It's Over!

It's that time of year again! Parents all over are breathing a sigh of relief. March Break is over and the children have returned to school! Although I am glad to have some normality return to my life, I find myself missing those guys. What funny little people they are, my two, with their constant chatter and horrid attempts at knock-knock jokes! Terran with his running commentary of everything skateboarding related, and Madeline with her quirky sense of humor and contagous laugh. I find myself watching the clock until they come bursting through the door again, covered in mud, complaining of hunger pains and lack of anything decent in the house to eat for snack. I have to prepare myself for this on most days, dreading the sound of the bus pulling away from my driveway, but today I am looking forward to hearing about their days. What has changed so much?

Our life this last week has been hectic, but in a strangely satisfying way. We have survived the fevers, runny noses, endless trips to friends houses and the movie store, and a Candy-Free Easter holiday with all our feelings intact. Something like that doesn't happen very often. They played. They ate. They told jokes, giggled, and watched tasteless movies. They groaned over the dog puke and gagged over the smelly diapers. Connor loved the attention he got from his older siblings, and I loved getting to know them a little better. I did not realize that my son had a huge crush on a girl from his old school. I was not aware that my daughter was such a bad joke teller. (although I did suspect this for some time!) I loved having them home this last week, filling the house with kid noises.

As much as I enjoyed the week, I am also enjoying having my alone time back with Connor. I find we both missed this, and he seemed to be a little jealous ond overwhelmed with the constant whirlwind of activity. I look forward to getting back to the business of normal living again. And nap time... I'm really looking forward to nap time again!

Nothin' But Blue Skies

I have always been a believer in the power of positive thinking. Not that I pratice it as often as I should, but I feel everyone who generally has a positive outlook on their situation tends to handle things better. Sometimes I just need a gentle reminder of this.
When I awoke this morning, my room was awash in the beautiful red, pink and purple glow of the sunrise. Normally the alarm would go off, rudely suggesting the beginning of another day, but not this morning. Today was different. I woke easily from a dreamless sleep, and opened my eyes to discover the brilliance that was streaming into my window. "Wow" I whispered in awe, as I nudged Levi awake, so he too could enjoy this.
It was then that I realized that something felt different. We were alone in the big bed. Connor had slept all night in his own bed! And his fever of six days had finally, finally broken. I wanted to weep with joy.
Spring is in the air. I am loved, and have many to love. And I am reminded once again that the beauty of life is in the everyday things that surround us.

Home

There are days that you wish could last forever, and then there are days that you wish you could just stay in bed until it's over. I never really understood this concept until I became a mother. On the good days, the children are playing together, the signifigant other tells you how much he appreciates you, and all is generally right with the world. The bad days are a little harder to take, but you do it because you have to. On Tuesday, I took the baby to the doctor. He had a fever of 104 for about four days, and he was showing no sign of getting any better. At the doctor's office, there was a mother, who, much like me, looked like she hadn't slept in a few nights. She was pressing her lips to the head of her feverish little baby, consoling her, and trying not to cry. I could relate to her overwhelming fatigue, and see her sense of helplessness as she held her child. I looked down at my own armful, and felt tears stinging my eyes. Perhaps it was the sleep deprived state that I was in, but most likely it was the tiny little person with the hot dry skin and the glassy eyes staring back at me, totally dependant on me to help him feel better. He is still too young to tell me what he needs, but he was finding comfort in my arms. Occasionally, he would whimper "mum" and snuggle closer, as if to make sure I was still there. He eventually fell asleep.
Later that evening, as Levi (my hubby-to-be) and I lay on the couch, I found myself snuggling deeper into his warm embrace. My tears were threatening to find their way to the surface. As if he could read my heart, he simply kissed the top of my head and whispered "It was a hard day for you, wasn't it?" I just nodded, and savored every moment of being there in his arms. Everything would be all right. He understood, and there was no need for words. Was this how Connor had felt earlier that day? Safe? Loved? Understood? I sincerely hope so. I mean, isn't this what love is all about- the feeling of being home?

Here we go!

Hi there! Welcome to a little piece of my world. I've named it after some of my favorite things: the hugs and kisses I get from my kids. You know the kind... the sticky kisses that you get after your two year old has been drooling on a sucker for the last half hour... the hugs with the chubby little arms wrapped around your neck, sometimes cutting off your air supply... those kind. This blog isn't going to be entirely about my kids, it will mostly be my ponderings, rants, and just, well... the stuff that is going on in the life of a mom with three kids and a dog that pukes a lot. Seriously. Like everyday. But anyways, here it is, and I hope that you enjoy.