A "someday you'll laugh about this" moment.

My Sis-in-law Cambrey, has been a bit under the weather with various events that have happened recently, so I decided to ask her and Hayden (her son) out for breakfast. Tarryn and Makade were kidnapped (with permission) early this morning by my other sis-in-law to go to a Mountain Man Rendezvous and would be gone the entire day.

My heart was in the right place; how naively I thought, What could be more fun that two temporarily single moms with their toddlers out for a morning meal at a happy breakfast spot like IHOP? Go ahead. Roll your eyes. You probably see what's coming and wonder how I could've been so blind.

We sit down, we start to color, a crayon gets broken, it's no longer fun to color if the crayons are broken. So......we start to bounce, (we as in a 2 and 3 year old, okay, mostly the 3 year old) then climb on mom's back (mostly the 2 year old), then play with utensils (3 year old). We finally place our orders and are told drinks are on the way. Well....., the baby wants his fair share of play and since he's strapped in a high chair, he'll find some way to have fun "gall darn-it" so he starts squealing to his content. Too bad the firemen sitting in a booth across from us didn't find content as Corban starts replicating Kellan's squeal.

"Who can make a silly face?!" I shout in an attempt to gain control over the chaos. Apparently, silly faces are only fun for about 20 seconds, so we start to make animal sounds. Firemen still don't look like they are enjoying their outing (or ours). I take Kellan out of his seat so he will want to stay seated once his food comes. Drinks come. Hayden has a yellow straw and REALLY wants a green straw but we sit (sorta) quietly for a moment.
"Drink" I casually say to Cambrey as Hayden's lidded drink falls onto the booth seat.
"DRINK!" Cambrey responds as Kellan takes my (mildly) hot chocolate and dumps it over the both of us. Commence the fury of napkin grabbing, Kellan crying, waitress and bus-boy bringing wet cloths and dry cloths, Corban lecturing, "Mom, what you do?", firemen inwardly vowing to let us burn if the building is set on fire. Ah.....the food is here!

Hayden and Kellan don't seem to want anything that is on their plate, in fact Hayden still wants a green straw. So we get that desirable colored straw and give him Kellan's pancakes. By this point, I'm just trying to get us fed and out of IHOP which now stands for Instant Humiliation Of Parents. So I order yogurt for Kellan who shouts for more after each bite as I am trying to also shovel french toast in my mouth, eggs in Corban's using my left hand while using my right hand on Kellan. "Who's idea was this?" I ask in-between unattractively large bites. "Definitely yours," is Cambrey's reply with the promise/threat "And it's the last time too!" Once we can no longer take it, we leave with half full plates on the table, 3 filthy & whiny children, and immensely mortified temporarily single moms with shame written across their entire person.

We pay with children running around taking beanie babies (strategically placed at children's reach for vending purposes *sick, sick IHOP people!*) and throwing them at each other. We head toward the door, (is it just me? Are they cheering for our departure?) and leave.

Cambrey, you're right. Never again! Once was too much!

Embrace your fears

Brandon's been gone for 3 weeks with one teeny little break in between. Usually during the first week while he is gone, I find loads of fun things for us to do and the kids are super cooperative. Then the second week comes along and I'm wearing down so the kids start taking orders less serious such as, "Make your bed" or "Please hang up your back-pack." By the third week, I've completely lost the battle and I've got absolute rebellion on my hands. Bed time gets later and later, dishwasher isn't unloaded unless I've done it myself, and clothing, toys, and various food wrappers are found in the strangest of places.

If the thought of being a single mother to four doesn't scare you, and if the mess isn't overwhelming enough, then you do what any temporarily insane mother does in a moment of weakness. You say, "Yes" to one of your children asking to have a late-night party with a "few" friends to watch a movie on Friday night when it's already Wednesday. Then she asks if we could borrow a projector from a friend and have the movie on big-screen in our back yard.

Thursday rolls around and suddenly invitations are a "must" for my 9 year old (temporarily disowned) daughter. "....And while getting ready to print the invitations the weak and feeble mother looks at her offspring and asks innocently, "How many?" The offspring is aware of the opportunity and goes for the kill...." How many species have you seen on National Geographic where the young actually eat their elders? "And now, back to your regularly scheduled programming."

Needless to say, we had somewhere around 24 children in our backyard. *Counting is super hard as they don't stop moving!* Yet somehow I survived (with the help of my brother and sister-in-law), and strangely (with the fight of my life) I got a clean house out of the deal. So my friends, because I endured this endeavor without many injuries, I say embrace your fears for they make you stronger!

Some of the kids getting ready to have a race to get the wiggles out before the movie starts. The ingenious idea of my Sister-in-law, Brittany

Never gets easier

There are moments that touch a mother's heart and they vow to keep the memory tucked away inside a treasure chest in the mind to be cherished forever. The birth of a child, the first time baby says, "Mama", baby's first steps, etc. All of these moments (and more) are always special, but somehow with the next child, the magic has slightly worn off or perhaps your world is engulfed in so much that you forget to soak in the moment. Some of these moments are easily accepted as you bask in the fruits of your labor and you know it's the next step toward your child's independence or individualism, others are welcomed for the change yet not so much for that extra step toward your child's own self-reliance which is where I am right now.

The moment that I'm referring to is the first time they leave the nest to venture out from under your loving wing into another's; whom you've chosen to help teach your child the things you don't feel confident enough to teach them yourself. Yes; I'm talking about the first day of school.

Why is it so hard to pass your sweet child off to someone else to learn not only letters and numbers, but social and adaptive skills. What makes this moment so much harder to let go of your child's hand as they walk into the classroom than when you let go of their hand as they took their first steps? All I know is that with each passing child, this moment never gets easier.

Corban on his very first day of pre-school.

3/52

Cute Tarryn was wearing the same color of top as me, so she became the candidate for shooting with me today. This was a really fast thing, as I'm a day late AGAIN!

Sharp Shooter

What parent doesn't hate that sad and scary day of holding their newborn while they get their first set of shots? The eyes that trust you and sparkle with love for you is enough to want to shout, "Okay! I've changed my mind! Any illness is better than this!!!" Then it's over; the baby trembles in pain and trauma and look at you like they don't understand how you could do such a thing or let such a thing happen.

It gets a teensie-tiny bit easier with each vaccination, and each child. At least, that's what I had thought until Kellan's well-child checkup yesterday. Corban was an angel throughout the visit to the doctor as we weighed, measured, and gave Kellan a look over. The doctor leaves, the nurse comes in and says, "We've now found it's easier to give the shots if you put Kellan on your lap instead of lay him on the table." I think nothing of it, and sit Kellan on my lap.

....In view of my toddler. Who with the first scream from Kellan, looks at me like I've just run over a cat. I'm trying to comfort Kellan and Corban as the next round starts and Corban starts backing away from me as if I've just committed man-slaughter. "I'm feeling bad enough as it is!" I state to Corban as the third and last shot is entering Kellan's leg. By this time Corban is backed in a corner shaking with tear running down his cheek, and clearly more upset than Kellan who has now stopped crying.

We pack up, get our stickers, and leave. As I'm buckling Corban in the car, he finally comes forth with, "Mom, that's so mean you shot Kellan!" Now it's my turn to cry.

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's Back to School We Go!

Why is it such a bitter-sweet feeling (okay, slightly more sweet than bitter) to send your children off on their first day of school? Is it the anticipation of hoping it's a good year? That you hope they like their new teacher? Is it the fun clothes? Is it knowing I get a bit more peace in the house for a few hours before homework begins? Not sure. I just know that Tarryn's and Makade's first day was today and we are ready...as prepared as you can be anyway.

Note to self:

Never leave a bowl of noodles within arm's reach of a baby while you are darting to the potty with your toddler.