State of the Family #5

Oh dear I almost don't want to post this week, but would hate to disappoint. . . :)
It has been a rough one this week. Most likely due to the fact that mommy got absolutely no rest over the weekend and even less this week. And when mommy is tired, mommy is crabby, and when mommy is crabby, sadly, everyone suffers. I am trying, really, I am. I start every day praying that God will help me through, that I wouldn't yell at my kids too much and I would pull on His strength to not lose my cool when they are driving me crazy. Sadly, it hasn't worked too well mostly due to the fact that I pray this in the morning and go on through out my day without a look back. Sadly, only 2 times this week have I opened my Bible to grab strength from His Word. . . just a minute. . . make that 3.

Miss Thumb Sucker has thankfully improved her sleeping again this week. I can't imagine what it would be like getting even less sleep. She turns 6 months on Sunday, the day I run my 1/2 marathon, and seems to be my "slow" one. She has only rolled over a handful of times, thinking it too much work. She is just content to be where she is most of the time so rolling over isn't necessary. She isn't quite sitting up on her own either. This is always a milestone I look forward to. They aren't mobile and into everything yet, but you can sit them down on on blanket and give them a few toys and it is so much easier. You don't have to worry about siblings stepping on them or anything like that, and they can sit in a grocery cart without having to haul in the carrier. She also doesn't have any teeth. Noisy Man and Miss Firecracker had 4 by this point and were also rolling and sitting. But I shouldn't compare. . . each child is different and Miss Thumb Sucker is just content to be where she is. Why waste the effort?

Miss Firecracker seems to have taken a step back in her potty training. She has done wonderful since January, but the last week she seems to have forgotten how to get in the bathroom and go on time. She isn't having full accidents, but just enough that we have to get dry underwear. She went through 4 pairs yesterday. I was at my wits end. I can't figure it out. Just picture Miss Firecracker stopping mid-whatever-she-is-doing, starting to jump up and down (which can't help the situation), curls flying, and screaming "I have to go POTTY!" Then, she just stands there. . . Come on!! Go to the bathroom for goodness sake don't just stand there!! I jump up from wherever I am grab her and push her into the bathroom, only to find she waited too long once again. Really? What is up with this?

Noisy Man reported the other day that a little girl in his preschool class had to sit in time out. "She was being naughty, mommy," he tells me. I was surprised that they had time out at preschool. His teacher is so sweet I wouldn't think she would get upset with anyone. But they are preschoolers and they do cause trouble, so I guess it makes sense. So, I asked him if he had ever had to sit in time out at preschool. "No, mommy, I am a good boy at preschool." Which I of course had to ask, "Have you ever had to sit in time out at home?" Of course his reply was yes. Then he proceeds to apologize for being naughty and not listening at home in this sweet and sad little voice to the point of breaking my heart and never wanting to sit him in time out again. . . he was in the time out spot approximately 2 hours later. At least it lasted that long.

Daddy was working in the garden the other night when a neighbor came over to chat. She cleans houses for a living so he evidently decided to ask her what she charged for her services and what it all entailed. I was shocked to hear that it was just $15 per hour to really do whatever cleaning duty was asked. I think he was too cuz he actually seemed interested in hiring someone to help out. (Probably not our neighbor since it would be hard to fire her and keep a neighborly relationship if you didn't care for her quality of work). This inquiry got me thinking, "Did an entire weekend at home by himself with the kids (in which he did no cleaning except 1 load of laundry and NO cooking) make him realize how much work it really is, or is he just tired of our house being filthy all the time." He went with a safe reply and said, "I was just curious, so I asked." Sure. At least we are still looking into it and I might have someone come clean my bathrooms, dust and scrub my floors a couple times a month!! I'll take it whatever the reason behind it might be.

I have way too much going on. Foremost on my mind of course is the fact that I have less than 48 hours to go until the start of the 1/2 marathon! I am very excited, yet at the same time, very nervous. 8,000 people is A LOT! I am worried I won't get to the right places or get lined up in the right place. I'm not so much worried about the running part. I am pretty certain that if I can run 10 miles, I can do 13 and the new course will be fun. It will also be fun to see how many cheerleaders are there and how many I will know since I know a lot of people who are also running the race. Another worry is that I will lose all motivation to run after the race is done since it is what I have been working for the last 4 months. I might have to find another one to sign up for just to keep myself going. Most of all I am excited to get to run across Tom Osborne Field and the 50 yard line. That will be cool, but I am also worried how I will look magnified on the ginormous (I can't believe my spell checker did not flag that word) Husker Vision screen after having just run 13 miles. :) Petty things I know, but this is how my brain works.