{Not} Wordless {At All} Wednesday

The kids and I have been really struggling in the evenings (you know, getting through them... ahem) on school nights. The kids are tired. I'm tired. They have an afternoon chart to follow to help guide them through the transition from "school mode" to "home mode" but as soon as they're done with the chart, more often than not it becomes melt-down central around here.

Yesterday I decided that something needs to change. Before Jack and I left to go get the kids from the bus stop, I made a list (it's what I do. I make lists...). I wrote down what the kids were going to make for dinner. Yes, they were going to make dinner. All of it. I assigned each kid a food group and made a list of what they would be doing (including every detail so they felt like each task was a HUGE deal to accomplish). Then I set out everything on the counter that they would need to set the table so that they could keep busy doing that while I was prepping for them to get started with their cooking.

Can I just say TOTAL SUCCESS?! The evening went great! They were so excited to cook (they usually only help with baking) and they were each even more excited to taste what the others made - they even wanted to take the leftovers to school today in their lunches (WIN!)!

Carter cleared the table after dinner and Natalie loaded the dishwasher while Jack, uh... supervised. No attitudes, no whining, no melt downs and no time-outs the whole evening. It was amazing! However, since I'm really good at procrastinating and generally not planning ahead, I'm going to have to make a few a lot of changes if I want to keep this up (which I do!).

So, there you have it. I officially have my kids making dinner and cleaning up afterwards. HOLLA!

{Jack's job was the green beans. He claimed it was the best part of the meal.}

{Carter was on "baked potato duty." I'm pretty sure our water bill will be doubled this month, but the potatoes were definitely clean...}

{Natalie did the lightly breaded baked chicken breasts. She LOVED it!}

{If you could kindly look past my disastrous kitchen to simply take in how adorable these kids are working together it would be much appreciated, mmkay? Thanks.} ;)

I "Might Have" Monday

I might have accidently set my alarm for 6pm instead of 6am the first morning back to school after Spring Break...

And I might have been grateful for my three year old who woke me up at 6:35am which meant that I did turn into "crazy mommy" and make it to the bust stop right behind the bus on time.

I'm just sayin'... it might have went down like that this morning - because honestly, when you've had a good amount of this:

Combined with a good amount of this:

Who would want Spring Break to be over?

Kid Quote

From May 23, 2010:

(As I was praying with Carter before bed) Me: "Dear Jesus, thank you for the great day we had today. Thank you for being w/Carter as he did such a good job at the music program. Please help him to not pick his nose while Mommy's praying. Amen."

Carter: "My turn! Dear Jesus, please be with Mommy and help her to not be such a tattle-tale. Amen."

I'm gonna take a guess that...

• ...the the first reason stated in the email titled, "Top 3 Reasons You're Not Losing Weight" was "You Delete These Emails!"

• ...my kids start screaming at each other and throwing fits the second I'm talking to any doctor, dentist, or social services employee on the phone because they want to see how fast they can make my head literally explode into a million pieces.

• ...the high school student in the school office this morning who was wondering if her outfit was within the dress-code already knew the answer before she walked in there. Seriously sweetheart, if you have to ask...

• ...when I ask my kids if they want to sit in a time out the answer is always going to be a whiny, "Nooooo!" So, why do I find myself still asking?!

• ...not everyone would classify the activities I do to stretch out my jeans as exercise - but I do. Hello - Yoga, anyone!?

• ...when I signed in to volunteer at the school this morning and wrote down the date as, "February 29, 2010" it was just because I was so tired - not because I didn't remember that the 29th of February isn't even a day this year. I promise it was the exhaustion... Promise.

I "Might Have" Monday

I might have felt a little bad last night after my three year old threw up twice then fell asleep in my arms and all I could think about was how happy I was that he's finally old enough to aim.

Because I love my family...

Today is cleaning day because my house looks like a dusty toy store threw up in it so I set out and started doing all the glamorous house-cleaning jobs such as washing bathroom mirrors, cleaning sticky finger prints from all the door frames, and using a vacuum attachment to clean both the cobwebs hanging from the chandeliers and the dust balls under the furniture. Oober sexy, right? Then I got to thinking. Why isn't housework sexy? Housework could be the sexiest job ever... If my husband were doing it.

Anyway, it's not really fun, or rewarding - especially since I will have to do it all over again as soon as I blink. But while I'm making my way through the house, I pick up random things that I find. Things like macaroni noodles that fell off a class project Carter made for me. I found a flosser thingy from the other night when Natalie was lovingly helping Jack get his back teeth that he couldn't reach by himself. I found the super sweet birthday card Jeff got for me last month when I was having a hard time with turning 30 (shhh!) and as I'm looking at all of these things I realized that I am one blessed woman. I might not have the most glamorous job (I don't even get out of my pajamas for it), it might not pay monetarily, and I might not have a day off (or even an hour off for that matter) in weeks - but really, it's the best job I could ask for. I get to be the wife of the best husband I could have ever imagined. I get to be Mommy to three kids who fight like crazy yet help each other cheat to beat me in UNO can be the sweetest little people in the world.

I do have an important job. I am a hero to three little kids (which is actually terrifying) and even doing the "smallest" of household chores is another way I can demonstrate my love to them. When I'm done, I will shower. That's another important way.

"I might have" Monday

I might have forgot (forgotten?) my camera at Jeff's parent's house, so I haven't posted any pictures from Christmas - or taken any over New Years. Bummer, eh'?

I took the kids to the movies on Thursday. Although Jack usually loves going to the big theater, this time he was having none of it and wanted to make sure I knew he wasn't enjoying himself (after the popcorn was gone). I might have told him that the window in the back of the theater (where the movie streams from) was where the police were sitting watching to make sure all the little kids were obeying their parents during the movie.

Earlier this week when a bag of pasta broke open and spilled on the floor of the grocery store after Carter  dropped it on accident, a lady looked at him and said, "Oh, brother!" in a tone that insinuated he was being a horrible kid (which he was not). My protective "mama bear tone" came out and I might have used one of Jeff's lines when I said, "Seriously? It's only as big a deal as YOU are going to make it!" even though there were a ton of people around and it's really not my personality to say something like that anything. Carter was already feeling bad enough (and really embarrassed) over it (he had tears in his eyes for dropping it before she even said anything) and apparently I'd had enough of old judgey ladies in the grocery store (see here).

I might have been really relying on God's amazing grace this week (obviously). I am so thankful that His mercies are new every morning. I'm also glad that my kids are young and hopefully won't remember much from the last few days - right?

I try to sleep because when I'm awake, THIS stuff happens.

My week in bullet points:
(How do you do a bullet point!?)

My week in review:

- Christmas night we discover that the dog has fleas. No sleeping for me for days.

- Morning after Christmas, Jeff leaves for 2 1/2 weeks (hunting trip and then business trip all wrapped in one).

- All the while, the kids are on Christmas break and it's been pouring down rain. Every day. The pent up energy is going to be the death of me (if the stress of the fleas doesn't get to me first).

- Due to my flea paranoia, I vacuumed three times yesterday, did all the laundry, took all the bedding off the beds, bug bombed the whole house (after giving our 75 lb. dog a flea shampoo bath on our back deck in the freezing rain and giving him a dose of Fontline), and left the house for 5 hours with all three kids.

- I get home, vacuum (again), wash the floors, the counter tops and anything else I was concerned about (so, pretty much everything) and attempt to put the kids to bed on my bedroom floor in sleeping bags "as a treat" - they always ask to do this when Jeff's gone (which did not work well - at all).

- They finally fall asleep and I finally have a chance to relax after the long stressful day. I pour myself a bowl of frozen blueberries (with a tablespoon of vanilla coffee creamer mixed in - my favorite treat!), set it on an end table in the living room and proceed to put in a blue-ray movie to enjoy.

- Glass bowl (with the blueberries in it) makes a sound like a gun shot and EXPLODES all over my living room. Blueberries are everywhere. Shards of glass are everywhere. Tears? Everywhere.

- Kids wake up and come running to see what the commotion is all about.

- I do what I can only imagine any crazed, frustrated, stressed, emotional, and tired woman would do. I called my parents crying. Their advice? "Go to bed! There's no way tomorrow can be worse than today was!" So, I did.

PS. I just saw the "bullets" button to click on, so you have the real thing to look forward to next time. I'm sure you're beside yourself with excitement.

"I Might Have" Monday

I might have fed the kids cold pizza at 10:30am this morning and considered it both breakfast and lunch.

I might have walked past the picture frames hanging in our master bedroom and realized that we still don't have "real" pictures in them (they're still the pictures that come in the frames) - and I might have hung them up over a year ago.

I might have sat on the couch under my new electric blanket for three hours straight this afternoon with my daughter watching Anne of Green Gables. I might even do it again tomorrow later this week.

I might have discovered that our Labrador has fleas. I might have immediately wondered how my husband would react if he came home from his business trip to find a real nice goldfish instead of his dog...

I might have realized today that even though it's extra crazy around here (Jeff gone on a business trip, three energetic kids home all week for Christmas break, and trying to get rid of fleas!) that I am at peace in my heart.

"You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you." Isaiah 26:3

Stuff I love... and not so much.

Love: That Jackson calls his elbow his "hippo."

Not so much: That sometimes I find myself unsuccessfully holding back frustration right before bedtime prayers as I beg through my teeth for my kids to "just be quiet because we are trying to TALK TO JESUS!" 

Love: That Carter has learned to read well enough to not answer me in words, but by verbally spelling out the words of his answer.

Not so much: That Carter has learned to read well enough to not answer me in words, but by verbally spelling out every. single. word. of his answer. Seriously.

Love: That I can be thankful for the fact that we (apparently) own enough clothing to put off doing laundry for two whole weeks and still be able to find something that doesn't even remotely "match" for the kids to wear to school. Please do not call the authorities if you see my kids today. They are well taken care of, I promise loved.

Not so much: The fact that it is now well into December and Jack is still claiming he can't sleep because the "faya-woks ah scawy" (as he has every. single. night. since the Fourth of July).

Love: That we don't have anything on the calendar in the evenings for the rest of the week, so we'll get family dinners at home four nights in a row!

Not so much: That our dog (who I often forget isn't even a year old because he's so flippin' huge!) has taken to pulling off Christmas tree ornaments and chewing them up when no one is looking. Hopefully Jeff's sweet Mother won't look too closely at the ornaments he "made" when he was little that are still barely hanging on our tree... oops.

Love: That (for the most part) Jack uses "nice words" (please, thank you, etc.).

Not so much: That when I tell Jack it's time to get dressed (or anything, really) he looks me in the eye and says, "No thank you, Mommy."

"Not Me" Monday

When Jeff was cleaning out the garage this weekend it wasn't me who took a peek out there, mentally taking stock of all of his stuff and wondering how much it would sell for on Ebay (and obviously not wondering that about any of my stuff...). Not me!

I didn't hide any of the presents that Jackson got for his birthday while he was sleeping last night because they drove me crazy (making noises and lighting up). I wouldn't do that... And it definitely wasn't one of the presents that I bought him  - because buying that kind would be a total rookie mistake.

When my sweet husband was making the bed this morning (I know, right!? He's pretty amazing.) I wasn't secretly upset about it because I absolutely wasn't planning on getting back in it after the kids were on the bus and he was off to work.

I promise that when I saw the gift cards to Toys R Us that Natalie and Jack got for their birthdays just sitting on the counter this morning, the thought of using them to buy their Christmas gifts never even crossed my mind.

Jack most definitely did not have a cupcake today before he even got dressed and I am certainly not eating one right now (7:49 am)... Nope, not me!

It was an early morning this morning. Jack turns three today and Natalie turns eight tomorrow so they excitedly woke up before usual. I didn't mind, really. It was fun hearing them sing "Happy Birthday" to each other in Natalie's room and anyway - I was (am) determined to have a good attitude today (see post below) and simply count my blessings and press on with my heart full of thankfulness no matter how early I had to get up...

After getting out of bed, I started on my "list." I knew that Jeff was tired (he had an extra busy, stressful, emotional week) so I thought I'd try to keep the kids quiet quieter than usual and just let him sleep in a while. I jumped right into the things I had to get done. I fed the kids and the dog. I made coffee and did the dishes. I helped the kids pick out clothes for today (because I'm anal and controlling we're leaving the house) and then helped them make their beds (because I'm anal and controlling we're having people over later today). I finished decorating the living room and dining room for the kids' birthday party tomorrow and started another load of laundry. While I am doing all of this my husband is sweetly getting some much needed rest. Or so I thought...

As I'm trying to have a good attitude and be a servant to others so that I can be more appreciative of all the blessings in my life - I get interrupted by a vibrating cell phone text message - from my husband. He is in our bedroom. He wants coffee. (Insert negative sarcastic comment about pressing my buttons and his luck in one fell swoop here.)

Thank you Lord, for another opportunity to be a servant this morning. I am thankful that I have such a hard working, and sweet husband who can take a loving kidney punch like no other. Amen.

"NOT ME" Monday

I totally didn't buy ugly Christmas sweaters for the whole family to wear in our photos (in quasi-rebellion to the "family picture" we are required to send to all of our extended family for Christmas). Nope... not me!

I also didn't tell my son to "just go" in his pull up at the grocery store today because I just didn't want to walk (all the way) to the back of the store to the "family restroom."

Pretty sure it wasn't me who started the washing machine (again) this morning with a load from the day before yesterday (the third time this load has been washed)...

And I'm most certain that when my husband asked me this morning if we had a towel for his shower I didn't hand him a kitchen hand-towel because it was all we had clean.

I didn't laugh out loud when my youngest son said "poop" in his sleep the other night, because that would be immature.

I also didn't wash my car in the rain on Saturday, or finally be brave enough to try to set up my computer printer by myself after it being in the box for 13 months.

You know - just so we're clear.

Lately, when I drive the older kids to the bus stop in the morning it has been dark. This is puzzling to Jack who is a firm believer that when it's dark out, we are supposed to be sleeping [couldn't agree more, kid!]. Today when he and I got back, I got him out of the car and he immediately looks into the sky and exclaims, "MOON!"

"I see it, buddy! Good eye!"

"Wait, Mommy, I want to play with it!... Oh, no!! - God didn't make me wings! [pouty face] He gave Grandpa's pigeons wings, but not me! That's not fair! Oh, wait - I have teeth! Haha - pigeons don't have teeth! They don't get granola bars and I do! I don't need wings, Mommy - I have granola bars."

Thank you Lord, for the little things, like granola bars. And the big things, like falling in love all over again with cup-half-full kind of kids, even when it is dark out and we're all supposed to be sleeping...

::Don't pigeons have teeth? No? Either way, I guess I've never seen one eat a granola bar - so I'll just let that one go...::

PFPP Project

Jack is impossible. I love that kid so much - but really - he's impossible.

I can remember it like it was yesterday (even though it was 3 1/2 years ago), standing in the handicap stall of the Fred Meyer bathroom crying on my cell phone to my best friend as I was holding the positive pregnancy test, "This CAN NOT be right!?! I don't want to be pregnant!" And then slowly recovering from the shock over the next few months (especially when Jeff got tears in his eyes because he was so excited about the whole thing).

Then seeing Jack's beautiful little face when he was born and me crying over the thought that I ever cried over being pregnant with this perfect little boy.

And for the first two years, that's what he was. Perfect.

He slept through the night rather quickly, ate consistently (I finally had my first successful experience with nursing - YAY!) and he was just generally a happy, easy baby.

Then he grew an opinion. And it's vastly different from mine. For instance, I think that since he can communicate beyond the level he should be at for his age, he should be able to tell me when he has to go to the bathroom. And he does... when it fits into his schedule. When he doesn't feel like it he just doesn't do it - even if I take him and make him sit there for an hour - he still. won't. GO. He would pee outside on the grass all day long, but take him to a bathroom and he'll only go if he feels like putting forth the effort.

And the poop. Oh, the poop. He REALLY won't do that. We've started a new "project" with the kids (all of them). We set goals with each child (Natalie's is going to bed without whining, and making good choices at school that will keep her from talking during quiet times, getting off task, etc. at school - and Carter's is staying dry all night, and not arguing or throwing fits) and if/when they accomplish these goals they get to put a penny in their jar. When they get 14 pennies, we will take them to the movies, which to them is a huge treat (they get a penny - or not - at the end of each day).

Jack's goal is to go poop in the potty. He will get a penny every time he does it. He needs 14 pennies to go to the movies, and he really wants to go to the movies but apparently not bad enough. It's literally a no-go.

It's been 4 days since we started the Pennies for Poop in the Potty Project and he's the only one with an empty jar. He stands there every day while Natalie and Carter pick out their pennies for their jars and watches them sadly, but he just won't do what he needs to!

Seriously, you guys, what do I do!?! I could really use some input here. If you have any other suggestions for us, please dish. I'm at my wits end with this kid.

Oh, other things we've tried is a sticker chart, M&M rewards, taking him shopping for "big boy undies," setting the timer and having him try every 20 minutes, and he has a "little potty" and a seat that can go on the "big potty" so he has options. I've even tried putting him on the little potty in front of the TV with cartoons on and having him sit there practically all morning waiting for him to go, but he just held it in until I finally had to have him get up (because we had to leave the house). UGH!

Please give me some much needed advice all of you experienced Moms (and Dads!). If your suggestion works, I'll... send you a jar full of pennies.

Just Keeping It Real

"Soccer Mom"

The title holds different meaning to me now than it used to. Probably because I officially am one now. Before I had kids, I always wanted to be one. You know, the mom who brings all the healthy snacks to the games, gives other kids rides home, takes pictures of every event, is always on the go heading to one activity or another - always with a big I've-got-it-all-together smile on her face as her perfectly groomed kids run smiling into her arms right after making the winning goal for the game.

I'm not that Mom. Not even close.

You know the Mom who runs in late with 4 bags over her shoulder, a kid falling off her hip, and two more trailing behind still trying to get their shoes on? That's me. The one who's literally sweaty after rushing around just trying to get her kids to practice only to find that her son brought one soccer cleat and no shin guards. I'm the Mom who forgot the water bottles and her kids had to run in the school to use the drinking fountains for their water break (which apparently isn't cool). I'm the Mom who forgets the snack altogether and has to quickly drive to the market during the game to pick up some Nutter Butters and juice boxes. I sometimes forget sweatshirts for the kids when it's raining at practice and when we get home, instead of pulling a casserole out of the freezer for dinner (because there aren't any in there), I rely on scrambled eggs and peanut butter toast so we can do homework and hurry to bed.

I am realizing that my pre-kid vision of what being a "Soccer Mom" meant was a vision not yet covered by the veil of reality. I don't do it all. I can't. In fact most of the things I do I don't necessarily do a great job with. But I'm figuring it out, finding my balance, and trying, failing, and then trying again.

I don't have to be perfect. Trying to be perfect is not only impossible, it makes me not much fun to be around - at all. What is important is laughing, having meaningful conversation with my kids, knowing that I have a God who is the perfect parent - who is never late, scatter brained, or forgetful and who will help me simply do my best for my kids... because my kids are pretty forgiving even if I'm late, sweaty, and forgot the snacks.

Laugh It Off.

Boy, parenting is not easy. Ever. But, if nothing else, it's comical. Most of the time. In a lot of parenting situations I've found myself in I really could cry, but eventually (emphasis on the eventually) I just laugh instead. Take yesterday, for instance, when we learned that our 6 year old son told his whole class (plus his teacher and the aide in the room) that Jeff and I are "splitting up" because we "fight all the time" and that Carter (and everyone but Jeff) is moving in with Grandpa and Grandma. I know, right - wow.

Lucky for us (for some reason that just doesn't seem like the right wording for this story) they now go to the small school we went to as children (so most of the faculty and staff know Jeff and me) and his teacher went immediately to the school secretary to confirm or exterminate the "news." The secretary had no idea (but doubted it was true). Still, they prayed all morning - just in case. We do have actual family members who work at the school who could exterminate the rumors -but not before word had already spread across the campus.

What a headache. Oh, well. I'm finding out (especially as a parent) that life is one big learning curve. I'll probably perfect parenting right when my last child moves out, and all I will be able to do then (with my parenting expertise) is aid my kids with fantastic advice when they start having their own kids - whether they ask for it or not. After all, it's stories like this one today that the kids inflicted on me that eventually will make me a better parent and it gives me the right to hand out my opinion to them as often as I feel like it, so - children of mine - whether you take it or leave it, the parenting advice will be doled out. You can count on it.

Yeesh. Really, really.

My day started well. Scratch that, actually really great - Jeff brought me coffee in bed and the news said it would only get up to 75 degrees today - tops! This, however, was fairly short lived. Jeff left for work, my coffee got cold, the local news ran out and turned to some morning show that claims to be "news" but is more of a mix of reality t.v. and some version of semi-warranted-but-mostly-useless-information, and then all the kids woke up. It was bound to happen - but you know how it's always too soon...

The next couple of hours went fairly uneventfully - I guess the "events" felt the need to cram themselves all in a small terrifyingly unsalvagable (is that even a word?) half hour right before we had to be out of the house - which they did.

I was in the shower and Jack barges in - I will never get used to not having privacy even though it's been m.a.n.y. years since I've had even a resemblance of what privacy should be - with a bunch of broken glass cupped in his little chubby hands. I try my best not to freak out, although my very best, when it comes to situations like this, does not turn out very impressive at all. I turn off the water (hair still soapy and completely sopping wet), then rush to get the shards of glass out of my toddler's hands. I follow him into Natalie's room and find that he's broken her "snow" globe (that has no snow but tons of glitter in it) and there is glass - let me rephrase - slivers of glass, everywhere. The kind of slivers that you can feel when they are stuck in your foot but cannot see the exact location of until the skin on the bottom of your foot grows over the injury, gets infected and then has to be "surgically" removed (yes, personal experience talking - a post for another day - plus I would have to allow Jeff his take on the story as his take on it is painfully different from mine).

So there is glass everywhere, a glittery water substance everywhere, and just as I usher the kids away from the entertainment that is the huge mess on Natalie's floor, grab some towels, a plastic bag and the vacuum cleaner and get to work, I hear the dog start throwing up in another part of the house. REALLY?!? This is about the time my wet, soapy haired head begins to feel like it's going to explode. And we have to be out of the house in 13 minutes or less. **Que the dun-dun-dun-DUN sound effect.**

I finally take a second (literally - only a second - as I have no more time to allot to thinking in this situation) and remember what my husband always says to me - despite the fact that it physically hurts my brain when he says it not to mention the pain it causes to recall it on my own - the whole, "Keep your problems small" bit and his, "Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it" stuff. When all is going well, I couldn't agree more. This morning did not go well. This advice was not fun "food for thought," but it's what came to my head so I went with it. I put a smile on my face, thanked God for the blessing that no one was hurt and super thankful that where I had to be in 13 minutes wasn't to meet with the Pope, but was to be at swimming lessons - a little late wouldn't hurt (although I'm confident that given the chance to explain myself, the Pope would have been understanding).

In the end, we made it. Not on time (or even all that close - to be perfectly honest), but we made it and amazingly enough we all lived to tell about it. Even the dog.

One Liners (part 2)

So, I just thought I'd share a few more one-liners because if I don't I will forget them - and really - who wants to forget these grand examples of model parenting?


- Yes, you have to use toilet paper!


- Sprinklers are different from showers. Please go put some clothes on.

- You're right, that doesn't work as a parachute, now go get some band aids.

- You can't find your gum!? Well, where do you remember chewing it last?


- The choke-chain-collar is a tool used only for the dog. Please go take it off your brother.

- No, playing games on the computer does not count as "exercise for your eyes."


- You can put your mouth on the vacuum attachment, but just know that if you do it's like putting your mouth on everything you've ever seen on this floor.


- "Gots" will never be a word. Ever. (Apparently I gots to have more impromptu vocabulary lessons during the summer...)

AND I have a "bonus" story (just because it's so darn cute!) that my Mom told me happened this weekend when the kids were at their house:

Over the years my Dad has passed on his love for the Native American culture to my children. They are fascinated by the culture and love learning everything there is to know about it. Well, I guess my Mom french braided Natalie's hair before church on Sunday and Natalie loved it (I don't know how to do it, so it was new to her). My Mom told Natalie that Indians used to wear their hair like that and apparently the look on Natalie's face was priceless (and now I have to learn how to french braid!). She then told her that Zach (my brother - side note: we were all adopted as infants) is part Native American. Natalie literally lit up and exclaimed, "Does that mean Mina's Indian too!?!" (Mina is his dog.)

I was going to say that I will be sad the day they grow up and stop saying stuff like that - but then I remembered that I'm a "grown up" *insert short joke here* and I still say stuff like that all the time. Pretty sure we're good.

"Just One" for the Week...

Natalie and Carter have been gone all week so it's just been Jack and I and let me tell ya - one-on-one-time is WORK (good/fun yet time consuming work)! I've been "playing" cards, reading books, pushing swings, helping with trikes, pushing the stroller, playing rock-paper-scissors, building with blocks, shaping with play-doh, hunting for worms, playing hide and seek, playing "puppy," and sometimes if I'm lucky, playing Mommy-needs-a-nap (and if I'm really lucky - a drink!).

Let me back up a bit (a lot). By the time I even realized that I had my first kid I was already pregnant with my second. Not really, Natalie was 10 months when we found out about Carter, but seriously - we blinked and we were headed to family of four (maybe it wasn't the blinking that got us headed there, but you get what I'm sayin'). They have always had each other - and they are the best of buddies. I don't know what one would even do without the other. They do everything together. Two peas in a pod. It's w.o.n.d.e.r.f.u.l.

When Jack came to be (which took us by complete and total surprise - I guess we were blinking too much) he just slid right into their group. To this day he denies that he's any younger than Carter. He knows he's two - but doesn't accept the fact that he's not as big as his brother. Natalie has been his little "other-mother" and loves to be the one he wants when he's sad. Carter helps Jack do all the "boy" stuff and they are really the best big-siblings that any kid could ask for...

...but right now they're gone. And this has been the longest week for us! I've had to fill Natalie and Carter's roles and I don't know what I'm going to do when school starts and it's just Jack and I all the time. I'm going to have to like - budget my time, and actually - dare I say - parent! Don't get me wrong, I "parent" but Natalie and Carter do all the grunt work. They are the ones that play with Jack.

I suppose we'll figure it all out within the next couple of months (and what I mean by that is that come September, I'll really start freaking out) and in the mean time I'm going to enjoy this week with Jack and spend as much time as I can just feeling lucky to hang with this awesome little guy of mine - and when Natalie and Carter come back I'm going to hug them like crazy and make them promise to never leave me again! Or something like that.