The thoughts running through my head today...
Monkey boy told me 2 days ago that my tummy was fat. I just said yep.
Yesterday he told me that my tummy didn't look like there was a baby inside. He said it just looked like it always does. Nice.
***
Apparently my daughter does not do well after her nap anymore. Again today she woke up miserable and whiny. And didn't eat dinner. And whined. and moped. I don't really think she is sick. Just wanting to make my evenings as difficult as possible? I feel a bit bad, I only have so much patience for that stuff. I cuddled her and kissed her for a while, but she just got worse and was being awful to her brother. Finally, I was like, 'Enough! No more whining.' That just made her cry louder.
Please don't tell me that she needs to stop napping. I need nap. but I need sanity in the evening too.
***
Last weekend I made a 2 week menu plan and grocery list so that I wouldn't be tempted to take fast food shortcuts for dinner or be running to the store every day for a couple of items. We went to Costco and got all the big stuff and I had planned to go to the grocery store to get all the supplementary items. I still haven't made it there. And every single recipe requires something that I haven't picked up yet. So frustrating. I have managed to make due though, I have made a wonderful, balanced meal each day.
Today, my Monkey Boy was looking through one of my cookbooks and found a picture of a meal that he wanted. They showed pork chops laying on a bed of rice with carrots surrounding the rim of the platter. So when I served up his dinner I had to make it look just like the photo. We had chicken, but he said that was okay, and then we added some grape tomatoes between the baby carrots around his plate. He balked at that, but he really loves them so he was easily placated.
I totally love how interested he is in food, even the aesthetics of food, so cool. He is the only person on earth who is interested and engaged in the minutiae of my day as a homemaker. He is fascinated with all aspects of doing laundry for gosh sakes! He wants to make meals and present them in an attractive manner. He has to watch me even when I am scrubbing toilets. He is 4, I wonder how long I have until he joins the ranks of the uninterested and the violently opposed to chipping in with the chores.
***
It is 10pm and my big boys are still awake. I have asked their father to help me by checking on their school in the evenings. The boys have been giving me a hard time almost daily, doing the minimums or absolutely nothing. Often I am too frustrated by the end of the day to care enough to mark. Needless to say, Daddy had a few words for his boys tonight and now they are writing lines about penmanship. I honestly just want them to go to bed. I want my evening for just me and dh. But I am thankful that he is taking an interest and trying to support their education.
*edited to add
at 11:30pm when dh and I were getting into bed, it started. The nightly ritual of creeping out of their rooms for a drink, or in this case paper? Usually they will get up 2 or 3 times while we are still up, but by the time we are in bed they are tucked in. Last night they had a sleep over together in Superboy's bunkbeds. I balked at this because we let them the night before and they were up still when we went to bed and kept getting up. They just egg each other on and keep each other awake.
Last night they decided it was safe to begin creeping when they heard our bedroom door shut. Daddy bolted out of bed, into the hall with a rather loud voice. He took away their stereo (which they were still listening to) and took The Boy downstairs to his own room. Then I waited. and waited. and waited. I guess he felt bad for yelling and wanted to make sure they went to sleep feeling loved and secure. He spent some time with each boy talking and praying. He really is a good Daddy. But his wifey was pretty asleep by the time he came to bed.
Yesterday he told me that my tummy didn't look like there was a baby inside. He said it just looked like it always does. Nice.
***
Apparently my daughter does not do well after her nap anymore. Again today she woke up miserable and whiny. And didn't eat dinner. And whined. and moped. I don't really think she is sick. Just wanting to make my evenings as difficult as possible? I feel a bit bad, I only have so much patience for that stuff. I cuddled her and kissed her for a while, but she just got worse and was being awful to her brother. Finally, I was like, 'Enough! No more whining.' That just made her cry louder.
Please don't tell me that she needs to stop napping. I need nap. but I need sanity in the evening too.
***
Last weekend I made a 2 week menu plan and grocery list so that I wouldn't be tempted to take fast food shortcuts for dinner or be running to the store every day for a couple of items. We went to Costco and got all the big stuff and I had planned to go to the grocery store to get all the supplementary items. I still haven't made it there. And every single recipe requires something that I haven't picked up yet. So frustrating. I have managed to make due though, I have made a wonderful, balanced meal each day.
Today, my Monkey Boy was looking through one of my cookbooks and found a picture of a meal that he wanted. They showed pork chops laying on a bed of rice with carrots surrounding the rim of the platter. So when I served up his dinner I had to make it look just like the photo. We had chicken, but he said that was okay, and then we added some grape tomatoes between the baby carrots around his plate. He balked at that, but he really loves them so he was easily placated.
I totally love how interested he is in food, even the aesthetics of food, so cool. He is the only person on earth who is interested and engaged in the minutiae of my day as a homemaker. He is fascinated with all aspects of doing laundry for gosh sakes! He wants to make meals and present them in an attractive manner. He has to watch me even when I am scrubbing toilets. He is 4, I wonder how long I have until he joins the ranks of the uninterested and the violently opposed to chipping in with the chores.
***
It is 10pm and my big boys are still awake. I have asked their father to help me by checking on their school in the evenings. The boys have been giving me a hard time almost daily, doing the minimums or absolutely nothing. Often I am too frustrated by the end of the day to care enough to mark. Needless to say, Daddy had a few words for his boys tonight and now they are writing lines about penmanship. I honestly just want them to go to bed. I want my evening for just me and dh. But I am thankful that he is taking an interest and trying to support their education.
*edited to add
at 11:30pm when dh and I were getting into bed, it started. The nightly ritual of creeping out of their rooms for a drink, or in this case paper? Usually they will get up 2 or 3 times while we are still up, but by the time we are in bed they are tucked in. Last night they had a sleep over together in Superboy's bunkbeds. I balked at this because we let them the night before and they were up still when we went to bed and kept getting up. They just egg each other on and keep each other awake.
Last night they decided it was safe to begin creeping when they heard our bedroom door shut. Daddy bolted out of bed, into the hall with a rather loud voice. He took away their stereo (which they were still listening to) and took The Boy downstairs to his own room. Then I waited. and waited. and waited. I guess he felt bad for yelling and wanted to make sure they went to sleep feeling loved and secure. He spent some time with each boy talking and praying. He really is a good Daddy. But his wifey was pretty asleep by the time he came to bed.
Ohhhh I hate the "on the verge of loosing the nap" stage...terrible for all involved! We also made the call that night sanity was better than an hour of nap...it is a tough call. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteThat is so cute that the little guy is so interested in things like cooking and laundry. You may have a future chef on your hands!
ReplyDeleteGirl, you have made several homemade, healthy meals? You go girl.
ReplyDeleteYour four year old sounds like my 9 year old. She is so interested in anything and everything having to do with the art of homemaking. I hope she always feels that way.
I am so with you about everything you said about homeschooling, kids, and family time. That could have been me writing.
Hey, there's an award at my place for you if you want to come get it!
just checking in, and now terrified my little guy might give up his nap some day! good god i love that nap! hang in there.
ReplyDeleteWow...dont you love kids honesty!? There is nothing about kids commenting on our physical state to really make us feel good :)
ReplyDeleteMy son asked me the other day if we were having a baby and I asked why he thought that. His response was that my tummy was big. NICE. Diet time :)
ReplyDeleteWe've been making the switch from one to two naps and that is no fun. I absolutely dread losing the one nap. Not so much for losing my alone time, but for having an unhappy, sleepy boy.
ReplyDeleteAll three of mine gave up naps young, so I feel your pain. Pumpkin is 3 and hasn't taken a nap in months! However, she does go to bed between 7 and 7:30 every night. So, there is a trade off.
ReplyDeleteHe does sound like a good Daddy! Boys and motivation... that's a tough one. I just read the book "Empowering Underachievers" and it was a real eye opener to me. I have had to come to grips with the fact that Big J is a bonafide underachiever, but this book has at least given me a better understanding as to why that is and what to do about it. I am not saying that is the case with your boys at all. I'm just sympathizing that it is hard to feel like you are beating your head against the wall every single day.
Um, did I read in the comments that they STOP napping. OK, then, where can I find the 'off' switch?
ReplyDeleteOh, and do I love the honestly of children. LOVE IT!
I am 39. Did you know that? And I'm going through menopause. I got excited this month because I thought maybe I was pregnant. But it turns out it was that. Sigh. I guess I'll be living vicariously through you, my friend!
ReplyDeleteAh I hate that Amelia can't nap. The boys napped forever! I still miss it!
ReplyDeleteI love hearing snipits of your day, makes me feel normal:)
Happy Easter!
That Monkey Boy sounds like a gem! Keep enjoying his enthusiasm for cooking preparations and laundry. You've got your own assistant!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for popping by my blog and commenting. We're all keeping Kellan in our prayers.
Sounds like your husband did the right thing with the boy. It's tough as they get older and think they are smarter than you.
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to pop in and say I hope you and your family have a wonderful Easter!
ReplyDeleteAlex has all but given up his afternoon nap and is a total jerk when he does wake up. How FUN!
ReplyDeleteAnd your Monkey Boy sounds like mine. He loves all that I do around the house. It's so sweet.