Oh no they didn't...

Today at work I received this text message and photo...

"They didn't sleep, found them quietly destructing their room...out of their cribs."It's not the best photo, so you can't see it all... but they got out of their cribs, apparently without much noise, and proceeded to remove all their books from this bookshelf and the built in bookshelf that you can't see here. Erin thought they were sleeping they were so quiet. When she did hear a noise, close to when she felt they should be getting up, Erin and Ethan went up and found them sitting quietly reading their books... ALL their books... on the floor.

This is the first time they have gotten out of the cribs without a cry, meaning apparently gracefully. And only the forth time that they have gotten out of their cribs to the floor (they have been going back and forth between each other's beds forever, that's why we put them together and put the middle down).

Can you say a big UH OHHHHH. They are too young for toddler beds. Let me rephrase, they will not stay in the toddler beds. They will play and walk around the house. So, really, what I am getting at is WE are too old for them to be in toddler beds. Something tells me that the years to come will be interesting... very interesting... (help us!!!)

The family that lives where???

Okay, so I've debated about sharing this story in the past because... well...where exactly is the line? For a mom it's kind of blurry as you see, smell, hear, wear and touch things you never thought you would, both willingly and non-willingly. However, I have randomly shared this story with a few people and it is felt that others may enjoy it and since I already "went there" with the Kohl's story a couple days ago, I figured what the heck! So here it goes.

Steve and I can't quite remember when (which is another reason I should just blog everything as it happens... regardless) this started, but it was probably four or five months ago. Also, remember, Ethan has an incredibly fabulous imagination. (Due to the content, you'll need to read between the lines a little.)

Ethan is a "regular" boy in "that" respect. Only sometimes, like Saturday at Kohl's, he has "issues." The poopy song, by the way, actually started with potty training but stayed because of his "issues." At any rate, at times his "business" comes out in multiples of different sizes. Ethan has actually identified these...yes, I am serious. The first time I remember it, he told me that he was waiting on the dad poop to come out as his little face was turning red (I think I almost cried from holding in the laughter and almost exploded waiting to tell Steve). Another time he was loudly and dramatically "trying/pushing" (as I sang the poopy song) and saying the grandpa was still there and just not wanting to come out. Yet another time, it was an uncle. Each time it is all we can do not to lay on the ground laughing as you never know who's being stubborn and just how much family lives there. And yes, as "they" come out he says "there's the sister, there's the mom, there's the cousin..." - you get the picture. Sometimes we ask him, if all the family out (just for our own laughs really) and sometimes we try to identify them ourselves - "was that the aunt?" - usually to be corrected. (as I type this I realize just how strange that sounds - ha!)

As if that isn't funny enough, one day I was reading Ethan a story in his bed before a nap (at the beginning of this "family's" incarnation), after he had just used the bathroom. As I was reading to him, both of us laying in his bed side by side, he held up his finger and said "mom, here's the baby." Noticing something brown on his finger out of the corner of my eye and thinking it was probably a piece of fuzz or lint from the many stuffed animals or blankets, I reached out my hand while continuing to read. He gently put the "baby" on my finger. At this point it was like this slow motion cognitive realization of what I was holding... and well, let's just say, I didn't handle it as well as the no gas situation this weekend. I jumped off the bed, told Ethan not to move or touch anything, ran to the bathroom, washed my hands, grabbed a couple wash clothes (with and without soap), scrubbed Ethan off, then scrubbed him some more, surveyed the bed and animals, decided to wash them all, scrubbed us both some more, etc., etc. Mind you, over the years, I have had bigger "babies" on me thanks to three little ones, but for some reason, maybe the way it happened, it just really caught be off guard (and disgusted me more than it ever has). We then had a long discussion about how this "family" needs to only live in one of two places... I am sure you can guess those places.

Since then, we still hear of close family and distant cousins often (even at Kohl's - hmmmm come to think of it, that might have been the reason, not my singing and Ethan's noises, that the full bathroom cleared out so quickly...), but they have all gone "swimming" or stayed "at home"... and have not come out to visit us up close and personal. Thankfully.

Sorry if that was offensive to you, but come on, you have to admit that it's also both imaginative and funny too. Right?

Splish splashing good time

We broke in our 'new to us' pool for the kids... twice... once in the morning and then again in the afternoon. They had a blast!

Don't they look cute in their matching UPF 50+ sunblock suits?

Attention Kohl's shoppers

Dear Kohl's (on Route 23) shoppers:

I...er I mean Mendy... would like to apologize to all of you who were in the bathroom yesterday afternoon. My son and I had just had quite the adventure and apparently it affected him in more ways than one. I am not sure if my song helped you, scared you or made you laugh, but we did notice that the completely full bathroom cleared out very quickly. However, I am a mother first and my own pride takes backseat at times, therefore you must appreciate that if my son (very loudly) requests me to sing the 'poppy song,' that I must oblige. I am not sure if it was the dramatic, we'll call them "trying/pushing," noises being made by my son, or the request for the fifth rendition of the song itself, but like I said we did notice that many of you left quickly - some without washing your hands (shame on you). All I have to say is a mom has to do what a mom has to do.

Again, I am sorry if this offended you and I hope that you understand.

p.s. in case it actually helped you too, and you would like the song for your own use, here is our two year old now infamous 'poopy song':

Push it out
Push it out
Way out
Push it out
Push it out
Way out
Go poopy go

Okay, as you know, it's more of a sing song cheer... complete with arm movements which I am certain you were glad you couldn't see but important to note as they greatly help the process (apparently).

Still hungry

Last night after dinner, I was loading the dishwasher as Steve bathed Collin. Ethan had just finished his dinner (always lagging) and ran into the family room to play, so I went to get his plate and saw this...

Love the tongue that comes out when he is concentrating.

Love that he says "cheese" and smiles whenever the camera first comes out.

Normally, this is Collin... he bellies up both before and after meals to whatever plate is closest. I had never seen Oliver do it until now.

Note to all: if you come here for a meal... don't leave your plate unattended... just saying...

p.s. yes, we had breakfast for dinner - eggs and oatmeal raisin toast... sometimes you gotta have quick and easy.

The story of the dumb brunette

The craziest story ever!

So, this brunette and her, let's say, four year old son go out to run errands. The Brunette notices that she is on "E" but thinks "oh... I have a couple gallons and can make it a couple places" that her four year old is insisting that they do immediately. And so she does. As she is running those few places, all of close proximity, she notices it is now below the "E", but thinks... "I haven't gone that far... I still have gas" and continues on to one more place before getting gas. After all the brunette loves to save money with fuel perks and food perks at Giant Eagle and she wasn't anywhere near one at the moment, but was headed to errands by a Get Go next. So, continues on happily.

However, on her way to the gas station she runs out of gas... for the first time in her, we'll say, 34 year old life. As the gas pedal slowly stopped working and the car started coasting the brunette thought... 'so this answers my question as to what happens when you run out of gas.' Okay, that thought in her head might have started AND ended with a few unsavory words... maybe... but it was just a thought (not said out loud)... and given the situation we mustn't judge her. Fortunately the brunette was probably a third of a mile (who knows, she can't judge distance) from the Get Go. Trying to be calm and efficient, she coasted as long and as far as she could to get as close to the gas station as possible and out of traffic. Thinking quick as her four year old son asked "mommy, why are we stopping on the side of road, I thought we were going to Kohls" (Okay, so the gas station not next, but fortunately the brunette ran out of gas closer to it than Kohls), she said excitedly "we're going on an ADVENTURE!" "An adventure?" he says. Yes, the brunette says, as she turns on her hazards, locks the car and heads in the direction of the gas station with her son in the 140 degree heat (okay it was more like 85 which is still really hot). Trying to make this as fun as possible, the brunette makes up songs about their adventure as they walk endlessly. No one stops to help. The son asks her to stop singing.

The brunette and son arrive at the Get Go and ask the attendants for help. They stare at her emotionless without empathy and point at the gas cans for sale on the shelf. They continue to offer little to no help, like cutting off the spout so that it may be attached, or anything. Brunette is unhappy, but conceals it for her four year old. At this point the four year old is on board with the adventure and says "let's go get some gas mom!" So they do. She feels completely idiotic standing at a busy gas station filling up a can without a car... knowing everyone knows she ran out of gas. Sigh...

They then walk back to the car and many people offer to help drive them there this time (apparently the gas can tipped them off that it wasn't a nice Saturday mother/son walk along a road), but she declines since it isn't too far and she doesn't want this to turn into a CSI show (one can never know after all). The brunette does take this opportunity, though, to point out to her son how nice these people who keep stopping are and how we should always offer to help people who are in need (never mind she JUST had the 'don't talk to strangers and run from them always' conversation with him last week - and therefore he is now telling her "see mom, strangers are nice" - sigh - timing is everything).

They make it to the car, both of them drenched with sweat, the son gets into his seat and the brunette attempts to fill the tank. Gas spills all over the car, the street and her... none goes into the tank. She tries again with the same result. As she stands there and waits for another nice person to come by, after all four people had stopped on the way back, the cars just speed by. Starting to panic and pace, she thinks "what should I do?" when just then a pick-up truck with a really nice older man pulls over from the other side of the street and says "do you need help?" "YES! I am apparently challenged," she says, "do you know how to fill a car with a gas can?" And he does and he did and she thanked him over and over and over as she bathed herself in baby wipes to get rid of all the gas on her (yes, she shared the wipes with him too).

The brunette then got in the car and asked her son if that was the best adventure ever?! To which he replied "no, silly mommy, it was not." The brunette then promptly drives to the Get Go and fills up.

The brunette now knows just how far below the "E" line she can go, lesson learned. And to those wonderful people who stopped to ask if she needed help, she says thank you. To the fabulously kind man who filled her tank (getting drenched with gas as well), she says thank you again and again. To her son who got on-board with the adventure, never once complained about the walk in the heat and also didn't tell daddy on her, she says thank you, you will be rewarded. To the not very friendly and most unhelpful attendants at the Get Go, she simply says "karma..."

That concludes the story of the dumb brunette named, uh we'll say, Mendy and her son, um we'll say, Methan. Shhhh... Mendy's husband doesn't know yet.

(yes, Mendy's husband reads this blog... like the story goes... dumb brunette.)

KinderZoo

Ethan has been going to KinderZoo with Isaac this month. It was every Friday in June. There they learn about a different region and its animals. They usually talk specifically about one animal in that region - both its characteristics and habitat. Afterwards they walk to that region of the zoo and see some of the animals including the one they learned they concentrated on in class. They also have animal visitors every week. Today it was Chula the Chinchilla. We love to hear him tell us about everything he learned. Our baby is growing up so fast (sniff, sniff).

Ethan said they told them all to say "cheese" which explains why half of them (the boys of course) have their mouths open! Ethan is holding the class sign (he was supposed to hold it up, but oh well).

Today's region was the Himalayas and the animal focus was Markhors. Here is Ethan in his Markhor headband:
Thank you Aunt Amy for taking him! He had a blast!

The Moores Six Illustrated

While I was scanning a photo for the zoo post, I found these cartoon illustrations of us and thought it might be something you all would enjoy to see.

Steve's friend, Art Baltazar, drew these for Steve. He's an illustrator... of comic books of course (Tiny Titans and a bunch of other things??).

For whatever reason, Steve always calls Lauren and I blondes... as you know we are not...

Our 2008 family cartoon

Steve...ah, ha, ha, ha!

This was when Ethan called himself Diaper Bammer the super hero.

This is our 2009 cartoon... looks like Steve got the right hair color for Lauren and I and apparently another one of my characteristics as well - thank you honey (yes, that's sarcasm). He also said that Art was drawing really fast and the twins were drawn before he had a chance to say that they are up to Ethan's shoulder now!

A call out for help

Friends and family - please pray for Matthew, Jen, Jeremie and Darren. Please send happy thoughts to all of them and pray that the cancer will leave his body... very soon. As you all know, it's still there and it's just such a hard journey for a family - all families. They need support and prayers and the more the better!

Below is Matthew's caringbridge site. Feel free to read the journals of this journey, particularly Wednesday (June 24 th) where Jen talks about just how hard this is. And if you are comfortable, please leave them a note in the guestbook. It would mean a lot, even if you don't know them (at this point there are a lot of readers they don't know) but each comment helps lift them up and give them the support they need. Like Jen said (in the post on the 24th), they/she is in one of the valleys of this roller coaster ride... I feel they need all the happy thoughts and prayers they can get sent their way!

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/matthewbarr

At the Miracle Network Telethon. Matthew got a medal.

The cutest photo ever of Jen and Matthew at the relay!

The popsicle brothers

Much to my surprise and glee, Oliver decided to eat one of the spinach...er.. I mean berry popsicles!

As I have said, the twins don't like anything frozen... not even ice cream... at least to this point. But that all changed tonight. I gave Ethan one of his berry popsicles after dinner and Collin let out his plea for some (he wants anything and everything that anyone and everyone has to eat). I put one in Collin's mouth and he made a hilarious face, shuttered and then turned away (actually he threw his entire body around so I could not put that horrible thing in his mouth again - or at least that was his body language). Oliver was then acting interested and typically Oliver is the last to try anything. So, I gave it a shot and to my surprise he grabbed the stick and started going to town! Fortunately the one I had left was half a popsicle since I had run out of mix making it, so it was the perfect size for him. He actually really loved it. Smiling and saying "Yummy!" the entire time he ate it. And he ate the whole thing!

When I grabbed the camera to take his photo here, he took the popsicle out of his mouth and said "cheese."

Looking a little like a Davison here... and quite funny with his popsicle goatee.

Okay, so I know this is not that exciting for all of you, BUT Oliver is the one child that will NOT eat a vegetable. Not one. And I just got him to eat spinach (albeit incognito)! Score!

Ethan called them the "popsicle brothers."

The king of cheese here.

Now, if I can just get Collin to like them... in time I am sure. Of course, Collin will eat an entire head of steamed broccoli himself, a bag of raw baby carrots (and cooked carrots too), green beans galore and tons of salad (Romaine lettuce or spinach even) as he did tonight - even eating some of dad's. So, I am not as concerned about him and veggies.

Munching on a baby carrot... after all, according to him, he couldn't be the only one without something to eat (the other two were eating popsicles).

Just goes to show you, for a mom, sometimes it's the small things...

Spidee moves

All three boys have been scaling the back of the sofa for the kitchen ledge, a trend that started with the super hero himself - Ethan. It might be for a tv remote, a toy (that was purposely put up there away from them), books, or maybe even just to say hello (in Ethan's case). I am expecting one of them to climb onto the ledge itself sometime soon. Expecting and dreading...

I actually caught Oliver on film during his climb for the bedtime stories tonight (which we keep up unless supervised since they are still into bending them backwards and what not)... Oliver getting down with his prized book and Ethan getting up for no other reason than just because he can...

Other than this, the other fun has been Ethan flipping over the back of the love seat. Something the twins are wanting to do as well (yes, that's a heart stopper!). It has not now, nor ever, been okay for him to do this... and we never say yes to it no matter how beaten down we are. But for some reason climbing the back of the sofa to the ledge and flipping over the sofa are something that no one is able to control: we can't control them from not doing it and they can't control themselves from doing it. Three boys... help us... seriously, really... help us!

Cookie backfire

As you know, I love the Westerville Farmer's Market (I'm a geek... what can I say). One of the many awesome vendors is a goody baker that makes all kinds of fabulous things of the savory and sweet nature - both bad for you (in a yummy way) and good for you (in a healthy way). In her 'health nut' line, I found carrot oatmeal cookies. Ahhh... can you say special treat with benefit? It has all kinds of good stuff; the ingredients start with carrots, oatmeal, unbleached flour, walnuts, wheat bran, wheat germ, sesame seeds, poppy seeds... get the picture? The boys love them.

So, you say, why did I say cookie backfire? It seems to be another victory for mommy... right? Yes, it is... only if mommy is at work the morning after she gives them said cookies. Did you see all the fiber products listed? Do you understand the meaning of the word backfire now? ALL DAY backfire to be more specific.

Note to self: only give these to the boys the nights that I work the next day.

Mauled for the bear

Okay, so all that talk of bad cereal a few weeks back apparently backfired for the parents of this household as Sugar Bear somehow made his way into the shopping cart... those darn center aisle super sale displays will get you in a weak moment every time! At any rate, Daddy decided he was going to have an afternoon snack of the smacks. Why he actually thought he could eat anything around the kids during one of their non-eating times without them begging for some is beyond me... but he did. It didn't go so well. He was instantly mauled. And it only got worse once they took a bite of the sugar laden substance. I heard Steve screaming as the crew swarmed him... and came just in time to see the mauling... they were relentless.

Daddy making them say please...
Collin helping himself (screw the please, I'll just get it myself)...

Daddy futilely trying to keep it away, while chewing the one spoon full of cereal he got...

Little me too coming in for a piece of the action...

In the end, Daddy maybe had one spoon full.

We also told the kids that it was candy. I know, I know. But a little white lie isn't going to hurt them, it may as well be candy if you read the ingredients. And after all, I don't want them to know this is cereal. How would I ever get them to eat the healthy fiber loaded cardboard that they love so well now?

The Critter

The critter has been identified... it's a chipmunk. Here he is hanging out on the side of our house (literally) stalking the bird feeder.
We have seen him there often and also on our deck, on our front porch and in the flower beds. Though he has not yet left me his requests, he has helped himself to all the strawberries from one of our three strawberry pots (which happens to be the ONLY one that is producing strawberries). And continues to bury (plant) seeds EVERYWHERE.

Ethan calls him Chippy. He wants us to ask him to be our indoor pet.

Scoot bike challenged

We have a little scoot around bike for the twins that we got around Christmas because the physical therapist had one that they loved. They don't make it anymore, so we found one similar. Of course the boys didn't like it as much, it's a little harder, so we put it away for a while. Since we have been having the Spiderman ride-on smack downs around here, I decided to get the bike out and try it again. They now like it, but it's still a bit of a challenge. The front wheels stick out to the sides really far and the seat isn't as long and narrow as the one the therapist had (it went almost to the handle bars). All that seems to be a confusing challenge to Collin at least (Oliver prefers Spiderman). Here are some photos of Collin trying to figure it out...

Sitting on the bar (instead of the seat) all the way forward with feet in front of wheels - wondering why he can't get it to move...
Sitting on the back wheels...

Almost there, going backwards but sitting correctly (who cares that we just painted that trim that he keeps ramming into?????)...

Success! And one handed even, while he holds onto a car...

Here are some twin acrobats. Oliver got onto the bike when Collin was trying to ride it while sitting on the back wheels. Oliver then decided to dismount (of his own mind) off the front. Collin offered to help...

Girl fight

In our house for whatever reason there are always fights over toys... even if we have multiple of the same exact toy in the same exact color bought at the same exact time. The twins have been doing this for a long time. Oliver, who was always the first to roll, crawl, scoot, walk, etc., would swipe a toy from Collin who was just laying there playing and run off in whatever movement mode he had mastered at that point. We used to tell Oliver that Collin was bigger and that some day he would be sorry for always talking Collin's toys. That day has come. Collin has been swiping toys from Oliver for a couple months now and Collin is bigger... much bigger... and though not as fast, he is fully mobile.

This might be the best...er worst... example. We have a Spiderman ride-on or walk behind scoot toy. Only one. It was Ethan's. Oliver was riding it when Collin decided he wanted on it. Collin, in his polite way (read: yell at Oliver and try to take over the steering wheel), tried to ask Oliver for a turn. Oliver didn't take the hint and wanted to continue to ride. Collin then, in his not so polite way but instead in a classic Jerry Springer moment, grabbed Oliver by the hair and yanked him backward. The ride-on was tipped backward on the walk behind piece that Oliver was now sprawled out on... and Collin still had a hold of Oliver's hair and was yelling at him in his Collin-speak, what I can only imagine was something like "I SAID I want a turn now!"

Ethan said, of course: "Collin that is NOT a good choice!"

Okay, admittedly for a moment I laughed at the Jerry Springer aspect of it, how can you not? But Oliver was comforted, Collin was told that was not a good choice and the ride along was put in time out (the twins do not understand time out for themselves yet).

Like we told you Oliver... pay backs are hell.

I am a little worried to see what is to come as they get older...

It's over!

Our appraisal for refinancing was yesterday and we so glad it is finally over. I have no idea how it went, but considering we bought during the peak in 2003 and are trying to refinance in the worst housing market ever... it's likely we haven't appreciated much, if any... which sucks. At least we knocked out some house projects and for that I am happy.

However, the massive push to finish things in our few spare hours of the day as well as our normal sleeping hours has left us for the moment thinking (Kathy, stop reading at this point... just turn away) - we do not want to see a paint brush, much less deep clean or do yard work for a long time. We just want to sleep... and play with the kids... and sleep! I have man hands for crying out loud... rough dry man hands. I rub the Burt's Bee hand salve on them at night... it says a "farmer's friend" and well... it isn't working. My hands are worse than a farmer's at this point??? And I (as is Steve) am sick of running around Steve like Chester the terrier in the Spike and Chester Loony Tune cartoon... remember those? "What can I do to help you, huh, huh? What can I do, huh Steve, huh, huh?" As Steve was constructing things (bedroom/bathroom project, trim, etc), I was constantly trying to help... and it honestly reminded me of this cartoon. Comical... but not... you know?

So, we will continue to clean the kids...and ourselves... but all else... nadda. If you want to come and visit, come now while the house still looks and smells nice.

Okay, I'm kidding about the not cleaning... a little.... maybe...

Our budding computer addicts

The twins have been eyeing the computer for quite some time… well mulling the computer is probably a better way to say it. Collin loves to get the mouse any way he can and he holds it just as he should, clicking away. Oliver’s favorite thing is to sit on the floor in front of the computer box and push button to open and shut the CD/DVD door. Oh, and pull out the wireless internet stick. Both of them like to pound on the keyboard and also pound with the keyboard, as well as finger up the flat screen.

They especially seem to love to do these things when Ethan is playing a game, which makes him oh so happy. Usually I hear “(name of twin) I do NOT like your choice!” Then he typically yells: “Moooommmmm, (name of twin) is making bad choices!” And then just screams and fake cries (which makes me just a tiny bit crazy...er crazier) and also sometimes cries for real if he was really into what he was doing, because inevitably they have either messed up his game or crashed it.

I do have software for little ones, that is simple enough. I haven’t really had them use it too much since they were so hard on the computer components and have a almost vicious “me too” mode of fighting over things, namely Collin ripping everything out of Oliver’s hands. But as they are getting older we decided to try it. They both sat happily on the chair and played with it together (there is no way to play separately unless one is sleeping). Collin manned the mouse for the most part with the occasional tap on the keyboard. Oliver manned the keyboard mainly. This program has a few different “games” but in the one we did it was showing the letter and saying the name. It is activated or changed by the keyboard (whatever letter or number you hit shows on screen and says the letter, the mouse and keys other than letters and numbers change the background color). As it said the letters, Oliver would repeat them.


Maybe we are ready for them to use the computer… if we can get Collin to not push him off the chair!

Best Parents of the Year Award

Steve and I are up for the best parents of the year award. Did you just choke on your drink? Yes I am joking. As a matter of fact I think we are up for quite the opposite award. We have been working hard on several (thousand) house projects. The push is an appraisal for refinancing, which has made these projects more than a ‘do as you have time’ kind of thing. On top of that, our shower head pipe burst sometime this weekend (we think… maybe before). I made the gruesome discovery yesterday morning when I went to dust the walls and ceiling in the dining room… a 2 foot wet (almost transparent and dripping) circle in the ceiling [insert string of words here]. Fortunately, Steve and Mike (his brother-in-law) were able to find it and fix it quickly. And luckily it ended up only being the shower head pipe. Steve spent the rest of the day pulling up the carpeting in our closet and bathroom (which flooded), cutting out padding to dry, drying the floorboards and putting it back together. Crazy, crazy day. Sigh... and add call someone to stretch the carpet and painting the dining room ceiling to the long list.

But, how does that make us the worst parents? This last weekend, in total desperation to get these projects done for our deadline this week, we employed many tactics we normally do not use. The worst being: TV. I know. I know. I am not proud of this at all… but if not we have three little bodies under our feet, in the paint or insisting on helping me dust walls and ceilings and the like. Really, they are hanging off me. And really they would grab items and rub them on the walls, stick their fingers in the paint can and freshly painted trim (I know because they did) and other things. At 22 months of age the twins are not easy to reason with yet... not that this will change anytime soon. And mind you Steve had a lot going on upstairs at the same time AND because of that I was one body down on the project load.

Steve and I actually uttered the words “will you please just go watch TV”… more than once. Yes, as the words left my mouth I was mortified… but apparently not enough not to say it again later. Never say never…

Oliver has actually been talking a lot, saying words intermixed with his Oliver jargon. Sometimes stringing real words together, but most of those strings require some interpretation and guessing on our part. However, this was not the case Sunday morning when I got him out of bed. Nope. Plain as day: “I want to watch TB (TV)” Are you kidding me?? Just great… his first understandable sentence is I want to watch TV. Same exact sentence when I walked in after nap. Great… again, parents of the year here people. Now, don’t get me wrong, I am happy that he spoke a sentence and that I could understand the words… but why those words? I am trying to think of something to come up with for the baby book that is different… “Mommy, I love you.” “Mommy, you are the best mommy ever.” You know, stuff like that. What? I shouldn’t alter his history like that?

It gets better. Ethan and I made brownies because I was feeling so bad that he didn’t get out but twice this weekend and not at all on Sunday. I know… it’s kind of warped that brownies somehow equaled a good mommy and made up for a weekend cooped up inside in my head, huh?

Actually, anything the kids asked for this weekend they pretty much got, even stuff I normally never approve. “Can I watch Scooby doo meets batman and robin?” Sure. “Mom can I have popcorn and lay here watching my movies?” Sure. “Mom, can we take all the cushions and pillows off all the sofas and make a giant fort (rendering the family room inaccessible)?” Sure. “Mom, can we spread every toy we own over the floor of the family room (and then cry repeatedly when we can’t find what we are looking for in the mess and plead you to help us)?” Sure. “Mom, can we have a pajama day?” Sure. “Mom, can we watch TV non-stop?” Sure. “Mom can I put the twins on the ceiling fan and turn it on?” Sure, but on the lowest setting, okay sweetie. “Mom, can I have a beer and watch CSI Miami?” Sure… uh, wait… hmmmm… okay, sure. Just kidding.

I even gave them brownies for their afternoon snack as requested by Ethan. Sure. He was so excited he was jumping up and down in place while saying “Boys, you have never had a brownie before. You are going to LOVE it!” Turns out, Oliver wouldn’t eat it and Collin was so so about it. Ethan, however, licked the plate clean. And Steve asked me again, after his third brownie in five minutes (in his defense also the first thing he had to eat that day), if I was sure the twins were our kids – seriously – who doesn’t like brownies?! But on the upside, that does say that I feed them well, since they don't love sweet treats right? Right?

Oliver has been really into Dora and Diego, pointing them out on books constantly. So, I DVR’ed some episodes. Unfortunately they are on Nickelodeon which has commercials (I hate commercials for kids!). Normally, I fast forward through them or turn it off before them, but this weekend I did not have time… after all they were in a TV marathon where normally they just get one (maybe one in the morning too - depending on the day) show a day while I make dinner and normally I am listening instead of in the other rooms painting and cleaning. Last night I gave Ethan a bubble bath, which he loves and of course another tactic in the 'I’m not the worst mommy' ploy. As he rubbed the bubbles into the sides of the tub pretending to clean it, he sang “cleaning, cleaning, cleaning… that’s the power of OxiClean.” Uh oh. Seriously? Freaking commercials!

Ethan actually asked me yesterday afternoon if he could be done with TV. How sad is that? He wanted to help me paint… we compromised on him painting with his paints and his paper… not my paint and my trim and baseboards. So, see, some art time. The day was not lost, was it?

In the end, the twins bounced off their cribs for an hour before they fell asleep – over stimulated maybe? Ethan woke up after an hour and got sick, twice – overstimulated and too much popcorn and brownies perhaps (in my defense, he only had two brownies - but that's two more than he normally has)?

Sigh… I wonder how long the detox will take? Okay, in case you were wondering… here’s where you interject that we are not the worst parents and that occasional abandonment of all your parenting ideals is okay… right? There won’t be scars… we will be able to pull them back from the brownies, TV and constant yeses to everything… they will be productive and happy members of society someday… we won't have to take out a giant loan for therapy... right??!!!

Ethan's artwork that he wanted me to take a photo of... I told him to smile and this is what I got as he kept insisting "this is my smile."

Seriously Collin

That might have been a phrase I uttered once or twice today. Truth be told... "Seriously [insert each child's name]" is a common occurrence around here. Today, it was mostly Collin.

I discovered today that if we don't latch the dishwasher closed, Collin now knows how to open it and use it as a step stool.
But whatever could he be after... ohhhhhhh...

And though we put all the blinds up far enough that they cannot reach them, they will still find a way.

Sigh...

BTW, he was in his diaper because I ran upstairs to get their clothes this morning and when I came back he was on the dishwasher. Then as I was dressing the other two (because Collin took off in a sprint) in the family room, I heard a noise and turned to see him at the window. So, all of that within five minutes... first thing this morning... precursor for the day...

Victory for mommy

Many of you know that I do not like juice. Okay, strike that. I personally LOVE juice. I do not however like to give juice to children. Why? Because most kids will eat fruit in its natural form, so why give them juice? It's loaded with extra sugar (not just the natural sugar in fruit), artificial flavorings (yuck), preservatives (yuck) and sometimes artificial coloring in the form of dyes (double yuck). Whole fruit is much better. And, I would rather them drink water and milk - which they currently love.

The issue at hand is that the kids are getting more picky. Well, Lauren has been picky for a while. Ethan is becoming increasingly picky, even with fruit now. Oliver has some he doesn't like. Collin will eat just about any fruit still... thankfully. This last winter Ethan decided that he no longer liked oranges and grapefruit (an issue since I was trying to only buy fruit in season). He used to eat orange after orange after orange. We had to limit his daily intake. But now he just sits there picking all the strings off (which I hate too), then eats the segment but ends up spitting it back out and says it's too hard to eat or it's yucky. Oh, and complaining... a lot. So, I gave up. The twins however are still in the I can't peel and cut it fast enough on both oranges and red grapefruit for them. Oranges and grapefruit have merit... and I want Ethan to get those vitamins... so when my friend told me about a juicer she had that she loved but didn't use enough to keep and told me she would sell it to me at a rock bottom price... I scooped it up! Enter: my new toy... a power juicer.

I started with apples just to get the excitement going, even though Ethan would eat apples 24/7 if we let him. He loved it. He actually professed his love for it over and over and wanted me to make it every day. The twins also loved it, as did Lauren. But that was a gimme really. So then I tried grapes... another gimme... but keeping the excitement alive. It was really good as well. They all sucked it down... no breathing... just sucking. I also tried lemonade because Ethan has been obsessed with wanting to try a lemon (not realizing that most people just don't eat lemons). That was a failure due to a blonde moment... of not peeling it... I know.... I scare myself sometimes too.

This morning, I decided to try orange juice which is of course one of the main reasons I wanted to try this toy. Ethan stood there watching, excited and giving the twins a play by play of the juicing process. The end result: 10 ounces sucked down without a word in 45 seconds. The twins did the same thing (I gave them less juice though). The house actually fell silent while they sucked their juice down... it was an amazing thing on a couple counts!

There are recipes for veggies too... yes spinach is one. I am thinking carrots will be the easiest one to add without them knowing, but right now Oliver is the only one of the four that won't eat carrots cooked or raw. But, it still might be worth it.

In the end, I am happy that I found a way to get oranges into Ethan in a natural form. (The thing is a pain in the rear to clean though, but worth it. And I am still drooling over the VitaMix.)

Victory for mommy!

Mommy = 4...oh okay, it's probably more like 2

Kids = 5,000,000

Sigh... I'll get there!