In Like a Lamb

I can compose these amazing blog posts in my head, usually while I'm rocking the baby to sleep, driving Jack to preschool, or prepping dinner.  And then at the end of the day, after I've made dinner, washed all the dishes, done a few loads of laundry, bathed the kids, put them to bed and cleaned up the house, I sit down at my laptop and ... nothing.  After expending all my energy doing the exciting day-to-day stuff that makes up mommyhood, I've got nothing left to offer the blogosphere.

In fact, I actually started to write a post several nights ago and it got so depressing I had to shut down the computer and go to bed, but not before putting away a few more loads of laundry of course.  But since then it's gotten quite beautiful out and we put an anniversary getaway on the books, so I feel like I can humor the blog just a bit.  Today I'm going to focus on happy, sunny times and forget that there is sand all over my living room floor and baskets and baskets of winter clothes that need boxed up and put away.  Because both are good signs of a sudden change around here - the arrival of spring!

First things first, Julia had her debut on the swing this week.  It was monumental.

Actually, she was a little freaked out.  Everytime her swing would hit the down arc her little hands flew up next to her ears, the corners of her mouth turned down and she crunched over her belly.  A little tickle maybe? 

So now everyone has their own swing.  Do you have any idea how difficult it is to manage three swings with three different aged children on them?  Jack wants big pushes - "up the sky!"  Except last time he asked for that he ended up on his back, staring up at the sky.  He's on a "big boy" swing now and still forgets he can't let go.  Jude just wants to "swing mama, swing!" and Julia can't handle much more than a breeze.  And my poor, little caffeine-starved, thinking-about-all-the-other-things-I-should-be-doing brain has a hard time computing it all.  Julia - one little push, Jude - one big push, Jack - skip this turn, Julia - teeny, tiny bump, Jude - big push, Jack - "up to the sky."  I inevitably mess it up and Jack starts going sideways, his feet bump Jude which sends Jude helter-skelter and meanwhile I gave Julia the wrong-sized push and she is not happy.

*sigh*

And swinging is supposed to be relaxing.

Swings aside, I'm so grateful for spring this year.  We're only on our third day of 70 degree weather but it's made a huge impact on my quality of life.  For one, Jude LOVES the sandbox.  Yesterday while Jack was in school and Julia was napping he just sat there and played with sand for an hour.  And then I tore through my work inbox and was feeling quite accomplished by the time he walked back up to the house asking for a "'nack."  Usually, both boys will do pretty well out there.  I was on the phone with my mom yesterday afternoon telling her just how well they get along together outside.  And then I hung just as Jude came screaming into the house covered, head to toe (inner-diaper included) in sand and water.  JACK!!!!

Not sure why he thought this was a good idea... it too ended in tears for Jude.

We're still getting used to a yard without a fence.  I kind of like the no fence look, especially since we have a lot of "natural" landscaping boundaries. But it didn't take the boys long to find the holes.  I'm constantly reminding them to stay in our yard, don't walk through the neighbors flowers, always stay in the back where I can see you.  I get sick of hearing myself yell, I'm sure my neighbors do too.  We did pull out some bushes behind our deck right after Julia was born so now I have a clear path of vision from the back door all the way to the end of the yard.  I usually sit in the doorway, nursing the baby while the boys play, hoping that the neighbors directly behind us aren't home.  Or at least that their boys don't keep a telescope in their treehouse.

We did have one incident this weekend.  The boys were under Jon's watch I was in the kitchen and kept getting whiffs of gasoline. I thought maybe Jon was getting the yard gear primed for spring or something ... and then I realized Jon was on the side of the house ... and Jack was in the garage.  Rather than check things out myself I just informed Jon he should go check on Jack since I wasn't wearing shoes.  Yes, Jack dumped a gallon of gasoline out onto the floor of our garage.  Then he and Jude stepped in it, got it all over their clothes, and came inside and spread their scent all over the house.  I also got gasoline smell in my washer after I washed their clothes, which then made the next load stink.  Not to mention Jack hasn't bleen able to wear his shoes all week as they have been airing out on the deck.  Boys!
Back to nature.  We had one brave daffodil make an appearance this week.  I pointed out the pretty yellow flower to Jack.

Ten minutes later he ripped it from the earth, brought it in the house and asked me to wear it in my hair.  I suppose I shouldn't be sad, flowers are meant to be enjoyed.  And my boy thoroughly enjoyed our first yellow flower.

In other warm-weather-related news ... I guess I'll soon be letting Jude go pantless.

I've been putting off any attempts at potty-training until a.) the weather is warmer and I can let him run around naked and b.) I'm not so busy (ha!) but he's started saying "pee pee" and "poop" and he's been pretending to go potty so yeah, maybe I should get on that.

Right now it's just a game.  He says pee-pee, I take off his diaper, he sits down for all of 5 seconds, says "all done", I put diaper and pants back on, he says he has to go "pee pee" again.  This is fun now little buddy, but soon the hard work will begin.  I think we'll start the week Marmie and Poppa come to visit...

And you know one other thing that's great about warmer weather and kiddos playing outside?  They take great naps. 

Sure they've got dirt under their nails.  And they get sand in the bed after a long morning in the backyard (I had the hardest time falling asleep last night since Jack took a nap in my bed!).  But they sure sleep hard!

Which is exactly what all three are doing now and why I'm able to procrastinate on all other chores and give you a quick update on our life.  Back to the real world, but first, I must find those chocolate coins that the leprechaun sent home with Jack from school yesterday, and which I hid in a "safe" place for later...