Kids' clothes are expensive. You already know this.

I refuse to pay more for my kids' clothes than I pay for my own, especially when the material is a quarter of the size!

My answer to this dilemma is consignment sale shopping and Kid's Market is just about the only one I go to.

At the end of the sale, they have 2 days where most everything is 50%.* I just got back. After spending $46.34 (including tax), I got all of this...



Oh Kid's Market, how I enjoy thee.

*If you contribute to the sale, you get to shop early. I contributed this year so I also went one of the first days and got about the same amount of stuff (but spent a tad more). Don't have a picture of that and it is already integrated into the closets.

I'm Telling You, My Immune System Rocks (knock on wood)

First off, let me say I am so thankful for good health.
Overall, our family is very healthy.
I know plenty who can't say the same.

However, I'm tired of my kids being sick. They're pitiful. I can't always make them feel better and there is more bodily fluid coming out of them than normal and that's just one more thing to clean up.
But I'm glad the grossness of it doesn't really bother me.

We've missed church the last 3 Sundays (although last week was because Bob and I had an overnight date). We can't really hang out with any friends because we don't want to spread germs.
Along those same lines, Sam has to miss school...school that has already been paid for...school that gives me a nice little break.
But I'm glad that I'm able to take care of him and spend some extra time loving on him.

We're tired. Isn't every parent of children tired...perpetually?

Even with Bob here, the house is a wreck. The kids make more messes, food, toys, partially digested food, snot, etc.
than we are able to keep up with.
But, I love watching Bob care for our kids.
He is so gentle and patient with them.

Sooo, we'll keep napping through the night, giving midnight baths to bring down fevers, racing to beat the snot rocketing out of noses before it makes it into mouths or onto the floor. We'll keep covering coughs, monitoring temperatures and medicine dosages, cleaning up puke, washing small loads of disgusting laundry, smelling nasty breath and snuggling...with tiny, hot bodies.

Because that's what parents do.

Merry Christmas - From Us to You 2010

So after I ordered our cards, it kinda hit me that I didn't include much text on the card and no verse. I was thinking "Peace" was quite appropriate since things are so hectic during this particular stage in our lives. When we do have some quiet, it is sweet and much appreciated. We're even more appreciative of the peace afforded to us by Jesus' sacrifice for our sins. Peace even when kids are screaming, crying, running around, jumping and climbing on things, laughing hysterially, playing chase, and giving hugs. Bob and I are incredibly blessed, I'm incredibly blessed.

Hope you enjoy time with family, friends, delicious food and celebrating the most important birthday - Jesus! That's what we'll be doing.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

John 14:27

Recently

The kids have been playing a lot better together. Seeing Sam share with Grey without any prompting from me, lean over to hug him, or give him a kiss when he gets hurt just makes me smile. Or heck, I'm happy when they're just playing quietly in close proximity without pushing each other over, snatching toys away or screaming....as you'll see happening here.

Those are some sweet little boys.

And I sure do love 'em.

(Expect to see some children's art soon cluttering the wall behind Sam. SOMETHING needs to go there. It makes me uncomfortable to look at such a big empty space.)

At Best, I Think I Could Give Myself a B- (and for the record, I'm not too disappointed with a B-)

Some days, I feel like I'm doing alright.

Days when I get up before the kids, shower, and read and pray.

Days when I actually get a little bit of cleaning done...even if you can't tell by the end of the day.

Days when I loads of laundry get washed, dried, folded AND put away. Especially if I had to combat a couple kids who love to throw folded clothes.

Days when I've noticed an extreme amount of patience, kept my cool, made meals and fed the kids on time, and gotten them down for good naps.

Days when I have dinner ready when Bob gets home and the kids are playing quietly in the living room.

Days when Sam is attentive and obedient, uses good manners, and is sweet to Grey.

Days when Grey eats all the food on his tray (before he throws any of it on the ground) and still wants more.

Days when there is a lot of laughter, from Sam, from Grey, from me.

Some days, soooommme days, I feel like I'm doing alright.

Talk About Mixed Emotions

There are lots of days around here where I feel like things are juuuust about to spin out of control.

Toys are scattered everywhere, especially under my feet, laundry is piled up all over the place, both kids are being incredibly loud, someone is crying or whining, my phone is ringing, and we're running late to get somewhere.

There are lots of days where I think, "it was so easy with one kid, I wish I had known!" (And then I think, "I'm sure I'll look back and think, it was so easy with two kids, I wish I had known!" ha.)

There are lots of days where I would give just about anything for a break...for some quiet...for a chance to empty the dishwasher completely, put away the folded clothes, work out, read.

And then came today. It's Sam's first day of school.

He's been there since 9 this morning and I pick him up in about 20 minutes. He was so excited and so was part of me. The other part of me cried like a little baby after I dropped him off.

He's old enough that we go through carpool instead of me having to lug in Grey and drop Sam off in his room. This is excellent, especially since I'll have a newborn in a couple months to add to that mix. However, it meant that I had to unbuckle, climb in the back and unbuckle Sam, all while we were waiting in the carpool line, to give him a goodbye hug and kiss.

Upon exiting the van, he hopped right out, looked at me with the slightest confused face, and headed on in. I'm sure he's having a blast.

But me? I had to go qwell my emotions with a Pumpkin Spice Latte and peruse through Target.

I vividly remember when this precious "big boy" was the tiny baby inside me. Now he talks like an adult and poops in the potty...and goes to school! Granted, it's only 2 days a week, but apparently it's a pretty big deal since I'm tearing up just typing this.



Ahem, I did get to empty the dishwasher completely. I put away a ton of laundry - including some clothes that were still in bags from our beach trip. (Shame, shame, shame.) And I got to work out. I'm even getting to blog! But I'm also kind of counting down the minutes before I go pick him up.

So how's that for mixed emotions?