My son is worthless after school!

So today was Jack's third day of preschool and it is a big adjustment for all of us.  The main issue is that Jackson is completely exhausted when he gets home. He was put in the afternoon class, so the school bus comes for him around 12:45pm, and he doesn't get home until nearly 5:00pm. I have always had problems with Jackson not getting enough sleep. He stopped napping completely when he was two and it was horrible. He was so tired today after school that he didn't even know which way was up.  He couldn't tell me about class or what he talked about today.  He burst into tears more times than I can count, for ridiculous things like not being the first kid in the bathtub, or when I tried to have a quiet chat with him.  He has a spaz-attack if I touch his arm gently, in an attempt to get him to focus and listen to me.
I hope it is just an adjustment period. I am going to call the school in a few weeks if things don't improve. I can't deal with with the three boys constantly competing and fighting.

***This was typed originally back in December.  I never did remember to post it, I kept thinking I would be able to write a bit more.  An update, Jackson is still pretty much done for the day when he gets off the bus, but we have all gotten used to the new schedule a little bit more, and I have learned he needs to zone out for awhile after school.. I can respect that!! I remember coming home and being immediately engulfed, and it was hard-I would have loved to just get my work clothes off first!! So I am trying to respect that school takes a lot out of my little man, and try to leave him alone to decompress for awhile!

Preschool

Today was my oldest son's first day of preschool.  Last summer, before I lost my job we had enrolled Jackson in a church run preschool, but had to pull him out when our financial situation changed. Our amazing PAT rep helped me with getting Jackson enrolled in our city's school district's Early Childhood Education Center's preschool classes.

So the bus came for him today at 12:50. His class is from 1:20 to 4:20. He was so happy!  When the bus came, he jumped right on and never looked back! I was so sad and happy and proud all at the same time.  The rest of the afternoon for me was very slow and I wondered what he was doing every ten minutes.  The bus was supposed to bring him home at 4:40, but didn't come until 5:10-waiting really sucked because its freezing, and I had Forrest and Silas with me (Matt was already gone to work).  The bus finally came, we walked home and went through the whole "takeoffyourshoesandcoatsandhats" song and dance and finally I got to ask him how school was.

My answer? "Mom, I am just too hungry to talk about it right now."  So after a snack, I asked him what his favorite part about school today was. He told me, "My favorite part was getting on the bus and coming home."    Hmmmmm.

Then he wanted to go play cars upstairs in his bedroom with Forrest so off they went.  In his backpack his teacher wrote a note that he had a good first day. I prodded him about it more during bathtime, and he said they sat on a rug, sang and talked, played, and went outside. He said he got Teddy Grahams and chocolate milk.

Then he told me he had a sore throat and that I probably better take his temperature.  I am not sure what that was about, but I am sure this will be a big adjustment for a little boy who has stayed home with his family all four years of his life.

I will wait and see what tomorrow brings!

Loving Life!

It has been five months since I traded a stressful full-time job at a busy medical office for the joy of staying home with my family and I couldn't be happier.  As each day passes I feel like I am finally doing what I am supposed to do at this point in my life.  After seven years of time, love and tears at the medical office, the change was very scary. Financially the loss of my job meant some severe cutbacks and possibly a future move.

These fears faded away immediately as I began to reacquaint myself with my little family and learn their daytime routines and of course, I finally got to relax! After years of waking up dreading the day ahead, I am awake as soon as I hear Forrest sneaking out of his room to cause trouble, and I am happy to wake up!

Some of the things that I now have time to do are:

*Take my children to the pediatrician for check-ups and also for acute care (without feeling guilty for calling in!) and to specialist appointments for the asthma and allergy doctor

*Find an pediatric dentist, and take each boy to his first ever dental appointment

*Take the boys to WIC appointments (again the missing work issue)

*Clean my house

*Laundry-(I do have to admit putting away the clean laundry is still an ongoing issue)

*Play with my kids! Read to my kids! Snuggle and hug and kiss my kids!! (I did this before but never enough!!)

*Learn about the kitchen, and trying to figure out this whole "cooking" thing. I am so proud, today is the first time in ten years that I made dinner for my husband and he liked it. I think he was even impressed!

*Organize the insane mess and collection of crap that goes along with having three boys (four, if you count Matt)

*Read, and write, and do things that make me happy!!

I was not one of those amazing women who are able to balance a career with motherhood. Props to all of you out there doing it-and more!!

I know that right now I am doing exactly what I should be doing and I have proof. I just have to look at my boys. They have changed so much since I started staying home-they are the best behaved they have ever been! I used to have some discipline problems and I also used to yell non stop after a hard long day at the office. Now I am patient and can take the time to just be in the moment with my darlings and they have just blossomed with all my attention.  My husband won't ever say it, but I know he enjoys having me home more than he ever thought he would!

For me this chance to be home is a dream come true. I don't want to take a single minute of it for granted. I have an amazing family and am so blessed.

The Joy of Reading

Jackson is learning to read. It is so exciting for me as I have a love for reading that some people may call extreme. While in the hospital delivering my second son I read an entire novel. It was glorious to have some time to myself (aside from nurses and doctors) so that I could completely engross myself in my novel of the moment. Ditto with the third son.

Listening to Jack sounding out words is just astounding to me.  He is 4 1/2, and my first son. A few weeks ago during bath time he was studying the baby shampoo and making "ba" sounds. Then he progressed to saying "bab" a few times. Then he was quiet for a few minutes.  From the way his big brown eyes were so focused on the bottle of soap I am pretty sure he did not blink. Then he said "baby!" "Mom it says baby! I was so floored! Jack is so intelligent and I am so proud of him!

He stayed at Grandma's last Friday and on the phone the next day he was trying to spell 'nose'. His way of spelling it was 'noz' and again I was impressed.  When he talks he will get caught up on a word and want to know what letter it starts with. He always guesses correctly. He walks around the house pointing to words asking me "What does this spell Mommy?"

My favorite part is watching how the world seems to be opening up to him, letting him in on some of the grown-up secrets that only reveal them self to a person big enough to be able to read and comprehend what they are reading. 

As I drive I am bombarded with questions about every single store sign, street signs, traffic signs (I am also required to explain various symbols) and advertisements. He is so excited and proud of his blossoming new skill. I am excited too! He starts preschool in a few weeks with our city school district and I am so excited to see what other doors begin to open up for him.

K-Mart

This morning my dad texted me early. He wanted me to bring Jackson and Silas to the grand re-opening of K-Mart. They had drawings, ballon artist, face painting etc. I needed to go to the store pretty urgently since I was out of diapers. Silas actually was wearing a swim diaper left over from summer. I knew I was on borrowed time so we rushed to appear presentable (somewhat) and went to K-Mart. Dad was excited to see us and while I entered some drawings he got Jack a piece of cake and some orange juice. Then we went and stood in line for a balloon. We watched the face-painting while waiting. The girl doing them did awesome designs. When it was Jack's turn for the balloon artist he requested a helicopter which he received. Then my dad had to leave so we walked up front with him. Mr.Blue-Light was up front so Jack and Silas said hello and Dad got some cute pics.

Then we went and got diapers and pull-ups. We went past the attraction area again and Jack saw a table with a craft activity so he got to make a little fall leaf foam character thingy. Then he decided to get his face painted after all and chose Batman. He looked awesome. Then I let him pick out a 99 cent Hot Wheel. We grabbed milk and checked out. They gave us free "green" K-Mart bags and bottles on pop. It was a very exciting trip to the store for the boys.  Forrest was at Mom's, he stayed the night. It was his turn this weekend.

We got home and Jackson told me" I like being a bat but this stuff has got to go." He was having a minor allergic reaction, of course. So I washed his face and had to give him some Benadryl. We then had a nice snuggle on the couch while Silas napped. I dozed a little, it was quite nice. My wonderful mother kept Forrest all day and brought him home after church. Of course, the usual chaos and destruction commenced the moment he walked in the door.  I had a lovely little break last night and today-Jackson, Matt and I even made chocolate chip cookies from scratch this afternoon! Time to rest and be ready for tomorrow!!

Laundry

So its been awhile, but I am going to try to update more often.


The laundry in a household of five plus is never-ending.  I have a terrible time organizing it. I keep the boys clothes as separate as possible, they each have their own basket for dirty laundry.  Then I have a storage thingy that holds all the other used and dirty items. Matt says all his clothes are at the bottom of it, waiting to be rediscovered. I told him if that is true they would all be way too small for him now.  There is also a pile in the kitchen hall of various items that have fallen victim to the antics of the boys, the dog or one of us supposed grown-ups etc,  With potty training a constant subject we have frequent pants and underwear changes.

My first step is to find enough time to gather up and start a load (economy sized of course). Then when its done the next step is switching it over. I am always surprised by the load waiting in the dryer for me, like an ambush.  So before I can switch the laundry I must go on a hunting trip. Laundry baskets are scattered all over the house, some hold dirty laundry, some have toys, some are being used as a cage to trap a one-year-old or a stinky shih-tzu (whomever is unfortunate enough to be in the way at the time). Usually in order to find a basket to fill with clothes from the dryer I must dump something out of a basket or put away some folded clothes that have been waiting in a basket for a day or five to be put into a dresser. When I finally return to the laundry room to switch the laundry I realize the empty basket I brought downstairs should have been full of the next load of laundry to go in the washer.

So another trip upstairs ensues and I eventually am able to start a second load of laundry. Now comes the step where folding is recommended. Back when I worked FT and wore dress clothes I would have to stay vigilant and hang certain pants and tops to dry instead of risking the fit in the dryer where they may shrink. Other nicer tops need hung up immediately and I try very hard to do so but most of the time the clean laundry sits around the living room in a basket waiting to be folded. Silas likes to grab my piles of folded laundry so I can only do it when he is contained or asleep. I get so distracted that I never finish any of the folding. When I do finally have it folded and sorted it again takes forever to put it away.  I need help!!

I need to get rid of stuff, especially the boys, I have too many clothes and this means I put off washing their stuff until they are down to rags. The pile of dirty clothes meanwhile, is now two loads worth of laundry.

I need to also try to teach the boys to put their clothes away. I need to let go my need to do it just so, and accept that if they at least do it, that's much better than it sitting in a basket waiting for me to take care of it.

I have not even mentioned my three lovely boys who enjoy peeing on their sheets and pajamas, dragging every clean blanket out to build tents, dribbling food down their shirts staining them. Or how they like to "help" me fold and end up having a fight with socks on their hands!!!

Another time...

Introducing...my family!

So this blogging thing is hard and I am have a hard time picking topics to write about. I intend to mainly write about the boys and hope to eventually feel comfortable putting content online.  I hope to invite various family members to follow and hopefully interact. Most of my extended family members live several hours away, so this blog seems like a nice way to share updates about the kids and family.

I will start writing about the boys, I suppose. My husband Matt and I have been married since 2005, and we started dating in 2002.  He is my "first child" in a way, lol.  Jackson David is our oldest son, who turned 4 in April. Our second boy, Forrest Daniel, is currently 2 years old.  His birthday comes at the very end of the year.  And last is my lil' Silas Matthew, who is 9 months old and the sweetest baby EVER. Yes, my life is full of boys!  I am not done yet either-we also have my elderly dog, Chopper (a male shih-tzu). I adopted him in 2003 and he has been my best friend and loyal sidekick ever since.  I realize he is getting quite old, grouchy, and smelly, but my adoration of him is such that I have no doubt he will become a favorite topic for me to write about.  

Sadly, my mother is physically grossed out by Chopper, and I swear I can see the disapproval steaming off of her body-especially when she starts lecturing me about health and how I don't realize how unsanitary and dirty all dogs are, especially my smelly old dog.  I have no doubt that she believes   Chopper is indeed hazardous to my family's health, and he is her number-one suspect and is the cause of any illness we have in the household. 

Yes, he stinks.  Yes, his skin flakes off sometimes. Yes, he is old.  But those all could describe myself in the future, should my husband have me put down?  I think Chopper can still enjoy life as a  beloved family member.   I pray that we have a few quality years left together before he leaves this life to wait for me in God's Kingdom.  

Friday-The Usual Chaos!

So the weekend is here finally. I am always so relieved when the work week is over.  Tonight I only had two of my three boys, Jackson and Silas. (Forrest went to Grandma's)!  So we ran errands, brought Daddy dinner, and went to TJ Maxx.

Our dog Chopper was in the van because he had cried and tried to ignore me when I told him to stay at the house. I feel guilty because before I had the boys Chopper used to go everywhere with me, get daily walks and have his hair brushed often-he was so spoiled!  Then I had a baby boy. And another one. And then one more. All within a four-year time frame!  Chopper is now a tad neglected, so tonight I let him come, especially since the weather was nice enough that with a cracked open window he would be comfy waiting in the vehicle.

So after I parked I unloaded Jackson from his carseat and grabbed the baby's seat and headed inside. I locked the van and we shopped for half an hour or so. Then we headed back out to the van and it when I put the baby's seat back in that I realized Chopper was NOT in the car.  It guess the dog's escape happened because I have remote-controlled doors.  As I walked out of the store I pushed the door open button so it would be easier for me to load the heavy carseat and shopping bags, and also so Jackson could climb in.  Chopper must have bolted when the door opened and immediately disappeared.

Before I could even look for him I had to buckle the boys in because it was a busy parking lot. I called for him a few times and whistled, and I looked EVERYWHERE possible without leaving my babies. There is a Petsmart nearby, on the corner, so I thought I would go there to see if maybe someone took him there by chance, in case they happened to have seen him and decided to save him from the busy traffic or possible dognapper (he is a very expensive, sought-after breed-plus he is extra beautiful).

Thank GOD that is exactly what happened!  A very nice woman had found and brought him in and she was still there to make sure his owner found him. I am so glad I took time to put his breed's trademark "topknot" ponytail in his hair today!  Sadly he usually looks like such a ragamuffin-he might have looked like a dirty old stray who is not cute enough to rescue!

I am so glad we found him and that the situation worked out alright.  Just another day of the usual chaos and destruction that takes place in my insane life!