Things heard in a 4 minute span coming from my bathroom...
"Get DOWN, Ember!"
"Ooohh, I can't push a poo poo out and it's stuck in there."
(crash of crayons falling to the floor) "Ember Dawn!!!"
"I need some toilet paper."
"No, Ember, mommy doesn't like it when we color on the floor!"
"Why?" -Ember
"Mommy, Ember dumped out all my Dora crayons, and she did that on purpose."
"Ember, mom's angry at you for doing that. Now get a job of picking up these colors, NOW!"
"Hey, I found a stick! And I found another stick!"
"Mom, can I paint?"
I think it's time to intervene, as more crashing sounds are coming from there. Don't you wish you could come play?!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Sights and Sounds
Our home is a sensual smorgasbord (not as in erotic sensuality, but as in an overload of stimuli for the five senses!) ... the aromas of bags full of Panera Bread, fresh laundry, brown sugar oatmeal from breakfast, strawberry birthday cake, the occasional dirty diaper, ... the feel of bread crumbs underfoot, warm cheeks against mine, slobbery face wiping on my shoulder, tiny pats on the back, tiny fingers touching my face, warm sun shining through the window, cool gusts of breeze as the front door bangs open and shut because kids are running in and out to play, ... the taste of toasted bagels, banana bread minus baking powder (banana clay - yes, John, another baking oops!), spaghetti, cookies, strawberry birthday cake, and other things that are not as tastY, but perhaps full of taste, like newly hydrated peat pots, sour milk from a forgotten sippy cup, or a crayon wrapper.
Then there are the sounds. As I started typing this, I heard a scraping/scooting sound and knew it was Ember, making her way across the floor, Flintstone style, on the crayon bucket. Currently, I hear lots of splashes and giggles from the bathroom, as Avery and Ember play in the bathtub. The inspiration for this entry came from the kitchen about an hour ago (and yes, it's taken me that long to get this far) as I was listening. I hear lots of sounds during the day, and over the last 7 and a half years, have learned to parse the sounds that inundate my ears each day ... I can do easy things like determine if a cry is pain, fear, anger, or sadness, hear that play is getting heated quickly and will end badly if not redirected, or spring like a cat and bolt up the stairs when someone falls out of bed and starts screaming. Then there are more intermediate skills, like picking out the faint sound of giggling or talking when little girls are supposed to be napping, listening between the words and offering a snack or a hug when the real issue is not that a sock won't go on right, it's just that a hungry tummy or hurt feelings have blinded perspective. My favorite advanced skills are the ones that allow me to hear a noise, usually generated by one toy banging on another object, and stunning observers by knowing what toy is banging against what object. It's a nice party trick. However, while these skills are necessary for survival here, they are not my favorites. Hearing the sharp intake of breath that marks a new discovery, especially when followed by an intense, but hushed "Wow!" is irreplaceable. It's even better when one of my children comes bursting into the room to show me or each other their discovery. I love hearing them learn, whether it's a physics lesson (a step stool needs to have all four legs on the ground to be a sturdy tool), the little "grunts" of working to put on their own shoes, the shouts of victory when they accomplish the shoes (even more exciting when they're on the correct foot!), the quiet prayers after a bad dream, and even the sometimes frustrating, "I can do it myself!"
The sights for any of you who have children, or any of you who have ever visited my home, know that they are pretty awe-inspiring, from walking down the stairs naked, calmly crossing the room to a box of cheese crackers that is on the love seat, and sicking an arm down in there to have a little snack (all while we have company), wild dancing at a wedding reception (just in case you were wondering, "the Egyption" is not a dance that died in the 80s), faces/hair/tummies/hands/legs/walls/carpet/new clothes covered in Sharpie marker/fingernail polish/mascara/stamp ink/strawberry jelly/yogurt/snot/silly putty are some of the more "shock value" things I can think of quickly. Then there are the sweet sights, of unsolicited baby hugs, high fives, sparkling eyes, Cheshire grins, shy smiles, triumphant leaps when they learn to kick at and actually make contact with the ball, the fear and conquering of the bicycle, and looks of hopeful acceptance accompanied by "Daddy, am I beautiful?".
These are signs of growth, and as we watch our little seedlings hatch from our peat greenhouse, they remind me of my own little seedlings. Stubborn, fragile, exploring, tentatively turning faces to the sun. They need the shelter of the greenhouse at this point, as they can't face the cold night temperatures or large piles of snow that sometimes collect in our yard at this point. We will tend them, I'm sure making the mistake of watering too much or not enough at times, (thankfully they are somewhat resilient!) until they are able to be planted outside to grow freely in the garden. They will then require more tending, guiding (you know how pumpkin vines can wander!), and protection from pests, until they are ready for harvest. I hope, that as we tend our little sprouts, that we hear more "I love you"s, more "... and he took his peanut butter sandwich and dipped it in his milk and gave it to his friends saying, 'eat this, it's for you so we can be together again someday!'", and "I'm sorry I hurt you." ... that we see more hugs, arms around the shoulder, giving spontaneously and generously, and eventually, when the slugs come swarming or the squirrels try to snag the fruit off the vine, that there will be a barrier in place to protect them and bring them to fruition.
Well, I didn't intend to make this a deep post, I guess God is teaching me today (although, after the kids get done with their bath, we are going to play school and I am to be the teacher). Thanks for listening to me, and for so many of you, helping me be a better mom and loving my kids. OK, the bathwater has been refreshed twice now, and it's getting cool, so I'm going to put this away and get two wrinkled, pruney-toed girls out of the bath for some lunch, school, and naps. Have a wonderful day!
Then there are the sounds. As I started typing this, I heard a scraping/scooting sound and knew it was Ember, making her way across the floor, Flintstone style, on the crayon bucket. Currently, I hear lots of splashes and giggles from the bathroom, as Avery and Ember play in the bathtub. The inspiration for this entry came from the kitchen about an hour ago (and yes, it's taken me that long to get this far) as I was listening. I hear lots of sounds during the day, and over the last 7 and a half years, have learned to parse the sounds that inundate my ears each day ... I can do easy things like determine if a cry is pain, fear, anger, or sadness, hear that play is getting heated quickly and will end badly if not redirected, or spring like a cat and bolt up the stairs when someone falls out of bed and starts screaming. Then there are more intermediate skills, like picking out the faint sound of giggling or talking when little girls are supposed to be napping, listening between the words and offering a snack or a hug when the real issue is not that a sock won't go on right, it's just that a hungry tummy or hurt feelings have blinded perspective. My favorite advanced skills are the ones that allow me to hear a noise, usually generated by one toy banging on another object, and stunning observers by knowing what toy is banging against what object. It's a nice party trick. However, while these skills are necessary for survival here, they are not my favorites. Hearing the sharp intake of breath that marks a new discovery, especially when followed by an intense, but hushed "Wow!" is irreplaceable. It's even better when one of my children comes bursting into the room to show me or each other their discovery. I love hearing them learn, whether it's a physics lesson (a step stool needs to have all four legs on the ground to be a sturdy tool), the little "grunts" of working to put on their own shoes, the shouts of victory when they accomplish the shoes (even more exciting when they're on the correct foot!), the quiet prayers after a bad dream, and even the sometimes frustrating, "I can do it myself!"
The sights for any of you who have children, or any of you who have ever visited my home, know that they are pretty awe-inspiring, from walking down the stairs naked, calmly crossing the room to a box of cheese crackers that is on the love seat, and sicking an arm down in there to have a little snack (all while we have company), wild dancing at a wedding reception (just in case you were wondering, "the Egyption" is not a dance that died in the 80s), faces/hair/tummies/hands/legs/walls/carpet/new clothes covered in Sharpie marker/fingernail polish/mascara/stamp ink/strawberry jelly/yogurt/snot/silly putty are some of the more "shock value" things I can think of quickly. Then there are the sweet sights, of unsolicited baby hugs, high fives, sparkling eyes, Cheshire grins, shy smiles, triumphant leaps when they learn to kick at and actually make contact with the ball, the fear and conquering of the bicycle, and looks of hopeful acceptance accompanied by "Daddy, am I beautiful?".
These are signs of growth, and as we watch our little seedlings hatch from our peat greenhouse, they remind me of my own little seedlings. Stubborn, fragile, exploring, tentatively turning faces to the sun. They need the shelter of the greenhouse at this point, as they can't face the cold night temperatures or large piles of snow that sometimes collect in our yard at this point. We will tend them, I'm sure making the mistake of watering too much or not enough at times, (thankfully they are somewhat resilient!) until they are able to be planted outside to grow freely in the garden. They will then require more tending, guiding (you know how pumpkin vines can wander!), and protection from pests, until they are ready for harvest. I hope, that as we tend our little sprouts, that we hear more "I love you"s, more "... and he took his peanut butter sandwich and dipped it in his milk and gave it to his friends saying, 'eat this, it's for you so we can be together again someday!'", and "I'm sorry I hurt you." ... that we see more hugs, arms around the shoulder, giving spontaneously and generously, and eventually, when the slugs come swarming or the squirrels try to snag the fruit off the vine, that there will be a barrier in place to protect them and bring them to fruition.
Well, I didn't intend to make this a deep post, I guess God is teaching me today (although, after the kids get done with their bath, we are going to play school and I am to be the teacher). Thanks for listening to me, and for so many of you, helping me be a better mom and loving my kids. OK, the bathwater has been refreshed twice now, and it's getting cool, so I'm going to put this away and get two wrinkled, pruney-toed girls out of the bath for some lunch, school, and naps. Have a wonderful day!
Friday, March 19, 2010
More things I love MOST!
This week has been a better week than the last several, and I am trying to appreciate things in my life, to LOVE things (sometimes it has to be a choice, and others it simply isn't a choice, I just do, because it's so precious, how could I not?!).
Things I have loved today:
My children:
playing together ... currently, they are preparing for a full evening of "slumber party", by bringing sleeping bags in from the garage, dragging loads of toys and bedding to the basement, and I'm sure some special snacks are in order.
Today they ran in the sun, roller bladed, played hide and seek, begged me to take them to the lake to build sand castles on the beach, built sand castles in their flooded sand box when their lake plans were thwarted (yep, a mean mom moment, for sure!), shared "sharks" just because, planted seeds in our Jiffy Greenhouse, and all three of them have hugged me without prompting at least once!
Ember has two new skills: 'pinning (spinning) and jumping. Both skills require the spinner/jumper to squeal "Woo Hoooo!", which is darling!
My Husband:
instant messaged me in the middle of the day, just because, to tell me he thought I was beautiful.
kissed me upon arriving home.
told me about his day.
Me:
a hot shower this morning.
a clean day (after Ember's diaper leaked very stinky pee pee on me prior to my shower).
Dr. appointments made for myself, and dentist appointments made for the kids.
Things I learned:
When building a sand castle at the beach, it's fun to have a moat, but the water always soaks into the sand, but if the builder lines the moat area with rocks and sea shells, the water might soak away less quickly. - Erin
Green glass stones are called "WoW!" in a hushed, excited tone. -Ember
When you plant water, it doesn't grow anything. It's just water, but that's why we plant it, so it helps other things grow." -Avery
Pockets on overalls are absolutely the best discovery a 1 and a half year old can make in a day, and makes hiding big sisters' treasures just delightful!
Erin is a chives master! -Avery (kung fu master was the intended phrase, I think)
When calling to make a new appointment at a Dr. Office, you will automatically get not only one of two male physicians in a practice of six doctors, but the creepiest looking one as well. However, I am reserving judgment for next Thursday, sometime after 9:45.
Things I have loved today:
My children:
playing together ... currently, they are preparing for a full evening of "slumber party", by bringing sleeping bags in from the garage, dragging loads of toys and bedding to the basement, and I'm sure some special snacks are in order.
Today they ran in the sun, roller bladed, played hide and seek, begged me to take them to the lake to build sand castles on the beach, built sand castles in their flooded sand box when their lake plans were thwarted (yep, a mean mom moment, for sure!), shared "sharks" just because, planted seeds in our Jiffy Greenhouse, and all three of them have hugged me without prompting at least once!
Ember has two new skills: 'pinning (spinning) and jumping. Both skills require the spinner/jumper to squeal "Woo Hoooo!", which is darling!
My Husband:
instant messaged me in the middle of the day, just because, to tell me he thought I was beautiful.
kissed me upon arriving home.
told me about his day.
Me:
a hot shower this morning.
a clean day (after Ember's diaper leaked very stinky pee pee on me prior to my shower).
Dr. appointments made for myself, and dentist appointments made for the kids.
Things I learned:
When building a sand castle at the beach, it's fun to have a moat, but the water always soaks into the sand, but if the builder lines the moat area with rocks and sea shells, the water might soak away less quickly. - Erin
Green glass stones are called "WoW!" in a hushed, excited tone. -Ember
When you plant water, it doesn't grow anything. It's just water, but that's why we plant it, so it helps other things grow." -Avery
Pockets on overalls are absolutely the best discovery a 1 and a half year old can make in a day, and makes hiding big sisters' treasures just delightful!
Erin is a chives master! -Avery (kung fu master was the intended phrase, I think)
When calling to make a new appointment at a Dr. Office, you will automatically get not only one of two male physicians in a practice of six doctors, but the creepiest looking one as well. However, I am reserving judgment for next Thursday, sometime after 9:45.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Smiles
The last few weeks have been pretty rough. I am fighting some unknown, unseen "thing" that makes me very exhausted some days, my joints ache frequently, my patience level dip to dangerous lows, and motivation to do anything more than feed the children at an all-time record low. I have some ideas about what it is and have an appointment scheduled with an arthritis doctor in April, and am trying to find a good family practice doctor to do a general physical and run some labs to determine something a little more concrete. Needless to say, raising three young children is a little tricky under these circumstances, and I find myself longing for them to sleep, play outside, or watch a movie away from me, because I am so exhausted or irritated by the noise, or just hurt and can't play with them the way they want to play. This is heart-breaking, as they are my life. HOWEVER, the last week has been somewhat better. I have hurt less and had a little more oomph. The best part of all this is that I have enjoyed my children. They have made me smile, cry, love them more, and belly laugh over and over (aside from Tuesday - we just won't talk about that day!).
Today, we had our friend Ella over for the beginning part of the day. Ember helped Ella do a puzzle ... Avery flew into my arms and squeezed my neck somethin' fierce upon waking up this morning ... Erin and I spent some time together working on our garden preparations ... Ember told me she loved me and hugged me so sweetly, she gave a hug to our neighbor Andrew this afternoon when he came over to play, and called him "big boy ..., Ember spent lots of time 'pinning/twirling and a new skill, jumping with me, as well as some dancing, gleefully shouting "woo HOO!" over and over ... I watched Erin thrive in the sun with her friend Aidan as they ran and ran this afternoon ... Avery persevered on her trike this afternoon, in spite of the bumps and dips in our sidewalk ... drinking in the delighted squeals and peals of laughter as all three of our kiddos play together ... and even tonight, as Avery was stalling sleep (I think she finally conked out about 11) and I heard her whispering to Erin (who was "sleeping over" in her room for a spring break slumber party) and changing the compromised cd back to her nighttime cd of choice after Erin fell asleep, I am content, and slightly amused with them. They are beautiful, creative, loving, and passionate little stinkers, and I am so blessed by them, by their hearts, and even their stubbornness. I am so thankful for these little things, things that change my life forever. Goodnight, blog friends.
Today, we had our friend Ella over for the beginning part of the day. Ember helped Ella do a puzzle ... Avery flew into my arms and squeezed my neck somethin' fierce upon waking up this morning ... Erin and I spent some time together working on our garden preparations ... Ember told me she loved me and hugged me so sweetly, she gave a hug to our neighbor Andrew this afternoon when he came over to play, and called him "big boy ..., Ember spent lots of time 'pinning/twirling and a new skill, jumping with me, as well as some dancing, gleefully shouting "woo HOO!" over and over ... I watched Erin thrive in the sun with her friend Aidan as they ran and ran this afternoon ... Avery persevered on her trike this afternoon, in spite of the bumps and dips in our sidewalk ... drinking in the delighted squeals and peals of laughter as all three of our kiddos play together ... and even tonight, as Avery was stalling sleep (I think she finally conked out about 11) and I heard her whispering to Erin (who was "sleeping over" in her room for a spring break slumber party) and changing the compromised cd back to her nighttime cd of choice after Erin fell asleep, I am content, and slightly amused with them. They are beautiful, creative, loving, and passionate little stinkers, and I am so blessed by them, by their hearts, and even their stubbornness. I am so thankful for these little things, things that change my life forever. Goodnight, blog friends.
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