some people

so yesterday was a busy day of travel and airports and snot. mostly travel. But I noticed that more then ever, people kept making rude comments about my parenting. its especially rude when it comes from people who obviously do not have kids.

At the Sea-Tac airport Husband was checking in and I was tending to all three of our children. In the middle of a busy airport. after being stuck in a car for two hours. I knew we'd be stuck on the plane all day so I let Gamma crawl around and the other kids and I followed him around. A very large man sitting near me says, "You know, this floor isn't the cleanest." So i chuckle and say "A little dirt wont hurt." So he says " These days, a little dirt does hurt." and he continued to rabble on about disease and international dirt. I closed my ears to him. Where I let MY son crawl is really none of his business.

In the Chicago O'hare airport we had about 25 minutes before bording when we got to our gate. I took Eric and Lily for a walk around the escalators. Eric kept sitting down. I told him several times to gwet up, don't sit on the escalators. He decides to sit behind me where I cannot see. A man comes up to me and says, "you shouldnt let him sit on the escalator." and goes on and on about safetly. I tell Eric again not to do it. Again. The guy comes back and starts lecturing me.

Its like, people, I know I'm young. But I am there mother. Sometimes its better not to butt in.

castle

When I was little, I told my mom I was going to live in a castle and wear poofy dresses everyday and have 16 babies. Our housing development is called Westcastle. The stone facade on the front of our house is very castlesque. I have changed my mind about the 16 babies. Three are enough for right now.

Now I just need some poofy dresses.

This Thursday I am super duper thankful that we can afford to buy our own house. I never thought real life could be like this.

Growing up, we moved at least once a year. Usually more. And we usually lived in trailers or crappy apartments. I never lived in a house for more then a year until I was 15. I hated always changing schools. I never had any friends because I never had any time to establish them.

My kids wont have to live like that. Sure, this is the second time we are moving this year, but hopefully it will be the last time for a very long time. And for that I am thankful. I am thankful my kids get a house to feel like home and grow up in.

Yesterday we had to go to the title and escrow company to sign our loan and mortgage documents. Eric was at school but we had to take Lily and Gamma with us. It was an adventure.

Lily was kept occupied with some paper and pens. Gamma sat on my lap banging the table and gnawing on Dr Suess's the foot book. Every paper I had to sign, he tried to grab. He also hollered out every now and then. Lily asked lots of questions. She decided to take the notary's yellow and pink high lighters. The yellow one was for Eric she said. Very sweet of her. She then tried to give Gamma a pen. He didn't need a pen.

So we sign and sign. Lily tries to run off. I have to go get her several times.

Then we are done and we thank the notary and leave.

But,

I didn't sign something. The guy had to drive all the way to our apartment this evening for one little Valeta signature.

And in a day or two we close escrow. On a house. Like real grownups. Yay!

Hey, guess what? Its cussing cold here. My nose is permanently red. You can just call me rudolf. Rudolf the red nosed Valetian.

Also, the heating in our apartment sucks. Its either boiling or freezing. In other words, CAN'T WAIT TO MOVE!

I asked the kids at the bus stop if they were going to miss Eric when we move next week. One girl said, "No, he is annoying!" Another said, "He is mean sometimes." And the tallest boy said, "NO! I don't like Eric!" Poor Eric. No one understands his charm. So I said, "Who is going to be small and annoying when Eric is gone?" They started naming all the other kids at the bus stop. Heh. Kids.

This Thursday I am thankful for my friends. None of my really close friends live near me. They are all an email, IM or phone call away. Some days I don't know what I would do if I couldn't call my BFF and know that someone out there cares. I am often so isolated I feel so alone. But I am not. I have some great friends who do care and are out there, somewhere.

Thank you. For being my friend.

Today was a difficult morning. With Eric.

He refused to eat breakfast. He refused to get dressed He didn't want to brush his teeth.

He finally got dressed but wouldn't wear a jacket. Its often a power struggle. He looks up at me and says, "I don't care." when I give him a direction.

I try to do what his teacher has suggested. I try to "make a deal" with him. He is openly defiant.

When he is acting like this I am easily frustrated. Because not only is he arguing with me. That by itself I could probably handle calmly. But Lily is getting into things and Gamma is crying for boobie. Gamma thinks I am a pacifier and Lily is a curious two year old.

I have to remind myself, Eric needs my love and patience. Eric needs my love and patience. Eric needs my love and patience.

I lost my patience this morning. I yelled. Now I have the mommy guilt. I wish I hadn't yelled. I wish I would have stayed calm and talked to him about being cold.

For the rest of the day I am going to keep reminding myself, he needs my love an patience. As all my babies do.

Cute things:

Eric teaching Lily the alphabet with the fridge magnets my dad sent Gamma. He says a letter and she repeats him.

Husband and Lily are dancing in the dining room and Gamma is holding on to the couch watching. He lets go and stands there for about 30 second. We all start cheering and he excitedly falls over.

Gamma laughing and chasing me around the apartment.

Gamma trying to crawl away while I am trying to change his diaper. Usually it is frustrating. But he just wants to play. He is too busy going to stop get his diaper changed.


Sometimes I wonder why my head doesn't explode because I am surrounded by so much cuteness.