I almost had a child free night last night. Brady spent the night with a friend and Belle made last minute arrangements to spend the night with a friend of hers. So Bryce and I made the best of it. We went to KFC for supper and stopped by Wal-Mart before coming home. Since it was just he and I, ice cream seemed to be the perfect ending to a night of just us. We came home to watch some tv, with him controlling the computer a good part of the evening.
At 1 am, I received a call from Belle. She wanted to come home. I didn't ask questions, got directions to the house (I knew who had her and the child's grandmother lives a block over but she was at mom's house, about ten minutes away), and went to wake Bryce. Bryce is not a sound sleeper by any means. He hates the dark and was upset when I told him he couldn't sleep in my bed. As harsh as that sounds, he's ten years old and the last thing I need is a thrashing ten year old as big as I am in my bed. When I went in there to wake him, it didn't take much. He immediately sit up in bed while I explained Belle wanted me to come get her and I needed him to get up. He came down out of his bed, put on the clothes I gave him, all while talking like he had been having a complete conversation with me. A conversation that began in his dreams and I just received the end of it. Walking down the hallway, he proceeded to talk.
"Mom, why are squirrels called squirrels?"
"Ya got me, hun. Get in the car."
Now at the end of our hallway you have two options. You can walk straight into our living room or walk through a doorway into the kitchen leading to the carport. The boy was still so half-asleep, that even though I had told him to get in the car and having him put on his coat, he stilled walked into the middle of the living room and stopped.
"Bryce, car is this way."
"Oh, yeah."
I did manage to get him in the car, where he talked non-stop from the time we left until we got home and him back to bed. Belle is trying to come down with a sinus thing, I think, which led to a stomachache and her wanting to come home. She's missing a basketball game this afternoon in order to start feeling better, hopefully. Now to keep everyone else from catching it.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Friday, January 4, 2008
Unhappy Baby
The baby decided he needed some quality time this afternoon while I was waiting for Bryce and Belle to come home from school (Brady is going home with a friend). Because my knee is nice and bruised (but better, no swelling) and because I'm wearing my fitting jeans and not my fat jeans, I can not bend my knee to keep my foot flat on the floor. Taut jeans cause the knee to scream bloody murder and I have to abide by it's wishes to keep jeans loose. So I had my legs stretched out and feet crossed. He repositioned himself at least 3 times to keep from sliding down my legs. He was not happy. Thursday, January 3, 2008
Slow Going and Proud Parenting
Today is a slow going day. After last night's tooth incident, I got the kids to bed and settled down into my time. Read - my computer time. I had to wait for Bryce to go to sleep so that the tooth fairy could sweep in and leave him treasure in exchange for one broken molar. He swears he heard her and I don't doubt that for a second seeing as he almost caught her! He turned over right after I put the envelope holding the money where he had left it. He sleeps on top bunk so I cringed as far as I could under the bottom so not to be seen and not disturb Brady. This morning he talked of how he heard a wing sound after I shut the door checking on them, so in reality I was busted, he just didn't know it. Sleep mixed up events in his mind so that he remembers them but not in the order they occurred. I got lucky!
Back to my original topic though, at one point during my computer time I got up and went to my room. I still had my shoes on where I had driven to my parents house and I went to brush my teeth to get ready for bed. I had Hubby on the phone, left my bedroom, only to step on one of Belle's many headbands. Headbands slide very well across wood floors, almost like roller blades. I went for a ride. I don't remember the events leading up to ending up on the floor but I do remember the stars I saw when my knee hit her bedroom door frame. The frame with 2x4's behind it. The frame that does not give. That frame. Eventually, I managed to get up, limp to the living room and remove my shoes so that I could finish getting ready for bed. I did my night time routine of letting the dogs out, shutting down the computer, checking the locks, and playing tooth fairy (no I hadn't done this yet, the noise of my falling was part of what stirred him before I got there). I changed clothes to find this enormous red mark on my knee cap and thought about the nice bruise I was going to have today. Sleep was not good. When I first laid down, I hit every position possible to find a place that it would stop hurting. Or not even stop hurting but to ease the pain that started when I got in bed. Eventually I just stopped moving and it finally stopped throbbing.
But I was cold. So cold I was literally shivering and my teeth chattering. Even with the electric blanket turned on and up to 2 (which I seldom have it higher than low). Have a fresh injury and a case of the shivers? I don't recommend it. It is very hard to let the rest of your body shiver and keep the injured limb from joining in. I finally dozed off well after 1am until about 3, only to doze again until the alarm went off. The electric blanket I had on 2?? It was what woke me at three when I realized I was starting to suffocate. But I didn't want to risk the pain in my knee so I sweat it out.
This morning I woke to find my knee swollen. It's not a terrible swelling but noticeable. I can walk on it gently, but I will not be doing any squatting any time in the near future. I can bend it just enough to take steps but anymore than that and it throbs. I put the kids on the bus and took a two hour nap, catching up on some that I missed last night.
Bryce also had to start his lunch last night, as he opted to take it today. He asked if he could take a carrot in his lunch, which is perfectly fine, but I told him he couldn't put it in his box until this morning. So I cut it up last night and left it in water so that I could pack it up this morning. He informed me that he was taking carrots instead of cookies today. I'm so proud! Not only did I not have any cookies anyway, but he made a healthy choice and wanted carrots instead. It's enough to make any parents heart swell.
Back to my original topic though, at one point during my computer time I got up and went to my room. I still had my shoes on where I had driven to my parents house and I went to brush my teeth to get ready for bed. I had Hubby on the phone, left my bedroom, only to step on one of Belle's many headbands. Headbands slide very well across wood floors, almost like roller blades. I went for a ride. I don't remember the events leading up to ending up on the floor but I do remember the stars I saw when my knee hit her bedroom door frame. The frame with 2x4's behind it. The frame that does not give. That frame. Eventually, I managed to get up, limp to the living room and remove my shoes so that I could finish getting ready for bed. I did my night time routine of letting the dogs out, shutting down the computer, checking the locks, and playing tooth fairy (no I hadn't done this yet, the noise of my falling was part of what stirred him before I got there). I changed clothes to find this enormous red mark on my knee cap and thought about the nice bruise I was going to have today. Sleep was not good. When I first laid down, I hit every position possible to find a place that it would stop hurting. Or not even stop hurting but to ease the pain that started when I got in bed. Eventually I just stopped moving and it finally stopped throbbing.
But I was cold. So cold I was literally shivering and my teeth chattering. Even with the electric blanket turned on and up to 2 (which I seldom have it higher than low). Have a fresh injury and a case of the shivers? I don't recommend it. It is very hard to let the rest of your body shiver and keep the injured limb from joining in. I finally dozed off well after 1am until about 3, only to doze again until the alarm went off. The electric blanket I had on 2?? It was what woke me at three when I realized I was starting to suffocate. But I didn't want to risk the pain in my knee so I sweat it out.
This morning I woke to find my knee swollen. It's not a terrible swelling but noticeable. I can walk on it gently, but I will not be doing any squatting any time in the near future. I can bend it just enough to take steps but anymore than that and it throbs. I put the kids on the bus and took a two hour nap, catching up on some that I missed last night.
Bryce also had to start his lunch last night, as he opted to take it today. He asked if he could take a carrot in his lunch, which is perfectly fine, but I told him he couldn't put it in his box until this morning. So I cut it up last night and left it in water so that I could pack it up this morning. He informed me that he was taking carrots instead of cookies today. I'm so proud! Not only did I not have any cookies anyway, but he made a healthy choice and wanted carrots instead. It's enough to make any parents heart swell.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Clarification
According to Hubby, I make him sound like he doesn't do anything around the house. Apparently, he's missed some of my previous posts (understandably) that mentions that he is gone during the week and usually only has one or two days home on the weekend. While he does end up with a honey-do list, it is mostly because I get a wild idea that I would like to do but need his help (usually). Moving the boys beds was one of those ideas. I needed him to move their bunk bed because it is so heavy I can't move it an inch. Rearranging the living room is another one of those ideas but requires Hubby to climb under the house and move a cord so I have put that on the back burner. I was grateful for being able to go to bed one night, without any of the responsibilities that I do all week when he's gone. To have someone else put the kids to bed, because they almost always want Mom to do it when he's home. To not have to worry about locking the doors and turning off all the lights. It was nice to have a break.
Life with Kids and More
Living with the kids always leaves us with surprises. Bryce can't tolerate pain. He has amazing physical strength for a boy his age, but if he stumps his toe the world can come to an end. He's had a cracked baby tooth that was loose, but wouldn't let anyone pull it. Tonight, he bumped it with his toothbrush and it had to come out. I can not pull teeth. Uh no. So I told him to do it. No go. I asked him to let his sister do it (since she's pulled out most of hers). Nope. So I drove him 15 miles to let Papaw pull it. It came out in under 30 seconds.
Unfortunately, that threw my night completely off. I had Brady in the tub by 6pm. I told Bryce to get in at 6:30 (which led to the teeth brushing and so on.) It was after 8 before I got Belle to take a bath, and it had to be a bath because Brady had a bath. Then Bryce had to have a bath as well. While he was in the tub, I could hear him with a full wicked laugh. I went to the bathroom to get the cat because Zeus loves to play with water, but hates to be in it. Kids in the tub is the same as play time for him. I walk in the bathroom and found the cat in the middle of the floor with a wet tail. He never realizes that his tail is getting wet when it is hanging in the tub while he's sitting on the side. Not only is his tail wet, but he's running around in a circle chasing the darn thing trying to catch it. Bryce is laughing in the tub so hard that he slips backwards in the tub (he was sitting) and fell back into the water. He didn't go under water but that had him laughing that much harder. I finally grabbed the cat so that Bryce would finish his bath.
I have done well with my resolution to keep my patience today. I managed to hold onto it throughout the tooth incident. I didn't get to finish my laundry room though, mainly because I had to finish cleaning up the boys room where we rearranged last night at bed time. I got their room finished, including putting their clothes in their new chest we got last weekend. I did manage to clean off a shelf in my laundry room today, too, and loaded the stuff into a box to be put into the attic so the day is not a total loss. I got through three loads of clothes today, about to start my fourth, and I finished my dishes! I have a bad habit of leaving them in the sink until tomorrow but tonight after supper I loaded the dishwasher and finished washing the ones that wouldn't fit. I'm so proud of myself! I've kept up for two days, let see if I can make it three!
Unfortunately, that threw my night completely off. I had Brady in the tub by 6pm. I told Bryce to get in at 6:30 (which led to the teeth brushing and so on.) It was after 8 before I got Belle to take a bath, and it had to be a bath because Brady had a bath. Then Bryce had to have a bath as well. While he was in the tub, I could hear him with a full wicked laugh. I went to the bathroom to get the cat because Zeus loves to play with water, but hates to be in it. Kids in the tub is the same as play time for him. I walk in the bathroom and found the cat in the middle of the floor with a wet tail. He never realizes that his tail is getting wet when it is hanging in the tub while he's sitting on the side. Not only is his tail wet, but he's running around in a circle chasing the darn thing trying to catch it. Bryce is laughing in the tub so hard that he slips backwards in the tub (he was sitting) and fell back into the water. He didn't go under water but that had him laughing that much harder. I finally grabbed the cat so that Bryce would finish his bath.
I have done well with my resolution to keep my patience today. I managed to hold onto it throughout the tooth incident. I didn't get to finish my laundry room though, mainly because I had to finish cleaning up the boys room where we rearranged last night at bed time. I got their room finished, including putting their clothes in their new chest we got last weekend. I did manage to clean off a shelf in my laundry room today, too, and loaded the stuff into a box to be put into the attic so the day is not a total loss. I got through three loads of clothes today, about to start my fourth, and I finished my dishes! I have a bad habit of leaving them in the sink until tomorrow but tonight after supper I loaded the dishwasher and finished washing the ones that wouldn't fit. I'm so proud of myself! I've kept up for two days, let see if I can make it three!
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
A New Look
With the new year I had to have a new design. This will not be the last design because I love to create something new and different. Different colors, different shapes, different titles...the possibilities are endless. Do I add pictures of the kids? Do I make themes for the seasons? Let me know what you think of the new look and if I should change anything.
I've also been thinking about what to do about the kids names (Hubby dreads it when I start thinking about things.) The more I use " " the more I hate it. So I think I'm just going to give them different alias's altogether. Oldest son will now be referred to as Bryce, Daughter will be Belle, and Youngest son will be Brady. I think that way they can be perceived as a real person and not a letter.
We did not do any of the traditional New Years traditions. We didn't cook anything that supposed to bring good luck or prosperity, mainly because not one person in this house will eat it. Hubby will eat turnip greens, Belle and I eat black-eyed peas, and the only way everyone will eat cabbage is in cole slaw. Hubby and I will eat fried cabbage, but honestly that's a pain to make and as for hog jowl, what's that? I may be borderline southern but I'm not that southern. We had our own fun. We introduced the kids to the Karate Kid movies. They only saw the first two but that was more than enough. We picked up a new Life game and spent this evening having family game time and then had taco's for supper. School starts tomorrow so that meant for an early bedtime.
Also, Belle decided a couple of weeks ago that she wanted to rearrange her room. She couldn't wait for Hubby and me to get to it, so she started moving things herself and I helped finish it up. So her new year started out with a "new" room. I took that and ran with it today when I talked Hubby into moving the boys bunk beds to a different wall. They are starting with a "new" room this year.
Hopefully, by the end of the week, I will have straightened up the house. By straightened I mean uncluttered. I have hit the point that I'm tired of the clutter and the mess. I worked a bit today on my laundry room and hope to finish it by tomorrow afternoon.
Did y'all do anything special today? Any yearly traditions you follow through with? I'd love to hear from ya!
I've also been thinking about what to do about the kids names (Hubby dreads it when I start thinking about things.) The more I use " " the more I hate it. So I think I'm just going to give them different alias's altogether. Oldest son will now be referred to as Bryce, Daughter will be Belle, and Youngest son will be Brady. I think that way they can be perceived as a real person and not a letter.
We did not do any of the traditional New Years traditions. We didn't cook anything that supposed to bring good luck or prosperity, mainly because not one person in this house will eat it. Hubby will eat turnip greens, Belle and I eat black-eyed peas, and the only way everyone will eat cabbage is in cole slaw. Hubby and I will eat fried cabbage, but honestly that's a pain to make and as for hog jowl, what's that? I may be borderline southern but I'm not that southern. We had our own fun. We introduced the kids to the Karate Kid movies. They only saw the first two but that was more than enough. We picked up a new Life game and spent this evening having family game time and then had taco's for supper. School starts tomorrow so that meant for an early bedtime.
Also, Belle decided a couple of weeks ago that she wanted to rearrange her room. She couldn't wait for Hubby and me to get to it, so she started moving things herself and I helped finish it up. So her new year started out with a "new" room. I took that and ran with it today when I talked Hubby into moving the boys bunk beds to a different wall. They are starting with a "new" room this year.
Hopefully, by the end of the week, I will have straightened up the house. By straightened I mean uncluttered. I have hit the point that I'm tired of the clutter and the mess. I worked a bit today on my laundry room and hope to finish it by tomorrow afternoon.
Did y'all do anything special today? Any yearly traditions you follow through with? I'd love to hear from ya!
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