Performance Anxiety

Today is Gracie's ballet recital dress rehearsal and Tate's last soccer game with a little medal ceremony after. This is the first time Sean and I have had to divide our efforts. Obviously he can't make a "performance bun" so I am with Gracie and he going to try to convince Tate to run with his eyes open this week. I think I'm much more nervous than they are! Eeeep!

This Kid.

We don't know what to do with him.

He can be incredibly sweet and cute, but lately we feel like we are living with a terrorist. Perfect example: As I type he is in his room screaming/crying. He has been in time out for about 25 minutes. This is because he REFUSES to say sorry to Sean for not listening. He was put in time out for a simple reason and he always throws a fit. The kicker is after. He is the most stubborn kid on the planet! He will scream and we come in and tell him why he was in time out and ask for an apology. All we get are blank stares and silence. We tell him he has to stay in more time out then. Repeat. Right now we are on the 7th or 8th cycle. He has hissed at us a couple of times, even yelled "daddy! I say sorry now!" but when we come in, NOTHING. Then he screams as soon as we walk away. I seriously wonder how he isn't hoarse by now. It's actually kind of impressive. Gracie and Tate went though a very willful stage when they turned 3 and Benny is nearly there, but they were never this bad. It has transferred to bedtime now as well. He used to go down fine, now he screams at his bedroom door and we quickly learned it was just a new ploy to waste time (get more toys, one more song, etc.) We aren't having it. It's like Crying It Out with an infant all over again! What kills me is that he is reportedly well behaved at daycare and even sleeping over at my sister's last weekend. I mean, I'm glad he isn't a monster to other people, but why do we get this special treatment? Everyone keeps telling me "Oh he's just testing you." but isn't it over now? We've made it clear he will be in time out until the end of time if necessary. JUST MOVE ON! I feel like we have to prove this point to him every.single.day. I am open to any and all advice while I carefully craft my craiglist ad. He would be in "Baby and Kid stuff", right?

Report Cards

In computer class my 2nd graders made report cards for their teacher (me) for Teacher Appreciation Week. I am trying not to take the F's personally.
I only have a B+ sense of humor? Ouch. But hey, at least I'm on time for school.

Ha! They notice how well I drink my afternoon Coke. Just for the record- DEAR time is reading time and they said it's not long enough. Super star tickets are rewards, apparently they think I am stingy with them. ;)

This is by the smartest kid in class. How sweet is she, giving me an A++ in "Mothering"?!

Apparently, recess, snack time, and field trips aren't long enough. Also, we don't have a class pet.

At least one kid thinks I'm funny.

I guess I need to eat more doughnuts?

Finally, some recognition for my emailing skills!!!!!! ;)

And some recommendations for my summer vacation...

And just to make me feel better, proof a few of them like me. This is the highest compliment from an 8 year old I know. 'Skilled' is usually reserved for NBA players.

I like where this girl's head is at.

After I read these and forced my kids to publicly explain themselves I casually reminded them that I will be filling out THEIR report cards in a few weeks. I invited them to make any changes to mine they'd like. :)

Awkward

Tate has taken a special interest in naming body parts lately. Daddy had told him that we all have nipples when Tate asked what 'those things are'. Of course my kids have noticed that 'mommy has a bigger chest than daddy'. They just call it my chest and whatever, but Tate likes to refer to it as my "big chest" or even worse, "big nipples". As in, "when I grow up I want to have big nipples like mommy and hair on my belly button like daddy!"
Nice.
This leads us to our awkward bedtime quote last night. I hugged Tate goodnight and he said, "I want to say goodnight to your chest!" I tend to let these things go so as to not draw attention them (and hopefully keep him from bringing them up). Then he reached over and kissed my shirt and yelled, "Daddy, I kissed mommy's big nipples goodnight!"
Laughter, etc.
*groan* I just told him to please stop calling them that and just to kiss my face. Seriously, not something I want him talking to random people about.
I told Sean this was another thing I could really embarrass him with as a teenager, but he says it's off limits because it would actually traumatize him to know. That's why I write these things down, you never know what might be needed to get his grades up or keep curfew on time.

Please tell me your kids are saying awkward things that embarrass you.

Quote #173

We are in the kitchen making dinner, Sean reached over my head and I pretend to bite his shoulder. Gracie: "Be careful mama, daddy said if you bite his shirt he will mess you up!" ;)

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day! I hope you got to rest and feel appreciated by your little ones! My husband gave me my favorite gift which is basically to run the kids for the day. I can be around as much (or as little) as I want. I got hot coffee and a magazine delivered to my bed with a beautiful orchid to start the day. Then the kids made me breakfast and we went to church. The afternoon was wonderful! We played in the sprinkler at a neighbor's house and BBQ'd in their yard. Currently my overtired Benny is screaming in his room and my husband shooed me out to deal with it. I love cards and gifts, it really is my "love language", but there is nothing like having the option to be hands off with the kids for the day. :) My favorite quotes: Tate: You are a beautiful girl mama, I like your dress! Gracie: I will sing you a song-I love you so much mama, I don't want Tate to bring his blue blankie in the car to church...you have to play the tamborine...not like that mama..don't tap your coffee cup...I love Ernie, do you know Bert? Everybody should...you are a pretty mama... Has a nice ring to it, right?

Happy Birthday!

First...

One year later...

and another...

then another...

And here I sit. My babies are four today. I am finding myself much more sentimental and emotional than I anticipated. I really didn't want to be a working mom today. I wanted to take them to the zoo, hold hands, and listen to their silly stories. I've been negotiating with Tate all week about not growing any older/bigger. He likes to taunt me by saying 'next year I will be five, then six, then seven, then eight, then nine, then 10!!!!' just to watch my face melt. "Then I will be big and drive a car! and make dinner! and mow the lawn! I will do all that big boy stuff!" I told him I would miss my little boy too much so we settled on more birthdays but he has to still cuddle me when he is older and he "will stay this short". Ha ha, he is such a sweet, silly little guy. Gracie is much less excited about all the growing up stuff, she just wants to go to school and be in charge of her brothers per usual.
I met them at the sitter's right after school and brought cupcakes and juice. We had a mini party with their daycare friends. We came home and daddy was preparing a breakfast for dinner feast as they requested. I got chocolate milk to elevate the meal even more. We sang and talk about when they were born again. They LOVE to hear about who was there and what we thought, etc. "I was a baby-then what happened?" We talk about how tiny they were and how they cried at night and shared a crib. Then I get weepy. ;)
Our sweet neighbors came down and wished them happy birthday in sidewalk chalk. I love living so close to my friend and her kids (the same age). They have literally been friends their whole lives (Ok, so far...)
Next we opened presents! Tate was super excited with the Minnie Mouse helicopter he got from Benny. He saw it when we visited the Easter bunny last month and has been asking us to get it for his b-day ever since. Benny also got Gracie a Jessie (Toy Story) shirt. We got them each a Toy Story doll and matching Leapsters. We figure those will come in handy when we drive to California this summer! Gracie has caught Sean's flu so she was happy, but subdued. She actually said she didn't want ice cream! That's when you know a kid is sick! She had a little because we put candles on sundaes and sang Happy Birthday. By this time Benny has just started saying "happy birthday everyone!!" Probably feels that way to him. ;)
Finally we watched 'one more show' and read a couple books before going to bed. I think everyone was exhausted and happy. This weekend is the big superhero party and I'm sure that will feel much more exciting to them, but I think these quiet family celebrations are my favorites. I get to cuddle and keep them all to myself while we talk about how much they are growing. Such bittersweetness! (Is that a word?) These are the golden moments of parenting I think. The privilege that all the long nights and whiny days earn you. I feel so blessed to be their mama! Just praying now that we are healthy this weekend so everyone can enjoy the party. More to come!