The Great Stair Challenge

August 30, 2008

I was looking through the kids' baby pictures the other day to add some to their school projects and came across pictures of Kylie climbing the family room stairs for the first time when she was 10 1/2 months. Later I jokingly told JP that Emma was slacking behind at 11 months having not yet climbed the stairs to which he responded that we hadn't given her a chance yet- which was true. She's usually in her play area, in my arms, or playing on the floor in upper play room. So we put Emma to the Great Stair Challenge of 2008 to see what she would do-

And without any hesitation she practically walked up the stairs! We're thinking she probably could've tackled them when she was 8 months......

Family Follies.....

The kids are always saying and doing things that just crack us up, here are a few from the last week:

- At preschool, I was setting up everyone's breakfast and Kaitlyn was convinced that she didn't have as many blueberries as Kylie and Ethan did. So she counted them-"one, two, three, four, six, seven, five, nine, ten, eleventeen"....

- Kylie was acting out a bit this morning, so I pulled her close and gave her a big hug to distract her and we starting talking. She asked why I married Daddy to which I replied that I loved Daddy and we wanted to have children. At that moment JP walked by, having just woken up, and rolled his eyes..... Kylie then told me that she was going to marry Ethan but not yet- she was going to wait until she got older. I explained that she shouldn't marry Ethan because they were related but rather someone that she was really good friends with. She was ok with that. I asked what color house she wanted to live in and she said "pink". Then she said she wanted to have gardens so she could pick me flowers... So sweet! :)

- Emma now dances- anytime she hears music either from the kids toys or on TV, she bops up and down with a big smile on her face.

- Tonight, during dinner we interviewed the kids for a project we need to do with them for school- an "All About Me" box. We askedthem each about all their favorite things. When we were done, Kylie grabbed the paper and pen and said "OK- my turn, So Daddy- what's your favorite thing to do?" She then scribbled down his answer and asked everyone else the same question. Then Kaitlyn took a turn and then Ethan. It was a really fun dinner. And who would ever believe that when asked what her favorite dinner is- Kylie said "swordfish" which was what she had just finished third helpings of.

I know there is an Ethan story but for the life of me I just can't remember it right now... I'll add it when I do. Edited on 9/4/08-(I remembered! The kids went to the dentist for their check-up and all came home with new toothbrushes with really wide bases on them so they didn't fit in our toothbrush holder which bothered me..... The next night when we were brushing teeth, I muttered something to myself about how annoying it was that the toothbrushes didn't fit. Ethan took his toothbrush turned it upside down and put it in the holder and said- "It fits Mommy-look!". Outsmarted by a 3 year old! I never even considered turning the brush bristle end down).

Clothes, clothes and more clothes......

In preparation of the summer coming to an end (or washing away as the case may be here in New England), this morning I decided to tackle bringing out the kids' fall and winter wardrobes while everyone was happy watching TV. I trekked up to the attic and shifted around all the diaper boxes that house hand me downs and clothes that were bought last season. There are a lot of boxes up there, all labelled neatly with Ethan's, Kaitlyn & Kylie's, or Emma's name as well as the size of the clothes and the season they should be brought down. We have boxes labelled through 2010 up there.

I thought I was doing really well after bringing down 9 boxes of clothes to sort through. In the end 5 boxes worth were "keepers" for the fall and winter and headed to the laundry, 3 boxes worth aren't needed until Spring, 3 boxes worth were worthy of going to consignment and 1 box worth will be heading to charity. Then I hung up all the consignment clothes on hangers to save time when I drop them off.

I was so happy before dinner tonight to have this task done! I proceeded to bring the 3 boxes of clothes for next SPring back up to the attic and what did I see?!?!? 7- yes 7- boxes all labelled "Emma- 12-24months". Apparently last summer when I was doing all this while 9 months pregnant, I didn't separate the clothes I was pulling from the girls' closet into 12 months- 18 months and 24 months- I just shoved everything into boxes.

I have no idea how I overlooked these 7 boxes when I was in the attic this morning.
but regardless I trekked back down to the foyer with 7 more boxes to sift through. Of these, 2 more are heading to consignment, 1/2 a box is going to charity, 2 more are headed back to the attic for the Spring and the other 2 1/2 are headed to the laundry and somehow need to be fit into Emma's already overflowing closet and bureau.....I must say though that I really do enjoy sorting through the clothes for Emma because they bring back such sweet memories of Kaitlyn and Kylie wearing certain outfits. I pick up a pair of overalls and see Kylie climbing the family room stairs in them and I hold a sweater and picture Kaitlyn smiling at me while wearing it.It seems like just yesterday that they were wearing all these.....

So today was definitely productive, between all the other daily Mommy activities that I did, I sorted through 16 boxes of clothes. Of course, I'll be busy doing load after load of laundry for the next few days and then putting everything away but by the end of the weekend this oh-so dreaded task will be done (until March rolls around and I start it all over again).

The Age Old Question.....

I think all Moms talk about what they think is a harder job- being a Stay at Home Mom or a Working Mom.

Tonight as I was cleaning out the kids' lunchboxes of 1/2 eaten sandwiches and 1/4 full milk cups, I glanced at the clock- it was 7:30. I had just come downstairs from tucking the kids into bed and giving hugs and kisses for the 10th time (or so it seemed). How was it possible that more than 12 hours had passed since I was was rushing to get the kids out the door for school? And yet here I was, starting all over again in preparation for tomorrow- washing their dishes, making sandwiches, pouring bowls of cereal, packing juice boxes, filling milk thermos', packing napkins and spoons, etc, etc. And to top it all off, Emma goes back to Meme Bean's tomorrow after a summer off so I then had to pack up all her things- sippy cup, extra formula, cereal, fruit, veggies, diapers, extra clothes......

I always feel like a bag lady as I head out the door in the morning with the kids' breakfast bag and my laptop bag slung over my shoulder and barely grasping 3 backpacks, 3 lunchboxes, and a diaper bag. Yes- that's 9 bags! The first day of school, the kids loved carrying their own bags and lunches to the car. Nowadays, when I ask them to carry their bags I get the same response- "No thank you, you can do it....." Gee, thanks- mighty generous!

Granted staying home all day isn't easier by any means although it is nice not having to prepare so much the night before.

So all in all- if there are kids involved- it's exhausting regardless of whether you stay at home or you go to work.

Visiting the Candy Store

Play Ball!

JP bought Kaitlyn & Ethan baseball gloves and a baseball T. They love to practice and are getting pretty good at catching with their gloves. Kaitlyn has an amazing throwing arm and Ethan is a great hitter.

As for Kylie, as soon as anything sport related comes out of the garage, she asks if she can go inside and watch TV ;)

First Day of Preschool- July 22

We've been talking about starting preschool for as long as we've been talking about Storyland. As soon as we got home from vacation, Kylie exclaimed, "Now that Storyland is over, we get to go to school!"

I can't believe they are already old enough to start preschool- sniff, sniff.... but whether Mommy was ready or not, off we went. The kids were all smiles as they grabbed their lunch bags and backpacks and headed out the door.