Nap time!

With almost every one in a separate room for an hour, peace reigns in the house for an hour. Guess when my favorite time of day is? (Hint: my favorite time of night is bed time.)


Nathan does all manner of things during nap time. He's restricted to staying downstairs and not being too noisy. Yesterday he discovered lizards tails came off. He thought that would hurt a lot!


Daniel is unbelievably well behaved during this time --the best of all kids!


Melanie can colour, "read" or whisper with her imaginary friends. Her only trouble is restraining from telling me all about it until she is out of her room and away from sleeping Daniel.


It's rare now that Matthew sleeps, but he's usually happy with a book and a window to look out of. There was a big yellow lawnmower at the neighbours this time, which was very captivating!

A good place to be

Ahhhh

Dreamland.

This morning the kids were so excited to see "the workers". Matthew opened the door for them (with some help from me). And Melanie said "It took FOREVER for you to get here!" Considering she got up at 7 and they arrived at 8, it's a good thing I didn't wake her up earlier!

The Evan Phenomenon

Waiting is over.

Evan is here. The long awaited sleepover party is here. Evan has not gone yet, and we are still enjoying the privilege of his company. I love seeing his parents in him; in his looks, in his actions, in his manners. It sprinkles nostalgia throughout these days of new experiences.

It's fascinating to me how much energy can be contained in one little body.

AND he probably gets about as much sleep as me, perhaps a half hour more, plus the exception of my night time bonding moments with Daniel.

(Speaking of Daniel, he was SO good at sleeping through the nights 'til time change, and now those full nights of rest are gone gone gone.)

If anyone ever needs help to get rescheduled to time change, they should borrow an Evan.

By the time he is gone, all the sleepy heads in our house will have completely lost their habits of dozing in bed 'til 7:30 or 8.


The dynamics in this house, since his arrival, have been enthralling for me.
The first two days were full of happy cooperation by all, except Melanie, who was feeling that four boys were perhaps not better than three.

Not enough "playing house" games and too much playing outside in the sandbox.

And a bit too much yelling for her taste.

But by day three Nathan discovered that, although he wanted his former place of authority (his title being "expert in all things playable") back from Evan, and found it wasn't so easy to get back.

Melanie than took the opportunity to take full use of Evan's attention and companionship, and by today it seems that it's shifted back to the original excitement with Melanie left out.

Where is Matthew in all this? You might make him out somewhere in Evan's wake, imitating to his heart's content, but usually he is so far behind you can't even see him.

And Daniel? He's usually sleeping. Or feeling lonely since his siblings too busy to chat with such a stationary recipient.

good morning

Babykins let me sleep well, so we're all in a good mood.

Good morning from all of us!

Sleep and play

I really really am grateful for the (almost always) two hours

of "nap time" that I get every day.

Some kids sleep

and some play.

And I get to rest. I sure need it most days.

Sleep

My best friend, right now, is sleep. (Fickle me.)

All three kids (with the odd exception of Matthew not cooperating) all let me sleep in after Phil leaves, and all let me nap after lunch. They probably understand a little just how important for their own good it is that I get rest.

Maybe time change will go smoothly.
(One can wish)

Big bad boys, a bad girl, and a big bunkbed

Are you doing good?

I'm being asked this a lot more lately. And before this weekend, the answer was always, yes! Terrific in fact! Full of energy (absurdly so).

But this weekend I got a cold. I also noticed, simultaneously, that my children could use a bit of work. Behaviour therapy, if that's what you like to call it.

I'm sure that having a lot of changes in their lives all in a row does not help to make them behave better. Nor does it help having a Mom who is tired a lot.

One of the changes was the room switcheroo, and another was new beds for the boys. Bunk beds!! They are both thrilled with the arrangements!

Melanie is only a TAD jealous! (She's a little spoiled from her birthday bliss!) She has been kicked off of playing in the bunkbed a few times, twice of which, I believe, were a result of her playing with the ceiling fan. The bunkbed really dominates the room. I do believe we will be looking into an alternative light for the duration of the bunkbed use in that room, though. I think it could get a little dangerous otherwise!

I haven't been sleeping well lately either (in addition to the coughing cold and contrary children), but considering the circumstances (bloating body and terrible toddlers) I think I am still getting a moderate amount of shuteye. Still, nap time is mandatory for my daily survival now!

Pain in the neck

I woke up with a really sore shoulder and a very sore neck...and many tender spots on my back. So I crawled back in bed to doze while the kids were left to their own designs.


Nathan built an electricity train. It's designed to bring electricity to the wires that don't have any electricity anymore. You just hook up his wire to the other wires, and it fills up them up. Snazzy!


Melanie was a good Mom today. She just said so herself, to Nathan her current baby. Now I hear her telling her baby to be quiet and lay down on the pillow. Is it better or worse to have more than one Mom?


Not sure what Matthew did to stay out of trouble. During the day he's always checking in on me, and often calls "Ma!". Then I have to follow him and see what he wants...since he can't clarify things verbally just yet.

Goin' to the midwife later this morning. Perhaps she'll give me a massage??

Naptime

Mommy's favorite time of day:

Too bad he's sooo noisy going to sleep now...
I miss his "plug".

Insomnia

No special reason other than pregnancy kept me awake last night.

I got at least four hours of sleep, which was interrupted right in the middle by my darling daughter who, when she saw me checking on her, was so scared by what she saw that she did no more than whisper timidly to me. As my hearing is poor at the best of times, I still have no idea what her problem was.

Ready to fill Daddy's slippers?

Is he enough of a man?
Daddy thought it was about time for him to take a step in that direction...

so it was "bye bye soother" since last night.
I'm not sure who's suffering more from the absence, Matthew or me?
He definitely had a hard time falling asleep for nap time today.
I'm sure it made a difference that it was ME who put him down for his nap, and not Philip.
Maybe if he didn't bite his soothers so much Daddy would have been more sympathetic?


This visitor of ours also did not sleep well. But that was probably because he slept 'til practically lunch time and also napped in the afternoon. And then he expected to sleep the entire next night too?!? High expectations!
Hope he didn't fall asleep driving back home!

Barrettes

Barrettes go in the hair.
Dead batteries go in the garbage.
Mommy Roze should go to bed.
But maybe the kids should go first.

Mommyish

I was moaning and groaning and sighing as my husband said goodbye to my tired self this morning. He was telling me about my two remaining children who were both awake and waiting for me to release them from bed, while the third was clinging to my legs.

As I crouched there at the top of the stairs wrapped in my housecoat and peering through very tired eyelids he says
"Have a good day."
I laughed in a pitiful sort of feel-sorry-for-me way 'cause my kids are all awake and I don't want them or me to be that way.
But he didn't fall for it.

"You have three wonderful children dear," says he, "Have a wonderful day."

I think he is right. About the day, and the children, and the perspective I should have, even if it is 6:45AM and I am tired.


So now I'm feeling sort of mommyish today. It's a drearyish day, with fresh snow, yeah, fresh snow. We are staying at home today. And I am doing chores ever so slowly, and just existing as happily as possible in the same atmosphere as my kids. Maybe I'll even hug one of them spontaneously. ;)


Melanie and I had matching hairstyles the other day, at her request. Braids look 10x cuter on her than me, but they stay in my hair 10x better. So together, we are a wonderful combination.

Greetings from Boogerville

Hey!! How's life with you, my beloved reader? We in Boogerville would like to wish you a good week

it's almost Wednesday already.
(just a mere two hours to go)
I haven't harassed you with any non-information from us yet this week! So here we go...

This is what we have coming out of our closet this week!


Too bad we can't all fit in it, since, it seems that Matthew would like to be a part of this momentous occasion (and perhaps a few more of us--but we won't say who exactly).

Poor babies seem to be left out of everything.
Ah well, such is life.
My advice is

"Tough it
or
Snuff it."

Very sage, I am sure, even coming from me. My very own, very first, very wise saying.
*sniff sniff*
I'm getting to be such a big girl. ;) Almost becoming a teensy bit mature already. :o


RAH!!
(Not all of us are getting more mature.)


And here is another cheerful picture of me from the land of Boogerville. Just for my Mom.
Because I love her.

May all our boogers dry up before our Kleenex budget causes near bankruptcy in our household.

Simulated Supermom

My new job description is Simulated Supermom. I'm feeling rather simulated tonight. There must be something artificial in the air. The "super" part of me has become "sadder" instead. Alas. I have my down times.

I confess:

I am a mere mortal after all.


Daddy had to come to the rescue and take the children away from the volatile Simulated Supermom before any damage on the precious bundles could be inflicted.


Unfortunately he didn't relieve supermom of all three at once. Alas! Alack!! I am left to wonder why my baby feels that shoving toys in my face is appreciated? A holiday would be more like it...some space somewhere where he can't reach my pant legs for at least an hour. Perhaps even the luxury of an entire day.


Sympathy for my problem is not heartfelt, I suspect.



Back at the rescue scene that is in charge by Diligent Daddy there is the problem of a double request.


Sorry, you loose Melanie! It's not fair being a female in this house, I tell you!


Diligent Daddy durst discontinue de discord.