There's still hope...

My boys...
Make messes they don't clean up.
They fight--a lot.
They find bodily functions (such as burping and farting) hysterical.
They enjoy talking about the aforementioned bodily functions.
They complain about every healthy thing I make.
They only want to eat junk food.
They expect me to constantly entertain them, especially if one of their brothers is using the iPad.  That must make it all Mom's fault that they are bored.
They see me sleeping and think it must mean I want to be awakened.

But don't despair!  There is still hope!  Yesterday I was cleaning (I'm always cleaning something), and I noticed it was very peaceful in the family room.  I found Sam reading to Nolan.  Sam was reading with lots of expression (and pronouncing all the words correctly!) and Nolan was completely engrossed.  I think they worked their way through at least four books.  It was a proud Mom moment.

Lesson Learned

If your five-year-old doesn't eat more than a bite or two of his Little Debbie at snack time, repeatedly tells you he doesn't feel so good, wants to hug you instead of sit at the dinner table, and starts crying when you convince him to take a bite of his rice, he's probably sick. If you still don't believe me, make him take a second bite of rice. Then grab his plate and hold it under his chin while he tosses his cookies. 

I've got a little boy with a tummy bug. I wasn't feeling so great myself today, so I didn't pick up on his cues this afternoon. After cleaning up the mess at dinner, we snuggled down to watch Backyardigans together. Eventually, I realized I was the only one still watching. 

I hope we both feel better tomorrow. I hope no one else gets sick. 

Unappropriate words

This morning, after Nolan got dressed, I realized the pants he was wearing were too short.  That's the problem with changing seasons.  I keep finding more things that don't fit the boys correctly.  I asked Nolan to change his pants and he gave me his most exasperated look.  He had already gotten dressed once, and I was going to make him do it again?!  So I went to help him change.

As I helped him step into a larger pair of pants, Nolan said to me (in a rather confidential tone), "Yesterday, at school, a kid said a bad word."  I sighed, and told him that yes, sometimes people say bad words.  He just needs to remember that those words are not okay words in our family and we don't say them here.  Nolan nodded very seriously.  Then he asked me if I wanted to hear the word.  I shook my head and said I didn't need to know.

Nolan, however, was determined to tell me.  "Underwear!  The boy said 'underwear'!  And we don't talk about underwear.  That's unappropriate." (yes, that is the word he used)

I managed to hold the laughter in while I agreed with Nolan that underwear isn't something we should discuss in school.

I went downstairs and relayed this information to Bill.  His serious reaction also made me laugh.  "Well, he's right.  They shouldn't be discussing that." 

I give up.  At least we aren't dealing with actual foul language yet!

No big deal

Bill and I frequently refer to TJ as our Drama Queen. He reacts so quickly and so emotionally to things. Sometimes it's good and genuine and sometimes it is very tiresome. 

Unless he feels embarrassed or chastised, Sam is the opposite. He's very calm and laid-back. Sometimes he is TOO calm and laid-back. 

Case in point: early one morning while we were still living in the hotel, Bill was in the shower and I was in the kitchenette area, putting on my makeup. Sam came out of the bedroom, walked over to me, and wrapped his arms around me. Seems like no big deal, but I was alarmed. Sam never willingly gets up before 7:00, and it was only 6:30. In addition, he was so quiet. I held him at arm's length and asked him if he needed his inhaler. He nodded. He was in the middle of a pretty serious asthma attack. I was so glad his inhaler was right there. 

A few days later, we were eating dinner and Sam walked over to Bill. He didn't say anything so Bill finally asked him why he wasn't sitting down. Sam gasped out, "No big deal. I'm just choking."  He was, but thankfully he managed to work it lose while he was standing near his dad. 

This morning, around 2:30 am, Sam came into our bedroom. He was coughing. He told me he had a little tickle in his throat and wondered if he could have some water. I told him that he could have some water...after he we did his rescue inhaler. That 'little tickle' was another decent asthma attack. 

In a way, it's nice that he can stay calm in situations where most people would panic. In another way, it makes me nervous. You have to observe Sam closely. Very closely. Mr. Calm and Collected could be in serious danger and bystanders would never know. 

Older than dirt

This evening, I was working on painting Nolan's room. The boys seem to think I need constant company while I am painting and at least one of them is always nearby. Tonight it was TJ. He took a shower early, got in his pajamas, then came in Nolan's room to observe. I'm just tackling the room in sections. After dinner is the only time I have for painting and I have to wrap it up by 8:30 so Nolan can sleep. So all of Nolan's furniture is still in his room. I just have it pushed away from the wall I'm working on that evening. 

In order to stay out of my way, TJ plunked himself down in Nolan's white rocking chair. That rocking chair was originally mine. I received it for my second birthday, which makes the chair 35 years old. It has held up nicely. It still plays music when you rock on it. The only thing that has changed is we removed the old vinyl Holly Hobby cushion a couple years ago and gave Nolan a more masculine cushion. 

TJ gently rocked in the chair and then commented, "This chair just keeps getting older and older."

I snickered and said, "Yeah, because your mom is older than dirt, right?"

TJ immediately said, "No!", and then a minute later added, "Well, not ALL dirt."

Gee. Thanks. I guess I should be grateful he hasn't put me in a home yet. 

He's no Bob Vila!

I bought TJ and Sam new bedding when we moved. TJ had owned his blue comforter since he moved out of the crib and it was fading. By default, Sam got new stuff too. I went with a navy blue bedding that has a few thin white stripes on it. They also each have a throw pillow that's white, with a navy blue stripe and a deep red stripe running diagonally across them. It's a very nautical look. 

I decided I wanted to dress up their room a bit, so I asked Bill to put in white wainscoting and paint the walls above that a gray-blue. TJ is anxious for this project to be done, as he thinks all the white walls in our house are very boring (and I completely agree). 

TJ, however, can never remember the term 'wainscoting'. Multiple times, he has asked Bill when he is going to put up the 'shandeling'. That isn't even a word!

Tonight took the cake, though. We were sitting at the dinner table, discussing what needed to be done tonight. TJ looked up from his chicken and said, "Hey, Dad. You gonna finish putting up my scaffolding tonight?"

Here's the start of the 'scaffolding'. It needs to be painted white. It is the ONLY thing I want to paint white. Everything else needs color!!

Updates

I know, I know.  It's been a long time since I've posted anything.  Please be assured that you haven't missed too much.  My free time has been spent packing, then unpacking, re-organizing, painting walls, assisting with homework...you name it.  Nothing too lively or outrageous.

We are in the new house.  I absolutely love the house.  The only thing wrong with it is that it is about 120 miles further east than I'd like it.  But I'm learning to adjust.

The boys love the house and they love their neighborhood.  It seems like they meet new kids every day.  Bill was watching them play the other day.  He said they reminded him of a small, happy mob.  The mob was at our house for about a half hour, then moved on to the next house.  A little while later, they moved on to a different house.

The adults in the neighborhood are all very friendly.  I've gotten to know some of the moms pretty well, just from standing at the bus stop and chatting.  The boys have been invited to a Halloween party at one of the neighbors, who happens to be one of Nolan's dearest friends and is also in his kindergarten class.

The boys do still miss Grand Rapids, their relatives, and especially their grandparents.  My mom was out here the first weekend we were in the house.  She stayed for two days.  Her primary responsibility was keeping the boys out of my hair.  She also helped with unpacking, made a few meals, and gave me somebody to talk to, besides myself.  The boys were very sad when she had to go home.

But TJ informed me that he is doing his best to convince her to move out to New Hudson.  He told me that he kept telling her how nice the neighborhood is, and how there are still a few lots for sale.  He seemed pretty smug.  Apparently, he thinks it's just a matter of time before she caves and moves by us.

I hate to tell him, but the odds aren't in his favor.  80% of my mom's kids live in the greater Grand Rapids area.  And over 75% of her grandchildren live there.  The best we can do is convince her to visit, and to bring Toby the wonder pup along so he doesn't miss her too much.

Which brings me to my public service announcement.  We have a lovely guest room with a queen-sized bed and a full bath, just waiting for guests.  We keep the bedroom door closed so it's completely cat hair-free.  There's a small kitchenette and a seating area with a TV for our guests.  Let me know when you want to come visit!  If you're lucky, I might not even ask you to paint!