Three Kids and a Dog

Monday, January 26, 2015

Stunks and Glitter Boxes

Peyton loves animals. Ask her what she wants to be when she grows up and she confidently and quickly replies "a pet walker. "

Ah, dear girl, you don't have to go to college to be a pet walker. "How about just walking your own pets?" I replied. She thought about this for a moment and then said but mom, I want a cat and you don't walk cats! She then went on to tell me that cats just need a "glitter box" to go to the bathroom in. A glitter box! She obviously meant a litter box but I like glitter box so much better!

Her love for animals doesn't discriminate either. She has 31 stuffed animals on her bed (Austen said he counted) and she dresses them all up in her doll clothes. So her dolls are all naked but her furry stuffed animals are dressed in tutus, ball gowns and sports uniforms. She loves them all even the stunk. Yes, the stunk. This is what Peyton thinks a black and white animal who sprays people is called.  Actually, I like stunk even better than skunk!

I am glad Peyton loves animals. As long as she doesn't become some crazy cat lady! 


Sunday, January 18, 2015

It's Snow Joke

Snow. Adler loves it. Almost as much as sand. Now that I'm home during the day, Adler gets let out a lot more than she used too. I can't believe she used to hold it for as long 9.5 hours. But, she's old now and she deserves to go out a lot more often. So it's lucky that ever since I had Hailey that someone has been around during the day to let her out. Besides she has a decent size backyard so no one has to physically take her out. But, I guess she must be missing her winter walks because now she stands at the door multiple times a day begging with her eyes to go out. It's gotten a little ridiculous! Mostly because I'm tired of wiping her down every time she has to come back in. There's a lot of dog there!

She can spend up to 20 minutes in the yard and I'm always curious about what she's doing out there so I venture upstairs to Austen's room where I can better see the entire backyard. Sometimes she's frolicking in the snow digging it up with her nose and eating it while other times she's laying smack dab in the middle of the backyard looking around at all the creatures that dare brave these cold winter days. I let her stay out for as long as I think is good for her in freezing temps or until I have to pick someone up from someplace or drop someone somewhere. I worry sometimes that I will forget her out back but usually when she's had enough before I've thought to go get her, I'll see her waiting patiently by the back door. And, if I have taken longer than I should to notice she's there, she'll lay down by the back door.

I am glad she's enjoying her golden years. I'm glad I'm home for these golden years. So I'll stop complaining about wiping her paws if I can keep her here on Earth with us for another six years. Yes, please.


Sunday, January 11, 2015

Eight

At 12:43 pm, eight years ago on this day, I became a mom. So today, I celebrate my first born who has been part of our family for eight years. Somehow it seems like just yesterday that the doctor was telling me there was no way I was going to have this kid and I looked up at him and said, "I am not a wimp and this hurts so something is happening!" He gave me a shot of morphine and sent me to a room. Three hours later I was 8cm dilated with no epidural! I think I was right. Damn resident. 
Anyway, Austen changed my life. He made me a mom by name but he really taught me how to be a mom. (Actually, I'm still learning and will continue to learn until I am no longer on this Earth). So thank you and Happy Birthday Austen. May you always believe in yourself and know how much I love that you are my first born, my only son and the one that I rely on to pull it together for the other two when needed. I love that you are sensitive to other people's feelings, are addicted to sports (watching and playing - although I prefer not in the house!), enjoy reading, love building with Legos, help your sisters, think Peyton is hilarious, play lovingly with Hailey and Adler and just genuinely have a good heart. 

Happy birthday buddy.




Monday, January 05, 2015

Exhausting

That's what people don't tell you about Disney World. Early mornings, late nights and lots of walking. It's kind of like Europe for kids. And, of course it costs a fortune if you're going to do it right so you had better maximize your time there which means spending as much time as you can at each of the parks.

We had a four-day park hopper and I honestly can say by day four I had had enough. I actually probably had enough at day one but that was probably due to lack of sleep, early morning travel and my kids whining that they wanted to go to the pool or buy toys at the gift shops. They weren't all that interested in the rides as they were too scared of most of them. We had to force them to go on the ones we had fast passes for often tricking them into it. Peyton was so scared by Mickey's Magic show that she was shaking as she sat on my lap asking me when it was going to be over. (It was far from scary although the theater was dark and it was in 3D so things popped out at us.) I did actually get her to do It's a Small World which she loved and made us do twice. Both of them also rode the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (a family roller coaster) but that was day four and somehow they warmed up to the parks by then. Maybe it was because I worked pool time into our day.

So for someone who never drank the Disney Kool Aid and for the record, I am still not, here's what I will say about it...I did it. Check. I won't go back. Mostly because I think my kids would have enjoyed a beach vacation over walking 30 miles in four days. Too bad for Hailey because she won't remember it but she was the one I actually got a kick out of watching enjoy it. She was scared of the characters like the princesses and the beast who approached her but she squealed with delight at the Lion King show and rides like the tea cups, It's a Small World and the Carousel. She was just such fun to watch. *(Maybe I'll go on the Disney Cruise for you, Hailey.)

When all is said and done, we did make a lot of memories including celebrating Peyton's 5th birthday there. She got all made up for her dinner with the princesses that night.



Meeting the characters - note Hailey's head whipping around so fast!




The rides - these pictures made me laugh out loud! My kids were so terrified. 



 Posing for some fun "magic shots."