Posts Tagged ‘Parenting’
Sawyer is Turning Nine
This guy turns nine tomorrow. Which is a pretty big deal over here. We take birthdays very seriously in this household. And every time Sawyer mentions something about it, Cooper cheers and tries to convince me it’s his birthday. Nonverbally of course. I wish I could stop time sometimes. But I know I can’t. So instead I try to soak up every part of him I can. Even the part that yelled at me this morning about socks. I saw this memory on Facebook from 2 years ago today…. Sawyer…
Read MoreWe Pour Love Into Them
This morning I was sitting on the couch drinking my coffee, soaking up some quiet time before my two littles woke up when my 3 year old came wandering in. He was dragging his blue blanket, the taggies in his hand. His hair was mussed, creases from his pillow still on his cheeks. He saw me, smiled, and immediately climbed up me and the chair and wiggled his little body next to me to make room. This is how every day starts. We snuggle. At least once he will whisper…
Read MoreThe Best Thing About Christmas
I can say with absolute certainty that the best thing about Christmas is the children. This morning, this one wandered in my room, ready to start his day. He gasped when he saw the wrapped gifts stacked up in the corner. As his dad attempted to pull him into our bed so we could sneak a few more moments of sleep, he said… ‘Wait dad! I just want to stare at the presents for a while!’ And he did. He just stared. It’s the best. Being a parent on Christmas.…
Read MoreI Refused to Miss This
Sometimes I miss things. Not on purpose by any means. I just have to make choices. When you have four kids, well there is a lot going on. Someone always has a game or practice. Or the sniffles. A trip to the grocery store is always necessary. Or more recently, an aging parent. My husband and I split up. Dividing and conquering. I go to the doctor and he goes to practice. He goes to one conference and I go to the other. And well I miss a game. Or…
Read MoreThe Secret to a Long Marriage
I don’t know a lot about marriage. Even after 13 years I find it to be exasperating most of the time. It feels like work a lot. And I know it shouldn’t be. But with 4 kids, autism, an emotional 8 year old, sports, a toddler, work, and a baby…well, we could very well be speaking different languages most days. But this afternoon, watching my husband get in the pool with 15 rambunctious, crazy, insanely loud boys, I remembered exactly why I married this guy and will gladly spend the…
Read MoreWhite Knuckle Parenting
I don’t want to be the mom who says no all the time. Or don’t do that. Or get down. Stop throwing. Why are you wet? Is that marker? What’s in your mouth? But with this kid, this exasperating, adorable, super smart kid, it comes down to keeping him alive. That’s my standard right now. He climbs everything. Slides. Counters. He gets to the highest point and gets a twinkle in his eye and says…’mama, I jump!’ And my heart goes into my throat and I’m suddenly talking him off…
Read MoreWhat is Your Sentence?
Do you have a sentence that you say a million times a day? You say it so much it could be written on your tombstone. Here lies Kate. She is best known for ‘turn it down buddy’. Or with your last breath you say…’why are you naked?’ Because I do. As a mom to three boys I am forever asking why they don’t have pants on. And for the volume to be lowered. No one complies though. Not ever. What is yours? What sentence do you say every single day?…
Read MoreUncharted Territory
Here is the thing I’ve learned about little brothers. They are always watching. Always absorbing like little sponges. They see and hear everything. They want to grow up fast and be just like their older brother. I know this because my two year knows a swear word. A bad one. Not a cute little one but a real one. And he uses a it in perfect context. Daily. He must have learned it from YouTube or older kids at the park or…um…his dad. I don’t know. As his parents we…
Read MoreThe Parenting Bar
I was a less than great mom last night. I had all four kids alone, from newborn to toddler to an emotional 8 year old to Cooper and it was a lot to handle. There was a lot of screaming. There was water play when there wasn’t supposed to be water play. And then wet clothes on the floor. And sand. I yelled. I don’t usually yell. But I did.There was talking back. And throwing. So much throwing. There was ‘mommy will you play with me.’ And a lot of…
Read MoreA Friday Smile
All three of my boys have fallen in love with random objects throughout their life. And also, slept with them. Cooper used to sleep with 8×10 photos of our family. And puzzles. And 12 blankets. Sawyer used to sleep with you swords and nerf guns. He also wore a swimsuit every day for over a year. His reasoning, he wanted to be ready to go swimming if someone asked. And Harbor? Well, he has been known to sleep with monster trucks, Nerf Guns, a hockey stick, shovels, bey blades, and…
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