Stupid Toy

Here is a warning for those of you who are thinking about getting let's go Thomas! for your kids: The sound sensor does not turn off. I thought it was a really cool toy. It looks like Thomas is talking and it will follow you around. When you see it in the store, it will talk to you and the lips move and the cheeks light up. It occupied Seth around the store and I thought it would be a great Christmas present. I stuck it into the back of the van in a bag, under some stuff so Katherine wouldn't see and then headed to Home Depot. When we opened the door, I heard, "Let's go Thomas." When we shut the door, I heard, "Let's go Thomas." When we picked up katherine and she entered the car, I heard, "Let's go to Sodor." Whenever we went over a bump, we were either "going" with Thomas to Sodor or he was saying hello. No way to surprise anyone and katherine started to ask to play with Thomas although she couldn't see him. Then when we got home, she found him. I figured if I tried to hide him, every time we opened the closet, we would be invited to Sodor.
So we now have a Thomas toy 4 weeks before christmas. I found the off switch, by the way. You need to unscrew the train from the box first and then it is right there, next to the Try Me option. Sodor owes me $40.

BEST PURCHASE: wooden eggs. Seth is having a blast and we can actually eat eggs for breakfast now without tears.

Being Myself

Normally, I write about my deficiencies in the arts of homemaking and child rearing, but today I a going to praise myself. It was parent/teacher conferences last night and James wrote that he is good at being himself. How awesome is that? A lot of that is just him, but I am giving myself kudos for allowing it... I try to let him be who he is even though I am so scared for JR. High that I have thought of moving to get into a different school (k-8) to skip the whole jr. high thing. So while I have been sitting in a corner, rocking back and forth completely neurotic, it has not affected him.

I am not the mom who makes perfect cupcakes with sprinkles, but when I try, then end up looking like someone has taken a dump on a plate... I am not the type of mom to come up with fun activities and to play with my kids or teach them to read before they are in school. I am just an average person whose main goal is that her kids are fed, dressed (clean clothes are a plus), and who occasionally bathe. I haven't gotten the H1N1 vaccine not because of political, ethical reasons but because I don't want to have three screaming kids all at once. I just try to make it to bedtime without yelling too much or saying something that will come out as changing their lives for the worse in counseling or drug rehab.

My kids learned the ABC's from Elmo and now Seth knows Spanish from Dora; I think he also believes everyone who speaks Spanish has triangular hair, but we will work on that later.

So I am average. I am also really tired and usually guilt myself into everything else I am not doing for my kids. But last night, I realized I am actually a great mom because my son "is good at being myself!"

Now if I could just find the eggs.

I quit

Let's face it: I am not cut out to be a mom. My son's lizard just died - 2nd one in 2 weeks - and I freaked out. He was blaming his little brother, when his little brother couldn't get in the cage and then I found out that he had left the lid off and so I told him to not blame his brother for something that was his fault. To make matters worse, I went even more ballistic when I realized there were live crickets in the cage that hadn't had a lid on for an hour. I then told my heart broken son to go get the vacuum and clean up the broken crackers on the floor that the crickets could be attracted to and then I took the cricket cage and threw it outside. I then made everyone wash their hands and I vacuumed the floor and the upstairs because it had egg shells all over it. Then I gave my son a cookie and told him I was sorry that his lizard died as he cried that he would never be a good animal protector - his dream in life. Never mind that he hates going to the science class on animals he is in... I wasn't really sorry, though. I was glad that stupid disgusting thing is dead. I don't want a lizard in my house with the required crickets. And my two year old was crying the whole time because he couldn't hold the lizard and I just didn't care he was crying because the thing was dead and disgusting... Instead of comforting anyone in their time of need, I freaked out due to dead lizards and live crickets. My kids deserve an understanding and loving mom who doesn't care about dead lizards and live crickets, but whose only concern is the feelings of her children.
Then I sit on my bed and I moved a pillow and found...

an egg.

I quit.

Disneyland

On Wednesday, Kevin said, "Let's go to Disneyland because hunting is cancelled." I made the plans. On Wednesday afternoon, hunting was back on and I was going to Disneyland with the kids still. My friend Annie came with us and Seth had one on one with Grandma Rencher and here we are. We drove to Billings Thursday and came back on Tuesday. Katherine met Snow White and was so much better behaved after. James fought Darth Vadar and is now a Jedi. We went on a treasure hunt and met Mickey Mouse. We spent three days with Mickey and by the end the kids were exhausted and so was I. Instead of spending Tuesday night in Billings, we drove the whole way home and the kids were at school on Wednesday. I really get tired of being patient and helping children be patient. I think I am now coming down with the swine flu. I think the new tag line should be: Disneyland: The Happiest Place on Earth (once the kids are asleep)

What do you do with a girl like Maria?

We are having some issues with Katherine. We are open to suggestions.
At the airport on the way to Disneyland:
Mom: Katherine, you need to be good this weekend.
Kath: but I can't mom; It's just too hard for me.
Mom: Katherine, you need to be good.
Kath: but it hurts my head.

At the office yesterday:
Mom: You can have 2 pieces of candy.
Kath: I want 3.
Mom: You can have 3 pieces if you will be good the rest of the day.
Kath: But I want 3.
Mom: Then be good.
She took 2.