How quickly they grow!

Sean just passed by. He carried a fishing pole (puzzle version), and a plastic cooler filled with plastic cuisine. He looked at me with his cream cheese covered shirt and impish grin and waved.

"I goin' to college, Mama", he advised.

Currently, college is located under an end table at the end of the couch. Luckily for me, his "semesters" last for about 10 minutes instead of months. And then the future flashes before my eyes, and I realize he will be grown-up and gone all too soon. Some days, the days seem to pass so slowly....messes to clean, meals to fix, housework to do, bottoms to wipe. However, when I stand back I cannot believe this journey of parenthood is already 7 years old. Where has the time gone? And how can I slow it down?

I take a deep breath and go to release the children who were banished to time-out for back-talking. We will start again, on this long day. Because it won't be so long after all.

Sweet trouble

Have you experienced the panic of not being able to find a child in the house....particularly the 2yr old child. I thought the chilren were "safely" watching a video, while I was outside attending to dog "yard cleanup" duty. Upon re-entry, I asked, "Where is Sean?" The older kids were in that television induced stupor....there wasn't an answer among them. So then I began the search.....Sarah's room amid all the "treasured" toys....Nope.....Luke's room in the baseball cards....Nope.....my room under the covers....Nope. Then I found him....in my bathroom. Eating candy. That he dug out of the bottom of my purse (for those we're out in public and you need to be quite times). His response, "I fine Mommy. Eating candy."

Love is.....

Today I discovered that love is......

Sewing Halloween and Saint Day costumes for your children. (that would mean 6 costumes!)

Patiently picking straight pins out of the carpet once your child decides the carpet makes a good pin cushion.

Suppressing the yelp when you "find" the last remaining pin in the carpet, that is now in the bottom of your foot.

Helping your child clean her room as she sobs that it is too messy to even begin.

Remaining patient when in the midst of the room cleaning you hear, "Mom I broke it and there is glass everywhere!"

Sweeping, dusting, and mopping shards of a glass picture frame from the floor, after sending the "offending son and dog" outside to play----with as much of a smile as possible.

Ignoring the wrinkly bed (mine) that was being used as a home base for both son AND DOG during an inside "ballgame".

Picking up the straight pins off of the kitchen floor after they were accidentally spilled by a child.

Sweeping and vacuuming the kitchen floor to find any stray pins.

Realizing the sewing machine somehow "broke" during the day and only mildly getting annoyed. Finding the repair shop for a quick drop off tomorrow. Saying a quick prayer that the sewing machine will be fixed shortly....there are still 3 costumes to make.

Picking up a needle and thread at 9:30 pm to see how long one can sew costumes by hand.

Bad Mom part II

A replay of yesterday... no hubby. However, today I've learned of a new game. It involves 2 kids in a bathtub full of water. It involves sliding kids and water ALL OVER the bathroom. They giggle madly and scream...."sloppy joes, sloppy joes!" If this happens to you, close the curtain to minimize water (although your floor, rug, towels will already be soaked)....and walk away.....return only when they complain the water is too cold. And refrain from making sloppy joes for dinner for a very long time!

Bad Mom part I

Desperate times call for desperate measures....or something like that. Patrick hasn't been home much this week. So last night while preparing dinner at 6:30, I was desperate for some peace, as the kids were wild and crazy. Peace can be momentarily acheived by making swords...out of sticks....and letting the kids swing away in the house. Now mind you, I was preparing the speech to give the ER doctor when we appeared with sticks in our eyes. But we made it through.

Ballpark news

We went on a fieldtrip to the Buc's football stadium yesterday. And I learned a bit more about my children based on the questions they asked.

Luke: "Where is the pressbox?" (when we were on the field)

Luke: "So how much does this cost again, and what else do you get?" (a question asked while in the club loge section)

Sarah: "Where are the doors for when they change their clothes?" (asked in the locker room)

Sean: "Riverdogs game, ball game, hit the ball outfield, see it...see it? (he will always be a baseball fan, I'm afraid)

Slugger

Sean has many talents. I just discovered he can competently hit a golf ball with a baseball bat.....and he likes to play this game for long periods of time. He and Grammy played this game this weekend during her visit. Maybe she is at home icing her shoulder.....