old-hat/new-hat

I think back to when Jack was 18months-2 years old and his antics would send me to the phone so I could immediately inform Pete what HIS son did. Now I feel like some things are old-hat. When Luke takes off his pants and diaper to pee on the floor- sorry but I've been there before. When he throws a fit because he doesn't want milk, he is done with lunch after one bite, or dog food is better on the floor than in Tigran's bowl I just say: you don't have to drink or eat it but you don't get anything else, you throw the food on floor you need to help clean it up(unless Tigran helps first), and as far as the fit throwing goes- I am sorry but I will probably just ignore you or stick you in your bed. I am used to books on the floor and spices hidden in drawers I don't expect. When you pushed me this morning because you got mad, or when toys go flying through the air, well you have to go to timeout. When you don't say sorry-- you have to stay in timeout longer. When you throw stuff in the sink or the toilet we just try to rearrange things on the sink in the bathroom so there isn't anything there for you to destroy. These things happen so often you don't even think about them once you get to child number 2. This stage of life tries your patience and temper, but you get used to it.

The next stage I know I will never get used to. When you see your child hurt by a friend and you can't do anything about it. When someone he thinks is a friend causes him to cry it tries your patience and temper, but now the focus has shifted. When he was two we had to protect him from himself, and now that he has entered school we want to protect him from the pain others can inflict, but it isn't within our ability. We can offer love, support, guidance, we can lead by example, show him how to react in situations, but sadly part of growing up means dealing with others and learning that people aren't always nice, even the people we call friends can be hurtful. I know the main thing we can do is show him how special he is, listen to him when he needs to talk, support him, be his advocate and provide a loving and safe home life, but your heart breaks and you feel helpless. 

The thing with parenting is once you figure one thing out, or at least have control over the situation, things change and you have to start all over.

Fall Fun Pictures

We do fall well here-- I think so at least. We have fun. Jack and Luke made ghosts and bats using paint and their hands and feet, we made witch hat cookies and ghost strawberries, made pumpkin cake, pumpkin cheesecake, and have gone to the pumpkin patch.

I got to chaperone Jack's field trip to the pumpkin patch- here he is on the wagon ride

Those pigs LOVED him. 

Love his face here--total happiness.

Cleaning out pumpkin- he wasn't overly thrilled with my rule that it was his pumpkin so he had to get the 'goop' out.

You can't really tell but Luke got to paint a small pumpkin 

This is supposed to be for Thomas, but Luke enjoys it far more than Thomas

This doesn't really look like Thomas, but it does show you some of his head lifting skill. He can roll onto his back too, but I haven't seen it yet-everyone else has :(

Our cat and JLT pumpkins

He looks so sweet

Picture of my dad's grandkids, but apparently they didn't want to look at the camera

Thoughts

*What do you do when your son asks why his best friend doesn't want to play or tells him that today he is friends with someone else? I know the friend doesn't mean anything bad by it and that by the end of the day or the next time they see each other they will be friends again, but Jack doesn't understand and to him it just hurts. If you are going to be a friend then you are a friend everyday. I know it is a phase kids go through where they think they can only be friends with one person at a time, but it still breaks your heart when you see that your kid is sad. 

*Today I was chaperone on Jack's field trip and on the wagon ride I sat next to a mom that I had seen a few times and we starting chatting, my hearing isn't the greatest so when she asked me a question I used context to respond, my response was an emphatic yes. The follow-up comment led me to realize I completely misunderstood what she said. She had asked if I was done after three boys, and while my YES! response made her laugh a bit, it wasn't what I intended. I then tried to amend my mistake by saying well maybe in a few years I will change my mind. I wonder if my subconscious is trying to tell me I am done. People now ask if I am going to go for the girl. Well.... I want to say I went for the all boy line-up and got it so maybe I shouldn't push my luck.

*Lately, listening to the radio or reading magazines I have heard a lot of: so and so is thinking about having kids but they are ONLY 25. Hmm.. I was 25 when I had kids(Pete was 24). Or I hear people say they want to get married young like by 25 and I think well I was 23 when I got married. It irritates me that the media feels the need to determine when people should get married and have kids.

*I have come to learn that I am not a huge fan of the- Fairness Stage. Jack is very concerned about what is fair. 

B:Jack, get out of the kitchen

J: Squeezy needs to get out too. Come on Squeeze you need come.

B: You need to eat your food

J: Squeeze needs to eat his food too

B: You need to sit on your bottom and not lay down on the bus

J: But Maddox is doing it

It is quite stressful/annoying for mom to constantly have to justify and explain.