On Friday night we planned to meet up with friends for dinner and bowling to celebrate my husband's birthday. The babysitter was supposed to come at 6. We had to leave at 6:15 to meet our friends for a 6:30 dinner. By 5:45 I had everything set up for the kids. Dinner was being plated, diapers and PJs were laid out nicely. I had even cleaned my room so the sitter could actually get to Jon's bassinet without first having to swim in a sea of dirty yoga pants, socks, blankets, stuffed animals, and stray spatulas, butter knives, and other random kitchen utensils (aka: Ryan's "weapons").
At 6:10 the babysitter had yet to arrive. I shot her a quick text. Her reply. "Oh something happened and I can't make it. Sorry!"
Um. EXCUSE ME? SOMETHING HAPPENED?
She didn't even explain what it was. And I was too pissed to trust myself to text her back and ask. Unless that "something" involved body limbs being reattached at the ER, I'm pretty sure she's never being asked to babysit again (now that I think about it...maybe that was her goal all along?).
By 6:12 I had made an executive decision. The kids were coming with us! Best date night ever for the kids. During the car ride to our destination, I had the following conversation with Ryan:
"Mom, what happened to the babysitter?"
"She can't come today."
"Because she died?"
"No, she didn't die."
"Yes. She fell off a ladder and DIED!"
Well, there IS about a half hour of time for which I cannot account for Ryan's whereabouts on Friday afternoon. But no cops have stopped by yet.
And that's how we found ourselves at the bowling alley at 8:00pm... two lanes, one round of birthday Fireball shots, eight adults, and 2.5 children. The kids were actually pretty well behaved and we actually had some fun! I hate to admit it, but the thought DID cross my mind at least one time... "maybe we should cancel the babysitter more often?"
Saturday, my husband had some chores to do so I buckled up the kids and we went to a nearby indoor BMX track. Ryan used one of those strider (or "balance") bikes without pedals. Jacob got on a BMX bike, biffed it 30 seconds later and then refused to get on another one. The seats are super low on BMX bikes because you are supposed to stand up on them. Jacob just wasn't comfortable enough to ride standing up. After 20 minutes of him crying in the dirt, I brought him a big strider bike and he and Ryan rode around the track sans pedals. Ryan didn't even go down or up any hills and stayed on the straightaways. Plus he stopped every 30 minutes to sit down and eat snacks. We were an interesting sight.
Jacob, looking as fierce as possible without wheels
Ryan taking a "snack break"
His giant helmet makes him look like Toadstool
After that rough start, the kids had a BLAST. I had so much fun watching them. I never thought I'd be a BMX fan but I can totally see how a mother could get caught up in the excitement. Even though the excitement did involve several wipe-outs in the dirt. I guess getting dirty is half the fun. I love being a mother to all boys. Everyone automatically considers me to be some saintly, uber patient being when they see me with three little boys in tow. Honestly, I love every second and wouldn't want it any other way.
My Superheroes- pre-buzz cuts
Saturday night we had a sitter come over (she didn't bail!). My husband and I dressed up and walked downtown to a fundraiser auction event (the best part about our house is its location!). We enjoyed adult beverages and perused the silent auction items. I get really competative. At some point, I didn't even WANT the stupid toaster oven, I just hated being outbid (E-bay's "Buy It Now" button is my favorite. I get to be a winner every time!). I let the silent auction items slip away and it turned out to be a blessing. The live auction included a pair of tickets to a Seahawk game. Seats DIRECTLY behind the goalpost. And we WON them, for $500! We met up with the seller before the end of the night and he said he was trying to arrange for us to get on the field and meet some players too! AHHHHH! Now I have to practice my clandestine cheek-kissing. If I get to meet Russell Wilson, I'm totally gonna go for it.
Jon woke up this morning totally crabby. I have no idea what is going on. After an entire day of nonstop fussing, I took him to Urgent Care only to be sent back home without a diagnosis. I'm guessing it must be teething. None of my other kids were bothered by teething at all.
We were blessed with unusually warm weather this weekend. Today it got up to 60 degrees and Ryan and Jacob insisted on wearing shorts. I strapped the two youngest into my double stroller and enjoyed and awesome run in the glorious sun in a tank top and running shorts. I forgot how awesome warm weather is. I can't wait for spring!
These guys are the best running buddies!
After lunch today Jacob asked me if he could have a cookie. When I told him "no," he crossed his arms and shouted, "no one gives me respect around here. I'm leaving!" With that he put on his shoes and marched out the door. I let him cool off and watched from the window as he marched down the sidewalk and stopped right outside our property line. Ha ha ha! Two can play THAT game! I waited it out and he finally wandered back home to tell us that "next time, I'm leaving for REAL!"
Jacob and Ryan both got buzz cuts today. My babies look so old and grown up now! Ryan loves to rub his new do. But Jacob was mortified when he looked in the mirror. He scrutinized his image disapprovingly and exclaimed, "I can't go to school like this!!!" Needless to say, he refused to get in the picture.
Ryan is just a bubbling fountain full of questions and funny remarks. I love that kid. During dinner Jacob and my husband were making up jokes and Ryan, never one to be left out, chimed in with his own:
"Why did the kitty go down to the basement?"
"Why?"
"Because he wanted to go to the park!"
Each joke was a variation of a cat going to the basement. And after each one he would tilt his head back and roar in laughter.
At one point this weekend, I caught him playing with his McDonald's barbie. I asked him what he was doing and he said, "I'm playing with Barbie Robot." Um. Duh, mom.
Jacob lost his fifth tooth. The tooth is now sitting in a ziplock bag under his pillow. I hate the whole losing teeth thing. So gross. I can't even look at the darn thing. I'm pretty sure there's still some gum tissue stuck to the bottom of it. BLECH.
Before the end of the night, I put the kids into the bath. Ryan kept insisting that I squirt giant blobs of shampoo into his hand so that he could wash all of his body parts, separately but consecutively. I'm pretty sure we used 1/4 the bottle just on him. Each foot alone required at least a tablespoon of shampoo before it was scrubbed to his satisfaction.
During bath time the kids demonstrated once again why we do not need a pet dog. Jon is the pet of the family. Jacob and Ryan take great pleasure in bathing him, feeding him, petting him, walking him, teaching him to roll over, and bringing him "chew" toys (as my husband calls teething rings). Jon Jon is our puppy. And he's better than a puppy. Because he doesn't grow into a grown dog that licks faces and sniffs crotches (fingers crossed anyway).
All hail Pet Jon and his Onesie crown
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