It's my duty, as a blogging mom

Due to the nature of so many of my Overwhelmed-and-Outnumbered Mom Rants, I felt I owed it to our family blog to write about nights like tonight, as they are rare but DO exist.

Tonight I was on "combat duty" all by myself (Eric was at class), so I had been gearing up for a rather tough evening.  But there's something about knowing all day that I'm going to be flying solo come bedtime that helps me prepare mentally and emotionally for what lies ahead, so I was hopeful.  

Now, you may think I'm being overly dramatic to refer to the bedtime hour (what we call "magic hour") in such a way.  But PEOPLE.  Have you ever put three kids under three to bed at the same time?  It's enough to make you want to rip your hair out.  Every last one.

Oftentimes both Eric and I head into the bedtime routine in great moods, full of energy, with a full agenda for post-bedtime.  But something happens in that half hour to forty-five minutes that so often spits both of us out of the kids' room exhausted, irritated, and just plain worn down.  So facing magic hour by myself takes some serious mind preparation.  

But then there are nights like tonight.  Nights when the kids obey so well when asked to help put away the bazillion toys spread all around the living room.  (They even sweetly sang the clean up song together while they dumped their trains into the bin.)  Nights when I don't have to chase or wrestle anyone into their jammies, or hold anyone down on the floor to brush their teeth (not really, but some days it seems like it!).  Nights when for whatever reason all three kids have very cheery, calm, sweet dispositions that make getting ready for bed such a joy.

Then tonight we had an unexpected interruption: Grandma needed a ride to Papa's concert.  So we put on our shoes and got on our hoodies (yes, Fall is creeping near), got a special treat of chocolate milk in our sippies to take in the car, and headed outside.  The kids were so tickled to be outside in their jammies in the dark!  They chased each other around the driveway a few times, giggling as they went.  Then they piled into the car without complaint (a miracle) and off we went.  Jack kept saying, "Okay, Mommy, go on a trip!"  When we crossed the train tracks Jack said, "Way to go, Mommy!"  We arrived at Grandma's house amidst excited squeals and shout-outs to "Mama" (what Ellie calls my mom).  All the way over to the college Jack kept giggling and saying, "Mommy, da trip SO FUN!"  (Boy, takes so little to please this kid, huh?)

After dropping Grandma off and waving to Papa, we headed towards home.  But on the way we passed the college soccer field, where they were practicing with all the stadium lights on, and I couldn't help stopping to let the kids watch out the car windows.  They ooed and ahhed over and over excitedly.  Samantha couldn't see anything, but she was back there cooing as well.  At last we said goodbye to the soccer field and went on our way.

THEN, much to my delight, I discovered I had enough change in the car to get a small latte, so we took a little detour to Starbucks.  When we pulled into the drive Jack said, "Yay, cop-pee for Mommy!"  (HEY.  Gimme a break...I don't get coffee THAT often, I don't know why he was so excited about it.)  It was delicious and soothing (and full of caffeine!), a perfect addition to an already swell evening so far.  As we finally headed home, Jack began pointing out the airplanes and stars in the sky, which then prompted Ellie, who had been quiet for some time, to burst into a rousing rendition of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" that went something like this:

(sung at the top of her lungs)

"Dee-doh, dee-doh deet deet tar

How I want you are

Uppah-bub da high

Yike-ah die-mon in-a sky

Dee-doh, dee-doh deet deet tar

How I want you are."

(she used to sing, "how I what what what you are"; cracked me up every time!)

(Katie, how about that for a business name: "How I Want"??  Haha...)

Then she started up again, with Jack chiming in with his own rendition, also sung at the top of his lungs:

"Twinko, twink0 yi-deh stawr,

How I wonder what you awr,

Up above da word so high,

Yike a diamond in da sky

Twink0, twinko yi-deh stawr,

How I wonder what you awr."

(My spell check is going nuts.)

Ah, the sweet off-key sound of my babies singing together.  Makes my heart ache just a little, that so-full-of-joy-and-contentment-it-hurts ache.  

When we got home I reminded them that it was time for bed and we were going to go in and go straight to their room.  I carried a barefoot Ellie in, and went back to get Samantha.  When I finally made it inside they both had their coats and shoes off, and Jack had collected all the necessary bedtime friends and blankies and was sweetly passing them out.  We filed one after the other back to their room, and they both climbed into beds all by themselves (Ellie's figured out how to climb into her crib but not out of it yet.  Keeping fingers crossed on that one.) and we turned out the light.  There was no crying, no begging for water, no pleas to go potty again.  Then we sang our nightly anthem of Jesus Loves Me (the kids' version: Jesus Wuves Me), prayed, kissed, and I walked out with Samantha in my arms. I went in to my room, nursed her, laid her down, and they've all been quiet ever since!  

These evenings are great, friends.  These are nights that feel like little gifts plunked in between the really hard ones.  These are nights I love being a mom.  L-O-V-E it.  I so enjoy each moment, each little conversation, each mispronounced word and out of tune song.  I love coming out of bedtime smiling at the thought of their sweet night-night kisses and their "I wuve yous" as I left the room.  After all were down I came into the living room, looking for their shoes and coats to hang up.  I looked around and then noticed that Jack's hoodie was hanging on his little hook by the door, his shoes sloppily set on the shelf, next to one of Ellie's shoes (the other of which is on the floor beneath the shelf where she most likely gave up trying or got distracted), and her hoodie hanging by a thread with both arms inside out (she tries so hard, bless her heart!).  (Insert heart swelling and fond sighs.)

These nights I shake my head at how enjoyable and effortless the whole evening seemed.  It even made me wonder why other nights are so hard.  Is it me?  Is it the kids?  Probably a little of both.  But tonight, I relish this night.  I should probably go do dishes or laundry or sweep the floor, but I think I'll wait a bit.  These are nights worth savoring.  

Well, my reheated-in-the-microwave latte is calling to me...and the garage door is opening signaling my husband's arrival home, so I'll sign off.  I hope wherever you are, you are having as lovely an evening.  

First Day

(Our first-ever First Day of School photo!)

Yes, today was Jack's first day of preschool.  He was SO excited.  Almost hyper, even.  Everything he talked about this morning had the word "school" in there somewhere.  He was beside himself when we got in the car, kept saying his teacher's name and talking about his new bag and telling Ellie about "Jack's school."  It was great.

I told my mom yesterday that a number of my friends have recently sent their kids to school for the first time, and that it was a very emotional experience for them.  I got choked up reading their accounts of sending the kids off, about how time flies, and could they really be ready for school?  But for some reason I have not been emotional at all about Jack going to school.  I surmised that it was due to the fact that I've been a teacher, I've been the one receiving the kids from teary-eyed parents, assuring them we'd have a great time.  I know what goes on during the day, I have an idea of what Jack will be doing, and I have been so excited for him to be able to enter into one of my most favorite arenas: the classroom!  Plus, my mom taught preschool for eleven years and I often helped her, so it thrills me in a nostalgic way for him to be headed off into this new world.

 

(This is what they gave me when I told them to smile.)

As we pulled into the parking lot today he shouted, "SCHOOL!  There it is, Mommy!" and chattered on and on while we waited in the drop off line.  When his teacher opened the car door he yelled, "Brinley!" (we're still working on "Mrs") and began a long string of mosty unintelligible chit-chat about his bag and his sisters and school.  He hardly even turned around to say goodbye, he was so excited.  The teacher laughed and said she'd never seen a child so enthusiastic about his first day! 

As I started to pull away Ellie began crying and saying, "Me!  Me!  Mommy, Me!!"  I felt so bad.  I told her we would go get a little treat just for Mommy and Ellie, and that contented her.

And then it happened.  I noticed the empty seat in the back of the car.  And I started to cry.  And I couldn't stop.  I did NOT see this coming!

(Jack getting silly)

I took my girls to Starbucks and nursed a Double Non-fat Toffee Nut Latte WITH WHIP (so much for non-fat!) for awhile and it helped.  Then we popped in Trader Joe's for a few grocery items; I immediately noticed that the majority of shoppers were moms with toddlers!  Must be magic hour.  I don't get out much in the mornings so I found this slightly amusing.  Ellie got an apple fruit bar, which she promptly inhaled, and pink balloon (to match her outfit) at the checkout and she was a happy camper.

The morning passed fairly quickly and it was time to pick him up.  When we pulled up to the door I heard him yell, "MOMMY!!" and all the teachers standing there laughed.  He was a huge ball of energy and could not stop babbling loudly in the car.  He was talking so quickly I couldn't make it all out but I got the general idea: "Mommy!  School!  So fun! Play trains!  Wash hands!  Mommy, playground!  Mommy, snack at the table!  Mommy (suddenly increasing in volume)--HAPPY BIRTHDAY CUPCAKE!  Yay!!!!  Mommy, have juice!  (throw in totally fake belly laugh) SO FUN, Mommy!" 

I couldn't get a word in the whole ride home.  He has been hyper (thanks to Joe's birthday cupcakes, no doubt) and about three volumes louder since arriving home.  When Daddy came home from work Jack excitedly repeated his school highlights, complete with fake laugh.

Sigh.  Another milestone.  I'm so thankful that it was a good experience and that he (and I) survived the morning.  I am done with my tears and look forward to Thursday morning--maybe I'll actually be able to get something done! 

(Totally unsolicited sweetness!)

Happy First Day of School, Baby Jack.  I love you.

Jack couldn't look more bored in this picture, don't you think?

This is from a shoot I did of the kids a few weeks ago but haven't had time to weed through all the pictures yet...which seems to be a theme in my life right now: not enough time.

Once again I am very, very behind on blog writing.  I have a stash of blog entries going on in my head, which kind of amuses me at times; I roll my eyes at myself for having an imaginary blog, where the posts that I write in my head while doing dishes or nursing or cleaning up toys get posted but read by no one.  Sad, really.  But I also wondered recently what my life would be like if I didn't have a blog, if I didn't have a place to document our family life, like potty training and lost luggage (which, by the way, is still lost), birth accounts and foreign travel, motherhood mishaps and childhood milestones.  Would I feel less burden for having to record these significant events?  Who even cares?  

On the one hand, I view blogging as kind of a year-round family newsletter, a way of keeping in touch with friends on a more regular basis.  So that makes me feel like I should be making time to sit down and "report" on such things as Eric's new job or Jack going to school, for all of you who care and want to know.  So perhaps my blog is like one big mass email.

On the other hand...there may be a good reason people send out yearly newsletters at Christmas time: because there is no expectation for detailed accounts of all the year's events, so instead you end up with nicely (or so you hope) summed up highlights and significant happenings, making you feel like you're caught up on that family's life and are still "in touch."

But...with blogging there also seems to be some community and interaction, with the comments and blog-hopping that goes on.  And for people who really care, like grandparents and close friends, blogging provides instant access to pictures of grandkids doing everyday things, allowing us to get to know each other's kids and families fairly well.  

However...I'm not sure how I feel about so many people knowing so much about my family!  It's very odd when I see someone that I hardly know and they tell me how much they love my blog, and I'm like, "I'm sorry what was your name again?  And how did you find my blog?  (i.e. which friend-of-a-friend sent you here)"  When I post or write things I usually have a certain audience in mind, like my closest girlfriends and a few members of our extended family.  But recently my former youth pastor (hi Vince!) told me he enjoyed my post on potty training and I thought to myself, "Whoa.  How many times did I use the word poop in that post?  How many other people read that post?"  

Anyhow...I know this post is borderline going-nowhere, but it's stemming from waaaaay too many thoughts about blogging and those imaginary posts I mentioned above and the guilt I've felt at being so behind at posting...and it's also almost 11:30pm so I think now I'm just rambling.  And everyone is asleep so nothing is tearing me away from blogging at this point.  So I could go on .  And on.  But I won't.

We have had an eventful last few weeks, with the highlights being Eric starting his new job, Jack starting preschool, and Eric's 28th birthday, to name a few.  I will try to report on them in Christmas letter-like fashion here:

--Eric's job: He was hired as the Administrative Assistant to the Vice Provost at the college here.  I still don't know exactly what that means, and I'm not sure he does either, and I'm not even sure the people who hired him know what it means for that matter!  The position is a slightly altered version of its previous one, so it's got a learning curve to it for sure.  It's been interesting for Eric to go from working security for so many years, and seeing one side of the college, and then to jump all the way to the President's office and be in such a different environment.  Good, but different.  He is generally enjoying it and we are grateful for the regular hours.  He is taking a Dale Carnegie course one night a week and also working some overtime at security, and I am teaching piano lessons one or two nights a week so we are busy.  But very, very thankful for this new position.  (By the way, for those of you who are regular readers...this job opportunity came up the day after my night-time "encouragement" from the Lord that I wrote about a few weeks ago, when I felt His assurance that He was holding us so close to Himself!)

--Jack's Preschool: Jack officially starts this Tuesday at a church preschool for 3's that meets two mornings a week.  I have watched several friends of mine send their kids to school for the first time this year, and all the accompanying emotions, and as I read/heard about their experiences I got teary-eyed and weepy and emotional.  But when it came time for Jack, I was just...excited.  I told Eric that I felt bad that I haven't been more sentimental about my baby going to school, but I think that it's because I've been a teacher, and I've BEEN in school with kids, and I (generally) know what happens while they're away from mom and dad, and I'm just so excited for Jack to get to experience that!  My mom taught preschool for a very long time so I am thrilled to see how he does and how much he loves it.  We had orientation last week and while it was a bit surreal, I am so touched by the ministry of these loving teachers and am so thankful that he will be in such a nurturing environment.  He was smitten with the train table...that's all he talks about when we ask about "Jack's school."  He was very excited the day we went for our visit, kept talking about Jack's school all morning, and while we were there he kept pointing at things and saying, "Mommy, Jack's trains!  Mommy, Jack's blocks!  Mommy, Jack's books!" as if just because this was "Jack's School" that meant everything in it was also his.  So sweet.  He did have a little freak out about snack time, as he didn't like the snack (I know, big surprise).  We'll see how he does without me around.

And finally (see, I am just not cut out for Christmas-letter-highlight style updates!!)

--Eric's birthday: we got to celebrate twice this past week; once with our good friends Brandon and Amy (dinner out!) and again tonight with Sarah Kay and Nate and little Sophia who were in from out of town.  (Jack and Sophia went NUTS over each other and were laughing hysterically at each other most of the time.  So wonderful and weird to watch our children play together!)  Happy Birthday honey!

Those are the significant events from the past few weeks, for those of you that are keeping up.  That's all I have the energy for tonight.  Perhaps in another few weeks I can think of something more creative to write about.  For now...goodnight, friends!