Well after the hectic morning I had, I am now sitting alone on my couch while my babe is asleep. There is no one else here... what? My husband is being an amazing daddy today and taking the two big ones to the Backyardigans and dinner out! What a treat (for them, and me). I can't remember lately the last time I had this amount of time to myself. It's odd to send them away on these exciting little outings and miss out, but I'm happy for a small break. I am just imagining the sounds of their giggles and screams and all the excitement and fun they will enjoy tonight. I do wish I was with them. My 2 year old cutely told me as she left that "Tasha and Uniquia are waiting for me". I could honestly just squeeze the cuteness out of her when I hear things like that which remind me she is still a sweet 2 year old. I'm so glad I have them. Tomorrow will likely be filled with stories of their night on repeat, so I can look forward to that! For now, I better figure out what to do before my babe is awake! Have a great night!

And breaaathe

Wake up. Pick up baby and give a kiss. Put baby down. Use bathroom. Kids follow me to bathroom. 4 year old has been awake for an hour and wants to tell me everything he has thought of in that hour. 2 year old is hungry. Baby just wants to party. And scream. Leave bathroom. 2 year old is still hungry. Baby needs diaper changed and is following me to kitchen. I open the blinds. 2 year old is STILL hungry. Baby is also hungry and wants to be held. Quickly pay bills. Put on music for kids. Change babies diaper. Feed baby. Make breakfast, which is interrupted by my 2 year old again telling me she is hungry. Hold on child, I am making breakfast. Put baby in high chair, get food and let him eat. Get big kids food. 4 year old spills his milk. I instruct him to get a towel and clean it up. He does. They want more. I still haven't sat down. Get another pancake on each plate, make my own and sit. 2 year is now thirsty, which means I have to get up and get water jug which i left in the kitchen. I ask her to wait so I can finish eating. She tells me she's thirsty. I think I heard and answered her the first time? I get up and retrieve a drink for my child who sounds like a broken record. Fill her cup, and fill mine. Kids finish eating and go play. I get up and start sweeping the floor so my baby can't eat breakfast leftovers and anything else left behind i haven't noticed. In the middle of sweeping 2 year old tells me she needs to poo. After 3 times trying to understand, I finally hear her say she pooed (past tense). Oh no. I set broom down and run to the bathroom. No poo in the toilet, instead it's in her pants. Gross. Baby is in the bathroom and 2 year old is wondering what to do. Poo is now down her pants. Take pants off, rinse them off, and set aside. Put 2 year old in bathtub and wash. Remove 2 year old from tub, send to fetch clothes. Wash baby's hands. Take baby out of bathroom so I can clean bathtub. Baby is now back in bathroom standing against bathtub. Remove baby again so I can finish washing. Call 2 year old back to trim finger nails. Wash her hands. Repeat with 4 year old and baby. Baby HATES having his nails trimmed so I invite two remaining kids back to distract him. Finish, wash my own hands for the 50th time so far today. Remove dirty laundry from bathroom and close the door. Return to kitchen to find a pile of dirt I had to abandon to help my 2 year in bathroom. Baby is now crawling towards it as though I have centered it all in one convenient place for him to find. Quickly push him away and finish sweeping so he doens't eat dirt. Put broom away. Look up at clock. It is 11am. What?? Baby is not tired, but needs clean clothes. Change baby and sit down to nurse. Baby falls asleep. Put baby in bed. Kids want me to play. I'm not sure I have sat down yet at all this morning. Time for kids to go outside. Dress older kids, send outside. They continue to come back inside. I send them back. They come back. I see a yellow lego come flying in from outside. Door closes. I tell my kids if they door opens again I will lock it. Next thing I hear is my 2 year old screaming from outside. I remind her that if our neighbors hear they will probably call the police. She stops screaming. I sit down, have a sip of my coffee and the door opens again. My 4 year old wants me to come outside now. I tell him I will come soon. I close door and lock it this time. And breeaaathe. Timem for 5 minutes to have conversation with a friend before I go outside and see my childrens ice sculpture. How has your day been so far?

The Sound of Silence

Hello! I feel as though I've been slightly disconnected from here, avoiding the task of writing, while my head swirls a bunch of ideas around. The truth is, most days I feel like I hardly have time to sit and think for 5 minutes uninterrupted. At least until my kids go to bed at night, by which time I am also usually ready for bed!! I am finding as my youngest gets older, the days only become busier. I'm sure any parent can relate to that, as one little body becomes more mobile and vocal all at once, I am in a constant state of movement, ears wide open, hands ready to help. It can be quite exhausting. Amidst all of the ordinary things that I am to help with during the day, I am taking my entourage around town trying to connect to the right places to discover what this little locale has to offer us. The beauty of a small town is people want to put you where you can be connected, and become a part of the community. I met a very helpful lady today who, if her friend had been there, would have introduced us, and probably even payed for us to go for coffee. She was that excited that us two newbies might meet each other and become friends. I have enjoyed the simpleness of our everyday, however the days seems to go by much quicker. I am appreciating that I can sit in the kitchen and have deep conversation with my husband, which can last longer than 2 minutes without interruption. We talk more, that's a good thing. I love that we have time to play as a family outside and build a snowman, and the kids can enjoy that we've taken the time to create those types of memories. We are in a way forced to be at home together, as in winter it's dark earlier, but also most places are closed earlier. So some nights we take a drive and talk, and enjoy that we can do that too. All of that said, it has been an incredibly hectic few weeks as we are trying to tie up some things back in the city. With another busy weekend ahead, I can't say yet when it will be fully settled, but for now I am enjoying this incredible quiet sound brimming in my ears! Naptime, all of the kids at once!! However your week is unfolding, I hope you are able to enjoy some moments of silence....have a great week!

Trust: When to Let Go

One thing I have considered since moving to a much smaller town is whether I will find it easier or harder to en-trust my kids to someone else's care. I am basically a permanent stay at home parent (until somehow that changes), and we have rarely left our kids with anyone, aside from our own parents. Regardless how close or how friendly someone may be, we have always felt more comfortable having each of our kids with us, and have learned to do pretty much anything with the plan that they will come along. Grocery shopping with 3 kids: check. Coffee date with 3 kids: check. Night away with 3 kids: check. Some may laugh, but I happily identify with the "attachment parenting" label, and have no plan to change that. This is the time in my life where I prepare to either send my oldest to public school or keep him home with me. In one year, depending on what is officially decided he may be off to school with many other kids and not at home where he has always been. I don't have much against public school, that's how I was educated growing up. Since growing up though, and becoming a mom, there are certain things which make me want to educate my kids otherwise, which I will not get into tonight. Back to the trust thing. People here are really friendly, which I totally appreciate and enjoy coming from a big city. There is an openness here that you don't get in a metropolis where people wonder why they haven't met you and want to know your name. They're excited we're here and want to know us. I'm not sure what it is that makes me want to doubt that I can trust them. Not everybody, but some and while I know most people are genuinely friendly and wouldn't harm a fly, I feel fiercly protective of my kids from people that I do not know. Would I want my kids alone with them? Should I let my kids get close to them? What boundaries are appropriate? I don't know exactly what has caused me to build my guard higher here, but I suppose more than anything it's my responsibility to protect my kids and screen anyone who thinks or assumes they have a right to any time with them. That's my prerogative, no? I'm sure there will come a time when my kids get older where they might actually be the ones to force me to let go a little, and allow them to use their own judgment when it comes to relationships, but for now I have 3 young ones who require me to be the protective eagle mother and use my distictive mother instinct for their benefit. Just something that's taken up some space in my head the last little while. How do you educate your kids on relationships, and boundaries? How do you deal with trust when it comes to protecting your kids? I would love to know your thoughts.