John Galt

I am currently reading Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. I would highly recommend it. Incredibly fascinating. There is however, a 60 page monologue near the end. As a mom with 4 children 6 and under, I don't have a tremendous amount of time to sit down and really study over this speech. Thus it was a wonderful blessing to be able to drive out to Ohio to my cousins graduation party with my mom and aunt. I took my 1200 page book along and we read a big chunk of the speech. I think I got more out of that than any of the portions I have read before. I am really greatful that I had that chance and for the opportunity that I had to sit and have intelligent discussions about the content.

Now I don't want you to think that I don't get stimulating conversation very often. So here is an bit of a conversation I had with Victor who is just turned 6 yrs old.

Victor: "Mom, how do those really big ships stay on top of the water? Why don't they just sink?"
Me : "Um.. I believe it has something to do with water displacement possibly."
Victor: " Well I think it is that they go so fast over the top of the water that they can't sink."
Me: " Huh, that is an interesting idea. What happens when the boat stops at the dock."
Stunned silence. Victor :"Well, um. Maybe.... "
Me: "It's ok if you don't know."
Victor:" Yea, I just don't know."

Caleb poked me between the legs while we were standing in the hall during church and asked "That your penis?", approximately 10 times. Of course while there is a man sitting in a chair right beside us. Glad that man has children....

Watermelon dangers

Last Sunday we had a serious crisis occur. Luckily it was short lived and the victim recovered quickly.

Our kitchen has brown and cream striped linoleum. Oh yes, VERY classy. While making lunch after church Naomi (4 yr now.) was jumping over the dark brown strips and announced-" Those are the watermelon lines."

Me: "What happens if you step on a watermelon line?"
Naomi :" You turn into a watermelon." Suddenly looks at Dad- "OH NO! Dad you are standing on a watermelon line! Poof! You're a watermelon."
Ethan had been standing there amused started losing it and tried to ask her a question while laughing: "But Naomi..."
Naomi: "NO! You're a watermelon, you don't have eyes or a mouth or a body, you can't talk."
Ethan then started sinking to the floor laughing hysterically in his watermelon form.
Me :" Naomi, how do we get Daddy back?"
Naomi, nonchalantly :"He'll regenerate in an hour or so."

Luckily Naomi doesn't last that long and allowed him to regenerate with in 2 minutes. It was nice to have my husband back. Though he was rather fun to have curled up in a ball laughing as a watermelon.

It was very humorous.

Dogs.

I love dogs. Ok, I love a well trained dog. The kind that is happy if you pet it and goes away when you don't want to. The kind that doesn't jump in my face or lick every bit of my skin it can find. If I had a dog training would be a serious priority at my house and then I would enjoy having it around.

Reasons I dont have a dog-
I am allergic to them.
I would have to clean up after it.
I would have to pay for it.


Those are my top 3 reasons for being dogless.


There is a dog in my neighborhood that is pooping on my front lawn. I am ready to beat the next dog that comes down the sidewalk. I am so angry. Clean up after your own dog. It isnt' my dog! You knew they pooped when you got one! If you don't want to clean up after it then let it poop in your own yard and leave it there! I have CHILDREN who play there! Even if I didn't have kids who play there it is still MY yard- a no poop zone.

Here is where things seem to get sticky. I have a suspicion it is a little girl who is walking the dog. A little girl who's parents send her out with a great big puppy who drags her down the sidewalk. Angry as I am, the more I think about it the less I can envision her being capable of cleaning up while having the dog at the end of a leash dragging her around. So I guess the next step is to have a discussion.

What exactly is your goal of having your daughter walk the dog? Is it so it can go to the bathroom? Is your intention the dog to do it's business while it is out? Do you mean for the little girl to clean it up? If you do mean to, you might want to teach her that- cause she sure has no idea how to do so. Even if it means sending her back out after the dog has been taken inside I would greatly appreciate it.

Granted- I have no proof it is that dog. I live in an area where there are lots of dogs. I do not appreciate them adopting my yard. Not at all.

Sleep, Beautiful Sleep

It is 10:15 p.m. They kids went to bed wonderfully around 8:30. Enjoying a wonderful bowl of ice cream and the company of my husband. Then it starts. The scream, then the thud, then the whimpering of my 6 year old running around the house- asleep.

What's wrong? What happened?

-He stares at you with no recognition at all. Continuing to cry and look disoriented.

Well... here's your glass of water, we love you, see you in the morning.

This has been going on for about 2 1/2 years now. Not every night. 3-4 times a week every 2 weeks or so. Usually those nights are consecutive. We have just kind of learned to put him back to bed.

Now the 4 year old has started. Lame. Are all of my children doomed to this?

My brother-in-law used to have awful night terrors. I guess my kids just want to be like him.

Today I have spent a fair amount of time researching night terrors. It was kind of neat to see I wasn't hallucinating that these were terrors not nightmares. They are completely different. Most of what I read pointed me to the triggers being anxiety, stress or sleep deprivation. I am a firm believer in sleep. I highly recommend it and require it from my children. I really don't think that is it. Maybe I am misguided but I really don't think my 6 year old is that stressed out. At least he doesn't act like he is stressed. I think it is more related to diet. However, I can not find much information linking the two. But the more I witness and the more people I talk to there seems to be a "mom knows more than research" understanding that they are related.

One of Victor's triggers seems to be dehydration. If he didn't drink enough water during the day he will probably be up at night. Though that is not a guarantee. My brother-in-laws trigger apparently was artificial food colorings. Particularly Red #40. Victor happened to have a red smoothie the other night- guess who was wondering around in the middle of the night crying.....
Now that is very anecdotal. Maybe the skating party had stressed him out. Maybe he had been kept up too late. Maybe it is all of them together.

The more momming I do the more I see a lot of solve this problem by making the doctor medicate the kid than actually figuring out what is wrong. I firmly believe that most problems have a reason behind them.

I am going to try to figure out what is wrong.

Toddler speak

Handing Caleb the box of mini wheats- " Little Meats! Little Meats!"

Naomi's origins

Victor: "Naomi came to live with us because her family got blown up."



Oh.

Thoughts about Kids

I think sometimes kids get a bad reputation that isn't always earned. Sometimes it is- but not always. They do do things that are aggravating, frustrating, infuriating and just plain obnoxious.

Here is an example of the frustrating: Puking toddler. Won't puke into the bowl you are holding, or the garbage can or the toilet, no no. He must shove all of that away and puke directly on his beloved blanket which will bring hysterics on when you remove from his little paws to wash.

I have been thinking lately of the things that I do love so much about my kids. In case you didn't know-my kids are awesome. This is just a sampling of things I really enjoy about them.

• Caleb calls "Honey Bunches of Oats" - "Honey Boats".
• They ask questions that make you stop and think.
• They care more about if you play with them than how clean the house is.
• They are amazed by little things like plants growing or squirrels on the power lines.
• The black and white of the world they live in. Be on God's side- that's the only place to be.
• You don't have to be a professional comedian to get them squealing.
• You don't even have to be a good cook, peanut butter is good enough for nearly any meal.
• They are awesome snugglers.
• Dancing is a serious hobby that all need to participate in. No matter skill level.
• Baby frowns can only be beaten by one thing in cuteness-
• Baby giggles-
• Followed closely by those cute baby legs constantly curled up.
• When else could you justify putting food coloring in just about anything?
• That look of sheer concentration when they are trying to understand.
• The fact that I NEVER get any of the raspberries from the backyard since they eat them all before I get them.
• I can more easily enjoy children's books. There are some really good ones out there.
• Sometimes they are in "child mode" sometimes in "Godzilla mode". The options are limitless.
• The socks were wet yesterday when my husband was folding them. Naomi had been a puppy digging for the socks and putting them in the basket.
• They forgive easily and immediately.
• Baby's toothless smiles with that tongue poking out.
• They are impulsive.
• They like to experience.
• They are happy.
• They tell the best stories.

They love me. That means so much to me.

One last thought. I think I have figured out why so often kids think adults don't have a sense of humor. Let's turn to last night when Phebe was sucking on a cracker and accidentally flung it on my lap. It was really funny. I laughed really hard. Then Caleb decided to start throwing crackers.

That is why they don't laugh as much as they could. Once is funny. More than that needs to end. That is why we can't laugh at Naomi's world class belching. She is quite impressive. But if she got any praise it would never end. There were probably many times adults wanted to laugh-but couldn't.

A Day in the Life of 2 year old.

Thus far today ( it is nearly 4 o'clock) my 2 year old has-

• Peeled and then refused to eat a banana resorting to putting it in a bowl of dirt.
• Fed his little sister incredible amounts of oatmeal. Well ok put lots on a spoon that went in her direction.
• Taken a bath and still managed to be dirty 10 minutes later.
• Tried to put strawberries in my pocket.
• Took a q-tip that had been dipped in gentian violet ( one of the most incredibly staining substances I have ever encountered) and rubbed it all over the toilet seat.
• Put 2 rolls of toilet paper in the toilet.
• That was followed by putting my curling iron in the toilet.
• Threw graham crackers on the carpet I had just vacuumed.

As I type this there are giant globs of strawberry juice dried to the wall behind me where he had thrown half eaten strawberries. He is lucky he is charming when you talk to him. He might not survive until tomorrow.

He has voluntarily started potty training. I just am afraid of leaving him the bathroom alone for earlier stated reasons.