Some sun-seeking sickies...

I feel like we are in an endless cycle of sickness...ever since about mid-February, I don't think we've made it more than 5 days without someone being sick.  Our trip to NJ was cut short because all three kids got sick.  Let it be known to all, I am done with SNOW, and COLD, and SICKNESSES!  FINISHED ...OVER .. ...THROUGH!!!!  OK, I had my little rant, sorry.  It's just getting soooooo old.

When we were in NJ I stopped into Costco with my mom and Reese for a few items.  I grabbed a copy of Frozen for the kids Easter baskets and managed to keep it hidden from Reese all throughout the store.  I stuck it on the belt under a box of mangoes and went to the end to pay while my mom was at the end loading up with Reese in the cart.  The guy bagging held it up and said, "This is so exciting, look at this amazing..."  All the while I'm shushing him and gesturing wildly not to say anything.  He saw me just in the nick of time and just before Reese looked up he grabbed a mango and stuck the movie back under the box in an amazing move and said, "Mango!!!"  Reese at this point looked up and gave him this hilariously funny look like, "Geez man, it's a mango, it's not that exciting."

We were outside enjoying some sunshine today in the backyard and Carter wanted Reese to come over and play with him.  She was walking from the deck, where I was sitting with Sienna, over to the swing set and the whole way over he was half-whispering to her.  "Now Reese, we are going to make a secret fort, and if Mama asks you what we are doing just say, "we aren't doing anything" OK?"  With that Reese turned in my direction and screamed, "Mama, we aren't doing anything!!!"  I waited about 60 seconds and yelled back, "What are you guys doing?"  They both looked at me with big grins and said nothing.

The Lollipop Dictator

I think I've created a monster.  Over the last few weeks, going through sickness after sickness, my parental wisdom and restraint has been severely weakened.  So when Sienna is up every morning before the other kids and starts screaming, maybe I've caved in, just a tad, when she's started demanding a lollipop with her breakfast.  It isn't every morning...and before you judge, remember...there are TWO other sleeping kids when this is happening.  I only have a very small  window of time to stop the screaming before they are awakened.  So now that she's feeling better, I'm still faced with the daily morning demands of a lollipop with her breakfast.  Most of the time she doesn't even eat the whole thing.  She likes to walk around with her lolly hanging out the side of her mouth.  She will often lick it for a minute or two and then walk over to the garbage can and just throw it away.  I've found lollipops stuck in her hair, stuck to the side of her shirt, stuck on the dog's bed, or on the rug.  Her method of asking for one is quite simple...stand by the pantry door and scream "olly, olly , olly."  And if that doesn't yield the result she's looking for, then just scream even louder.

On the drive to NJ today, the kids made it a whole 15 minutes before they started whining.  "I'm bored". "There's nothing to do."  I told them to relax, enjoy the ride and look out the window.  Carter replied, "Mama, that's the kind of boring stuff that old people do in the car."  

When we were getting close to our destination Carter spoke up from the back seat, "I'm really looking forward to seeing all the Legos."  Long, long pause........ "And Nani and Pop Pop."  It's all about priorities when you're six!

Pretty time

Who could resist a face like this?

 The girls got into Reese's "pretty" collection today and we went a little crazy.  I know, I know, I may have just found a new calling in hair styling.  I style by appointment only and I charge extra if you want 5 or more pretties incorporated into the up-do.

The panda and Angry Bird have "pretties" on them too.

She does a bow to show you the full effect

Plugged in....or tuned out??

I've been thinking more and more about technology lately and how it will impact my kids.  Maybe it's because I recently got a smart phone after having the cheapest, oldest phone out there for so many years.  I wondered, after getting the phone, how my life would be changed.  And I do have to say, it is convenient to have so much information on such a small device, texting is nice every once in a while...but mostly, I have to keep myself in check that it doesn't become a real distraction from my daily life.

The other day the kids were watching an episode of Sesame Street and the whole plot line was that two of the characters wanted an adult to read them some books.  She never had time to read to them because she was always texting.  After much begging and pleading they finally convinced her to put away her phone..the texting could wait.  Has the world come to this???

A week or so ago, I was outside playing with the kids at the swingset and happened to see a little girl, probably 11 or 12 years old, trying to ride her bike down the sidewalk...while texting!!

To me, technology is a blessing and a curse.  It has great benefits and offers many conveniences that never existed in the past...however, it has an enormous potential to be abused.  I want my kids to know it can be a great thing, but to also know it isn't the be all, end all of life. I want them to know how to form real relationships with people and be able to look someone in the eye and communicate with them.

I have received plenty of comments from people when I send them a handwritten note in the mail, thanking me for taking the time to express my thoughts and what an encouragement it was to them.  I have never received such sentiment about a text I sent...or a Facebook message.

I'll get off my little soapbox now.  I am not urging everyone to throw their cell phones in the garbage.  I just wish sometimes, more people would look up from their phones to see the world around them....or drive their cars...or ride their bikes...

Irony

Don't you just love irony?  Those little twists and turns each day that make you just stop in your tracks and wonder if your life is all just part of some cosmic comedy show.  Don't know what the heck I'm referring to...well here are a few examples:

Irony #1:  Weather

After the longest, coldest, snowiest, most miserable winter I can ever remember, everyone is thrilled for the first day of spring.  Spring Day 1:  Snow.  Spring Day 2...snow, snow snow, the ground is covered in snow. It does not look like spring.  Where are the crocuses and the happy hopping bunnies and the warm sunshine I long for??  Where is the justice in calling it Spring when winter only continues to torment me????

Irony #2:  Teething

I dread teething.  None of my kids have been "good" or "easy" teethers, but Sienna has been by far the worst.  Every time she gets a tooth it is days of fever and misery.  So I was really dreading molars, knowing they'd be, by far, the worst.  She has gotten all her teeth very slowly and with sometimes many months between teeth, so I'd hoped the molars would at least be spread out a bit to spare her some pain.  But of course, she is in the process of getting all four molars at once, which has turned her into psycho crying non-sleeping baby.  She is unhappy and she wants everyone to know about it and she wants to transfer her unhappiness to anyone within a 5 mile radius.

Irony #3:  Eat your veggies

You beg your kids to eat healthy food.  You want them to try new things and especially, to eat their vegetables at every meal.  Well, Sienna saw me cutting up some carrots yesterday and wanted to try one, so I of course let her have one.  The problem was, she didn't just eat it right away.  She wanted to gnaw on it for a good hour and take it with her everywhere she went.  But I couldn't say no...I mean she was actually eating a carrot!  I'm sure it was some odd sort of soothing sensation for her poor teeth (see Irony #2).  She had it when we were playing up in Reese's room.  She had it while jumping on Carter's bed.  She had it while hiding in Reese's blankets.  So now there is a half-eaten carrot somewhere in one of my kids' beds and I cannot find it.

Irony #4: Communication

I was joking with Derrick this morning about how there is a great truth to the old Charlie Brown movies.  You know how whenever an adult is talking, all you hear is, "Wuh wuh wuh wuh, wuh wuh wuh."  I actually think that is what I sound like to my kids.  Just this morning I had some important piece of information I was trying to talk to Reese about.  I finished what I had to say...nothing, no response, no reaction, nada.  I asked her if she heard me....nothing.  This kind of thing happens all the time.  Did you have a nice day today?  Nothing  What do you want to do tomorrow?  Nothing  Does anybody in this house ever listen to anything I say???  Of course, no response. Does anyone want a fudge brownie?  All of a sudden, there is life..."Oh me, me MEEEEE!"

So I had this thought...maybe I need to preface everything I say with Fudge Brownie.  "Fudge Brownie, Reese could you please make your bed?"  "Fudge Brownie, Carter please go put your shoes on."  Maybe that would work.  Nah, they'd just think I was crazy...and still want a brownie.

Irony #5:  The "new" Why

I thought the "why's" were bad....the incessant questioning about anything and everything and an insatiable desire to know everything about everything.   But now there's a "new" Why in town and it is WAY worse than the one before.  Carter has developed this awful habit of saying "Why" almost every time I ask him to do something...and it is DRIVING ME CRAZY.  Not only does he say it, but he says it in an extremely annoying and whiny voice, drawing it out as long as he can.  "Carter you have to come up to get a bath."  "WHYYYYYYYYYYY?"  "Carter I need you to use the bathroom and put your shoes on."  "WHYYYYYY"  "Carter, could you please put your coat on."  "WHYYYYYYYYY"  "Because it's stinking 10 degrees out and snowing.. look out the window, would you???"  I've gotten to the point where I often don't even answer him because the answer is just so dang obvious it's almost infuriating.  Let this be a lesson to you...don't always wish something away...like the cute innocent "Why's" of yesteryear...you may end up with "Why's" new whiny cousin.

Irony #6:  My Diaper Pad is covered in nails and broken glass

I am growing to hate diaper changes.  I have probably changed 10,000 diapers easily by now so I guess you could say I'm something of a diaper expert. But lately it's been sheer agony.  A typical diaper change should take a mere minute or two.  But Sienna is set on defying my every attempt to change her, despite being extremely mad anytime she has a wet or messy diaper.  The second I lay her on her back to start changing her, you would think I was laying her down on a bed of nails.  She writhes and kicks violently and does everything in her power to flip back over.  The second she is off her back, she's happy again.  She can be on hands and knees on the diaper pad, sitting on the diaper pad, standing on the diaper pad....happy, happy happy baby.  On her back though...screaming, fighting, doing everything she can to make it as difficult as possible to change her.  Potty training must commence shortly.

Dear Mr. Easter Bunny...

Dear Mr. Easter Bunny,

I have a request to make of you and I know it's a bit unusual.  In fact, if my kids ever caught wind of it, they may disown me as their mother.  But it's worth the risk.  I am at my whit's end and don't know who else to turn to.  Please HELP ME!!!

Here's the thing, could you please, please, pretty please with marshmallow peeps on top, NOT bring my kids any candy this year?  I know, I know, that's totally going outside your job description.  We just have TOO MUCH CANDY!  The kids treat buckets never seem to run low.  With Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Halloween, about 4 parades, and a TON of birthday parties throughout the year....well there is always a steady stream of candy coming into our house.

Doesn't the fact that I had to dress up like the Easter Bunny back in high school earn me at least a few "bunny points" for this special request?

The baby already knows how to say "emmies" (M&Ms) "oddies" (Lollies) and "ackies" (cookies).  This situation is truly becoming desperate!!!

Perhaps you could leave them a little note in their baskets telling them there was a global shortage of candy this year?

Maybe you could leave them some carrot sticks and alfalfa sprouts and tell them that those are your favorite treats??

Maybe you could tell them you're switching to the every-other-year candy delivery plan due to inflation and a sluggish economy?

I don't care what you tell them...you're creative...use some of that Easter Bunny magic.  There has got to be SOMETHING else you could leave in their baskets this year.  Please.

Sincerely,
Desperate Mom

Sunrise

Up before dawn this morning...I found myself in the kitchen, making a cup of tea.   I happened to look out the window, and noticed a small clearing in the mostly cloudy sky.  This clearing happened to be on the eastern horizon, right where the sun was making its ascent.  Beautiful colors poured through this opening to the heavens and it caused me to pause as a verse popped into my head.

Ps. 19:1  The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.

Is it human ignorance and frailty of mind that causes a person to look at Creation and praise a Creator, rather than Science?  Is it a grasping at the wind to express faith in a God that many claim is not real?  Many people start off with some kind of rudimentary faith as children, but move away from this as they grow older. My pastor made a statement in church this week that I appreciated.

"Faith is like a tea bag.  You'll never know how strong or weak it is until it is immersed in hot water."

There are a multitude of things in this world that challenge faith, that seek to destroy and discredit and mock it.  Even in a country with supposed religious freedom and a high level of tolerance like ours, there are many who are quick to mock a man or woman of faith, for seeking to give credit to a higher Being for the many things in this world we simply cannot understand.

I am thankful for these peaceful and quiet reminders everyday of God, and of His wondrous works....

Psalm 19: 1-6
1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
    the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
    night after night they reveal knowledge.
3 They have no speech, they use no words;
    no sound is heard from them.
4 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
5     It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
    like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
6 It rises at one end of the heavens
    and makes its circuit to the other;
    nothing is deprived of its warmth.

Tweet tweet tweet!

 Yet another cold day in Pittsburgh = yet another field trip because I am SO over winter and being stuck at home all day.  The kids really enjoyed seeing the colorful birds at the National Aviary this afternoon.  Of course, when one of the staff asked Reese at the end what was her favorite bird, she answered, "The bats!"

Kids and a Rhinoceros Hornbill

Kids with a Victoria Crown Pigeon

 Derrick told me yesterday that he thinks Reese has started talking with a slight British accent.  She still REALLY likes Peppa Pig and does watch it pretty often...but still, I wasn't fully convinced.  Today though, I was in the other room and heard her talking to Sienna, and sure enough...she called Sienna a "Cheeky little baby." in a perfect British accent.  That almost counts as being bilingual, right?? haha

Sienna loved watching the penguins

Spring Cleaning

I've come to this sad realization over time and as we add more and more little ones to our family...dirt is part of my decor.  Try as I may to keep up with the cleaning, it's impossible, truly impossible to keep every room and every surface clear of dust and dirt.  This year we celebrate our 10-year anniversary, which means we've been in our home 10 years...which means there are some places that have 10 years worth of dust built up on them.  Scary thought, I know!

I spent a couple hours yesterday morning, while Derrick was out grocery shopping with the older kids, working my way through the house doing some much needed cleaning, while Sienna "helped" me.

It's a refreshing practice to do a little Spring cleaning every year....reaching into those deep, dark places that are often passed over.  As I spent time working around my house, my thoughts turned inward.  What aspects of my life need a little spring cleaning, a little purging of the old to make room for the new?

Trying to maintain a healthy balance in life is difficult sometimes.  I find with all the kids I have to keep a good sense of humor...accepting the good, bad and ugly and remembering that a little extra dirt isn't going to kill anyone.  It is like a breath of fresh air though to look around and see a few more sparkling surfaces in my home from time to time.  And in the same way, it is like medicine for the soul to look inward and allow God to clear out some of the cobwebs of the heart...

SUPER-silly

Carter was standing in the bathroom last night as I was drying Reese's hair.  He looked at himself in the mirror and said, "I kind of look like Superman."  "Really?"  I asked.  "Yes, he said, because my hair has a hook in the front like his."  "Oh, I guess you are right," I said.  He has a little wave in the front of his hair...never would have occurred to me that this was similar to Superman, but hey, why not??

Reese and Carter and some other kids were digging in the dirt at the playground today, looking for treasures.  We have let the kids watch the show on the Weather Channel, Prospectors, and I think they are very certain they will dig up some valuable gemstones whenever they are digging around outside.  The kids all decided after about 20 good minutes of digging and uncovering many "treasures" to take a break.  Reese however, stuck at it.  When she saw her partners disappearing one by one, she said, "C'mon guys, let's keep prospecting!"  When it was time to leave, she refused to leave her rocks behind.  "Mama, I need to bring my precious gems home!!"

I found this recipe on Pinterest for a really powerful stain remover and decided to give it a try today.  I mean, seriously, I think there are maybe two items of clothing in this house that are not stained at this point.  Maybe one.  Anyway...I dug through Sienna's closet for the worst offenders and spent a while scrubbing the solution onto the stains, let them set and hour and then through them all into the washer, waiting for the magic to happen.  And I have to say, it definitely worked...would have worked a lot better if a black magic marker hadn't also been run through the wash with all the clothes...

We dig dirt...

Spring is in the air!!! We spotted some little daffodil and tulip shoots in the garden today.  The sunshine and mid-60-degree temps really made us all feel a little more alive again too.

Today also marks Sienna's 18-month-old milestone.  I can't believe we're 6 months away from 2 already.  Time really does fly.  I probably won't be quite as sentimental about my baby growing up so fast since we'll be right back in the trenches again shortly after her birthday.  

 The kids saw Derrick out in the garden late this afternoon and all wanted to help him dig in the dirt.  Whether he wants it or not, it's looking like he'll have lots of "help" in the garden this summer.

Will Work for "emmies"

Sienna is obsessed with M&M's...or any sweets for that matter.  She comes down in the morning and asks me for lollipops.  And she is always, and I mean always, on red alert whenever the cabinet door opens where the M&M's are kept.  If she even catches sight of the bag, well be prepared for a round of screaming unlike anything you've ever heard.  Unless that is, you plan on giving her a little bowl with some M&M's in it.  It only takes a couple to satisfy her, but still, I've never seen a child so attached to her "emmies".  Lately she's been very eager to help me with some of the housework.  She'll help me unload the dishwasher by taking out plates and cups and handing them to me one by one.  She will help move the wet clothes from the washer into the dryer.  If I ask her to go get her coat or shoes, she does it right away.  She even helped me pick up ice cubes that fell on the kitchen floor this morning.  And of course she always enjoys a little reward of an "emmie"...or two!

Today I took the kids out to the zoo.  It was and epic trip, lasting 4 hours!  That was definitely a zoo record for us!  Grammie and Pap Pap joined us today and by the end the sun was shining and the fresh air was enjoyed by everyone.  We saw a baby orangutan grab onto a vine and swing across his cage to hit the glass right where Carter's hand was resting.  He did it about 10 times I'd guess, like he was giving hi-fives.  The kids were so amazed.  They also enjoyed the sting ray tunnel, the elephants, and the meerkat maze.

Stingray "hat"

Tonight after dinner I overheard Carter and Reese talking.  "Reese, we need to exercise more and get really, really strong.  Then we can be like spies.  You know what spies do...they do whatever they want!  Don't you want to be a spy so you can do whatever you want?"

In the bath tonight, Sienna fell down and Carter said, "That hurt more than a toucan hitting his head on a tree."

Reese asked me as I was tucking her in for bed, "Mama, what time of the day is rush hour?"  I tried to explain that it was in the morning and at dinner time when most people are going to and coming back from work.  She asked, "Well why is everyone going so fast?"  I said, actually, there is a lot of traffic so you usually don't go very fast.  She said, "Well, that's silly, they should call it slow hour then!"

Sienna in the Polar Bear trap

Hello sea lion

Pushing the limits...

No, that is not some new trendy baby scarf Sienna's got around her neck in this photo.  It's Reese's still wet bathing suit from swimming in her Grandparents' hot tub yesterday that Sienna fished out of the dirty laundry basket.  Ewwww, yuck!!  She decided to model it by climbing into the kids' school shelves, after she'd thrown all of the books down on the floor.  She also kept us busy today by dancing on top of the kitchen table while hanging on the light fixture, climbing into the dryer after she pulled all the clean and dry clothes out onto the floor, pulling the gate off the bottom of the steps so she could climb them unhindered, and picking up the cat's full bowl of food and carrying it down the hall while shaking it.  I think she may yet be the death of me.

I read this story today while I was working out on the elliptical written by a woman who is a pretty avid skier.  She is always looking for new challenges and decided to ski down the back side of a mountain in Colorado where the trails were not groomed and very few other skiers had been before.  She got to a point where there was a huge drop off and no way around it and didn't know what to do.  She decided to wait and see if anyone else came down the trail so she could ask for advice.  She finally saw a couple telemarking up the slope.  When she asked the guy if there was any other way down, that this slope was beyond her level of skiing, he told her "No, you're going down this trail.  This is your level now."  That story kinda made me laugh because there are so many points in parenthood where I've felt that same feeling...like I am looking over the edge of a cliff thinking, "There is no way I am going to make it past this point!!"  And yet, somehow, I always do, as so many other parents have done before me.  I'll admit, readily, that the thought of another baby coming in the fall has kept me awake some nights.  I feel like I never get anything done now...how am I going to with yet another child to attend to, especially if he/she is anything like Sienna!!  I guess with the addition of each child though, I've had to advance another "level" and I'll do the same this time.  What doesn't kill you makes you stronger....right???

Touring the P.D.

 The kids and I took a really fun field trip to the Ross Twp. Police Department today.  Several officers gave the kids an amazing 2 hour tour of the department, the chance to see a car and motorcycle, real jail cells, and a run down of all the things police have to wear and carry on, in and under their uniforms.  Carter especially was really interested in the whole thing.  There will definitely be some interesting discussions in the future, I am sure, about drugs, alcohol, strangers and crimes.

They got a special treat at the end when one of the K-9 dogs was brought in for a short visit and the kids were even able to pet him.  It was definitely fascinating and gave me a WHOLE new appreciation for the hard work done by our officers and how they put their lives on the line every day to keep our communities safe.

We came back home and spent a glorious 2 HOURS outside in the sunshine with NO COATS!  After a week of being stuck inside sick with the stomach bug, it was truly amazing.

Sienna has some new favorite things...running down the driveway (our driveway is very steep) with no concern about falling on her face, running into the street, rolling anything she can down the driveway into the street, and climbing the ladders on the swing set and going down the slide by herself. I am quickly finding out that things won't necessarily be any "easier" with her even once we can get outside every day.  Her vocabulary has really started to explode in the last couple weeks, with new words: fork, sock, strawberry, bubble, Reese ("EEEEE"), Carter (Da-duh), coat, and eat.

Reese got to pet K-9 officer Uvo.

Mandatory Decel...

There are certain things in life that are just out of our control...health is one of them.  Try as we may, especially during cold winter months, we are all destined to get sick at some point.  I was just talking with a friend in my Bible Study last week about the stomach flu and how lucky we were to have avoided it this year.  I should have known better.  Carter and Reese were both sick all night and it's not over yet.  But it's funny in a way, that this conversation I had is so fresh in my memory.  My friend was saying that despite the awfulness of a family of 6 all having the stomach bug, it was good in a way to take a step back from life's busyness and all of their regular commitments and just rest at home together.  I had never heard someone speak of such a dreaded sickness with such peace and calm.

One minute the kids were running around, playing hide-n-seek, laughing, wrestling...the next they are like limp little rag dolls.  But I know they will be better soon.  I'm remembering what she shared, remembering that this is an opportunity for me to minister to their little hearts by taking care of them when they need it the most.  And I am so grateful for three very healthy kids, kids who will bounce right back to their crazy selves in no time.

For the past few weeks I've been praying for a little boy, the nephew of a friend, who has cancer.  He underwent a very long operation last week to try and remove it from his spine and abdomen.  He is only 9 months old.  Perspective is a powerful thing...

Talking to God

I mentioned a couple months ago that I've been trying to make a more concerted effort in my prayer life.  I read a really good book on prayer over the summer with a friend and the Bible study I'm in has also been focusing a lot on prayer this year.  It's really hard sometimes to feel like I'm making progress...the distractions and interruptions seem almost relentless with three kids in the house all the time.  I remember having several conversations with my Grandmother many years ago when I was still single and she told me, "Now is the time to really strengthen your walk with the Lord. You will never have this much uninterrupted time again."  Boy was she right!

This morning I had a few quiet minutes before anyone woke up and I was trying to pray when I heard a sad little voice from the nursery start calling, "Mama, mama, mama."  A few minutes passed and the voice grew more desperate and louder...and so the morning began.  But my mind was really thinking back on some aspects of prayer we'd been discussing over the past few weeks...about how to pray and having the right mindset when we pray, and not just going to God with our laundry list of requests and leaving it at that.  The way I feel at the end of the day when my kids have been asking, asking, asking me for things all day long and rarely, if ever, thanking me for anything I do for them...wow, is that how God feels when I don't make the effort to have a proper prayer time and just send up these rushed requests all the time?

I feel like you can draw so many parallels between the behaviors of children and the way we interact with God.  Sienna would probably be happy existing on a diet of lollipops and pretzels if I let her.  But I know this is not healthy for her or the best thing for her body.  The same way, there are things all the time that we think would make our lives so much better, would make us so much happier, if only God would grant us our requests...but it is always a matter of perspective, and so often we forget that God's perspective, His knowledge of  past, present and future, is so much broader than anything we can imagine.  His plan is to give us a hope and a future...

Serenity Now!

Doesn't any amount of "pain and suffering" exempt you from going through...well...more pain and suffering?  It would seem that is the only right and fair thing, but alas, that just isn't the way things work.  After Sienna was up until 11 pm last night crying and flailing about, I thought, surely this will be a quiet Saturday morning and maybe, just maybe she will sleep in.

Nope.  7 am Reese was climbing into our bed and Sienna was crying for someone to come release her from her little jail cell (I mean crib).

After dealing with 2 weeks of a sinus infection that didn't want to go away, daily headaches and morning sickness, I thought...surely we've made it through the worst of winter and we will all stay healthy now.  Surely I, and we, have paid our dues in the Sick Department.

Nope.  10 minutes after heading out to friends' house for a dinner we've had to reschedule 4 times now, Sienna started vomiting all over herself and her car seat.

Serenity Now!

So many parts of being a parent end up being SO different than you ever could possibly anticipate.  There is no bliss in runny noses, stomach bugs, high fevers and sleepless nights.  No one ever tells you how much kids cry, whine and do the opposite of what you tell them to do.  If we would only just wipe out those thoughts of happy little babies who always smell good, sleep when you want them to, and never never never cry, out of our heads...life would be so much more...well...realistic.  I laughed out loud reading this post on New Mom Bliss tonight, and thought, she's got it nailed on the head!

Things I used to dread, like going to the doctor, running boring errands, cleaning the bathroom...all seem like a relaxing vacation compared to the unforgiving, relentless task of caring for three kids.  OK, well I guess cleaning the bathroom isn't all that great...but at least it's quiet in there.


Seinfeld - Serenity Now! from Free Christian Church on Vimeo.