Friday, June 19, 2009

Jake


Josh and Maddie and Ty came to visit us last weekend. How we LOVE our cousins. Jake and Maddie= best friends. Josh and Will talk super heros as well as mature adult conversation. Naomi and Ty poke each others eyes out and grab each other's hair. Nothing better than COUSINS!



I love my 4 year old. I just came down from putting him to bed...an hour later...the second time. The first time I descended the stair case after kssing the boys goodnight, it was only moments later when I heard Jake groaning and whimpering. I ran upstairs to see what was the matter. "My nose hurts." I responded sympathetic. "Oh my goodness. What shall we do? I am so sorry." His turn to respond. "I know," he happily chirped. "I need the drink that will make it feel better."
"Oh, what's that Jacob?"
"Coke."
I started laughing. "Jake, Coke doesn't help with hurt noses."
"But Willey said that you gave him Coke when he was sick."
"Honey, Coke sometimes helps if you have a headache, but not a hurt nose."
"Oh...he said. My head hurts now."
"Jake, stop it. Your head does not hurt and neither does your nose."
"Yes, my head hurts really bad."
"Jake, stop."
"Mom, when you eat a lot of food sometimes you get a headache. I ate a lot of food. I have a headache. I need a Coke."
He never got his Coke. But he is still not asleep. I can't wait to see what hurts next. He should be down any minute.
Oh, how I love this kid.
O.K. It's been three minutes since I last wrote. I knew it. A little voice just called down the stairs. "Mommy, I have a headache."
"Jakey, you do not have a headache. Go to bed!"
"Yes I do mom, I JUST got it."
I'll be right back...I have to attend to an ailing 4 year old...

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Torn







I was reading a quote this past week that I have heard numerous times in many different ways. "There is no better feeling in the world than rocking a baby to sleep." So I continue to wonder. I have never come across a pediatrician who didn't tell me to let my baby cry itself to sleep. "It's better for you, and it's better for them." Hence, I am torn. Torn between an old truth and a new theory.
Do I really know it's better not to comfort my baby when she screams? "She's just manipulating you," one may say. That's fine. She's not the first and she won't be the last. I think about the quote. It's true. Naomi's bedtime is one of my favorite times of day. She's not a real snuggler. At bedtime, she is. We sit together in my rocking chair. The one I asked for when I was sixteen at Christmas. I sat in that rocker through my many years before I was married. I deamed of one day rocking my babies to sleep in it's sturdy, light wooden arms. My dream has come true. Three times. I sit in this same rocker each night with my baby. The 6:30 light is mostly covered from the window shades purchased for $6.99 at Lowe's. Still, some straggling light filters through the windows edge. We rock there together. A bottle of milk and her blankey. A time when she will lay her head on my shoulder. In return, I nestle my old, worn complexion against her thin, blonde youth. Peace.
Yes, I could let her cry herself to sleep. But why would I? One day she will be too old. One day I will only have my memories. I had better make them good.


Sunday, June 7, 2009

Good Day/Bad Day

Since there is NO public swimming here in Akron, William's very, extremely nice kindergarten teacher called us up and told us that her swim and tennis club was having a free week-end where we could go and "check-out" the facilities. We tried it out on Saturday. It was a blast! We won't be buying a membership, but it was a great day.






It was a bad, very bad day at church. James was on-call. The boys out of control. James and I team teach the 14-15 year old Sunday School Class. They were terrible. William was brought to me in Relief Society becasue of his behavior. He kept slamming the door. Jake ran away twice. I found him outside. My baby was pretty good. Well, actually quite a distraction while I was trying to teach Sunday School. I hardly talked to anyone. I was exhausted. Embarrassed. I got home. Paged James and told him I felt like a failure. Can I do nothing right?
Oh yeah. To top it off. Two thirds of my children didn't wear shoes to Church today. Jake's were lost. We had nothing else for him to wear. Naomi has outgrown hers. She likes bare feet better anyway. I figure why should I spend money now on shoes when she hates them. I'll save up for when she's a teenager. She'll have credit.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Kindergarten Graduation





Each child recieved a special recognition. William recieved "Geography Expert."




What a great half hour. I sat in the second row with Jake, his friend Wyatt, who's brother is in William's class, and Naomi. I threatened Jake's life to be "reverent." It didn't work. Naomi neither. I tried to take pictures. Somewhat successful. Namoi squirmed and kicked on my lap and wanted to get down. Fine. She would probably be less disruptive on the ground. She made her way up to the graduates. Stole some diplomas sitting in a basket. Two parents turned to look at me. I shuffled through the row to grab her. I returned to my seat. Jake and Wyatt were wrestling. Naomi screamed to get down again. I let her down to break up the fight. Well, it wasn't a fight. It was "fun wrestling." I am actually looking frantically for a wrestling team for Jake. If he is going to wrestle so much, we figure he might as well learn how to do it right.
Naomi was back up in front. More diplomas in her hand. I got up and dragged us all out of the room. The boys found the fire extinguisher.
Maybe this wasn't such a great idea. I took them all back in the room to hear the final song. We made it...kindof. I made me way up the the podium to take Willliam's picture. He wasn't very
co-operative. He didn't want to get of of line. He was worried about getting into trouble. All the other kids were out of line hugging parents, taking pictures, etc... Not William. I managed to get a few smiles out of him. We walked back to class with him. Someone called out my name just in time. Jake was trying to pull on the fire alarm. I ran. Grabbed him. I dragged him by the arm into William's classroom trying to get some more pictures. William wouldn't let us in. He said that Jake was going to disrupt the class. He was probably right. I left.
One successful Kindergarten Graduation. So after all is said and done:
WE LOVE YOU WILLIAM! CONGRATULATIONS.

Daughter










Many years ago, long before I was married, I was in love with the idea of having ALL boys. Happily, I had my first son six years ago. Followed by a second two years later. I was in heaven. At least until I had to stop going to playgroup because my boys aggression would always have me on the defensive side of parenting. My self esttem shriveled as I felt as if I couldn't control my two crazy toddlers. By this time, I thought a baby girl sounded really good. I had her one year ago.
She is just as stubborn as her brothers. She eats dirt just like her brothers. She pulls my hair if I put her in her car seat just like her brothers. She steals toys from other toddlers just like her brothers.
Luckily, I get to dress her. And I am hoping, one day, she will change my diapers while I live in her spare bedroom and possibly don't even remember her name. These are the two main reasons I wanted a daughter. So...she isn't much different than her brothers. I am glad. She has spunk...and love. My two favorite characteristics I love in my children. My daughter didn't let me down!