Just Asking

I noticed a half-empty box of graham crackers on the kitchen cupboard, and little boys scurrying up the stairs. I don't mind them having a cracker now and then, but they need to ask, and they need to eat it in the kitchen. I called upstairs to them.

M: "Little boys! You need to come downstairs right now!"
Q & C: "WHY?"
M: "Did you take something you weren't supposed to?"
No answer.
M: "Come on downstairs. It's time to read a book." I figured if they were getting into mischief, it was time to direct them to something productive.
Q: (yelling down the stairs) "BOOK? Or SPANKING? I didn't hear you!"
M: "Why? Did you do something that deserves a spanking?"
Q: "No. I was just asking."

The boys slowly came downstairs and shot me a guilty glance.
Q: "I didn't take anything mom. I didn't eat a cracker."

Yeah right.

Blue Men

I did a crazy, wild, fool-hardy thing yesterday. I took a nap. WHILE little boys were awake. I was tired! In true mother fashion, though, I had one sub-conscious ear open, and they were being quiet. Not scary, too-quiet quiet, just sedately quiet. I was pleased. Until I woke up. And found that they were running around naked, and had colored themselves blue. Hey, it kept them entertained for two whole hours! AND they didn't color on anything but themselves! No walls, no furniture -- just skin (ALL parts) and they are washable! Too funny.

MY Christmas

Quinn liked Christmas alot. He wants to have it again, soon. I got out the 2009 calendar and tried to explain that we have a lllloooonnnnggg way to go until next Christmas. He just said "No, not Jesus' Christmas. MY Christmas!" Like it's a birthday. Which it is, and he knows it is, but... different thing. He's picked out a flower Christmas cake that he wants for HIS Christmas. Funny. I've got some more explaining to do.

The Fairy Tale that is Our Life

While getting ready for school this morning, Colby says "I'm a king!" Quinn said "I'm a Princess!" The king gave the princess a hug. I felt the need to correct the misconception.

M:"Quinn, you're a boy. That makes you a Prince, not a Princess."
Q: "Which one rides a horse?"
M: "Both of them do."
Q: "I'm a BOY Princess."
M: "That makes you a Prince."
Q: "No. I want to be a Princess." He then began singing a little song that would've made his father faint, had he heard it. It went "I'm a princess, I'm a princess, I'm a princess, I'm a princess!"

I tried.

Motherhood

I've decided there's no more humbling profession than Motherhood. One TRIES to be a good mom. Reads the books, talks "technique" with other moms, leads a "Mother of Preschoolers" group, makes an effort at pre-school psychology. And still, when said mom has custody of all three kids by herself in church, and the baby has a poopie diaper that requires a trip to the restroom, little boys STILL wreak humiliating havoc instead of being well-behaved. I honestly didn't know what to do.... they would be disruptive if I brought all 4 of us to the restroom (they cry if having to leave the service before it's time), and I THOUGHT maybe they could sit quietly for the 2 minutes I would be gone. WRONG-O. I returned to other church-goers rushing up to the balcony to silence my unsupervised children, who were crashing toy cars into the walls while making loud car-crashing noises. All during the sermon. Great. I'm a horrible mom. I'm really going to have to switch churches, because I don't know if I can show my face there again. We've made our impressions there, that's for sure.

Snow Day... Again

I feel like driving over to the Superintendent Of School's house and dropping off two cooped-up four year-olds for a "playdate". Does he realize they've gone to school all of two half days in the last THREE WEEKS? Does he know that this Mama just had a baby, and treasures school time as her only chance to be even remotely productive, especially on this, her last day before going back to work? Does he comprehend that when two little boys have only themselves for playmates for three weeks it ends up in bruises, screaming, and destruction???? And does he even faintly understand that it takes 30 minutes to get boys dressed for outside, and they stay out there all of 10 minutes???? It may be 2 degrees at the moment, but last I checked, the schools DO have heat. So do busses. The road has been plowed, it's not snowing, Christmas is over... time to get back to routine!! Please oh please!!!

Santa Candy

New Year's Eve sanity-saver activity? Making Christmas candy. Because it was 75% off at Walmart after Christmas. And because we need SOMETHING constructive to do while stuck in the house!!