Balancing Act

Tots need to be tots

Christmas has exploded all over this big ole house we are all sharing.  Everywhere you turn, there is something that lights up, plays music, and is/or breakable.  I have three children 2,2,and 3.  For the MOST part, they know what they can and cannot touch.  But, they haven't quite figured out that grandpa likes to listen and watch the news before and after dinner.  All day long they run around turning things on, dancing their little hearts out, oohing and aaahing over the lights, the blow up tractor, you name it.

Things change, though, when the sun disappears into the night sky. 

I can always sense when the kids are annoying my parents, or getting under their skin, but there are some times where I can't be everywhere to keep them out of their hair.  Because now we have baths every single night, alternating days between the twins and Addyson.  Addy listens more so than not, and just follows her grandma around the house while I'm bathing the twins, not a problem. 

Tonight, though, was Addy's night for bath, and the twins decided to stay downstairs while I bathed Addy.  I heard grandpa yelling at one or both of them about not touching something or someone, and had to rush Addy out of the bath so he could chill and not blow his gasket.  I got the twins up the stairs and locked them in their room with me and played for a good 30 minutes before bed time.  

When I finally emerged to wrangle up Addy for bed, I was asked, "Why did you keep the twins upstairs?"  

REALLY?!  

My tots are simply that, tots, and are still learning what's right and wrong and like to explore those glittery, music-making items you have to tease them with, and allow them to play with during the day hours.  

We absolutely.positively.NEED.things.to.work.  My tots need their space to be kids from sunup to sundown. 

These are a few of my favorite things - three little monkeys style

Unlike this particular famous person who gives out her favorite things to adoring fans, you get to simply listen to what these three monkeys are obsessing over lately. 

The diva - Addy:

• Umm...I like princesses and anything pink.  
• I love to stash all my toys into backpacks, purses, and any other spot I can find.  Now, if I see my mommy searching my stuff and putting all my goodies away, I will go bananas.  
• Footy pajamas, the warmer the better
• NOT combing or styling my hair.  That spray stuff, yeah it doesn't work for me.  
• Dance class - shuffle, hop, shuffle hop.  I like tap dancing better, because my shoes make all kinds of loud noises.  My mommy hides these shoes, so I can only use them at dance she said something like they will break.  Pffft.  
• The "Hamster Dance" song, The Chipmunks music, and I"m dreaming of a white Christmas."
• Playing with my sticker books (they are static cling so they are reusable and are full of learning activities)
• My daddy.   I love him sooooooo much.  He is so much more fun than my mommy, for sure!

Little man - Eligh

• Choo-choo trains, especially Thomas.  He is so cool with his monotone voice and no movement.  
• Hiding in my room and playing with my race cars - especially taking all 50 cars and throwing them all over my room so my mommy will pick them up.  
• Not eating.  I like being skinny with my bones sticking out.  
• I only like wearing my light up race car shoes and will have a huge fit if mommy tries to get me to wear those boring blue tennis shoes.  
• Bananas 

Bruiser - Kinsley

• Doing absolutely every little thing that Addyson does.  She is so cool, so why not?
• Slamming all doors and gates, especially when it comes to locking people out or in.  Hahaha!!
• Getting into any thing I'm not supposed to, because I like to have my mommy yell at me all.day.long. 
• Tinkerbelle and Tiana are my favorite princesses
• Most food - I'll take seconds and thirds please

Friday Night Leftovers

 

• This week someone saw how many kids we have and their ages and asked me if I ever sleep.  My response, "Yes, I sleep a solid 8 hours if I choose.  Kids sleep 12 hours, and have been for well over a year.  Schedules work."
• Someone else commented, "Addy is skinny!  Kinsley looks older than her."  Yes, poor Kinsley has her mommy's genes and will be chunkier than her string bean siblings.
• Santa purchased the kids' big gifts.  
• I have had this same cold for 2+ weeks now.  Thus, I haven't ran since before getting sick.  Still going to the gym and doing cardio, but not getting any running in. 
• Previewed the twins' 2 year pics late last night.  
• Eligh produces crunchy boogers quite frequently that require me to remove them so he can actually breath.  He HATES, HATES, HATES for me to even come near his nose.  Now he says, "Mommy, I do it," and immediately starts digging them out.  
• Went on an early birthday date with hubby last night.  Went to VS, with coaxing from the hubby, because I don't like to spend that much money on undergarments, but have also run out of bras to wear that aren't torn or falling apart.  After searching for the cheaper bras, I finally found a couple and at the checkout was happily surprised to save $35 on my purchase.  
• Renter situation - still in limbo.  He panicked yesterday when he received his notice that he is going to have to vacate if payment is not made, and said he was going to pay yesterday.  It is now today, and no payment has been made.  
• Tonight we are going on "The Polar Express" train ride, Eligh is going to go bananas!  
• Finally, I'm now a Scentsy Consultant and will soon be annoying you.  In the meantime check out my site to see what it is all about and possibly make some purchases for you or a holiday gift for one of your family or friends. 

As always visit our fabulous host, Danifred.

The firecracker loves her brother

We had our first twinism occur yesterday, or at least one that was verbalized so we could witness and understand. 

We took all three of monkeys to the dentist (Addy's check up, Eligh and Kinsley's 1st visit).  I'm a huge fan of pediatric dentists, and if you have small children would definitely look into finding one because it goes so much more smoothly. 

Addy went back by herself, while I filled out double the paperwork for Eligh and Kinsley (which I wish there was a way to just copy and paste the info for them) and daddy entertained them with the toys and books in the waiting area.  Soon we were all headed back to sit with Addyson while we waited for the dentist to visit with her.  All three of them in a small cubicle, but the dentist's office is smart and has videos and portable dvd players for the kids to watch while they wait. 

Addy was all clear, no problems whatsoever, just have to start flossing with her.  Flossing?  Not looking forward to this.  Addy came in the room with Kinsley and I while daddy and Eligh were in the next room.  The twins were much faster, just involved checking all their teeth, but Eligh is not a fan of doctors (except their new pediatrician because he is truly wonderful and fun with the kids, and a racecar sticker surely does make him smile).  Eligh is very much a daddy's boy, especially now that daddy is around.  But, yesterday when the dentist was trying to inspect his teeth he was crying for "Mommy."  As soon as Kinsley heard Eligh crying, she started trying to escape my grip and was crying, "I want Eligh.  I want Eligh."  Even though the little firecracker likes to beat up on her brother, maybe she does really care for him.

 

 

Friday Night Leftovers - 11/12/10

 

• Addyson absolutely refuses to wear jeans, and complains that they hurt and she wants and NEEDS to wear her comfy pants.  This is what happens when your children don't go to daycare, school, etc where you feel the need to dress them up a tad bit. 
• Kinsley tells many of the adults in her life, "Leave me alone!  I do it!!!"  How come if I ask to be left alone, it doesn't happen?  So, I will continue to annoy her when she asks to be left alone until they all listen to me. 
• I download more children's applications and music than I do adult items.  Think they have taken me over? 
• Addyson also insists that she can do it all herself, which I have been allowing her to do for quite some time.  It has lessened the workload for certain things, but daddy is still learning that sometimes it is best to let the little diva struggle on her own and ask for help when SHE feels it is necessary. 
• Kinsley and Eligh will both take their pants off when getting dressed, and Kinsley will go so far as taking her shirt off, as well.  It is quite hysterical to see her running around with her arms stuck behind her back trying to struggle out of her shirt.  She, too, doesn't want help unless SHE asks for it.
• Eligh, instead, likes to ask for help before even attempting anything.  Maybe he has watched the girls struggle with their independence that he just isn't ready to work for anything just yet.
• I have had a migraine yesterday and today - think I'm just a little stressed about the renters we have in our house?
• I finally got those Halloween pictures uploaded - now to get them up on the blog.

Go check out the amazing inventor of Friday Night Leftovers.

 

Santa shopping, princesses, dragons, trains, and yodels

Tidbits of the past week or so

• I still have not even uploaded the Halloween pictures onto the computer.  You may get to see them before Thanksgiving. 
• Cody and I were able to do the majority of our Christmas shopping for the kids yesterday for way less than most stores and the best part is we did it together.  Cody and I have never shopped together for the kids' christmas, so this was so cool!
• This year it is going to be really hard to control ourselves with toys, because the kids are into so much more specific things than in the past.  No more infant toys that take up loads of space.
• Addyson insists on circling what she wants in all the toy ads - which includes Barbies, princesses, princess chairs, princess magic oven, and a 2 ft dragon from "How to Train a Dragon." 
• Kinsley now yodels like Jessie several times a day, and it is the.cutest.thing.ever.
• If you ask Eligh what he wants from Santa it is the same response of "Choo-choo train."  I can't wait to see how he reacts to his train table from gma and gpa.
• Finally introduced the twins to play-doh yesterday.  Kinsley took one stamp and made one shape over and over again.  Eligh wanted mommy and daddy to just make him things, mostly a choo-choo train. See a repeat obsession with trains? 
• I've been sick with a cold that made me actually visit a doctor this week.  It's still here, but the swollen glands are decreasing in size, so that's a start, right?
• Would like to blog more about some thoughts I have on my life. 
• Going to attempt round 2 of many of potty training Kinsley.  Back to pull-ups, and I'm thinking about covering the living room floor in large blankets just in case - you know it's not my house and all.

Just a tad bit extreme

Sometimes as a parent we have to fib, exaggerate, or tell little white lies to get our children to stop asking questions, to answer a question, and to convince them to do something. 

Some examples of what works in our house.

• "Mommy, I need to brush my teeth, or my teeth are going to fall out."  Yes, I have told my oldest that if she didn't brush her teeth that they would fall out.  A tad extreme?  Sure, but it works.

• "If you don't close your eyes and take a nap, then we won't do anything fun."
• "Don't touch that!  If you touch it, it will make you sick and you'll have to go to the doctor."

So what fibs, exaggerations, or little white lies have you told your children lately?

The story of the runaway girl

First lets start with some pictures of what started and ended with fun and joy for everyone, before we get to the middle. 

We started our Saturday morning with emptying the house and loading our camping supplies up in the van, including our children, and we even picked up an extra child along the way.  We then headed out to the pumpkin farm that we have visited two times before.  We were all very excited to revisit, especially since the twins were older and would be able to participate in the farm activities this year.

The two monkeys who are most fond of daddy.   

 

After a couple games, some jumping, and rides, we all piled on the big tractor for a ride out to the pumpkin field to pick out our pumpkins.

 

 See, all full of smiles - very good beginning. 

Cody and I will always be outnumbered, always.  But, I think or thought we have figured out a system to managing them and keeping an eye on them at all times. 

I took Addy's friend to the bathroom and a bigger kid jumpy thing, and Cody took our three to a sand play area with a smaller jumper, all of it was fenced in, except for the entry.  I occasionally would glance over in their direction, and noticed that Cody was looking slightly frazzled, so I walked over to that side of the fence and he asked me where Kinsley was.  Ummm...I wasn't in charge of her, so how would I know.  She was missing.  There were small children all looking the same in their festive Halloween decor EVERYWHERE, with loads of adults mixed in, a road just a couple feet away from where she was, and a HUGE corn maze a little further. 

Yes, panic set in.  I grabbed our two children and Addy's friend, while Cody scrambled and searched towards the road.  Addy was yelling, "Kinsley" repeatedly, while I nearly sprinted to the ticket booth to inform the workers to add in extra eyes and help.  Just as I was about to step up to the ticket center, I saw two workers and heard, "Mommy!"  I snatched that little chub up, and tears fell down my face.  I asked her why she ran away, and she told me, "I wanted mommy." 

Those 15 minutes where hell. 

But, after a couple more death gripping hugs, we played a little longer and headed back home with all the children we started off with. 

And, finally a huge thank you to Rebecca for sending me info about using picnik for photo editing, which means more photos from me.

A wordy Wednesday

Just some random conversations with my three little monkeys.

Kinsley

(Driving to the gym)  "Mommy, no biting.  Go time out. No biting, go time out."

 "Eligh, you are bad.  Bad, bad, bad."

Addyson:

"Mommy, daddy is going to be home soon.  He can take a shower in mommy's shower, eat, put on some jammies, and play with my doll house."

"Mommy, I don't want to be sick, please."

"Grandma, do you love my daddy?"

"Mommy, can we all go get pumpkins with daddy?  Sit in our wagon, then lift them up?"

Eligh:

"Can I carry you?"  (Meaning I have to carry him)

 "Mommy, can we go bye-bye in our race car?" We don't have a race car, Eligh.  Oh, can we go in my racecar?

Weekly Winners - 9/12 - 9/18

A continuation of the birthdays.  

Concentration

Slightly overwhelmed

Order

Diva

On their own

 

As always, thanks to our host.  Stop by and leave some love.