Firsts, Part Deux, The Sequel

I posted about the many firsts my kids had accomlished a while back, but I think it's time for part deux. All three are back to school -- one in pre-K and two back in their wonderful early intervention class. So, let's start the show, folks:

1. Words: Woody told me something was "disgusting" the other day. Ellie told me I didn't know what a "title" of a book was. Woody and Jack also invent words. Today at the doctor, he called a sink "washer hands." He said, "Bye-Bye, Washer Hands" after he was finished at the sink. Jack calls an umbrella "rainin." Looking in a book at a picture of U for Umbrella: "That's a rainin."

2. Jack is four-point crawling! He has been commando/army crawling/scooting for quite a while, but instead of just rocking or balancing in a four point stance, he is now moving those little knees and going places. You can see how much concentration it takes when you look into his face -- every movement is intentional and takes such focus. But he's getting faster and stronger every day!

3. Ellie Marie, my sweet girl is enjoying her new school very much. She has to walk from the car to the hallway of her school all by herself in the morning . She was a little nervous about that at first, but is an old pro now. All she's shared about school is that she gets chocolate milk, there is a play kitchen, and they "drag" the letters of the alphabet (not sure about that one). Oh, and if the kids get too loud, her teacher places her hands on top of her head to let them know to quiet down. Cute.

4. Wheelchair skills: Jack managed to get himself out of his classroom, down a short hall, and into another classroom in order to watch Barney during pick up time at school the other day! His teacher was so proud but let him know he has to have permission to leave the room -- imagine that! We've come a long way, baby.

Wish I had pictures to share, but even if I could find the camera, I don't think I'd have time to use it!

Little Sneak

Woody has decided he can army crawl and roll around well enough to get into some trouble, and this seems to be the biggest motivator yet for my little guy to get moving.

I found him a little while ago after I had left the room to switch over the laundry. I knew it was oddly quiet! Woody was hiding and eating candy he had dumped from a water bottle:

It's so exciting to know he can get away, hide, and be sneaky.  I am very thankful to have this sneaky little boy!

Itty Bitty Vacation

The Perkins family reunion gave us a good reason to get away for the long 4th of July weekend. We stayed with Maw Maw Judy and Paw Paw "Randis" (Woody kept mixing his paw paws -- Randy + Travis= Randis)!

Our first big adventure was taking the new bridge in New Roads for the first time. People have always traveled by ferry to cross the Mississippi River from Point Coupee Parish to East Feliciana Parish, and now that there is a bridge, we have a more straight shot over to my mom's house, which saves us about 45 minutes of driving (at least). Strangely enough, there were no signs, and it took us a while to find the dang bridge. At the gas station, we asked which way to turn for the bridge, and the young lady asked, "Which bridge?" What bridge?! Are you kidding? Once we saw it, we wondered how anyone from this town could ask that! The John James Audubon Bridge is the longest cable-stayed bridge in the Western Hemisphere according to the website: "Each cable stay is anchored to a 500-foot tower, which provides support to the bridge deck. Each stay contains 20 to 69 individual cables for a total of 4,548 cables." It cost over 400 million dollars to build. And it's sitting out beyond a bunch of sugar cane fields in the middle of nowhere! It was very impressive!

Our fun also included a quick trip to Hammond to the Children's Discovery Center, a children's museum! Favorites: Jack loved the big bubble room. Woody was very interested in the ambulance/EMT spot.

Ellie adored the Middendorf's restaurant exhibit where she took our orders and brought us something completely different! We did a simulated hot air balloon ride and laughed hard at Chris and Aunt Nene almost getting stuck in the slide trying to help the boys get a turn :) 

Another fun trip was to the Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans after church on Sunday, although we went through a terrible storm getting there -- hail and a very loud downpour. But once we got there, the kids were amazed! Ellie called the parking garage a "car cave" and the winding ramp a "car slide." I have some serious small-town kids. The see-through elevator in Canal Place that seemed to land us in a fountain was exciting, too. Mom and I joked that all we needed to do was go to the parking garage to entertain my silly kids. Favorites at the aquarium: Ellie was tickled at the hammerhead sharks ans the stingrays. Jack loved the penguins! But he calls them "pen-goyns", which is too cute. Woody is not our animal lover, but he did seem amazed by the BIG fish in the Gulf of Mexico exhibit -- sharks, sea turtles, and enormous tarpon! But the highlight was when Jack attempted to hold the feeding stick in the Parakeet exhibit and the little bird nipped his finger. He stayed pretty calm. . . . and then knocked the bird right off that stick! Don't mess with Jack, parakeets!

On the 4th, we headed to the country to have the family reunion. There was a good turn-out, so we were able to visit with our favorite cousins and a few relatives several times removed . . . especially from my memory. We ate goat. Yep. Goat. Chewy. Anyway, all sorts of garden vegetables like butter beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, and sweet corn, tons of desserts, and homemade ice cream, too. It was exactly what a family reunion in July in Louisiana ought to be, I guess: HOT. An afternoon shower helped out a little bit. We watched as the big group of people fishing down the hill at the pond came running toward the house!

I'd say this was a fun little escape and a great way to spend the 4th, enjoying all things America. And we discovered that 2 of our 3 kids are entertainers to the core -- making people laugh by singing, laughing, dancing, and being comedians. They were a riot. And Woody, the non-entertainer, is a flirt who loves to cuddle and spend time with people one-on-one. He can win your heart in his own way :)

Real pictures on "The Facebook" as soon as Nene posts them (I took almost none, sadly.)

Yes or No

At church during Vacation Bible School a couple weeks ago, I taught the kids a lesson during which they had to respond to several yes/no questions. The twist was they had to answer in a language other than English: oui, non, da, nyet, si, no, jah, nein. It was pretty entertaining. We sounded like a meeting of the United Nations, which was appropriate, since the theme of the week was New York City.

Well, that started me thinking about how often I have to say yes or no every day at home: No, you can't have candy for breakfast; Yes, you have to brush your teeth; Yes, flamingos stand on one leg quite often; No, you may not lick the toilet (sadly these are all actual statements overheard in my house this week).

Chris and I sometimes get so exhausted it seems like all we ever say is "no." I catch myself saying it almost out of habit, and then I stop and ask "Why not?" Is there really cause to answer with a no on this issue, or am I just tired of making decisions and cleaning up messes? Can I paint, Mommy? (Why not?) Can we have lunch on the floor in the living room like a picnic? (Why not?) Can we stay in our pjs and watch a movie this morning? (Why not?) Can we have peanut butter and sprinkles on our pancakes? (Why not?) Can I help you make the cornbread? (Why not?) Can we have a playdate tomorrow with _____ ? (Why not?)

Some people call it picking your battles, and I guess that's basically the idea. I don't want to be the "No Mom". Being a "Yes Parent" who reserves her no's for when there's a solid reason seems much more furry and cuddly, right? Is it going to hurt someone, make someone sick, show disrepect to someone, destroy something, annoy someone, or start a very bad habit? If yes, then the answer is "no." If not, then why not?

Same goes for grown-up stuff too -- why say no to something new or something that might be fun just because it might require a little extra effort on my part or it might mess with my routine a little bit? Usually, I'm glad later that I didn't dismiss the idea and just went for it instead. Why not stay an extra day, try something different on the menu, take the scenic detour, or meet back up later? Even those numerous trips, tasks, or chores that I simply don't want to do but are important to someone else and might bring them happiness -- why not?

But there is also the important art of when to own my "No".
I frequently find myself saying yes to ideas, projects, and tasks without giving them much thought at all, and then I am completely worn out from all that yes action. Is the goal something that is helpful to my family or to someone else? Is the outcome worth my time and energy? Will it be memorable or forgettable? If nobody really cares and it's just something on a guilt-soaked mental to-do list that will only drain me of energy and put me in a bad mood -- no.

I'm a work in progess, but I am close to mastering three skills involving yes and no:

1. If something will make my kids happy, help them learn something meaningful, or make memories, and there is no real reason to say no, I try to say yes. I sometimes still struggle with getting my butt in gear, though.

2. I try not to apologize or make excuses for my no's; I just say no. I'd rather be given the options and decide for myself if a or b is beneficial enough for our time.  Then I can give an honest yes or no, without all the animal dung that we usually attach to our responses.

3. I try to accept "no" as a perfectly appropriate response from other people. Do they really need a reason other than they just don't want to if the choice in question is not that important? Nope.

I guess writing a blog somehow landed on the yes list -- Oui, Da, Si, Jah!

Four Years have Flown

My sweet Ellie Marie turned 4 yesterday!

She isn't a baby any more :( Here she is at 2 trying to perform, despite a familiar soundtrack  in the background (her baby brothers). This is one of the things I love the most about my Ellie -- she finds a way to blossom in our craziness!

I would say that Ellie is:

Entertaining ~ We get to see the "Ellie Show" live every night. Lately, she gets behind a curtain and I must properly introduce her: "Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, Children of All Ages -- Now Introducing the Amazing, the Talented, the Beautiful . . .  Ellie Marie Wilson -- Walking Like a Dog and Blowing a Whistle!" Here's the hula girl in action:

Loving~ She wants everyone to be happy, so she tries very hard to keep the peace. It hurts her feelings if the boys get into trouble or if Mama isn't feeling well. She'll whisper "Boys, don't be loud; Mommy has a headache!"

Like Her Mama ~ She enjoys snuggling in and watching TV, reading a good book, having long conversations, and eating yummy food like fruits, veggies, chocolate, and cookies! She isn't too interested in hairbows or fancy clothes -- comfort is key. Poor thing even looks like me :)

Inquisitive ~ My girl loves books, playing learning games on the computer, and going to school. She asks questions about the river, the train, the birds, the flowers, the groceries we buy, and . . . air pollution? Thanks, "Sid the Science Kid."

Easy-Going ~ Ellie Marie is a happy and easy-to-please little girl. She gets excited about anything new and will pretty much go along with whatever her Daddy or her teachers come up with. She is a good listener and rarely gets into trouble, since she is kind and pretty willing to go with the flow. Flexibility is highly valuable in our home, as you can imagine. Here she is trying out her big and exciting birthday present  -- The Extreme Coaster!

Happy Birthday, Ellie Marie! You will always be my baby girl :)



The Three Seasons

In our home, we have three seasons: School, Christmas, and Summer.

Switching gears for a change in the season is always hard on little folks. They thrive in a routine and resist any change to that routine; it takes time for them to settle in. Nevertheless, here we go again because Summer is upon us. Ellie and I are both finished for the year, and the boys have four more days left in school.

Summertime is something I love and dread quite equally.
I am going to be teaching two online courses, since I can't seem to do one job at a time. But being a mostly stay-at-home mommy is job number one. The love part comes with all the extra time I get with the kids -- playing, being silly, and cuddling. The dread part comes in when I consider that it is very hard work to keep the children busy and happy at home, since they are accustomed to having lots of different playmates and plenty of changes in scenery during the school year.  To the boys, mommy is SO boring compared to having three teachers, two therapists, and eight playmates around at school. To Ellie, she just wants to GO . . . anywhere, anytime. Staying home is nice to Ellie, but not nearly as nice as checking out what everyone else is up to. Oh, and the heat -- my God the heat!

I keep asking myself, "How am I going to do this all summer?"

Plan of Attack
The plan to keep everyone active and content even in what is sure to be another long, hot Louisiana summer includes: three weeks of summer school for the boys to keep up their wheelchair skills, swimming in a big pool once a week, physical therapy twice a week for the boys, storytime at the library, arts and crafts, perhaps a playgroup once a week, swimming lessons for Ellie, and Bible school. Throw in five or six doctors' appointments already on the calendar, and it will be August before we know it and time to head back to school.

The Challenge
The challenging part is that the boys aren't quite able to get around on their own yet. They haven't mastered crawling or using their wheelchairs enough to go get what they want or to find something to do on their own. This leads, inevitably, to endless commands being hurled at me or Ellie: "Mommy, I firetruck. Ellie, I ball. NO! I that ball!" They also have two favorite activities that keep the house a mess and keep me on my toes: putting any and everything in their mouths, and throwing anything they get in their hands across the room. It's a little game to see how many items they can throw and how far they can throw them. Great fun for them; a huge pain for moi. They are also textbook two-year-olds: they pull hair, bite, knock heads, and have meltdowns over which cup you hand them or which way you turn to go to Walmart. Joy.

Secret Weapons
We have a few tricks up our sleeves, though. First, I am embarking on a three-day total home reorganization with Ellie as my assistant --  toy and art supply storage, diapering and physical therapy supplies, outdoor set-up including the little pools and outdoor toys, and summer clothes storage. I'm hoping we can set the stage for an easy transition with easy access to all things summer.

Also, in just a few weeks, Ellie is getting a very exciting present for her 4th birthday: a rollercoaster! It resides in three large boxes in my foyer right now, and she knows her present is in there, but she doesn't yet know what it is. Unlike a trampoline, a swingset, or a playhouse, all my kids can use this big toy. It will involve a lot of screams of "again" and me lifting 35 pound boys over and over, but I'm hoping it will be worth it to see their excitement. Here's what it will look like:



Do you have any other ideas for summer sanity? 

How Ellie Plays

I have an almost four-year-old on my hands! Ellie Marie is a sweet and thoughtful big sister who loves to use her imagination. Sometimes her methods of play (like most kids' her age) are mysterious and funny to boring old grown-ups. Today, the three little ones played together so well -- no fighting, fussing, or meltdowns -- for almost 2 hours! I checked in, but mostly stayed out the way and let them explore and play. This was 100% due to my needing to finish up some last minute end-of-semester grading. Here's just a little taste.

(For those who claim I seem to only post blogs about my happy, clean, and perfect homelife, be careful what you wish for!)

Why does a pig in a bathtub need to be on a piece of newspaper? Sounds like a riddle, but no; it's a real question:

A lot of Ellie's playing involves putting toys, animals, and dolls to bed. Here, we have the classic create a bed for a doggie. She has a toy cradle in her room and plenty of dolls to put to sleep in it. But, I can see why she would prefer to put one of the boys' toys to bed on a impromptu bed, can't you? 

Another popular and time-consuming playtime activity for Ellie is stacking and piling things. Anything, really. Today, it's 1. books on a chair 2. two beds' worth of bedding, a couple of yoga mats, and a few pieces of the floor mat all piled on top of her brothers.



The aftermath of a couple of hours without complete supervision. Oh, the joys of parenting. But, I'll miss this one day, or at least that's what I've heard :)