Our summer so far

  I'm a few days late posting this because I've had some issues getting pictures uploaded to the website.  Anyway, the summer has been going well and we have done a lot of fun activities.  It hasn’t been as structured as I would like and every day I feel like I’m making it all up as I go, but we are all having fun.  So far this summer, we have gone to Six Flags, Fairy Tale Town, done a lot of swimming with friends, seen movies, gone to many parks, and played out front almost every day, and had a small birthday party for Jack.  Here's a few pictures and videos from our summer so far:

On the 1st Saturday of every month, Home Depot has a kids workshop.  They provide everything for the kids to made a project and in June, the boys make a Father's Day gift with our close friends Sydney and Shaylyn.

 Here we are having fun with our friends again in the water on our driveway.  The boys get to play with their friends I get to chat with my awesome friend Tracey. :)

This is a picture of Callen drinking from his sippy with his feet.  Jack can't stand not to be in pitures so he joined in.  I had to restage them to get a picture of it but when I first saw Callen doing this, he was only using his feet to get the cup to his lips.  I've said this so many times bfore, but he comes up with some crazy stuff.

Callen is sooooo cute.  See below video for indisputable proof.

On this day, in 2005...

Today is my oldest son, Jack’s 6^th birthday so I thought I would share a funny story about the day he was born.  My husband was still in the Marine Corps so we were at the San Diego Naval Hospital.  My induction began on the morning of June 24^th at about 9am and Jack wasn’t born until the next day at 624am.  My husband had told me months in advance that he didn’t want to see the action and wanted to stand next to me “above the equator”.  So bata bing, Jack was born and he was being cleaned up while another doctor was looking after me.  Blanton was at the table with Jack when he looked over to me and out of the corner of his eye, caught a glance at some “unpleasantness” near me (I’ll leave it at that).  He had his big military issued boots on and suddenly I heard an about-to-vomit sound and then saw him bolt out of the room.  He ran down the hall and this is what everyone in the room heard.  Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!  Bbbblllaaaahhhh!  Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!  Bbbblllaaaahhhh! Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!  Bbbblllaaaahhhh! Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!  Bbbblllaaaahhhh!  I couldn’t help but laugh and I apologized to the doctor who was doing whatever with my uterus and she said that my laughter was actually helping…but even if it wasn't, I couldn't have stopped.  Blanton was gone for 20 minutes and the doctors had become concerned about him but just before they were going to check on him, he walked back in looking very pale.  It was such a strange time to have that kind of uncontrollable laughter but it really was just plain funny, and it was the second best thing that happened on that day.  Jack weighed 7lbe 12oz and I fell in love with him instantly and have been ever since.  Happy birthday to my biggest little guy!

Future job possibilities????

We’ve all had our moments of “the grass is greener” and as a stay at home mom, I’ve definitely had my share.  Before I had my oldest son, I had an incredible job.  The best boss, co-workers/friends, great pay, and I had a real love for the work I did.  My heart was really in that job and since I left that job six years ago, I’ve often felt sad knowing that it isn’t likely that I’ll ever have a job that great again.  Despite feeling that way, I would never have chosen a different path than the one I did.  As much I miss that job and as frustrated as I sometimes get at home with my boys, I wouldn’t change it for anything.  I try hard to be a glass-is-half-full kind of person so in order to stay positive on rough days, I often think about how I can apply the skills I’ve learned at home to a future job.  I began writing notes down when I first started this blog, so here is what I have so far:

- Thanks to my boys trying to get away with lying about things that only they could have possibly done, like putting boogers around the edge of their yogurt cup while they are holding it, I have learned how to read people much better.  Young or old, people have become much easier for me to read…so maybe an exciting career as a parole officer could be in my future?

- I have developed the ability to correctly predict many of the actions of my boys and dog several minutes before they happen.  I can’t predict the words that come out of the boys’ mouths (not even Nostradamous could) but just seeing a look on their face or the way they move is enough for me to know their next move…I’m pretty sure I know what they’re going to do even before they do.  Hmmm…will you see me on late night TV someday advertising my psychic hotline?

- I can battle the illogical with the even more illogical and come up with a reason why my boys should do whatever I want them to do.

Actual example:

Callen:  “Mommy, I need my silly straw with me when we take Davey for a walk!”

Me:  “No you don’t, Cal.  Let’s just go.  Look at Dave…he’s ready and you still need to get your shoes on too.”

Callen: “But I need my silly straw.”

Me:  “Okay Cal.  You can take your silly straw on the walk but you won’t be able to find it until you have your shoes on, it just won’t work.”

Callen: “Oh, okay” he said as if I had explained why he was having trouble finding it.  He went to get his shoes on and I put the straw out so he would find it.

Do I have a future in writing the logic portion of the SAT exam?

- The boys and I have a special relationship with our garbage man.  The boys because they yell to him from our driveway until he honks and waves to them after getting our garbage on Thursdays and me because he has caught me a few times putting out the trash bins in my PJ’s (twice he has waited patiently until I finished dragging them to the curb…deeply embarrassing).  Also, he is the same guy we had at our other house in Folsom, except he came on Wednesdays.  So the garbage man and the Austin’s go way back.  Does this mean I have a friend in the sanitation business who can hook me up with a job?  Will I have to approach him for this favor in my PJ’s so he will recognize me?

Whatever I end up doing for work in the future, I have no doubt that between being a U.S. Navy Sailor (Go Navy!), working for the Navy as a civilian, and being a stay at home mom to two boys, I can handle whatever is thrown my way.  Mike Rowe from Dirty Jobs has nothing on me.

Me v. Callen

People always talk about the terrible two’s but for my boys, their third year has always been more of a roller coaster.  Callen will be three and a half in August and here is a list of some of things he is doing lately that are causing me to straddle that fine line between sanity and complete amok-running lunacy:

- He has been peeing everywhere in the bathroom but in the toilet.  On the wall, into the tub, on the bathmat, and in the garbage.  A few weeks ago, I cleaned the bathroom several times to get the pee smell out.  The garbage was empty so I never thought that the smell could be coming from there.  When I finally took the bag out of the can I saw that he had peed several times into it. (sigh)

- He is dragging his feet to do everything.  To get him on track with doing what I need him to get done is a constant battle.  When he finally does start to move, he has his toy tow truck “help”.  Do you know how long it takes for a three year old to get undressed using the hook of a tow truck?  Neither do I.  My patience does not extend that far.

- He is using all of my lines on me.  He tells me, “Calm down, calm down” when I am telling him not to do something and I’m already perfectly calm.  He says, “Close the refrigerator!”  Oh, that one irks me!  The list goes on.

- He is attaching toys to the dog.  Dave can be quite lazy but when the boys and I are moving around the house, he likes to come along with us.  So, when I notice that he has been in one spot for a bit, my eyes roll back in my head, and I instantly know that Dave has not moved because there is some toy (usually the tow truck) attached to his collar.  Again, I’m so thankful he is such a good dog.  Here’s more on Dave if you missed it:  http://mombrain-lori.blogspot.com/2011/05/its-cold-rainy-and-thats-not-lasso.html

He is being so sneaky!!  I have been finding things all over the house in strange places.  My cell phone was in the laundry basket, a plate was on the book shelf, and he put all of his socks and underwear in his toy box yesterday.  He has also been known to put all of his clothes in there instead of putting them away.  I didn’t notice this until I had already given him a high 5 for his “great job” on putting his clean laundry away.  Score another one for the three year old.

Ah...good times and fun memories

My husband and I are on the tail end of one of the worst stomach bugs we have ever had.  I knew we would get something since the boys had both had it but what my husband and I got was much worse.  Both boys were sick for less than 24 hours and my husband and I were still recovering after about 48 hours.  I woke up Saturday morning feeling fine and the boys and I began getting ready to visit my parents and nieces at a campground about 30 minutes away.  Not long before we left, I began to feel like it was finally my turn to be sick.  My stomach was churning, I was nauseated, and already I wanted to go back to bed.  It hit me really fast but I still wanted to go see my family so we drove there anyway.  My nieces, my boys, and I went to the recreation center at the campground and played pool and ping pong for a while.  As every minute passed, I felt more and more sick so after about an hour, we all went back to the campsite where my mom fixed the boys some lunch before we left.  By the time we hit the road, I was hurting bad, so I took the boys to Kids Camp and went home and took a long nap.  My husband got off work early and was able to pick them up and bring them home.  Here’s where it gets really bad.  My husband wasn’t feeling well either and shortly after he got home we were both extremely sick.  We were flat out, unable to move.  The boys, especially Jack, were very helpful.  He was getting us water, tucking us into the sofa, and helping with Callen.  Jack also said that if I wasn’t feeling better the next day that he would do all of my, Dad’s, and Dave’s chores.  Very sweet, right?  (The next day he retracted that statement because I sprayed him with water after repeatedly telling him to stop yelling and screaming while playing with Callen.)  I’m so glad they’re a bit older now.  Blanton and I have never been that sick at the same, it was rough.  Not long before their bedtime that night, I needed some quiet so I went into our room to lay down.  I told Blanton to wake me so we could both put the boys to bed but Blanton, the best husband EVER, ended up putting the boys to bed himself.  I got up about three hours later and Blanton was lying on the sofa watching a movie…he was clearly not doing well.  Actually, he looked like had been ran over by a garbage truck.  I crashed out near him on another sofa chair and then saw him quickly get up and go to our bedroom.  Okay, now you know the background, but here’s want I really wanted to share with you.  He began to puke and the sound was both heart wrenching and slightly funny.  I wasn’t laughing at the time since he was seriously suffering, but when we talked about it yesterday morning, I couldn’t help but laugh.  He was doing what I call a “full body puke”.  He was digging so deep he almost puked out his soul.  It started at his ankles and moved like a tidal wave up his body...then it came out.  The sound was horrible and LOUD!  His body was still puking long after his stomach had been emptied.  Poor guy.  I was lucky enough not to get the pukes but I have been sweating non-stop since Saturday.  Last night he wasn’t feeling well again and went to lie down in the bedroom.  From the room, he sent me a text saying that his “tummy” hurt again.  He really used the word tummy.  Ha!!  It’s Monday morning now and although I’m still sweating a bit, I’m almost 100% better and Blanton is too.  It was a really rough weekend but Blanton and I were still able to keep brunch plans with our good friends Roy and Jamie on Saturday.  After brunch we came home and took a long nap.  We were worn out but I think getting out in the fresh air did help a bit. 

So many details, I know.  If you remember only one this from this post, it really should be the “full body puke” thing.  For me, it was the one bright point of our horrible Saturday night.  So, just to paint a clearer picture:  he was on his hands and knees, his head over the toilet, puking motion started at his ankles, then came the LOUD “bbbbblllllaaaaahhhhhhh” sound…and the full body puke was in motion.  I still can’t help but laugh a bit to myself when I think about.  Sadly, these are the types of memories that seem to stick with me the longest.

Books that need to be written

Oh no she didn’t!  The guide for appropriate clothing while grocery shopping and running other errands that require you to get out of your car

Errands you can run that do not require you to get out of the car if you're not appropriately dressed

Honey, have you seen my…..? A Husbands guide to actually looking for it before asking your wife

Look, a baby donkey! 1,001 ways to refocus a crying child

Oh sweetie, I’m sorry, Disneyland is closed for the summer:  Lies I’ve told my children

Mom, I’m done: A collection of unpleasant phrases that parents will inevitably hear being shouted from the bathroom by their child

No! Why don't you go clean your room, Mom?!:  The joy of children before they could talk

A day off..sort of

We’re all stuck inside today.  We had a great day yesterday; went to the gym, had some down time, then went to the park and played with our friends.  We rode our bikes there and back and when we got to the driveway of our house on our way home, Jack puked.  The stomach bug is going around our house it seems.  Callen got it first, and now Jack has it.  So far, it’s following the usual pattern of Callen, Jack, Blanton, and me.  So we have more to look forward to.  Jack has been lounging since he woke up and Callen has been playing quietly with his toys so I took this opportunity to steam clean Callen’s bedroom carpet.  It was so nice to be able to get the whole job done without constant interruptions.  I guess that’s a pretty good upside to having sick kids; they are resting and quiet all day…it’s almost like having a day off, but with vomit.

Guess that word!

Callen is almost three and a half now and speaks very clearly for the most part.  He does still have a lot of trouble with one word.  If you can guess what word he saying in the video, you will win a prize!  The prize is a framed picture of Snoopy he colored.  Trust me, this will be worth some money someday...the boy is a natural artist.
And, I'll throw in a $500 gift certificate for Red Star sunglasses.  (I got it for free).
Hint:  He is not saying "Thomas".

Life with the Listening Impaired

What I said:  “We don’t need bananas.”

What Blanton heard:  “We need bananas.”

Result: 26 bananas

What I say:  “Stop picking your nose!”

What Jack hears: “Pick your nose whenever you want…especially when we’re in public.  Oh, and don’t forget to eat it because you know how much I love that.”

What I say:  “Jack, leave Callen alone.  He’s playing quietly in his room so don’t start with him.”

What Jack hears:  “Jack, Callen has been playing quietly and the silence is getting really old.  Please disturb him so much that he gets upset, hits or bites you, thereby setting off a chain reaction for the 10^th time this morning.  It’s been almost 20 minutes since the last time I wanted to violently plunge safely scissors into my ears so my brains slowly leak out and prevent me from hearing all noise except the beating of my own heart.“

What I say: “Hey boys, we’re late.  Get dressed, brush teeth and hair, and let’s get out the door.”

What Jack and Callen hear: “We have all the time in the world.  Does it really matter that Daddy and I paid hard earned money for you to play TBall, soccer, or whatever it is I’m trying to get you ready for?  Yes, take your time.  No really, I enjoy putting so much work into something for you and then having to tell you a million times to get ready for it.  Makes perfect sense.”

What I said: “No, we’re not almost there.”

What Jack and Callen hear:  “No, we’re not almost there, but good news!  We’ll get there faster if you ask me 500 more times.”

What Jack says:  “I’m behaving and Callen’s not, right Mom?”

What Jack means:  “Callen is in trouble and I love every minute of it.”

An interview with the experts

Me: “Why do kids have moms?”
Jack: “The moms are supposed to take care of the sons.”

Me: “How are moms made?”

Jack: “Mommies are made by babies.”

Me: “Why did you get me and not some other Mom?”

Jack: “You’re not allowed to get a different mom when you already have a mom.”

Me: “Why did you get me and not Sydney and Shaylyn’s mom, Tracey?”

Jack:  “Kids are not allowed to trade moms.”

Me: “What was I like as a little girl?”

Jack: “You were very cute. You liked to ride your bike, scooter, run, and all that kind of girl stuff.”

Me: “What did I need to know about Dad before I married him?”

Jack: “You had to do know that he was going to be nice to you and behave to your children.”

Me: “Why did I marry Daddy?

Jack: “You’re supposed to marry when you’re good and because he was so nice to you.”

Me: “Who's the boss at our house?”

Jack: “You and Daddy.”

Callen: “Mommy and Dave.”

Me: “What do I do in my spare time?”

Jack: “Take pictures of me and Callen when we’re being cute and nice.”

Me: “What would it take to make me perfect?”

Jack: “Dress up fancy and go to somewhere nice.”

Me: “If you could change one thing about me as your Mom, what would it be?”

Jack: “When you’re bad I would change your heart into good.”

I was expecting classic "kids say the funniest things" answers but what I got was kind of cute and sweet (except for that last one, which makes me sound like the devil).  Jack was very serious about this interview and considered each question carefully.  Which, again, makes me concerned about that last one.  Apparently, I sometimes have a bad heart and if given a chance he would change it to good.  Ouch!!!

Summer...please be nice to me

Jack just finished up his first year of school so we are now on summer vacation.  I’d be lying if I said that the idea of having to entertain both boys the entire day again isn’t a bit overwhelming.  I did it, of course, before Jack was in school, but now that they’re both older, they require more sophisticated forms of entertainment.  Long gone are the days when Jack would drag his ridiculously large collection of hot wheels out and carefully and methodically send each car down a small ramp.  Looking back, he was a bit obsessive about it and that worried me a bit, but now I miss that kind of calm, quiet play.  Now when we’re at home, the boys are usually arguing, playing together but being too rough, or quietly watching a show or movie.   I limit the amount of time they spend in front to the TV and like to reserve that time for when we all need a break (mainly me).  I’m sure I can’t be the only one who feels this way, but in the morning when I wake up, I know that I have a finite amount of patience.   If I’m not careful, I could use up all of my patience too early in the day and then I have nothing left to get me through bath time and bedtime.  It really is a fine balance and I consider it a huge victory at the end of each day if I have managed to maintain that balance.  That means that I have picked my battles, gotten everyone out for exercise and/ or activities, and that I was able to take them out in public without being “confronted” about the behavior of one of them or someone threatening to call Supernanny.

Anyway, because I worry about how to fill all the hours of the day, here is what I have planned so far the summer:

- they’re both doing the summer reading program at our library which includes story times, movies, and prizes for reading a certain number of books;

- we’ll be going to the gym every possible morning;

- I printed out a list of all the playgrounds in our town and we’ll be visiting all of them and a few big ones in Sacramento;

- the kids on our street will be publishing a weekly newsletter with drawings, jokes, and news about our street;

- they’ll be doing educational workbooks (I’m shooting for daily);

- lots of playdates!

- chores and work around the house;

- gardening;

- trips to kids’ events and places like Fairytale town;

- (your suggestion goes here...please)

Tomorrow, the boys and I will be filling in our calendar for the next week.  My plans always begin with the best intensions but sometimes they don’t work out as I had hoped.  So I’ll be flexible since I’ll need all the patience I can cling to until August 15^th. (74 days from today…shit, I just got freaked out).  I hope with every bone in my body that I can give my boys a fun, active, educational, and ER free summer vacation.  (did you see?  35 days since our last ER visit!)

Side note:  I wrote almost all of this in one shot!!!  My husband bathed and got the boys ready for bed while I was typing away!  Hooray for uninterrupted blocks of time!  Dave, my dog, has been sitting next to me farting the whole time but, you know, gotta take the good with the bad sometimes.