When I took Syd in for her 4 year check up, our pediatrician asked me if I had been teaching her how to say no to smoking, drugs and alcohol. I was a bit taken back by this statement, what with me being such a huge supporter of all illegal substances :) kidding. I just thought that 4 was too young to be talking about it. She told me no, and that studies show the earlier the better. Syd didn't even know what a cigarette was. I talked with her and immediately afterwards she became my little advocate for stop smoking. Any time we are in the car she would scream out (scares the crap out of me everytime) "MOM, LOOK...He's Smoking !" I would then take that opportunity to say something super educational like, "yip, doesn't he know smoking will kill him."
2 years later she's still doing it. and lucky for me she has now taught the boys so I don't have to :)
We were driving to grandma's tonight and Spencer was the first to yell out, "look, look, he's smoking !"
Sydney then flipped around, Cam was already cranking his neck forward to see. "hurry mom, catch up, catch up, so we can see!"
As I caught up, very solemnly they all took turns saying, "yip, see, he's smoking. he's gonna die"
After a few minutes Syd says, "mom, there are two rules that I memorized that are inside of me. Rule number one, NEVER smoke."
I asked, "what's rule number 2"
She replies, "NEVER let kids smoke"
"pretty good rules Syd."
I guess the earlier the better huh ?
Next up, crack cocaine and meth. I'm thinking it's going to be harder to find examples...you know, just driving around in Baverly. but for the sake of these kids...we'll DO IT ! :)
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
So what happened was.....
****updated****
Syd's little snake loving friend from school came over for a playdate after school.
All of the kids take a few minutes to play with the snake.
Super thoughtful neighbor catches 19 worms (snake food) and brings them over.
I suggest to the kids that we should wash the worms off (gets off any pesticides that may be in your lawn to hurt the snake and the dirt)
All 5 (the boys had a friend over) agree and wash them thoroughly in our water table out back.
I put all of the worms in a jar and place them in my fridge (I'm pretty butch, but worms next to the celery even made me gag a little)
Kids go outside to play.
Playdate friend comes back in a half hour later. by herself
I ask where the kids are, she responds with "across the street playing".
She heads to see the snake again.
I continue with my chores.
Her mom comes. she goes home.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>fast forward>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I was going to change the paper towels in the bottom of the snakes make shift home.
Snake is gone.
hmmm ?
I tell J that the snake has in fact escaped.
She responds with, "nice, really nice" (there was a face and shifty pissed off eyes that went with her response)
Both my front and back door were wide open for a lot of the afternoon. PLUS. My backdoor was open the entire day AND the snake container was by the back door.
My thoughts are that the little guy made his way out (because our little friend didn't know to put the lid on tight) and took off for the hills.
Good bye my little friend Alex aka Snake.
Syd wants to go to the pet store to get another one.
I told her that we could look for another one in the yard, but that snakes are not meant to be kept up in a little cage. They need to roam free.
(sigh)
I'm gonna miss him too.
Now everbody pray that it did go outside and that J isn't going to find it inside. She'll never let me keep another small, non dog animal AGAIN.
*****update*****
cuz you knew there would be :)
I'm happy to say that at 7:48 am, I spotted and recaptured Alex the Snake. He was wrapped and woven through the air intake vent going down the stairs.
I'm happy. Syd's over the moon. She has a friend that is out of town and wants them to meet before we release him.
J is ecstatic. her response to the news was, "Good!" (I'm pretty sure she pulled a face and rolled her eyes...but it was over the phone so I couldn't see it. but I could HEAR it)
Now I just need to ask my neighbor to catch some more nightcrawlers. When he went missing I put his house in the garage and the worms in my garden. DANG IT (fists in the air)
Syd's little snake loving friend from school came over for a playdate after school.
All of the kids take a few minutes to play with the snake.
Super thoughtful neighbor catches 19 worms (snake food) and brings them over.
I suggest to the kids that we should wash the worms off (gets off any pesticides that may be in your lawn to hurt the snake and the dirt)
All 5 (the boys had a friend over) agree and wash them thoroughly in our water table out back.
I put all of the worms in a jar and place them in my fridge (I'm pretty butch, but worms next to the celery even made me gag a little)
Kids go outside to play.
Playdate friend comes back in a half hour later. by herself
I ask where the kids are, she responds with "across the street playing".
She heads to see the snake again.
I continue with my chores.
Her mom comes. she goes home.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>fast forward>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I was going to change the paper towels in the bottom of the snakes make shift home.
Snake is gone.
hmmm ?
I tell J that the snake has in fact escaped.
She responds with, "nice, really nice" (there was a face and shifty pissed off eyes that went with her response)
Both my front and back door were wide open for a lot of the afternoon. PLUS. My backdoor was open the entire day AND the snake container was by the back door.
My thoughts are that the little guy made his way out (because our little friend didn't know to put the lid on tight) and took off for the hills.
Good bye my little friend Alex aka Snake.
Syd wants to go to the pet store to get another one.
I told her that we could look for another one in the yard, but that snakes are not meant to be kept up in a little cage. They need to roam free.
(sigh)
I'm gonna miss him too.
Now everbody pray that it did go outside and that J isn't going to find it inside. She'll never let me keep another small, non dog animal AGAIN.
*****update*****
cuz you knew there would be :)
I'm happy to say that at 7:48 am, I spotted and recaptured Alex the Snake. He was wrapped and woven through the air intake vent going down the stairs.
I'm happy. Syd's over the moon. She has a friend that is out of town and wants them to meet before we release him.
J is ecstatic. her response to the news was, "Good!" (I'm pretty sure she pulled a face and rolled her eyes...but it was over the phone so I couldn't see it. but I could HEAR it)
Now I just need to ask my neighbor to catch some more nightcrawlers. When he went missing I put his house in the garage and the worms in my garden. DANG IT (fists in the air)
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Experience
There are things that I have learned in my life that have helped me today. One would be the ability to catch and hold snakes. I was raised by a canal, so there were snakes and frogs by the handful.
Yesterday all of that experience helped my boys catch their very first gartner snake. (garden snake)
Spencer spotted him, Cam helped me catch him so he is officially both boys pet. Spencer named him Snake. Syd named him Alex.
We put him in a storage container. I caught an earthworm for his dinner. He may visit Syd's school tomorrow and then we are going to let him go back in to the wilds of our backyard. :)
Yesterday all of that experience helped my boys catch their very first gartner snake. (garden snake)
Spencer spotted him, Cam helped me catch him so he is officially both boys pet. Spencer named him Snake. Syd named him Alex.
We put him in a storage container. I caught an earthworm for his dinner. He may visit Syd's school tomorrow and then we are going to let him go back in to the wilds of our backyard. :)
Monday, May 10, 2010
They're coming to take you away whoo hoo hee hee ha ha
Last night while getting the kids out of the van, Nathan slid out of his car seat landing on the floor and started screaming while holding his left foot up. I was standing with arms out waiting for him to walk over to me so that I could help him out of the van. I noticed that he stepped once and didn't really use his left foot. Then, he stepped once again and it was on the side/top of his foot. OMGosh ! I was so scared something was seriously wrong. He had only slid down out of his seat....but like sliding down my bed that one time...when I caught him even...I knew all too well that he could have broken it.
Now this alone wouldn't be a reason for child services to take him away. But a couple of weeks ago I took him in because he seemed to be limping on what I thought was his left leg, but the doctor determined was in fact his right leg. x-rays were taken of both legs high and low, the results were clear. They told me to bring him in if he was still limping...he was still limping but it seemed to be better so I didn't and then it was fine after a few days. We never did figure out why or what happened.
DURING this time Sydney, while practicing her back handsprings downstairs, broke or possibly sprained her finger. I didn't take her in for x-rays because what would they do about it. Nothing.
The knuckle was swollen twice it's size. I gave her motrin and buddy wrapped them.
Spencer decided to kiss Syd's curling iron in the bathroom when he went potty. His bottom lip was one big blister.
Syd burned her knuckle on the curling iron 3 days later. Also leaving a nice blister.
Yesterday Ryan slipped while climbing up the nightstand in my room hitting his mouth on the nightstand on his way back down, almost knocking 2 teeth through his bottom lip.
Cameron threw his buzz lightyear gun at Sydney's forehead last week leaving a nice bruise.
Spencer and Cameron were in a cat fight, Spencer still has scratches on his face that are healing.
I couldn't make this stuff up.
Back to last night....so I take Nathan in the house....expecting the worse...hoping robitussin would fix it (inside joke). I laid him on the floor and undressed him. Revealing his new summer legs full up bruises and little scratches. He had gone down the slide with the big bumps on it and had 3 bruises that were healing on his spine. The tops of his feet and knuckles were scratched up from falling on the sidewalk. He had the toddler trademark bruising on his forehead where he's bumped his head on the table corners, chairs, counters and running in to each other. I mean, looking at him...you would say...clearly this child is abused.
Not even taking into consideration that he's had x-rays on both legs recently.
I manipulated his leg and ankle, had him walk and finally determined that his foot had fallen asleep while driving and probably didn't work and hurt a little when he stood up. WHEW !
I would have taken him in....even if they would have investigated me. I suppose I would have had to pull off the decorative vinyl lettering on my wall as you walk in to my house that says, "Silence is Golden, Duct tape is silver" That would be a good idea.
I have honestly considered making this and putting it on my wall since seeing it on an email :) ha ha
I have a feeling things will get worse as they get older. At least by then they will all be able to tell child services what happened. That mommy doesn't in fact take a curling iron to them when they don't eat all of their vegetables.
Now this alone wouldn't be a reason for child services to take him away. But a couple of weeks ago I took him in because he seemed to be limping on what I thought was his left leg, but the doctor determined was in fact his right leg. x-rays were taken of both legs high and low, the results were clear. They told me to bring him in if he was still limping...he was still limping but it seemed to be better so I didn't and then it was fine after a few days. We never did figure out why or what happened.
DURING this time Sydney, while practicing her back handsprings downstairs, broke or possibly sprained her finger. I didn't take her in for x-rays because what would they do about it. Nothing.
The knuckle was swollen twice it's size. I gave her motrin and buddy wrapped them.
Spencer decided to kiss Syd's curling iron in the bathroom when he went potty. His bottom lip was one big blister.
Syd burned her knuckle on the curling iron 3 days later. Also leaving a nice blister.
Yesterday Ryan slipped while climbing up the nightstand in my room hitting his mouth on the nightstand on his way back down, almost knocking 2 teeth through his bottom lip.
Cameron threw his buzz lightyear gun at Sydney's forehead last week leaving a nice bruise.
Spencer and Cameron were in a cat fight, Spencer still has scratches on his face that are healing.
I couldn't make this stuff up.
Back to last night....so I take Nathan in the house....expecting the worse...hoping robitussin would fix it (inside joke). I laid him on the floor and undressed him. Revealing his new summer legs full up bruises and little scratches. He had gone down the slide with the big bumps on it and had 3 bruises that were healing on his spine. The tops of his feet and knuckles were scratched up from falling on the sidewalk. He had the toddler trademark bruising on his forehead where he's bumped his head on the table corners, chairs, counters and running in to each other. I mean, looking at him...you would say...clearly this child is abused.
Not even taking into consideration that he's had x-rays on both legs recently.
I manipulated his leg and ankle, had him walk and finally determined that his foot had fallen asleep while driving and probably didn't work and hurt a little when he stood up. WHEW !
I would have taken him in....even if they would have investigated me. I suppose I would have had to pull off the decorative vinyl lettering on my wall as you walk in to my house that says, "Silence is Golden, Duct tape is silver" That would be a good idea.
I have honestly considered making this and putting it on my wall since seeing it on an email :) ha ha
I have a feeling things will get worse as they get older. At least by then they will all be able to tell child services what happened. That mommy doesn't in fact take a curling iron to them when they don't eat all of their vegetables.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
A very good friend and cousin of mine has had to go through a tragedy no one should ever have to experience.
I have no idea the kind of loss, fear and heartbreak she must be feeling. I hope and pray that each day it is softened and that whatever new normal she creates for her family is a happy and blessed one.
She is an amazing mother and I have all the faith in the world that she will continue to shine.
Happy Mother's Day Ashley. I hope this day for you isn't scarred and filled with sad memories. I hope you are able to see what a strong person you are and how much love surrounds you.
She sometimes reads here. I don't know if she will for a while, but if she does this is for you Ash, I love you. ;-)
Always here for you Ashley...you know...if you ever want to swear at or to someone :) Or if you just want to talk.
I have no idea the kind of loss, fear and heartbreak she must be feeling. I hope and pray that each day it is softened and that whatever new normal she creates for her family is a happy and blessed one.
She is an amazing mother and I have all the faith in the world that she will continue to shine.
Happy Mother's Day Ashley. I hope this day for you isn't scarred and filled with sad memories. I hope you are able to see what a strong person you are and how much love surrounds you.
She sometimes reads here. I don't know if she will for a while, but if she does this is for you Ash, I love you. ;-)
This song that I uploaded is by Sarah Mclachlan. It felt relavant.
Always here for you Ashley...you know...if you ever want to swear at or to someone :) Or if you just want to talk.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Kids say the damndest things
Cam : I'm going to play at Max's house
Me : You can't hon, he's in Arizona
Cam : No he's not, Dora is
Me : No honey, if Dora was in Arizona she's be arrested and deported
Cam : nuh uh
Ryan : (pushing as hard as he can) *fart* scuse you
Me : excuse me
Ryan : (giggling still pushing) *fart* scuse you
Me : no, excuse me
Ryan : (pushing even harder....nothing) *coughs hard* scuse you
Me : (shake head, roll eyes)
Sydney : I did it !
Me : Was it as bad as you thought ?
Sydney : No, wellllll, it was kinda bad at the end. The end was spicy diahrrea. You know, like salsa, it burned coming out. you know what I'm talking about ?
Me : Ya, spicy like salsa. oooh. sorry.
Spencer : (pulls my shirt up, blows raspberries on my belly)
Sydney : mom, is your stomach EVER going to go down
Spencer : (sits up, looks at my stomach, pondering what Syd just said)
Me : I don't know Syd (note : I am even laying down)
Spencer : (covers my belly up. then uncovers my belly again. smiles...blows a raspberry)
Sydney : I'll bet if you did sit ups it would go down faster
Me : You know what....you are probably right
Spencer : (lays on my stomach and begins kneading it like bread dough)
Me : Nathan, are you poopy ?
Nathan : (shakes head no, smiles)
Me : Nathan, are you sure you aren't poopy ?
Nathan : (walks over to Ryan, pulls at his diaper in the back, looks down, pulls a funky face and says) eeeeew poo poo.
Me : Ryan's poopy ?
Nathan : (nods yes)
Nathan was in fact the poopy one.
Me : You can't hon, he's in Arizona
Cam : No he's not, Dora is
Me : No honey, if Dora was in Arizona she's be arrested and deported
Cam : nuh uh
Ryan : (pushing as hard as he can) *fart* scuse you
Me : excuse me
Ryan : (giggling still pushing) *fart* scuse you
Me : no, excuse me
Ryan : (pushing even harder....nothing) *coughs hard* scuse you
Me : (shake head, roll eyes)
Sydney : I did it !
Me : Was it as bad as you thought ?
Sydney : No, wellllll, it was kinda bad at the end. The end was spicy diahrrea. You know, like salsa, it burned coming out. you know what I'm talking about ?
Me : Ya, spicy like salsa. oooh. sorry.
Spencer : (pulls my shirt up, blows raspberries on my belly)
Sydney : mom, is your stomach EVER going to go down
Spencer : (sits up, looks at my stomach, pondering what Syd just said)
Me : I don't know Syd (note : I am even laying down)
Spencer : (covers my belly up. then uncovers my belly again. smiles...blows a raspberry)
Sydney : I'll bet if you did sit ups it would go down faster
Me : You know what....you are probably right
Spencer : (lays on my stomach and begins kneading it like bread dough)
Me : Nathan, are you poopy ?
Nathan : (shakes head no, smiles)
Me : Nathan, are you sure you aren't poopy ?
Nathan : (walks over to Ryan, pulls at his diaper in the back, looks down, pulls a funky face and says) eeeeew poo poo.
Me : Ryan's poopy ?
Nathan : (nods yes)
Nathan was in fact the poopy one.
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