Silence

Reagan, our lightest sleeper, has the unfortuante distinction of having her bedroom right off the living room.  The noisiest place in the house.  It is a terrible location, and she wakes up at the slightest HINT of her brother's or Dad's voices (my voice she's able to ignore and sleep through.  Imagine that).  Mornings are awful, with boys running around like banshees, and Mom screaming (because she can sleep through my voice) "BOYS!  BE QUIET OR YOU'LL WAKE YOUR SISTER UP!!!"  I have threatened serious punishment for noise infractions in the morning.  Because when little girl wakes up early, she screams and demands attention that, quite frankly, I just don't have in the mad rush to get on snow clothes and out to the bus in time.  This morning, we decided to have a "quiet contest", and I told the boys that they could use sign language or write anything they needed to say, but I wanted not a word from out of their mouths.

They were really getting into the sign language, and kept signing "MOM! MOM!"  to get my attention, which I thought was  funny, because I could just close my eyes or turn my back, and ... viola!  The incessant call was gone!  I looooooovvved it.  I taught them to sign food, and it was hilarious seeing them mime "peanut butter and jelly sandwich".  We finger spelled their names, and learned the sign for milk, drink, and eat.  Despite our best efforts, Reagan STILL woke up early - a crabby addition to an already hectic morning.  Great.  She is NOT a ray of sunshine in the morning.

These are some snippets from our morning:
Quinn: "Mom, how do you laugh in sign language?"
Quinn: "Mom, if I stick up my middle toe, is it still a swear?"
Colby: signing "I am OK" and making a sandwich with his hands and pretending to eat it.

Funny boys.  I would love to have them proficient enough in sign language OR writing that we could have a quiet morning.  Maybe it's more for me than Reagan.

Thing's I Never Thought I'd Have To Say.....

Mom: "BOYS!  Stop jumping over your sister!!"

A Conversation with Daddy

Sometimes it's the Big Boy that gives me bloggable moments.  Like tonight, for example.  Rob pops off with this....

Rob:  Wouldn't it be weird if, say, we had identical twin girls, and then we got divorced, and one went to go live with me, and one went to go live with you?  I wonder what their personalities would be like.
Monica:  You just described the plot of "The Parent Trap."
Rob:  What?  What's that?
Monica:  You've never seen "The Parent Trap"?
Rob:  I have no idea what you're talking about.  I haven't seen Grease or Dirty Dancing either. 
Monica:  We've got to rent all of them, and you have to watch them.
Rob:  Do you see a common theme?  I DON'T WANT TO see them.  They DON'T INTEREST ME.

Well, sheesh.  You come up with the whole plot of a Chick Flick, thinking that you just invented it,  and then bash the movies that are already made!  I'm thinking Robbie needs a little "Chick Flick" therapy in the very near future!!

I've been DUPED

I was all set to write a post this morning congratulating myself on my brilliance as a mother.  See, last night at bed, I promised the boys a ticket each if they STAYED in bed all night, and didn't get up in the morning until after 7 am.  Set the alarm clock and everything, so they'd know what time it was.  And this morning, I didn't hear bickering in the living room, I didn't have boys climbing into bed with me whining about wanting breakfast.  I actually slept in til 7 am myself, and it was HEAVENLY.  Waking up to a quiet house at 7 am here is, well.... unheard of.  All because of my brilliant strategy at bed time the night before.  It's probably because I watched "Super Nanny" while cleaning the kitchen yesterday - all that good parenting sunk into my subconscious.

WELLL......

Rob just walked in (8 am) and said "Did the boys get some new toys or something that they're excited to play with?"
Uh, no.
"They went downstairs in the basement from 6:oo to 7:00, and then came back UP to their bedroom and are playing in there. "
Those little sneakers!  They're trying to pull one over on their mom.  Regardless, it was a QUIET house, even if they didn't play by the rules. 

And I still got to sleep in.

Parent Teacher Conferences

Our first parent teacher conference of the first grade this past week.  Again, the report was pretty much as expected.  Everything "Satisfactory", with the exception of penmanship, which was "Needs Improvement".  We're working really hard on fine motor at home.  It's been an ongoing issue.  I personally was surprised that  Conduct was given a "Satisfactory" grade, given the frequency with which I hear through the boys that they have moved their clip at school.  I asked the teacher about this.  Colby, apparently, doesn't care if he moves his clip to Yellow, because that's just a warning.  He rarely moves his clip all the way to Red.  Quinn, whenever he moves his clip, falls apart in tears and blames the world for whatever misconduct.  It's NEVER his fault.  But the teacher pointed out that they seemed no different than the majority of little boys in her room.  Just more messy and disorganized.  MORE little boy than most little boys.  But still NORMAL.  We insisted on hearing those words from her mouth.  Rob asked specifically.  So the "Satisfactory" in Conduct was more of a gift, I think.... and more of a "meeting class average for little boys."  And not that it is REALLY satisfactory.  We'll take it, regardless.

I asked her if she thought the boys were working up to their potential.  This is what she said.....
"They're at the top of the class for reading, and above-average for math.  But NO.  I don't think they're working up to their potential, because I think they could be even higher than that if they were more organized and more careful with their work."  On standardized testing, they scored just about where they need to to PASS the first grade - and it's only the first quarter.  I was pleased with that.  Apparently LISTENING (suprirse suprirse) and following through to completion (suprirse surprise) are not their strong suit.  They rush through their work so that they can have free time to read books in the reading corner. SIGH.  It could be alot worse.  At least they're not struggling academically, and I was glad to hear that.  I suggested to the teacher to have them run laps in the gym if needed before it's time to sit.  She kind of laughed about that, and I said "NO.  I'm SERIOUS.  They'll do much better for you."

Contagion

Got the call from the doctor today confirming Reagan's diaper rash isn't REALLY a diaper rash, but a bona-fide, cultured, strep infection.  NICE.  She started antibiotics this evening.  Suddenly tonight, we noticed that whatever was on Reagan's butt is now on Colby's face.  AND in his throat.  Which meant a trip to Express Care and $25 to tell us what we already knew... HE has strep, too.  We just want the script for the $4 antibiotic, please.  When the Nurse Practioner confirmed Colby's strep, I asked her if we could get a script for Quinn, too, because, in our house.... there's no such thing as "two out of three".  If the other two have Strep, I guarantee Quinn will come down with it, too, if he hasn't already.  But NOOOOOOO.  He needs a separate appointment, another $25 copay for a 30 second visit.  I refuse.  I see his stuffy nose, and I KNOW it's coming.  I can make two antibiotic prescriptions stretch for three kids if I have to.  I know, I know... not good.  But it bugs me to no end when we have to make separate doctor's appointments and pay through the nose when we already know what's wrong, and we just NEED THE PRESCRIPTION. I don't need to shell out $75 to get $12 worth of prescriptions, when I know what's wrong, and I know what they need.   Man, I wish I had a doctor on the payroll somewhere. 

Tidbits from the Car Ride Home From Cub Scouts

Colby: "Mom, tomorrow is Veteran's Day."
Mom: "Yup.  Do you know what that's all about?"
Colby: "George Washington."
Mom: "Well, we celebrate soldiers, and George Washington was a soldier.  Do you know any other soldiers?"
Quinn: "Aunt Kelli."
Mom: "Nope.  Aunt Elle.  Uncle Larry. And Grandpa Jim used to be a soldier, too."
Colby: "So were they the Red Coats?"
Mom: "Uhhhh.  No."  A history of the revolutionary war ensues.

Quinn: "Mom, so who won that war?"
Mom: "Well, do we belong to England right now?"
Quinn: "Yes!"
Colby: "No!"
Mom: "I guess we won."

(Later)
Quinn: "Boy, that George Lincoln was a really tall guy."
Colby: "It was his hat that made him look so tall."

(Later)
Quinn: "Mom, why do they make soldiers presidents?"
Mom: "You mean like George Washington?"
Quinn: "Yeah.  Did George Washington kill anyone?"
Mom: "I don't know.  But he led a war, so...."
Quinn: "Killing is BAD."
Mom: "Yup".

(Later)
Quinn: "Mom, when will George Washington come back to life?"
Mom: "Well, I don't know.  Whenever Jesus comes back."
Quinn: "Well, when will THAT be?  We've been waiting for MONTHS and He hasn't shown up yet!!!"

(Later)
Quinn: "Mom, how many days have we lived in this house?"
Mom: "Seven years times 365 days a year... more than 2100."
Quinn: "It's about time we moved.  We've been here too long.  The house is getting old."

(Later)
Quinn: "Mom, when is the house's birthday?"
Mom: "I don't know."
Quinn: "We really need to have a birthday party for it."
Mom: "Hmmmmmm."

All these random little thoughts.  I have a hard time keeping up.

Angels Among Us

Colby, on the way to church yesterday:  "Mom, I know why babies wave their arms and reach up all the time."

Mom: "Why?"

Colby: "They're playing with the angels!"

I think you just might be right, there, little boy!

Odds and Ends

Colby, crawling into bed with Rob and I at 9 pm last night:  "Mom, I had a nightmare!"
Mom: "No you didn't.  You haven't even fallen asleep yet.  I saw you just 15 minutes ago."
Colby:  "But a nightmare was COMING.  I heard beeping in my ears, and that means a nightmare is coming."

Whatever.  Stall tactic.
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Mom:  "Quinn, if you make your bed every morning, it will be worth one ticket."  (note:  we are on a ticket reward system here.  Had to get off the US Dollar, like most of the world, because of the temptation it caused).
Quinn: "One ticket?  That's got to be worth more than that.  That's a big job!"
Mom: "No it's not.  It takes 30 seconds.  See?" (Pulled up covers in less than 30 seconds).
Quinn: "That would take me at  90 seconds, and that's worth at least two tickets."

We have a future Donald Trump in our midst.  I hear the theme song "money money MONEY"  in the background.