So, I've always been amazed at the amount of food that ends up on the floor under a certain young gentleman's feet. But I wonder no longer.
The other night when eating his supper Cam, with the most adorable crinkly nose, said, "I like these now, Mommy, that's why I don't throw them on the floor anymore."
Pardon moi? You mean all this time I was clueless and marveling at his messy eater status when actually he was intentionally tossing whatever he didn't want on the floor? I feel hood winked. What a duh!
Too bad for him he didn't think it through completely. While he has obviously learned to like what he was eating 2 nights ago he isn't completely okay eating everything I put on his plate. But now I'll be watching him with hawk eyes and sending him to the floor to pick up whatever gets conveniently dumped :)
And just maybe the floors will look cleaner when meal time is done!
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Monday, December 19, 2011
Saturday, December 17, 2011
A Saturday
Another one of those days. A day in the life...of 5 little ones + mom. A Saturday. The day in which we usually have pancakes for breakfast. Enough work for 2 parents to spread sugar and cut into bite sized pieces, extra busy when one parent is working. And that was today, Steve was working and really pancakes doesn't have to be a big deal if one is not in a hurry but I was trying to get out of the house early enough to meet someone in town for a pick up of calendars AND beat the crazy Saturday grocery rush. We were doing just fine. We had everyone dressed and in the van ready to go by 9:00. Not bad. But it wasn't until we got to Superstore and every body had already jumped onto the parking lot that I realized my purse was still sitting where ever I had dropped it to lace up my running shoes. Big Sigh.
Every body back into the van. Put seatbelts back on. Head for home. On the way home I saw a thrift store I had been wanting to stop at and so I pulled into the parking lot. "Mom, what are you doing!?" Leah demanded. "Just going to take a quick peek," I reassured her. "You don't have your purse," she reminded. Big sigh.
We got back to the store in time to see the lady we wanted to meet was just standing in line with her groceries. We waited Superstore line up time, transferred the box from her vehicle to mine and then proceeded to head into a much fuller, busier Superstore. With 5 kids.
They did all right.
Back home, did some work, ate lunch, did some more work, had a crash. Called up Steve at work to tell him he kind of needed to come home as I had to take Cody in for stitches.
Steve came home, I got Cody + washcloth + ice cube loaded into the van and we headed off for the Walmart walk in clinic. On the way there Cody told me he didn't like ice cubes and he was going to give it to the doorman. There was no convincing him the doorman didn't like ice cubes so I was quite realived when he crankily informed me the ice cube had fallen and he couldn't find it. Can you imagine? I mean, those folks at the door are friendly and usually great with kids but I'm sure Cody's bloody DNA'ed ice cube would have even thrown the best of them for a loop!
Nobody told me they weren't running the clinic at the same handy/crazy hours as their shopping hours and so by the time we got there the clinic was 2 hours past closing time. I still had a few errands to do so we got into the lineup at the customer service desk with a weepy head wound. True to form, after standing and waiting for 12 min. 34 sec. and 13 milliseconds we were informed they couldn't help us and we had to go over to the jewellry counter. Big sigh.
From there on it didn't go too badly and we were out relatively quickly and off to visit the ER. I wasn't taking any more chances on the clinics. Just as were were trotting across the parking lot I saw a van pull up to the doors and drop off a man with a bloodied napkin pressed to his head. He held the door open for us behind himself and I resigned myself to the fact that he was ahead of us.
But there wasn't a single other person in the waiting room. There were two receptionists and the one we got quickly got Cody on his way to the triage nurse. "What happened here?" the friendly nurse asked Cody. "He hit the corner of the table," I replied. "Walk into it? Run into it?" the nurse continued his interrogation. "Well actually it was his brother who jumped off the back of the couch that ran him into it." And he looked at Cody with a sympathetic grin.
Soon enough we were headed on our way back. "You're the only one here, buddy" the nurse informed us and my heart took a selfish leap of thankfulness. It wasn't like I was thankful there was no one hurting, it wasn't like I was happy for the ER staff that they were having a quiet afternoon. Nope, I was thinking total minutes until departure!
I heard the nurse inform the doctor that the other man was actually ahead of us but Doc shook his head and said, "let's get this little guy out of here." For the record it should be said that it was probably not Cody's mom's desire to get out of there but the fact that Cody, who was now okay with having a gash that dripped the occasional drop of red, was jumping on the bed having the time of his life. Doc was probably shaking his head thinking little guy first and stitch up his eyelid or other guy first and stitch up little guy's eyelid plus...
The sweet nurse gave him her little bendy bugs bunny to hold and proceeded to wrap him all up swaddle style to keep his little hands from doing more damage than good. Not that it did much good. That boy was FURIOUS! He screamed and kicked and wiggled his hands loose and arched his back and so I grabbed his hands with one arm and his legs with another arm and laid across him trying to keep him still while the nurse held onto his head for dear life and the doc put in three of the neatest stitches ever.
It took Cody a few minutes to calm down after he was unbundled but almost right away he started asking to see it in the mirror. Nurse kindly informed us there was a bathroom 2 doors down on the left and so we went trotting along to go check it out. Almost instantly that furious screeching started up again.
"THERE'S STILL BLOOD!" and he was ready to fire the doctor.
Doctor and nursed popped some tylenol and headed for the next bed, next set of stitches.
And I went home thinking, why was Mel W working when I needed her to stop practicing on bananas and start practicing on little boys? :)
Every body back into the van. Put seatbelts back on. Head for home. On the way home I saw a thrift store I had been wanting to stop at and so I pulled into the parking lot. "Mom, what are you doing!?" Leah demanded. "Just going to take a quick peek," I reassured her. "You don't have your purse," she reminded. Big sigh.
We got back to the store in time to see the lady we wanted to meet was just standing in line with her groceries. We waited Superstore line up time, transferred the box from her vehicle to mine and then proceeded to head into a much fuller, busier Superstore. With 5 kids.
They did all right.
Back home, did some work, ate lunch, did some more work, had a crash. Called up Steve at work to tell him he kind of needed to come home as I had to take Cody in for stitches.
Steve came home, I got Cody + washcloth + ice cube loaded into the van and we headed off for the Walmart walk in clinic. On the way there Cody told me he didn't like ice cubes and he was going to give it to the doorman. There was no convincing him the doorman didn't like ice cubes so I was quite realived when he crankily informed me the ice cube had fallen and he couldn't find it. Can you imagine? I mean, those folks at the door are friendly and usually great with kids but I'm sure Cody's bloody DNA'ed ice cube would have even thrown the best of them for a loop!
Nobody told me they weren't running the clinic at the same handy/crazy hours as their shopping hours and so by the time we got there the clinic was 2 hours past closing time. I still had a few errands to do so we got into the lineup at the customer service desk with a weepy head wound. True to form, after standing and waiting for 12 min. 34 sec. and 13 milliseconds we were informed they couldn't help us and we had to go over to the jewellry counter. Big sigh.
From there on it didn't go too badly and we were out relatively quickly and off to visit the ER. I wasn't taking any more chances on the clinics. Just as were were trotting across the parking lot I saw a van pull up to the doors and drop off a man with a bloodied napkin pressed to his head. He held the door open for us behind himself and I resigned myself to the fact that he was ahead of us.
But there wasn't a single other person in the waiting room. There were two receptionists and the one we got quickly got Cody on his way to the triage nurse. "What happened here?" the friendly nurse asked Cody. "He hit the corner of the table," I replied. "Walk into it? Run into it?" the nurse continued his interrogation. "Well actually it was his brother who jumped off the back of the couch that ran him into it." And he looked at Cody with a sympathetic grin.
Soon enough we were headed on our way back. "You're the only one here, buddy" the nurse informed us and my heart took a selfish leap of thankfulness. It wasn't like I was thankful there was no one hurting, it wasn't like I was happy for the ER staff that they were having a quiet afternoon. Nope, I was thinking total minutes until departure!
I heard the nurse inform the doctor that the other man was actually ahead of us but Doc shook his head and said, "let's get this little guy out of here." For the record it should be said that it was probably not Cody's mom's desire to get out of there but the fact that Cody, who was now okay with having a gash that dripped the occasional drop of red, was jumping on the bed having the time of his life. Doc was probably shaking his head thinking little guy first and stitch up his eyelid or other guy first and stitch up little guy's eyelid plus...
The sweet nurse gave him her little bendy bugs bunny to hold and proceeded to wrap him all up swaddle style to keep his little hands from doing more damage than good. Not that it did much good. That boy was FURIOUS! He screamed and kicked and wiggled his hands loose and arched his back and so I grabbed his hands with one arm and his legs with another arm and laid across him trying to keep him still while the nurse held onto his head for dear life and the doc put in three of the neatest stitches ever.
It took Cody a few minutes to calm down after he was unbundled but almost right away he started asking to see it in the mirror. Nurse kindly informed us there was a bathroom 2 doors down on the left and so we went trotting along to go check it out. Almost instantly that furious screeching started up again.
"THERE'S STILL BLOOD!" and he was ready to fire the doctor.
Doctor and nursed popped some tylenol and headed for the next bed, next set of stitches.
And I went home thinking, why was Mel W working when I needed her to stop practicing on bananas and start practicing on little boys? :)
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Special Addition
Nope, not the newborn kind. :) My friend, neighbor and partner-in-crime-mom-of-twins Greta stopped by our house last Saturday with a question for me. She wanted to know if we wanted to make room for a piano she wanted to give us. As you can imagine my mouth dropped open and actually I even got a bit teary. What a gift! You may have to know the history of music that both Steve and I have in our families to know how special it was to think about having a piano in the house again.
(When we got married we kept my sister's piano for her in our house. We both thoroughly enjoyed it and missed it when she wisked it off to WI with her!)
The poor delivery guy. He was doing his utmost to keep this heavy piano from landing on anyone's toes but our kids were just dancing about with excitement. He finally gave up trying to count them and asked, "how many kids do we have here anyway? They all yours?!"
No sooner was the bench settled down in front of the keys and the first 3 hopped on.
The next two (finally) got a turn a few minutes later.
Edited to add the quotes of the morning:
Cody who kindly complimented me with the question, "what song are you singing with the piano?" Why a compliment? - Well I wasn't singing only playing and so I'm thankful he recognized there was song in the middle of the stumbles!
Cody who came to me with his clothes and said, "Mama, you can keep pianoing as soon as you help me with my shirts!"
(When we got married we kept my sister's piano for her in our house. We both thoroughly enjoyed it and missed it when she wisked it off to WI with her!)
The poor delivery guy. He was doing his utmost to keep this heavy piano from landing on anyone's toes but our kids were just dancing about with excitement. He finally gave up trying to count them and asked, "how many kids do we have here anyway? They all yours?!"
No sooner was the bench settled down in front of the keys and the first 3 hopped on.
The next two (finally) got a turn a few minutes later.
We have a bit of work to do to return it to the same spirit of willingness to share the space but for now we're setting the timer so everyone can have their turn :)
As for me? I'm about to pull out the psalter and see what I remember. If nobody wakes up I might be sitting here more often at night!
Thanks, Gary and Greta. It's a gift we count precious. We thank God for you and for this gift and pray we'll spend many hours praising Him with it!
As I sit there I"ll be thinking about you, a stone's throw away, also sitting in your living room doing the same on your shiny black one :)
Edited to add the quotes of the morning:
Cody who kindly complimented me with the question, "what song are you singing with the piano?" Why a compliment? - Well I wasn't singing only playing and so I'm thankful he recognized there was song in the middle of the stumbles!
Cody who came to me with his clothes and said, "Mama, you can keep pianoing as soon as you help me with my shirts!"
Monday, December 12, 2011
Keeping It Fair :)
Seeing as the identity of my kids' playmate from the other day didn't stay anony... (read my sister Krista's comment about TYLER on the tool box post) I don't mind sharing a picture of him from when he came over again a few days later.
It's best to report the good and the bad, the rascal-ness and the sweet-ness. This nephew of mine is both and I love him to absolute bits... as long as he doesn't pee all over the hotwheel cars (remember that one, sis?)
Anyway, he came over again the other day and it was a very beautiful, sunny though chilly day and I said we weren't going in the house quite yet as I had some work to do. It didn't take this sweetheart 5 minutes before he asked if he could help. Tools are tools whether you work them with an air compressor or sheer muscle. Or at least that's the opinion of a 4 year old. ;) And so help he did. He and the two other boys he rounded up worked a good long while and filled an entire wheelbarrow full of leaves and pine needles.
He can come back any time.
It's best to report the good and the bad, the rascal-ness and the sweet-ness. This nephew of mine is both and I love him to absolute bits... as long as he doesn't pee all over the hotwheel cars (remember that one, sis?)
Anyway, he came over again the other day and it was a very beautiful, sunny though chilly day and I said we weren't going in the house quite yet as I had some work to do. It didn't take this sweetheart 5 minutes before he asked if he could help. Tools are tools whether you work them with an air compressor or sheer muscle. Or at least that's the opinion of a 4 year old. ;) And so help he did. He and the two other boys he rounded up worked a good long while and filled an entire wheelbarrow full of leaves and pine needles.
He can come back any time. Wednesday, December 7, 2011
So tonight, for reasons you really don't want me to discuss I had to take Cody out of the bathroom and carefully remove his shirt. He insisted he wanted a new shirt (even though he refuses to wear pants and informed me that without a shirt he looked like a swimmer) before he went back to the supper table.
So, I reached in the drawer and pulled out the first one I got my hands on. Unfortunately, because he had been messing with his drawers the one I got was one from the bottom, one he'd never worn before. He screwed up his nose, eyes, well his entire face into the most I-don't-think-so look ever and asked me, "Mama, is that a shirt for boys?" I assured him it was and he finally allowed me to slip this horizontal striped turtleneck over his head. "I fought it was a girl shirt to put on Cara!" he declared.
Thankfully, he decided to trust my judgement and take me at my word. But he was awfully close to saying, that don't look like no boy's shirt I've ever worn and I don't intend to let it past my ears!
So, I reached in the drawer and pulled out the first one I got my hands on. Unfortunately, because he had been messing with his drawers the one I got was one from the bottom, one he'd never worn before. He screwed up his nose, eyes, well his entire face into the most I-don't-think-so look ever and asked me, "Mama, is that a shirt for boys?" I assured him it was and he finally allowed me to slip this horizontal striped turtleneck over his head. "I fought it was a girl shirt to put on Cara!" he declared.
Thankfully, he decided to trust my judgement and take me at my word. But he was awfully close to saying, that don't look like no boy's shirt I've ever worn and I don't intend to let it past my ears!
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
On having friends over to play
The best kind of friend to have over to play is the one that brings new toys with. Bonus points go to the friend that comes with a well equipped tool box. For instance, Cam had a friend over to play yesterday who came with a tool box that had a hammer, a plier, a level, a pad of papers (for sketching blue prints or making estimates I'm not sure), a screw driver, a couple screws or two, a few nails, a "construction man's" pencil and yup, even a bullet.
My three kids plus this friend disappeared to play in Cara and Cody's room. There was the typical giggling and screeching but once I heard the tools "fire" up (don't worry, no actual power tools) I thought I better head on over and make sure there were a few rules established. You know, no nails in the wall, don't touch the wooden bed frame etc. What I found slightly surprised me but since it wasn't really harmful I let them continue. They had hauled all teh blankets and mattress out of the way and were hammering nails into the slats that hold the mattress up. They had only ripped out four staples leaving one slat free to swing around but really, it was a replacement one that we'd only fixed with a regular stapler so I wasn't totally surprised to see it hadn't survived the construction/ destruction gang.
What blew me away, however, was the fact that I totally missed this aspiring artist's creation. Didn't notice it until Steve asked about it at the kids' bedtime later on.
If you consider the white trim is actually chair rail you will observe this sketch goes as close to the roof as a 4 year old standing on a pile of stuff on the bed can reach. Cam was quick to admit he'd used the pencil to draw a man building a house on the grass.
Too bad, I was ready to give the other kid's mom an earful!
(just kidding)
My three kids plus this friend disappeared to play in Cara and Cody's room. There was the typical giggling and screeching but once I heard the tools "fire" up (don't worry, no actual power tools) I thought I better head on over and make sure there were a few rules established. You know, no nails in the wall, don't touch the wooden bed frame etc. What I found slightly surprised me but since it wasn't really harmful I let them continue. They had hauled all teh blankets and mattress out of the way and were hammering nails into the slats that hold the mattress up. They had only ripped out four staples leaving one slat free to swing around but really, it was a replacement one that we'd only fixed with a regular stapler so I wasn't totally surprised to see it hadn't survived the construction/ destruction gang.
What blew me away, however, was the fact that I totally missed this aspiring artist's creation. Didn't notice it until Steve asked about it at the kids' bedtime later on.
If you consider the white trim is actually chair rail you will observe this sketch goes as close to the roof as a 4 year old standing on a pile of stuff on the bed can reach. Cam was quick to admit he'd used the pencil to draw a man building a house on the grass. Too bad, I was ready to give the other kid's mom an earful!
(just kidding)
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