Swimming!

Normally, by now we would have been at the pool several times.  But this year that’s a problem.  I have 2 wild little ones, and one momma vs. the 2 of them means I lose every time.  We’ve been a couple of times but only when I have some help.  We’ve set up the pool in the backyard or on the deck a couple of times but we have a problem with that too – we’ll cover that later.  Today, M and I got the crazy idea to use our old swing set slide to make a redneck water slide!  Jack LOVED it!!  M did too; she went down several times.  It was so cute to see her and Jack together.  He kept telling her when it was her turn and when he went first he tried to catch her when she got to the bottom.   

So here’s my problem -

Jack is 5 and Dasha is 4.  Neither is potty-trained.  Jack has ZERO interest.  Every once in a great while we can talk him into sitting on the potty but I can count on one hand how many successes he’s had.  Dasha is more willing to try and if I remember to take her every 45 mins to an hour, she stays pretty dry.  But she isn’t usually interested in telling me when she has to go and #2 is usually done in the diaper/pullup.  We’ve tried everything.  They love potty videos; we watch daily.  D loves to flush and get a “smartie” as a reward.  I’m about to lose it over potty training.  If you have any suggestions, I’m all ears.

But the real problem is swimming.  Both kids wear a swimmer diaper in the pool.  But usually, one or both will poop while in the pool!  Disgusting!  My new policy is whoever poops in the pool is done.  We go in, get them cleaned up, they stay out for the rest of the day.  (I considered making sure they went before swimming, but neither kid is a scheduled pooper, so that’s too hard.)  The other kid has to wait while we clean out the pool and clean them off and then they can keep swimming.  Usually, pool poop is contained within the swim diaper but ewwwwww.  So going to the public pool is a problem.  We’re going on vacation soon.  What am I going to do with these two???  The pool poop is going to drive me insane!  Any ideas?  Anyone?

I absolutely, positively, cannot resist my sleeping kiddos

I can’t even count how many pics I’ve taken of them asleep.  I’m probably the only one who would ever be interested (and that is okay) but I’m sharing 2 now. 

Aren’t they completely precious?!  They both have the sweetest little hands.  Love, Love, Love!!

My husband and I have been pretty lucky.  All the kids sleep in their own beds all night long.  I hear them if they fall out of bed or are sick or something but for the most part we just give hugs and kisses and make sure the covers are accessible (I cover them up – they kick them off!) and shut the door and walk away.  Both little kids still have bed rails so they don’t fall out.  Jack started sleeping with a night light when we started getting spring storms and he was worried, but usually they sleep in the dark, doors shut, all night long.  I usually check on them before I go to bed and they are out.  It’s awesome!

Something a Little More Cheerful

We’re having a very non-scheduled summer so far.  We’re looking forward to plenty of fun stuff in the next 2 months too.  So far the littles have remembered that they love swimming:

We’ve gone to a couple of movies and plan to go to lots more.

We’re sleeping ridiculously late and staying up late too (my favorite part of summer!).

We’ve spent time in the backyard and I have plans to find more ways to have fun there.

I have ideas for getting our house more organized and I’m hoping to get to that soon (including painting a few walls – YAY! I love painting!).

And it seems as though I need to take more pics.  I thought I was doing okay in that area but can’t find much so looks like I’m slacking off there. 

 

And finally, thanks for all the lovely comments and notes.  You guys are awesome.  I don’t like feeling so needy and pathetic but I’m feeling the hugs – keep ‘em coming!

And things go from bad to worse……

My mom has been gone for just over 2 months now.  2 very long months.  A few days ago would have been my parents’ 53rd anniversary.  I was thinking of them both all day, and especially my dad, as he tried to make it though not just another day, but a very special day in his life, and one that should have involved a bouquet of flowers, a dinner out, and a time of sharing special memories.

But I’m not done.  Just over 2 weeks ago, my aunt (my mom’s sister) took my uncle to the hospital.  He hadn’t been acting quite right for awhile, and that day she knew something was wrong.  Over several days and several tests, she learned my uncle has large tumors growing on his brain, and will not be with us much longer.  I drove to visit him, in a city far away, leaving my kids and family, in an attempt to say goodbye and I love you, because I’m sure I’ve not been able to do that adequately up to now.  I’ve been selfish and naive, thinking there’s all the time in the world.  When I got home I realized my amazing kids wanted a chance to say bye too, so we drove up again and got home tonight.  He knew who we were and I hope was happy to see us.  When we left, I again said I love you.  I’ve decided that whether you lose someone quickly, or have time to get ready, it sucks either way.    

But I’m still not done.  I knew another uncle, my dad’s sister’s husband, has not been well.  He and my aunt have been fighting his alzheimer’s for awhile.  I found out while I was away the first trip that he has died.

To be clear, I don’t feel bad that my very much loved family members have died and gone to live with Jesus.  I know they are healthy, happy, and in a much better place than we are.  But I want my mom.  I know my aunt and cousin aren’t ready to spend the rest of their lives without my uncle.  I’ve decided there is no good way to lose a family member, quick or time to say goodbye – no good way.  I’m tired of crying, feeling like I want to throw up one minute and wanting to stuff my face the next.  My kids have no idea what to do with me.  I couldn’t buy mother’s day cards and here comes father’s day.  The other day (well, it was a couple weeks ago) I had to leave Wal Mart because an older lady came in leaning on her cart to hold herself up while pushing it and that’s what my mom did.

I know lots of my friends have learned to live without their mom, but how??  How do you do it?  

Last day of school

We had a lovely year at preschool.  Dasha will be there again next year but Jack will be graduating to kindergarten!!  Yes, really!  There’s a big kindergarten IEP post coming; just have to finish up some thoughts.  Anyway, I usually try to dress the kids in pretty cheap and “get completely filthy” type of clothes for daily school wear.  But on the last day I put Dasha in something cute for once, and did her hair a little prettier than usual.  And I forgot to take pics before school but I did manage a couple after school – unfortunately, this is the best one:

Miss D looks little rough after playing hard at school but the shirt is cute, right??  (Thanks Ella!!)

A Visit from our Friends

We always have a fun time when Braska and Kinlee come to play!  I didn’t get any good pics of all the littles playing together of course, but when they all sat down to watch an episode of Signing Time, I got a few cute pics of the visitors :

Thanks for coming to play friends! 

Catch-up

I have waaay too many of these, but it's time for me to get a couple of things down before I forget. Madelyn was inducted into NHS (National Honor Society), along with several of her friends. We were very proud of her.

Both Madelyn and Tyler had their Spring Orchestra concerts, and they participated in the annual All-District concert where all the students in orchestra in the whole district play a few seperate songs and then a couple together. The lower grades play the same songs every year (that's where they all start, after all). But it occured to me the other night that I've heard those same songs 9 years in a row + 3 kids practicing at home. I should could be really sick of them. But I'm not. I'm a person who takes comfort in the expected, the routine, the planned. So it was nice, and comforting, to hear some familiar songs and fun to hear some new ones. Of course I got no pics of my violinists, they were too excited to get ice cream after the concert with their friends! Tyler was confirmed into our church last Sunday. We're Methodists. Confirmation is a time to learn about our faith, and our church, bond with the rest of the Confirmation class, and learn about other faiths. They went on a couple of overnight trips and had a great time. Ty told me any time he came home what a good time he had. That, in itself, is huge. But that it involved church was extra huge. After the past month, that was a giant comfort to my heart.

Jack's big kindergarten IEP is coming up. This is the meeting where we will determine Jack's present level of performance, placement for next year, and set some goal he will work toward in kindergarten. Now quite honestly, I have visited our home school, where I thought Jack would attend, where all the other kids went, where I know people and feel comfortable, and I don't think it is the place for him. Breaks. My. Heart. And I am not exaggerating. I left the school that day with a lump in my throat and a tight chest, and I wondered what the heck I was going to do. So I pulled my mommy hat on tighter and decided to visit another school in the district that I had heard good things about. Now I should explain, I am very happy with our school district overall. Yes, we've had a couple of issues but they've been resolved in a manner that's given me confidence in the district in general. I don't want my kids in private school. I've never been given convincing evidence that they're better than our district here. So ANYWAY, I went to visit this other school. The principal is someone I was familiar with (and have a good opinion of). The building and the people I encountered there were welcoming. The set-up for kids with special needs seems accommidating to all levels of functioning, easily adapable to different personalities, and eager to learn what works for each child. Jack would have access to a regular kindergarten class, and a special ed class. (Don't hate me for not being all about inclusion - I'm all about what works for my kid and he would be lost in a regular class all day, even with a 1:1 para. I want him to be successful and included where it will be the most beneficial to him.) So that will be coming up soon and I'm sure I'll have a big report on that.