Merry Christmas

I can't even believe its December 23. Christmas Eve Eve. The impending winter storm has moved our holiday travel plans up a day. I'm sitting here just waiting my Lewis to get home from work so we can make the trek to Grandma and Grandpa's. They say its supposed to be the worst storm in 40 years. We'll just see how it all plays out. Too many times have they promised and not delivered. But I guess we should be expecting to be snowed in at Grandma's for a few days. A cozy Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa's. I just hope we all still like eachother when we leave.

The boys are busily playing with some magnets and metal trucks. For the time being they are busy. But it looks like it may be getting out of control. Its only a matter of time.

A few days ago we were playing in the boys room. Jack had become Santa and directed Will and I to go to sleep so he could deliver the presents. After a few rounds of jolly laughter and joyous praise for the packages I mentioned the best present was Jesus.

Jack left the room for a minute and returned with a blanked draped over his head and announced he was Jesus. With arms open wide he told us to come into his arms. He told us he loved us and was taking us to Heaven. He instructed us to hold on tight and close our eyes. Then he made some swishing sounds and led us to the living room and said we were in Heaven.

I pretended to be enamoured by the beauty of heaven and described how Heaven must look. Then he told us he was taking us to Hell to go kill the Devil. We again held tight and we went downstairs. He went in the laundry room and explained that was the Devil's house and kicked a few laundry baskets and said he was dead. YEAH!!! We were all excited the deed was finally done.

Only a kid can come up with a story line like that. Jesus and Santa are the two best things of Christmas, even if Jack doesn't really believe in him.

Which leads me to the next little tid bit I wanted to share.

Jack is quiet worried that Will is going to believe in Santa and keeps asking him if the thinks Santa is real. Will replies with a "Yes" and Jack just about goes ballistic "Mom! Will believes in Santa, tell him he isn't real!!"

Toilet Troubles

So from the title you'd think this would be about potty training again. And, I guess, in a way it is.

You find some of the most disgusting things in a toilet, but my Will is the most creative about toilet creations. This past summer he found a washcloth on the side of the tub and told me "I flushed that cleaner thingy". You what? What thing? Oh! The washcloth is gone! Luckily the toilet ate it with out any trouble.

Lately he has again had a fascination with flushing things, and the toilet had indigestion.

I had some sponge bob Dixie cups left over from a birthday party a few years back. I thought the boys might enjoy them to use after brushing their teeth. Will used them to put upside down in the sink and turn the water on full blast and soak the bathroom with its spray. More recently he had decided they would be fun for dunking in the toilet. Jack found him flushing one in the toilet to which we explained he couldn't do.

Well last night Jack and Lewis were playing video games in the basement, I was feeding Ella, and Will was supposed to be going poop. Hm... Flush..."what are you doing Will?" Flush... "Will!, What are you doing?" Flush... Ahhh, do I have to get up?

I walk into the bathroom to see water to the brim of the toilet and a Dixie cup floating at the top in a mixture of brown and yellow toilet water with bits of toilet paper. Too descriptive? I'll let you clean it up. Anyway. Thankfully I walked in at that moment or it would have gotten even worse.

I pull him off the toilet and make him sit on the floor. I should've wiped his butt first because there is still a small bit of poop in the carpet. I fish the cup out and start plunging like mad but it won't budge. After about 5 plunge cycles it lets loose to a slight trickle. How many cups did you flush?!? I'm guessing 3, but I'm not even sure.

We send the kids to bed, its after bedtime anyway, and Lewis keeps working on it. We are able to flush water only, but nothing else. I'm glad I have a second bathroom.

I call my dear old dad, a plumber from childhood, and he is going to try and help us today. I'm so glad he was coming up anyway.

This kid will do about anything. I sure hope that vast inquisitiveness is put to good use as an adult.

Seriously?

I sometimes wonder what exactly goes on inside the mind of a six year old boy. But if I was in there I'd probably need therapy.

By the time I woke up this morning Jack had already dressed himself and was getting breakfast ready. I am usually told to just pick something out from his collection of clothing, so I was very impressed he did it himself and told him I was proud of him. Upon picking him up from school I looked in his book bag and pulled out a pair of pants. My first thought was "oh no, he peed his pants", but they were clean and dry. Hmmm? What was under those snow pants?

Jack explained he had a tank top and shorts on. He has snuck them under his clothes and stripped in the hall before class started.


Wow, seriously? You wore that all day. Do you realize the high temp was 18! "Did your teacher say anything" I questioned. "no, he said nothing". I sure hope they don't call cps on us.
I couldn't stop laughing. I probably should have showed more disgust, but it was really funny. And honestly it doesn't surprise me all that much considering his dad still wears shorts with snow on the ground. I'll never understand. Thus the complexities of the six year old boy.

Little Mouse

Will was playing with a combine his dad had had as a child. It was stored out in one of his parents sheds for many years and a mouse at some point over the years had decided to chew off part of a tire.

Will was inspecting it and said "mom, someone ate this tire.". I explained it was a mouse and he replied "the mouse mommy must not have told him not to eat tractor tires." I guess not hu?

Mine, All Mine!

So Jack came home on Friday with a penny war fundraiser where the kids are supposed to collect and donate pennies for the local habitat for humanity. I was looking through the papers and casually asked what it was about. He must have been over tired because his reaction was a bit much. He immediately began crying and yelling, he ran into his room grabbed his piggy bank and crawled up to his bed, all the while yelling "they aren't going to get my money!!!". I told him I knew how he felt because everyone wants my money too. His piggy bank remained in his bed until I told him I wouldn't make him give any of his money. I think we'll skip out on this fundraiser, but God and I have some work to do on instilling a giving spirit.

Update

Its been a mundane few weeks. My life consists of nap schedules, nursing Ella, taking Jack to school, and keeping Will busy. Along with all the normal house chorse that seem to fill up my week.

We had our first snow storm of the season, seven inches of welcome snow. A white Christmas we will have. Everyday since Jack has been begging to go sledding. Well, more like whining at me to the point of fury. He is relentless, but with Ella, its too hard for me to take them, and by the time Lewis gets home its dark. So he has to learn to wait. Patience is the hardest thing to learn, for a 6 year old, its nearly impossible in this fast food society.

I thought Will was getting better at this potty thing, but then he hasn't really taken himself unless he is wet. But even that is somewhat of an improvement. At least he cares that he is wet. I've started putting him in time out for wetting his pants. I hate to punish him for it, but its been a year of fights, and this seems to have brought some progress.

He has also been having some conflict with saying "oh my Gosh" and "oh my God". I'm certain he's picked it up from T.V. as we don't say this at our house. But after several weeks of correcting him he should be able to remember we only say "oh my goodness" as to which he asks "Can we say oh my man, oh my cheese, oh my tractor...?" On and on. Yesterday he told me he wanted to pretend God was here so he could say "oh my God". I had told him its only for talking to God. So apparently in his eyes if God is here its okay. The mind of a 3 year old.

Ella has finally rolled over! A little behind, but my kids have never been known to be the firsts at doing anything. But then again, I walked at 9 months but was never very athletically coordinated. She is getting so strong. She has also gotten very archy, so its hard for the boys to hold her without her trying to jump out of their arms.

As I mentioned above we had a snow on Tuesday. On Wednesday not everything was quite cleaned up and Lewis was afraid my van wouldn't make it through the piles of snow the plows left behind. I had plans for Dot to stay with the younger two while I walked to get Jack. But at one p.m. Ella began exorcist puking. I've never seen such a thing. Then at 1:15 she did it again, and again at 1:40 or so. Three times in less than an hour seemed a bit much for a four month old. I decided to call our doctor before getting Jack from school, just to see what I should do for her since she is so young. The receptionist put it in as a red flag so they'd call back right away. They sure did, the nurse was very concerned and wanted us to come RIGHT AWAY. I didn't really see the urgency and asked if I could come after I picked up Jack, but they were concerned about her dehydrating. So I had Dot come over while I took Ella to the doctor.

They got me right into the room, Tony told me Dr. Broderson had some USD students with her, but I said I didn't have time since I had a short time opening before I needed to be back to pick up Jack and it was already 2:15. But guess who entered first. The students, annoying me to no end.."Did she eat too much cereal? Is she teething and swallowing too much spit? Is she pulling at her ears?" No, she is happy and just threw up 3 times in an hour! That's it, not big story here, except the off chance its from the cereal she ate earlier, but it wasn't the first time she's ate it either. So finally Dr. Broderson arrives in the room at 2:40 and tells me if she keeps throwing up call them so they can get her fluids. AHHHHH!!!! That is exactly why I called!!! YOU COULD HAVE TOLD ME THAT OVER THE PHONE!!!!!!! How irritating! Sometimes I really hate the doctors. office.

Luckily I had called the school to have them tell Jack I would be late, I showed up at 2:53. Seven minutes late, and Jack was even still a little worried he would have to go to kids inc. I apologized and we went home to Drink hot cocoa and marshmallows.

So Thanksgiving has come and gone. We had a nice holiday, but Grandma's house always wears me out. Even though we have two extra adults they always seem to wake up extra early and be extra energetic. Will spent a lot of time with Grandpa giving him hugs and snuggles, Jack spent a lot of quality time with Lewis building with the erector set. I spent most of my time caring for Ella. She is getting so much fun. She has grown and changed so much in just 4 and a half short months. She likes standing most of the time you hold her and she spits at you when she is really excited. Her pointer and middle fingers are her best friends, they are always in her mouth. She has gotten into a really nice routine with sleeping and naps.

Since being home Will has LOVED taking baths. While Jack is at school Will will spend over an hour in the tub until he is wrinkled as a prune. I have the cleanest boy in the neighborhood. Jack has been bringing home books and is beginning to read. Its more like memorization, but he is very proud of his accomplishment, as am I. I'd like to write more, but Ella is complaining about something. Probally gas as she hasn't pooped for several days. Oh to be 4 months old.

Daddy's Rich and Yellow Pee.

The boys and I went to my friend's house to get our haircut. I was upstairs preparing for my trim and I hear Jack and Kaden, my friends son, downstairs playing Lego's. Jack is telling Kaden about all the new Lego's his dad has gotten. Kaden interjects "how can your dad have so many toys?" Jack replies, "well, my dad goes to work at Wells Fargo and makes like a thousand dollars, my dad is rich!" I'm still trying to figure out why does daddy have so many Lego's?

Sometime last week Will was drinking a cup of water in a sippy before his afternoon nap. He asked me where the water goes. I explain it goes down a pipe into your tummy and through some more pipes and then you pee it out. "oh" he says "my water goes in my pipe and my tummy makes it yellow" Exactly, if only my biology teacher would've seen it that way.

'Tis the Season

The Christmas season has arrived! Since the weather has been unseasonably warm we decided to pack up our family and brave Falls Park annual lighting event. It was very crowded we had a hard time finding a parking place and ended up walking a little ways. Jack really wanted to ride the trolley from downtown, but we decided to stay on site and just walk. On our way up we saw the beautiful Clydesdale hoses from McCrossan's Boys Ranch with the wagons. We wanted to take a wagon ride, but when we got up to the park and there were people everywhere and had no idea when one line ended and another began. We told the boys we'd get one of their uncles to give them a horse ride.

We stood on the top of the hill waiting for the lights to begin. Five, Four, Three, Two, One, Flash! It was gorgeous! Jack said "Wow, that looks hard" We both agreed it would've taken a really long time to get all the trees lit, and he marveld at the fact they were LED lights. I bent down and told Will it was Christmas time, he responded "Now I can open my presents!" We strolled around the park for a half an hour looking at the ice sculptures, caribou, and looking for a candy cane that I had promised would be there. Another disappointment in Jack's life, for that was all he cared about. A ten cent candy can can really ruin an evening. Since we couldn't find these elusive candy canes, I promised him a whole box tomorrow. So now I need to pay up and make a trip to the store. On our way out we swung through the Horse Barn Art Gallery, and the first thing you see when you walk in is a ginormous abstract painting of 4 naked women. My boys lovingly referred to it as "the boob picture". Thanks for that Sioux Falls! By 6:30 we were back in the van heading for home. A short event, under an hour, but so much fun and another great family memory.

At home I made them hot cocoa and we watch the Charlie Brown Christmas Show, after convincing will we couldn't watch the Great Pumpkin because it wasn't haloween.

A Quiet Moment

Ahh, finally a quiet moment. This week has proved to be a challenge. Yesterday Will refused to take a nap, and Ella's naps don't exceed an hour. Between taking Jack to school, timming naps, and meals, there isn't much time for mommy. Even now I had hoped to get Ella to sleep a little longer and I hear her stirring in her bed. On top of all that, Jack has been throwing a fit when its time to do his homework and thats the last thing I want to fight about at the end of a busy day. I love my job, and would never ask for anything else, except maybe a paycheck. Maybe the goverment should look into that. While they are bailing out everyone else, maybe they can bail out the stay at home mom.

Got Your Back Mama

The other day I was trying to get a movie going for the boys. I was having a hard time at it. I had tried a few different movies and my frusteration must have been showing. Will was standing by me and had my hand on my upper back "its okay mom, I got your back." It was so stinking cute. Where does he come up with this stuff?

The First Born

I almost feel bad for the firstborn. They are a bit of an experiment. I sort of feel like I'm walking in the dark trying to find my way but I keep stubbing my toe. There is a bit of adventure with the first born too though. Well, actually, parenting in genral is an adventure. But with your first its all so new. There is the regular stuff you look foward to, like the smiles, laughs, saying mommy, walking, talking. But there are things you never really think of. The way comes home from school and is so excited to show you his papers and will write in an entire notebook in one night. Your first parent-teacher confernce that fills you so much pride. The first tooth he looses, that you just hold and remeber when it came in only 5 and 1/2 years ago. The way you watch him mature and grow when each sibling is added. He just knows he is getting older as he sees how much bigger he is than the others. He just smiles and looks at you and shakes his head while his little brother tries to do something impossible. The way he cares for them, but then the way he terrorises them too. I really don't know what I'm doing at all. I'm just fumbling through the dark, but he is teaching me so much about myself, and I'm only hoping I'm teaching him along the way too.

Say What?

Kids always say the funniest things. Here are a few of the ones my tykes have come up with.

Jack:
3 years old
Motormickel: Motorcycle
Far Zago: Wells Fargo, he will still sometimes mess this one up.
Wiffus: Wizard of Oz
Big Juice: Missouri River

4 Years Old:

" I had a dream, and puppies were climbing all over me."

Unfortunately I didn't write too many down for Jack. I thought I'd just remember them. But you don't. Sorry buddy. I'll do better from now on.

Will is full of funny things. And since he is still in the throws of that silly stage we have lots of stories from Will.

Last year we were walking through a store and Will saw a man with a white beard and long hair. Look Mom, its Noah.

Just this last fall my sister was staying with us for a few days and she walked into Will's room to find him laying on his belly looking at a book. Becca asks "what are you doing?" Will replies "I'm reading books to make my brain feel better"

Will used to say he was going to grow up to be Optimus prime but one day this last October he had another idea. "When I grow up I'm not going to be Optimus prime. I'm going to be a daddy. Then I'll feed my babies with my boobs. (laughter from Will) No, that's funny, because my boobs would be fuzzy"

A few weeks back we were staying at my mom's house where the boys sleep in the same bed. Jack had gotten up and came downstairs with Lewis and I. Will woke up around 5am and in a panic was crying. My mom went in their room and will said "Where's Jack? OH NO!!! The monsters must have ate him.

Its so nice to see kids are colorblind. But are also love sugar. "Look Mom! Chocolate Kids!" Will exclaimed when he saw a Sudanese family at Jack's school open house.

Baby Girls

I always thought life was complete after Will. Having boys was my destiny, and I didn't mind one bit. There was a small longing for another child, but not nessesarliy for a girl. Well, its true that God knows what you need even more than you yourself.

After I got pregnant for the third time, I was hopful for a girl, but not for any other reason than for the cute clothes and the interior design aspect. Girls? I had no idea what to do with one, and my husband was scared to even talk about them. I remember the day of the ultrasound. My stomach was in knots and I felt like I could jump off a building and fly from anticipation. The ultrasound tech had to try for over a half an hour to get an accurate reading. It was a GIRL!!! The smile on my face was a mile wide. I was happier than I had expected to be.

As she has arrived, gotten a little older and her personality is beginning to take shape, I realize just how much I needed her. I never thought anything was missing until I was blessed with my daughter and I see all the things I was missing out on. Now I'm not sure if its because she is a girl, or because I just knew I needed that last baby. But I sit and hold her and just imagine all the things we will do together. That special bond between mother and daughter. I can't wait for the friendship to grow. I can say now my heart if filled past overflowing. She is the sweetest thing in my world right now.

A Stinky Situation

About a year ago Lewis went to New York for work and picked out some really nice dicast cars with doors that open. They are still one of their favorite cars. Well not long after he returned we started potty training Will. You all know how that is going. But anyway, I had taken him potty and he ran out of the bathroom without any pants. I thought I was safe for a bit since he had just gone to the bathroom so I proceeded to do some chores and let him go. A few minutes later I hear Jack yell about something and as I enter the kitchen I smell something horrible and see Will standing on the floor driving his new dicast car in poop! "What are you doing?" I can't even remember his response, but I can still see it. No poop anywhere but on the bottom of his car and ALL over the top of the bench. I tried for days to get the smell off the bench, but I ended up repainting it. The care soaked in bleach for a day and I took it apart and cleaned out all the poop. If it would've been some cheap matchbox car it would be in the landfill.

Trouble at Church

So good news! Will took himself potty at Church today! But let me start at the beginning.

Will was supposed to be playing in the preschool room before service started and I was taking care of Ella as I was going to check in on him got side tracked talking to someone, a rare moment of adult interaction. I finally got to his room and found that he was missing , never a good thing; I usually try to prepare myself for the worse.

Well, I found him. After many promptings he had finally decided to follow my directions to stay dry and go potty. Yeah! But upon entering the bathroom I let out an unexpected "William Lewis! What are you doing!??!" There I found a little Will with pants and underwear around his ankles holding a tube he had pulled from the top of the toilet, flushing it and watching the water pour all over the women's bathroom. I don't even know how long he had been in there doing it, but there was water everywhere. I must have startled him too because he burst into tears. Oh, he had finally gone potty and I go and freak him out. He'll probably never want to go again.

After I get his pants up I hug him and praise him for going potty but remind him we can't play with the toilet like that. I take a deep breath and find someone to help me clean it up. I apologize profusely while saying how grateful I am for the help. Later I find out that water is still leaking out from behind the walls. Oh boy, the stories we will be able to tell him.

Reptile Child

Its always amazing the different things each child will do. I remember Jack as a baby, we would call him our little cappacchino maker since he would make this frothey throat gurgle. It was so precious. Will was just always smiling, always. And Ella, well, I think she is half reptile. Her tounge is so incredibly long. It is so adorable the way she talks non-stop and then smiles with her tounge sticking out. Her tounge just has to be part of her communication. Maybe its because I would stick my tounge out at her when she was only a week old. Whatever it is, none of our other kids were even capible of doing that.

Jack now has a whole in his mouth where two perfect little baby teeth used to live. He is so proud of his new milestone. Will on the otherhand was feeling left out. Last week he was really wanting his out too. Jack instructed him to "shake them out". So Will started to shake his whole body. When I asked him what he was doing he said "I'm trying to shake my teeth out." Then for some reason he thought he could get them out with a scissors. I had to hide all our scissors after he came out of his room with a scissors open wide trying to cut out his teeth. Not very safe, but pretty funny.

Kindergarten

I'll have to admit I was a little aprehensive sending Jack to school. I was sure he was ready since he was driving me CRAZY at home, but was he really "ready". I tried to teach him what I could at home to prepare him, but his intrest was greatly lacking.

Last night was our first parent/teacher confrence and I was so relieved to find out that he has come into his own. His teacher, Mr. Mortland, informed us that he not only loves to read and write, but he is one of the best listeners in class. He says Jack is one "I can always count on to sit quiet and listen". Wow, now only if I can get him to do that at home.

Mmmm, homemade bread. I love cold, windy days for one reason. The warm oven filling the house with smells of instant comfort. No matter what I'm baking, its an instant destresser. Today I decided on bread, my husband will be thrilled.

Beginnings

As my kids are getting older I'm realizing how special these little moments are. I try to hide them away in a safe place in my mind, I but find them fading. So as a way to combat motherhood memory loss I've decided to start blogging our daily endeavors.

Ah, will he EVER be potty trained? My first son was completley trained in a week. I thought I was such a good mother. I'd give advice to anyone who would ask. I had a potty ego. But God always has a way to show you that you're not perfect. Along comes William. A very happy little boy that could care less about anything other than his own agenda. As soon as I found out I was pregnant last November I was set to get him potty trained. I figured it would be easy, he was a complient little boy with very few disipline problems. I quickly realized I was the one trained and ever since we've been on this roller coaster. I want off, and I still have one left to train!

Story of the Morning:

I'm preparing Ella to lay her down for morning nap. My favorite time of day. Just me, her and the quietness of her breath. She will only be little for this time and I want to enjoy every bit of it. Will is usually on his own for these few minutes, which sometimes proves a bad judgment call on my part, but I need to keep this solitude. So as I'm rocing her and Will leaves the room I hear him call "I'm want an egg" . Ug...I remind him to wait for mommy, but what 3 year old can wait for anything? As I emerge from the nursery I see my little monster standing by the table with a dish rag on one hand trying to clean the table and 2 cracked eggs running all over the kitchen floor. "William Lewis!" I asked you to wait" Will replies "but I wanted one more egg for breakfast." He is so stinking cute how can you REALLY be mad. You just pretend to be so they won't do it again. And so goes the saga....