I wish

Last night I was assembling lunches for the next day- 7 of them, and Oliver was watching from the bar stools. Jonathan, Caroline and Charles were just hanging around getting water and talking. Somehow the fact that Jon was at school came up. Oliver said, "Poor dad has to go to work and school. Mom only has to make lunches everyday and go to bed."

Random, very random...

We have a LOT of laundry. I'm not entirely certain where it comes from, or why it must be done so often. The whole food and laundry thing is rather time consuming around here. I'm looking forward to summer if for no other reason than everyone wears less and no socks!

Jon and I spent all day Saturday working at our desks. Jon settled in at the desk in "Grandpa's room" (although my dad has now been gone for over a week), and enjoyed peace and quiet while doing homework and business work. I was the less fortunate one in the kitchen eating area where my much nicer roll top desk rests, but where children and all their noise also resides. I should have put in my ipod. What was I thinking. I was busy working as fast as I possibly could on pro-life stuff, writing articles, etc. The down side of all this was that no one was taking out the garbage, doing the dishes, cleaning the bathrooms and folding laundry.

When the sun began to set, Jon put his work away and started cutting hair attached to our 4 little boys. They had serious homeschool hair going on. Yikes! I decided that I should also call it quits and start working on the vast quantity of dishes stacked up in the sink from breakfast and lunch.

When our tasks were done, Jon decided it was a night for Golden Corral. So off we headed even though it was after 8pm. Everyone else in Kennesaw was also eating late as the place was packed! The kids, who now eat like total and complete hogs, went through an astonishing amount of food followed by several icecream cones each. After Gabriel and Oliver had filled their little tummies, they curled up in their chairs and went to sleep. Jon and I realized that we had forgotten to put them down for naps! We had to shake them awake for icecream, since I knew I didn't want to hear them fuss about it on the drive back home. We pulled into the driveway after 9, and the kids couldn't climb into bed fast enough.

Vivian is really talking. She says "It hurts my hair" when I'm brushing her hair, or asks "Where keys? In purse?" and mimics everything the rest of us say. It is SO cute. We have to give her lots of squeezes. She is the most adorable on Sundays, because she wears this krinoline slip that is all ruffly and poofy under her dresses. With her little prissy white sweater, her saddle oxford shoes, and her hair in pigtails, she looks to be fresh off Leave It To Beaver or some other similar show. We end up leaving her in her Sunday clothes for the day because she's so nice to look at. :-)

I went to go visit my friend in the hospital today. She gave birth to her ninth child yesterday. This is my friend who trained me in the art of sidewalk counseling in front of abortuaries. I sat down to talk with her and in walks her doctor, Dr. Tate. Well, it just so happens that Dr. Tate did not deliver any of my babies (much to his annoyance) but he circumcised all my boys. Chiefly because he is a good Jewish doctor, and that is just the sort of man I want dealing with that part of the anatomy of my children. Anyway, my girlfriend and her husband were a commercial of praise for Dr. Tate. He's only delivered their last child so the other 8 were with various physicians and midwives around Atlanta. We all settled into a very interesting and widely varied conversation for nearly 3 hours. Upon parting ways I did promise Dr. Tate that should I have any more children, he can have the honor of delivering. He was pleased about that.

Vivian is sitting in my lap as I'm typing this. She frequently insists upon sitting here when I'm working away at something. She chatters, sips her drink, and holds her blankey. Her favorite thing is to walk around the downstairs and eat at the same time. This does not coincide with my favorite things so she doesn't get to do it very often.

Family with Flu

We all went through the flu for two weeks. It was really dreadful. What is a million times worse than personally having the flu, is having your spouse and six children having it at the same time. We were all worn out, miserable and crabby.

One afternoon, Oliver dragged himself to the nursery and climbed into Charles bed. We found him hours later, sound asleep, sheets and clothing soaked. Jon was very frustrated. He woke up Oliver and said, "why didn't you get into your own bed?" Oliver's mattress is covered in plastic, and Charles' is not. Oliver mumbled some vague response about not wanting to mess up his own bed. I'm guessing he just didn't have the energy to put on a pull-up. Jon pulled Oliver off the bed and he stood there soaked and dejected while Jon stripped the bedding and carried it downstairs to the washer.

I went over to Oliver and began pulling off his clothes. He looked at me mournfully and said," It is very hard to be small, because whenever you go to sleep, you pee."

In other news, Charles lost a tooth. I had to yank it out after two meals of hearing him fuss that he couldn't eat with the loose tooth. I took all I could, then escorted him to the den, where napkin in hand I pulled the tooth. Charles was a bit panicked, but also curious. The front root on the little tooth was ridiculously long, and clearly to blame for causing such problems. Charles received $12 from his Mormor, and I bought him a wallet to hold the money. Oliver received a wallet and a couple dollars too, and when I say we are heading to the Capitol, everyone is eager to offer their money for parking. :-)

Now I get to park in legislative parking so parking is finally free!!

Mind tricks

This afternoon in the school room I laughed right out loud following these events recorded just as they occurred.

I entered the bright school room, which is now, thanks to my dad, freshly painted, with a great big bookshelf along one wall, laden with antique leather bound volumes, and the school desks line up in front of the windows. The entire air of the room is wholly inspiring: the sunshine coming in, unhindered by blinds or curtains, bookshelves to the right and left, bright yellow paint on the walls and white trim. Jonathan sat at his desk thumbing through his World History volume, pausing here and there to take notes with a dutiful air. I stood and observed him for a moment, with a book in my hand.

"What are you reading?" Jonathan asked as he looked up. "Pavlov," was the answer. "I've decided that in order to insure positive results in my parenting style, I should turn to mind control." Jonathan grinned broadly and replied," The Jedi teach us that only the weak minded are influenced by mind control. I would say Caroline will prove your most responsive subject."

Sick kids

Late yesterday afternoon Caroline came crying to the top of the stairs. I was, of course as you may have guessed, seated at my desk working on the computer. Caroline said as she came down," I just threw up!" I considered that momentarily and then asked," Did you reach the toilet?" to which she responded," Yes."

I was relieved. "Well, then, congratulations, you just earned $2." Caroline seemed to brighten up considerably. I continued," Would you like it now or later?" The tears were gone now. "I'll take it now, please," she said with a hint of a smile. A good Capitalist can appreciate money even when throwing up.

This morning I had to forego going to the Capitol because Caroline is still quite sick, and now Gabriel has a fever and mopey disposition. Jonathan decided at 10:30am that he needed a snack. So he started munching pistachios at the counter. "Hand me that bag," I ordered, still typing rapidly. "What's the magic word?" He replied not moving from the counter. "Give them to me now or I'll kick you in the shins," came my ready response. "When someone asks that nicely, how can you refuse them?" He said to no one in particular handing me the bag. It occurred to me that Lucy and Linus had a similar conversation once upon a time concerning a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Yikes! I was Lucy.

Anyone still out there?

I have not updated this blog in over a month! So for any of you that may still be out there, I thought I would jot down a few things.

Vivian has come into her own realm. She is bossy, plays with her dollies and blankey almost all day, and enjoys taking toys from her siblings. She's also become a talented lobbyist at the Capitol, where she makes friends with the legislators, secretaries and security guards, showing them her fetal babies, and allowing the guards to pull on her pigtails and ask her questions. When forced to sit in the carrier pack she spends her time waving at everyone with a big smile saying "hi!". I've noticed when I go to the Capitol alone, though I enjoy it more, I don't get near the same amount of attention.

Gabriel is in potty training mode. This is an exasperating process. Unfortunately, with boys, you can sit them on the toilet but that doesn't aim the equipment the right way. I have no patience for a kid sitting on a potty seat, peeing in a steady stream onto the floor in front of him while crying that it isn't going into the potty bowl. The command Gabriel hears most--"Be proactive!"

Oliver has discovered video games. This is a big temptation for me because it holds his attention for extended periods of time. Since lizards are currently not available in the back yard, and won't be until warmer weather arrives, this is the only activity that holds his attention for extended periods of time. I realized that I was going to have to stop indulging myself when one morning following breakfast, Oliver raced over to Gabriel and starting poking him. The squeals were readily forthcoming, and Oliver paused, turned to me and said," Should I go play video games, mom?"

Charles is his same old self plodding through life in his own reflective, logical sort of way. He enjoys his school work. When he gets really behind on sleep, he gets very sarcastic and slow. Last night he sat gazing at his dinner plate and rather than eating struck up a conversation with Caroline. It was already very late, so Grandpa (who is currently staying with us) said, " Charles stop talking and eat your dinner." Charles immediately got his obstinate sullen look. "What's your problem, Charles?" I asked. He muttered," You'd have a problem too if someone couldn't mind his own business and interrupted your conversation."

I must go, but shall be more faithful at posting.