Tuesday, March 20, 2007

When did they grow up?




I'm not sure when it happened. I guess I wasn't watching closely enough, but my boys are growing....quickly! Luke will put the toothfairy out of business at the rate he is going. He lost his top two front teeth, today! Thankfully, Patrick enjoys wiggling and pulling. For some reason, I cannot stomach it. Diapers, spit-up...no problem. Show me a wiggly tooth, one facing the wrong direction....uhhh, I wan't to keel over. So Patrick and Luke wiggled, pulled, and used floss as a tug-a-tooth rope, and managed to get them both out today. I am so glad. It was honestly grossing me out to look in poor Luke's direction. His teeth were all "funny" looking.




Then there is my other little man, Sean. He is so cuddly and snuggly, yet I am sensing the TWO'S upon us. We have had some "nice" tantrums lately. I find it much easier the third time around. I realize this too shall pass. The kids and I often talk about our guardian angles, our family and relatives on earth, and our "family" in heaven. I try to remind the kids that while we pray for each other, and Gramy and Grampy, and all our aunts, cousins, friends, the poor, little babies, all our blessings like the nice weather, flowers etc.... (as you can see our list goes on and on sometimes....usually right before bed--maybe it is a ploy to stay up later?) we can also ask our family in heaven to pray for us during our stuggles here on earth. On this day, Sean may have gotten the lesson better than us all, as he shares a kiss with a statue of the Blessed Mother. Luckily, I had my camera while taking pictures of the kids in the leaves, but this one warmed my heart.

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Things I learned today

1. It is spring--which also means fall here in the Lowcountry. We have birds singing, azaleas and camellias in bloom, warm sunshine (it is 80 degrees!), and we are raking leaves.....yes apparently Live Oaks lose leaves in the spring. So we are raking and jumping in leaves...by we I mean Patrick and the kids....I have floors to mop!

2. A 20 month old should have 2 pairs of tennis shoes. (One pair will get horribly dirty at big brother's baseball practice and need washing---the other pair will inevitably find the "only" hidden pile of dog-do in the yard).

3. Always check little shoes for dog-do after raking leaves. These shoes may somehow make their way in the house (on freshly mopped floors).

4. Be thankful for hardwoods instead of carpet due to item 3.

5. Any husband who willingly eats pizza at a business dinner, in order to bring the entree home to his wife is a wonderful, special, and generous man. He is extraordinary when the entree is a Maine Lobster roll--full of memories for his wife, and the biggest chunks of lobster claw meat I have ever seen!

6. Be thankful for friends who allow you to come to their house between appointments to "kill time". Be very, very thankful when multiple boys, brownies, and pluff mud are involved--they aren't getting your house dirty!

7. Try very hard to store in your memory these days that are passing to quickly. I will surely forget rosy cheeks after just waking up, a snuggly baby sucking his thumb and rubbing his blankie on his nose, the voracious appetite for food and books of a growing 6 year old, the joyous and LOUD voice of a 5 year old who finds excitement in everything, the way a 2 year old sings the ABC's getting every few letters correct.

Monday, March 12, 2007

Questions for Mom

I worked a lot this weekend doing the real estate thing. It was crazy, but somehow choreographed well as Patrick and I met up several times and swapped off kids. While I worked yesterday, Patrick took the kids to the park for a picnic and the dog to the dog park for some play time. At some point I got a phone call from Luke, "Mom where is the dog brush?" That is a great question, as no one knows where I mysteriously hide items, myself included. A short time later I got another call...from Luke, "Hi mom, what are you doing?" A bit frazzled, I told him I was working, asked what Daddy was doing, and told him to tell Daddy that he was talking on the phone. A bit later, I got another call, from Luke, "Mom do you know where my rock is?" I replied, "What rock?" Luke said, "The rock I found at the park, today?" Having missed out on that adventure, I told him I hadn't seen the rock. "Well do you have a plan on how I could find it?" he asked. So I began the list of pockets, the couch, on the bathroom floor, etc.

Sometimes, they just need to talk to mom---that is when it is very hard to be away!

Friday, March 9, 2007

Blessings and curses of healthfood

Just a friendly FYI...health food is great. For example...we have a bag of dried apricots on the counter. When the kiddos are itching for a snack, and I'm busy, they grab apricots. But beware... a busy mom in the kitchen may hand a 2 year old many, many, many apricots while cooking dinner, to keep his whinning down to a minimum. SOME moms may forget how many apricots are sensible, and allow her little one to eat way too many over the course of 12-24 short hours. This is apparently the curse of health food. It tastes good....they like it....they eat it. Moms then change many, many, many diapers (and t-shirts, and pants, even shoes and socks) Next time I'll opt for potato chips!

Thursday, March 8, 2007

My own St. Patrick


I love my husband very much....and seem to realize it more MOST days. He is so helpful around the house and with the kiddos. I suppose he always was, but my eyes are only beginning to open to it now. Besides my coffee fill ups in the morning, and taking the cranky brood off my hands while I try and prepare dinner....he even wakes up to deal with nightmares and crying toddlers at 1am. I'm convinced his ears have thankfully become more sensitive to such distress. Any man who can make vomiting a fun game for a 2 year old is a hero in my book. "It is a game Luke, we try to get it in the bucket, and if you do, you win!" Anyhow, here is Mr. Wonderful clad in an apron, with a sand shovel in hand. He was helping the kids plant clover so I didn't have to get dirty! The clover was a gift from friends, and it came at a great time. Next week is St.Patrick's Day and maybe will will have our own Shamrock patch. By the grace of God we will also be studying the Holy Trinity in religion and we will use our Shamrocks as St. Patrick did...to illustrate the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Thanks be to God for husbands!

Shady business ethics

While most boys ages 6-9 aspire to be athletes and superheroes or better yet...their Dad, I'm afraid my son may hope to be a CFO of a company with little ethics oversight. Someone better warn Jeff Skilling and Ken Ley to make room at the big house.....Luke Kelty is now a "businessman". While changing a squirming toddler I caught the big kids in heated conversation. I questioned what was up, and thankfully Sarah Clare blurted out, "Luke took money from our friends for Pokemon cards." Now, this is not the first time Luke has tried to sell various household items of his for profit...and he knows we don't like the practice (yes...hypocritical enough as his parents were, for a short time, some of Craig's list most frequent listers) nonetheless... Seeing as the diaperchange was a challenge, I called in for disciplinary reinforcement, ie...Dad. Now, for Luke this was a blessing. In the middle of multiple activities my discipline tends to the "What did you do? You know not to do that...what were you thinking?" rhetoric. Now, Dad is law here, but he is very patient, interested, and resolved to get to the bottom of things. Eitherway, it usually ends up a better lesson, if Dad teaches it. Patrick, patiently asked all the right questions (and allowed Luke to think through the answers). I tend to forget that step! At one point when the discussion headed to the "Why did you do it if you knew it was wrong" direction Luke answered...."I know, mortal sin...." You have to imagine a picky eater remembering to eat broccoli after an hour of staring at his plate to understand the tone of voice here......So he is beginning to understand these faith items, seemingly he he cares little for action at this point.....(another blog entry altogether I suspect....) Anyhow, I stifled disappointment and a smile at the same time. A few moments later I caught Patrick's eyes, and I saw disbelief.....he had counted out the "loot" Luke had brought home from his day of "direct sales".....Patrick flatly stated, "$15 and some change....in quarters...." Yes my son, who I thought had brought home some pennies and nickles, had made a $15 profit by selling about 15 Pokemon cards. Where have I failed? After further discussion and a monetary refund in full to his friends the event ended. And so I worry, yet again, about my children. Have we taught right from wrong? On the bright side, if ever strapped for cash, I now know there is an untapped market of youth willing to pay top dollar for trading cards....what ever happened to those Garbage Pail kid cards I once had????

Tuesday, March 6, 2007

Hit Me! (Again)

I've been pondering God's gift of the family alot lately. What a wonderful and unique blessing. I dwell often on the enormous task we have of preparing the souls' of our children for God's work on earth and glory in Heaven. However, I realize the importance of our children for their efforts in preparing us also (probably unknown to them). How? These little people help to humble us mothers everyday. I am thankful that they are helping to humble my prideful soul so that one day I may be ready for Heaven. And if one child humbles, imagine what multiple children do!!!! Let's see....there is poop, pee, vomit, eating boogers in public...(these are just the items dealing with bodily functions and/or fluids). And so my morning began like this......me and three kids piled into our teeny bathroom for the morning ritual of hair combing and teeth brushing. Luke matter-of-factly asks, "Mom can you try to be more JOYFUL today?" Now please note, he did not ask for me to be happy or nice, he wanted full out joy. (As a mother, should I not have this quality daily...in abundance?) I answered, "huh, me, what...?" Luke responded, "You were kind of grouchy yesterday." And so I managed a weak smile, and short prayer....."OK Lord...Hit me again! What else are you trying to tell me?"

Monday, March 5, 2007

Tea for Two


Well, Daddy and his little girl got to go out for a tea date. They loved it. Sarah got to dress up with a hat, heels, and earrings...all provided by the "tea lady". On the drive home she told Daddy, "I wish we were still there". That mean Mommy that made them come home!


Her other question that startled me the other day: We were discussing the need to learn to tie our shoes. I asked what she would do at college if Daddy and I weren't there to tie her shoes. She informed me Mrs.Perkins....our friend would come to her house to tie them. (Mrs. Perkins is sure in for a big surprise!). Then Sarah asked, "What is college?" I explained you go there after high school to learn how to do your job (like be a teacher, doctor, etc...)


Sarah replied, "Do I have to go there to be a cheerleader?" UH..........Hmm.......yeah, Sarah I guess you do!

Thursday, March 1, 2007

Birthday Girl


I can't believe she is 5! It's been several days of partying with the Kelty's as we celebrate Sarah Clare. Her birthday was the 27th and our tradition involves balloons and signs posted by the time the birthday child awakes. Then they get to pick out the dinner for the day. Sarah Clare thought long and hard...then requested Macaroni and Cheese. I noted how fun it would be to make it with her from scratch when she informed me she wanted the blue kind, from a box....My heart was broken...I just didn't feel good about my "motherliness" if I made that for a birthday dinner. Instead, Sarah opted for breakfast for dinner. We had pancakes, waffles, cinnamon rolls, sausage, eggs, and strawberries.....everyone chowed down! The next day we had a party for her with 5 friends and her brothers at a Jump Castle place. We had pizza and cupcakes and jumped the day away. All had fun, and Sean screamed when it was time to leave!


Our big girl is such a helper. She helps me throughout the day by playing with Sean and helping me cook. She is happily learning to read and loves spending time with glue, glitter, markers, and paper. House and princesses are her favorite games, although she will gladly play Pokemon if it means her big brother will give her attention. She loves to be with her Daddy, and she looks forward to going out for High Tea with him on Saturday. Watching her grow into a young lady is such a joy, but happening too fast. God has blessed her with plenty of compassion and generosity. She happily looks out for the feelings of others and tries to make everyone get along. At her birthday party she introduced 2 friends in the following way...."Erin this is Alissa, Alissa this is Erin--(they then shook hands)...now let's all go play". She did this all by herself!