Cool Family Ens

In Which My Kids Do Not Do Cute Things and I Am Not a Super-Parent

Usually things are hunky-dory from this perspective.  This is, after all, a highly edited version of our lives.  The kids look so cute!  And do cute things!  And aren't they adorable!  This had the nice little side effect of implying that - We're super-parents!

I've begun an attempt at posting at least once a week here (lucky you) and am trying to get it started mid-week so I'm not feeling pressured by the week's end.  So here I am at the computer, attempting.  Anna is sleeping.  We've had a full day thus far: visit to the gym, loaded up on new books at the library and registered for the Summer Reading Program.  We've played outside, setting up the tent, whilst I tidied the patio space and they used the hose to wash down... well, pretty much anything I said was ok.  Good times. 

And yet, here it is: Sometimes my kids do not do cute things!  I'm not a super-parent!  And today especially, I'm feeling it.   And writing about it, it would seem.

Molly is flipping my hair and I've already told her three times not to touch the keyboard (saving now...).  There have been two waters spilled and one mouth washed out (not with soap) since I don't want to wait and see where Crayola marker blue saliva ends up.  Newly planted pots have been up ended and the CD liner notes that Jonas loves to follow while we listen to Snacktime was ripped apart by his sister.  Snack has been requested six times in the last hour and I've issued an edict that if anyone asks again THERE WILL BE NO SNACK!  Something I'm sure to regret if they actually force me to follow through, but it speaks to my short fuse.  And last night I found myself SO MAD when Anna woke up crying around midnight, I think I'm finally ready to cut her off at night.  Guess that isn't so nuts: she's almost 14 months.  I'm amazed at myself that it's lasted this long!  But the fact that I felt absolutely no shred of compassion for the night nursing child isn't something I wish to cultivate.   

***

Molly has moved on to entertain herself now.  I will get them popsicles and crackers in a few minutes and get Mr. Mighty Machines to babysit for a bit while I attempt to bring some order to the kitchen and living room. 

I might even gain some perspective soon.  You know, recall that the days are long but the years are short (thanks Gretchen Rubin, for that one).  Know that my kids are a wonder in my life and that spills and clutter aren't the end all and that tape and glue cover a multitude of sins.  Believe that our lives matter today and tomorrow and tomorrow because God says so.  Hope.     

Afternoon Picnic

 

With the weather warming last month we starting taking some more of our living outdoors.  In this case, it was afternoon snack time in the shade. 



The kids spent at least a part of their day outside.  They LOVE being able to take their bikes out front and play around the cul-de-sac; it's even better if the neighbour kids are about, too.

Playing in the front yard means I need to keep a closer eye on things, so I'm quite happy to have them (read: make them) stick to the back yard a lot as well; this works fantastically when I'm trying to do something like cook dinner and having them entertained in the backyard is preferable to underfoot in the kitchen. 

They like the sandbox and the blow-up pool.  Anna is keen on getting into the dirt in the lettuce and herb containers and also loves sitting in the chariot.  We've learned that Molly is scared of "spiders" which are usually ants.  Jonas shows her how to dispatch them.  Jonas has also taken to spending a lot of time with balls and maybe the bat and I'm almost daily asked to play catch or soccer or something of the sort.  Soccer would have been great for him this year but we missed the boat for the local league, though we just learned that we can do a shorter session through the City so that may be in his future. 

The weather this Spring has been much milder than we are accustomed to; I've been much slower getting into the habit of using sunscreen and hats with the kids since their hasn't been the same heat and sun demanding it like it has in the past.  Tomorrow we're going to a community picnic event (Mother Goose Celebration) at a local park but with showers called for, I'm wondering how much fun we'll have... or maybe it's just me.  Good thing Starbucks is a sponser.  ;)

 

Bookworms

One afternoon last month I realized things were rather quiet.  A quick check on the kids had the two older ones engrossed in books while Anna was playing by them.

Anna really likes "I Kissed the Baby."  She's always lit up when we read it to her, and a couple of months ago I noticed that at the last page, "Quack, quack, quack," she would move her mouth up and down, mimicking the sound.  Within a few weeks she had some tentative sounds - her attempts at 'quacks.'  :)

 

A Little Off the Top

Two weeks ago the boys had their haircuts.  This time around, Jonas requested that his hair be trimmed as short as Chris's.  We had no objections so...

BEFORE:

and

AFTER -I
AFTER - II
The two guys sporting their new(ish) looks.  As Jonas says now when he sees them," Bald!"