Once Upon a Mattress

Once upon a time there were three boys. A big boy, a middle boy and a not so wee baby boy. The boys were happy and mostly got along but their world was about to change and they don’t seem to like change.

The not so wee baby boy slept in a playpen since the day he was born and now being two sun cycles old he was out growing his “bed”.

The Middle boy slept on a the bottom of a shiny silver bunk bed. He loved this bunk because he could make forts and hide flashlights. He could stay up very late without getting in trouble.

The big boy was a top dweller and desperately wanted his own room with his own bed. Alas his parent could not accommodate his request, for the extra rooms were already occupied.

One day their wicked and selfish mother realized she wasn’t sleeping at night because the not so wee baby boy needed a new place to sleep. So out of her own need for restful zzzzs she went in pursuit of a mattress and a box spring.

The big boy seeing this as an opportunity to further his cause, restated his request with a slight modification. He wanted the new bed. After much discussion a bargain was struck. Only upon excellent condition of the mattress, would he be able to have a new bed. Chances were very low as she was purchasing used goods.

The day of the exchange came and the playpen was packed away and the room organized for the arrival of said mattress. The goods were picked up and in excellent condition. The Big boy won…or did he?

Bed made, pajamas on, the boys made ready to rest. Then suddenly…. Tears! The not so wee baby wished to sleep where is former bed was and yet was not used to wide open spaces. The middle boy, reveling in his new found grown-up-ness earlier was now lamenting the loss of, and I quote, “The only bed I have ever known.” The oldest boy was sad as he was not in his new bed enjoying the luxury of a well maintained mattress. Oh the horror.

The selfish mother needing a good nights rest struck another deal. Tonight everyone will sleep where they are, and on the morrow all will change and all will like it.

And they did. Sort of.

The End

Phase 10

My oldest tweedle is 10. He has officially entered the double digits and tweenhood. He is more opinionated and independent, just like any 10 year old should be, but sometimes he still likes to cuddle his mom. You didn’t hear that from me.

For his birthday I took four boys to Calaway Park, again. We spent 4 hours there and everyone was so well behaved. I would’ve posted pictures but I forgot my camera and my phone doesn’t upload to a mac. We went mini golfing and he won. We went on a lot of rides and enjoyed the mist in the amazing maze. It was hot out.

We went out for lunch and ate burgers a la Wendy’s. This gave me a bit of rock gut, but whatever. Might explain why my energy level was in the toilet so low.

Everyone was so generous. I even had a running friend donate a bike to the cause. He enjoys riding it so much. He also asked for pit stick deodorant. We spent 15 minutes smelling different ones and got him a not so cologne smelling one. He doesn’t stink yet, but, he had his maturation unit a month ago and was so excited for his body to change. I thought why not. That way I avoid the awkward “Son when you get older, your sweat gland start to produce and odor…like they are right now.” conversation. No one likes to be told they stink. However, if I DO please tell me I’d rather know.

All in all good birthday, good friends, good times and good cupcakes.

Earth Sandwich

When Tweedle D was the age of Tweedle 3 he was in the hospital for observation. He was there for about 5 days. They wanted to see how he ate, measure his food and run a whole gamut of tests for he was classified as Failure to Thrive or in other words losing weight. I stayed with Tweedle D pretty much the whole time. I slept at the hospital, ate at the hospital, played at the hospital for I had nothing much else to do. Mr. Wonderful would come in the mornings sometimes and after work, bring me some dinner. When he left for the night our little family would have a family prayer and then a group hug. It started out being called “Group Hug”, but then as the days progressed it evolved in to a “Tweedle D sandwich” (parents on the outside, kid in the middle)

When Tweedle E was old enough he got his own sandwich and again with Tweedle 3.

This morning as the boys were getting ready to go, we hugged each other and said “Earth Sandwich.”

Unfortunately, that was all we did today for Earth Day. It snowed and the plans to spend an hour removing garbage got garbaged. Next year I plan to make these, if I can figure out how to make them more globe-like. Just so you don’t think I am lame, that will also be on top of the garbage cleaning.
Have you hugged your Earth today?

9 years

I’m not old enough to have a nine year old and yet I do. I’m ok with being married for a decade but when you factor the age of my first born I feel so much older. Tweedle D has gotten so big and mature I really rely on him a lot. Maybe more than I  should. I also expect a lot from him. Again maybe more than I ought too. He helps me with the other boys and takes on more than his share of responsibility, but I cannot go to the mens room and Tweedle E cannot go to the ladies room.

Along with this responsibility has come a increased desire for independence. I think its the odd number thing. At age 1 your baby wants to eat by himself, at age 3 they want to control their surroundings (toys, clothes etc.) at age 5 they think they can go off a little by themselves because they go to school and a little sass comes in. Age 7 was pretty ok but I was pregnant through it and missed a lot so I could be wrong. Age 9, well age 9 is a great quest for independence with a side of a little sass. I love my boy I really do and I’m not trying to complain, I’m just laying it out. When He see something as unfair (unequal) sometimes it can hit the fan. Those of you who know Tweedle D are probably thinking “that doesn’t sound like him.” and you are right. Truthfully he is only like this about 3% of the time (once a month). Hmmmmm. 

As for things he likes Tweedle D favorites are:

Food: Rice

Colour: Red

Sport: Soccer

Music: Hot Cross Buns

Song: I had a Little Chicken (see Chicken Abuse)

Present: A surprise phone call from his best friend overseas. Thanks Schacks. I was crying in the kitchen when that happened.

Speaking of Presents Tweedle D got a soccer ball, a nerf frisbee football, a CTR pillow case, $20, and his second favorite soccer cleats. Here are some pictures from the day and just so you know the cupcakes had candle that burned the same colour as their wax. The pictures just doesn’t do it justice.

S-O-C-C-E-R

Today was the first day of soccer camp on the hottest day of the year so far. Thankfully they are only in the morning but by the time I came to pick them up they claimed:

“I am sweating my hair off” (Tweedle D)

“I am sweating to death” (Tweedle E)

Thankfully I got them in time. D still has hair and E is still with us. PHEW what a relief. 

I have to admit I was a little nervous leaving them for 3 hours with an unfamiliar group. E was so scared and shy. I told him I would stay until things got started. In the beginning they were to find and make their own group of three. One person was to be 5,6, or 7, the next was to 8,or 9 and the last was to be 10, 11 or 12. They clung to each other and had a bit of a time finding a third but they did and that is when I left. I did a drive by to make sure Tweedle E was enjoying himself and he was so I did too.

They are so excited to go tomorrow and are a little upset that I didn’t put them in full day. I hope the rest of the week go just as successfully.

Chicken Abuse

I think we sang this for an hour this morning:

I had a little chicken,

that wouldn’t lay an egg.

So I ran hot water up and down his leg.

I ran hot water up and down his leg.

The darn old chicken laid a boiled egg.

A boiled egg, a boiled egg,

The darn old chicken laid a boiled egg.

 

Other versions

Crayon – Coloured egg

Beater – Scrambled egg

Hot oil – Fried egg

Bunny – Easter egg

Coco bean – Chocolate egg

 

And brand new:

Hunter – Poached egg

The “Calm” After The Storm

For the last 2 weeks a cold has been running rampant through our house. Tweedle E was patient zero. Symptoms showed up in Tweedle D and Mr. Wonderful. Tweedle 3 is just getting over it. He had it the worst. I think he even got the croup. We spent yesterday in the shower, and pulled out the cold mist vapourizer. He actually slept, fitfully, through last night for which I am greatful. Unfortunatly now I am surrounded by the carnage.

There are dishes in the sink and the dishwasher. Mount Kilamin-laundy is outside my bathroom. My Livingroom is the site for which a clean laundy slide took out the lego village that my sickos used to entertain themselves. Those poor villagers. A rescue mission is underway, but alas I think it will be more of a recovery mission.

As you can tell I have a lot to do. I also need to get rid of a vintage coffee table and two matching end tables otherwise no christmas tree this year. My children say unacceptable (in a Super Nanny kind of voice). So I’m going to take a small break to put my life (my home) back together.

In the mean time Tweedle D has offered to make a guest post or two.He wants his own space to “blog”. He says it makes him feel big and grown up, but I am a little nervous about what he might put up so we compromised. He can post here and I can edit if needed. Also I can see if he is really serious about it instead of contributing to the dead site trash out there. Hint Hint Kenyon.

More Than Meets the Eye

Just rented transformers for my weekend of fun with the boys. I must admit that I wasn’t looking forward to watching this movie. I wasn’t ever in to transformers growing up, so multiple hours (because they will watch it more than once) was not my idea of fun. However a weekend of doing chores and hair and nails would not be fun for them either so we compromised. They got a movie and I got my toilet clean and my kitchen swept. Yay!

Back to the movie. I was pleasntly surprised that there was somewhat a plot. I found myself hoping the Marine would make it home to his baby (almost has nothing to do with the story but hey whatever gets me through right). Maybe the fact that the Marine was Josh Duhamel had something to do with it, but then again he dateth Fergie so maybe it didn’t.

About a half an hour from the end of the movie I was thinking “OK I get it they are robots and they fight ugh.” Then there were the “questionable” topics that came up like the “m” word. All I can say is that I’m grateful that my sons don’t know what that means nor did they seem to want to know.

All in all it was a better than ok movie and it will be going back tomorrow lest my boys all of a sudden attach themselves to the “m” word and I end up answering questions I’m not prepared to answer. I also need to remember that I am not the producers’ target audience.

I give it 3 1/2 * out of 5. Tweedle D gives it a 10 out of 5 and Tweedle E gives it a 70 out of 89. So there you go.

P.S my favorite line is at the beginning. “Look at those cheeks I just wanna chew on em” (Josh Duhamel’s character talking about his baby girl)

My Meal Plan A Family Affair

This is what we are having tonight. Tomorrow we are having Salmon with green beans and rice. Wednesday is beef on a bun with slaw. Thursday is leftovers. Since we are out of town this weekend (Canadian Thanksgiving) I don’t have to plan for Friday Saturday or Sunday.This is my quest to be more provident in my living. I need to spend less time and money on our food without sacrificing quality. Half the battle is figuring out what we are going to eat, the other is getting everything needed in one trip. If there was such a thing a 3 halves (not thirds, thirds are too small) the third half would be getting someone to make it for me but right now we tag team when not using the slowcooker and Tweedle D is helping too.