The Mother of Geese

Lately during Max's nap Amelia will come to me saying she wants me to snuggle with her. I know that this is her way of saying "I'm sleepy". I usually drop everything that I am doing in order to go hold her on the couch and she will inevitably fall asleep. I will either hold her the whole time or flop her on the couch. She is such a good sleeper, but has grown out of formal naps about 7 months ago. I am such a fan of naps. I wish I could sneak one in every day. But alas. In the summer, you children will have a quiet time from the hours of 1:00-3:30. During this time, you will nap (Max), snuggle (Amelia), or read (Abbie). There will be no friends over during these hours. I love to color with you, play games with you, and just relax with you. This is our time to have a napping house. After quiet time its back to party hardy. Your mom could also benefit from some quiet time. By the way, when the door to the bathroom is closed, please consider this as mom's quiet time ...

Please be aware of the following meals so you will know what to expect. I realize that you are growing children and I will try to keep that in mind. Just a reminder that you get what you get and you don't throw a fit, and also I am NOT a short order cook. Breakfast#1-usually cereal. Help yourself and try not to spill. Maximum of 4 boxes open at a time. If you are not interested in any of the 4 cereals-well that's just too bad. You may NOT open up more boxes from the basement. Breakfast #2-the real breakfast about an hour or so later. Usually involves fruit and some sort of protein and actual dishes Snack #1-expect this around 10:30. Most likely the grab and go variety Lunch #1-you can plan on sandwiches, fruit, veggies, a treat and a drink Lunch #2-what you will want to eat an hour later but I will make you finish what you didn't eat for lunch #1. Snack #2. This is a bit of a mixed bag. Stick close to your mom cause this is when the sugar cravings hit so you may even score ...

For the first time this year you have discovered the ice cream truck. Not wanting to be one to scar you for life by not allowing you to induldge, I shelled out $3.00 thinking that would certainly be enough for you. (as a side note the ice cream trucks around these parts are lacking the sleeper cell terrorist/creepy kidnapper look that I grew up with). Here's the deal, from now on how about we take that same 3.00 and buy 3 BOXES of ice cream treats so whenever you hear the truck you can run to the freezer and grab one and eat it on the porch? That will also save your mom from feeling like the sugar daddy to all the primary kids in the neighborhood who didn't have any money.

There is such thing as a sitting pool and a splashing pool. Its no fun when you want to be in a sitting pool and other people want to be in a splashing pool. Likewise, if you want the pool to be a splashing pool its no fun to be stuck with those who only want a sitting pool. Please communicate your pool expectations without screaming or crying. Screaming or crying always results in mom unplugging the pool and turning off the hose. (or spraying you with the hose if you are really being ridiculous.)

If you are going to the park to hang with your peeps make sure you are dressed properly. (yellow shirts and jeans). You certainly want to fit in with the others.

As parents we will try our darnest to make sure you don't get run over by a car. (we tied a rope to your shorts and it has worked marvelously in the past.) We would appreciate it if you would not thwart our efforts by undressing. It's neither amusing nor helpful. Also ditching the shoes just rubs it in. (Max is in full sprint headed for the forbidden asphalt)

I will let you stay up an extra half an hour during the summer, but sadly, that is still a good hour or so earlier than the rest of the neighborhood. I'm sure you will have nearly as much fun watching every other kid on the block still playing from your windows. Remember last night when someone came by to play after 8:00 pm and you were already in your jammies on your way to bed with books? Yeah. That was awesome. Now go to bed.

He or she who is in control of the hose.... Is probably having WAY more fun!

It's important to stay hydrated when the temperature is rising. Try to fit in those 8 glasses of water a day and its probably ok to share with the birds if Papa has recently cleaned the birdbath. (but cuidado on the pine sol aftertaste)

So Sporty Brad joined a softball team. I am a whiny complainy non-supportive roll your eyes at the mention of softball wife. I do not root for him or dress the kids up in his team colors. It's not that I hate going to the games in the unpredictable spring weather. It's not that I haven't been to a lifetime of games already. It's not that I hate giving up 2 precious hours of what could be our project time. It's not that he has been playing on Wednesday (yoga night) It's not even that his team wins less than half of the time. Nope. I hate that Brad has joined a softball league that plays in this craptacular "park". So much for my dream of packing a picnic dinner and sitting on a blanket rooting for my favorite player. Instead, I cringe while Max leans over this... And Abbie wants to climb up this gravel pit. Or the only entertainment for the children is digging in dirt. Who needs a slide and a swing when you can throw rocks down a drain!! But I guess at ...

Somedays I just don't feel like doing my to do list. So I let the kids "drive" and I just follow then around doing what they want to do. Max had a perfect day after I dropped off Amelia last week at preschool. It was definately his whim. First up: Do the official chick check. We have been doing chick checks since the chicks were 5 days old. I love how Max inspects them. he keeps track of 23 buffs and 5 rhode island reds. Go to a park. Eat a chocolate dipped cone. Go to another park. pick up Amelia. Read books. Snuggle with blue blankie and take a nap. Maximumly perfect day.

(you know when you compose a post then hesitate a bit because you are fully aware that it does not exactly put you in the best of light? Sort of exposes your thoughts to the real world. ehm yeah. here it is.) Before I had children of my own I did not fully understand the passion of a 3 year old meltdown. I thought I would be able to calm my troubled child during all fits and be patient and understanding. This I used to believe... (insert banging head against keyboard) This morning Amelia was having an "off" day. So I decided rather than react to the crazy I would take pictures of her behaviour so I can always remember it. She was thrashing and screaming and destroying all that was in her path. As a general rule, this sort of behaviour is not one that can be attributed to Amelia. It was odd and out of place for her so it sort of threw me for a loop. As I was watching her it reminded me of a movie but I couldn't remember which one. (as a side note, last night at Macey's...

For over five years I have been a bit of an outcast in the technological world because I, by my own choice, did NOT have a cell phone. I loved the freedom of being out and about and engaged with my kids instead of on the phone. I was always a little irriated when Bradfo would "double-task" our dates by talking to his parents while we were en route. (Hello! get off the phone. Pay attention to me.) I don't carry a purse (another thing I used to believe) so I never really knew what to do with the phone. Mostly, I didn't want to be reached and I didn't want to really make it convenient to be "found". Occasionally I would end up stranded but never desperate because guess what? 90% of the population own a cell phone, so I could bum theirs for a minute. This I used to believe...I did not need or want a cell phone. Until Bradfo got me this beaut for my birthday. While I was in the other room Max got a hold of my cake. I got a hold of the camera on the phone. It ...