Monday, October 25, 2010

Pumpkin Patch 2010

I realize it's been a while since I posted pictures of the boys. They are getting so big and grown up. I need to do more pictures, more consistently, just more.

We took a class field trip to a local Pumpkin Patch, a couple of weeks ago, and the boys, and their classmates had a blast.

Not evidenced by Ryan's face here, but there was a fun hayride.


A cotton seed hill to slide down. (on a side note, I loved watching the multiple sets of twins sharing the saucers, lots of the kids tried to share, but it seemed that the twins were the most successful. It's all that womb sharing, it comes in handy.)


And then there was the pumpkin picking.

I swear they had to touch every. single. pumpkin. twice.


But ultimately we were happy with our choices, and we had a really fun morning with our class.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Genetics are funny

A few years ago my cousin asked me what it was like to finally have a BLOOD relative. To see my features reflected in someone else. I hadn't really thought of my children in that way. I think I was just too tired to think that deeply.

Lately, I've noticed little bits of genetics cropping up. Not the obvious stuff, like looks, but little things, odd things that make me laugh.

When I was a child, I loved vinegar. When we made Easter eggs or salad dressing, I would lick the measuring spoon. I know. Totally weird.

Ryan, loves vinegar. I made some pickled cucumbers, and he loves them, but what he loves the most, is drinking the pickling juice. That HAD to come from me.

Evan was changing his clothes and I happened to look at his shoulder, and he has a little bump on one shoulder. Just like me.

Evan's new favorite breakfast is fried egg sandwiches. When I was pregnant and right after the boys were born, I ate two fried egg sandwiches almost every day.

Ryan is turning into my difficult sleeper. He seems to have a tough time falling asleep, and when he wakes up in the middle of the night or some crazy time like five in the freaking morning, he cannot go back to sleep. I'm sorry for that one bud. You have no idea how sorry I am.

Oh, and believe me there are Scott genes in there too. Oh, boy!

Ryan LOVES ketchup, crushed red peppers and very spicy food. That totally, totally, totally comes from Scott.

Both boys have a passion for baseball hats. Their collection is rivaling Scott's.

Both boys, but especially Ryan, are very athletic. Naturally. That's Scott.

And then there's the stuff that comes from both of us, and the boys had no chance, poor things.

Competitiveness- WOW. This one is off the charts. Sorry guys. It is getting so intense that we are having lots of discussions about how to be a gracious looser, or not play at all. It's not just the normal stuff either. We compete over everything. Who gets in the car the fastest. (this one has led to tears on many occasions) Who sleeps the longest. Who gets dressed the fastest. Who eats the fastest. It's always important who wins. I'm trying to use this to my advantage, but working on the gracious looser aspect is making it a wash.

Love of sports- I'm not sure they could be any more sports crazy. CRA-ZY I tell you. I think I spend 80 percent of my day explaining the complexities of any given sport. Which reminds me I need a lacrosse expert soon. We were in the pro shop of our ice rink today, and Evan started pointing to all of the hats on the wall and naming the team and the city. If he didn't know it, (there was only one) Ryan did. I hope we aren't wasting valuable brain space on this kind of knowledge, but it IS pretty cool to have a kid who can name almost all of the NHL logos by sight, oh and don't even get me started on baseball or football.

I understand what my cousin was getting at. When you see yourself reflected back at you, it's unbelievable. It's funny, and odd, and sometimes just plain magical, and it always takes my breath away.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Epic Fail

So I just had one of those Mommy Dearest moments. I've never had one before. I feel like a real shit. I just want to cry I feel so, so, bad. ARGH.

I was in the Ryan's bedroom for no more than, 3 minutes. I was looking for some 4T pants for Evan and switching out which drawers they belong in. (I still can't find the jeans I was looking for and I have no idea where they are.) Again, super short time, boys were getting ready for bed, something they are perfectly capable of doing unsupervised.

I return to the living room to hear something about lotion not coming off, and find Ryan and Evan in the bathroom, COVERED, in Ryan's $18 a jar lotion. It was a full jar, it is now about half empty. Ryan had almost an inch thick of lotion on his legs and feet, his foot was in the sink as he was trying to wash it off. Yeah, this stuff does not just wash off, that's the point of it.

Evan's hands were, well, totally white, as he had done the majority of the application on Ryan's legs, and he had gobs of lotion on his hands and in between his fingers.

There was lotion on the tile, on the carpet, and on the couch. Have I mentioned that this stuff is super thick, oily, greasy, staining thick, stuff.

I LOST IT. I yelled. I admit it. I yelled. I made Evan cry because I yelled.

And then I cried, because, I made my baby cry, and I didn't know where to begin cleaning the mess up. I'm still shaking I'm so upset.

I gave them their snacks an put them straight to bed, partly so I could clean it all up, and partly for their own protection.

I can sit here an justify my actions, the end of a long and very difficult day that had multiple timeouts, and bodily injuries to each other. Lots of boy fights and just bad behavior. Scott gone all weekend so I had no respite, and will have none until Saturday, and knowing this is going to be a long week for him at work, which means a lot of long nights alone for me and the boys, after a weekend of no respite. But I know people have it much, much worse than me, husbands that are gone on tours, or consistently work late, or are just not in the picture. I know that one weekend is and shouldn't be a big deal and I REALLY shouldn't complain or use it as an excuse for MY bad behavior, but it's all I have.

I was a bad mom tonight. I yelled at my precious boys. I fell like a shit.

I was also a good mom, and I apologized for over reacting. I explained that what they did was not acceptable, but neither was my reaction, and I was going to go sit in timeout until I felt like being nice. (or stopped beating myself up about it, whichever comes first.)

Sigh.


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On a lighter note, which I think we totally need to end on...here are a few things that have been said around here that have made me laugh.

Evan: when I fart in bed, I cover it up with a blanket so I don't smell it.

Evan: Ryan do you love me
Evan: Yes, I love you but I don't like your behavior.

Evan: My last name is Babe Ruth Ostrem
Ryan: My last name is Joltin' Joe

Evan: I love you mama
Me: I love you too sweetie.
Evan: Thank you for loving me.
Me: (on the floor in a puddle)