Reading posts like this just infuriate me. Mostly, infuriate me with myself.
http://laylagrace.org/
I complain when the boys wake up too much at night. I complain when they don't listen. I complain when I take them to Wal-Mart and we need to use their bathrooms. I complain when they spill pancake batter on the floor.
And then I get hit with a brick.
"A brick" is when reality comes and smacks me in the head, and reminds me of just how good I have it. Little Jason across the street from us, is a "brick". His leukemia has returned, once again, and his family is currently on their Make-A-Wish trip to Disney World while the doctors here try to figure out what to do next. At this point, he's become an experiment. Nothing proven to have worked on individuals in the past, works on him. They are now searching for other doctors that have found other miracles, and trying to figure out what chemo treatment to use next that his body won't recognize, because he's had so many.
And "a brick" is coming across a blog where someone isn't complaining about their kids making messes, or not listening, or screaming too loud - but dying too slow.
Hug your kids, and enjoy every minute with them. It makes me so frustrated that it takes a brick to knock me back into reality, and really be thankful for what I truly have. A wonderful, beautiful, healthy, full-of-life, family.
From one of the blog posts:
"Towards the end of a pregnancy, a mother will wake up to go to the bathroom every few hours. I think this is the body’s way of preparing you for a newborn and the sleepless nights that come along with it. Layla now spends most of her days sleeping. 30-45 minutes after she wakes up, she is ready to lay down and sleep again. Is this God’s way of preparing me for all the quiet time that is coming soon? The house is quiet. I am able to go through the motions of laundry, dishes, cooking and picking up without interruptions. But I WANT interruptions. I WANT Layla to be under my feet asking for cookies. I WANT to hear her playing with her toys. I WANT to take 45 minutes to unload the dishwasher because she keeps trying to help. For every time I uttered the words “I just can’t get anything done with these kids under my feet all day” I am eternally regretful. The days that I looked forward to naptime so I could get a grocery list made, or finally fold all the piles of laundry…I regret those days too. If I could do it all again, I’d enjoy EVERY SINGLE WAKING MOMENT I had with her. I would never wish for her to sit still or take a nap or go to bed early. I would never look forward to the days when she could sit through an entire episode of Dora silently. I would treasure every second with her."
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
For those of you that want kids, STOP!
Okay, well... maybe not stop, but proceed with caution.
I had a great idea today. (You can see where this might be going...) I thought since we had to get a couple things at the store, that we could possible make a "family night" of it. You know, a trip to Wal-Mart with the kiddos and the hubby. We could even grab a sandwich at Subway, leisurely walk through the store and pick up a few things that we need, and grab a birthday present for the party Tyler has tomorrow night. (This kid is officially invited to more parties than I am now!) Kyle also agreed that was a great idea.
Next time, we decided we are both going to either have to be drunk, or heavily medicated. Both, if at all possible.
We got to Subway as the boys were starving, and ordered two $5 foot longs (now the song will be going through your head over and over and over and over again too!). Both Chicken, because the boys love chicken. Since the boys wanted chips, Kyle and I both got a value meal - hey we're saving money already and haven't even started shopping yet! 2 chips, 2 drinks and 2 foot long sandwiches. That could certainly feed a quaint family of four!
Holy Lord
Tyler was furious that he didn't get his own drink. This is about when everything started going downhill. He stood at the pop machine whining for about 5 minutes about how he wanted Diet Pepsi, but Kyle had already filled his glass with Lemonade. Oh - the Horror!!!! (Tyler, you are a total drama king, if there is such a thing! And, I wouldn't give you Diet Pepsi at 6pm if my life depended on it!)
After we finally convinced Tyler to sit down with us and eat, preferably without whining, I cut my sandwich in half. God forbid, a sliver of lettuce had landed on his side of the sandwich! You would've thought someone had attempted to cut off his leg with the body writhing and squirming that proceeded. I picked off the lettuce, and any possible "lettuce juice" it left behind, and convinced him that if he ate his sandwich, it would help him grow big muscles.
We finally finished eating, and Connor needed to go potty. Awesome. Everyone knows how much I love the Wal-Mart bathrooms, and we got to experience them, yet again. At least this time I could suspend him in the air and aim - a definite benefit to having a boy. We didn't have to touch anything, and they had actually replaced the dead flowers on the sink with fresh ones. Lovely.
Once we got to shopping, Connor found the candy. At that point, I had already reached the "whatever" stage and let him grab what he wanted. It was one of those ring suckers, and he carried it around the whole store. Tyler freaked out about halfway through the store when he noticed Connor had one and he didn't. (Insert me cussing under my breath here.)
We got the necessities. Seriously, we needed milk, bread, butter, etc. Stuff that you would normally only buy before a snow storm, or every other day around here - based on the recent weather. We then needed to go to the toy section to buy something for the party Tyler has tomorrow night.
Never. Again. Never again will I take Tyler to buy a present for someone else, especially when that someone else is another 5 year old boy that has the same interests as Tyler.
After we decided on a toy (a cool Nerf gun), Tyler proceeded to throw another semi-tantrum in the toy section because HE WANTED ONE TOO!!!!! Now, Kyle and I were both beyond reasoning with him, and seriously, at least twice, considered leaving him at the store, or pretending that we didn't know who he was. He was awful.
He drug the toy with him through the store, all the while saying "This is MY gun, MINE, I want this gun, this isn't for Jackson, this is for ME!", and on and on and on and on. It was ridiculous.
At the cash registered, Connor spotted more candy, and gum. Tyler had a death grip on that stupid gun, and then knocked a whole pack of candy on the floor while flipping it around while trying to keep it from us. Candy went everywhere. Kyle was beyond frustrated because we were at the "self-checkout" which wouldn't scan half of our items, and if I heard that lady say "Please Put the Item in the Bagging Area" one more time, I was going to absolutely lose it, right then and there.
We got home, and nothing really improved. Tyler had tantrum after tantrum out of pure exhaustion. Kyle and I got to the point where we fought about how to disciple a kid that is misbehaving, but also tired, so we started yelling at each other. Tyler was so tired tonight, I think Kyle literally hog tied him and put him in bed at about 7:50. He was out in 2 seconds.
The night continued with a lovely chorus of cuss words out of Kyle because he couldn't get our home computer to work and me trying to finish my paper for school while typing with only my left hand because Connor was at one time, glued to my right leg.
Connor closed the night for us by getting out of bed 1,584 times.
I'm exhausted, and although I love my kids to death and wouldn't trade them for the world, I'm glad no one asked me why I had kids, at 6:25 tonight.
I had a great idea today. (You can see where this might be going...) I thought since we had to get a couple things at the store, that we could possible make a "family night" of it. You know, a trip to Wal-Mart with the kiddos and the hubby. We could even grab a sandwich at Subway, leisurely walk through the store and pick up a few things that we need, and grab a birthday present for the party Tyler has tomorrow night. (This kid is officially invited to more parties than I am now!) Kyle also agreed that was a great idea.
Next time, we decided we are both going to either have to be drunk, or heavily medicated. Both, if at all possible.
We got to Subway as the boys were starving, and ordered two $5 foot longs (now the song will be going through your head over and over and over and over again too!). Both Chicken, because the boys love chicken. Since the boys wanted chips, Kyle and I both got a value meal - hey we're saving money already and haven't even started shopping yet! 2 chips, 2 drinks and 2 foot long sandwiches. That could certainly feed a quaint family of four!
Holy Lord
Tyler was furious that he didn't get his own drink. This is about when everything started going downhill. He stood at the pop machine whining for about 5 minutes about how he wanted Diet Pepsi, but Kyle had already filled his glass with Lemonade. Oh - the Horror!!!! (Tyler, you are a total drama king, if there is such a thing! And, I wouldn't give you Diet Pepsi at 6pm if my life depended on it!)
After we finally convinced Tyler to sit down with us and eat, preferably without whining, I cut my sandwich in half. God forbid, a sliver of lettuce had landed on his side of the sandwich! You would've thought someone had attempted to cut off his leg with the body writhing and squirming that proceeded. I picked off the lettuce, and any possible "lettuce juice" it left behind, and convinced him that if he ate his sandwich, it would help him grow big muscles.
We finally finished eating, and Connor needed to go potty. Awesome. Everyone knows how much I love the Wal-Mart bathrooms, and we got to experience them, yet again. At least this time I could suspend him in the air and aim - a definite benefit to having a boy. We didn't have to touch anything, and they had actually replaced the dead flowers on the sink with fresh ones. Lovely.
Once we got to shopping, Connor found the candy. At that point, I had already reached the "whatever" stage and let him grab what he wanted. It was one of those ring suckers, and he carried it around the whole store. Tyler freaked out about halfway through the store when he noticed Connor had one and he didn't. (Insert me cussing under my breath here.)
We got the necessities. Seriously, we needed milk, bread, butter, etc. Stuff that you would normally only buy before a snow storm, or every other day around here - based on the recent weather. We then needed to go to the toy section to buy something for the party Tyler has tomorrow night.
Never. Again. Never again will I take Tyler to buy a present for someone else, especially when that someone else is another 5 year old boy that has the same interests as Tyler.
After we decided on a toy (a cool Nerf gun), Tyler proceeded to throw another semi-tantrum in the toy section because HE WANTED ONE TOO!!!!! Now, Kyle and I were both beyond reasoning with him, and seriously, at least twice, considered leaving him at the store, or pretending that we didn't know who he was. He was awful.
He drug the toy with him through the store, all the while saying "This is MY gun, MINE, I want this gun, this isn't for Jackson, this is for ME!", and on and on and on and on. It was ridiculous.
At the cash registered, Connor spotted more candy, and gum. Tyler had a death grip on that stupid gun, and then knocked a whole pack of candy on the floor while flipping it around while trying to keep it from us. Candy went everywhere. Kyle was beyond frustrated because we were at the "self-checkout" which wouldn't scan half of our items, and if I heard that lady say "Please Put the Item in the Bagging Area" one more time, I was going to absolutely lose it, right then and there.
We got home, and nothing really improved. Tyler had tantrum after tantrum out of pure exhaustion. Kyle and I got to the point where we fought about how to disciple a kid that is misbehaving, but also tired, so we started yelling at each other. Tyler was so tired tonight, I think Kyle literally hog tied him and put him in bed at about 7:50. He was out in 2 seconds.
The night continued with a lovely chorus of cuss words out of Kyle because he couldn't get our home computer to work and me trying to finish my paper for school while typing with only my left hand because Connor was at one time, glued to my right leg.
Connor closed the night for us by getting out of bed 1,584 times.
I'm exhausted, and although I love my kids to death and wouldn't trade them for the world, I'm glad no one asked me why I had kids, at 6:25 tonight.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Advice from a 5 year old
I have been so forgetful lately. So forgetful, it's almost embarrassing. Two weeks ago, I got 23 miles into my commute, when I realized my computer was on the kitchen counter at home. I've forgotten my purse at least twice in the last couple of weeks, but at least I noticed that before I gotten out of town. It's got to the point where Kyle isn't even surprised when I walk back in the door anymore at home after just leaving.
Friday morning, I drove the kids to daycare. I had class all day Friday, and I'm usually frazzled on the mornings before school. I'm not sure why, maybe just because I want to get there, get it started, and get it done. I'm worried if we did the homework correctly, would I get called on that day, would there be a surprise presentation, etc.
As we were about halfway to daycare, I looked at the passenger seat beside me. I had my computer, I had my school bag, but no purse. I think I punched the steering wheel, and starting using code swear words... "frick, frick, ffffffffffff, dangit, crap, crap, crap!" was all that would come out of my mouth. I took the next turn I could, and started heading back home.
Tyler asked, of course, why we weren't going the right way to daycare. I told him I had forgot my purse at home, again....
Tyler: "Why did you forget your purse again, Mommy?"
Me: "Because I forget everything these days!" (I was still very frustrated!)
Tyler: "Why do you forget everything?"
I actually thought about how I should answer this, and figured the truth would be the best in this case.
Me: "Because I have too much on my mind sometimes, Tyler. I just forget stuff."
Tyler: "Maybe you could take some stuff off your mind." he suggested.
Now I'm smirking, because I realize I'm about to get a good dose of "Tyler advice". Tyler advice is the best advice you could get, because it usually brings me back to reality, calms me down, and makes me giggle a little.
Me: "So, how should I take stuff off my mind?" I replied.
Tyler: "Well, maybe you could put some of it in your purse." He told me. "Maybe you could take one of your old purses, and put it in there, and then you could take it to Wal-Mart, and then you could leave that purse there. Then it would be off your mind, and gone."
Perfect, Tyler. Again, thank you for making these things that seem so big, and seem to ruin my day at times, so simple and so unimportant in the big picture of life!
Friday morning, I drove the kids to daycare. I had class all day Friday, and I'm usually frazzled on the mornings before school. I'm not sure why, maybe just because I want to get there, get it started, and get it done. I'm worried if we did the homework correctly, would I get called on that day, would there be a surprise presentation, etc.
As we were about halfway to daycare, I looked at the passenger seat beside me. I had my computer, I had my school bag, but no purse. I think I punched the steering wheel, and starting using code swear words... "frick, frick, ffffffffffff, dangit, crap, crap, crap!" was all that would come out of my mouth. I took the next turn I could, and started heading back home.
Tyler asked, of course, why we weren't going the right way to daycare. I told him I had forgot my purse at home, again....
Tyler: "Why did you forget your purse again, Mommy?"
Me: "Because I forget everything these days!" (I was still very frustrated!)
Tyler: "Why do you forget everything?"
I actually thought about how I should answer this, and figured the truth would be the best in this case.
Me: "Because I have too much on my mind sometimes, Tyler. I just forget stuff."
Tyler: "Maybe you could take some stuff off your mind." he suggested.
Now I'm smirking, because I realize I'm about to get a good dose of "Tyler advice". Tyler advice is the best advice you could get, because it usually brings me back to reality, calms me down, and makes me giggle a little.
Me: "So, how should I take stuff off my mind?" I replied.
Tyler: "Well, maybe you could put some of it in your purse." He told me. "Maybe you could take one of your old purses, and put it in there, and then you could take it to Wal-Mart, and then you could leave that purse there. Then it would be off your mind, and gone."
Perfect, Tyler. Again, thank you for making these things that seem so big, and seem to ruin my day at times, so simple and so unimportant in the big picture of life!
Thursday, February 11, 2010
I jinxed myself
Yesterday morning I was talking to one of the other parents at daycare, and she mentioned how everyone in her house had been sick, so it had already been through her family. I jinxed myself by saying, "We've been healthy all winter, it's actually been odd..."
Connor didn't sleep well that night before. It took him over 2 hours to fall asleep, and he cried. Connor doesn't cry when he's going to sleep. He had gas, so we thought it was something he maybe ate, and gave him some antacid. He also woke up at 2am crying. Not like him, at all.
Kyle called me on my way home and said daycare had called and said Connor had a 103 fever, and gunk draining out of his hear. Awesome. Fever means he can't go back to daycare until Friday, and the gunk means a ruptured eardrum and ear infection.
The doctor gave us Zithromax and ear drops, so we headed to Wal-Mart to fill those. I needed to get stuff for Tyler's Valentine's Day Party today anyway, so that worked out okay.
While in the Valentine's aisle at Wal-Mart, Connor announced to me that he had to poop. I zoomed to the back of the store (FYI - Wal-Mart's halfway clean bathrooms are usually in the back!), and we made it. He pooped, and everyone was happy.
While back in the Valentine's aisle again, I could smell poop. "Please God, let that not be Connor..." I said. But, Connor announced to me that he pooped in his pants. He wasn't done pooping when he told me he was earlier. Awesome again.
We headed to the bathroom that is one aisle away, which is the one in front of the store.
Pause, for editorial comment to Wal-Mart: Dear Wal-Mart - What do you have against cleaning bathrooms? Seriously, I don't think I have stepped foot in a dirtier truck stop restroom, than yours was last night. The toilets looked like they hadn't been cleaned in weeks, and the dead flowers on the sink added such a nice touch. You know that greeter that stands there and does not a whole lot all day? How about giving him a scrub brush sometime... or maybe using cleaner when you clean the restrooms. Seriously, a 97 cent bottle of bleach could do wonders in there...
As we were in the bathroom, I took off Connor clothes. I had no diaper bag with me, so made an executive decision. The underwear just had to go. I cleaned him up the best I could, while getting poop on his shoes, his socks, and the floor. I threw the underwear in the toilet and flushed. Sorry, Wal-Mart. If your bathroom hadn't had me near puking, I might've figured something else out.
I got his clothes back on, and we finally got out of the store without a hitch, minus one pair of underwear.
I always have believe in jinxing, and now it has been confirmed. Next time, I will keep my mouth shut!
Connor didn't sleep well that night before. It took him over 2 hours to fall asleep, and he cried. Connor doesn't cry when he's going to sleep. He had gas, so we thought it was something he maybe ate, and gave him some antacid. He also woke up at 2am crying. Not like him, at all.
Kyle called me on my way home and said daycare had called and said Connor had a 103 fever, and gunk draining out of his hear. Awesome. Fever means he can't go back to daycare until Friday, and the gunk means a ruptured eardrum and ear infection.
The doctor gave us Zithromax and ear drops, so we headed to Wal-Mart to fill those. I needed to get stuff for Tyler's Valentine's Day Party today anyway, so that worked out okay.
While in the Valentine's aisle at Wal-Mart, Connor announced to me that he had to poop. I zoomed to the back of the store (FYI - Wal-Mart's halfway clean bathrooms are usually in the back!), and we made it. He pooped, and everyone was happy.
While back in the Valentine's aisle again, I could smell poop. "Please God, let that not be Connor..." I said. But, Connor announced to me that he pooped in his pants. He wasn't done pooping when he told me he was earlier. Awesome again.
We headed to the bathroom that is one aisle away, which is the one in front of the store.
Pause, for editorial comment to Wal-Mart: Dear Wal-Mart - What do you have against cleaning bathrooms? Seriously, I don't think I have stepped foot in a dirtier truck stop restroom, than yours was last night. The toilets looked like they hadn't been cleaned in weeks, and the dead flowers on the sink added such a nice touch. You know that greeter that stands there and does not a whole lot all day? How about giving him a scrub brush sometime... or maybe using cleaner when you clean the restrooms. Seriously, a 97 cent bottle of bleach could do wonders in there...
As we were in the bathroom, I took off Connor clothes. I had no diaper bag with me, so made an executive decision. The underwear just had to go. I cleaned him up the best I could, while getting poop on his shoes, his socks, and the floor. I threw the underwear in the toilet and flushed. Sorry, Wal-Mart. If your bathroom hadn't had me near puking, I might've figured something else out.
I got his clothes back on, and we finally got out of the store without a hitch, minus one pair of underwear.
I always have believe in jinxing, and now it has been confirmed. Next time, I will keep my mouth shut!
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Maybe I should be worried...
Tyler has his camo backpack that he uses for everything! We take it to swimming lessons, he takes his show and tell stuff to daycare in it, and lately, he uses it to haul around his weapons.
Yes, weapons.
This kid is all boy. And although when he was a baby I said "my son will not play with guns, etc., etc.", here we are. He loves them, and plays such good imaginary play with them.
The other day I found his backpack on the couch, and he had all of these items in the bag:
Yes, weapons.
This kid is all boy. And although when he was a baby I said "my son will not play with guns, etc., etc.", here we are. He loves them, and plays such good imaginary play with them.
The other day I found his backpack on the couch, and he had all of these items in the bag:
- 2 guns
- a small baseball bat
- a play saw
- a small play sword
- play handcuffs
- and gum
Yikes, Tyler. Maybe we should chill out on the weapons??? And the gum?
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Dear Tyler & Connor
Dear Tyler & Connor,
Seriously. What is going on?
On Saturday and Sunday morning, it is nearly impossible to get you to sleep past 6am. Last Sunday, we had the joy of 5:10am, Tyler, when you announced you wanted to go to the living room, then melted into a pile of tantrum on our bedroom floor, before the sun was even up. You did that because you were still tired. People that are still tired, sleep.
During the week, I am fighting a grouchy, grumpy 5 year old out of bed with a stick. It's crazy. You don't want to move, and when you do wake up, go right to the couch where you want to cuddle up in a blanket.
Let's start a new trend, boys. Lets sleep in on the weekend! Monday thru Friday, that's 5 DAYS of the week, you can get up at 5:30. Heck, you can get up at 5am if you want!!! But Saturday & Sunday, let's at least sleep past 6am. I would take 6:30, and would give my right arm for 7am, but hey - beggars can't be choosers, right?
Think about it. =)
Love,
Mommy
Seriously. What is going on?
On Saturday and Sunday morning, it is nearly impossible to get you to sleep past 6am. Last Sunday, we had the joy of 5:10am, Tyler, when you announced you wanted to go to the living room, then melted into a pile of tantrum on our bedroom floor, before the sun was even up. You did that because you were still tired. People that are still tired, sleep.
During the week, I am fighting a grouchy, grumpy 5 year old out of bed with a stick. It's crazy. You don't want to move, and when you do wake up, go right to the couch where you want to cuddle up in a blanket.
Let's start a new trend, boys. Lets sleep in on the weekend! Monday thru Friday, that's 5 DAYS of the week, you can get up at 5:30. Heck, you can get up at 5am if you want!!! But Saturday & Sunday, let's at least sleep past 6am. I would take 6:30, and would give my right arm for 7am, but hey - beggars can't be choosers, right?
Think about it. =)
Love,
Mommy
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)