running and talking

I went on a run tonight with Gavin. I did a mile circuit with him and then ran 2 more by myself. The first part of the run he would dart ahead and run back, he was so excited to be doing it with me. About half way through he started to get tired and so he slowed down and went my pace. The beauty of this for him was that he had my undivided attention and talked non stop. He told me the story of the 3 Billy Goats Gruff(a book we checked out from the library) and how all the goats were named Gavin(in the story they were all named Gruff and he thought that was funny). Then he gave me a blow by blow account of how scrap yards work. We checked out a "Mighty Machines" dvd from redbox a couple of weeks ago, and I am amazed at how much he has retained from the one time he saw it. I think he quoted some parts of it word for word to me. He is so engaged with the world around him. It was so much fun getting to spend that time with him and just listen. It was a peaceful moment to end the chaotic day. Thanks Gavin!

poop post

I am making dinner. Rice in the rice cooker, food cooking away on the stove. I turn to the sink to wash the kids plates. 2 plates cleaned, and 15 seconds later I turn back to the counter and the 3 youngest heathens have the rice jar on the floor taking turns(how sweet!) sticking their hands in and pulling out handfuls to dump on the floor. I shoo them all out of the kitchen and grab the broom, sweep it up and turn to the trash can to dump the mess. As I dump the rice in the can I hear ***SPLAT** "uh oh, MOOOOOOMMMMMMYYYY!" and turn to see that Annie has unscrewed the lid on my water bottle and dumped it all over the floor, I see Gavin run past at the same time laughing like a maniac and waving Jane's special blanket over his head, Jane is right behind him and screaming in a pitch that would kill a dog. I yell at Gavin to give the blanket back and run down the hall to grab a towel. I get the towel and start mopping up the kitchen when someone yells, "Annie NAKED!"(sends chills through my heart, will explain in a minute) leave the towel on the floor and run to the front room that Annie has her diaper half off, Gavin is on the couch taunting Jane with her blanket, and Atticus is bouncing like a mad man on all of the furniture. In a moment I can see two possible futures stretching out before me, one of which involves me as a sad story on the news and eventually a life time in prison...I choose the next option which involves me screaming at the top of my lungs, "GET IN YOUR ROOM NOW! EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU!" I herd them all down the hall and lock the door behind them yelling that they can get out when their daddy is home from work. end scene.

The Diaper Chronicles:

Annie has been in a clothing optional frame of mind. I find her sans clothes and diapers at odd times(Kenneth came home from a hardware store run to find her running around the back yard in her birthday suit....in my defense we were ALL supposed to be taking a nap). A couple of nights ago the 3 youngest went to bed and had been merrily playing for about 30 minutes when I heard a little voice squeak "help me!" As I enter their darkened room I notice 3 things, 1. they've shoved their mattresses on the floor, 2. they have all removed their clothes. 3. it smells like pooped. Jane and Atticus at least are still in their diapers, so of course when I ask "who pooped" the answer is "Annie did!" yuck yuck yuck. Kenneth cleans up the room, I clean up the delinquent...and then duct taped her diaper on(and make a mental note to always tape her diaper on before bed). Next night, same time. I hear a scream at the door and go to open it. In the instant before I take in the scene I remember note from the night before, but alas to late, there is Annie crying at the door sans diaper. Sniff the air, yep apparently that is part of her nightly routine too. This time she has the foresight to remove her diaper before she poops....which actually makes a much bigger mess. Oy vey. I don't forget the tape anymore.

Did I mention we have company coming over this morning? The house is a mess and the kids are being demanding and doing things like pooping in the bathtub(thanks Jane) savaging library books, demanding 4 different things at once and all around driving me bonkers. So instead of cleaning, I've locked them outside(with popsicles so they won't yell) and am blogging...because someday I know I will laugh about this....

But the next person who tells me to enjoy this moment because they "grow up so fast, " might not survive the conversation!

progress through chaos

You know when you decide to reorganize a room. In the beginning there is a lot of pulling things out and moving things around, and somewhere in the middle you look around and it looks like a bomb went off. Utter chaos. And slowly from that chaos the organization emerges. That is my life right now. I feel like I have been gradually making changes in my life that will in the long run mean a better more organized life...but for now, we are still in the chaotic stage.

For one, I am trying to cook for my family more, and cook more healthy food. This is a big step for me, and I am doing great at it 2 days at a time. Day three I don't feel like making bread again, Day 4 I am still burned out, and Day 5 Kenneth asks me if I am trying to starve the family(since I am trying not to buy things that I can make =). At some point I get enough energy to make enough bread and granola bars to get us thru a few days.

For two, I am trying to exercise on a regular basis. 4 kids in 3 years was not kind to my body, and I am at the point that I would love to not need a seatbelt extender when I fly to Utah in August(yeah it is THAT bad, embarrassing I know... or at least I needed one a year ago a.k.a. the last time I flew...I have been exercising on a semi regular basis since January And I am signed up for a half marathon in July that I am training for, so who knows, it might be an achievable goal.)

For three, I am trying to cut down on the number of movies my kids watch in a given day/week/month. I do this at serious risk for my sanity, but it is a lot like the cooking we have our good days and we have our relapse days while I build up the courage to try again.

I am also trying to keep my house clean enough that when the sugar ants invade that I don't secretly feel like I deserve them, I am trying to wash clothes often enough that we never run out of towels, I am trying have meaningful spiritual enlightenment on a daily basis, I am trying to have weekly family home evening that is more that watching a movie and eating cookies, I am trying to have meaningful interaction with each child at least once a day, I am trying not to yell(ha ha), I am trying to figure out where the pee smell is coming from....I am trying.

So chaos is a frequent visitor at our house, dare I say an hourly visitor? I think that would be an accurate description.

More to say, but I have kids hanging on my ankles and yelling profanity(well not actual profanity, but there is a tone of voice that makes anything said in it sound like a sailor).

some old notes never posted.

Twins in the kitchen. The door of the freezer is open, Atticus is standing on the floor directing the operation, Jane is standing in a pulled out drawer about halfway up the cabinet.

Atticus: "It's dere, (pointing) wight dere!"
Jane: (stretching on her tip toes) "I can't do it! I can't do it!"


I discovered last night what is my version of hell. To be tied down, completely unable to move and have someone who has brushed their teeth in a while lick my face or breath on my neck. It gives the willies just thinking about it. Kenneth and the kids ganged up on me last night. It was a BAD. IDEA.

odds and ends...

I think part of the reason this conversation is so cute to me is the very fact that I can have a conversation with Atticus...my babies are growing up!

Atticus: "Mommy, wats dat?"
Me: "That's my belly button."
A: "Yo belly buddon?"
Me: "Yep."
lifting his shirt and pointing
A: "Wook mommy. Dere's my belly buddon. Wat Dat momma...dat yo boddum?"
Me: "Yes, that's my bottom now get out of the bathroom so I can finish getting dressed!"

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We did a fit test this morning in at my class and these were my results:

20 modified pullups
63 crunches in 2 mins.
37 modified pushups in 2 mins
lasted 1min. 30 seconds for the 2 min. plank
3 miles in 37mins and 50 seconds(a new personal best, wheeee!)

I have signed up for a half marathon in July, and my goal by then is to be able to do real pushup and pullups! Yea Me!

enlightening conversation...

Gavin: "We help Jesus when we choose the right!"
Me: "That's right honey." I am thinking, 'what a smart kid! He surprises me everyday with the things he is absorbing!'
Gavin: Holding up his hand and waving it around, "Is this(indicating his hand) the right?"
Me: "Oh. Well yeah, that is your right hand."

Lullaby

I warn you. If you are looking for spectacular musical ability then you probably don't want to listen to this. Lately we have been letting Gavin stay up a little later that the other kids. It makes him feel so big, and so he has been helping us put the other kids to bed. He helps us tuck them in and even helps sing our lullaby, "Angel Lullaby." It gets a little better towards the middle. Grandma's Barry and Ross this is for you:




Tonight before bedtime the kids were running around like crazies, crashing into each other and laughing hysterically. At one point I looked over to see Atticus laying on top of Anne's head. "Atticus," I snapped, "get off of her head!" Gavin pipes up, "But Mommy, we are da lions and she's da zebra." I then notice that Gavin is indeed laying on her legs and has her foot in his mouth. Anne was remarkably complacent during the whole affair, happy I think, just to be included.

I love love love LOVE my kids...no really, I do!

Yesterday was a fun day. There are major diaper failures on the girls and boys beds the night before. Which makes us stuck at home while I try to get the bedding washed and dried by nap time. As I am putting the last sheet and blanket back into place I realize that Annie has fallen asleep on my bed. Shoot. Oh well. I decide to make lunch before attempting a nap with the others. When I go to pry the kids out of their cartoon lair...aka my room, Atticus is laying, on my bed, in a huge puddle of urine. HUGE. "Oh well," I think, "at least it is on Kenneth's side." cue karma. 30 minutes later Annie wakes up in a huge puddle of urine AND poop....on my side of the bed. Joy. Did I mention that I have just gotten all of their bedding back on their beds? Now on to the king size mess. I think I can have the comforter dried before my bedtime. Maybe. If I hurry. Kids!

This morning Gavin comes up behind me and says, "Mommy, you have a race track bottom."
Me: "What does that mean?"
Gavin: "That you really really look like a hippopotamus!"

And we were excited when he started talking!?!

I really really really love my kids....no really, I do!

Updates

Well, it has been a while. I can't apologize. I did write....but in my journal. The end of November and the month of December were wonderful, terrible, stressful, blessed months. A lot happened, but most of it was too personal for this public forum.

Annie:

I heard her calling, "Hep(help) me! Momma! Hep me!" When I walked in the room I found her like this:


















She thinks she is one of the twins...unfortunately for her it sometimes gets her stuck. She is so mischievous. One of her favorite games is to grab toys from her sibs, and run away shrieking with laughter while they chase her down and tackle her(which she also loves). She is my little shadow. Where ever I am she is my little satellite with a five foot orbit around me. She is only one month away from being legit in nursery....*cue Hallelujah Chorus* She has been ready for the last 6 months, and will get to hang out with the twins in there for almost a whole year....methinks she won't have any trouble with the transition.

She loves to talk on the phone, but her script never varies...

"He-oh Gwa-pa!(regardless of who she is talking to) Yesh. I oh ooh(I love you). Bye bye. He-oh Gwa-pa!"

We moved all the kiddos into the same room. I had my doubts about the arrangement, but Kenneth insisted. What do you know, they LOVE it. Not only that, but within a week they were all sleeping in the same bed. Blows me away every evening that they actually like sleeping in a pile.



Atticus:

A few nights back Gavin got extremely frustrated, yelled, "I'm so ANGRY!" Stomped down the hall and slammed his bedroom door.

A few minutes later Atticus(who had been playing quietly with his trains) looked up at me and said, "Mom, I so An-gwee!" with a serious look that I couldn't take seriously. Again, "MOM, I so An-gwee!" And he stands up and makes a big show of stomping down the hall and trying to slam his door. A little while later he came back, but as soon as he noticed me watching him, he quickly restored his disgruntled look, informed me once again that he was "an-gwee," and stomped once again down the hall. He did it at least 3 times, and again the next morning. Of course when Gavin did it, it infuriated me. When Atticus did it I was in giggles the whole time, I am sure at some point I will regret that.





























Atticus has also decided that he likes preschool. We do preschool once a week with some other kids their age in the ward. For the first half of the year Atticus was only interested in whether or not the other kids had cars at their houses. Then, in the beginning of January, all of the sudden he woke up in preschool. He participates, he is excited and learning. He pesters me everyday to go to preschool and pitches a fit on the days that Gavin gets to go to preschool and he doesn't. Oy vey.

He is an opinionated little cuss...and usually his opinion involves taking the opposite view of what ever I have decided needs to happen. He refuses to kiss me. He is my most momma's boy of the momma's boys...but suddenly he is very stingy with his affection. Apparently he is too old to kiss his mother. Unfortunately for him, his mother is still bigger than him and can wrestle him down and bestow kisses and hugs. Seriously, what a stink!

Gavin:



















He is putting the world together in interesting ways. He is full of questions, and because his father is an incredible teacher, if Gavin asks a question, then Kenneth gives him a detailed understandable answer. Gavin is getting a pretty good grasp of what is going on around him. This has led to some very embarrassing situations... Like when his preschool teacher was talking about baby penguins and baby polar bears. Baby penguins hatch out of eggs and baby polar bears are born....Gavin jumps in, "...like people. Like my dad put his _____ in my mommy's _____ and there was sperm and it turned into a cell, and that cell turned into Annie. And then Annie came out of my mommy, and she's our baby." Let's just say the teacher's eyes got big...and it went over the heads of the other kids....At least I hope it did, because Gavin also happened to mention to his classmates around Christmas that there is no Santa Claus....and Heavens to Betsy are we really the family that introduced sex AND ruined Christmas to a group of 4 year olds? Needless to say, we are now working on the concept of 'things you only talk about with Mom/Dad/Grandma/Grandpa.'






























We have been doing a lot of mani/pedi's around here. Jane needs to change the color of her finger nails at least twice a week(Thanks Aunt Stephanie for greatly expanding our nail polish supply). Jane revels so much in girly things that she sucks other people into her world. Atticus usually demands(and is gratified) that his fingernails AND toenails be painted whenever Jane gets hers done...He also asks every once in a while where his dress is.



Kenneth recently got some serious street cred with Jane. So if you need a chuckle just ask Kenneth to take off his shoes....





I am signed up for a fitness boot camp. My coach also plays amateur roller hockey. His team was in the playoffs so we went to the game. It was by far the best sporting event we have ever been to as a family. The glass goes all the way to the floor so the kids had an excellent view, and whenever someone or the puck slammed into the glass by us it was like Christmas, they were so excited. It was also low key enough that people were not bothered by 4 energetic kiddos running up and down the bleachers and all around the place.