Like any adventure being a Mom is chalk full of moments that can take my breath away. Sometimes it's because I'm avoiding the aroma of stinky feet or a dirty diaper, other times it's a slice of amazing only kids can bring that leaves me staring in awe. My rollercoaster life raising 6, soon to be 7 kids can be chaotic at times, but embracing the insanity is half the fun.

Friday, October 26, 2007

A day in the life- kid funnies

My kids are a handful,...to say the least,..but they also crack me up on a daily basis. Yesterday ofcourse was no different. They've been out of school and I think they are getting stir crazy so I've been keeping them busy with cleaning and packing and playing. It's been a little crazy around here but they don't seem to be too bothered.

Some of the stuff my kids said to me in just ONE day LOL (thought I'd share)

Alex to me after I told him he had to clean up the dog poop as a chore. "You are NOT my friend today"

Gabi to me when we were cleaning her room together..." Why do you have to work at home and at work, and dad just has to work at work?"

While looking at a book on animals Jalynn asked me what a specific animal was,... I looked at the picture she was pointing to and told her "that's a llama." She got the ugliest look on her face and said, "We eat llamas?" i replied, "no, most people don't eat llamas, they are used for their fur." her reply. "But we eat llamas all the time when you make chicken pot pie." my reply "No, that's chicken." her reply "hu uh, we eat llamas." my reply "why do you think that?" Her reply, "Those little green things I hate,...the Llama beans"

I had left over gift boxes from my baby shower, inside was m&m.s I've been giving the kids some as rewards when they do something especially nice etc. Well yesterday I realized the M&M's were gone just as I was going to give some to Alex. His response to his siblings. ...."Ok, which one of you chocoholics ate all the freakin candy?"

I laid down for a bit yesterday because I needed to rest. I told the kids the baby was restless and i needed to try to get her to sleep so that i could have a break. I proceeded to rub my tummy and close my eyes. Jalynn crawled up on the bed beside me and I could feel her staring at me. I opened my eyes and asked her what she needed. She tilted her head to one side and asked,... "When the baby's born, how will you get her to sleep then? Will you have a pocket like a kangaroo?"

The kids were playing uno together and ofcourse bickering and fighting. Everytime Alex would play a draw card he would ofcourse shout out "BooYA!!" Pretty soon Jeremy came running in his hands over his chest and a huge frown on his face. "MOM!! Why do I have to have brothers and sisters? I wanna be the lonely child!"

While packing up the girls summer clothes Jalynn sat down on a little yellow chair we've had since Kirstan was a baby. When Jalynn first came to live with us she was three and couldn't even touch the floor when she sat in it. I looked at her and smiled . "Good grief girl, I think you've grown a foot." She looked down at her feet and laughed at me. "No mom, I still only have two."
I was going through some old stuff in a box and came across a postcard from a friend with a picture of Jesus. i walked away to do something and Gabi came up tome all excited. "Mommy, do you know Jesus?" I answered, "Yes, I do." Then she held up the postcard. "And he let you take his picture? Cool!!!"

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

6 Things NOT to Say To Me When I'm Pregnant

SIX Things NOT to do or say to me when I’m pregnant

1. NEVER "beep" as I am backing up to pull a chair out at a restaurant.

2. NEVER hand me one of your XL shirts and say "Maybe THIS will fit" as I am dressing to go out.

3. Never draw me a bubble bath with only two inches of water and then state "well, I didn't want it to overflow when you got in".

4. Tell me that there is an "extension" for my seatbelt that you can purchase for just 19.99 on some infomercial he saw on late night TV.

5. NEVER say, "do we need to sit at a table, you won't fit into that booth" at my favorite hamburger place.

6. And the final one is....... "I think my MOM might have some dresses that will fit you"!!

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

I Promise (a letter to my unborn child)

I Promise: An Open Letter to my precious GreenleeDear Greenlee~You're resting quietly inside my tummy, just an hour ago you were tossing and turning and karate chopping me. I've been thinking about you a lot and reading through old journal pages I wrote when your biggest sister was living in the very same small apartment that you are in now. You should thank Kirstan, because she's already taught me so much about how to mother better than any book has.Here's some lessons I learned, and promises I make to you now.

~I promise to hold you and cuddle you and shower you with kisses.

~I promise my best to give you everything you need.

~I promise to hold you close and sing to you sweet lullabyes.

~I promise to remember that babies are only toddlers for a little while, and to say "no" less and simply distract you more.

~I promise whenever you are cranky and in a funk I will try to imagine what it's like in your little world at that moment. I will remember that you've only been here a few hundred days, and it's perfectly reasonable to be awfully, awfully upset that wonderful tasting pennies, crayons, or dirt are continually snatched away.

~I promise to remember that I have no right to treat you any worse than I would a stranger on the street. I will be sympathetic and use manners with you, because you deserve that more than anyone I know.

~I promise at least once a day to get down on the floor and be a total idiot with you.

~I promise to celebrate your voice and let you hoot like a monkey, shriek like a banshee and be a happy goofball like the rest of us. I'll make sure to happily distract you with quiet fun if we're not someplace that would appreciate the wounded coyote song, but I'll make sure to do it in such a fun way that you really won't mind.

~I promise to talk to you a lot, to point out everything in our world and remember how new and exciting it all is. I promise we won't just read Victoria's books, but ones just for you too.

~I promise to teach you how to be the kind of child and person who people will love to be around. I will have high standards for you, but never too high to attain.

~I promise to teach you how to find your own happiness so you never need more men, money, or friends to find joy in life.

~I promise to always give you time where it's just the two of us.~I promise to be honest with you. I won't sugar-coat the world but I will also always let you know that you have a lot of people who treasure you and they will always help keep you safe. I promise not to forget, when you're old enough, to teach you how to stay safe -- even though I don't want to admit you could ever need it.

~I promise to always put a little magic in your life.

~I promise that sometimes I'll love you so much it makes me cry, and that no matter how old you are I will still sneak looks at you while you're sleeping, playing and living life. I promise that there will always be people who love you so much it's amazing, and we will be there for you no matter what.

~I promise that even if you don't want it, I'm going to hound you and your siblings and make you value each other. They are the greatest gift I've given you outside of life and love.

~I promise to never stop reading parenting magazines and books, talking to mothers, and listening to my heart so that I grow as a mother.

~I promise to realize that you have to make your own mistakes sometimes and it's not my job to protect you so much that you never experience life. I'll do my best to give you room to fall off the jungle gym, date a guy with blue hair or take a year off college. If your daddy has to superglue my lips together, I swear I'll hush and be supportive!

And now, Sweet Pea, you're stretching and pushing around inside your warm home. I can't wait to meet you- feel your tiny fingers wrap around mine, see your little eyes light up and hear you cooing. Then I will make all these promises to you in person.

I love you, Greenlee.

Always and Forever,

Mama