General Family News – Page 67 – Embracing the Insanity

Riding “Bikes”

Posted on July 18, 2009July 17, 2009 by Becky

Mara recently observed, “Daddy has a bike. I have a bike. Now Mommy needs a bike!”

Actually Mara’s “bike” is a tricycle, and since the neighbors gave her the Dora tricycle, we now have two tricycles. When they first offered the trike, I thought, ‘No, thanks. We already have one.’ But then I realized, I suppose it’s good to have two, since we have two kids!

When Corban is here, it still works out because Mara likes to ride on the back of the trike, letting Corban do all the work.

Not to be outdone, Micah “runs” around the house, pushing the other trike, since he’s not yet big enough to sit on it and pedal.

They have fun “riding bikes.”

Life doesn’t always go according to plan . . .

Posted on July 17, 2009 by Becky

Last night we had a thunderstorm, and lost power around 6:30 p.m. I thought it would be a good chance to catch up on some much-needed sleep–no tv, no computer, can’t do laundry or dishes. . . But unfortunately, our room was so hot without the AC or even a fan, that we could not sleep. I tried sleeping on the couch in the living room. I tried sleeping on the floor. . . nothing worked. Finally, around 3:45 a.m. the power returned, and around 4:30 or so the house began to cool down a bit. Micah woke up a little before 6. Daniel had to leave for work at 7.

So today I didn’t have a blog post. Or any energy. And the kids were tired and grouchy most of the day.

Life doesn’t always go according to plan.

There’s always tomorrow.

Recent Reality

Posted on July 16, 2009July 15, 2009 by Becky

Blogs often present the “perfect little world.” Well, here’s my reality.

I’m the mom . . .

Who had to add a pair of sunglasses to the shopping cart at Target today after my daughter broke off one of the legs (Thankfully the manager said we didn’t have to pay for them!)
Who rescued my 13-month-old son, who lay in a crying heap under the double stroller, which he had pulled over on top of himself, as it stood folded up in the living room
Who has been unable to sleep the past few nights because my crazy eczema has been out-of-control!
Whose daughter cried at the water park because (of all tragedies) she got wet!
Whose 13-month-old son climbs up the slide by himself now (So if you see me climbing up the slide? . . . Look for a little person in front of me! I’m chasing him).
Who was freaking out (a little) after my son’s head went underwater (5 times) during his bath last night (I was there on my knees next to the tub the entire time, scooping him up every time he slid into the water), and was rebuked by my 2yo daughter’s quiet yet earnest response: “I’m sorry, Mommy. Let’s pray about it.”
Who turned around after washing my hands in the bathroom to see the same little guy reaching down to splash in the potty
Whose daughter seems to be potty trained, yet one day this week wet herself 4 times
Whose daughter threw her hairbow (that matched most of her outfits) in the grass at Far Away Park, in an apparent (unsuccessful) scheme to return to the park later that night
Who felt the instinctive motherly panic that I’ve often witnessed in other moms as my 2yo daughter ascended 11 steps to the top of the big slide . . . I promise, it seemed so much higher in real life . . .
Whose same daughter held up slide traffic at the park, as she stood on the ladder saying, “I’m not a baby, Mommy! I’m a big girl! That girl said I was a baby, but I’m not a baby. I wear underwear now, not diapers!”

Yep, that’s my reality . . .

Parks in the City

Posted on July 15, 2009July 14, 2009 by Becky

Kids in the city need parks. Places to run around and get rid of all that pent-up energy!

We have several parks that we like to visit, mostly within walking distance.

Mara has names for each one. We have . . .

“Park with Yellow Slide”: The closest park. About a 1/3 mile down our block. There is a baseball field, basketball courts, a community swimming pool, infant swings (and big kid swings), and a couple slides. The small slide is a double slide. Sometimes Mara and Micah go down the slides at the same time. That slide is yellow. It’s not my favorite park, but it’s close by. So we go there often.

“Park with Benches”: No swings or slides. But there are trees and grass and benches, as Mara mentioned. Mara can chase birds and squirrels–and when it snowed last winter, she played in the snow there.

“Park with Red Slide”: Possibly becoming our most-frequented park (although it’s a further walk than either Park with Yellow Slide or Park with Benches). This park has a few trees, a little grass, a little kids playground and a big kids playground, tennis courts, basketball and hockey courts, and a “spray park.”

“Far Away Park”: As you might imagine, it is far away which translated means 10 minutes away. We have to drive to Far Away Park. But it is sooo worth it! There are community gardens there, beautiful beautiful beds of flowers, lots and lots of grass–well-kept grass and trees. And baby swings and big kids swings. And little playground and big playground. . . Far Away Park is Mommy’s favorite!

I don’t think I have taken pictures there recently, although we’ve been there about three times in the past two weeks . . . so here is a pic of Mara taken last year (April 2008) at Far Away Park. In this picture, she had just discovered she had dirt on her hands (something that has always bothered my girly-girl).

Wow, she has changed a lot in a year!

“I never wanted to live in a cage. . .”

Posted on July 14, 2009July 13, 2009 by Becky

When Corban and Carson were at our house on Sunday, I kept the baby gate across the doorway between the living room and the dining room. It kept the dogs separate from the kids, and my husband could make breakfast without the kids underfoot.

Of course, since there was a gate there, Mara and Big C were not content to stay in the living room. They took the stepstool to the gate and gazed longingly into the kitchen. (I realize the photo quality is poor, but it was my best effort to capture the moment.)

Then I heard my melodramatic two-year-old, quoting a line from Corduroy, as she peeked over the gate: “I nevvvvver wanted to live in a cage–like a bear at the zoo!”