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Tonight was Karl's last night of Machine League (baseball that involves a machine pitching to the players). It was the final night of play-offs. Karl's team had to beat the green team to play in the championship - which they did in a very close and exciting game with extra innings and an additional twenty minutes of playing time. Then, in order to win the championship they were going to have to play and beat the power house orange team not once - but twice. The games started at 6:30. Since the first one went over, the second did not start until almost 8pm. Karl's team won the second one by a landslide and then immediately had to begin playing the final game. The score was back and forth with the orange team gathering momentum and Karl's purple team losing steam. In the next to final inning, Karl's team pulled ahead by a run and then, in the final inning held the orange team to no runs, thereby winning the game.

The kids were cheering and so excited to collect their blue ribbons and walk of the field victorious. The parents were cheering and excited too (though perhaps more b/c they were happy to be going home after nearly 24 innings of 9-year-old's playing baseball). Any way you looked at it, for the purple team anyway, this was a great ending to a long night of baseball.

Women, weight, and working out...oh joy.

Well, I now have inspiration.
After having Sam, I knew I had about eight weeks to lose weight for my sister's wedding. I figured when I was two weeks post baby I would start dieting and working out. Ah...just a tad unrealistic. After spending an evening getting up to feed the baby, I am barely energized enough to do the normal things of daily life - let alone start a new exercise routine.
Last week I started my diet and have been successful on it so far. Yes, it has only been a week of eating better but there are many tempting treats around that I am proud of myself for abstaining from inhaling them all on the spot. I also got off my butt and exercised a couple times - not quite habitual yet but it is a start.
Well, after spending several hours with my "bestest friend in the whole entire world" Molly - I am really energized and inspired to work out and get my butt in shape. Molly has four kids ages ten -three/four (her youngest Ty just had a birthday but I can't remember - guess I am not that good of a friend - how old he turned this summer) Anyhow, Molly looks fabulous. Makes me really happy for her - but let's be honest, also makes me terribly jealous and sick. So...I was really wanting to cheat on my diet today (little devil Molly had great snacks, yummy lunch, and made cookies while I was there) but I refrained. I want to look like she does. I want to be healthy and thin and tone and tan. I want to squeeze my bottom into some teeny size 6's and be bummed they are too big. I want my teenage students (in her case neighbors) to bring me cute clothes they no longer wear. I want my chest to stick out farther than my stomach and I want to feel great when I get dressed rather than decide which awful bulging body part to accentuate today.
Part of me says I am being really hard on myself, after all, baby Sam is only three weeks old. Another part of me thinks - three weeks! I have wasted three weeks doing nothing when I should be getting in shape. I need to let go of both parts and just take it day by day. Working out when I am not too tired and continuing to eat right. Molly jogs five miles a day...yeah...I HATE running so I will get on my elliptical - which I love - and get to it...though not five miles and definitely not every day.
We will see how it goes.
So, thanks Molly for inspiring me. If it takes envy, one of our deadly sins, to get my body back in shape, then I say bring it on. I have had four kids, am getting older, and if I don't do it now...I never will.

Speaking of getting in shape...I had a couple guy coworker/friends stop by the other day to bring baby gifts and talk. We were chatting about some people we knew and one female in particular was brought up. She use to be pretty homely and would maybe be categorized as "cute" Well, towards the end of the last school year she started dressing differently, wearing make-up, and doing her hair differently. She started looking very attractive. I mentioned that she changed her appearance and started looking great. They shared their guy theory on that. They believe that when a woman starts changing her appearance like that it is for a guy and they are either "getting some or wanting some" I thought they were joking so laughed and pushed them a bit. No, sadly they were serious. Now, I know when I have wanted to look good and did a little extra to look a little better - it is NOT always for a guy. I find it hilarious/and disturbing that they would seriously believe this. Ahhhh...boys(can't call them men when they think like this).

A fun filled day

Sometimes, at the end of a day, I sit back and just think about things and what was good/frustrating about the day. Today was a pretty good day. The kids basically got along and we all seemed to keep busy and enjoy our day.

Karl and Abigail played well together - they played on the XBox together and they went to the pool together (twice), and they just laughed and played which was awesome to see.

Sam had a perfect appointment today. He gained a pound since his birth which puts him at 8lbs 12 oz. He is such a funny baby. He goes from fine to scream - he doesn't really cry. He hates having his diaper changed and screams the entire time it is getting done. Since he gets changed a lot and (sadly) has several years remaining of that routine, I truly hope he gets use to the ordeal. On the positive side - he has great lungs. Also, the kid LOVES to suck. When he isn't eating he opens his mouth constantly looking for his paci or something (like my pinky) to put in his mouth. He really is an awesome little guy.

Aine was a sweetheart today. She listened, played, cuddled, helped clean-up, and got to play with her favorite cousin William. This morning she sat by me and smiled and said, "Something smells." Then she looked around 'smelling' and giggled and said, "It's you mommy!"

I got to hang out with my sister this evening. We took the kids to the pool, had dinner, watched them all play outside, and just chatted. It was really nice to hang out. We went through what was OK to eat on our diets - she gets married in early September - and talked about details for the wedding.

While she was there, her son kept repeating a naughty word or two. My older two would look at each other and then me thinking, "did he just say that." Mary and I were shocked because he kept saying it like any other thing, like it was no big deal at all, like he was saying "No way!" It was entertaining and I was able to laugh a little more whole-heartedly because it was not my kid.

Sorry to just recap my regular day but it was a nice day - a day of family and memories made. These are the type of days I love my job because (for one, but at the top of my list from June-August) it allows me to have my summers with my children.

Where'd Daddy Go?

Mike had the weekend off and, other than Saturday evening, we spent the entire weekend hanging out and being bums as a family. We played a bunch of games with Aine, Abigail got to paint her Care Bears and she enjoyed a lot of alone time (she loves alone time some days), Karl got to play football outside with mom and dad and Abigail, he also finished his Goblet of Fire book, and Mike and I were both able to finish our books and Mike also started the last Harry Potter book. It appeared as though everyone got to do some of their favorite things - alone and as a family.
The weekend was very low key and relaxing. We put the kids to bed a bit early on Sunday evening and figured this morning would go quite well. When Aine woke up, she was as sweet as can be. She listened, snuggled, and was in a good mood. After about thirty minutes of this she asked me, "Mommy, where'd Daddy go?" I told her he was at work. She sat for a moment and didn't really react. Then, for the next half hour she was a terror. Climbing on her brother, being difficult at breakfast, and just not listening. Hmmmm...I took her aside and asked her what was wrong. No answer. Are you sad, and she nodded her head yes. To get to the bottom of it, she wants her daddy here everyday. Very sweet but also very unrealistic. I explained to her that some days Daddy has to work and when the summer is done, Mommy is going to have to work as well. Mommy and Daddy would both rather stay home but we have to go to work. Not sure how much she got out of the discussion but she is acting better now.
Last night I also taught her the word "obey" and so far she is trying to do it...we will see how this all goes.
This does shed some light on the whole misbehavior thing. Not that she is an angel when Mike is here but she is certainly better behaved. Mike isn't more of the disciplinarian, I think she just prefers to have him around and acts out when he isn't here because she is sad/mad/frustrated/something. Guess she is a Daddy's girl...maybe he should come up with a nicer nickname than Luci(fer) then.

What life is all about

After a great day together, the kids all crashed peacefully into their beds. I relaxed in Mike's chair, a good book clutched in my hand and Sam snuggled on my chest. After I finished the book (it was a good one) I just watched Sam and enjoyed the sounds of the night creeping in through the windows. Sam was out, resting his tiny little head on one of his skinny little arms making cute sounds from his barely-open little mouth. I said a silent thank you for my kids and whispered to Sam that I couldn't promise him anything in this life except that his mommy and daddy would love him always. I began thinking about my little ones upstairs, how they are not so little anymore and are growing up fast. I recalled the days I held them in my arms and wondered what they would look like, how they would smile, when they would crawl, walk, ride a bike, tie their shoes, and just hope and pray - not for riches or popularity - but for happiness, health, and a long joy-filled life that greatly outlived my days on earth. I decided to put Sam down in his bed and visit my sleepers in theirs. After going from each child, watching them sleep, breathing in their distinct smells, and kissing their foreheads, I promised them the same I promised their baby brother. Again I thanked God for them, their unique qualities that I embrace and struggle with, for they make them who they are.

This is what it is all about.

Tomorrow - which is traditionally "Saturday Sucks" (the kids named it that b/c we spend the morning deep cleaning the house) I think I will play Candy Land with Aine, paint those Care Bear dolls with Abigail, pitch a few to Karl, and just watch and enjoy what I have - a house needs to be cleaned, this is true, but my little ones will never stay little no matter how badly I want them to, this is more important.

Someone once said you only really have 18 summers with your kids...sad when you think about it like that. I have 9 left with Karl, not much...I can clean my house another time.

Second day of Mike being at work

Just to let you know, there was no pooping, spitting, screaming or yelling going on today by anyone other than Sam...which is perfectly expected. (Don't follow? Read my earlier post...)

Today was a better day - like I said in my earlier post - no way it could be any worse.

Calm returned to our household...at least for now.

First day back to work

So yesterday, Mike went back to work. He wasn't thrilled about this-who would be after two weeks of being with family and not having to wake up early and go to work-but he went. To be honest, I was concerned. I have taken care of kids my entire life so I knew I could handle four, at the same time, I knew I could handle childbirth, broken bones, betrayal, and many other not so pleasant things. I knew we would survive, I just had no idea how wonderful or terrible it would be.

Well...the morning started out just fine. The girls started out dressing up, Abby was a giraffe and Aine was a Care Bear, a yellow care bear she would correct me. Aine got quite excited half way through playing because she realized she, just like the real care bears, had a heart on her butt. She went around telling everyone, "look, Karl/Abby/Mommy/Sam, I have a heart on my butt!" giggle, giggle and then she would stick her butt in our faces. Probably not the sweetest, most appropriate thing for a little girl to do, but it sure was funny.

That is about when the fun stopped and the demons within our angelic child, a.k.a. Aine, unleashed their wrath upon our household. In the next two hours, the little, yellow, giggling Care Bear hit, slapped, kicked, screamed and even spit (yes, she seriously spit) at her older siblings. She purposely (I KNOW it was on purpose - her smile before, during, and after gave it away) spilled tea all over the floor. She grabbed and knocked over toys/games the kids were playing with, ran and tumbled through the whites I was separating and folding on the floor, spoke back to me AND even hit me. Well, I had enough. I was doing counting exercises in my head and saying silent little patience prayers to keep my cool. I dealt with each incident as I thought best and then didn't even have time to hold my breath before the next occurrence. Finally it was nap time. Ahhh...peace...or not. Abby went upstairs to put something away and noticed that Aine had pooped on her bed. Yes, I kid you not, she pooped on her sister's bed. My prayers were louder now as I stripped Abby's bed and went to the laundry room before dealing with Aine.

After nap time, a sitter of ours, Kristin, came over to see the kids and take them to the pool. Now obviously any parent would agree that Aine should NOT be allowed to go to the pool. At the same time, any parent would also agree that after a morning like mine I deserved a break and this would give me one. Plus, Aine is only 2 and doesn't fully understand consequences for non-immediate actions (yes I am rationalizing with myself here) so...they went to the pool and I recharged a bit.

After the pool the girls came home and Abby, who had that morning turned this huge zucchini my dad brought, into a baby (marked on a face, put on a diaper, bib, and baby hat-thought it looked like Larry the cucumber) started playing with her "baby cucumber Sonja". Of course Aine wanted it too - so they fought over it for the next hour. I am not sure why I didn't just take it away (obviously I hadn't recharged long enough) but even Kristin was amazed at the scene. I don't yell a lot, and I never yell in front of people, but I must admit it took all of my energy not to catapult that stupid zucchini into smithereens and scream and holler before sending my girls with Kristin for the summer - of course after their display with the vegetable baby I doubt she'd take them around the block.

The sitter left, I yelled, separated the girls until dinner, had a private talk with Aine, brought them down stairs for dinner, they went to bed after dinner, and I collapsed in bed with a pointless, laugh out loud book and waited for Mike to get home.

Mike was amazed, in disbelief-not only about the details of my day but that I hadn't pulled my hair out, was sane, and smiling. How can all this happen in one day? You just can't make this stuff up...sometimes reality is crazier than fiction - and when you get through it - you just have to let out a big breath and laugh...or cry, and I didn't feel much like crying. Tomorrow couldn't be any where near as bad-could it?

This my friends is an example of why Mike secretly calls Aine Lucy. It is a cute name and would be a cute nickname...if it wasn't short for Lucifer.