Hurricane Checklist for Moms

Well, if you live anywhere in the northeast U.S., it looks like Sandy is on her way. She may already be here for some of you.

If you've managed to beat the grocery store crowds to snag some water, milk and bread, you might think you're prepared for whatever Sandy has to bring. But if you're a mom, especially a mom of young children, you might not be as prepared as you think.

Here are a few extra things you might need to get you through Mother Nature's latest challenge:

1. A babysitter. If the power goes out, your typical live-in babysitter will not work. (And yes, mother who claims your child never watches TV just so you can get something done or catch a few minutes of peace and quiet... I'm talking to you, too.) But don't panic. The schools are all closed, so the local teenagers are just looking for something to do. Go ahead and give them a call. What high school kid in their right mind would turn down money and entertainment when the alternative is sitting at home having quality time with their parents?

2. Towels. You know all that water that you just stocked up on? Whether it's in bottles, gallons or bathtubs, kids will surely find a way to spill it. All over the place. So make sure you have plenty of towels for the real flood that will happen when a 3-year-old discovers a bathtub full of water.

3. Earplugs. At some point during a day at home with no power and young children looking for ways to release their pent up energy, you will want these. You may think that you would never use earplugs to drown out your children. But I have news for you. You will be stuck inside your house all day with no power, bored children and a teenager. It is bound to get loud and crazy at some point. Probably most points. Trust me... It will be a worthwhile investment. Plus, the babysitter will come get you if there is a true emergency.

4. Peanut butter and jelly. With all that bread you're now stocked up on, your kids will surely need something to put on it. Since you shouldn't risk opening the fridge in a power outage, you'll need something that can be kept at room temperature. And don't forget extra since you have the babysitter to feed too.

5. A bottle of wine. Or two. Once the kids and babysitter are all tucked in for the night, you'll be ready for some. Red wine would be optimal because it doesn't need to be refrigerated. But if all you have is a bottle of white chilling in the fridge, this is the one time it is advised to go ahead and open the fridge.

Do you have anything to add to the list? Feel free to pass along any other suggestions that might help other moms survive Sandy.

Where Have I Been?

Well, if you've visited my blog in the past few weeks, you've probably been less than impressed. The same old post on motherhood-induced insomnia has been sitting there staring at readers for almost a month now.

I really thought that once school started for the boys I would be overwhelmed with time to write (without distractions). I mean, with those five glorious hours, I should have at least enough time to crank out two posts for the week, right? Ha - I guess the joke was on me!

Those five glorious hours have turned into a mad dash to catch up on things that I have let slip because I've been chauffeuring two boys to school, soccer practice, piano lessons, gym play time and fall activities.

We also squeezed in another trip to see my mom, which fortunately went nothing like the last trip to her house.

And over the past month I've learned a very valuable lesson about preschool. When your child gets "homework" in preschool, it's really homework for mom and dad. So evenings (and occasionally a rushed morning when I forget about the "homework" the night before) are now spent cutting, coloring, coming up with words that start with the letter C, and planning themed preschool snacks that look like circles, puppies, fire engines and more. Sure this is the same stuff we do even when the boys aren't in school. But now I actually have to do it on some kind of a schedule since the boys are in school during the time we would usually do this kind of thing. Let me let you in on a little secret... Preschool is really practice for parents.

On top of all the chauffeuring, road trips and homework, I am still trying to keep up with the other important things that need to get done, like checking facebook and watching all the season premiers on TV.

Needless to say, I haven't had much time to focus on writing since school started. So my apologies for the lack of posts over the past month. But I have plenty of posts ready to write, so stay tuned! New posts should be popping up very soon... just not tonight because I will be busy coming up with more "C" words and planning a dinosaur snack (ok, and watching Grey's Anatomy).

Musical Card Land

Today I went to the card store to pick up a few cards. Six cards to be exact.

I remember when I used to be able to take my time, leisurely searching for the perfect card for everyone on my list. Now, when I take Alec and Chase with me, I'm lucky if I manage to get cards that are even for the right occasions, let alone the perfect cards.

I entered the store with Chase in the stroller, Alec right next to me, and my card list in hand. I didn't waste any time getting out the goldfish snack for the boys. That should at least get me through four cards.

Wrong. Half-way to my first card, Chase decides to dump all his goldfish out of his bowl onto the stroller tray. I pause to pick up the ones that had landed on the floor. When I look up I don't see Alec. I have a moment of panic before I hear about 17 music cards going off. I have found Alec. He has found Musical Card Land. I avoid making eye contact with the other customers as I help Alec find the homes of at least ten of the music cards. I let him keep some to keep him entertained. This buys me enough time to get one card.

Now Alec is tired of the cards he has and wants new ones. I tell him he can stay in Musical Card Land while I look for my next card. I quickly grab a second card while he is entertained. Did you know that Musical Card Land is a better babysitter than TV?

Time to find the third card on my list. Chase has finished his goldfish. He now wants a musical card too. He picks a Mickey Mouse card that does not make music. He is not happy. He wants Mickey Mouse to make music. We head back to Musical Card Land to search for a musical Mickey Mouse card.

After finding something that will work, Alec claims he has found the perfect card that he wants to get for Grandpa. I have to explain to him why Grandpa might like something other than a Justin Bieber card. Alec reluctantly gives in, having no clue who Justin Bieber even is. Chase is now tired of his card. I still only have two cards.

With a new musical card for Chase, and Alec on the hunt for another perfect card for Grandpa, I am able to get two more cards from my list. Now I'm up to four cards. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I only need two more cards.

Alec has found a new card for Grandpa. It is a Goofy card. This will work. One card left!

Alec is done with the music cards. Chase has somehow managed to pull at least ten cards off the shelf. I have no idea where they came from. I begin searching for their correct locations. Alec decides Chase needs the stroller shade down. Chase does not want the stroller shade down. They begin to argue over the stroller shade. I can see the looks I am getting. As the boys argue over the stroller shade, the stroller begins to rock back and forth. I manage to grab it just before it crashes into a giant display of Christmas ornaments. Yes, Christmas ornaments. In August.

At this point I decide it is time to go. I grab the closest birthday card I can find. Great Aunt Gertrude will just have to be happy with whatever the card says. I head for the counter to pay.

While in line, I look at the last card I have grabbed. It has a monkey wearing underwear on its head. Oh well...at least it wasn't a Justin Bieber card.

Five Glorious Hours

 

It sure doesn't seem like it's been three months since I was frantically forming my Summer Survival Plan. But here we are nearing the end of August, and the kids and I have managed to survive.

Even though neither of my kids are officially going to real school this fall, this is still a very exciting school year for me. This will be Chase's first year of preschool. This means that for five glorious hours every week for the next nine months, I will be child-free!

I love my kids, but I can barely contain my excitement for those five glorious hours. I am overwhelmed by the possibilities of what I will be able to do... I can read a magazine. I can finish a cup of hot coffee. I can make a trip to the grocery store and actually remember to get what is on my list because I won't have the distraction of a 2-year-old pulling down every item from the shelves (and I'll make it home without any extra items that may end up in the cart from said 2-year-old). I can blog. I can clean the house (though the probability of this one actually happening is not very good). The possibilities are endless.

As much as I love summer, I am anxiously awaiting the start of the school year and those five glorious hours of me time. Here's how I can tell that the first day of school is just around the corner:

1. The amount of TV my kids watch is directly related to how many days are left until school starts. The closer school gets, the more TV they watch. After being with them all day almost every day this summer, it has become all too easy to just say, "sure, you can watch one more show." I just can't help myself. It's like an addiction.

2. That neighborhood kid (you know the one) is basically living at my house (and every other house in the neighborhood except his own) now. He is just as ready for school to start as I am, and he has become like an extra child to all the neighborhood families because he is bored at his own house.

3. I am suddenly finding myself fearing all the crazy new pig viruses and flus that are out there now. It's just a matter of time until my kids will be spending more and more time indoors, trading these germs with all their friends.

4. I keep catching myself turning my head the other way when I see one of the kids do something they shouldn't do, just so I don't have to yell at them yet again.

5. I have football fever. And Bachelor fever. And Grey's fever. There aren't many TV shows that I watch on a regular basis, but I still have a few guilty pleasures. I'm definitely ready for some good Steelers games and the start of my Fantasy Football league (let's go Team Yinz Double YOIs!). I am anxiously awaiting the announcement of who the next Bachelor will be. And I can't wait to see which of Seattle Grace's best surgeons will make it out of the woods alive.

Which ones will make it? The Grey's Anatomy season premiere is September 27!

6. Any attempt to make a last-minute back-to-school purchase is a failure because all the book bags, pencils and notebooks have been replaced with Christmas decorations.

7. I am desperately trying to cram in all those things I planned to do over the summer. One more playdate, one more day at the pool, one more bottle of wine on the deck with Chad after the kids have gone to sleep...

Are you ready for the school year to start? What signs do you see that summer is coming to an end?

Four Ways to Scare Mom

As parents, we have endless things to worry about: Keeping our kids healthy, keeping them safe, keeping them from picking their noses in public…

But on top of all the day-to-day worries, I have found four things that don't just worry me... they scare the living you-know-what out of me.

1. A missing crayon. Chase loves to color. And for the most part he’s pretty good with crayons and markers. But he’s two, and I know all too well what can happen if he gets a hold of a crayon while he’s unsupervised. Furniture and walls – especially the light-colored ones – are like an artist’s blank canvas to a 2-year-old. So when Chase is done coloring and we put away the crayons, I have a moment of panic when I can only find 23 out of the 24 crayons.

Let's see... I have Burnt Sienna, Hot Magenta, Neon Carrot, Outrageous Orange... But where is the Atomic Tangerine? CHASE - get back here!

2. One (hyphenated) word: Uh-oh. Basically, "uh-oh" in 4-year-old translates to "Oh s#!%" in adult language. When I hear Alec yell "uh-oh," I know that it can mean anything from one of my boys spilling a cup of milk to one of them flushing his brother’s favorite stuffed animal down the toilet…or anything in between.

3. A missing marble. Similar to the missing crayon, but for a very different reason. My boys love the game Hungry Hungry Hippos. If you’re familiar with it, you probably already know that it contains 20 marbles. When I put this game away and realize that we only have 19 marbles, I feel a sudden panic similar to that of the missing crayon. The difference between the crayon and marble is that with the crayon, I need to worry about what part of my house was destroyed, but with a missing marble, I need to worry about which child ingested it or shoved it into his (or his brother’s) ear, nose or an even worse part of the body.

Look at all these marbles....and I'm pretty sure there is a corresponding body part in which a child can find to place each one.

4. Silence. Silence can be a wonderful thing when it comes to children. Those first 10 minutes after the kids are in bed are absolute heaven to my ears! No one is whining, yelling, crying, singing or making gross noises with their armpits. But silence can also be a very scary feeling. If you have or have had young children, I’m sure you know the feeling… You go to fold a load of laundry while your kids are happily playing. At some point while you’re folding, you subconsciously realize that the kids are being nice and quiet. When you’re done folding you now consciously realize that you haven’t heard your kids in a while. It is in that exact moment when you realize that the house is TOO quiet. Why is it too quiet? Probably because your 2-year-old has found the missing crayon...

Forcing a Bird to Fly

Summer is about half over now. Translation: there has been no school for over two months. On one hand, I can't believe we're already nearing the end of July. On the other hand, the boys and I are starting to be around each other just a little bit too much. With my summer survival plan in full effect, we've made it this far...but we still have a long way to go.

We've been keeping busy with things like swimming, making chocolate covered bananas, picking blueberries, visiting the many playgrounds in our area and vacationing in Florida. And I've spent plenty of time playing with my boys at home too... We play "Go Fish" and hide-and-seek; we build Lego trees that cats get stuck in and need to be rescued by the fire department; we have dance parties and animal birthday parties; I make alphabet scavenger hunts out of sidewalk chalk.

Chase enjoyed the chocolate covered bananas that we made

Alec loved the alphabet scavenger hunt

So it's not like we've just been sitting around the house all summer. But the times when we are sitting around have started to turn into a nightmare. The boys start jumping on me and fighting with each other; I start yelling at them to get off of me or to stop fighting; and after all the jumping, fighting and yelling, I'm too exhausted to actually play with them, so they get bored and start jumping on me and fighting again. This happens over and over again, and no one really has any fun. Jump. Fight. Yell. Repeat.

So yesterday, after I had become the boys' personal trampoline for about the tenth time, I decided I had had enough. So I did something that I never thought to do before. I made them go play.

Yes, you read that correctly. I made my children play.

I gave them a choice. They could go to the playroom in the basement to play, or they could go upstairs to their rooms to play. I didn't care where they went, but they had to go somewhere and find something to do that didn't involve injuring each other (or me).

It was like a lightbulb went on for me. Ok, so maybe it was more like a gigantic chandelier with a blinking, neon "ON" switch right in front of my eyes. I mean here are two kids, in a house full of toys. Kids love to play, so why had I never thought to do this before?

But the reaction I got was one that I would have expected if I told them they couldn't have a bedtime snack. They whined; they complained; one of them even started crying. Are you kidding me? What kind of kid doesn't want to play?

I even made sure to reinforce that they were not in trouble and that they just needed to find something to do other than clobber each other. They still weren't thrilled about the idea, but finally Chase reluctantly retreated to the basement and Alec stomped up to his room. They had about as much enthusiasm about going to play as I have when it's cleaning day. Well at least they weren't demonstrating their WWF abilities on each other anymore.

I was just looking for a 10 minute break from the fighting, but what came next was nothing short of a miracle. Once they boys got over their whining and pouting, they actually started playing. They played. And played. And played. And played. They played together, and they played on their own. And they just kept playing like it was the first time they had ever seen their toys. The two boys who just moments earlier couldn't go more than two minutes without picking on each other were now playing better than I had ever seen them play. And all I had to do was force them to play.

Somehow, forcing a child to play just doesn't seem to make sense. I don't have to force my kids to eat vegetables. I don't have to force them to drink milk. I don't have to force them to brush their teeth. Usually. But for some reason I have to force them to play. Seriously? That's like forcing a ball to bounce... Or forcing a dog to fetch a toy... Or forcing a mom to take a night off to go see Magic Mike. But I digress...

I think you get my point. Playing should come naturally to children. They should want to play. They shouldn't need to be forced to play.

But maybe it's more like forcing a baby bird to leave the nest. Birds are meant to fly, but until the mama bird forces the baby to try it, they baby won't leave the nest. Once the baby realizes it can fly, it opens up a whole new world.

Well, I have forced my baby birds to fly. And they have discovered a whole new world. Sure they've played with their toys before. But it took a little pushing for them to discover this new world and really want to play on their own.

Now that they have discovered this world, I'm hoping they will continue to explore it. I'm sure there will still be plenty more jumping, and fighting, and yelling. But when that starts to happen there will be more forced playing...or should I say forced flying.

He's Home!

Chad just got back from a 5-day business trip to Texas.

These are some highlights from while he was gone.

Missed Days 1 & 2? Check them out here!

Missed Days 3 & 4? Check them out here!

~Day 5~

The boys sleep in again today. But this time they actually sleep in. Until 8:45am! I feel like Super Mom. Maybe Chad should go away more often! Ok, maybe not. Things have gone much better than I expected, but I am definitely ready for him to get home.

The boys are still in their PJs at 11am, so I think it's safe to say we're not going anywhere this morning. We all need some down time after our busy few days.

Alec has his last swimming lesson tonight, so I have one more mission to accomplish before my week as a single parent is over. Fortunately Chad's mom is coming over to watch Chase while I take Alec to his lesson.



Alec enjoying his last swimming lesson for this year

Swimming goes well. We get home, have dinner and get ready for bath. Chad is usually the one who does bathtime with the boys, so giving them baths this week has been somewhat of an unfamiliar experience for me. Sure I've given them baths before, but I don't do it very often. I come out of the bathroom feeling like I have just lost a big battle with a garden hose.

I get the boys in bed around 8pm, and the countdown begins. Chad's plane is scheduled to get in at 11pm, so he should be home around midnight. I realize there is no way I am going to be able to stay awake for four hours. I settle in to spend some quality time catching up on my DVR'd episodes of The Bachelorette.



My guilty pleasure

While I am watching 13 guys produce more drama than a room full of PMSing teenage girls, I notice a faint smell. It is a pleasant smell, but I can't place it. I dismiss it and continue to watch the 13 men fight for Emily's "true love." A little while later I notice the same pleasant smell again, but I still can't place it. It's almost like a candle, but not as strong. I make it through one episode of man drama and decide I've had enough drama for one night. I head up to bed.

When I get up to my room, I notice that smell again and begin a thorough investigation to find out where it is coming from. After almost convincing myself that I am imagining things, I finally figure out what it is. My hands smell like the boys' shampoo from washing their hair earlier. I fall asleep happy, hoping I can remember this scent for a long time.

I hear Chad get home around midnight. I semi-consciously mumble a "hello" and "I missed you" to him before returning to my state of exhausted unconsciousness. Unlike the night when Chad left, I have no problem falling back to sleep this time.

~Day 6~

Daddy is home! And he has taken the day off of work! We spend a nice day together as a family, and Chad and I go out for dinner and a show in the evening.

That night while I am getting ready for bed, I think back to the past few days. I made it through five full days without Chad. Not only did I make it, but I actually enjoyed it. I had a really fun time with my boys, and they seemed to have a fun time with me, too.

It's not that we don't have fun together normally. We do. But I often find myself frustrated and at my wits' end with the boys. But this week was different. Despite the shredded wipes, stashed bacon bits and the bathtime hurricane, I managed to really enjoy my boys without feeling overly stressed.

I am definitely ready for Chad to be home, but after these past few days of being on my own with my boys I feel almost like a better mom now. I feel a sense of accomplishment that I don't normally feel. Maybe it was the extra 90 minutes of sleep the boys let me have yesterday. Maybe it was the smell of baby shampoo on my hands. Maybe it was the smiles on the boys faces when they saw their Daddy this morning (or the bigger smiles when they saw he brought back surprises!). Who knows. But whatever it was has left me smiling and feeling ready to tackle whatever my boys have in store for me next, even if it is decorating the bathroom with toilet paper...again.

Chase loved his surprises that Daddy brought back from Texas

Four Down, One to go

Chad just got back from a 5-day business trip to Texas. 

These are some highlights from while he was gone. 

Missed Days 1 & 2? Check them out here!

 

~Day 3~

Alec and Chase get up at 7:00am. I have decided that today is going to be a great day.

We head downstairs, and I take the dog out. While outside, she rolls around in poop. Awesome. So much for that great day. I can't think of anything I'd rather be doing at 7:15am than bathing a dog that rolled in poop. Is it too early to open that bottle in the fridge?

Now that the dog is clean, we need to get ready to go to a birthday party for our friends' son who is turning one. It is a pool party, so the boys are very excited. I somehow manage to get everyone dressed, load the pool bag, wrap the present and make it out the door on time.

We spend most of the day at the party, so nap time/quiet time doesn't happen. By the time we get home I am exhausted, and the boys are too. But it's already almost bedtime for the kids, and after bedtime it is girl's night!

I put the kids down about a half hour early because they are exhausted and because I don't have the energy to do anything other than sit down and space out. My friends get here a little while later. It is finally time to open that bottle!

I have a great time actually having a conversation with other adults, and I am comforted by the fact that my kids are not the only ones who have had issues with wipes, bacon bits, toilet paper and similar objects. I go to bed feeling like I can tackle the next two days.

~Day 4~

The boys "sleep in" until 7:38am. They really DO love me!

We've been running around like crazy for the past few days, so today we just hang out at home. For the most part we don't drive each other crazy.

I have decided that if Chase takes a long nap, I am going to attempt to take the boys to the drive-in movie theater to see Madagascar 3 tonight. I'm not sure if this makes me a good mom or a crazy mom. I'm leaning toward the latter.

Chase takes an awesome nap, so the drive-in is on! We head over around 6:30pm to get a good spot and have dinner there.

The boys couldn't have behaved any better. They were so good and had a great time, although I think they enjoyed having free roam of the car better than actually watching the movie. We head home at 11:00pm. This is later than the boys have ever been up. They fall asleep as soon as the car starts moving!

Once home, I transfer the boys to their beds, head over to my bed and pass out as soon as my head hits the pillow.

Ready to hear about Days 5 & 6? Here they are!

Two Down, Three to go

Chad just got back from a 5-day business trip to Texas. 

These are some highlights from while he was gone.

~Day 1~

Chad's flight was scheduled to leave at 5:55am, so his alarm went off at 3:45am. He was super quiet getting ready and getting out the door, but since becoming a mother I have somehow developed the inability to fall back to sleep once I'm even a little bit awake at night. So I watched the clock tick until about 5:30am when I finally drifted off.

The boys were up at their normal time (about 7:15am), and both were in surprisingly good moods. We got ready and set out for a play date at a local bouncy house venue. We played there for a while and had lunch, and again the boys were on their (mostly) best behavior.

After exhausting ourselves jumping, bouncing and sliding, we came home and the boys had nap time/quiet time, followed by more good moods, dinner, play and bedtime. Overall a really great day.

~Day 2~

The boys were up at 7:15am. I was already showered and dressed. WIN!

They were playing nicely together, so I decided to dry my hair. Bad idea. When I got done, Chase came into the bathroom with a mouthful of something and told me he was eating crackers. Apparently he helped himself. FAIL. (Although I guess crackers are better than some other things...)

I went to get him a clean diaper and noticed his wipes were missing. I asked him where they were, and he pointed to his bed. Yep, they were there alright. All 100 of them ripped up and scattered all over his bed. FAIL.

So it's 7:30am, and the score is: Kids - 2, Mommy - 1. Time to let them watch TV before they somehow manage to burn the house down.

After a thrilling episode of Little Einsteins (ok, and a Bob the Builder, too), we head out for our first errand. We need to get photos taken for our summer pool pass. This went better than expected because I found out that we could just use our passes from last year. So I didn't have to fight a 4-year-old to look at the camera and do something other than smush his cheeks together and stick his tongue out (yes, we are in that phase now).

Next up, the liquor store. No really, I'm serious. With Chad out of town for five days, I decided it was the perfect time to host a girl's night at my house after the kids were in bed. So into the Wine and Spirits store I went with my 2-year-old and 4-year-old to purchase some drinks for the next night's vent-about-our-kids event. This errand also went well.

Our last errand was the grocery store. The first two errands went so well that I was sure the grocery store would be a disaster. But somehow this errand went just as well. I'm sure the playroom for Alec and the endless snacks for Chase had nothing to do with their cooperation.

Once we were home, I unloaded the groceries and got lunch ready. Other than the crackers and the wipes, the day was going really well. I was starting to think that maybe I could get through these next few days without going completely crazy.

While I was doing the dishes, Chase came into the kitchen with wet hands. He told me he went pee-pee. Now I know this isn't true because he isn't potty trained yet. But he does, on occasion, like to go into the bathroom and sit on the little potty or stand by the big potty and pretend to go. So I assumed that was what had happened. But that didn't explain the wet hands. So I asked him if he washed his hands, which he also likes to do on occasion. He said yes, but it seemed like there was more to the story. That was when Alec told me that Chase stuck his hands in the pee-pee water. Lovely. So I went into the bathroom to wash Chase's hands for real, and this is what I found:

FAIL!

I washed Chase's hands and then cleaned up the toilet paper mess. Now it was time for Chase's nap. But where was Chase? Off I went to look for him. Here is where I found him:

Yes, those are bacon bits and sprinkles that he has smuggled under the table. So much for making it through the next few days without going crazy.

After swearing to never let Chase out of my site again, we head up for nap time. The dog can clean up the bacon bits on the floor.

Finally Chase is down for his nap. What's that Alec? You want to play your Leapster for the next two hours? Go for it! I'll be downstairs resisting the urge to open up one of those bottles for tomorrow's girl's night. My friends would understand, right?

Nap time is over. We are heading over to a friend's house for dinner tonight. This is good because I can't deal with any more wipes or bacon bits incidents today!

The boys had a blast and tired themselves (and me) out. Next it's home from dinner and playing, and then bedtime...for everyone!

Ready to hear about Days 3 & 4? Here they are!

My Summer Survival Plan

Wasn't it just September? I could have sworn that I just went on my four-store half-day quest with Alec for his Toy Story backpack for 3-year-old preschool last week. But somehow we've managed to fly through nine months of preschool, and now the boys and I have three months of driving each other crazy quality time together.

Alec on his first day of 3-year-old preschool

Alec just finished his second year of preschool, and at his end-of-year party I had to fight to keep the tears back. I didn't want to cry because I was sad that my little boy is growing up so fast. I wanted to cry because for the next three months I don't have three mornings a week where someone else is keeping one of my boys entertained.

Alec on his last day of preschool

I am definitely not one of those moms who is creative or good at coming up with things to do. My idea of creativity is opening up the kitchen drawer with the big utensils and telling the boys to go to town.

Instead, I am one of the moms who hears about something really cool that another mom did and thinks, I wish I had thought of that. Then I proceed to "borrow" the idea. Hey, my boys will never know the difference. And besides, isn't that basically the whole idea behind Pinterest?

So with Alec used to doing really creative crafts, fun activities and playing with 15 other kids for three mornings each week, I have a feeling the transition into summer may be a bit challenging. I mean, a drawer full of big spoons is great, but it only provides entertainment for so long.

In order to help with this transition, I've really been trying to get Alec excited about the fun things we can do over the summer. So the other day when he told me he was excited for summer, I breathed a sigh of relief. I asked him what he was most excited about, and do you know what his answer was? Our upcoming beach vacation? Nope. Swimming in the pool? Nope. Amusement parks? Nope. Are you ready for this? Corn on the cob. Yep, that is what my 4-year-old is most excited about for the next three months. The sigh of relief that I had breathed moments before was quickly replaced with panic. I realized that I needed to come up with a plan.

My plan to survive the summer is a basic one. If it's a nice day, we will be at the township pool trying not to drown each other. If it's not a nice day, we will be trapped inside at home trying not to strangle each other. And regardless of the weather, assuming we have all managed not to drown or strangle each other, I will end each day with a celebratory bottle glass of wine once the kids are sleeping. It's that simple.

With my new plan in place, I'm starting to feel a little bit better about the next few months. I'm sure once we get into the swing of things, I'll have no problem keeping the boys entertained. With the pool, beach, amusement parks and play dates, I'm sure we'll have no problem surviving the next three months. And besides, if we are having a trying day there's always Pinterest and corn on the cob.

I guess it has always been one of Alec's favorite foods...

My Mother's Day Picture

This Mother's Day was my fifth Mother's Day as a mother, and on Saturday (the day before Mother's Day) I told Chad there was one thing I wanted for Mother's Day. After he gave me a look that said Do you realize that Mother's Day is tomorrow and there's no way I'm going to pull off getting you something else?, I think he was relieved to hear my request. I wanted a picture of me with my boys.

Why did I want a picture of me with my boys? Well, there's the obvious reason that I am their mother and it was Mother's Day. But as I was searching through more than two years worth of photos to find a few photos of me with Alec and Chase together to use as profile photos, I found about three. Three photos of me with my boys. From the past two years. I'm not great at math, but I'm pretty sure that works out to about one a year.

It's not that we don't have photos of the boys. I didn't count, but I'm pretty sure we're into the five digits of photos of the boys. And there are plenty of photos of the boys with Chad, the boys with grandparents, the boys with friends, the boys with the dog. But only three photos of the boys with their own mother.

Why were there only three photos of me with my boys? Well, mothers wear many hats, including but not limited to chef, nurse, maid, and now photographer. Since I'm always the one taking the pictures, I never seem to make it into many photos myself.

So after Chad learned that all I wanted for Mother's Day was for him to take a picture of me with the boys, I think he felt like he got off easy. At least he felt that way until picture time.

You see, since I've been the family photographer for four years now, I've learned a little bit about taking photos of kids. I've learned that it takes about 50 photos just to get one kind of good one. If I want a really good photo, I can count on at least 100 tries, a little bit of luck and lots of frustration.

So here is a glimpse into my Mother's Day picture:

Attempt #1: Let's try to get a shot of the three of us on the couch.

Chase is looking at the camera like I'm squeezing the air out of him, and Alec is looking somewhere else.

Now Alec is begrudgingly looking at the camera but Chase is looking somewhere else.

Alec is already tired of having his picture taken and is now goofing off, and Chase is ready for his nap.

Now Chase is goofing of and Alec is once again not looking at the camera.

Well at least I'm still smiling.

Ok, I think we've all had enough of our first attempt.

Attempt #2: Let's go outside this time.

The boys actually look good...it's me who wasn't ready this time.

Ok, I'm ready now...but the boys are not.

 

I don't even know what's going on here.

More goofing off from the boys.

I'm pretty sure this was Chad's attempt at humor.

Let's try to get the boys to give me a kiss before calling it quits.

And the Winners:

I honestly don't know what people did before digital cameras. I can't even imagine how many photos were thrown away and how much money was wasted on photos of mom's butt.

So next year when Mother's Day rolls around again and I tell Chad that I want another photo of me with the boys, he might think twice about feeling relieved. At least I can't complain about not having any pictures of me with my boys now!

In Twenty Years

Ok. If you're reading this and you have young kids of your own, I want you to do something. Picture them in about 20 years or so. If they could be doing anything you want, what would it be? Quick, pick the first thing that comes to mind.

Here's my answer to this question. In my perfect future for my kids, Alec ends up playing piano on Broadway and Chase ends up scoring touchdowns for the Pittsburgh Steelers. (I guess it could be the other way around, but with Alec's two left feet I'm pretty sure that when it comes to sports he takes after Chad, who was traumatized for life during a t-ball game when he was playing first base, the other team hit the ball and Chad ran the bases. Plus, based on Alec's two months of piano lessons resulting in the ability to play Funny Little Man, Going Up Bounce Bounce AND Hot Cross Buns at the age of four, I feel much more confident in his musical talents.)

This future for my kids would be great... I could get free (front row) tickets to Broadway shows AND have free (awesome) seats at every Steelers game. My kids would both be considered super successful, and I would get some pretty good perks as well. Of course in my fantasy dream, Alec would land his first audition and Chase would never get hurt on the field.

But then I got to thinking... that's what I would want for my kids. That doesn't mean that that's what they will want for themselves. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that all I really want for my kids is for them to be happy. That's all I really want for them now, 20 years from now, 50 years from now, etc...

Honestly, I really don't care what they end up doing. They could be teachers, carpenters, lawyers, fishermen, car salesmen, really anything. Heck, they could be ballerinas or bank robbers for all I care, as long as it makes them happy! (Ok, maybe the bank robber part wouldn't really be part of my dream.) But I seriously don't care what they end up doing, as long as it makes them happy.

I don't know about other parents, but I know I spend a lot of time trying to make my kids happy. I play game after game of "Go Fish;" I laugh at jokes that make no sense; I exhaust myself by running lap after lap around the house chasing (or being chased by) my boys; I spend more time than I care to admit stuffed in closets, crammed under beds and crouching in bathtubs in riveting games of hide-and-seek.

I don't do all this because of the thrill of not knowing if another person has a whale card in their hands or because I have a secret love of hiding in dark, stuffy places. I do this because it makes my kids happy. And if my boys are happy, that makes me happy.

Maybe I'm being selfish. Afterall, seeing them unhappy causes me to feel their pain. I can't stand seeing my children hurt or sick; I hate the feeling of having to take away a toy, even though I know I'm teaching them a lesson; I cry inside every time they're disappointed. And as their mother, all I want to do is make things better. I just want them to be happy.

So after all this thinking, I've changed my dream for them. In my revised answer to my original question, Alec is still on Broadway and Chase is still at Heinz Field, but they are both HAPPY with what they're doing.

It's Not Fair!

Ok, maybe I sound like a whiny little kid. But it's the truth: it's not fair!

Having children has taught me many things. It has taught me how to get myself from a sound sleep in bed to a semi-functioning adult in the car in under 10 minutes. It has taught me the humor in jokes that go like this: Alec - "Knock knock"; Me - "Who's there?"; Alec - "Banana"; Me - "Banana who?"; Alec - "Banana basket." It has taught me patience (ok, maybe I'm still working on that one). But I think the biggest lesson I have learned from having children is that life just isn't fair, especially with children.

I've always known that life isn't fair. People pass away who shouldn't. The rich get richer while the poor get poorer. The one day I run to the store for one lone item without even brushing my hair before leaving the house is the one day I run into five people I know. But having children puts a whole new perspective on the unfairness of life. Here are a few examples of what I mean:

1) Kids get sick. It's a part of life -- not a fun part, but an unavoidable part. But what's really not fair about it is that they always seem to get sick at the worst times. There's no real "good" time to be sick, but there are definitely times that are worse than others. Like a holiday, trip, or special event that the kids have been excited about for weeks. But you know that one week where you don't have any plans or anything going on over the weekend? Yep, that's the week that the entire family is healthy.

2) Housework takes twice as long, and there is ten times as much of it. How's that for unfair? Having extra people in the house means extra laundry, extra dishes and extra messes. But it's not that simple. You see, loading the dishwasher by myself takes about 10 minutes. But with a 21-month-old and a 4-year-old, I have to factor in their "help." For every one dish I put into the dishwasher, somehow two dishes get removed. Maybe each kid takes one out? I don't know... I just know that the more I try to fill the dishwasher, the emptier it gets. Same with laundry. And cleaning. It doesn't take a math genius to realize that when you have twice as much work, which takes twice as long to do, that's a lot of time that I could be spending doing something else!

3) Kids don't like to sleep when we do. If your kids are anything like mine, at least one of them is almost always up in the morning before I am ready to be awake. Alec is usually up at 7am, which I should be thankful for because I have several friends whose children are awake at 6am or even in the 5 o'clock hour. Regardless, when I get that 7am wake-up call I just want to crawl deeper under the covers and go back to sleep. But did you notice that I said this is "almost" always the case? There's always that ONE time when we actually have to get up at 7am, and THAT would be the one time when my kids both decide they need to catch up on sleep. It's not fair!

4) Kids drive us crazy for years, then don't want anything to do with us. This one seems the most unfair to me. As much as I love my children and enjoy spending time with them now, I tend to go a little crazy being around them ALL the time. I find myself constantly wishing for a few minutes of me-time throughout the day. Unlike Gwen Stefani, I haven't resorted to locking myself in a closet to escape yet, but that day may not be too far away! It seems like one of them always needs something from me - a clean diaper, a cup of juice, help with a puzzle, a towel to wipe up a spill. I know this is what I signed up for, and most days I really don't mind being a chef, maid, chauffeur, and nurse all at once. But some days I would give almost anything just to be able to finish a cup of coffee in the morning. But I also know that 12 years from now my boys won't want anything to do with me. They will be independent teenagers, embarrassed just to be seen within 10 feet of me. Forget hugs, kisses or snuggles. I know without a doubt that when that day comes I will be wishing for a spilled cup of juice or for one of them to need my help with homework. (Although at this point they will probably be sleeping in AND I will be able to finish a cup of coffee in the morning!)

So why can't my kids be healthy all the time? Why can't the housework take care of itself? Why can't my kids sleep until 9am every day? Why can't I have one day a month now that my kids want nothing to do with me, and then have one day a month 10 years from now when they want to spend all day with me? The simple answer is that life just isn't fair. But that just makes it even more important to enjoy the weeks when they are healthy, even if we don't have plans, or their help with my chores, or those rare days when they do sleep in, or their dependence on me. Because while life with kids may not be fair, that doesn't mean it can't be enjoyable. Afterall, a week at home with healthy kids who like to help with housework isn't exactly something to complain about!

My Kids are Superheroes

In our house, our typical morning routine goes something like this:

Chad's alarm goes off at 7:00. He gets up, showers and gets ready for work. I usually wake up at the same time, but I stay in bed until Alec wakes up, usually around 7:15. Occasionally he'll wake up full of energy and run into our room yelling, "Wake up! Wake up! The sun is up!" But more commonly he comes over to our bedroom still half asleep and hops in bed with me to snuggle. We'll snuggle for a few minutes (ok, sometimes a half hour), and then I'll turn on Disney Junior for him to watch while I get myself ready. Chase usually wakes up between 7:30 and 8:00, but he tends to be a bit lazy in the morning and prefers to hang out in his crib and wake up slowly. So it's usually closer to 8:30 or so when I go in to get him. And then our day begins.

Most mornings this routine works just fine for us. But some days we have plans that start earlier, Chad has an early morning meeting or something else comes up that creates the need for a different routine. This usually doesn't cause much trouble (other than maybe an extra tantrum or two because we don't have time to watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse). But I have learned something very interesting from these mornings. I have learned that Alec has a super power.

His super power is almost like a sixth sense. It is a sense that wakes him from even the most sound sleep to alert him that Mommy has gotten up before he has. You see, if Chad has to get up early, he could set his alarm for 6:00, trip over toys on the way to the bathroom (sending them into loud, obnoxious choruses of music and noise, which in turn make the dog bark in alarm), bang the shower door closed, proceed to drop his shampoo bottle not once, but twice (causing loud thuds and perhaps an exclamation of frustration) and slam the door on the way out of the house at 6:45, all while Alec sleeps soundly in his room down the hall. But if for some crazy reason I decide I want to get up at 6:00 (say maybe I want some quiet time with a cup of coffee before the house turns into a tornado zone), the scene is very different. I quietly tip-toe to the bathroom and barely have time to put in my contacts before Alec comes running over in a full blown panic because I am up before he has climbed into my bed.

Now don't get me wrong. I enjoy our snuggle time immensely. I love cuddling with him and just enjoying some nice one-on-one time with him. I know that some day, probably sooner than I am ready, this snuggle time will come to an end. But as much as I cherish this time, every once in a while it would be nice to be able to get myself ready while the rest of the house (or at least the kids) sleeps quietly.

After I discovered that Alec has a superpower, I began to wonder whether Chase happens to have any special superpowers as well. And wouldn't you know he does! It didn't take me long to realize that Chase has been graced with the super power of controlling my emotions. It amazes me how one minute he can make steam come out of my ears, while the next minute he has me thinking that he's the sweetest child in the world. Alec may have a touch of this power as well, but Chase has it mastered.

Chase also happens to have the strength that comes along with being a superhero. Now granted I'm not what most would consider a large person. But for a petite 5-foot mom (5'3" with good heels!), I like to think that I have some impressive strength in me. I built up my arm strength as a drummer in high school and college, and I was the girl's push-up champion in high school. I have no problems lifting or carrying around my boys, who range from about 25-35 pounds. So you'd think changing the diaper of my 21-month-old would be a piece of cake. But the second I lay Chase on his changing table, his super-human strength comes out. I suddenly have to muster all my energy just to hold him still long enough to slide the dirty diaper off and the clean diaper on. That action alone makes me break a sweat. When there's a "number two" involved and I need to break out the wipes, it's all I can do to keep from sitting on Chase just to make sure he has a clean rear end. Most mornings I'm already exhausted by 8:35 simply from the act of getting Chase a clean diaper.

I guess it's pretty cool to have kids who are superheroes. As long as they don't try to fly off the house, I think I can handle it. Who knows... maybe some day they'll even rescue me from a burning building. But it does leave me with just one question... If both of my children are superheroes, does that make me Supermom?

Lollipops for Breakfast

A few weeks ago I heard about a job opening that sounded very tempting to me. The pay was good; the hours were good; the benefits were good; the work itself sounded good; and to top it all off I was perfectly qualified for it and had some pretty significant inside connections at the place that was hiring. I'm not currently looking for a job, but I still hear about openings in my field, and I'll occasionally check a few local places where I would love to someday work just to see if they happen to be hiring for anything. But when I heard about this particular job, it really piqued my interest.

While I love staying home with my boys, there are some days when I have to admit that I am pretty jealous of Chad. He gets to walk out the door and leave all the temper tantrums, spilled juice and fighting behind. He gets to sit at a desk and drink a cup of coffee before it's cold. He gets to eat his lunch from start to finish, often at restaurants I only dream of going. He gets to have actual conversations that don't revolve around why someone can't watch Peppa Pig for the fourth time that day before 9am or who was playing with what toy first.

Now don't get me wrong... Chad works very hard at his job, and he is great at what he does. I realize that his work isn't easy either and that he has his share of rough, chaotic and frustrating days. I know that he has long days where the last thing he feels like doing is coming home to a messy house, whiny children and a screaming wife. But at least he gets an 8-hour break from all of the madness. Some days I think an 8-hour break would be heavenly, and this is why I was so tempted by the job opening that I recently saw.

I mentioned the job to Chad, and we discussed the pros and cons of me applying for it. It basically boiled down to more money for the kids, house and us versus less time with the children. We have already discussed the fact that at some point in the future I plan to return to some kind of a job outside of the home. But our thoughts have been that this will happen once both boys are in school all day.

I know that I am very fortunate to be able to stay at home with my children while they are young. I realize that there are many people who would love to do this but who can't make it work. I know there will come a day when I will look back on this time and miss it, so I am really trying not to take my time with my children for granted or wish it away. But there are some days where I just have to wonder if I was meant to be a stay-at-home mom. Heck, sometimes I wonder if I am even qualified to be a stay-at-home mom! I mean, I never went through any training. My version of a craft is gluing some googly eyes on a circle and calling it a cat (or a dog, or a spider...). And there are days when my kids have eaten a lollipop for breakfast. Not to mention all the times when I am guiltily checking facebook statuses while Alec watches mindless television and Chase eats his sixth handful of Puffs (hey, at least I feel guilty about it, right?). Some days I have to admit that I feel more like a babysitter than a mother, and I feel like I don't give my children the attention I should when I am with them. I know this isn't true, and I know that I do give them plenty of attention, but I also wonder if I would be a better mother if I weren't around my kids all day. I think that if I had that "break" from them then I would be more attentive to them when I was home with them. 

Ultimately I decided not to apply for the job. I know inside that I am not ready to go back to work outside the house, at least full time. I would consider something part time if it were close to perfect, and there is one place where I would consider a full-time job. Otherwise, for now my job is at home with the kids. Besides, I've already (barely) made it through three-and-a-half years...so what's another three-and-a-half more? I can always go to work, but I'll only have these years (although crazy ones) with my children now.



And you thought I was kidding about the lollipop for breakfast!