I was doing so well posting at the beginning of the month, and then…
Life.
That’s a good thing, though. This living life.
Eating yummy food. Exercising. Doing lessons. Watching the boys swim. Chasing Lola around. Playing cards with friends.
Speaking of Lola. Heaven help me. She has officially hit the ‘can’t let her out of my sight’ phase. I mean, she always has been there to an extent, but she has taken it to a whole new level lately.
After three crazy, curious, loud, active boys, I was hoping to get a bit of a reprieve this time around. Yeah…no.
She gets into everything in a split second. And she goes for the good stuff. Medicine. Permanent markers. The fish tank.
She loves writing…on furniture. I have not a speck of house not decorated with Lola’s signature. She got the lid off the Benedryl a couple days ago. (I don’t think we ever called poison control on the boys. We have for her—a few times.) I found a pair of scissors and two trains in the boys’ fish tank. The list goes on and on.
She strips her clothes. She opens the deadbolt.
I have the bathroom door, school room door, and our bedroom door locked. There is a gate into the kitchen. The boys have to come ask me to use the bathroom. I’ve run into the bedroom door while in a hurry to put laundry away or some such errand.
And still she gets into mischief.
Combined with a son who cannot seem to do any school work independently and yet is distracted by peeling paint—we have a situation.
No, she doesn’t sit in her highchair. Yes, she climbs out of a playpen.
Anything I give her that is interesting enough to keep her attention also steals the boys’ attention (in fact it is extraordinarily difficult to keep her attention and a very simple thing to distract the boys). And I have to parent/teach them all in the same room.
This is a season. This is a season. This is a season. This is a season. This is a season. (Have I convinced myself yet?)
In other life news, the boys had a swim meet. Russ, Levi, and Luke competed. I realized that it might not be too long before we have five family members competing for the team. (I will content myself with being a swim mom. Someone has to keep track of the heat sheet.) Lola is ready for that time to be NOW. She kept saying “fwim” and moving her arms.
Here is Luke doing the 25 Back (he’s in lane 3, no swim cap):
And here is Levi doing the 50 Breast:
Luke was sick. Then Lola. Then Leif. And now I’m fighting something off. I’d just like to crawl under my electric blanket and stay there for the rest of January.
It has been so cold and gray around here. I feel like I’m living in a gothic novel. I’d like a day above 35 degrees, but least we aren’t shoveling snow.
What’s the weather like where you live?
What’s the view out your window?
How is your January going?
Hi Heidi :-) Had to laugh at the boy's distraction by peeling paint...My ten year old fits that description and he's the one I have to "camp out" with during school. I keep telling myself that when he's grown and out of the house I will have fond memories of being with him. Unfortunately I often am sitting there gritting my teeth looking at the clock while he figures out a simple math problem! lol. It's been gray here in the Tri cities too but no snow :-) I'm ready for Spring :-) Have a fabuless week! Melody W.
ReplyDeleteI love your blog. It always is the right combo for me of inspiration to do more and laughter at what life with littles is like. Thanks for both!
ReplyDeleteI'm in WA so my window looks much like yours.
Just today I was having some spring longing. Though that often just means rain.....so maybe summer is what I really want!
Hi, Heidi! I've followed your blog for a while, and it always lifts my spirits! Such an inspiration for homeschooling, and I love to laugh along with you at the kid stories. We have a Lola, too, only he's my 15 month old boy. (youngest of 4 kids.) We too have locked doors, gates in several places, etc. He broke our kitchen cabinet last week (as in hanging from a corner) after we changed the child safety lock. Yeah...he figured out how to work the first "child proof" lock, so we got a different kind thinking it would keep him out. Ha! Hang in there! :)
ReplyDeleteOh, and we're in Texas, so our days are crazy "warm" here for January...high 60s today. Oddly, I find myself wishing for more winter like weather. Not crazy blizzard conditions...just winter enough that we can wear a sweater for longer than a day. ;)
Thanks for sharing through your wonderful blog!
Angel G.
Oh my. Totally commisserating, over here. My fifth, a two-year old, is the most delightful nightmare around. He has left the house, climbed over the back fence, lathered himself in handsoap and conditioner, and wrecked the springs on the bottom of our couch. If this house survives him, it will be an act of God. And yet, God gave him to us. I think for the most part to have a good old belly laugh at our fumbling attempts to parent this little dynamo, but also to teach us a few things. I hope we learn well before another kid comes along!
ReplyDeleteI think I'm raising Lola's twin. We have three older girls and I never had to call poison control before this child, there is no surface or book she hasn't written in or on, and she still manages to be so cute she has us all wrapped around her finger. It takes all of us to watch her and save her from herself.
ReplyDeleteI'm currently expecting our first boy. I was kind of hoping he'd be easier. ;)
Such a fun post on life. We have been experiencing a lot of fog here in Washington State but occasionally it lifts and brings with it a beautiful sunset. January has been...hope-filled for me. And for that I am grateful.
ReplyDeleteIcy blue mountains and sheets of snow out my window. Celebrating that it's "warm" enough to be in the upper 20s and low 30s, because my garage is piled with junk and I love when I don't have to scrape (much) ice off our vehicle. :) Chugging along with my first year of homeschooling our oldest child- who is also demanding of my attention and could be distracted by peeling paint. Giggling (but very sympathetically!) about Lola's antics because I have been there and lived to tell about it (you will too, hang in there). Love your blog! Next year I'll be homeschooling all 3 of our boys and I'll be reminding myself that you've been there and lived to tell about it. Ha!
ReplyDeletePS- attended a local CC info meeting. Steered wrong by google maps, arrived late, set off someone's asthma with my perfume, rambunctious son begged for Angry Birds whole time, came home to realize he was wearing pants with split in crotch and no underwear... Life. LOL
Icy blue mountains and sheets of snow out my window. Celebrating that it's "warm" enough to be in the upper 20s and low 30s, because my garage is piled with junk and I love when I don't have to scrape (much) ice off our vehicle. :) Chugging along with my first year of homeschooling our oldest child- who is also demanding of my attention and could be distracted by peeling paint. Giggling (but very sympathetically!) about Lola's antics because I have been there and lived to tell about it (you will too, hang in there). Love your blog! Next year I'll be homeschooling all 3 of our boys and I'll be reminding myself that you've been there and lived to tell about it. Ha!
ReplyDeletePS- attended a local CC info meeting. Steered wrong by google maps, arrived late, set off someone's asthma with my perfume, rambunctious son begged for Angry Birds whole time, came home to realize he was wearing pants with split in crotch and no underwear... Life. LOL
Icy blue mountains and sheets of snow out my window. Celebrating that it's "warm" enough to be in the upper 20s and low 30s, because my garage is piled with junk and I love when I don't have to scrape (much) ice off our vehicle. :) Chugging along with my first year of homeschooling our oldest child- who is also demanding of my attention and could be distracted by peeling paint. Giggling (but very sympathetically!) about Lola's antics because I have been there and lived to tell about it (you will too, hang in there). Love your blog! Next year I'll be homeschooling all 3 of our boys and I'll be reminding myself that you've been there and lived to tell about it. Ha!
ReplyDeletePS- attended a local CC info meeting. Steered wrong by google maps, arrived late, set off someone's asthma with my perfume, rambunctious son begged for Angry Birds whole time, came home to realize he was wearing pants with split in crotch and no underwear... Life. LOL
I just wanted to share this website...
ReplyDeleteIt shares 5 ways to keep kids busy while you're on the phone, or folding laundry, or using the potty... You get the picture. Hope it helps...someone!
http://www.kidspot.com.au/kids-activities-and-games/Activity%20ideas+30/5-ways-to-keep-your-kids-busy-while-you-talk-on-the-phone+11983.htm
Melody