I have three kids. All of them have different personalities, and all of them are at different stages in their development. Consequently, my conversations with each of them are all different.
My conversations with Tyler are short. I do most of the talking, and he gives one or two word answers when required. A typical conversation with him sounds something like this...
Me: Good morning little buddy. Are you ready for breakfast?
Tyler: Yeah! CRUNCH!!!
Me: OK. Let's go downstairs. (I pick him up and carry him downstairs. After setting him down, he points at the TV.)
Tyler: Toons.
Me: OK. I'll turn on cartoons. What would you like to watch?
Tyler: Buppies!
Me: Bubble Guppies is not on right now. You can watch Dora or Team Umizoomi.
Tyler: DORA!!!
My conversations with Adam are at the other end of the scale. He does most of the talking, but he requires me to be an active participant by providing one or two word answers when called upon. A typical conversation with him goes like this...
Adam: Mom?...... Hey Mom!.........MOMMMMMM!!! (he will continue until I answer him)
Me: Yes Adam?
Adam: Can I play with Cameron tonight?
Me: We'll see.
Adam: Last time we played the Wii together and we almost killed the big monster. We made it to the purple castle and Cameron died, and I tried to kill the monster by myself but I died too. (He then goes on to describe in great detail the events of the game. After several minutes, he brings me back into the conversation.)
Adam: Mom?.....MOM!!!! Hey, MOMMMMMMM!!!
Me: What?
Adam: So, can you text Cameron's Mom to see if we can play tonight?
Even though Adam does most of the talking, our conversations can be somewhat exhausting.
Miss Sadie is on the extreme end of the scale. Most of the time, she does not require my participation at all... only my presence. She just talks. I get worn out trying to follow her train of thought, so I admit that I don't always pay close attention to what she's saying. As a result, I can't really recap a typical conversation with her.
My kids love to talk, but our house is about to get a whole lot quieter. The summer is coming to an end, and Adam and Sadie will be starting school soon. After a bit of break during the day, I'll be ready to hear everything they have to tell me about school. :)
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Monday, August 12, 2013
The 1, 2, 3 countdown
One week until Adam starts soccer practice.
Two weeks until Adam goes back to school.
Three weeks until Sadie starts school.
I'm calling this my 1, 2, 3 countdown.
It's hard to believe Adam will be in first grade this year. Having him at school all day will sure be different, but I'm ready. I hope he is too. Sometimes I worry I've babied him too much and not given him the opportunities he needs to grow. For instance:
Adam is the only kid in his swimming class who won't get his face wet.
All the other kids his age in the neighborhood ride bikes without training wheels.
He is the only kid his age I know of that insists on wearing winter gloves when eating popsicles so his hands won't get cold.
Have I gone wrong somewhere? In my effort to be a good mother and shield him from the world, have I been coddling him too much? The evidence says yes. I hope I haven't done any permanent damage. :)
In other news, we bought Sadie her first bike helmet a few days ago, and she is super excited. Here she is riding around the neighborhood.
Two weeks until Adam goes back to school.
Three weeks until Sadie starts school.
I'm calling this my 1, 2, 3 countdown.
It's hard to believe Adam will be in first grade this year. Having him at school all day will sure be different, but I'm ready. I hope he is too. Sometimes I worry I've babied him too much and not given him the opportunities he needs to grow. For instance:
Adam is the only kid in his swimming class who won't get his face wet.
All the other kids his age in the neighborhood ride bikes without training wheels.
He is the only kid his age I know of that insists on wearing winter gloves when eating popsicles so his hands won't get cold.
Have I gone wrong somewhere? In my effort to be a good mother and shield him from the world, have I been coddling him too much? The evidence says yes. I hope I haven't done any permanent damage. :)
In other news, we bought Sadie her first bike helmet a few days ago, and she is super excited. Here she is riding around the neighborhood.
Sunday, July 28, 2013
8 more weeks
I'm sure my faithful readers have noticed that I haven't blogged in awhile. I haven't dropped off the face of the earth, I've just been overwhelmed with life. I have been consumed with tantrums, fighting, keeping the kids busy, and training for my next marathon (which is just under 8 weeks away).
Since I don't want to dwell on the tantrums and fighting, I'll focus my blog today on marathon training. This next marathon is an important one for me. I hope to reach a major milestone: running a marathon in under 4 hours.
So why is this such a big deal? Well, an article I read recently put it pretty well. The author had done some research on what percentage of runners can complete a sub-4 marathon. The answer: between 20-25 percent. So in other words, if you can run a marathon in under 4 hours, you are in the top tier of runners nationwide. This is a pretty big deal, especially for someone like me who did not grow up being very athletic.
I told myself that I would train hard this summer to achieve this milestone, but between the heat and dealing with tantrums, I have had a hard time motivating myself to get up and run before the kids wake up. I guess you could say I have been in a bit of a depression. However, I have been running faster than ever lately, so I know I at least have a shot.
Getting this close to a milestone has given me an opportunity to reflect on where to go from here. Do I challenge myself to go faster or farther? If I decide my next goal is speed, the next milestone would be to continue to qualify for the Boston Marathon. I would need to run a 3:40 to qualify. If I want to go for distance, that means joining the world of ultra marathons. No, I'm not talking about one of those crazy 100 mile races...yet. I would start with a 50k to see how my body responds. I have actually looked into this, and there is a 50k on Antelope Island in October. I guess first things first, I need to work on that sub-4 marathon.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
A sign of what's to come
Sadie is officially registered for preschool in the fall, and she is beyond excited. The place I will be sending her invited her to come and spend a day to check it out. So, on Tuesday after I dropped Adam off at Kindergarten, I took Sadie to preschool (backpack and all). Then, I headed home with Tyler.
The house was soooooo quiet without Sadie's constant chatter. So, I turned on some music, and got to work. I couldn't believe how much I was able to accomplish. Maybe this is a sign of things to come. I weeded the entire garden and raspberry patch, I washed all the dishes in the sink, I folded a batch of laundry, and I ironed three shirts. I felt I was starting to come down with a cold, so then I turned on PBS and let Tyler watch Clifford the Big Red Dog while I closed my eyes.
When I picked up Sadie at 3:00, she was very excited to tell me all about her "first day of school". She can hardly wait to go back. Now every day she asks if it is "fall" yet. I hope this won't be a long summer!
The house was soooooo quiet without Sadie's constant chatter. So, I turned on some music, and got to work. I couldn't believe how much I was able to accomplish. Maybe this is a sign of things to come. I weeded the entire garden and raspberry patch, I washed all the dishes in the sink, I folded a batch of laundry, and I ironed three shirts. I felt I was starting to come down with a cold, so then I turned on PBS and let Tyler watch Clifford the Big Red Dog while I closed my eyes.
When I picked up Sadie at 3:00, she was very excited to tell me all about her "first day of school". She can hardly wait to go back. Now every day she asks if it is "fall" yet. I hope this won't be a long summer!
Thursday, May 16, 2013
I'm not a master gardener...yet
Every year I dream of growing a beautiful garden. Every year I fail. It's not that I don't have skills, it just seems like every year I'm either pregnant and have no energy or I have a baby and no energy. Since I am neither this year, I set high expectations for my garden. One thing I forgot to factor into the equation: I have one of the busiest 18-month-olds known to mankind.
I managed to get a modest garden planted with a few basics. But every time I go out to work in it, I have helpers. Sadie and Adam trample the onions and lettuce, and Tyler picks up dirt by the handfuls and throws it. I decided it was time to get their swimming pool out...
I inflated their pool, rinsed it out, and put a few inches of water inside. The kids were thrilled. No sooner did I turn my back, though, and Tyler started making trips back and forth from the garden to the pool with a determination to throw as much dirt as he could in the water. He had great fun, but Adam and Sadie were not pleased.
Time for Plan B. I had been planning on making Tyler a sand/water table to play with outside. This situation motivated me to finish it....fast. Here's what I did:
Made a trip to Lowe's for a 2x4, a 2x6, some screws, and a large mixing tub
Cut the wood to make a frame for the mixing tub
Screw it together
Add some legs
Insert mixing tub
Fill with water and toys
I thought about putting sand in it, but I was afraid Tyler would throw it all over the yard. So, for now I will stick to the water. Tyler can throw as much dirt and rocks as he pleases in it. Maybe later I will try sand. In the mean time, kids are happy. So, I can get back to gardening. I'm not a master gardener yet... First I need to master the art of keeping my kids busy.
I managed to get a modest garden planted with a few basics. But every time I go out to work in it, I have helpers. Sadie and Adam trample the onions and lettuce, and Tyler picks up dirt by the handfuls and throws it. I decided it was time to get their swimming pool out...
I inflated their pool, rinsed it out, and put a few inches of water inside. The kids were thrilled. No sooner did I turn my back, though, and Tyler started making trips back and forth from the garden to the pool with a determination to throw as much dirt as he could in the water. He had great fun, but Adam and Sadie were not pleased.
Time for Plan B. I had been planning on making Tyler a sand/water table to play with outside. This situation motivated me to finish it....fast. Here's what I did:
Made a trip to Lowe's for a 2x4, a 2x6, some screws, and a large mixing tub
Cut the wood to make a frame for the mixing tub
Screw it together
Add some legs
Insert mixing tub
Fill with water and toys
I thought about putting sand in it, but I was afraid Tyler would throw it all over the yard. So, for now I will stick to the water. Tyler can throw as much dirt and rocks as he pleases in it. Maybe later I will try sand. In the mean time, kids are happy. So, I can get back to gardening. I'm not a master gardener yet... First I need to master the art of keeping my kids busy.
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Team Adam
Last weekend was Adam's first 5k. We wanted to do the race as a family, so we registered everyone except Tyler. The day before the race, we picked up our t-shirts. Sadie was so excited to be part of the team that she took her shirt to bed with her.
On race morning, we ate breakfast, put on our matching shirts, and headed to the starting line. Gotta love Adam and Sadie with their headbands on...
Adam had been "training" for weeks, but hadn't been running very far lately. So, I figured we would be walking more than running. When the race started, we began jogging. Adam periodically needed a break, so we walked while he got a drink and an energizing jelly bean.
To get him running again, I motivated him by encouraging him to pass people. It worked, but it may have inflated his ego a little too much. Every time we passed someone, he would turn to them and say, "Team Adam passed you!" By giving a little encouragement and commenting on how many people he was passing, he was motivated enough to keep running and finish strong. He was thrilled to get to the finish line and realize he won second place in his division. After a popsicle and some water, it was time for the awards ceremony. It was cute watching him run up to the stage to receive his award. As icing on the cake, he won the grand prize drawing at the end of the ceremony. Once again, he ran to the stage and waved to the crowd and got his picture taken with the tether ball system he won.
Three days post race, Adam is still wearing his medal around the house. He is very proud of it. Go Team Adam!
On race morning, we ate breakfast, put on our matching shirts, and headed to the starting line. Gotta love Adam and Sadie with their headbands on...
Adam had been "training" for weeks, but hadn't been running very far lately. So, I figured we would be walking more than running. When the race started, we began jogging. Adam periodically needed a break, so we walked while he got a drink and an energizing jelly bean.
To get him running again, I motivated him by encouraging him to pass people. It worked, but it may have inflated his ego a little too much. Every time we passed someone, he would turn to them and say, "Team Adam passed you!" By giving a little encouragement and commenting on how many people he was passing, he was motivated enough to keep running and finish strong. He was thrilled to get to the finish line and realize he won second place in his division. After a popsicle and some water, it was time for the awards ceremony. It was cute watching him run up to the stage to receive his award. As icing on the cake, he won the grand prize drawing at the end of the ceremony. Once again, he ran to the stage and waved to the crowd and got his picture taken with the tether ball system he won.
Three days post race, Adam is still wearing his medal around the house. He is very proud of it. Go Team Adam!
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Always use the right tool for the job
I have something rather embarrassing to admit. I screwed up. My few faithful readers know I tend to be a bit of a perfectionist, so I hope this shocking revelation doesn't shake their faith in me. :)
For Mother's Day this year I wanted to give Mom something a little different than the traditional hanging flower basket. Since she has a new deck to enjoy, I thought I would make her a nice deck chair. So, I reviewed some plans I found online and made a trip to Lowe's for the wood.
The first step of the project requires you to cut two pieces from a board with unusual angles. Since I didn't have an angle finder, I thought I could just "wing it" and be okay. So I estimated where to make the cuts and continued with the project. Everything was going great. I cut, sanded, and painted the boards. Then, I began to assemble. The seat portion went together great. Then, I attached the legs. I sat down to test it. Actually very comfortable and very sturdy. Then, I stood up and looked at the legs. My heart sank. This is what is what I saw...
It doesn't take a genius to realize the angles I "estimated" were way off! Lesson learned. Always use the right tool for the job. I just need to figure out when it is okay to "wing it" and when you absolutely must follow the instructions.
After much internal debate, I decided to finish the chair as is. Here is a picture of the finished product... This picture was actually taken from a pretty flattering angle. :)
Unfortunately, I am too embarrassed to give it to Mom for Mother's Day. So, Mom, if you are reading this... I'm so sorry. I have since purchased the tool I need and would be happy to give it another try. I would even paint it any color you want. I could even do a matching set with a chair for Dad. Or if you would rather, I could make you something else or buy you a nice traditional hanging flower basket. :) I actually have been wanting to try making this bench...
Are my readers disappointed in me?
For Mother's Day this year I wanted to give Mom something a little different than the traditional hanging flower basket. Since she has a new deck to enjoy, I thought I would make her a nice deck chair. So, I reviewed some plans I found online and made a trip to Lowe's for the wood.
The first step of the project requires you to cut two pieces from a board with unusual angles. Since I didn't have an angle finder, I thought I could just "wing it" and be okay. So I estimated where to make the cuts and continued with the project. Everything was going great. I cut, sanded, and painted the boards. Then, I began to assemble. The seat portion went together great. Then, I attached the legs. I sat down to test it. Actually very comfortable and very sturdy. Then, I stood up and looked at the legs. My heart sank. This is what is what I saw...
It doesn't take a genius to realize the angles I "estimated" were way off! Lesson learned. Always use the right tool for the job. I just need to figure out when it is okay to "wing it" and when you absolutely must follow the instructions.
After much internal debate, I decided to finish the chair as is. Here is a picture of the finished product... This picture was actually taken from a pretty flattering angle. :)
Unfortunately, I am too embarrassed to give it to Mom for Mother's Day. So, Mom, if you are reading this... I'm so sorry. I have since purchased the tool I need and would be happy to give it another try. I would even paint it any color you want. I could even do a matching set with a chair for Dad. Or if you would rather, I could make you something else or buy you a nice traditional hanging flower basket. :) I actually have been wanting to try making this bench...
Are my readers disappointed in me?
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