Clarifications

I thought I had better make a couple clarifications for anyone who might be deceived by the finer details in the story below!
1. Never in the existence of my home ownership have I ever had . . . and I really mean ever had . . . a spotless house. I'm sure that anyone who reads my blog might already know that . . . but just in case I have led anyone astray on that point I thought I better make that one clear.
2. In case my account leads anyone to believe that I never get a break from Ada's talking . . . that is not so much true either. I happen to live next to three girls who are believe it or not half human and half angel. It's pretty amazing really. But these girls ages 9, 11, and 13, actually come knock on my door a couple times a week and ask if they can play with my children! Could there be anything more lovely than that? They are wonderful. I seriously want to adopt them except for the fact that they already have one of the most amazing women on the planet as their mother. They take the kids outside and play superheroes and ride scooters and all sorts of things. When we were planning Hayden's birthday party we asked him who he wanted to invite to his party and he replied, "Megan, Jenna, Brittney . . . and Sister Hahn." That was his list . . . and those are the neighbors. Needless to say, we love those guys.

Mom, could you be done?

So the craziest thing has happened since I have had Tilson. I don't know how it happened, it is weird, but somehow Ada and I have become attached at the hip. It is as if I have inherited a siamese twin. Ada does not leave my side from morning until night. And if you are thinking, "Oh, how cute!" It is true . . . it can be very fun to have a little three year old with big eyes and who loves to talk around me all day long. But on the other hand I have a three year old who LOVES TO TALK around me ALL DAY LONG!! I have to admit there have been a few times that I have excitedly told Ada at the end of the day, "Ada . . . it's time for bed! Let's go get your pajamas on! :)" I'm not mean . . . I love my little princess Ada . . . but after a whole day of listening to her sometimes screechy and often loud voice . . . it can get a bit tiring! And it doesn't help when anytime I try to divide my attention and talk to someone else in the room Ada starts interrupting saying, "Mommy . . . Mommy? . . . Mommy . . . Mommy?. . . Mommy!!!!!" Unable to finish the conversation I am having I will turn to Ada and say, "What Ada? I am trying to talk to Grandma (or whoever I am talking to) and then she will say, "Um . . . (at this point there is a long pause) and she will think of something to tell me.

So one day as I was nursing Tilson and talking to my sister on the phone, Ada came over and started climbing all over me and started talking talking talking. I turned to Ada and I said, "Ada don't you want to go play with your toys? Why do you want to be by Mommy all day long?" I wasn't really expecting her to answer the question, but she turned to me and said, "Because . . . I love you Mommy!" I found it hard to be upset with my cute little big eyed talker at that point.

I think that it is obvious that Ada wants my attention. I know it has got to be hard to have to share the spotlight with a new baby. She has been wonderful with the baby though. She never tries to hurt him. She loves him, and helps me ALL DAY LONG to take care of him. She loves to kiss him, and talk to him and go get diapers and wipes for him if I ask her to. And her favorite thing to do is attempt to stick the binky in his mouth. But I think that she does notice a change.

I have found the transition quite easy with a new baby, but life can get a little busy trying to fit in cleaning, cooking, driving kids to school and back, grocery shopping, helping with homework and piano, getting kids to do chores, laundry . . . etc. all in between feedings every two hours. One day I had gotten Tilson to sleep finally and was trying to get things done in the house and Ada came up to me, "Mommy, can you come outside and watch me?" I was in the middle of something and said, "Yes Ada . . . I can watch you in just a few minutes." It was taking a little longer than a few minutes to accomplish what I was doing and I sort of got absorbed in the task . . . pretty soon Ada came back up to me and she said, "Mom . . . could you be done?"

That little request really struck me. "Mom, could you be done?" It wasn't, "Mom are you done?" or "Mom, when are you going to be done?" She obviously realized that I wasn't finished yet and I wasn't going to be finished anytime soon and that she just might miss out on going outside unless I dropped what I was doing. So that little request of, "Mom, could you be done" was an awakening moment for me. I was trying to take advantage of every moment that Tilson was sleeping to tackle all the things I needed to do around the house when the most important thing at that moment was going outside and watching my three year old do tricks on the slide. Laundry and Dishes could wait . . .

So just in case anyone comes to my house in the near future . . . I hope you find my house a little messy! Because right now with this new little guy and with Lamon working like 45 + hours a week, I really can't keep a spotless house and get everything done on my lists of things to do! It's just impossible. And I don't need to. Loving these little kids and loving this new little baby are what's most important right now. I hope I can choose to "Be Done" a lot more. I sure do love these little people in our family! I am one lucky girl.

Crazy Tough Kids

Usually at night when the kids get in their beds after prayers, it seems to be a time for reflection on their part. The kids seem to take turns yelling, "Mom!" and then they tell me something they want me to remember for the following day, or they want to complain about something I forgot to do that day or basically whatever they can think of that would be important enough to address in order to not have to go to sleep quite yet. Ada for example for about a month would call out for me and ask me with her cute stuttering voice, "Mom? Tomorrow we are going to have breakfast and then Ramen . . . okay? Is that a good idea?" To which I would say, "Okay Ada." But if I say anything besides yes or no she will instinctively respond, "Did you say yes?" "Yes Ada." Then she would immediately lay her head down and go to sleep content . . . probably dreaming about eating Ramen no doubt. . . Funny girl. It was the same thing every night.

Tonight it was Hayden who was calling out my name. Only he had a complaint.

"Mom!"

"What?" I answered.

"When are we going to go to the Dentist?" he asked me demandingly.

"Hayden, we don't need to go to the Dentist for a while."

"But what about my cavities?"Hayden pleaded.

"Hayden, you don't have any cavities. We just went to the Dentist."

Then Hayden starts whimpering and says,"You're never going to take me to get shots! When are you going to take me to get shots?" He is absolutely distraught about this.

Drew then pipes in, "When do I get to have shots again?"

"Um . . . you just had shots this last year Drew . . . "

I then promised Hayden that we would go and get shots tomorrow (He needs them for Kindergarten). And he is one happy boy!

It's not like they don't know what they are in for. They all went in for shots this last year and none of them cried . . . It's pretty much a weird phenomenon. They pretty much love going to the doctor and the dentist's office is pretty much their favorite place to go.

I love my kids!!!! They are cool!