Adjusting. Maybe.

I thought this adjustment would be so much easier. 

My first grader has actually done better than expected.  I still hear the daily complaint that he doesn't want to go to school, but by the time we have walked over he can't seem to wipe the smile from his face so I have to guess that things really are not so bad.

The twins on the other hand... one of them is taking the change so so... and the other lets me know every.chance.he.gets. that he is not happy.  Right down to sprawling across my bed the moment I opened my laptop to write this morning, just to tell me he 'isn't feeling so happy' and he just wanted me to know.

Color me not surprised.  Even my grandmother noticed his pout yesterday (and it wasn't even a school day).  The Doodle Bop is not feeling so happy because of Kindergarten.  He claims he is bored.  Things are not fun.  I did happen to see him several times Friday as I worked the school book fair and he looked like he was having a ball each time I saw him.  To which he tells me it was just because he saw me.  I don't know what to believe.

I don't like the change I am seeing in my child, but I also remember him going through this at the beginning of pre-K before he settled in.  This time around it is harder because the school is new AND his class meets in the afternoon (the time of day he needs to zone and now has to pay attention).  I'm happy to be working the book fair again today and tomorrow so I can see what his mood is like in school again. 

All I know is that I can't take a minute more of this little one balled up on the couch in his dinosaur blanket.

Now to figure out how to handle the changes to my own schedule.  I have always done my writing in the morning, and a little at naptime.  And some again at night if I needed to.  Now that my morning is completely thrown into chaos with the boys home I need to figure out a new way to do things.  It used to be able to write with them here, but since school started (and their moods have changed), I am finding I need to settle into an entirely new schedule...which I have yet to come up with.

Right now I'm going to work on some 5 Minutes for Mom posts due this week.  Check back here tomorrow for a Chuck E Cheese giveaway (for THREE readers) ... and I am making it my mission to get back to regular Buy-Her posting if it's the last thing I do.  So many things in the works I need to get cracking!

But first the Bunny Bee needs me to put together his transformer Dinosaur.  Leg came off.  And the Doodle Bop has again moved his spot to mope from the couch to my bed.  And spell check is not working!  Doesn't blogger know how much I need spell check?!

Chuck E Cheese - giveaway - tomorrow - be here!!! 

Lessons learned. Or maybe not.

I have dreaded today for an entire week knowing that the boys had to get their cavities filled.  I just knew it would be chaos.  And full of tears from the Doodle Bop for sure.

Ever have one of those days when you are proven completely wrong?

The chaos we still had.  Dropping the kids off at Vacation Bible School this morning I reminded everyone what time I would pick them up for the dentist.  Only to have Al tell me shortly after that the dentist asked if we could come in a half hour earlier.  Picking up the boys even earlier than planned sent the Big Guy into a teary eyed mess.  He did not want to leave.  (This is the same kid that cried 3 days ago because he didn't want to go by the way.)

We get to the dentist exactly a half hour early as requested and the girls behind the counter give me a sympathetic smile as one says Thanks so much for coming in early! Unfortunately the dentist is now running behind. And something about how they would be with us as soon as they could. 

Totally wanted to scream.

The boys sat down.  The Big Guy was still full on complaining.  I caved in and passed out the new coloring packets with stickers and markers I picked up from Target specifically for today.  The ones I was not going to whip out until all hell broke loose.  Close enough.

They were done coloring even before the appointment.

When it was finally the Bunny Bee's turn, I walked him in and he burst into full on tears.  When the girl showed him a tool and said it was not a needle he started shaking.  It was awful.  We finally get him calmed down and I go to the waiting room.  Longest 15 minutes ever.  He starts crying again.  Loudly.  Hysterical tears.  This child didn't even need Novocain.  He was only getting a tiny spot - without a drill - touched up because the cavity was barely there.  Which led to the Doodle Bop freaking out in the waiting room. 

After he was finished I begged him to look at his brother and tell him it really was not bad, that he was OK.  He shook his head and clutched his stuffed doggy.  Then he looked at the Doodle Bop and burst into tears again.  It hurt.  it hurt.  It really hurt!  And with that he curled up into a ball in a waiting room chair and cried harder.

Oh dear God.

Walking the Doodle Bop down the hall felt like we were heading down death row.  I pretty much had to put him in the chair and his eyes were filling up with tears.  When I accidentally bumped into the tray with all of the tools on it, he was suddenly fascinated...asking all the names.  I told him we would have to ask the dentist because I didn't know.  And with that the dentist came in and started telling him what was what.  I sat in the waiting room and held my breath for the tears.  This child would not only get Novocain on both sides of his mouth, but I knew it would take forever to fill his 2 cavities when he started to fall apart.

But it never happened. 

And when it was done?  That child bounced out of the chair all smiles and told me that it didn't hurt a bit.  The dentist asked if he had mixed up the boys, that he thought I said the Bunny Bee was going first because he would have an easy time and the Doodle Bop would fall apart.  No, you didn't mix it up! I told him.  I would have bet actual MONEY that it would go down like that.

The Doodle Bop sat there all smiles, took two cavities getting filled like a champ ... without any Novocain.  The one who is always glued to me.  The first to get upset over the smallest things. 

But it was the Bunny Bee that fell apart.  The class clown always looking for attention.  The one who acts like he doesn't need me all that much.

It was then that I thought about how the boys certainly surprise me sometimes.  The Doodle Bop is the quiet one.  But every once in a while he talks a blue streak to anyone who will listen.  At my sister's wedding reception the boys had to walk out together to be introduced.  It was the Doodle Bop dragging the other two out with the biggest grin on his face to my surprise.  When the Bunny Bee got sick and missed school I thought the Doodle Bop would fall apart without him - instead it was the other way around.

I tried to use this as a learning experience for all of the boys when we left the dentist.  This is why we need to take really good care of our teeth.  They have to be brushed really good all the time so this doesn't happen again!  OK?  The Big Guy said he never wanted that to happen to him.  The Bunny Bee was crying again and nodding yes.  The Doodle Bop?  Mommy it wasn't that bad.  It really didn't hurt.

Two out of three learned a lesson I suppose.  Just not the exact two I was thinking would.

When chaos really does sum it up

OK my friends, I have basically neglected you all for a good week now. 

The worst part is that I have no excuse.  You know those times where you don't know what to talk about because nothing is going on?  I don't ever seem to actually have that problem.  Here we are again where I have been so busy that instead of taking time to blog each thing, I instead put it off.  And I have been staring that this blog on and off all day wondering where the hell I should even start.

I mean I seriously have tons of things to talk about!

And yet all of the topics I would like to cover are suddenly overwhelming.  You know how I feel.  I know you do.  I'm busting out the picture. 

So here is what I am thinking.  I will give you all a brief (stop laughing, maybe I can be brief...who am I kidding) look into my chaos and we will end the post there.  Over the next few days I will try and break it all down so it doesn't become one big giant post about one hundred things.

Where have I been.  Well as you can see I got quiet at the end of last week because I started freaking out about leaving for my amazing trip to New Mexico to represent 5 Minutes for Mom with Mercedes Benz.  I may spend weeks bouncing off the walls excited to take a trip, but once that trip gets really close?  I freak out.  I hate to fly alone, I won't know anyone, I'm leaving my kids behind (and trust me they hate that)...you get the picture.  Full on internal freak out last weekend.

Monday through Wednesday I was in New Mexico.  Which just in case you have never been out there before?  Is totally the place to bury a dead body.  Or bodies. 

But more on that later.  I promise.

The driving was awesome.  I did make some friends.  I would LOVE to own a Mercedes (which I will rave about much more in depth shortly) ...and I survived two horrible flights home in a storm (one which included the entire plane clapping when we landed) and a teary eyed breakdown in a certain Baltimore airport. 

Thursday morning it was back to business as usual with an early morning dentist appointment for the twins.  My kids truly love the dentist.  And I am afraid that is all about to go to hell.  The twins have their first cavities.  And I have been beating myself up ever since.  The Bunny Bee came out first and when they told me my jaw dropped.  He brushes his own teeth, but I always check...and they look good!  Tiny cavity in a back molar which won't come out till he's about 12 they say, so we have to fill it.  Might not even need Novocain.  I made his appointment to have it filled when the Doodle Bop was in there.  A few minutes later they are out to speak with me again.  The Doodle Bop has not one, but two cavities in his molars.  Freaky twin thing?  One is the same exact strange spot as his brother.  Only his are worse and if you look close there are two tiny little black spots.

That's right.  Mother of the Year.  I wanted to cry.  My poor babies.  If they were older I could blame it on them...but at barely 5?  That is on me.  So later this week I will be taking the boys in to get them filled.  Which you know is going to be a totally bloggable experience.  Al is hoping for the next David goes to the Dentist.  Or is that after the Big Guy gets his tooth out next month...who can keep up.  I am just hoping I can get the Doodle Bop into the chair after the Bunny Bee gets out of it.

Couldn't even tell you what I did again until Saturday when we took the boys to St. Mary's Feast.  What a rip off now compared to when we were younger.  $12 for them all to ride one ride -  once... $9 for 3 candy apples... and something like $15 for them to each play one game.  Oh my God. 

Going down the slide with the twins while I grip their hands in fear for our lives while they scream and cry and I fall backwards?  Priceless!

And here is what my elbow looks like today - from the burlap sacks and the slide.  Hurts like a you know what.  That photo doesn't even do it justice.  Gotta say, you have no idea how much you move your elbow until you burn all the skin off of it.

Which brings me to this morning.  Al and I set the alarm for 4:40am and we were out the door with the boys just after 5am to make it to the South County Hot Air Balloon Festival so they could see the balloons go up with the sunrise.  Because I'm crazy.  Also another story for another post.

On a side note, I need some wine.  And my bed.  Do you see why I'm having a hard time getting all of this blogged?  Stay tuned this week.  Lots of stories to tell.

Why fingers don't belong in doors

The Doodle Bop does this thing that has always driven me crazy. I complain I have been slowly going gray since I was 19, but I think he is the one single handedly speeding up the process. Trust.

For as long as I can remember, he likes to walk by an open door running his hands along the wall and his little fingers get in between the part where the hinges are. I have told him over and over (and over) not to do that because one day his fingers are going to get hurt when a door closes on it. The Bunny Bee learned that lesson once, but it was the other side of the door, by the doorknob. Crunched fingers and a trip for X-Rays.

Yesterday morning I told the boys I had a massive amount of work to do. After Al went off to work I got them dressed and threw on mismatched sweats and a tee for myself. I told them I would take them to Dunkin Donuts and they could pick out whatever donut they wanted... in return I needed them to behave until it was time to get ready for swim. (Lets just say I've done this on more than a few occasions.)

Walking in the first door the Bunny Bee went ahead to open the second one, but it was too heavy for him. I looked behind to make sure the Doodle Bop was following us as the Big Guy went over to help too. The next thing I know the Doodle Bop screamed. I turned around to find the Big Guy telling me that he could see his fingers were stuck in the door. By the hinges.

I couldn't breathe.  And we had an audience of people.  I opened the door and tried to brace myself for the missing fingers I was sure to see. But they were all there. Crunched, but there. I scooped him up as he cried uncontrollably, while telling everyone around us he was OK, and snapping at the boys to follow me to the truck NOW. The Big Guy wasn't having it. I didn't get my donut!

Strapped everyone into the truck and off to the treatment center down the street we went. My poor baby. How many times have I told him not to do that. Why wasn't I watching better. As we sat in the packed waiting room at the treatment center they brought the Doodle Bop an ice pack and the Big Guy looked at me and said loudly Why did you do that to him.  I nearly lost it.  I didn't do anything to him!  Why do you guys think I am always telling you to keep your fingers away from doors?!  Then I had to remember he was 6 and was more ticked he didn't get his donut... but seriously.

The staff was wonderful. We had to wait awhile but when it came time for his X-Rays, they occupied my other two with a sticker box so I could go in with the Doodle Bop. Any chance you could be pregnant? they asked. 

No. 

Mommy?  What's pregnant? the Doodle Bop chimed in. 

Having a baby.  Lets not talk right now.  (Quiet game. Why not.)

We got excellent news. No breaks. Just a $50 bruise.  Amazing to me.  I saw that heavy door closed on top of his little fingers.  How he didn't lose some to begin with, never mind come away without any breaks... it's a freaking miracle.  The X-Ray tech joked that with 3 boys she would be seeing me again soon. I don't doubt that for a minute.

The boys did indeed get their donuts after, but it was at a totally different Dunkin Donuts and I hit up the drivethru.  No way was I going right back to the one from that morning with the kids and all of us in the same clothes.

And you know I totally thought that X-Ray tech jinxed me too because later that afternoon after swim lessons the Bunny Bee took quite a spill in the parking lot. Split his little knee open and scraped up his foot, ankle and a finger too. I happened to have a First Aid kit in the trunk that I do not always travel with so I preformed 'surgery' right there in the parking lot. About an hour or so after that the boys went with my parents to the park and the Big Guy fell off a rock, hurting his knee. 

Seriously?

Seriously.

Its not even summer yet.  I have this feeling the treatment center will indeed be seeing a lot of us.  Do you think maybe we'll get a discount?

Meeting Scary Mommy

Chaos.

I mean what other excuse do I ever have for getting wrapped up in things and sidetracked.  This particular post has been in the works for nearly a week now, and yet it was the highlight of my whole entire week!  Which isn't to say I didn't have fun reading to the boys at school because I did.  More on that later, because this is first.

Meeting Jill Smokler - aka Scary Mommy.

Tuesday night my dad came over to watch the boys for me before Al got home from work, so I could go to Carrabba's for dinner.  Not just any dinner.  Dinner with my blog mama friends.  That's me in the striped shirt on the left.

Its crazy what happens when we have a get together.  I always go in knowing only a few people and come out with new friends...and sometimes old that become new again.  Like Candice (in the white top).  We were actually friends on Facebook through a blogging group.  Never did I realize we grew up together.  She walked in and I flashed back to elementary school and girl scouts and I just had to ask where she was from.  She and my sister were the same year in school and we did in fact know each other.  Over 25 years ago.  Hysterical.

I have to tell you it was pretty cool getting to hang out with Jill for awhile.  She is just so sweet in person!  Jill even had us fill out cards before dinner with a confession.  Kept it tame since we were also adding our twitter handles though.

Love this picture of me, my BlogHer roomie Jen, Joanna and Audrey. 

Carrabba's knew we were all coming but we seemed to overwhelm them anyway.  Long story short Jill had to leave without eating and the rest of us missed her book reading.  Thankfully we were still able to make the signing. 

It was pretty cool having Jill sign my book!

Look for a review of Jill's book Confessions of a Scary Mommy on Buy-Her shortly. 

Big thanks to Megan for letting me use some of her photos!

Wine O'clock

Haven't forgotten to blog, have just been terribly exhausted. 

Here's a run down of the last few days - without photos for the moment (even though I have taken several).  Trust me on that one.

Thursday night Al took the night off and we surprised the boys with our annual trip to Lasalette they had been asking for.  Friday I pulled the boys from school early to drag them to the doctors with me.  Bronchitis AND patellofemoral syndrome for my right knee ... again.   That night was the Big Guy's family birthday party at our house.  The next day was his friend birthday party at Meadowbrook Lanes.  Bowling!  That night?  Chrismakkuh with the Brombergs.  Next day?  Terranova Christmas in Westerly. 

This morning I woke up with some kind of horrible allergic reaction.  Strange thing is, I have zero food allergies (except maybe to eggplant which I eat anyway... I'll deal with the itchy throat because it's my fav)!  Red, itchy and swollen everywhere.  Scared the heck out of me.  My bottom lip looked like I had a collagen injection.  Which I could have rocked if my top lip had matched, but it didn't.  Allergy pill and tons of water... a few hours later?  Back to normal. 

Totally scattered though.  Hit up the market with the intent to shop a weeks worth since I didn't get to it over the weekend and checkout in just 25 minutes (so I could get the boys from school - was cutting it way too close today)... and did I mention my whole goal was to spend half of what I usually do so I'd have extra money this week?  For Christmas odds and ends? 

Yeah.  I know you see what's coming next.

You know what trying to shop with the fear of being late to get your kids from school does?  Makes your run through the market like a crazy person throwing random things in your cart... so you can nearly faint at the register when you see you didn't spend half as planned, you spent nearly double the amount you meant to...far more than a regular week.

*Sigh*

I feel like I'm stuck on a hamster wheel and I can't stop running.  Except my knee is falling apart and I have a hell of a cough.  Trying to still have fun, be in the Christmas spirit... but today I crashed and instead of getting actual work done I fell asleep on the couch while the twins napped. 

Someone tell me how Christmas is at the end of this week?  OK OK so it's not like I didn't know it was coming.  But right now, I have 75% of my shopping done, not a single present wrapped and definitely nothing baked... never mind the kids cards for school classmates ready.  Oh, and I still have to send out another wave of Christmas cards for addresses I got after the initial mailing.  Definitely going to need some coffee.

More to come this week I promise.

Right now, the kids are finally tucked in for the night, Al is still at work and it's wine o'clock.  On my couch.

Mercury's in what?

Is there a full moon I'm not aware of?  I do keep hearing something about mercury being in retrograde but what that means I have no idea.  The boys have been teetering on the side of crazy and while sometimes its comical, other times I just want to bang my head.  Or you know, drink wine.

Thanksgiving was so nice with the family.  The part that I didn't mention?  Is that all of my younger cousins from the teenagers on down to the littlest of the little (who is going to be 3) make up one ginormous kids table.  When my brother, sister, me and two of our cousins our age were all small we called the kids table the table they attached to the main one.  Well, we still sit there but the family has expanded so much all the rest of the kids after us (including our own) sit at one giant table in the next room. 

The twins are next to the youngest so one would think they would sit there very quietly to eat with a handful of teenagers scattered around the table too.  Not my guys.  Over all this loud noise I hear them competing to yell the loudest.  'Guys guys guys! Wait! Watch me!'  And then one sits up in his chair on his knees and dances like crazy with his eyes shut and the biggest grin on his face.  Then the other twin.  And they had everyones full attention too.

Sunday night Al and I watched Julie's girls for awhile.  The Big Guy gave his brothers the talk before the girls got there.  'No talk about marrying!'  That lasted all of 10 minutes as everyone sort of paired up.  I would hear the Bunny Bee repeatedly say 'K.  K... I love you.'  Oh my god.  When I called him into the kitchen where I was cooking by his whole name, all the girls wondered who I was talking to.  'What mom.  I do love her' he said all defiantly.  Um, you're four.  Last night I happen to notice what K wrote on the chalk board.  'I BUNNYBEE LOVE'  (OK, not really Bunny Bee but you get the picture.)  And the Bunny Bee's yelling 'No Mommy don't erase it!  It says she Loves me!'  Jules.....

Yesterday we went to pick out the Big Guy's birthday party invitations at iParty.  Which is right near Snip-its.  The boys started yelling for Snipits and I reminded them we already said goodbye to them.  The Bunny Bee says Yes, I know.  And within seconds composes a whole entire several minute song to the tune of Bye Bye Miss American Pie ... about Snip-its - 'Bye Bye Snipits Haircu..ut place...' I actually stopped the car and turned around as he sings 'I'll miss you for my life' ... and on and on.  His brothers laughed hysterically.

OK this seems like its all about the Bunny Bee.  It has really been all 3 of them, he just has the most memorable crazy stuff going on right now.  Speaking of right now, they are sitting on the couch with the tablet taking turns playing games and yelling 'Christmas Nuts!' 

Where do they get this stuff from!

Organizing the clutter

Lets talk about kid clutter, shall we?

Once upon a time I had a really cute living room.  And an office.  Then we had one baby and it became a playroom/living room.  We promptly added two more babies and it was no longer a living room... but a 24/7 playroom filled with toys that happened to have a couch and a TV.  That office?  Now a babies room.

And most days?  It all looked like this.

That's right, a floor covered in toys and kids jumping in and out of the mostly empty toy bin.  I'm not going to lie, we still have those days sometimes.  BUT we have also made some changes at kid central.  I'd like to share my 10 strategies for de-cluttering and organizing the toys in the playroom (as well as the rest of the house since if you have small kids like I do, you know it ALL becomes one giant playroom?!

1. First things first we set up a bookcase against the living room wall (that yes, we bolted to the wall for safety).  On the bottom shelves we organized all of the board books for the kids.  On another shelf within their reach we placed all the coloring books and a bin of crayons.  Higher up but still in view are all the DVDs the boys can choose from with our help... and on top of that are special books the boys need our help with for one reason or another.

2. We organized the bins.  Big giant bins are your friend, until you can't find anything in them.  We got bins that vary in color and size, some of which hold just the Hot Wheels cars - just the Thomas trains - just the Little People (and so on).  I have said for the longest time I will also include a photo on the outside of the bin so the kids know what should be put away where - but I have not gotten that far yet,

3. We created a space for the boys in our semi finished basement.  Put down a rug and moved about half of the toys downstairs.  We even set up an old CD player so the boys can throw some tunes on when they play.  (The CD player is a big hit!)

4.We moved the giant kitchen play set that took up a great deal of space out to the house and into the backyard so they can play with it there.  It actually gets more use out in the yard.  So much easier for the boys to play at.

5. A large bin in each of the boys rooms.  When it's time to clean up at the end of the day, the random toys scattered around get placed in the bin for the night.

6. A laundry basket in each room.  You might not think so at first, but it makes such a difference when the kids have a spot to throw their dirty clothes.  I am no longer finding random socks and sweaters stuffed under the bed.

7. Table and chair set in each room.  We always had one for the Big Guy but only added one for the twins about a year ago.  Makes a nice space for them to sit and read or color when playing in their room.

8. We installed a set of hooks on wall behind the bedroom door for jackets and backpacks to hang.  The boys all know when they come home from school the backpacks get hung right up for the next day.  This way we are never on the hunt to figure out what happened to them.

9. Donate old clothes to Salvation Army.  I have tried consignment here and there but have not had much success.  I find the easiest thing to do at the end of the season is to clear out what no longer fits the twins and just take it straight to the Salvation Army.  (If it's only the Big Guy it no longer fits I put it in the twins room since they will be able to wear it soon.)

10. Give toys away.  I used to hold yard sales to try and make some money.  It's just so much easier (and less time consuming) right now to find someone you know with kids and pass it on - or take it to the Salvation Army.  So often by the time the boys grow out of a toy it is still in good condition, I like knowing someone else will get some use out of it too.

So those are my 10 tips on organizing the clutter.  I like to think it's always a giant work in progress though.  Some days we are nearly spotless... and other days... well you can't always see the floor.  Just knowing I have all these organizational things in place though, makes me feel like it won't take too long to see that floor again.  Give it a try yourself.  Do you have a great tip you use to de-clutter that I did not share here?  I would LOVE to hear it!  Always open to new suggestions!
 
I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Hot Wheels® blogging program, for a gift card worth $40. For more information on how you can participate, click here.