Tired

Physically, emotionally, mentally.  I am worn out.  I have to be honest here.  Three kids from the ages of five to two was a lot easier than three kids of almost six years to almost four months.  When Aidan was a baby, it was easy because Jacob was only three and Alexia was a year and a half.  Their interests weren't that far apart.   Jacob was happy to play with little people with Alexia, or giggle as Mommy knocked down block tours while she cared for the baby.  I could keep them all three happy pretty easily.  Now, their interests are so far apart, it rips me in four directions.  Jacob needs help with his school work and school projects.  He wants to play board games, card games, and other games that require more skills than Alexia and Aidan have aquired so far.  Alexia is all about Princesses and art and reading.  Aidan is a rough and tumble little boy who either wants to be outside playing in mud or be sitting on Mommy's lap.  Robby of course just wants held and talked to.  The point is, they all want and deserve 100% of my attention for half the day.  Well, four doesn't divide nicely into one half, lol.  I can give them each 100% attention for 1/4 of a day...but that isn't what they want.  And even if they did want that, that leaves nothing left for dh or myself.  I am drained of everything I have to offer anyone by 6 P.M.  Since bedimte is between 7:30 and 8, you can see the problem.  Plus, after bedtime is my me time and dh's time...but I'm empty by then.  I'm just an old, saggy, grumpy shell by the time the moon is high in the sky.  To make it more fun...I have to get up two to three times every night with Squeaky, then I have trouble getting back to sleep.  Jacob has also been having a bear of time getting to sleep each night.  Two hours of yo-yoing out of bed each night.  I'm trying my best to nix this in the bud.  I am sure lack of proper rest is in part accountable for his behavior problems at school as of late.  Four kids are a blessing in disguise...a very, very good disguise somedays.  But I know I am truely blessed.

And yet again

Mommy is gonna have to cement both feet to the floor to get through this, it seems.  Jacob came home with yet another "Yellow - (reason listed)" on his calendar.  Jacob is currently upset with me because I am refusing to put money for the Fifth Grade Candy Drive in his folder for him tomorrow.  He's also upset because he didn't get his computer time today.  One day he will love me for it, right?  This, too, shall pass. 

Wait...the teen years are coming...should I just brace myself for the ride?

Jacob update

Today was much, much better.  He did eventually tell me his version of what happened at school yesterday.  I wrote a note to his teacher asking specifics, and she readily replied.  Jacob's account matched the Teacher's (except no specific names were mentioned by the teacher of course).  I quietly sat Jacob down today and praised him for telling me the truth and explained why the inappropriate language was, well, inappropriate.  I also explained that when someone sticks their tounge out at him (or does anything else,)  that he should calmly tell them that it isn't nice, then walk away.  Jacob, of course, is all about "Well, they did it to me first!"  I am trying my best to discourage this line of thinking.  However, I don't want Jacob to be the kid that gets beat up for his lunch money every day, kwim?  Man, this parenting thing is really tough.

Hmm, Tuesday

A little better, but not that great.  Alexia got up at 5 A.M. to go potty, which would have been fine and dandy if she hadn't turned on the lights and left the door open.  Our house lit up like a Christmas Tree after that.  First Jacob, then Aidan.  I was already awake because Squeaky had just finished a snack.  So, anyway, I sent them all to lie on the beds while I dozed on and off for as long as they staid on their beds.  Then we all got up and started our day. 

Jacob came home with "Yellow - inappropriate language and he stuck his tounge out at others" on his calendar today.  He denied it, naturally.  When the children across the street wanted him to come over and play I had to tell him he couldn't.  I felt badly, because my kids rarely get to play outside of school.  I just felt that I couldn't allow him to do that when he didn't treat others very well at school today.  I also couldn't let Alexia play because I would have had to go over there with them, which meant all four kids.  So it was a cause and effect thing.  Bummer.

I hardly got anything done today.  I hope to get laundry folded while I watch the Premier of "Amazing Race."   That has to be my all time favorite show, with "Lost" close behind.  Or maybe it is tied.  :-)  Oh!  I almost forgot.  Wasn't I belly aching about society being carless about credit these days?  Well, some Yahoo has been charging stuff onto our account over the weekend.  Therefore dh has to go through all the muck to cancel and transfer all of our automatic payment stuff over to the new account. What a pain for him, but necessary. 

I'm off to make home made soft pretzels and let my mind turn to much for two hours of TV.  Oh wait, my mind is already mush.  You know how they say each time you have a baby, you lose 1/4 of your brain capacity?  I must be SOL, or should I say Out of Brain.  :-)

Monday...bah Humbug!

Whereas yesterday was wonderful, today was really stinky.  Well, not all of it.  But a large part of it.  Robby is being clingy again.  Jacob has regressed in his behavior.  Over the past two months, I was positve that I had eliminated the spells where he just screams "Stupid!" at me over and over.  Well, he did it Friday and he did it today.  I kept my cool today.  I just calmly told him to go upstairs into his room to be alone to calm down.  He kept screaming at me that he didn't have to do what I told him to, but I kept calmly replying that he needed to go calm down.  Well, he got up to his room and slammed his door.  Aye, yi, yi.  I let him stew for ten minutes or so until he calmed himself down.  I learned a long time ago that Jacob is like me.  If he is angry, you just need to back off and let him breath deep and relax for ten minutes or so.  Otherwise he will spout off at the mouth, just like Mama :-( 

Anyway, he is calm now and the three kids are playing quietly and nicely.  I think everyone is more than tired.  Early bedtime tonight.  However, Jacob has quite a bit of homework.  He apparently didn't understand what to do on his practice sheets at school today, so the teacher sent them home to be done here.  I asked him why he didn't do them, and he said he didn't know how.  I admit, it took me a minute to figure it out, too!  But anyway, he needs to do those sheets and his regular homework sheet on top of that.  With his mood and him being tired, I am dreading it.  I know it needs done.

Now I understand why Kindergarten is only half day.  These kids get overstimulated fast.  I kept thinking "How much could they really get done in three hours?"  Ha!  Jokes on me.  They cram so much into those three hours, I don't know why the kids are not spouting smoke out their ears at the end of every day.  I am sure whole days are just as busy for the higher grades.  So I guess it is a good thing that they start the Kindergartners out slowly.  Half a day is just right.  Live and learn.

Oh, one more thing before I start rounding up kids.  Wasn't I just glorifying in the rain yesterday?  I forgot what rain means.  "Puppies" digging under the gate.  @@  I spent three hours today moving puppies and mucking around in mud.  Bluck.  I wish my bathtub were in full working order.  I could really use a trip from the Calgon fairy.  Take me away, take me away!  But please, bring me back after an hour or so.  I would miss this circus I call my life ;-)

Falling for Fall

This is my absolute favorite season.  The smells, the sights, Halloween, school back in session...lol.  Seriously, though, I have always loved Fall.  There is nothing better than a slightly chilly rain with wet leaves blowing around your feet.  Or spending two hours raking up leaves, only to have children jumping in them and spreading them around.  And me jumping in myself! 

We needed milk for tomorrow morning so after the kids were all settled in bed, I headed off walking.  It was drizzling a little, but not a heavy rain.  I had no kids with me, so I kind of loped along just enjoying the smells.  A lot of people are taking advantage of the cooler weather and windows are starting to open.  The smells just wafted on the gentle wind and tickled my senses.  Gingerbread, wet grass, rain, cinnamon, the warm smell of a dryer running, roast beef, and when I was in front of my house - wet dog.  Hehe.  Our "puppy" absolutely adores lying in the rain on her back in the middle of the yard.

I really enjoyed the walk this evening.  As an added bonus, there was one Sunday Paper left and for $1.50, I was able to clip $18.00 in coupons for the next time we go shopping.  What a deal.  Not to mention, now I have newspaper to do paper mache with the kids this week.  I love doing projects with the kids in the fall.  We will make paper mache pumpkins for the windows.  I was going to see if the water balloons we have will work to make little pumpkins for a garland.  What do you think? 

I so enjoyed my walk, that I didn't even care that when I came out of the store it was raining a little harder than a gentle rain.  It had obviously downpoured while I was shopping, because when I stepped off of the curb, I stepped in an ankle deep puddle.  I was enjoying myself so much I hardly noticed, even when I kept sliding out of my shoes walking uphill or downhill. 

Today was a day to write down.  The entire family walked to the mall to spend an hour at the play area.  We all had fun, even dh, who seemed to enjoy his dish of Dippin' Dots ice cream while the kids ran wild. 

I had written an entry about yesterday, but I lost my connection right before I saved it.  Yesterday dh gave me a much needed break and Robby and I went to see "Flight Plan."  It was a decent movie, but the plot twists were kind of easy to figure out so the shock value that the writers/producers were going for was lost.  I did like the movie overall, though.  And Robby was able to get a much needed nap in. 

This week will be cool and Rainy, and I am really looking forward  to doing some baking and projects as a family.  I love Fall. 

School days

The school days are getting easier.  In the beginning, I expressed some doubts about Jacob's teacher.  However, five weeks into the school year has taught me to just be patient.  His teacher and her assistant are working very hard with all of the children and their  parents from what I can tell at home.  The weekly newsletters are thourough.  I requested extra practice sheets for writing once, and now I automatically receive a packet every time  Jacob turns the previous packet in.  He needs lots of practice in the writing department.  I have learned that Jacob LOVES numbers and really, really dislikes writing letters.  He can add any two numbers that the sum equals ten.  He can also subtract numbers from each other as high as ten.  He can count to 30, forwards and backwards.  When we label an egg carten 1-12 and put a bean equalling the amount of each cup in there, he can add each cup to each other to get the total sum.  As long as he has the beans in front of him.  12+11+10+9+8+7+6+5+4+3+2+1.  He rocks.  Ask him to write a letter, however, and he got pretty upset at first.  After three weeks of extra practice he knows that if he sits down and tries, and erases and keeps trying, that then he will get some play time all to himself.  The work is getting done faster and more completely.  His handwriting is improving day by day.  I am pleased and proud of him. 

Alexia seems to be settling in better, but I can never really tell.  She suddenly has a "new best friend in the entire world."  Her name happens to be the same exact name of Alexia's best friend from her previous school.   And the little girl wears the exact same clothes that Alexia wears every day.  Also, Alexia's Grandma sometimes goes to school to play on the computer with her.  ::frowns:: You see why I am leary of accepting this as the truth.  I try not to doubt my children, but I know Alexia's "Grandma" is not going to school to play on the computer with her.  The Grandma the kids know the best lives in Virginia, and the other two Grandma's are great-grandma's.  One just passed away, and the other one is in a nursing home unable to lift her head let alone go to school with Alexia.  I don't want to write a note to the teacher.  I don't want to questionmy daughter.  I am just playing it all by ear.  Alan and the kids and I walked to the pet store for fun this past weekend and a little boy from Alexia's class was in there.  They stood near each other for I would say ten minutes and never acknowledged that they knew each other.  His mother and I exchanged a sad smile because we both recognized each other and saw how the kids were totally oblivous of each other.  The good news is that Alexia seems to have bonded with her teacher finally.  She draws pictures every night to take to her teacher the next morning.  She no longer comes home to sing "I hate school, I hate school!"  I am also encouraged by the Speech Teacher there.  The class gets speech as a group twice a week.  On those two days, Alexia comes home and eagerly shows me the new sounds she learned that day.  She always shows me a neat little trick to get the sound out correctly.  I am very happy and impressed.  Alexia never did this at her previous school.  The previous speech teacher worked off of worksheets.  She sent the worksheets home and the only instruction was to say the sound with my child.  No tricks or tips, and Alexia never showed me any tricks.  I have no idea if the Speech Therapist was teaching easy little ways to help Alexia get the sound out or not, but I do know Alexia wasn't retaining them if she were being taught them. 

So, all in all, things are settling down.  I adore the bus drivers and they save my life every day.  It is so much easier.  I have had people in the neighborhood actually tell me they were glad to see the buses come by my house instead of me trecking down to the school four times a day, lol.  I need to work out though and get some exercise. 

A Hairy deal

Well, dh has lost his other eyebrow, but the good news is he doesn't seem to have lost any more hair on the top of his head.  Or back or sides.  :-) 

For what hair he lacks, I am shedding.  I just love this time three to four months post partum.  Ha!  My hair is coming out in clumps.  And to make it worse, I discovered my very first gray hair last night.  Erm, the first one that I will admit and acknowledge was my hair and not the dogs.  I didn't think that it would bother me, but it really did.  Or, I should say, it does bother me.  My hands are wrinkled, my face is getting wrinkled.  ::sigh::  When I was 26 I got carded for buying a lighter because I looked 13.  Now here I am, getting older with a powerful punch to the gut.

My loving husband...he made it all better.   "I'm going bald, and you are going gray.  Oh, well!"  LoL.  He did tell me I was sexy, but I know a line of of it when I hear it, hehe.  He loves me, that's all that matters.

Two, almost three, is so much fun

Note sarcasm.  Scenario:  I went to return a library book.  Aidan fell asleep on the way.  I hung out in a parking lot as long as I could with the other two that were with me still awake.  After an hour, I had to go home.   It wasn't a long enough nap.

Typical Two/Three year old scene 1:  I asked him to get out of the vehicle so we can go in.  He said "NO!"  He finally got out of his seat and said he wants help out.  So I helped him out.  He started screaming "Me do it, Me do it!" and climbed back into the vehicle.   I said "Ok, now you can do it!"  He started screaming for me to help.  Yup, I predicted that.  So I helped him out.  He wanted to walk.  I put him down.  He wanted to be picked up.  I picked him up and got him to the front door.  I put him down so I could go get Robby.  He refused to go in.  He started screaming.  He came running to me while I was getting Robby out and attached to my leg.  So I carried him on my leg, him screaming the entire way, into the house.  Once in the house, he sat screaming for about ten minutes.  I made him come to me, mean Mommy that I am.  I told him I loved him and when he calmed down, I would be in the living room for hugs and snuggles.  He did eventually come to me and that was that.

Two/three year old typical scene number 2:  "Aidan, do you want a banana while I am cooking dinner?"  Aidan screamed "NO!"  I said ok and went about my business.  Meanwhile, he started screaming that he wanted a banana.  I predicted that, too.  I gave him half a banana.  He screamed that he didn't want it.  I put it down.  He screamed that he wanted it.  I gave it to him, he threw it on the floor.  I threw it in the trash, I need to mop in a bad way.  No eating off the floor, here, lol.  He threw himself on the ground screaming about the banana.  I cooked dinner and he ate and calmed down.

Two/three year old typical scene number 3:  Quiet time starts at 7 pm.  In their rooms, allowed to play or read while I rotate baths.  Lights out at 7:30.  Can play quietly on their beds with a toy in the dark.  By eight, no toys.   It is 8:10, and Aidan keeps going into Alexia's room, or Jake's room.  Or I see a little hand waving out his door.  Absolutely refusing to sleep.  He will eventually pass out right inside his door or half on his bed and half off his bed.  He is currently doing the Tootie Top dance right outside his room.

It has been a long day.  However, it has been much better than yesterday.  All four children were able to get their "Mommy" time in, and Mommy was able to get some "Mommy time" in, also.  I know there are some people that will smile fondly, or not so fondly, in remembrance of their two/almost three year old doing these same things.  :-)

Savings Savy

We, as a family, went grocery shopping today.  I decided to try my hand at clipping coupons.  Plus, the store where we were going was running some pretty good specials.  Total savings for the day?  Almost $72.00!  We rock for a first try, huh?  There was only about $9.00 saved in coupons, but that is pretty good since I don't have them saved up yet.  To further our savings, we walked instead of drove, and I even walked the cart back.  So we saved gasoline, and got some exercise.  Just wanted to give us a "Whoo-hoo!"  Can I hear another Whoo-hoo?  :-)

Stretch Doll

You know...the one from Fantastic Four?  They have that doll of him and the commercial shows someone stretching him out in four directions (arms and legs?)  That is what I feel like.  Generally speaking, this week has been ok.  We went to a Ren Faire on Saturday and it was a good time.  Nice to get out.  I wasn't able to dress in Ren Faire gear this year so I really didn't get into it that much.  I just couldn't justify wearing an almost ankle length dress with a tight bodice.  Just picture someone trying to breastfeed with their breasts all tied up, lol.  "I'm holding them Hostage, Robby!  I'll give them up if you give me a good night's sleep, grrr."  ::best Pirate voice::   I really didn't think Robby would go for that, so I stuck with the jeans and a T-shirt thing while my husband dressed up to look like he had just dropped out of a time warp. 

Anyway, today, I don't know what it was.  I was just so frazzled.  Robby cried every single time I put him down.  It was just so frustrating.   And then Jacob was constantly standing in my space yacking a mile a minute, and Aidan was walking around whining.  Alexia is the only one that wasn't high needs today.  I felt badly, because they were all stretching me out and I couldn't give any one of them the attention they needed and deserved.  The house was yanking on me, too.  It still is.  I'm relaxing for a minute eating these yummy home made pretzel sticks that I just made.  Mmmmm.  After I gobble these up I need to go find my kitchen.  Bluck.  Not to mention make sure everyone has clean clothes and socks for tomorrow morning, and the trash needs to go out.  ::Sigh::  Hopefully I'll be a better Mommy tomorrow.  More attentive and less "This is my space and you are intruding in it" -ish.  Mommies need space, too, but somehow the kids always miss that part.  I am positive that some day I will miss them churning around my feet.  I also think that day is probably coming too fast. 

Society makes theft so easy

Has anyone else noticed this?  Besides corporations being careless with our personal information, we have other places that we go to often that plain old just don't care.  Like those "U-scan" lines.  Anyone can take anyones credit card/debit card in there and buy something.  Sure, it's only up to 12 items, but if you do that a couple times a day....several days a week...you could get a months worth of groceries, etc.  The "U-scan" lines here usually have someone at a little station at the end making sure you aren't there with a cart full, etc., but they sure aren't checking ID.  I don't think the cashiers even check the ID's or names on the cards anymore. 

Another pepper to sizzle my pot is the fact that I accidently left my keys at the checkout line this morning.  When did I realize this?  8:30 this evening when dh asked me to walk back over there to get him some Diet Coke.  Ok, why does this sizzle me since I am the one that left my keys? 

a.)  They could have scanned my card that as on my keyring to get my name and phone number and called me to say "Hey, you left your keys here!"

b.)  I went up to the guy in customer service and said "Did anyone find some keys at a checkout line earlier today?"  The guy didn't even respond, he just opened a drawer, pulled them out, handed them to me and then said "This them?"  I said "Yeah, thanks!" and walked away.  Fuming.  I had taken my ID in case, you know, they wanted to scan my card to check my identity. 

Now, I am glad I have my keys back.  Tickeled pink.  However, the lack of caring who has whose things in society these days really gets my goat.  Like the article I read in a magazine about a TWO-year-old with a lot of debt because someone stole his identity.  I can't remember the amount, but I am pretty sure the child was two.  ::goes away grumbling to self::

A time for Rest and Peace

The Lord Bless thee and keep thee. 

 Numb.VI;24 
                                                 

With a heavy heart, I tell you all that my Husband's Grammy has passed away.  The family is sad with her passing.  However, at the same time, "we are more sad than she is," as my FIL stated to Alan.  I regrettfully was not able to get to know her that well over the years.  From what Alan has told me, she led a very full, long, and happy life.  She accomplished many things that I can only dream of.  I admired her for what I knew about her life and endeavors.  Like my own Grandmother, Grammy's health has been deteriorating rapidly over the past year and a half and she was ready to let go and move on to the next adventure.  She would have been 91 in November.  Rest in peace, Grammy.

 

Ahh, Karma and I made up

Karma and I have made ammends.  Apparently.  Last weekend Karma swiped my cooking ability.  I burned or otherwise ruined everything I tried to cook.  Still edible, but not appetizing.  So this weekend, the roast chicken came out yummy, the waffles perfect, the cookies scrumptuous.  I am a cooking Godess!  Here me roar! 

::cough cough on the cooking Godess part::  Ok, so everything was pretty good, but I wouldn't ask me to hire on as a lead Chef in the whitehouse or anything.

Kid updates

Well, Jacob has had three weeks of Kindergarten now.  He seems to be doing an amazing job.  He has suddenly become this polite, well behaved, quiet little boy.  Hmmm.  Not that I am not enjoying it.  I do have to question my parenting skills when he goes away for three hours a day and his behavior/manners/skills improve times ten.  I think he just gets bored at home.  He has one of those minds that craves challenge, whereas mine craves quiet and mushiness.  :-) 

Alexia, on the other hand, has finished two weeks of school and she has become even clingier than normal, if possible.  She suddenly needs me all the time.  She sat at the table for dinner tonight and demanded that I feed her.  Hmmmm.  I am not sure what is up with that.  Even as a baby, she wouldn't let me feed her.  We started solids at eight months, and she started with Cheerios and food off of my plate, lol.  Now suddenly she is the "baby" and needs fed and carried and rocked.  Delayed reaction to Robby or reaction to school?  I guess I will never really know. 

Aidan has become rather clingy, also.  I know part of his situation is that he refuses to nap at home.  If he falls asleep somewhere (while we are out or while we are downstairs), great, but if he doesn't, no nap that day.  He fights it really hard.  It makes evenings rather difficult, but we are getting by.

Robby is the three month old rolling wonder.  Rolls everywhere.  I can't leave him anywhere and turn my back and expect him to be in the same spot when I turn back around.  Even if it is only two seconds.  He grins and giggles when he feels the urge, but basically he is a pretty serious little guy.  He recently discovered his hands and feet are his.  It brings me great joy to watch him bat at toys and try to get his feet into his mouth.  It doesn't bring me joy, though, that he has suddenly stopped sleeping through the night.  He is up every four hours or so, and he stays up for an hour.  I'm a very tired Mommy.  I am hoping it is just the three month growth spurt and it will end soon.  He eats every two hours during the day, so not a whole lot is getting done around here. 

My fifth kid lost one eyebrow and has a lot of bald patches on his head due to some Shampoo he used.  Do not use J. Crew Shampoo!  Poor dh thinks I am laughing at him, but I am not really.  I mean, the laughter does bubble up and overflow no matter how hard I try to keep it in, but I am not really laughing at him.  Kwim?  More like I am laughing for him, since he doesn't see the humor in it yet.  ::very large grin::  Seriously though, I hope, for his sake it isn't permanent.  I mean...imagine having to keep your hair buzzed with bald spots.  Tigger, I love you!  ::smiles fondly::  I really am not laughing at you. 

Thank you/AOL

Well, thanks, Kelly.  We were wasting quite the chunk of change.  I get to keep AOL at a much cheaper rate.  :-)  Thanks Becky and Tilly, also, for your support.  I'm off to finish serving dinner/laundry/clean/play/feel old.

A log of unusual sleeping positions

These are all my two year old, Aidan, in the past two months or so.

Alexia has had a hard week

The poor little girl.  Last Saturday, she was going down the hallway and ran smack dab into a doorknob.  She had a big 'ol goose-egg from that one, and still does.  So, a couple days later, she burns her arm while helping me cook dinner.  The very next day, she bit her tounge at lunch time at school.  And today...today she gets off the bus with not one, not two, but three bandaids on her knees.  She told me she fell on the playground, and the note that was sent home with her verified it.  Upon further examination of her, I discovered another goose-egg right next to her old one.  Poor little girl has had a really tough week.  Grace in action...erm...inaction.  I love her to pieces, but she spins through life head first.   As the twin goose-eggs prove.

P.S.  Kelly, I asked my dh about that $4.95 for BYOA.  He said we used to have that, but he changed our accounts because he travels and wanted dial-up.  I am not sure why he changed mine.  I generally don't check my e-mail while traveling.  So, I am in the process of trying to change it back.  If I can, I shall stay.  Thanks for the heads up!  Hey..and Tilly...I knew your name sounded familiar.  I stumbled on your journal somehow last week.  Love it! 

Some recent pictures

AOL

Well, I have been thinking and thinking and thinking about closing out my AOL account.  It has just been so much a part of my life for so long that I'm having a hard time letting go.  I have been on AOL for 8 years total, had this account for six years almost to the day.  The actual fact is, though, that we spend way too much money for me to have a blog and e-mail my family, lol.  I can e-mail from yahoo and write a journal on paper, right?  I think I will be a little sad and lost at first, but I will adjust.  On the flip side, I like AOL's interface.  I have the sites I go to regularly set up on my tool bar so I can log on and off in an instant after retrieving the information I need.  But I can do this on the internet explorer, too.  AOL is not our internet connection.  We just use it because we like it.  :-)  But now that they are going web based, the things we liked about it our dissappearing. 

Excuse me a minute while I ramble.  This entry has turned into me talking to myself and trying to list the pros and cons.  ::Grins::  The new message boards have grown on me.  It's easier to scroll down through 20 messages at a time instead of flipping through them one at a time.  Although, I don't enjoy reading message boards anymore, so what is the point of that.  Ha!  I enjoy reading other people's blogs.  But, if I really wanted to do that, I could log onto dh's account when he isn't home.  Right, Tigger?  Hehe.  It does seem a little silly to pay so much a year for a blog and for me to play some games on AOL.  Phhfft. 

Yeah, I think I have decided.  Maybe at the end of the year, after Christmas,  I will say fairwell to AOL.  Seems like a huge waste of resources when we can use the money for the kids clothes, food, etc. 

I wanted to thank you all for the kind comments.  I really enjoy them.  I will still be around for a little while, but then I think I will just have to let go.

My "not very busy week"

::cough cough::

Tuesday was non-stop with the kids.  I kept them busy all day.  Art, playing outside, going for walks, school, school work, baths, stories, bed.  Today was pretty much the same thing.  Just busy with the kids.  I did go in to the school to write up her IEP.  Her speech delays are not severe, and there is high hopes that she will be able to start Kindergarten next fall with no special services.  However, she is not adjusting to the new school at all.  I remember at her previous school she was laughing and playing with the other kids by day three.  Now, she comes home and gets off the bus and clings to me.  And cries.  And sings "I hate school, I hate school."  :-(  She told me on Tuesday that none of the other kids would play with her.  Upon talking with her teacher today, I found out that it is reversed.   Alexia won't even look at the other kids.  During free time she goes into the art area and ignores everyone else.  She will only speak when spoken to.  I am not worried yet.  The first week she was excited upon coming home, but this week has changed.  Hopefully it will change again next week.  We are giving her time to adjust.  I think it is a big change for her not being able to see her big brother during school.  She knows he doesn't even go to school until ten minutes after she gets home. 

Anywhos.  The kids are having a pretty good week.  It's like "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" here.  My three are getting along well together, playing nicely, and listening to Mommy.  Things that make you go hmmmm....but still celebrate!  Yee-ha!  ::grins::  I will enjoy this while it lasts.

Holiday is over

It sure was a good one.  Very lazy day today.  Even though the kids have had a very busy weekend, they still had a wonderful day today.  I had some trouble getting Jacob to finish the practice sheet that he was supposed to do in the classroom, but didn't finish.  Getting him to sit down to do his schoolwork is a challenge.  Any ideas on how to get a 5.5 year old to sit and do homework for fifteen minutes?  In a positive way.  I am really having to grit my teeth and keep on a happy face.  I am paranoid about accidently making homework a horrible chore for the rest of his life.  It's all in the attitude, right?  Currently, he is more interested in drawing pictures on his homework than he is about doing it.  :-\ 

Back to the grind tomorrow.  It should not be a busy week.  I have one appointment this week, and that is to create Alexia's new IEP.  I can walk to that.  Otherwise, I get to stay home all week and conserve gas and clean up and organize things a little.  I might take the kids for some walks to get out of the house a little.  It will do us all good.

What a day

Today was go, go, go.  I have to brag here.  The kids were excellent all day.  A few minor things, but overall, they did wonderful!  They had a lot of waiting in the car (traffic), etc, but yet they listened so well.  I made sure I told each one how proud of them I was before I put them to bed. 

Opa didn't make it to our house, but he did make it to Grandma's party.  He brought my youngest step-sister with him, not my step-mother.  WHEW.  It was nice to see my step-sister again.  I haven't seen her since Christmas of 2000.  Once upon a time we were pretty close.   She is eleven years younger than I am.  She was only nine when our parents were married.  It was kind of different seeing her all grown up.  I feel really old now, lol. 

Grandma was not overly pleased with it being her birthday.  She took all of our cheer like a champ though, then asked to be put to bed when she had had enough.  They discovered a little Gazebo with a nice big fenced yard to play in out behind the nuring home.  We had no clue it was there, so normally we were out front with the kids playing in traffic :-\  So today was nice, letting the kids run.  There were plenty of people there to give me a little break.  I really enjoyed it.

After Grandma's Party, we hurried back home so that we would go see Fireworks.  It was an awsome display.  The only damper on the evening was the fact that the cost of the display really could have helped a great number of the Katrina refugees.  Getting out of the area was amusing.  Took us over two hours to get home.  Overall though, the evening was a hit.  The three older kids were enraptured by the fireworks.  Robby was not impressed at all.  The roar of the crowd terrified him, and the finale had him kicking and climbing me as if to say "Let me back in, Mom, let me back in!"  I held him tight and rocked him and nursed him.  He's peacefully sleeping now, as are the others. 

There was another thing that struck me about the evening.  I remember going to downtown fireworks when I was a teenager.  While there was usually a heavy police presence to pullin rowdy drunks and direct traffic, that was really their only purpose.  Tonight, there was a large police presence, as well as the National Guard.  Not to mention the three fighter jets circling the area all evening.  They had done a Fly By (which we missed,) but then they stayed for the fireworks.  It was hard not to notice them circling the entire time.  This is obviously a very different world than when I was a child.  I am sure my parents thought the same as I was growing up and things around them changed.

Voicemail

I really should check it more often :-\  I checked it today to find out that several people had called and left messages with information that I need/would like to know.  One of them was Jacob's school bus driver the day before school started ;-\  If I had gotten that message, I wouldn't have gone through two weeks of dragging kids to and fro.  Oh well...them's the breaks!  I must apologize to her on Tuesday.  She probably stopped and honked on the first day of school and I wasn't here. 

I checked my voicemail again this evening to find out that my dad is planning on stopping here on his way up from the south in the morning.  He actually said "we," which is very disturbing to me.  That could only mean my stepmother will be with him.  That is not a very good thing.   The message said if they were running late, they would head straight up to Grandma's nursing home...which is also not a good thing.  Grandma has not seen my stepmother for at least ten or eleven years to the best of my knowledge.  That was by design, too, not accident.  Never-the-less, I am cleaning my house just in case, and preparing myself to be calm and quiet tomorrow.  The way Karma has been biting me in the butt all week, I would really prefer not to tempt her anymore. 

"The Tootie Top"

"Thumbs up, elbows back, feet apart, knees together, bottom out, tounge out, eyes shut, turn around!" That's all!  Jacob is telling me and showing me "The Tootie Top" dance.  Oh my gosh...it's so darn cute!  The child starts with saying "Thumbs up!" Then they sing a little diddy then they go onto the next thing, then sing the same little diddy, then add the next thing, etc.  In the end, they are standing there with all of the first line and they look so darn cute!  Not to mention sound cute singing with their tounges out...;-)  Jacob learned this in Gym class.   I think I am going to incorporate it into our day somehow.  So darn funny.  I must get a picture of this this weekend, hehe.

The sweet side of Jacob

I have discovered that I am quick to vent about the rough days, but not so quick to glory in the good days.  Or even in the good qualities of my family members.  Jacob is developing into a very sweet little boy.  The other day, when Aidan was busy letting the dog in, Jacob was tugging on my shirt.  I will never forget that moment.  He looked up at me with his big blue eyes and said "Mommy, I care about you!"  I about cried.  It helped me to calm down.  That is what I say to him when he is angry.   "Jacob, I care about you."  I guess he does listen when I don't think he is.  He listens with his heart.

Right now he is trying to tuck Aidan in so he and I can play a game of war together, lol.  Aidan is having a very "two, almost three-year-old-day.)  Jacob can really be very sweet.  He's fast to calm people down when they are upset.  He's quick to give hugs to those who need them.  He's quick to flatter people he has never seen before in his life.  For instance, there was a man in the doctor's office who was obviously in a huge hurry.  Glancing at his watch, glaring at the nurses, etc.  He wasn't there as a patient, he was their on business.  Jacob goes up to him and smiles and goes "Excuse me, Sir.  That's a very nice tie you have on."  The man stared at him for a full minute before smiling and saying "Why, Thank you young man!"  The man then talked with and smiled with Jacob until it was his turn.  The man turned to Jacob and thanked him for making his day brighter.   Jacob is like that.  Very friendly and outgoing and always wanting to help.  Mommy has surely been blessed with him.

Pensive

I really need to do something.  I have been getting so flustered during the days.  The kids all talking at once, then Robby starts crying.  My to do lists run an entire page.  Ugh.  I do have to admit though, the school buses have helped me out so much it isn't even funny.  Today was the first full day of not having to pick-up or drop-off children and it was wonderful.  Point for the school bus driver that offered to pick up Jacob daily.  :-)

My thoughts and prayers are with those on the Gulf Coast.  I just can't imagine.  I look at the pictures and read the accounts and just cry.  It is a terrible situation.  One of my childhood friends sent out an e-mail today that amazed me.  Her and her husband are opening their home for long-term shelter to a family that needs it.  What truely amazing and wonderful people. 

Gas prices are high, but it's a small thing compared to those that had few things, and lost them all.  During the day yesterday, I found a gas station that was selling for $2.69 a gallon, but by the time I got money, they were out of gasoline.  I ended up buying gas for $3.09.  Thankfully, we won't need to drive much this month.  This coming Sunday we will be going out for my Grandma's Birthday, and that will take half a tank of gas, but after that, I have only one appointment.  Everything else, I can walk to.  Dh is covered to and from work, so he won't need to drive his vehicle, either.  Even if we did have to drive, it's a small thing compared to the larger picture.  In a way...the gas shortage may be a benefit.  Maybe it will get people to use more mass transit, walk, or run their errands in one day, etc.  I know the prices sure curbed my driving.  In the long run, the environment will benefit, but this will have to go on for a while.  Dh seems to think this is a permanent situation.

I have still been thinking of canceling AOL.  Not really sure.  I have just been thinking a lot about life, love, fear, hope, concern, compassion, etc.  I think I can and should pick lighter subjects to be pensive about.  :-)