That Was Fun

My husband has an arm span of 6 feet 8 inches.

That fact is interesting when the commentators on ESPN talk about a college basketball player having a span of 6'6.

He ain't got nothin on my man!

Except a college basketball scholarship.

How's that for random?!

That last post was fun, thanks for all the comments!  And the use of craptastic apparently was appreciated.  My mom taught me that word.  Just kidding.

I'm going to write out what we did today just because some day I want to remember what our days were like.

Sage didn't have school today but Kolby did.  Go figure.

I started the day at 7 when the boys are allowed out of their room.  That's right, I said allowed.  We have a Good Nite Lite.  It's a moon all night and then it turns to a sun (a time set by you) when they are allowed to get up.  We do allow them to get out of bed and use the bathroom but they have to get back into bed until Mrs. Sun comes up.  (I don't get any money if you click that link and buy it.)  Also, we didn't discover it, our friends did and shared the wisdom.

No, I will not be delving into all the details of everything that I type.

And actually, I had been up with a certain, sweet girl from 3:45 to 4:45 but that doesn't count as starting my day.

Where was I?

Right, I got up at 7, with the boys.

Actually, they got up and went downstairs to look for Drew.  Because he's way better than mom.

When they didn't find him, they started wreslting in the living room. 

I came down and offered breakfast.  No one seemed to hear me.

I switched the laundry.  And offered breakfast again.  Still no response.

I emptied the garbage.

Then they ran obnoxiously loudly up to their room to do who knows what. 

I followed telling them to be quiet and not wake up Annika.

And offered breakfast again.  And told Kolby to change his pullup.  And went downstairs.

To convince Levi to use the potty.  And change his pullup.

He does a number two!  I had to tell him I was getting a clean pullup and then take a little bit to get back.

Sage came downstairs dressed.

I labored over pouring cereal and making hot chocolate.  And made coffee.

I went back upstairs to see what Kolby was doing.

He was dressed in shorts and a t-shirt playing with something.

I got out a pair of jeans, told him to change and come downstairs, his hot chocolate was ready. 

When everyone was eating, I went upstairs to get dressed.

I sent Sage back downstairs to monitor Levi and help take his bib off.  (Levi will yank it off, thus defeating the purpose of the bib when he spills the contents all over.)  Best. Bib. Ever.  He's used it since about 9 months, he's 2.  Well worth the money.  Anyway!

I heard all 3 of them come upstairs to play in their room.  Or hide under my covers and try to scare me.

I hear Annika talking in her room.  (YES!  She's in her own room!  She still sleeps in the pack-n-play.)

I get Levi dressed.

I get Annika dressed and change her diaper.  I realize her clothes are too small.

I take her downstairs to nurse her.  I contemplate keeping her in the outfit even though the pants are right below her knees.

I finish nursing her.

I decide to change her clothes.

I put her in a new outfit and think she looks like a boy.  I find a white bow.  And a pink bib.  (She is a drooly mess.)

I get the grocery bags.  And check my list again.  And put it in the diaper bag. 

I tell everyone to get socks and shoes on.

I buckle Annika in the carseat.

I tell Kolby and Levi to get their socks and shoes on.

I get Levi's socks and shoes and make him sit down and put them on him.  I tell Kolby to get his shoes on.

I take Kolby's shoes and put them on him.

I spend 5 minutes getting rain jackets out for everyone and making sure they are on.  (It didn't rain all day)

Everyone is standing by the door as I get my jacket and shoes on, get my keys, make Sage carry the grocery bags, make sure Kolby's backpack is in the van (yes, from Friday), pick up the dry cleaning and the letters I need to mail and Levi runs back to the living room protesting that he needs his truck. 

I explain that the truck has to stay home, he can take The King. 

He throws a fit.  I tell him we're leaving.

I open the door.  He's still throwing a fit.  I say good bye.

He cries harder and louder and runs in front of me yelling "Nnnnooooo!!!!"

I pick up the garbage to take out.

I tell him to stop throwing an ugly fit.

We walk to the van while everyone proclaims that it's raining on their hood.  It was misting.

I tell Levi to be careful walking down the stairs.

I tell Levi not to jump in the puddles.

I tell Levi to get in the van, get in his seat and sit down.

I throw away the garbage and then put Annika in the van.

I put the diaper bag and dry cleaning in the van and put the grocery bags out of the way.

I walk around and buckle Levi who hasn't sat down yet and gets mad when I pick him up to sit him down. 

I get in the van.  It's 8:41.  AM.  Success!  Kolby will be on time to school!

We drive to school.  Praying for our day as we exit the freeway.  (I like to pray for the kids before we drop them off and exiting the freeway is my cue)

We drop Kolby off.  And drive to HEB. 

I put Annika in the Ergo.  Get Levi out of the van.  Make sure the door gets shut and we have the diaper bag and grocery bags.

We get a car cart.  And get our groceries.  Doubling back a couple times after I forgot something and then changed my menu. 

We made one bathroom pit stop for Levi.  It was a half success.  Damp pullup and he went a little. 

Finish getting groceries. 

Walk through the toy aisle. 

Pay for the groceries.  Do the Buddy Buck.  Sage gets 10 points.  Levi gets an Instant Winner.

Turn the cart around to collect his prize. 

It's a bracelet.

Wheel the cart to the van, get Sage and Levi in the van.

Unload the groceries.  Buckle Levi.

Return the cart.  Take Ani out of the Ergo.  Buckle her.

Drive through the parking lot, across the street and go to Costco.

Repeat process of getting Ani into the Ergo, walk into Costco, get a cart.

Milk, eggs, bread, butter and gogurt.  Peruse the clothing.  Get Sage a pair of shorts.

Pay.  Decline getting pizza at 10:30.  No ice-cream either.  Or a churro.

Drop some things at Goodwill.  Mail letters.  And drop off dry cleaning.

Get home.  Get kids inside.  Annika into the bouncy seat.  Set the boys up with yogurt.

Carry groceries inside.

Get Levi a banana. 

Tell Levi he has to eat the banana since he asked for it.  Tell him to stop throwing an ugly fit.

He cries.  He tells me he's all done crying and eats most of the banana.  Give up that battle.  Wash his hands.

Put groceries away.

Make 3 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  Pack Cheetos naturals, blueberries and a yogurt for me.  3 Capri Sun lemonades, leftover from taking half birthday treats to Sage's class on Friday, and a Diet Dr. Pepper.

Tell the boys it's time to get shoes back on and pick up Kolby.

Drive to pick up Kolby and think about all that is undone at the house.  Dishwasher full of clean dishes, dirty dishes on the counter, 2 loads of laundry to fold. 

Pick up Kolby.  Drive to therapy.

Set lunch out for the boys.  Get Annika out of her carseat.

Nurse her.  Eat my lunch at the same time.

Notice Levi doing the duty in his pullup.  Remember I only have 1 clean pullup. 

Finish nursing Annika.

Give Kolby his shorts to change into.

Help him with his knot in his shoe.

Change Levi telling him he needs to use the potty like a big boy. 

Send Kolby back.  Pack everyone up.  Head to Wal-Mart. 

Stand in line to return some things.  Get out of line to take Levi to the bathroom.  Talk to Sage about his attitude.  Get back in the line that hasn't moved but added people.

A lady talks to Annika and touches Levi's hand.  Pray to help me love people instead of getting irritated that she touched my child.

Smile at her and nod (she didn't speak English).  She plays with Levi a little. 

Sage and Levi pretend to eat pretend money.

Peruse Wal-Mart.  Get a good chunk of Bunco ready for February. 

Look at the toys. 

Sage convinces me to help him buy a creator Lego set.  (He had $5 burning a hole in his wallet, he's been bring it everywhere.)

Annika is done with her carseat.  I get her out, hold her and push the cart one handed.

Use the self checkout, while holding Ani, and helping Sage pay. 

Do two transactions.

Wrap Annika in her blanket.  Get outside and realize the sun came out and now it's really warm. 

Remember that I haven't changed Annika's diaper since that morning. 

Change her in my lap in the van. 

Sage says he has to go to the bathroom really badly. 

Tell him to hold it. 

Realize we have about 1.5 hours until we pick up Kolby and we are probably 25 minutes from home.  Realize it's not worth going home. 

Drive through McDonalds to get us a treat. 

Pull into a parking spot to get a bib on Levi and stir the McFlurry's.  (Isn't the point that they come all mixed together?)

Think about how I would have never given Sage a McFlurry in his carseat or anywhere else when he was two.

Drive back to therapy.

Sit in the van and listen to Adventures in Odyssey.

Think about how badly Sage had to go to the bathroom. 

Go into therapy.  See Kolby, who tells me he isn't done. 

Look at a West Elm catalog.  See a rug I like, and throw pillows and curtains, a side table, a basket.  A new shower curtain and bath mat for the kids' bathroom, new duvets for the boys' room.  And think Shiny!  And how materialistic I am.  And how I really don't need any of it.  Take the catalog to show Drew.

Nurse Annika.

Wait and wait some more.

Trace Levi's hand.  And his other hand.  His foot.  And his other foot.

Still nursing Annika.

Kolby comes out!  His OT said he did great.  Asked about transitioning with him.  She gave me an idea to give him a ticket when he transitions well.  Think about all the work that sounds like, think it sounds like a good idea, think it sounds like a lot of work.  Think about talking to Drew about that.

Help Kolby get his shoes on. 

Watch Levi hit Kolby.  Kolby cries. 

Scold Levi.  Tell Kolby to use his words.  Tell him what words to use.  Levi says "sowwy."

Think oh man. 

Get everyone out the door and to the van. 

Kolby cries because there are gummy bears on his seat, he blames Sage.  I explain that they were there from last time at therapy, on Friday. 

Buckle Levi.  Notice Annika's carseat is not level.  Fix it.

Listen to Levi yell and Kolby cry because Levi's yelling.  Think about how it's only 4.  Wonder when Drew is getting home. 

Explain to Kolby to use his words.  Tell him what words to use. 

Call Drew.  He says 6.  I say 6?!  He says 5:30 or 6.  I say when should I have dinner ready?  He says 5:45.

Take a longer way home so I don't have to pay the toll. 

Levi falls asleep.  Consider driving around so Levi can sleep.  Realize that would defeat the purpose of not paying the toll. 

Get home.  Unbuckle Levi.  Tell the boys to carefully climb around him.

Tell Kolby to get his backpack and his jeans.  Tell Sage to carry the lunch bag. 

Collect the diaper bag, my phone, and the Wal-Mart bag. 

Make Levi wake up to walk in the house.  Hold his hand.  Get yelled at for holding his hand.

Get inside.  Finish nursing Annika, check email on the iPad. 

Hold Annika and talk to her.  She fills her diaper.  Get stuff to change her. 

Realize it's been a week since she got a bath.

Take her upstairs to give her a bath.  She pees on the rug.  Give her a bath.  She cries (weird, I must have had the water too chilly).

Get her pajamaed and lotioned. 

Realize it's 5:30 and I need to make dinner. 

Settle her in her swing. 

Start browning hamburger.  Eat the last brownie. 

Listen to Annika cry thinking she'll fall asleep. 

Get Levi to leave Kolby and his legos alone.

Help Kolby use the words to ask Levi to leave his legos alone.

Get Sage to bring Levi's Megoblocks downstairs. 

Get Levi to leave Kolby and his legos alone.

Direct Levi to the living room to play with his Megablocks.  Watch as he dumps them out.  Walk away. 

Notice that he walked away too.

Finish browning the meat.  Drain.  Add taco seasoning.

Get out lettuce.  Cut it up.  Wash it.  Dry it off.  Put it in a bowl. 

Notice Kolby cleaned up his legos without being asked.

Decide to make queso.  Get velveeta and Rotel out of the pantry.  Chop up velveeta, add Rotel and put it in the microwave. 

Set the table.  Get out the yogurt, salsa and cheese. Put a jar of olives by Drew's plate.

Drew gets home.  Give him a kiss.

Call the boys to the table.  Pour milk.

Eat dinner. 

Annika wakes up crying.  Shove a couple more bites into mouth.  Pick her up.

Ask Drew to take her so I can eat one more taco.

Eat two.

Take her back. 

Ask everybody's high/low for the day.

Tell Kolby to not talk with food in his mouth.

Tell Kolby to not take a bite until after he answers.

Listen to Kolby cry and tell me that I hurt his feelings.

Tell him he hurt my feelings by crying at me instead of answering my question.

Figure out he says no casts for his high!  And his low.

Try to explain highs and lows.  Again.

Ask Sage.  High: getting his Lego creator set.  Low:  didn't hear it.

Finish dinner.

Ask Drew to hold Annika while I put the taco meat in the fridge. 

He tells Kolby and Sage to get pajamas on.

He tells Levi to go upstairs.  He tells me he's going to go change. 

He takes Annika.

I put away the meat. 

Then put the cold stuff in the fridge.

Then clear the table.

Put the dishes in the dishwasher.

He comes back downstairs. 

I make a bad joke about how everything cleaned itself up.  And I just finished putting the meat away, while I wash the pan I made the taco meat in. 

He hands me Annika.

I say I didn't get to wipe the table off.

He cackles and leaves.

I follow. 

He reads to Levi.

I chat with the boys and tell them good night.

I take Annika downstairs.  Change her diaper.  Nurse her to sleep.  Read blogs on the iPad. 

Think about the toys on the floor as a blessing, not an annoyance tonight.

Pray for Joanne and family.

Cry a little.

Hold Annika a little longer.

Drew comes downstairs.

Lay Annika down.

Wipe off the table.  Sweep the floor. 

Get a load of laundry out of the dryer.  Put one in the dryer and start another one.

Fold two loads of laundry. 

Reply to a couple emails and some comments. 

Post my verse to the LPM blog.

Start writing this.  Realize it's now 11. 

Carry my wear self to bed.  Praise Jesus that tomorrow won't be exactly like today. 

And trust him for the grace and patience to get through tomorrow.

(I'm not going to go back and edit, not even spell check.)