#1 Three Years in a Row!

.....that's my family....I'm the little one that looks like she's laughing loudly and ready to get the picture taken!  Every time I see this picture, I laugh.  I got to see this picture when we went to my parent's for Thanksgiving.  I love looking at photographs from my childhood.....I love just sitting on the floor and trying to remember what was going on at that exact moment....and if I can't remember, I like to make it up.  :-)

I had my first Christmas concert of the season this week....yes, BEFORE Thanksgiving!  I can't even begin to tell you how nervous I get at these concerts.  I am always so sick to my stomach right up until the time to start....and then it's rock and roll time.  I mean, if I really thought about it, the kiddos could be picking their nose and everybody would love it cuz they are sooooo stinkin' cute.  The kiddos did a fabulous job and there was lots of laughter from the audience while they danced.  I am so proud of how much my kiddos have learned in the last 7 weeks when it comes to music, movements, sign language.....and putting it all together!  I love being their music teacher.....I love teaching kiddos!!!!

Every year, the kiddos make a "I'm Thankful For....." paper.  No applause needed, but I'm number one on #3's paper for the third year in a row......okay, I'll take a little applause....it sure does take a heck of a lot to keep the number one spot!

So Thanksgiving means lots of food, lots of turkey, and a lots of conversations to the #s about how to act.  They don't act bad....they truly are great boys, but sometimes they have to have a gentle, but firm reminder that if they argue and cause a scene, Mommy will unleash a wrath that won't be pretty for anybody involved.  It must have worked cuz they were good for two days worth of family....and it seems that they've had a fabulous time!

For Thanksgiving with my side of the family, we had dinner with my mom, dad and Mimi.  #3 ate a few rolls, a ton of cheese, 10 pepperoni, and some fruit salad.  #2 tried a little bit of everything, but he loved my dessert.  And #1 ate three plates....yes, three FULL plates....of food.  They love going to my parent's house because they have a tub with the jets.....
#2:  I wanna take a bath!!!!
Me:  Okay.  I'll get it ready for you.
#2:  With LOTS of bubbles!!!!
Popei:  Not a lot of bubbles.
#2:  (whispering)  Can I have a lot of bubbles.
Me:  (whispering)  Of course!
.....I mean, you can't be in the tub with jets without lots of bubbles, right?!!?!!?  And it only takes tons of water and 30 minutes to get all the bubbles out for the next person, right?!??!?  And we only used 1/2 of the bottle of body soap to wash and make make bubbles in the tub....I mean it's Thanksgiving and those kiddos are VERY thankful for Popei and Jojo's jet tub!

I made this no bake peanut butter cheesecake for dessert (though I'm pretty sure #2 would have eaten it for dinner), but we were all so full that we just waited until later to eat it.  Well it was getting dark and dad had to drive Mimi back to her assisted living home.....
Me:  Don't you want you to take dessert home with you?
Mimi:  No.  I don't care for it.
Me:  WHAT!??!!?  You don't want to take the peanut butter cheesecake home so you can complain about it to me on the phone next week?
Mimi:  Yes, put some in a bowl.
....yes, I talked her into taking it home by telling her she could complain about it.  :-)

We headed to Pa and Nani's on Thursday for Thanksgiving.  On the way, #3 had a meltdown about him not being able to win a game on the iPad.  He was screaming, kicking our seats, about to throw the iPad, threw it in my hand.  His therapist has told us that when he has a meltdown, we can give him caffeine and (like coffee or an 8-hour energy drink) and it would put him on a high and then crash him.  Well, we weren't trying coffee in the car and I just can't fathom giving him an 8-hour energy drink....so we stopped at a gas station and got him a Mountain Dew.  Within 10 minutes he was calm....not necessarily happy, but the meltdown was over.  And now we carry Mountain Dew around us wherever we go.  Cheers!

We had a great time at Pa and Nani's for Thanksgiving!  The cousins had a fabulous time....we played kickball, ate more than we could possible imagine and then rested in the den....and as the tech family that we are, everybody had iPads, iPhones, Kindles....or were snoring.  And then we left those #s and headed home.

Yes, you read correctly, Pa and Nani watch the kiddos every year so Hubby and I can go Black Friday shopping!  We are extremely grateful for it cuz it's the only time the two of us can go Christmas shopping without the #s.  When the #s were little, we had to be creative when we shopped, but we could do it by having blankets in our car and one of us taking the #s to one side of the store while the other shopped.  I said it was creative, not the best.

So we left our precious #s with Pa and Nani and headed home to get our game plan ready.  The #s have asking for very little, but they are so expensive.  We started off at Toys R Us, then to Five Below, next was Best Buy, then Kohl's, and finally Target.  Hubby and I didn't get to witness anything crazy like fights, ladies moving the cart returns, babies screaming in the check-out lanes....you know, like the things we saw last year.....but we managed to still enjoy the evening.

We did get to shop for our angel tree kiddos!  We adopted three kiddos this year.  We had such a great time buying for girls.....
Cashier 1:  Awwww....you're little girl is going to LOVE this baby doll and all the neat stuff you bought with it....you got a baby doll bed, high chair, food....she's going to love it!
Me:  Oh, we have three boys....these are for our angel tree kiddos.
Cashier 2:  I think all of the baby doll stuff is on sale for 10% off today!  It's your lucky day!
.....that girl sure did bless us last night with that discount!

Hubby and I got home at 3:30am and hid all the stuff and in bed by 4am...and then got up at 8:45am, got ready and drove to meet the family at the movie theatre!  It's our annual tradition....and we happened to luck up and see a brand new movie...."The Good Dinosaur".  A few times during the movie, #2 would be crying.  He is such a tough guy, but that kiddo has a heart of gold that just makes my heart melt.

So this is the game that #2 wants for Christmas...

......I'm pretty sure that we're just teaching #2 an elementary way to play beer pong with the beer and how to trash talk tougher in sports.  I mean, seriously.....look at the way it describes this game?!?!!?  Did we get it?  Of course we did....cuz now I'm intrigued about how this is like things #2 shouldn't be doing at the age of 8 years old.  

We've been home all evening and it's been so nice.  The #s have been playing together all night and then all of the sudden #2 comes in the den crying.....
Me:  Honey, what's wrong?
#2:  I'm trying to play MineCraft with #1 and I'm frustrated.
Me:  About what?
#2:  Because #1 tells me to get a hoe....AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT A HOE IS!
....after calming him down and Hubby going to help him, a few minutes later #2 comes in crying again.....
Me:  What's wrong?
#2:  Now my hoe won't work.
.....after him asking #1 to help him (nice suggestion, huh?), he finally got it and has been happy all night!  YAY!!!!

So I leave you with a picture five years apart.....

.....things sure do change in our life by numbers!

Pablo the Penguin....You Made Me Crazy!

We decided to have a little talk with the #s yesterday about Christmas.  See....a few years ago we went with "Santa gives you one gift and we get you the rest".  #3's therapist said "you are such great parents".   No, we're really not....we're actually just downright selfish.

When #1 was 3 years old, he faithfully watched The Backyardigans.  Do you remember that cartoon? It was about these friends that used their imagination and at the end they ended up going to someone's house because it was time for a snack.  Ironic that I placed #1 in front of a tv to watch a show about using his imagination, but I digress......

So #1 wanted Pablo the talking penguin.  He absolutely loved Pablo!  He would walk around like Pablo.  He would act like Pablo when he was playing.  It was a crazy obsession.  So when we walked around the toy store, #1 spotted Pablo.......

....and he HAD to have him!!!!  Try talking to a 3 year old about waiting until Christmas.....but between the tears, we did.

So Christmas morning comes around and he opens his gifts and we have hidden this Pablo so we can keep it for his last gift.  We were so excited to see his face when he opened this Pablo!  Well, #1 opens what he thinks is his last gift and he starts crying and and yelling at Santa (I'm guessing he thinks he is still in the room somehow) about how much he wanted Pablo.  Hubby and I just looked at each other.  We gave him the gift and he opened it and was so excited!  He was jumping around, screaming with laughter, and played with that thing for the rest of the day (and the days after, of course).  For DAYS, the kid kept thanking Santa for this gift.  It got more annoying as the days went by.....and I was DONE!

Hubby and I had a talk about this behavior from #1 and decided that we needed to have a new plan in place for the next Christmas.  We decided that Santa can bring one gift, but the rest comes from us....yes, I wanted the credit.  Yes, I was a little jealous of Santa getting all the praise.  Yes, as I write this I realize that I sound like two year old throwing a tantrum.  I DON'T CARE!

Since then, we have had Santa bring one gift and we've brought the rest.  They are only allowed to ask Santa for one gift.  This has been a shock to the Santas that we have visited....they kept asking "isn't there anything else you want" as Hubby and I would shake our heads no.  The #s would even get ridiculed at school when they said that Santa would only bring them one gift because that's all they asked for as their friends would gloat about how much Santa brought them.

The years have gotten easier as they are still getting gifts, but only one is from Santa.  By the end, they don't remember which gift is from Santa and they are having a fabulous day at home with their gifts.

This year Hubby and I decided to adopt 3 angel tree kiddos.  The #s are always excited to go shopping for our angel tree kiddos.  They always ask to get them more and more.....and they have the best time finding all the new toys for the kids.  So last night, we had a conversation at the table.....

Me:  We are not going to get lots of "filler" stuff for Christmas this year.  We're going to get a few things for you this year, but you've got to remember that we went to Disney last month.
Hubby:  We'll get you gifts, it's just not going to be a ton since your gifts keep getting more expensive....and you're not really wanting a lot this year.
#1:  I would like helicopter that flies with a camera.
#2:  I want a bunny.  
#3:  I want a watch.
Me:  We're not getting you a bunny.
#2:  I'm going to get Santa to get me a bunny.
Hubby:  Santa doesn't bring animals for Christmas.
#2:  My friend got a puppy.
#3:  The $25 watch that I showed you at the store Mommy.
#1:  I could fly it around the backyard. 
Me:  You're not getting a drone. 
Me:  Santa must have talked to your friend's parents about the puppy.
#2:  But I really want a bunny.  
Me:  You're not getting a bunny.  
Hubby:  We already have two animals. 
#3:  I don't know what color watch I want yet.
#2:  But a cuddly bunny would be so much fun.
#3:  I might want the blue one.....
Hubby:  You don't take care of the animals we have now.
#2:  But I will take care of the bunny.
#1:  I think I want fighting robots.  
#3:  Or maybe the green one.
Me:  Yes, we know you want a watch #3.
#2:  Then I'm going to ask for a foot massager.  
Me:  That's fine.  
#3:  I think we need to go to the store so I can pick out the color watch I want.
......I'm pretty sure we settled it, right?  A watch, a robot and a foot massager?  Right?  The funny thing is, this is it.  This is all they asked for.  They didn't come up with anything else that they really wanted.  A few years ago, their list would have been a mile long....full of stuff that even they wouldn't have looked at twice after Christmas day.  Maybe we haven't messed them up too bad.  Maybe we've gotten them to be thinkers....maybe we've helped them realize to put others first when it comes to Christmas....maybe we've actually succeeded in helping them grow up in our life by numbers!

I Hate to Apologize.....

......I also hate the word "hate"...but I'm sure that's for another blog.  So....let's start over...I really don't  like to apologize.  When I think I need to apologize for something, I usually come up with a million reasons why I shouldn't have to apologize and why the other person is wrong.  But then I started watching the #'s arguing and me making them apologize....
Me:  Tell him you're sorry for hitting him.
#3:  I'M SORRY!  
Me:  Say it nicely.
#3:  I'M SO SORRY!
Me:  That's not very nice.
#3:  CUZ I'M NOT SORRY!  I'M NOT SORRY THAT I HIT HIM....I LIKED IT! 
Me:  But we need to learn to forgive each other.  When you say that you're sorry, that is a chance for you to think about what you have done and be sorry and it gives him a chance to practice forgiveness. 
#3:  I'M SORRY THAT I LIKE TO HIT YOU.
...I mean, we're getting there, right?

I've also come to see that with the teaching and with working with children in church, I've had to apologize....sometimes over something that I have absolutely no control about like....I'm sorry they haven't had a good morning or I'm sorry that you don't want to go to class or I'm sorry that they don't like their songs....and sometimes it's big like...I'm sorry that it's been a rough day or I'm sorry that you don't understand math.  And those seem so small, but they are big to those little precious kiddos that I see all the time.

And then last week, I won the "Worst Parent of the Year" award.....I saw #3 walking down the hallway with tears in his eyes......I saw his teacher and she said that he didn't bring in his signed reading log and he couldn't eat in the classroom.  I waited for him to start eating and then I walked into the cafeteria and he just lost it.  After a few tears......
Me:  I'm really sorry that I didn't sign your paper (apology).  With three kiddos, we have to make sure that you bring me everything when we sit down to go over your day (giving blame back to him).  Maybe you can bring me your papers as soon as we get home instead of in the morning (more blame to him...did I even apologize?!??!?).
#3:  It's okay.  
Me:  I really am sorry.
Friend:  You know #3.....sometimes parents make mistakes.  They still love you, but they just mess up sometimes.  She just didn't sign your paper, it's not the end of the world.  She loves you #3.  
#3:  (cue the tears)  I love you mommy.....I forgive you. 
....are you kidding me!?!??!  A seven year old just told #3 to forgive me.....and I could tell that #3 was really forgiving me.  Seriously!!!?!!?!!??  A seven year old gets it....why doesn't this 38 year old get it?  I mean, I couldn't even apologize without turning it back on how it was #3's fault in the first place.  I've got to be more deliberate when I apologize.....maybe even at times actually mean it.  Instead of flippantly saying "I'm sorry", maybe I need to dig deep into my heart and take the lesson from #3's friend......to really lay it out there about why I'm sorry instead of just saying those two words and moving on.  And then I have to realize that when people just say the two words to me, well, maybe I just need to let it go and learn the lesson from #3 when he forgave me.  Boy, I've got a LOT to learn in our life by numbers!

I Didn't Think It Was Appropriate

....this kid made it!!!!  #3 has been praying for two weeks to God about making sure the "skin and blood taste good".  I was praying he wouldn't gag and vomit all over the floor.  Obviously, we had a different outlook on how this communion might go....

#3:  So do I put my skin at the bottom?  What happens if I drop the skin in the cup?  What if I don't like it?  How far do I dip the skin?

Me:  Whatever you do, do NOT get your fingers in the juice.  That's just disgusting.  

....he really did a fabulous job.....he went up to the front with me, got a teeny tiny piece of "skin" and dipped it in the cup.  When I saw his face, my heart started pounding....I kept thinking "if he vomits, I'll vomit and I really don't know how that will look at church"....

Me:  So, how was it?  

#3 Mom, the skin was good, but putting it in the blood was disgusting.  They just don't mix in my mouth very well.

Me:  I'm just glad you didn't gag.

#3:  I didn't think it was appropriate.  

....I'm glad he had the mindset to know that it wouldn't be nice to gag at church!

And then we have this....

.....yes, that is #3 shooting hoops at the basketball training camp.  He just kept hitting them in the net like it was no big deal.  Totally focused.  Totally motivated.  If only I could stuff that focus in a jar and bring it out for things like homework, chores, eating dinner....

I do have to brag on #1.....that teeny, tiny person in front of the white screen is him.....

.....he is speaking in front of his ENTIRE school about what freedom means to him for their Veteran's Day program.  He spoke with ease.  He spoke with clarity.  I mean, I'm about to hurl my lunch and he acts like it's no big deal.  The kid sure didn't inherit my stuttering problem!  

And I can't forget #2....even though his team lost in the football playoffs, he wanted to go cheer on his friends in the Toy Bowl.  He came back and told me ALL about the game and about how his friends won!  I am so glad that a disappointment earlier in the week can turn into such a great experience for him later in the week!  

So let me tell you what I thought was a fabulous idea on Saturday....cleaning out our house!  I'm not quite sure that the rest of my family thought it was a fabulous idea, but I've learned that sometimes if you just think and act positive, people will follow.  Or in this case, if you threaten to take enough stuff away from them, they will decide to fall in line and help so it will get finished quicker!

So we spent from 12:30pm-8:30pm cleaning out the upstairs....yes, the #'s rooms.  We moved their beds, cleaned out toys, hauled stuff up and down the stairs....it was a battle that was won last night.  We now have 10 heavy duty garbage bags full of stuffed animals that are now in storage, 3 bags of books, and 9 bags of trash.  Ridiculous?  Yes.  Finished.  Finally.  

Then Hubby and worked on our bedroom.  We have rooms that are looking great!  I don't know if we'll decide to move or not, but if we ever do, we are certainly ready!  And if we don't move, we're ready to make this a house that we stay in forever!

So I'm ready for bed....been ready since 5:30pm.  Seriously, the chaos is real folks.  I have 5 elementary programs, 5 trombone lessons to get #1 to, 10 therapy sessions for #3, 1 church singing, Angel Tree Event, basketball practices, basketball games, football party, 4 life groups, faculty meetings, all-district band competition, #3's neurology appointment, 2 Thanksgiving meals, black Friday shopping, band concert, communion service, and a drive-in at church.....ALL BY DECEMBER 19TH!  Today I was so frazzled that my underwear was inside out.  Come on people, nobody should be that frazzled....nobody.  

So I leave you cuz I'm tired.  It's 7:52pm and I'm thinking the bed is calling my name....it's very loud and annoying, so I must give in.  It's about to be sleepy time in our life by numbers!  

Barbie Dolls

There's something that you're gonna have to know about me if you're going to continue to read my blog.....I'm tough on the outside, but I actually do care about what people think about me.

Yes folks, it's true....in this messy, worn-out, frustrated, mom body, there is a heart...though sometimes can be very cold, is also very fragile.  I'm a hard nut to crack at times.  I'm completely over the top.  I'm funny.  I'm obnoxious.  I'm independent.  I'm creative.  I'm organized.
BUT.....
I want to make sure that nobody hates me.  I want people to smile.  I want people to like me (but I don't want to change for them).  I also go through a million outfits every morning to make sure I don't look too comfortable, too sloppy, too frumpy, too fat, too whatever.  I worry about my hair.  I worry about my make-up coming off.  I worry about being so frustrated that I'll cry.  I worry about my kiddos (my school kiddos) at night when I pray for them.  I worry that I'm not the perfect mom.  I worry that I'm not the best wife.  I worry that I will give "pastor's wife" a negative name.

I picture myself sitting on a sofa and all my blogger friends are asking me "where does this stem from"....so I'll tell you....
Barbie.  Yes, it's true.  I LOVED playing with Barbie dolls when I was a little girl.  I had so many of the Barbie dolls and knew them all by name.  I'd change their clothes and change their careers more times than I blinked.  I had certain Barbies that I played with in the bathtub, other Barbies that I cut their hair, one group that had those different kind of arms and legs that the fuzz of the carpet always got on and made them dirty (they usually went in the tub), and then the perfect Barbies.

Curse those perfect Barbie dolls with their perfect hair, painted on smile, perfect perky boobs, and feet that could always wear the most dazzling shoes (or at least the ones that the dog didn't chew up). I remember trying to fix my hair like her, wear the clothes that she wore and just looking at the Barbie thinking "I can't wait until I grow up and look like that".

I remember thinking that my nose isn't quite like Barbie's.....so I was consumed with trying to make my nose look smaller.  I tried all kinds of make-up tricks on my face.  I also remember trying to go on numerous diets and took all kinds of diet pills so I could have that skinny waist.

And then one day I woke up and realized that BARBIE ISN'T 5'2".  I realized I WAS 5'2".  Something isn't adding up.  Then I realized all sorts of things like...
my hair doesn't stay the same after I fix it
I don't have a permanent smile
I hate high heel shoes
I've had three kids....not even gonna get to the rest of my body
....but there was some obsession.  Even though I knew I couldn't look like Barbie, I needed to look better....feeling better wasn't good enough.

So I've gone through this my entire life (I'm guessing some of you might be able to relate).  I look at my clothes over and over every morning and always ask the #s what they think (they will be brutally honest).  I check my hair in the mirror a million times a day just to make sure that there is no flatness on my head.  This is a daily thing....but the thing that got me was this past weekend.....

We went to see my parents/grandmother this weekend since Mimi (my grandmother) is now in an assisted living home.  Before I go on, I need to tell you that I LOVE my family with ALL of my heart, but this lady is the one that picked out my clothes when I was growing up, told me how my hair needed to be cut (there was a really bad mullet stage that she swore was the "in" thing that I had to go through), told me how much was too much make-up, and would tell me in a heartbeat if she didn't like something......okay, continuing.....so I'm going through outfits a million times and finally pick one and made sure that everything is okay.  And then I realize it.  The worst part of the trip is yet to come....

MY GRANDMOTHER HAS NOT SEEN MY CURLY HAIR!!!!!  I am in a panic to make sure that it looks perfect.  I've got so much junk in my hair that I could go out in a tornado and it wouldn't move.  We drive down to Tennessee, get to the assisted living home, and I'm looking in the mirror more than a model about to go down the runway.  My grandmother looks at me and says "well, you got your hair all chopped off".  I had no clue how to take it....does she like it?  Hate it?  Can't see it?  She mentions in again at lunch....."I see that it's really curly".  I'm just bracing myself.  Any moment the words will come out about how it looks.  I'm ready.  I'm truly ready.

The rest of the day she would just comment on it.  Saying things like "it's short", "it's curly", "who does it", "does Hubby like it", "do the children like it", etc.  The Barbie mentality is now in full force....I'm too fat to wear short curly hair....she's sees all the gray....the clothes aren't good enough.....where's my smile.....".  No one else is picking up on my panic attack....but it's there and I'm in full blown "this would be a great time to see a psychiatrist and pick up some medication" mode.

The day ended....there was no comment.  I replayed each conversation with my grandmother in my head on the way home.  Did I miss something?  Has she changed that much?  Did she not like it and just isn't telling me?  Why am I doing this to myself at 38 years old?  How can I not make my #s feel like this when they are 38?

So I called my grandmother this week to check on her.....
Me:  Hi Mimi!  I wanted to see how you're doing in your new place....
Mimi:  It's going well.  I meant to tell you something this weekend.
......you can start the hands sweating, head pounding, heart racing "here it goes" segment.....
Me:  What is it?
Mimi:  It's about your hair.  I absolutely love it!
Me:  Well....wait...what?!?!?!?
Mimi:  I love it!  It makes you look so much younger!  You need to keep it curly!  It looks beautiful on you!

.....and then cue the thinking......
Makes me look younger?
How old did I look before?
Did I need to do something years ago?
How old do I look now?
Should I color my hair?
How could I look 29 again?
So if I lose more weight how old will I look?
Should I try new make-up?
How does this curly hair make my nose look?
.....and that, my friends, is the way my brain works in our life by numbers!

Forgiveness

So this week I've heard #1 say a lot of "I forgive you"s.  I wasn't quite sure why he said that, so I kept listening to his conversations.  Today on the way to school....

#1:  It's okay, I forgive you.

#2:  But I didn't say I was sorry.

#1:  I know, but I forgive you anyway.  You don't have to say you're sorry, but I do need to forgive you.

Me:  You do realize that you don't have to tell him that you forgive him.....you can just forgive him.  

#1:  WHAT?!?!!?  Doesn't he want to know that I forgive him?

#2:  I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE FORGIVING ME FOR!!!  I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!

....needless to say, this got a little heated as we dropped #1 off at school.  

After we dropped #1 off at school.....

#2:  So I don't get it.  Why is he forgiving me?

Me:  I'm guessing you've done something to hurt his feelings he's telling you that he forgives you.  

#2:  But why is he forgiving me?

Me:  Sometimes people hurt us and we have a lot of anger built up in us....but it's not hurting the one that hurt us....who is it hurting. 

#3:  It's hurting me!

#2:  And me!

Me:  That's right.  Sometimes we just have to forgive people.....and even though we might never see them again, we cleanse our heart of that hatred of the wrong that they did to us.  We don't dwell on it anymore.  We can laugh about it instead of getting heated about it.  

#2:  I forgive you #3!

#3:  I forgive you too #2!

I've come to the realization that #1....and eventually #2 and #3....was doing something that I need to do....I need to forgive the ones that hurt me.  I feel that in my life, I've forgiven people and told them. I've asked for forgiveness.  But there are people that I still have that pinned up hatred for because of the wrong that they've done to me and it's hurting no one else but me.  So.....I forgive you.  There, I said it.  I forgive all that you've done to me.  I forgive the words that were said to me and about me.  I forgive the things that were done to me.  

And I hope that the wrongs that I've caused, well, that you'll forgive me......I'm sorry.  I'm sorry for the hurtful things I've said, the advice I've given, the times I wasn't there when you needed me, the times I ignored you, hurt you, made you cry, made you angry.  I'm truly sorry.  

Funny how we see our kiddos doing just what we should be doing.....them teaching us......there's always a lesson to be learned in our life by numbers.  

Drunk on Sugar

So....I feel the need to tell you how absolutely crazy my life can be.....which might explain how absolutely off the wall, over the top I can be because of my crazy life.

Picture this.....#3 is at his Halloween party.  He's been given three containers of different colored icing.  He's also been given four or five containers of sprinkles and candy.  He received this, along with all the other kiddos, to decorate cookies.  In the back of my mind, I knew that he couldn't handle that much sugar, but am I really going to take this away from him?  I left to go to #2's party and then headed back to give #3 some info about what to do after school.  #3 has now put icing all over his pizza and is adding sprinkles to it....ON HIS PIZZA!!!!  I'm shocked, but didn't really understand the issue I was going to have until....
Me:  (whispering in his ear) Okay honey, I'll meet you in my room after school
#3:  (sounds completely hammered)  OKAY MOMMY!  HAVE FUN.....I AM!
.....I knew what was ahead of us....I thought.  I knew that the night would be chaotic.....I thought.  I knew that we could get through this and wake up tomorrow back in his normal state....I thought.

Does this give you a preview of things to come.....

....I mean, look at the icing all over his face.  Look at his eyes drunk with sugar.  Look at his tongue hanging out like he's crazy.  Look at his ears burning on a sugar high.  This is just a picture people...JUST A PICTURE!!!!

On the way home, #3 doesn't stop talking.  I heard about his day, his party, recess, lunch, any little thing that happened in the hallway, his friend's clothes....and I heard about it all the way home.  #1 looked at me with a horrified look on his face...it's okay kiddo, we'll make it through.

We get home and I sit on the couch.....and for the next three hours #3 is jumping, pulling, pushing, yelling, arguing, laughing, crying, being silly.....THREE HOURS!  It was like watching a drunk person trying to act like nothing is wrong.  #3 couldn't speak without slurring his words.  He couldn't walk without tripping.  He would get angry and get physically violent and then he would cry big ol' crocodile tears and then he would laugh uncontrollably until he'd start all over.  It was the wildest thing I've ever seen.....a seven year old drunk on sugar!

The next few days were like living in a detoxing unit.  #3 woke up in a very bad mood.  We had a football game for #2 and #3 pouted most of the first half....over what?  He only got one granola bar for breakfast and everybody else got two.....but since we ran out, it was obviously our fault and warranted a meltdown all the way to the game and through the first half.

The rest of the day was pretty much like that.....anything and everything set him off.....either tears, laughing, yelling, or completely quiet.  I kept thinking "maybe he just needs another nap......he'll be over this by tomorrow".

Right now you could cue the laughing....like the deep belly laughing when you know that something isn't going to happen the way you're hoping, praying, begging it would.  #3 had a meltdown at church.  Now, you've got to remember that Hubby has been the campus pastor since September at this location and we've successfully had zero meltdowns....until November 1st....
Me:  It's time to go to class.
#3:  IT'S NOT FAIR....IT WAS MY TURN AND I HAVEN'T HAD A TURN YET. 
Me:  Okay...go finish your turn and then go to class.
#3:  IT'S TOO LATE!  IT'S NOT FAIR!  I DIDN'T GET A TURN!
....and he ran into the coffee area...and that's where I left him.  I checked people into classes, greeted our new friends, did the announcements (and made sure that #1 was watching to make sure #3 didn't run out the door), and came back and asked if he wanted to go to class.....
Me:  You can either go to class or you can read your Bible.  Either way, you need some Jesus. 
#3:  Oh I GOT Jesus.  
Me:  Pick one....you obviously need more.  
......and that little stinker opened his Bible and started reading...out loud.....just to prove a point.  I went back to the coffee area a few minutes later and told him it was his last chance to go to class.....and he stood up, looked at me, rolled his eyes, and walked to class.

So I'm thinking Sunday afternoon...."maybe tonight's sleep will make him go back to normal".....and to tell you the truth, I didn't even believe it when I thought it or when I said it out loud.  And I knew that he still hadn't detoxed when he was at #2's football game on Monday night and he was shaking his booty, yelling for #2's team, yelling AT the referees, dancing so everybody could see him.  Hubby looked at me....
Hubby:  You know, it would have a total meltdown if he really knew what he was doing and how everybody was looking at him.
....and he was exactly right.  There are times the kiddo won't even look at people and yet he has his hand on his butt and dancing backwards while making "umph" noises....it was funny and embarrassing all at the same time.

Right before #3 had therapy, I talked to his therapists about his behavior.  They both said sugar is one of the worst drugs ever and once you have some, you crave more.  #3 just can't handle his sugar. You know what the scary part is?  He WAS drunk on sugar.  When his therapist asked him about what happened, #3 couldn't tell her everything cuz he couldn't remember everything.  In fact, he totally doesn't remember his Halloween party at school or dancing at the football game.....and THAT, my friends, is our life by numbers!

Star Wars....Again

I'm beginning to love the app Time Hop....mostly so I can laugh at the past.  I have been reminded of silly sayings, seen some pretty epic pictures of the #s that will come in handy when they are dating, but the funniest is seeing this picture....

 .....the reason that it's so funny to me is because this year, they went in these costumes....

....it never dawned on me that we've already done these outfits.  I mean, I would win "worst mother of the year" in some circles...in some neighborhoods I would be out casted for them wearing something they've already worn.  I'm just glad we got costumes earlier than two days before Halloween this year!

Now, because I have an old photo, I just HAD to recreate the photo...so I can be a little bit like everybody else.  This picture came after 30 minutes of trying to find #2's costume, not being able to find it, stuffing him into #1's old costume, #3 hitting people with light sabers while they're getting ready, #1 dressing and all of his clothes being inside out, and trying to get them calm and still enough to recreate the picture......

....after all this, I'm exhausted.


And of course, in our house, we can switch costumes any time we want because we have a room full of costumes and access to many more....so when we went to school for our Halloween parties, we looked like this.....

....I mean, we LOVE to have fun and dress up.....and I'm pretty excited that my kiddos absolutely love acting a little different from others.  It's what makes life interesting.

Now I will tell you, I've always liked Halloween.  I always liked dressing up and going door to door as people tell me how cute my outfit was.  I even liked going door to door getting candy in my grandmother's neighborhood.  I remember going to my mom's old neighborhood and people telling me stories about watching mom grow up and then seeing a stuffed dog in my other grandmother's neighborhood....and watching the lady talk to it like it was real.  I remember my parents making sure that we went through every piece of candy to make sure nothing was open and throwing out candy that looked "iffy".  I also never remember ever finishing our candy bowl.  In fact, I can't recall ever seeing our candy bowl a few days past Halloween....where DID all that candy go?!!?!?!?!?

I loved taking #1 and #2 out for trick-or-treating....it was always so wonderful to hear people talk about how cute they were in their costumes....and the candy they got for us was always a perk!  And even when #3 came along, we had a great time at first.  When people got too close for him and he'd cry, we'd just close the top of the stroller and then he'd be fine.  And then things got a little rougher once #3 could walk....like him running away from people...which also meant us....when people started to talk to him.  Or how the costumes got a little scarier and started freaking out #3.  And it doesn't help that one lady said she wouldn't give them candy unless she got their picture.  HELLO RED FLAG!!!!!  So ever since then, we've tried to come up with a different solution than going door to door to take candy from strangers.  That's when Outback Steakhouse came in the picture!!!

See....a few years ago, they would give you a free kid's meal if the kiddo was wearing a costume (and an adult purchased a meal).  YES PLEASE!!!!  So we went to Outback and then we would take them to the store and they could pick out anything in the store for $10 or less....and then we'd throw in a bag of candy that they agreed upon.....that's on top of all the candy they received at Trunk-or-Treat!  WHAT A DEAL!!!!

This year was a little different cuz we had a football game at noon.  We went out to eat with the grandparents and then we just were exhausted.  Then I saw that Outback was doing $2.99 kid meals.  WHAT!?!??!?!?  WHERE ARE MY FREE MEALS?!?!?!??!  So I did what any parent would do.....
Me:  I'll make you a deal.
#s:  Okay, what is it?
Me:  If we don't go to Outback tonight...since we JUST ate....we'll go to the store and you can pick something for $15 or less!
#s:  That's an extra $5 each!!!
......and there you have it folks...peace on earth!  I mean, look at their faces......that's happiness....

We did end up going to Outback this afternoon after church and got a coupon for 15% off.  15% sounds like a lot until you realize that your two older kiddos each got an adult meal which pretty much ends the joy of having a 15% off coupon cuz it doesn't amount to that much.

So we ended our Halloween evening with watching Indiana Jones all snuggled up as a family in the den laughing and telling the #s when to close their eyes at the gory scenes....which includes the kissing scenes.  For now, that's just as gory in our life by numbers!