He's great!

These things happen in my life and I often think to myself "I should blog about that." and then things like life and facebook get in my way.

But this was a gooder and I have a few minutes and im all caught up on facebook.

A few nights ago I was laying in bed with Trent at bedtime telling him how wonderful he is and all the things I thought were wonderful about him. He was grinning...
Then he says to me "its just like you... the day I was born..the second I popped out of your tummy I thought 'WOW, she's great!' "

It was so sweet and earnest I had to blog about. I also needed to write it down to remind him when he's 16 and yelling at me he hates me.

Life in the 3-K world

Well here we are and fall is knocking at our door...well she knocked, I tried to not let her in but she prevailed and is here anyways. Or is it? Is it really considered 'fall' if the leaves haven't changed colour yet and my flowers haven't died? hmmm that's a ponderment in itself for those who have nothing better to do with their time.

Anyways, much to my dismay, September is here, school has once again started and life is gearing up for our fall and winter activities. Will I have ANY free time? Hmmm so far I think not. I am very thankful that we plan on doing some ferocious vacationing this winter. Especially because our summer was frightfully crappy weather wise. There were not very many hot days and one could have lived without central air condition if they had to. *Note to Big Daddy: I said COULD have, not that you SHOULD have*

Joseph is in grade 3 this year and Trent started Kindergarten. I remember back to when Joseph started Kindergarten I was sooo worried he wasn't ready and was terrified of all hell breaking loose. But he flourished well beyond my wildest imagination and is now in grade 3. GRADE 3 PEOPLE!!! AKK!! I remember grade 3. I think that was the first time I got sent to the Principals office. I had pants-ed someone. Ohy, grade 3. Joseph is wickedly humerous still and wildly smart. Last year I will admit in grade 2 he didn't get much academic stimulation so I am very much looking forward to him having to face some challenges and work himself this year.

Trent is in Kindergarten *sob* I thought he was beyond ready, I was ready and I thought he was ready. Well his actions this week are screaming that he was not quite as ready as I thought he was. I remember when Joseph started kindergarten, after about a week I one day dropped him off, went back out to my van and bawled my face off to the point of near hyperventalation. I could not believe how bull by the horns he was being. I think I cried because I wanted him to want me more (and lets face it Trent never slept at that point so some sleep deprevation was added to that mix). I really did I was sad that he was all "See yah Mom" without looking back. Well here we are a few years later and I thought Trent was beyond ready I was prepared. I am about to loose my mind and go back to my van and once again cry to the near point of hyperventalation not because I want him to want me more. I need him to need me less. He doesn't want to go to Kindergarten and that makes me sad. I know once he gets there and gets doing fun things with the kids he's ok. But I want him to want to go. I hope over the next few weeks his zest for it will pick up. I know he'll be fine and I'll be fine but these 6 adjustment weeks are always so much. You think ahhh they aren't going to get me this time and then wham like one of the boxing gloves on WIPEOUT'S sucker punch wall, it gets ya and down you go.

And then there is miss Addie and well at the fine ripe age of two she thinks she is a preschooler. She marches her little self into that school says goodbye to Joseph walks Trent to his classroom and the down the hall to the preschool room she goes. It's a good thing I have been involved in the preschool so long our family is like furniture in there or the teacher would question what the heck was going on. Addie know's no different. For the last two years of her life that is where she wound up every school morning. Can you blame the girl. I can attest though if I walked out the door and left her at the preschool she'd be fine and involve herself in whatever they were all doing. Hmm, too bad they didn't take two year olds.

That sums up life in our home these days. Between the kids, me working evenings and weekends, Big Daddy working weekdays there isn't much room left for much else. I have to look at a picture of Big Daddy once in awhile to remind myself what he looks like. We don't see one another too often, usually in passing...but it's what we do and it works... for now. When it quits working i'll worry.

Let's catch up!

So... I know... I haven't blogged in so long. Most of you have probably given up on even coming here to read all of my intelligence and whit.

Life is busy, kids are busy, work is busy and I love those moments that are so not busy. Those are my favorite times so I try to savor them. There should be a few more of them now that our baseball season is over.

It is very difficult for me to come to terms with the fact that this school year will be over in two days. TWO DAYS! Joseph will be done grade two!!! Didn't I just drop him off at Kindergarten and now he's leaving grade two? Realistically Joseph is ready for grade three. I however, have some apprehention and concern about class placements. I hope it all works out and I have to have faith that at then end of the day what will happen is what is meant to be and will work out for the best. At least I know Joseph will make the best of wherever he winds up.

My bigger apprehention is that my Trenter will be going to Kindergarten this fall. AKK! That terrifies me. Like I said before I dropped Joseph at Kindergarten and he came home from grade two.... what if THAT happens again. Trent is more than ready and he is so open minded about it all. Much moreso than I could have anticipated his personality to be.

And Addie, well...she is Addie. Walking, talking, Sass machine. She is adorable and knows it. She has found this new niche to her life. All of a sudden she has decided that she is Daddy's girl. It saddens me because she was such a Mama's girl for so long. However, on the other hand it thrills me that her and Big Daddy are getting some time to foster their relationship. Plus at 8am on a Sunday all I hear from her crib is "Dad?... Dad?..... DAAAAAD???" Sorry Big Daddy, it isn't me she wants .

Our kids never fail to be whipper snappers and it keeps us in laughter. The other night at the grocery store there was a cart in the middle of the aisle full of reduced priced stuff. It definately wasn't there the day before. There was a woman standing there looking through the stuff. It was stuff like face wash, bandaids, tampons, film, batteries, and other stuff. There were some items that appealed to me so I grabbed them and put them in my basket. We then walked over to the milk and Trent leans over and hisses through is teeth in a great parental quiet yet stern voice. "MOM! That was soooooo rude. You just took a bunch of stuff out of that womans cart! What were you thinking?!"
Any possible response eludes me.

Well, July is going to be crazy and I hope to have a much slower August which will give me the opportunity to spend time with just my kids at the pools and spray parks.
Joseph is also working on learing to ride his two wheeler... Ok people I know he is 7. Better late than never right. He is starting to get the hang of it and I am sure by the end of the summer Trent will want his training wheels off. So hopefully we can get in some family bike rides this year.

Hope you all have a great summer!

What's your name again?

Big Daddy and I have this wonderful middle child who probably fits the middle child mold to a tee. Trent is sweet, endearing, smooth and... well... loud. I don't think he even knows how loud he really is. He even whispers loud. I could ask him a million different ways to be quiet and it always only lasts for about 30 seconds. Even just his general talking is loud. It's who he is to be quite honest with you. He has loud hair, a loud smile, a loud personality. Why not a loud voice?Trent is a little over-zealous to say the least. He is out there.

Now, to round out the picture Trent also rarely likes to go by the name of Trent. We have had various names. The one that stuck around the longest and reappears from time to time is Waffle. Yes, our child for quite some time preferred to be referred to as Waffle. Yes. The breakfast food of his choice. Waffle. So much that when he met his preschool teacher for the first time and she asked him what his name was his reply was "Waffle". It sounds out there and it is, we know that. But some days you just choose your battles and to be frank with you if calling my kid Waffle will get him to wipe his own ass, put his socks on and get in the van when I need him to without beating on his brother. Waffle it is.

This past weekend Big Daddy had to work all weekend doing some computer upgrade thingamajigger, I think there was tweaking and systems analysis, trial somethingorothers and an Imported Computer Geek(ICG) to boot. So, he was at the office all weekend with the ICG. I on the other hand was on weekend duty by myself.

Big Daddy and I chose to book many activities and sports on the weekends in the high hopes that between the two of us we'd be able to get the kids to most of it and in some very specific occasions to not have Addie in tow. She's at that age where she doesn't understand that she can't be in the water at swimming lessons or lay on the mold, wet hair, dirt ridden floor of the change room while I try to get two boys out of wet trunks into semi dry clothes that are now wet, dirt and wet hair ridden from her throwing them on the floor.

Ok, I'll admit at times three children is a little overwhelming. As a dear friend of mine says sometimes Mom's cheese slips right off her cracker. But alas Big Daddy and ICG had "work" to do. Riiiight. If you call Internet porn work *eye roll* I am sure ICG had a new slew to share.

So there I am at Joseph's soccer game with all the kids by myself. It's bad when they outnumber you in sums more than double yourself. Joseph is on the soccer field, Trent is off playing with some other unlucky tagged along younger siblings (don't worry he's loud enough I can hear him from where I was sitting) and Addie is in her stroller. She can't run away and fall down stairs that way. She is nibbling on snacks and sipping on her water as I try to get in a few odd claps and actually watch Joseph kick the ball a few times. After the hour long game we are packing up to go and Trent is standing beside me talking to Joseph and this kid walks by and taps Trent on the arm and says "See you later, Venom"
Hmm, Venom, Waffle... Trent... it's all the same right?

The Lesser of Two Evils

Lately I try to avoid talking to people. Why? Because the polite ones say stuff like "What's new with you?" And, well, if THAT isn't a fully loaded questions these days I don't know what is.

It seems like a phase where I am tired of explaining all that is in fact new with us. Not that new is bad...I just get tired of telling it over and over. It was like when we bought our townhouse, everyone and their dog stopped by to see our first home purchase...It was so nice to have so many people love us and be proud of us that we had bought our first house. But in the same regard I got so tired of showing people around. You get to the point where you just want to say, I'll sit here with my kids and you go have a look around...just don't look in the closets, Oh wait and ignore the underwear on the kids bedroom floors and if you find any stray dirty diapers while your upstairs could you be a peach and bring it down with you.

Life has changed for us in some pretty big ways as of late.
I have a job.... a new job at the hospital, job. As Joseph would say in code it's the new J-O-B. I have been there for over a month now and yet he still spells J-O-B. That's a story in itself. I guess that's the throw back from asking him to keep it a secret for a few days. 5 weeks later is still in his mind "a few days."

Regardless, I like my new J-O-B its a huge change of pace from daycare. The daycare thing just wasn't healthy for my family...full time daycare that is. My kids suffered in ways my kids should never have to. I read the signs and made some choices. No more full time daycare! It was like the weight of the world has been lifted. I don't think *I* realized how stressed it was making me. Thus started the job hunt. I still have some part time daycare kids who are fantastic, they have great parents and they are great kids who I love having over once in awhile and it is FUN. Which, in my opinion, daycare needs to be. I really enjoy doing the daycare thing part time... do I enjoy the daycare or the kids... the kids really. They make me laugh. I like that it's a change of pace for my kids but it isn't every day all day long. It's like being the fun Aunt, you aren't responsible for them ALL the time so you can feed them fun stuff, do fun things and not worry about doing educational acitivities for a certain time frame each and every day, or worry that your feeding them all the right things. I am not left at the end of each day or week wondering if I did enough to shape them into good people. With part timers, they go home and their parents can worry about that. I just get to colour with them and play connect four and tickle tag.

Making the choice to go back to a J-O-B outside of the house was a long hard decision. Harder than quitting my old J-O-B. It came down to what was best for my family and as much as my not being here some evenings and weekends will be hard, in the long run it is the lesser of two evils. The fact of the matter is that I get to be home all day, every day and can do preschool stuff and grocery shopping, make supper and most importantly to Big Daddy and I, our kids are being cared for by US.

I guess the fact is that the downfall is that Big Daddy and I are once again at a place where our time together is limited. We once again have opposite work schedules. That is hard. I think I really packed that part of my married life away once Big Daddy was finished university. So, to unpack that part of life and almost in a sense re-live it is bizarre. But it is the choice we have made. Paying to send our kids to childcare just isn't for us, right now. Will it ever be, who knows. We just weren't ready to do that right now.

What else is new... Joseph has had to get new glasses because he is growing and is headed off to see an ear, nose, throat specialist about tubes in his ears and a tonsillectomy. Its a scary proposition. But facts need to be faced. We'll go and see what the pro says. He is losing teeth faster than the tooth fairy can collect them. We are on a a corn on the cob hiatus as of right now....

Trent never ceases to be Trent. He had some tough issues going on with my doing full time daycare. Thankfully he is bouncing back and is returning to himself which is so great to see. As much as I as a mother get frustrated with his enthusiasm sometimes, to see him not be so over zealous about everything was even more frustrating. Trent is back to his zesty self and loves life to the fullest. The other day right in front of one of his pals he smooched me and he ran back to his friend and said "you know, I REALLY love my Mom" ~swoon~ He is one smooth talker. I get more compliments from my four year old than I have in all my life.

Addie, what is new with her. I mean she is 16 months old what isn't new with her. She is our baby-girl. She is growing like weed, eating like a horse and FINALLY knows What a kitty cat says. It is really cute. She says "beeeowwwww" I guess we need to work the the mmmm sound. But little miss Addie knows how to say her name, nose, please, thank you, mama, dada, gramma, grampa, papa, jojo (joseph), tey (trent), purple, baby and a variety of other words. She definitely has the gift of gab. If you are on the phone she will proceed to lay herself on the kitchen floor and cry because she thinks that she needs to talk on the phone. Oh dear Lord help us... girls and telephones.

Also, I mean we just wouldn't be who we are if we didn't pack even more stuff in. We are on the hunt. The house hunt. It's be on-going for awhile now but we are in a more serious position now. We had to 'get there' mentally. Ok, I was there Big Daddy wasn't...he's now there. We are moving, when and where is to be determined. It's a scary prospect. But, I just have to have some faith that things will work out as they are supposed to. I know what I want, but what we end up with may be something totally different.

To top it off we are trying to find the time to get the kids to their activities. It's busy, it's fun and we relish in family movie night even more so now.

So, my apologies for being slack on the blog. That's life sometimes... some thing's gotta give. Today, it was my lunch dishes...they are still on the kitchen table because I felt the need to blog. I wonder if they magically rinsed themselves and crawled into the dishwasher???
Ya, I doubt it too.

If I only knew

Some days are just plain and simple better than others. Lately, I have had a few pretty downer days. But the best part of it all is that I get to enjoy, or try to enjoy my kids. I think I take way too much for granted. So I thought i'd list 50 things I love about my kids. But 50 just wasn't a big enough number......
I just take for granted how lucky I am to have them to teach me what life is really all about.

1. Their smiles
2. Their laughs
3. The fact that they can bring out the best in me.
4. Their innocence
5. Personalities
6. Whit
7. Sense of humour
8. How they smell after a bath
9. Watching them play
10. Watching them experience something for the very first time.
11. Seeing them grow
12. Watching them create their own friendships
13. Being so proud when they accomplish something, large or small
14. Seeing them be proud of themselves
15. Hugs
16. Kisses
17. Snuggles
18. Holding any one of them while they sleep
19. Whenever they say they want Mommy
20. Watching their eyes light up when Big Daddy gets home
21. Sports
22. How they don't care if their clothes don't match
23. How they each have their own quirks
24. When their quirks are something that stems from Big Daddy or myself
25. Hearing them whisper "good morning Mom"
26. I LOVE YOU!!!! No human can ever hear that enough.
27. When they tell me I look pretty or am wearing something nice
28. Listening to them use their manners
29. Watching them enjoy a meal
30. Watching them experiment with new foods
31. Seeing them take risks
32. Photograph's of them
33. Waving at me from the window, in the pool, from across the gym
34. Christmas concerts
35. When they are parting from me in the morning and they wish me a good day.
36. When they help me
37. The simple fact that they ever have the desire to help me
38. When we all have plastic kids cups at supper and small forks becuase one of the set the table.
39. Watching them love one another
40. Watching them read
41. I love that they all love books
42. Family movie night
43. Singing in the van
44. Dancing in the bedroom before bath time
45. Overhearing them singing O Canada
46. That they always cheer for the team thats winning.
47. Their independance
48. Their hair.
49. Toothless grins
50. The sheer terror of losing a tooth
51. But the sweet rewards of the tooth fairy
52. Christmas through their eyes
53. Their hands
54. Their creativeness
55. Sweet baby breath on my face
56. Pattycake
57. Mom...guess what!
58. Birthdays
59. Their talents
60. That they like vegetables

Sweet and not so sweet.

**Sweet**

Once in awhile I get on these kicks to try and be some kind of mother of the year. Thus, I try to teach my kids things. I, however, am not a teacher for a very valid reason. I suck at it. I am ok with that. But, just because I know I am not good at it, doesn't mean I can't teach my kids anything right. So thus we work on 'stuff''. Dependant on the age depends on what we work on. For example currently Trent and I are working on small three letter sight words. One day I am hoping that when I write on the magna-doodle the letters CAT he doesn't say dog.

With Addie due to her costume for Halloween this year I am trying to teach her what a kitty cat says. So about 8,971 times a day I say "Addie, what does a kitty cat say?"...... long pause waiting for her response..... with no avail I then say "meeeeowww" and she immediately says "YUP"
C'mon, who's teaching who here. She doesn't say yup unless she actually means it, so I know she knows. Conniving already isn't' she. Oh and I bet she knows dates too. Just you watch, November 1st once the costume is put away and Halloween is over she'll say "MEOW"

Joseph on the other hand has reached that place where I leave teaching things to him up to the professionals who get paid for it. Because to be honest I sometimes think Joseph might be smarter than me.

**Not so sweet**

Is it wrong to find it condescending when someone other than your spouse calls you 'honey'?
I guess it is different if it is a parent or loved one whom has used terms of endearment with you previously and regularly. But a person you barely know... condescending, right?

Knock Knock, Who's There? An American.

A little update on the bus situation. It's going well, Joseph highly enjoys taking the bus and it has been a huge stress relief for me. It is nice to know that I don't have to wake two napping one year old's and possibly a four year old pile them into the van and go pick up Joseph. It's grand and Joseph loves the freedom.

However, I guess one thing I failed to inform Joseph about is that he actually lives in our house. He is not a guest, this is his home. After we got the bus routine down Joseph walks home from the corner. I unlock the front door in plenty of time so that if I happen to be elbow deep in crap (it's been known to happen) he can just come in. So there I am waiting for him and expecting the door to just fling open. All of a sudden I hear this little *knock knock knock* I go and open the door and he is standing there patiently. Cute. He thought it would be rude to just barge in. I had to tell him, this is your house, barge away my friend.

*********

Last night as I was getting Addie ready for bed the boys were in the kitchen making puzzles on the kitchen floor. I could hear that Trent was getting a little frustrated as the floor sized puzzles are somewhat difficult. Joseph does his best to soothe Trent's soul and encourage him along.

J ~ "Trent, its OK... I just am able to do them because I'm smart. I'm kind of like a dork."

T ~ "Joseph I don't like it when you say dork. It's a bad word."
J ~ "I know, but I am a dork. Like Boyfromclass always bugs me. Sometimes when I am like in the hallway at school he runs up to me and is rude in my face and yells blablabla at me! It's like he's American or something."

The classics

There are some thing in life which are simply classic. Some books, music.... children's sayings....
This morning as we were eating breakfast getting ready to go register Joseph for grade two *hee hee hooooo, heee hee hoooooo* I am NOT the mother of a grade two student. When the hell did THAT happen?
Anywho, back to breakfast. Trent looks up with toast in hand and giggles "hey Mom!"
me: "what Trent?"
Trent: "I just had a fart in my throat!"...... "and it tasted like toast!"

Ahhh, what a great way to start the day. As for that business about grade two... we'll talk later. I'm a little forclempt about it all right now.

In a nutshell

So much to blog about........ so little time.
Isn't that the way life goes when you have three children.
Over the last few weeks we have been away from home for 12 days, driven 44oo kms through 3 provinces, 3 US States, and done many a visiting. It was a great holiday and I was definately NOT ready to come home.

All summer long the boys and I have talked about our "adventure" as they called it. We often talked about what we do on our adventure, who we would see on our adventure and where we would go. Now that it is all said and I done it truly feels like summer is over.
Since we have been back I have, gotten school supplies, the boys got haircuts, I got a nose ring and some new glasses. We have registered all the kids in swimming lessons and Joseph for bowling. Next week will be preschool, soccer and kindersoccer. Fall is on the horizion. As much as I don't want my summer to be over. Especially because one busy fall it is going to be!
We have a whiteboard calendar and each family member has their own colour...all I can say is that is one full and colourful calendar.

I think I am also hesitant as it really is coming to a time when my mat leave is over. I am sure as most of you know I have quit my job to stay at home with my family. But as live has it there needs to be some source of income. Thus I will be babysitting. I am terrified!!! It is going to be a huge adjustment for my kids and myself. The thought of it makes my head spin and I often feel the need to sit down and put my head between my knees to avoid the passing out feeling. I don't know what makes me so apprehensive about it but I am. I am sure in due time when the two little one's I am caring for are here and we are all in a routine I will feel better about it.

However, the bonus to it all is I get to watch my children grow up. Addie is now walking. She is much too short to be walking but she is. Full on walking, bend down pick up a toy and keep walking walking. It's adorable!

Tomorrow, Trent turns four years old. I am not sure where the last four years have gone. I miss his babyhood and soon I will miss his preschooler hood. He is growing up and has grown and matured soooo much over the last few months.
I can't believe he is four already!
From this....



To This.......

Sweet Adeline

Each and every day I look at my kids and think "when did they get so big!" I think if you watch closely enough you can literally see them grow!

It is like my life is one of those cameras that watches a plant grow for months on end and then they speed it up to show the growth process in about 3 minutes. I swear that is how my children have grown right before my eyes.

So far this week Joseph has lost his fourth tooth. He is currently without both of his top front teeth. I must admit I always thought kids looked weird without two front teeth. Joseph in my eyes looks as handsome as ever. He is gorgeous without his teeth. Trent this week has glommed on to the word "hilarious" everything in his life these days is "hilarious". Addie, gosh her growth is leaps and bounds. These are honestly the days of babyhood where I love to put them on the floor sit on the couch and just watch them explore. She in, I swear, a few days has gone from full on crawling to getting into a sitting position from crawling, to pulling up, to cruising furniture, to millisecond STANDING!! The girl is not even ten months old yet.
Oh man, I feel faint just typing those words....ten months old.....
It is so beyond surreal. *sigh* I wish I could just press pause some days to absorb all of them just that little bit more.

There are times like tonight when the boys are getting ready for bed with Big Daddy and I have my one on one time with Addie. I bath her and give her a little baby massage and get her jammies on. I feed her while I look deep into her eyes and we snuggle in the rocking chair in the corner of her room while the sun sets around us. When she is done she lays her sweet head on my chest and sighs herself right into me. I feel our hearts connect on a deeper level as I smell her freshly baby washed hair. I close my eyes, breathe her in deeply and listen to her smallness breathing in and out. As I take a deep breath to once again catch the sweet baby smell she so gently lifts her head and belches loudly leaving a stench to waft at me.

I will miss these baby days.

Love and marraige

Big Daddy and I have always toted Joseph to be our sensitive one. Because he is and will always be to his very core. He is a lover and takes everything to heart. Trent on the other hand is rough and tumble, to say the least.

Trent lately has been intent on marriage. He is sure that he will marry Brodie. Brodie and Trent are so sure they will get married that they had to show me and Brodie's mom how they will kiss at their wedding. We reminded them that they should wait UNTIL the wedding to do that.

Today as I was planting my flowers at 9am this morning Trent was drawing on the sidewalk with chalk and nattering my ear off about anything and everything. He then reminded me that he and Brodie will get married. We chatted about that for a few minutes and then he said to me

"Mom, I am going to marry Brodie, live in a house with her and then we will love our children"

I was a little taken aback that he at the ripe age of three has children planned out. But I thought it was sweet that he plans to love them. I guess Trent is growing up and becoming a gentle soul..somewhat. However, I still think he should wear a helmet most days.

Three Forever

Today on the way to preschool I looked in the rear view mirror and Trent had tears in his eyes. Joseph was rubbing his arm trying to console him and was saying "Don't worry buddy, I will be here with you, forever." Forever huh. I can only hope that nothing in their lives will ever come between them and the closeness they have. I guess the deep trauma that Trent was having was that he just wanted to be three, forever. I don't think he can grasp that it is impossible to be three forver. As much as I desire him to stay, three, innocent and sweet forever I also desire him to grow up into a young man.

Trent directly asked me if he could stay three forever. As it was a rushed morning I didn't have the brain power to come up with the right words to explain that he can not be three forever. So when all else fails I just remember that he is only three and outwit comes quicker than outsmart. So I simply tell him that "SURE he can be three...forever... until his fourth birthday!" his reply was "OK! and then I can be four forever!"

I guess I am just in luck this is like anything else. One hurdle at a time. I have him thinking it is ok to be three until he turns four. Then I have a whole year to convince him that turning five will be fun.

But all much to my dismay I do wish I had the words to tell them to stop and smell the roses and truly ENJOY being kids. Because I remember so much so wishing I was older. And now that I am, I so much so wish I could be a kid again. But hey, at least we can be three forever. Until we turn four that is.

It was sooo wrong, but it felt sooo good

Finally, Joseph has returned to school. After a week's vacation he wound up at home for another day off with his ear infection. Now that it is all under control he headed back to school yesterday. I got a much needed break from the bickering. It's a good thing Addie can't talk yet and get involved in the arguments or I might have to stick my head in the oven and slam it shut.

However, while the school break was on I did catch a glimpse of what Trent's career path my hold. It was interesting to say the least. Throughout my observation I concluded that I think he will become a supervisor of sorts later in life. Even perhaps a city worker. If the hard working people in your municipality can hold shovels up as well as in our lovely city here, you will know exactly what I am getting at.

It all started in the bedroom. The boys bedroom. We were cleaning the house and I suggested that they should go get dressed and after doing so they should try to make their beds. They quite successfully did both tasks. While they were doing that I was vacuuming Addie's room. I then wanted to clean the bathroom so I suggested to Joseph that he try vacuuming his own room. After a small briefing on how the vacuum works he sprung into action. All the while Trent was perched on the lower bunk bed feet tucked under him (didn't want the vacuum to get them) instructing Joseph on what to do. It sounded somewhat like this:

"Joseph...over here"
"Nope, here, get it here"
"Yah Joseph, over here"
"Go back, go back more" *waves finger around*
"JOSEPH you need to do over here"
"I see dirt over here Joseph...get it... GET IT!!!"
"turn around" *swirls finger in a circle"
"Do it again"
"NOOOOO, over there"

It then was Trent's turn to try his hand at vacuuming. Considering I think the vacuum is taller than he is and weighs approximately the same as he does it was a little more difficult. But they enjoyed themselves.

Later that day when I dropped Joseph off for a play date at his cousins Trent was crying that he wanted to play too. In feeling sorry for him I suggested that I'd let him vacuum some more when we got home. He perked right up and wanted to go home.

If only I can keep this fun for them it will be grand. Maybe next I can coerce them into thinking washing the kitchen floor is fun!! Sponges tied to feet maybe?

Again, again!

I know, it may be redundant but I will say it again. My two boys NEVER cease to show me how different their personalities are. Joseph is conservative and Trent, oh Trent. I don't think the term "fly by the seat of your pants" quite says it all, but it's close.

This morning as I was driving the boys to school the van started to slide on some ice. We went just a little bit sideways but not too out of control.

Overheard from the back seat:

Joseph: (in a very worried shaky voice) "ummmm, Mommmmmmmm"
Addie: slurpslurpslurp on her soother
Trent: (wide grin on face and all) "WOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Let's do THAT again!!!!"

It was a pretty good way to start the day.

The Catholic Star Wars Fan

For those of you who have seen Star Wars or know anything about Star Wars will get a good chuckle out of this.

I wonder when something has become too much apart of our life.... how much is too much?

The other day I had to run into our local grocery store on the way home to pick up an essential item for the supper I was making. I unload all three kids out of the van and head inside. Ahh gotta love the stores with the automatic opening doors. At this particular store the produce section is directly inside the doors. I am choosing some banana's, look down and Trent is gone. I ask Joseph, not so calmly by the way, where Trent was. He was at the door. I ask "why is he at the door?"

I go over to the door to get Trent and he is swinging his arm at the door. He looks up at me with his eyes wide and says "MOM! I have the force!" mmmmhmm. "You have the what?"
"Mom, look I have the force" as he once again thrusts his arm at the door and it opens. He waits a moment thrusts his arm again and it closes. Ahh the force. Trent still believes he has the force and can force the door's at places. I really dread the day when his innocence is lost and he realizes that he does not in fact have the force and it is simply the invention of the motion sensor.

****

So another Star Wars anecdote of when is it too much??? Joseph attends a Catholic school and at Church there are a few things that the priest says that the general reply is "and also with you".

Is it too much when Joseph is watching a Star Wars movie and Yoda says "May the force be with you" and Joseph replies to the TV screen "and also with you."

Would that be the force of Catholicism or the Catholic force?

A picky situation

Well my life has been over come. Over come with something I always thought "it will never happen to me." But the truth of it all, it has happened to me/us. Much to my dismay one of my children has come home with lice. Yes, lice. I'll let you all gag and ugh for a moment.

Lice is disgusting. I won't go into the details of it as I know as a reader I wouldn't want to hear about it that in-depth.

But I never knew how much of an upheaval it can be. I do believe I am on approximately load 3456 of laundry. I imagine the condo-board isn't all that pleased with me as they foot the water bill. I never before knew that I could honestly fit three pillows into my washing machine and dryer. It takes approximately 58 minutes for three pillows to dry in my dryer.
My vacuum has never run so long at one time either. Another thing I never knew, how many people would gasp when we mentioned that lice has entered our home. But then they all try to cover their gasps with some soothing words like "It happens so easily" or "Once it's in the classroom ALL the kids get it".

And to be completely honest, I never realized how dirty or ashamed I would feel having to call people we had recently been in contact with and tell them to check themselves and their children. I also never realized how long those conversations could become as everyone has a lice story they need to share with you. As I know all these people mean well and I probably would have done the same I don't think anyone realized that I had to go switch laundry/fold/vacuum/ wash/nitpick.

I would love to say that the hardest part of dealing with it all was having to pick at Trent's thick curls for five hours and then resort to shaving his head to see better anyways. That alone was enough to push me over the edge...well not quite it just pushed me to go guzzle a beer to calm myself a little.

Throughout the five hours of nit-picking Trent sat so still and quiet, he actually fell asleep for almost two hours of it. He must have known in his soul that this is what needed to be done, as he didn't make much of a fuss. For me to get through the five hours and head shaving I just kept telling myself over and over that things could be so much worse. As grim as my life seemed at that moment it really could be worse. I wasn't sitting at a sick child's bedside for five hours, I wasn't shaving a head due to cancer or brain surgery... it was lice.

At the end of the day it was lice and it was gross and horrible and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. But I guess that my worst day this past week was still sooo much better that someones best day. I got to sit with my son for five hours. I guess I should just be thankful I still have him to sit with.

As for the lice, I know exactly where they can go.... for if they come back they will once again have me to deal with.

Touque Tales

This morning was an interesting one to say the least. After being indoors for two solid days while we waited out the '07 blizzard we became hermits. Yes, after two days I felt like a hermit. I needed to see the outside world.

But as much as Joseph needed to get off to school and Trent needed to go to preschool I wasn't about to do anything without proper attire. At -46 degrees it does not matter how long you warm a vehicle up for it never gets warm. Addie is the easy one I can pile tights, long underwear, snowsuit, mitts, hat and blankets galore upon her and she is none the wiser. Joseph has also gotten to the easier stage where you can rationalize with him. "Dude, its like really cold out, put your hat on" Done. Trent on the other hand....oh Trenter. Yes, not a day goes by that he does not cease to be our Trenter with a mind of all his own. One day I will grow to appreciate his strong will, this morning however, was not that day. I think our conversation went something as such.

me: can you please get your stuff on so we can go
t: ok, let me just...
me: no, please we have to go
t: I don't want to wear my jacket, it's too grossy.
me: Trent, it's not grossy and very cold out you need your jacket.
t: I don't want to zip it up, I don't like it.
me: You must zip up, its very cold out.
t: I don't want to wear a toque it makes my head cold, i'm cold whaaaa
me: Today we all have to wear touques, your toque will make you warm.
t: Mom you lie to me
me: too bad, you have got to wear a toque and mittens.
t: WHHHAAAAA FREAKING WHAAAAA
me: Trent please
t: WHAAAAA FREAKING MORE WHAAAAA

I'll leave it at that, I am sure my neighbors thought I was torturing the poor child. But for me torture would be watching him leave the house and instantly have frozen ears. Not gonna do it. Let's just say it was one battle I had my heart set on winning and I did.

I think really it set a precedent that when it is really really necessary he now knows I will push the envelope, take no crap and a toque will be worn. Was it worth the fight. Yes, in all ways, Yes. It was beyond justified and I made my point.

We then get in the van and all of our pants snap in half as we sit down it is all so frozen and I start driving towards the school. I spot a young man, mid-twentiesish chasing the city bus. The bus left him behind. The young man wasn't wearing a toque. I wonder if his Mom put up with the whaaaa freaking more whaaa and lost this morning?

How sweet it is....

I am still surprised each time I am roused from my sleep by a baby needing a feed that we indeed have a girl. It amazes me how each time you have a baby you feel the unexplainable regardless if it is your first or third. She occupies my days...and nights, but it's worth it. Just look at that pretty face.

The hardest part is my "real life". I miss it. I miss Joseph being at school all day, I missed taking Trent to his first day of preschool, I miss snuggling in bed with them at night. I know in due time and routine I will have a new form of "real life" that Addie just blends in to. But until then I miss my boys.

Cause & Effect

Cause and effect is one of the milestones in a child's development I always look for. There is a certain age when babies begin to understand cause and effect. It usually comes in the form of "if I throw this toy I know my Mom will pick it up for me" and grows into "I know if I cry she will come in here and get me".

But sometimes in life our children get to teach us a thing or two. Most times much to our dismay, but it is just part and parcel.

I have to say since Trent has been born and grown into a boys boy they have given me a refresher course in cause and effect.

The latest installment should have been titled:
Watch This
Cause: I hear Trent's little voice say "Hey Joseph, watch this"
Effect: Never good....never good.

I am sure by the end of this summer I will have had many, many lessons. Keep posted for updates.