I’m finally to the point where I trust the big kids to watch over Baby E when I have to do things like go to the bathroom or take a shower. However, it backfired on me the other day when Baby E came barging in on me when I was in the shower because his watchers got distracted with a toy. They had no idea he had climbed the stairs and hunted me down. So I got to complete my shower with a giggling and squealing little kid staring at me from around the shower curtain.

Well this morning I attempted the same task. I told Big E to watch Baby E while I took a quick shower. I thought it was a pretty successful exercise by the time I had stepped out of the shower and dried myself off without an audience. When I wandered downstairs the first thing I noticed was Big E’s Easter candy bucket on the stairs. I didn’t remember it being there when I went up, but it could have been. But there was a few pieces of candy scattered on the stairs. Then I saw Baby E walk past me with a huge, chocolate covered grin on his face and chocolate dripping down his pajamas. Apparently Baby E had gotten into the Easter candy in my absence. And where was his big brother, who was supposed to be diligently watching him?!? Watching TV, of course!

Anyways, the next thing I noticed was the lack of any candy wrappers. Everything in the bucket was wrapped candy- small chocolate eggs, etc. And while there was chocolate streaming down his face, there were no wrappers. Uh oh! After a mild mommy freak out, and frantic calls to family members to inquire about the dangers of swallowing small amounts of foil. Then I googled it and surprisingly (for googling standards) it said I really didn’t need to worry, but that I would likely see it when it comes out the other end. (Yay, something to look forward to!) I kept an eye on him, but he acted normal. He’s been fine all day. I know it wasn’t much (if he even got any foil at all- it might have been a stray m&m.) Everything I read online said glass= bad, foil= not bad.

Fast forward a few hours later when C was pretending to make cupcakes for her daddy. She has a play cupcake set she got from someone for Christmas one year. The cupcakes come with dry erase markers that allow to you decorate the cupcakes to your choosing. Apparently C handed a decorated cupcake to Baby E who thought it was a real cupcake and tried to devour it. He couldn’t of course, but that didn’t prevent him from spreading green marker all over his mouth and hands.

Apparently we are raising a goat. At least my other kids munched on things that were biodegradable! (However, they definitely beat him out in the gross out category – stink bugs and cat poop!)

Fortunately the rest of the day was pretty uneventful in the food department- some chicken, a little oatmeal, some pretzels. Hopefully everything passes quickly and painlessly!

Mommy, my nipples look like little volcanoes! ~ Big E, age 4

I don’t know about you, but there is nothing like the threat… I mean, promise of visitors to put a fire under me to get my house cleaned! We have some family coming into town in a few days and they want to see everyone’s houses. This is actually the opportunity we needed to get the house in order. We usually just let it slide, so we need events like this to get us moving on it! Ha!

Unfortunately neither Tim nor I are organized people. Between the two of us, I am the tidier one… and that’s pretty unfortunate cause I’m not good at tidy! I’d hire someone to come in and clean my house if I wasn’t embarrassed to have someone come in and clean my house! Ha!

See the problem is that Tim and I are both ‘artistic’ people, so creating order for us is very difficult. We aren’t practical. We aren’t precise. We just aren’t. It’s a shortcoming that makes me want to sneak into my kids’ bedroom at night and whisper “math and science” in their ears as they sleep in hopes it will somehow encourage them to purse STEM careers instead of art!

But we also acknowledge that there is a trade off. While we don’t possess the talent of order, there are traits that we do possess that are just as valuable and just as important. Not everyone can be doctors or astronauts, but likewise not everyone can be artists. It’s pretty wonderful and amazing how unique and important each person is and how their contributions can validate and compliment the people around them.

So while I may whisper “math and science” in jest, I would choose for my children to pursue what fascinates them, what stirs their passion, and what makes them tick. So whether it is math and science or art history and French I’ll cheer them on! (But not without serious conversations about being able to pay your own bills!)

Three doses of antibiotics and seventeen more to go. Poor Baby E was miserable for most of the day and fighting a fever on and off. By this evening it seems that the antibiotic might finally be kicking in and he was pretty cheerful.

I love how it stays lighter now. When we got home, the big kids and I took a walk to our favorite gazebo park and upon arriving home they played with the neighbor kids in the cut-de-sac. I’m looking forward to many summer evenings spent sitting outside and watching the kids play. What a blessing!