warm weather has taken on a whole new meaning

I hate warm weather. Seriously! I don't like to sweat, I don't like to be hot, I dread warm weather. BUT with three kids, I have an entire new perspective and a great appreciation for this heat. It adds about 20-30 extra minutes to my morning...

2 less pairs of socks
2 less pairs of shoes to tie, (hooray for velcro sandals!!)
3 less winter jackets, scarves, hats, and mittens

It shouldn't take so long, but that amounts to 6 mittens, 4 shoes, 3 hats, 2 scarves ... something or things are always missing.

I can now bathe 3 kids, shower, and have everyone ready with ample time to spare which means there is a plethora of time for an early morning tantrum should Abby decide she needs one!

sharing

Maddy likes to share....

with Kaity




and with Apani

Lesson learned

Spring break has been wasted. It began with Kaitlyn being sick. Apani, kinda got sick, but poor Maddy has the worst of it. She's been sick 6 days now. Our neighbors have been knocking on the door, daily, asking for Kaity and Abby to come out and play. They've been rejected too many times. I couldn't let a day with no rain get wasted, I couldn't refuse again. Afterall, Kaity wasn't sick anymore. But because Maddy was, I stayed in and watched from the window.

There are times in your life when for some reason or other, you're scared. Becoming a mother...is scary. At least for me. I feel as though I'm always worrying. Sometimes it's unrealistic and occasionally, it's stupid. Today was probably one of the scariest moments so far ... my heart jumped through my chest.


They weren't outside for too long before an unfamiliar car pulled up to the hydrant. The engine was kept running. I saw a hand reach to the window with a tulip. Emma, their friend, without hesitation approached the car and took the flower. Seconds later, Kaity walked over to the car!!!! I was out there so fast. I told the girls it was time to come in and they were understandably confused.

As fast as I was out there, it would not have been fast enough. I had trouble gathering my thoughts. I was so unprepared. I had no idea what to say. My mind was too busy concentrating on what could have been. How was I to explain to them how dangerous it is without terrifying them? And is a 4 year old really gonna understand?

I tried as best I could. We then did some role playing which turned into laughter and a game, so we had to stop. I think I did a good job of creating more confusion! They learned to say no to candy or other goodies, but were more than willing to go INSIDE a car to pet a puppy!

I don't know when they will fully understand, but for now when they go out to play, unless I can sit outside with them, they'll be in the back yard. Maybe they didn't learn anything, but I certainly did.

Pretend play

A package arrived. Bubble wrap!

After popping til it could be popped no more, Kaitlyn picked it up and wrapped it over her head like a hood and asks, "Have you seen my sheep?"

Me, "Your sheep? Are you a shepherd?"
Kaity, "Have you seen my shepherd?"
"No, YOU'RE the shepherd if you have sheep."
"No, I'm Little Red Riding Hood."
"Little Red Riding Hood had sheep? Do you mean Mary?"
"Mary had a little LAMB, Mom."

Of course ...

Time out

I was fully expecting a nice, quiet, morning sleeping in. Afterall, we went to the circus last night and didn't get home til nearly midnight. Why did El buy tickets for a show that began after bedtime, is beyond me, but anyway...

Apani woke up bright and earlier than usual, 6:30. I knew this would be a long day. She started talking and didn't stop. The chatter drives me nuts. It's always so loud in my house.

I'm rambling, the point of this was to illustrate how smart my little manipulator is. She found herself in time-out. Why? Because she picked up a full water bottle and flung it across the room managing to hit Madelyn in the process. Maddy was fine. That wasn't her intention. She was mad because I told her not to call Kaitlyn a pee-pee head. So she went in time-out...she KNOWS she is not allowed to throw things. Not an hour earlier she had thrown a ball and knocked some things over.

Well, time out started and she begins to sing. (Everything is a song. If she's not talking, she's singing; if she's eating, she's humming.) Here's the song, "A,B,C,D,E,F,G, Mommy's always mad at me."

Several thoughts ran through me
1. Does she really feel that way? She couldn't. I wasn't angry with her. In fact I was very calm.
2. Is she trying to manipulate me? Is it her attempt to control this situation?
3. She just turned three and she is rhyming! Verbally and rhythmically!
4. Is it normal for three year olds to put thoughts together like this?

What am I going to do with her?

Pictures, because Amy asked

I only have way more of Madelyn because she has yet to learn the fine art of spinning. I have tons of the back of Kaity and Apani's head, but as gorgeous as Abby's hair is, I don't think you want to see those.

What a difference a day makes!

You would not believe the number of places I went to find one of those fresh food feeders. No one had them, no one knew what I was talking about. 6 stores and a few weeks later I get up the energy to go to another store. I bought 2. Eager to try them, I gave her some frozen berries that day. She LOVED it and could get enough. There was juice everywhere. The next day, she wanted nothing to do with it and has refused it since.