Thursday Thirteen - Week #1

Thirteen Things I Love About My Kids

1. Madison's little patches of freckles on the tops of her cheekbones and nose.
2. The way Ryan whispers to his "mom dog" while fluffing the pillow and getting the blankets just right, right before falling asleep.
3. Morgan's favorite sayings "Peas can we...?" Peas can you lay with me, peas can we go swimming, peas can you help me? And "Peat after me..." when she wants to play repeating games.
4. When Connor was a baby, singing him to sleep when he was so incredibly tired and watching him shake his foot when he heard the black bird coming to "snip off her nose"!
5. Their ability to turn anything in the house into something completely different. ie: Legos stacked high become rockets and castles, but turned upside down they become drinking glasses and bowls for cereal. Books become serving trays at the restaurant, weebles become ice cream cones, kitchen chairs lined up become school buses or cars. The kitchen bench becomes bunkbeds. They make believe for hours!!!
6. The way Madison helps so much with Connor, making bottles and getting diapers.
7. The nightly ritual = Moochies, huggies, fives, fist bumps, finger bumps, "love you you're my best friend ever".
8. The fact that the nightly ritual has been shortened to moochies.
9. "Mommy, I wanna 'nuggle' you".
10. Their beautiful smiles.
11. Connor turning from a baby to a "little boy". Walking, talking, getting teeth, getting his own personality. I love it, but it makes me sad too.
12. Scratching Ryan's back when he can't (or won't) get to sleep.
13. "Mommy, I love you."

Where Does The Time Go??

I can't believe it, March is only moments from being over. Where does the time go? It seem like just yesterday that I contemplated what the New Year would hold for me and resolved to make it better than last year. Oh the "road to a better me" is paved with good intentions, that always seem to fall by the way side. The resolution I made for myself for 2010 was to spend 15-30 minutes a day purging things from my house (clothes, toys, junk, etc.). Here we are on the brink of April and I don't think I've purged anything yet! Where does the time go??

Nap Sweet Nap!

Nap
- verb
To sleep for a short time; doze
- noun
A brief period of sleep, especially one taken during daytime.

A nap is a short period of sleep, usually in the day time. Naps are frequently taken when one becomes drowsy during the day or otherwise wants to feel awake at a later period of time that day. It is common for small children to take frequent naps. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nap

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Now, we all know what a nap is. So it is with great happiness that I report I actually had one today (which is no easy task)! My four children sleep in one bedroom, so if one is not sleepy, that one usually will make it difficult for all to fall asleep. Today I used my baby as a weapon, telling the older kids that, "Connor is sooooo tired. He wants to go to sleep soooo bad and if you are not quiet, he won't get to sleep". I put Ryan, my four year old, and Morgan, my three year old in their beds, then put Connor in and told them that I didn't want to hear a sound. Madison, my five year old, and I were out on the couch. Not only did I not hear anything out of the bedroom, Madison laid quietly on her couch and watched a show while I fell into deep sleep! Four of us (Madison didn't sleep) actually got 2 and a half hours of sleep and it was delightful!!! Now, if I could just get that to happen everyday.

Music Monday

Just for fun, I thought I would look at the iTunes on my computer to see just which songs I listen to the most. Now, I don't listen to it very often so the number of times that each song was played, seemed low to me when I first looked. However, when I realized that I've listened to Hot Stuff by Diana Ross 24 times, it seemed a little high. Anyway, having said that here is the Top 10 songs on my iTunes, based on number of times played.

1. Dancing Queen - Abba (30 plays)
2. Livin' On A Prayer - Bon Jovi (29 plays)
3. Ain't No Other Man - Christina Aguilera (27 plays)
4. Keep the Faith - Bon Jovi (26 plays)
5. Crazy in Love - Beyonce (25 plays)
6. The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down - Joan Baez (25 plays)
7. Dangling Conversation - Joan Baez (25 plays)
8. Hot Stuff - Diana Ross (24 plays)
9. Wanted Dead Or Alive - Bon Jovi (24 plays)
10. North Country Blues - Joan Baez (24 plays)

Looking back at the list, it occurs to me that if I sit down to my computer and begin playing iTunes from the top, than the only artist in my top 10 list would start at the top of the alphabet! Maybe I should try listening randomly instead of straight down the list! Maybe I'll do that this week and next week post an updated list.

Looking Toward Tomorrow

Have you ever heard of a Haiku? I remember learning about them while studying Poetry in Literature class, in about the 4th or 5th grade. I can remember thinking that they were so simple to write because they didn't have to rhyme. They could be about anything, but the were supposed to have 17 syllables, 5 in the first line, 7 in the second and 5 in the third. After enduring a cold and rainy day today, I came up with this Haiku.

Spring sun where are you?

How I long to feel your warmth.

Hurry spring hurry!