I think today I deserve some type of mommy medal of honor.  I took both Jaylyn and Jaxon to the dentist today.  And the trip was……………drum roll please………………… a huge success!!!

Jaylyn has been to the dentist before and usually does pretty well.  Today she had her teeth cleaned, flossed, and counted.  Her favorite things are the Mr. Thirsty (straw) and the water gun.  She had the best time and just talked to the hygienist like an adult.  It was priceless to hear their conversation. 

Then it was time for Jaxon.  He was there for what they call a “Happy Visit.”  Our goal was to keep him happy.  He sat in the chair in my lap and played with the light.  He wanted it on and off and then on again.  He held Mr. Thirsty and refused to put it in his mouth.  He waved it around like a wand.  He poked me in the nose with it.  He put it in Jaylyn’s mouth.  He talked to it.  He put it in his palm and let it suction his fingers.  Then………….finally, he put it in his mouth.  The water gun was a huge hit.  He used it like a personal water fountain.  The whole suctioning out the water thing just didn’t make any sense to him.  He took a long drink, swallowed, and then put in Mr. Thirsty.  Not very effective.  Then he had his teeth brushed with just a toothbrush.  He actually opened his mouth a couple times to let the hygienist brush his teeth.  Then she used the mirror to count his bottom teeth.  After that he was done. 

Then the kids got their own masks because those were just fascinating.  Jaylyn wore her non-latex gloves.  They got their toothbrushes.  They picked a toy.  And the hygienist gave them each a glove balloon.  They were happy campers.  Wow!  That was nearly painless! 

No cavities.  Clean teeth.  Happy kids.  And a dental office that is still intact.  Go back in March, we’ll see how that visit goes.

Ok, this update is long, long overdue, so here it goes:

Mine and my husband’s allergy tests came back.  I was sensitive to gluten and my husband was borderline on the gluten.  I was on the high side of normal on dairy and my husband was completely fine with dairy. 

So, I’ve stopped gluten.  I’ve stopped oats.  I’ve stopped chocolate.  I’m limiting my dairy intake. 

We’ve begun going to a chiropractor.  He said Ellie was “crooked” or whatever terminology they use.  So, last week she began getting adjusted.  She started sleeping through the night again.  We had five nights of sleep!!! 

The chiro is also doing acupuncture treatments on her.  Maybe those are helping too. 

We saw a new pediatrician on Thursday.  He was a little better than our current pediatrician as far as being patient, listening to my concerns, and spending time talking with us.  He told me most of the same things—dryer sheets, detergents, Vaseline, oils, lotions, creams, no soap, limited baths………..

His new suggestions were:  using Elidel (which really isn’t supposed to be for kids under 2.  I’ve also read some scary stuff about Elidel so I’m just not sure yet.) using bleach baths (putting her in a tub with even a little bit of bleach just makes me nervous, gonna have to research that one) giving her children’s Claritin to help the itch (going to think about that one.  Benadryl makes Ellie really, really awake so that is NOT an option)

But he ordered an allergy test on her!  Finally!  I don’t care if it shows nothing.  I just wanted someone to try it.  I felt like all the other doctors were laughing off my concerns about a food allergy.  It may not be the answer but at least we can rule some things out.  I would love to eat normal foods again!

 Friday we went to our hospital for the lab work.  After a ridiculous wait, ridiculous miscommunication, and just ridiculous people in general.  We got the labs done.  We may have to go back and repeat them because they can only take a certain amount of blood from such a small baby and it may not have been enough to run the complete test.  We’ll hopefully get our results sometime this week and know if we need to go back.  I hope not!  They had to draw blood from a vein and it was not a fun experience. 

Then over the weekend, Ellie flared up, didn’t sleep, and fussed for about 5 hours on Sunday.  It was the longest weekend!  It didn’t even feel like a weekend. 

Sunday night Ellie decided to sleep a little longer and Monday night she slept through the night again.  She’s looked slightly better on Monday and now she looks pretty red and scaly again today. 

This week we have an appointment with an ENT who specializes in allergies.  Maybe he’ll have some other suggestions. 

I feel like we’ve just gone around and around and around and not made any progress. 

So lotions and creams and oils don’t seem to make a difference.  So not using soap, or dryer sheets, and changing detergents didn’t help.  So the pediatricians haven’t offered much helpful advice.  So the chiropractic care and acupuncture might not be helping.  So changing my diet doesn’t seem to make much of an impact. 

What is going on? 

The only answer may be “she’ll grow out of it.”  FINE!!!  But what do we do in the meantime???  Someone answer me that!

We decided we would buy a potty for little Jaxon.  We want him to be familiar with the potty and hopefully get him interested sooner rather than later.  I feel like a diaper changing assembly line some days and two kids in diapers is no fun!  So, we’re not potty training, but we sure are talking about things. 

Jaylyn is convinced that we ARE potty training Jaxon and she feels it is her job to do it.  Not that I’m complaining but her tactics aren’t working too well.  She runs up to Jaxon, tells him he needs to potty, takes him by the arm, and drags him to the bathroom.  Somehow I think she’s hurting my cause rather than helping it. 

However, it is so cute to see Jaxon sitting on his little potty seat facing the potty while Jaylyn sits on the big potty and reads him a book.  The water runs, Jaylyn reads the potty book, and she asks him if he needs to potty.  And we’ve actually had success twice. 

So, if nothing else.  He’s at least becoming a little more aware of things and maybe he’ll be ready shortly after he turns two.  Or maybe I’m being optimistic.  We’ll see. 

So, I asked Jaylyn to go turn the dryer back on for me.  She sighed and under her breath said “reluctantly.” 

What????  I asked.

“What does ‘reluctantly’ mean?”

That means that you don’t really want to do something but you’ll do it anyway. 

“Okay, I’ll do it reluctantly.”

How about doing it cheerfully???

As we were walking through the neighborhood the other night, we passed a model home.  Jaylyn asked what the model home was for and we talked about building houses.  Then our conversation went like this:

Jaylyn:  One day I’ll build a house.

Us:  That’s great.

Jaylyn:  I’ll get married and we’ll go to the model home and pick out a house.

Us:  You will have to pick out all the colors like the brick color and paint color. 

Jaylyn:  I want a purple house!!!

Us:  That would be cute!  You might want to check with your husband first and see if he’s ok with a purple house though.

Jaylyn:  Ok.  But I haven’t met him yet. 

Very true…………at least I don’t think she’s met him yet.  That’s a scary thought!!!  I can’t go there yet…….

Tonight at dinner we were doing word problems and talking about math.  Dad made up a story problem about a flat tire.  So, Jaylyn decided to make up her own story problem using the same topic.

“One day my husband and I were driving in our car.  We jumped on a nail and got a flat tire.  Then my husband got out to fix the tire.  How many tires did we have left?”

What is this fixation with husbands lately?  No no no! 

I’ve been reading the book Creative Correction by Lisa Whelchel and have seen some interesting discipline ideas.  I’ve decided to try some new things with Jaylyn because she can throw one ugly temper tantrum and I am really tired of listening to the screams. 

We now have a delegated screaming spot in the house.  It’s a beach towel on our closet floor.  If she feels the need to scream, she can go do it there because I sure don’t want to listen to it!

We’ve also begun a token jar.  When she obeys the first time I ask her to do something, with no whining or complaining, she gets to put one token in her jar.  When she has 20 tokens, she gets the prize that adorns the top of our fridge—a new book, stickers, little toys, or art supplies.  So far, she has been much more pleasant when I ask her to do things.  When she throws a fit if I ask her to do something, tokens are taken out for each time I have to ask her. 

I also have a secret stash of little goodies for when she is doing something very helpful without even being asked—like entertaining Jaxon and bringing him toys when he is upset that I am feeding Ellie and can’t play with them.  She can be so helpful sometimes.  So, we now have some rewards ready for her.

One of our other problems has been parking lots.  Jaylyn and Jaxon will NOT hold my hand when we cross the parking lot.  It is a huge problem when I have the diaper bag, Ellie in the sling, and a kid on each hand.  I cannot chase them down or drag them through the parking lot.  Lately, I have to have Ellie in the front pack carrier, Jaxon on one hip, the diaper bag on the other, and Jaylyn holding my free hand.  She has been refusing to cooperate though.  So, now I give her an option—I can either hold her hair or her hand.  She gets to choose.  After one time of me holding on to her hair through a parking lot, she opts for the hand every time and now walks sweetly beside me rather than pulling my arm out of socket in the parking lot.  Yay! 

Any creative correction method you use?  I’m always looking for something other than “time out” which doesn’t seem to work too well…...

Apparently, he wouldn’t give her the book that he was reading.  Stubborn was her word of the week after we read it in one of Aesop’s fables.  Now, whenever someone won’t share with her, they are being stubborn.  However, she is the one who is, in fact, being stubborn in insisting that she needs everything everyone else has. 

A backseat conversation between Jaylyn and Jaxon.

“Buddy do you like your monkey blankie??” Jaylyn asks.

Dah!  (translated:  yes)

“Do you want your monkey blankie???”

Dah!

“Sorry!  We don’t have it!”

“Do you like your book?”

Dah!

“Do you like spankings, buddy???”

Dah!

“You do?”

Dah!

Silence for a few minutes.  Then:

“Buddy, do you understand????”

Noh………

Jaxon runs to my computer screaming “Bach Bach Bach!”  No he’s not a chicken; he wants to listen to Bach on my computer.  He may not know all his colors, but he is learning composers…….strange…..

Speaking of colors, to Jaxon everything is “geen!”  I think green must be his favorite color.  We’re working on blue and now he can say “boo,” but he still insists everything is green.  He’s now able to say “burble” and he tries to say orange.  Red and yellow are nonexistent. 

“Boo Boo!”  “Uh oh boo boo!”  Jaxon has become very dramatic about pretend boo boos and he finds them everywhere.  Whenever he finds them on someone else, he pronounces, “uh oh” and then proceeds to kiss the person’s boo boo.  He’s so sweet!

Yesterday, Jaylyn began having a meltdown.  She was in the living room screaming while Jaxon calmly watched her from his little blue chair.  As Jaylyn jumped up and down, she was able to get out, “I want the blue chair!”  Ohh, fighting over chairs.  I calmly explained that Jaylyn could sit in the red one.  “NOOOOOOOO”  Now we had an all-out tantrum on our hands.  When she finally began to calm down, she screamed, “I want the blue chair!  Whoever sits in the blue chair is the boss!  I want to be the boss but I’m not the boss right now!”  Wow!  I never expected anything so honest. 

She’s still breaking out in her terrible skin rash, still miserable, still itchy, still fussy, still red, still inflamed. 

We saw the dermatologist again this week.  He told us several things:

She has severe eczema

Her skin barrier is not doing its job and keeping moisture in and other things out

It is not food-related

She must be moisturized constantly with Vaseline and some other cream he prescribed

We must use a steroid cream

She needs to take an oral steroid

She will have this the rest of her life and will develop asthma if we don’t get it under control

Ok, wow, not what any parent wants to hear.  I was so upset after her appointment.  The more I thought about what he said and about the things I have read and researched, I disagreed with much of what he said. 

I believe she does have eczema.  But I believe there is something else going on, an underlying cause, or something that is causing her severe flare-ups.  I do believe food could be part of the problem.  My husband and I decided to be tested for gluten and dairy sensitivity as well as several other things that I can’t remember………our results will be back in a few weeks. 

I am moisturizing her ALL THE TIME.  It takes up ALL MY TIME.  It has not yet made a difference.  No, I will not use Vaseline on her.  No petroleum products in my house.  No, I will not use the other cream her prescribed because it has some really icky ingredients.  I will use natural moisturizers, a non-petroleum jelly, and natural oils. 

I’m not a fan of steroids—creams or oral or inhaled.  Don’t like them.  Don’t like the side effects.  Especially don’t like them for a four month old.  So, I’m using some homeopathic remedies and a non-steroid alternative.  We’re not going to do any oral steroids right now.  She has no breathing problems and never has so we’re not going to worry about that right now.  And as for asthma, my husband has asthma.  If she develops asthma then we will deal with it.  There’s nothing more I can do right now to prevent it.  I’m doing everything I can.

 I’ve also read about some links between food allergies and sensitivities to asthma.  So, for now, we’re sticking with the food angle and going with that.  I have cut out several things from my diet to see if we can note any improvement.  Until Sept 1^st, I will not be eating any gluten, dairy, citrus, chocolate, or oats.  Basically, I eat food that tastes more like cardboard right now.  I really miss cheese and OJ, really really really.  And I’m starting to miss blueberry oatmeal.  And chocolate cookies.  But I can’t think about that.  If Ellie shows any improvement it will be well worth it.  We’re hoping and praying for some improvement.  I’m reading and researching and talking to everyone I know to get everyone’s opinions.  I hate to see her so miserable. 

It’s so sad how much you take your children’s health for granted.  When you’re pregnant you pray for a healthy newborn.  And when that baby is born and you count all the fingers and toes and the doctor tells you that they are healthy, you think you are golden.  Then later, something is not quite right and you realize that you took their health for granted after they were born.  That you had stopped praying daily for their health.  Ellie is not even seriously ill, nothing life-threatening, but it’s just made me realize how little control I have over everything.  They’re not really mine are they? 

From Dobson, to Pearl, to Ezzo, to Godly Tomatoes, to Attachment Parenting, to Grace-based discipline, and on and on and on.  I’ve read many of them, talked to different people who represented both ends of the spectrum.  And I’ve learned that they are all simply theories or anecdotes of what worked best for a particular child or family.  Is there a best approach?  I don’t think so. 

The only approach that seems to work best in our house is a flexible approach.  A parent who is ready and willing to admit that they’ve made mistakes and one who can make changes and be creative until an effective solution is reached.  Every child is so different.  Every parent is so different.  How can one style fit you, your spouse, and all your children equally? 

No, you have to be constantly on your toes, constantly evolving.  Every day is different.  What worked one day might not work the next.  What seemed perfect on paper may be a disaster in real-life.  What you thought would be effective was actually a mistake. 

I can’t put myself comfortably in the box with any of the popular theories and practices.  My approach is the surprise attack.  I have to continually surprise myself by coming up with effective, loving, creative, and constant approaches.  Why the surprise attack?  Because, I feel like I’m always under a surprise attack.  My kids are forever inventing new ways to disobey, talk back, and throw fits.  Their creativity never ceases to surprise me.  Therefore, I must be ready to have a response.

Sure, it helps to read all of the above books and have a bag of tricks ready for whatever situation may arise.  Many of the authors have raised children and some even grandchildren.  They have some great ideas and some good thoughts.  But I don’t know how you could possibly categorize yourself.  I simply use the Godly approach.  I pray, I obey, and then work with my children to do the same.  Amazing how that approach works every time…….

We decided to take a zoo trip the other morning.  I had to think of something to do.  I got up at 5:30 and packed breakfast and loaded the car.  I got everyone ready and we were out the door by 7:45!  I was pretty proud of myself.  Jaylyn got up in a terrible mood and Jaxon seemed unusually clingy—should have been my first hint that it was going to be a long morning.  And it was!

The kids whined, fussed, and threw fits over and over again.  I was trying to maneuver a double stroller loaded with gear while trying to keep the one walking child within arms reach.  I was getting a little stressed.  Finally, I had both Jaylyn and Jaxon walking because they were both fighting over who would ride in the stroller.  Ellie was finally asleep and they were NOT going to wake her up! 

Jaylyn:

“I can’t walk!  My legs hurt!  This is hurting my legs!!!  My back hurts!  I’m too tired!!!  I’m hungry, I’m hungry, I’m HUNGRY!!   I want a snack!  I’m so hot!  Mommy, I’m tired; I’m too TIRED!  I can’t walk anymore!!!” 

The drama………

Jaxon:

He would refuse to walk, standing in the middle of the pathway.  I would walk on ahead (all of 5 feet), he would run screaming and smack into the back of my legs, falling to the ground, sometimes taking my shorts down with him. 

Finally, Jaxon was so cranky he sat down on the pathway, screaming and kicking his legs.  He refused to budge.  I’m standing nearby with the stroller while Jaylyn and I simply stared at Jaxon.  I was so tired.  I guess Jaylyn knew that I just didn’t know what to do, and even if I did, I didn’t know how I would have the energy to do it.  So Jaylyn, ever the little mother, walked over to Jaxon and crouched down to his level.

“Buddy, do you want to go see some animals?  Come on Buddy!  Let’s go find the giraffes!  Get up Buddy!!  Do you want to keep walking?”

Jaxon stopped his screaming long enough to listen to her.  He frowned up at her as she questioned him.  He still refused to get up.  Jaylyn sensed her tactic wasn’t working so she changed her plan and asked only one more question.

“Buddy, do you want to get run over?”

This was asked in the most cheerful little voice. 

At that point, I laughed so hard I cried.  I needed that.  Jaylyn took over for me and was doing her best to help.  And she did eventually get Jaxon to stand up and keep going.  She’s such a good helper—most of the time. 

Little Miss Ellie has been having some pretty severe skin problems.  What began as dry skin, progressed to eczema, and then to an all out bright red rash.  Four doctors’ visits later, Ellie was diagnosed with severe eczema and a yeast infection on her skin. 

We knew she had eczema but I suspected there was something more.  The severe eczema paved the way for a yeast infection to take over on her skin.  She was covered head to toe in a bright red bumpy rash and looked utterly miserable.  I bathe her three times a day in a special bath solution, moisturize her four or more times a day with olive oil and apricot oil, and occasionally apply her eczema medicine to keep her flare-ups under control.  She’s beginning to look more human now and her dry, leathery skin is feeling a little softer.  And amazingly, she’s been sleeping through the night.  I think before now she was too miserably uncomfortable to sleep through the night.  We’re finally on the right track.

Even though we believed Ellie had eczema, we still cannot understand why hers is so very severe.  I’ve changed dryer sheets; I wash clothes and then run a rinse cycle; I was everything in scent-free natural detergent; I try to minimize any contact with any rough fabrics; I work very hard to keep her skin moisturized.  She’s still struggling.  Now, we’re turning to food allergies.  My husband and I will have some labwork done to test for food allergies and we’ll see what we find.  As a part of those labs, we’ll both be tested for dairy intolerance, casein allergy, and celiac disease.  I’m dreading the results.  If we learn that either of us have celiac disease, our entire house will be going gluten free, which is not only very difficult (and usually pretty yucky), but it is also VERY expensive.  Hopefully, the tests will help us learn why Ellie has such severe skin problems and we can help her feel better. 

We recently had a visit from Uncle Nate, my brother, who lives in Colorado.  The kids had so much fun playing with him-he's another big jungle gym like Dad!

I was secretly surprised he didn’t think his shirt tasted good, it was covered with most of his lunch.  Anyway, yuck is his new favorite word and I hear it about a million times a day.  Thank you Jaylyn for teaching it to him!

Leave the house by 7:30 and hit the zoo.  Push around the double stroller while Jaylyn walks around following us, whining all the while that she is too tired to walk.  Spend 30 minutes staring at the Galapagos Tortoises while Ellie fusses.  I wear her in the carrier while the two kids sit in the double stroller.  Do you have any idea how HEAVY the double stroller is when they are both in it?  And then I’m carting Ellie around in the front-pack carrier.  I look like some kind of crazy pack mule! 

Then we play in the playground.  Jaxon wants some string cheese for his snack.  Then he decides to spit out all the chewed-up cheese on the ground.  It looks like some kind of gross white vomit.  As we go to another part of the playground I see several other moms glance down at the ground and make strange faces and gestures.  Sorry!  What can I do about chewed up cheese goo?  Nothing!  So, I try to feed Ellie while the kids play at the park.  Halfway through Jaylyn tells me her tummy hurts and she has to potty.  Ok, Ellie and Jaxon in the stroller; Jaylyn and I running to the bathroom.  Ohh, sorry!  That bathroom is closed for cleaning!  Look, I don’t care HOW dirty it is.  We got to go!!!  So I have to run to the front of the zoo, exit, use the restroom out there, and reenter the zoo and go back to the playground.  Sheesh!

Then we go ride the train.  Nope, my husband took my cash out of my wallet and I’m completely broke!  So I put the 3 dollar train ticket on my card and we finally get on the train.  Ellie’s still in her carrier and I’m trying to corral the other two and get them on the train.  It’s very hard to chase a running toddler with a baby strapped to your front!  So, we ride the train, which I hate by the way.  It’s slow and boring and has tiny tiny wooden benches with even less leg room.  Not fun for parents!  Even short parents like me!  Ellie decides to fuss for the ENTIRE 15 minute ride.  We’re in the caboose and the people in the car in front of us turn around about every 4 seconds to stare at us.  Not nice!  I am trying to talk to Jaylyn who has not shut her mouth once, trying to keep Jaxon actually IN the train and seated as he thrusts his arms and legs through the bars, and sits on the floor trying to crawl under the seats, or stands on the benches trying to touch the ceiling.  I’m also bouncing up and down and wiggling back and forth on the seat to keep Ellie from screaming at the top of her lungs.  (She’s crying because she’s tired, by the way.  I’m tired too, but why don’t I get to cry?)

We made it home and had lunch and survived rest time.  I took a nap!  Thank you! 

For the evening I took the kids to my parents’ house and to the splash pad, so Justin could do some studying.  We took my mom’s little neighbor boy to help us and my mom kept Ellie so I could have slightly better odds and a much easier parent to child ratio.  Jaylyn and the little boy play in the splash pad while Jaxon continually wanders off.  He plays in the little picnic pavilion, he plays with the fence, he plays with the park benches, he walks back and forth across the bridge.  Ahh!!  Then the kids decided they wanted to dry off and play in the park.  I realize that at this point, Jaxon has a dirty diaper.  So I have to haul everyone and our towel bags back to the car to change him and help everyone else into dry clothes.  We then make it to the park.  I’m swinging Jaylyn on the swing and I keep smelling this horrible smell.  It smells like dirty diapers and it seems to be wherever I am at the moment.  I look down at my shirt—soaked.  I sniff it.  Yup, I’m covered in poop juice!  When I picked Jaxon up at the splash pad (who was soaking wet), the combo of poopy diaper + completely soaking wet diaper and swim suit, left me with a very wet poop juice shirt.  Nice!  Now I smell like poop!  Everyone can smell me.  Seconds after I realize that I am in fact the smelly problem, Jaxon is crying.  He fell off the slide and cut his lip.  This is fat lip number 8 I think.  I don’t know, he has one about every other week.  Ok, time to go home.  We’re bloody and stinky and I have had enough!  We cruise home with every window down so I don’t pass out from the stench of my shirt.  Ohh, it was a long day. 

Motherhood, it can be so hard (I’m not denying it’s rewarding), but some days………….wow.

“Mommy, I’m sorry for line-ing.”

What is line-ing?  Then I realized, line-ing is a combination of lying and whining……..two of our struggles lately.  She was just apologizes for whichever one she had done that evening……convenient.

Two nights ago I had a melt-down………it all started with blueberry coffee cake.  Justin had mentioned that he’d been wanting blueberry coffee cake for breakfast again.  So, I planned it on the calendar.  We had some craziness pop up, so that morning was an oatmeal morning, and I rescheduled the coffee cake.  Then we had more craziness, so I rescheduled.  Then, it didn’t happen again.  I had planned to make the coffee cake 3 or 4 different times, but I never got to it.  That night, I just lost it.  I did not understand why I could not find time to make a dumb coffee cake.  Then it made me think of other things……..I had not ironed in 3 weeks.  Or mopped in at least that long.  I needed to vacuum, not to mention, cleaning the bathrooms or changing the sheets, again…..I cannot keep up!!!  We had taken about 2 weeks off school for the 4^th of July holiday, visits from family, and then the general craziness and recovery from our two ER visits.  But I want to be consistent!! 

I plan, I write things down, I make lists, and still I seem to always be behind.  One homeschool book that I read a year ago, said that you have to be at peace with the fact that your home will look “lived in.”  My home has always looked “lived in,” but I don’t want it to be a disaster area!  Should I just learn to relax and accept the clutter and messiness?  I don’t think I can!

So, I’ve tried to do better.  I only check my email once or twice during the day, I NEVER turn the TV on, I try to use every spare second for something—without sacrificing my play time and school time with the kids.  But somehow, something always goes wrong.

I had some spare moments this morning so I started on dinner preparations.  I was doing all of this while talking to my friend in India over the computer.  She probably thought I was crazy as she watched me run around my kitchen preparing a one course dinner, looking more like I was Iron Chef America (minus the Sous Chefs, clean up crew, and clean outfits).  I was so proud that I was able to put some things in the fridge for later.  I even cleaned up the dishes!!!  I didn’t quite get to the counter tops though.  Can I be honest?  Sometimes I only wipe them down once a day.  Between 3 meals and 2 snacks a day, they get pretty messy but I was spending so much time cleaning them. 

Anyway, I finished meal prep, fed Ellie while playing ball with Jaxon, and then went to change Ellie’s diaper.  Suddenly, it was too quiet.  I walked through the house as quietly as I could.  I knew Jaxon was up to no good, but I wanted to catch him in the act so I could know what he was doing.  Calling for him would have made him run from what he was doing……..when that happens, sometimes I never know what he was doing until I later find the glue stick with no lid or the pencil marks all over the cabinet.  Then I heard water, splashing, sloshing.  It was coming from the bathroom.  There’s only one place he can get to water in the bathroom…..the toilet!  Ahh!  Sure enough, there was Jaxon, happily standing in the dark bathroom in front of the toilet.  He had thrown his balls into the toilet and was watching them bob around like little buoys.  Then he would take them out and throw them around the room, slinging water from floor, to mirror, to cabinets; he even managed to slosh water down the hall and into his room!  So, I had to put Ellie down and listen to her fuss while I cleaned up Jaxon, the floor, counters, cabinets, and try to blot some of the water out of the carpet.  Now, please keep in mind that I had just cleaned the bathroom from floor to ceiling the day before!!!!!!

If I spend all my morning playing with the kids, doing schooling, and keeping a constant eye on them, I get nothing done around the house and you can definitely tell.  By naptime the house is a wreck!!!  But if I actually try to pick up or accomplish anything in the morning and take my eyes off of them for more than 2 seconds, I usually pay dearly for it.    

So my question is this:  Am I more ahead now because I put dinner together and put it in the fridge?  Or, am I actually more behind, because I had to clean the bathroom and floors again?  Is it better to have lots dedicated play time with the kids?  Or should you attempt to keep up the house at the same time?  Where is the balance?

5 AM-Get up with Ellie

6:30 AM-Get up for real………..

7 AM-Pack the diaper bag and make breakfast

7:15 AM-Dress children and load the car

7:35 AM-Hit the road for the zoo with PB and J waffle sandwiches, orange juice, and squeezable applesauce.  Great car breakfast!!!  Listen to Beach Boys all the way!!

8 AM-Unload the ridiculous amount of gear for a morning zoo trip.

8:15 AM-Meet Grandma DiDi at the entrance and head in to the zoo.

Visit the lions and tigers.  All four nearly-grown lion cubs were out and resting on their rock ledge.  One was lying in the grass waiting to pounce on something……..that something turned out to be Jaylyn.  Just as she turned away from the glass to get a drink, the lion pounced at the glass wall.  I almost had a heart attack.   Then to the Cat Forest to see the tiger!  He was out and pacing for his breakfast.  He let out lots of loud and scary growls as he waited for his keeper.  Jaxon was terrified and Jaylyn went back and forth between being scared of the tiger to wanting to keep watching the tiger. 

9 AM-Ellie is hungry.  Head to the park in the zoo to feed Ellie while the kids play like crazy.  Ellie decides to fall asleep on the way to the park. 

9:30 AM-Decide to ride the train.  Ellie eats her breakfast while we ride the little red train around the African exhibit.  Zoo guests stop to take pictures of the train……..I’m so glad they took pictures of me nursing Ellie!  Great, thanks!

10 AM-Back to the park.  Then to the potty.  Then back to the park. 

10:30 AM-Grandma DiDi hits her head at the park and has to leave.  She goes to the hospital.  I take my crazy crew home because we would not be any help in the ER.

11:30 AM-We’re finally home and unloaded.  I begin making lunch.  The kids amazingly play in Jaylyn’s room without fighting for almost 30 minutes.  I use that time to start on dinner too! 

Noon-Lunchtime!

12:30 PM-Naptime! And time to feed Ellie yet again.

1:30 PM-Then it’s rest time for everyone.  Dinner prep is in full swing and then I tackle laundry and cleaning up the house.

3:30 PM-Ellie is hungry!

4 PM-Everyone is awake and not in the best mood.  But Dad walks in the door a little early!  Yay for Dad!

4:30 PM-The kids are wrestling with Dad while I’m trying to get a few things done around the house.  Dad becomes the beast and Jaylyn is Beauty while Jaxon is Prince Charming and Gaston at the same time.  He’s very talented!  Jaylyn insists that Dad talk in his “beast voice.”  They raid the drawers for kitchen towels and chip clips to make capes.  Dad dons his beach towel cape, turns off all the lights, grabs the flashlight, and they all explore the “west wing” of our “castle.” 

5 PM-I pack our swim bag and start getting dinner ready.

5:30 PM-Dinnertime!

6 PM-Clean up and play time. And time to feed Ellie again!

7 PM-Swim time with friends!  Jaxon keeps falling over in the kiddie pool.  His swim vest makes him float but he can’t get upright in the water.  “Stuck stuck!”  Ellie and I help him up.  He does this over and over again.  Why doesn’t he learn???  Then I end up in the big pool with Ellie, trying to keep Jaxon upright in his swim vest.  Jaylyn and another little girl fight over the boat floatie. 

8 PM-Head home!  Learn that Grandma DiDi is still feeling very sick.  Rush home and drop off Dad with Jaylyn and Jaxon.  Dad is in charge of getting them to bed.  (In the morning I discover that Jaxon is sound asleep in his bed……..fully clothed.  Oh well, at least he’s not wearing shoes!)  Ellie and I head to DiDi’s to take her back to the ER.  Pops drives in from out of town to meet us there.  Several of my uncles meet us there to help us get inside.  After another CT scan, DiDi is told she has a severe concussion.  Pops takes her home and has to wake her up every hour or two.  It’s going to be a long night for them!

10 PM-I leave the ER to head home with Ellie.

10:30 PM-I arrive home to a fairly clean house and a yummy snack prepared by my hubby who takes the tired baby to bed!

11 PM-Bedtime for me!  I am so exhausted!!!! 

Life is so crazy!  And as a side note:  DiDi has recovered and is doing much better!  But that was a scary day!!!  We’ve had two ER visits in about two weeks I think, between Jaxon’s toe and DiDi’s concussion.  I’m really getting to know the area hospitals well!

We took a recent field trip to the splash pad.  So fun!!!

Jaylyn wasn't too sure at first.

Then she changed her mind.

Ellie was very content to watch.

Hmmm, who is this?

The towel monster!

And I realize there are no pictures of Jaxon.  He would not hold still enough for me to get a picture of him without soaking the camera.  But he was indeed there!  I have not yet forgotten a child...........we do have a No Child Left Behind policy in our homeschool!

Jaylyn and I made a Father's Day card.  She made tissue paper flowers and we poked brads through the center to put them on the card because she wanted flowers.  Then I asked her how she knew her Daddy loved her.  She had some pretty cute responses.  Next, I asked her favorite thing about Daddy.  She answered that question and then told me her least favorite thing about him.  Then we ended the card with his title "Handsome King."  The card was so cute!

And while we're talking about the Handsome King, can someone please explain to me why I'm either the wicked stepmother or the (old and rather chubby) fairy godmother?