What was I thinking?

I don't have a clue who that boy was that I was speaking about in my post yesterday. Today, the boy who came out of the tent where I swear I stuck *that boy* yesterday was a different kid. He was kind, compassionate, funny, sweet AND well behaved at school. My heart just sang when I got the report from his teacher that he was, "A good listener, paid attention, and waited patiently for his turn!". Thank goodness for days like today. One of his good days every now and then remind me of what a joy he is to my life and help me forget what a booger that he can be on his bad days.

After school, I had to run into the store to grab some milk and Owen went in with me. Now, I never EVER allow Owen to get something when we're in the store. I just think that it's a bad precedent to set, and I don't do it, but today, when he asked me with his best manners if he could have some wafer cookies, I let him. :) I asked him on the way home if he knew why I let him get something and he told me, "Because I was nice at school, and I didn't make Mrs. Hughes say, 'Owen! Go sit on that chair!'". Ohhhh I had to try so hard not to laugh at his impersonation.

Poor little Eli is still not feeling very well. Yesterday, he took a 6 hour "nap" from 10:00 am-4:00 pm, and then went back to bed at 8:30 and slept until 10:45 this morning, when I had to wake him to go pick O up from school! He took another 3 hr nap today. When he is awake, he just lays on my lap and snuggles.

Please pray that this virus that has hit us this week doesn't re-activate my reactive arthritis. It's finally gotten a lot better, and I only have to take my anti-inflammatory every 48 hours. I am praying like crazy that I'm done with that!

Even when I don't like him

I love him.

Lately, he loves to play the game, "Do you love me when I______?" Sometimes he fills in the blanks with things like "when it's dark?" or "when I'm at school?" But usually he fills in the blank with something more like, "when I pick my nose?" or "when I hit my brother?"

Of course I always respond with an enthusiastic, "YES! I love you all of the time. Always and Forever!" And while I do always love him with all of my heart, it's sometimes really hard to enjoy his company. Today was one of those days that I just didn't like him very much. I hate, hate, HATE to say that, but it's true.

When he's in a good mood, he is the most charming little boy that you could ever want to meet. But when he's being the worst version of his three-year-old self, I just want to scream! I know that I am not the first mother to have said this.

Trust me.

I know.

But I am living this right. now. and it's hard. Hearing, "Wait 'til he's a teenager." or "It gets even harder." are not helpful statements in this phase of my life. I want to enjoy him always. I want to always feel truly is tappreciative of the gift that he o my life. When I see other adults who don't *really* know him that are super annoyed by his behavior, I just want to hide. I wish that they could see the precious little person that he is capable of being- not the hellion- that he is being in this stage of his life.

I love him. Always.

A two thumb day

If you know my youngest child, you'll know that he will NOT be bathed unless he is accompanied by me. He will literally scream his fool lungs out if you try to put him into the bathtub. (Sara can attest to this!)

Well, last night the poor baby threw up all over his bed and then rolled through it- a lot. I was trying to get Owen ready for school and realized that I was going to have to deal with this --and quickly. I picked him up out of his bed and carried his puke-covered self to the bathroom. I stood him in the empty bathtub (traumatizing event #1) so that I could strip him- and then quickly ran to throw all of the stinky bedding/clothing into the wash.

I came back and looked my sweet little baby with his hair crusted in vomit and knew without a doubt that I love him an awful lot- but there was NO WAY that I was getting in that tub to give him a bath while he was still covered in puke. I proceeded to hose him down and wash his hair (traumatizing events #s 2-3) and he screamed harder than I have ever heard him scream. You would have thought that I was making boiled baby soup in that bathtub! I got him cleaned as quickly as I could and pulled him out of his personal hell and wrapped him in a towel. He continued to cry for a few minutes, but then finally found solace in sucking his thumbs. Both of them. At the same time. The poor little baby was so traumatized that he had to suck both of his thumbs at the same time.

The good news is that his day improved from then on out. He wasn't sick the rest of the day and aside from sleeping a little more and being a little more clingy- he acted fairly normal.

Bedtime tonight was pretty funny. We all knelt down to say prayers with Owen- (including Cheetah who folded his paws nicely) and afterwards Owen gave us all hugs and kisses. Owen leaned down to kiss Eli, and Eli looked back up with him with his mouth wide open to give his brother a "kiss". Owen looked at him and said, "I just want to kiss him on his head!" Eli tried his best to give his brother a big, wet one- but he was denied. :) Matthew and I both got a big kick out of that little interaction.

Hope you're all having a great week.

Blah, blah, blah- excuses.

Sorry that I've been absent lately. I've just been crazy busy in the last week or so. Fortunately, most of it has been fun and positive.

Last week, on Tuesday I met up with my mom friend, Emily, and several of the moms from Owen's class. We took all of our kiddos to Jump and Play for a great afternoon playdate. It was really fun and it was great to see all of the kids playing together.

Wednesday, I had T&Q all day- and then that night I went to Ash Wednesday services and RCIA while Matthew took Owen and Eli to gymnastics.

Thursday, after I picked Owen up from school, we headed down to S. Indiana to spend some time with Mom/Dad, Grandma/Grandpa Gessner. We went sledding, and FINALLY got to build a snowman. We had a wonderful time, and I actually WON at scrabble against Mom Gessner!! That NEVER EVER happens!

Unfortunately, we didn't get any pictures while we were there. (Boo Me)

Friday, on the way home, the boys and I had lunch with my friend, Noelle, that lives in Lexington. We went to the Claudia Sanders Dinner House. (Colonel Sanders' wife) The restaurant was located inside the Sanders' home, and it was really neat. It was super fun getting to meet up with Noelle as well!!

Saturday found us trying to have a "date" night WITH our boys in tow.

Sunday, we had to be at an early mass for the Rite of Sending and then we had to be downtown at the Cathedral that afternoon for the Rite of Election.

Sunday night-Monday- Matthew and I caught a stomach bug and moped around the house pathetically.

So- there's our last week in a nutshell. Mostly just my lame excuses for not blogging in forever.