Wet Shower

So far, so good.

Thomas seems to like his teacher. It's the first time he's had a male teacher and we're all hoping he'll give T the kick in the pants he needs. Thomas was finally diagnosed with ADHD a few months ago. We had such a hard time getting the dx because he's a smarty pants; his I.Q. is 122. So, when he gets bored at school, he gets silly. And we've been dealing with this since preschool. We're currently on the 3rd type of medication. Hopefully, it'w doing the trick at school.

Kaleigh loves her teacher. Thomas had her last year, and we were surprised to see that K got her this year. The schools don't usually give siblings the same teachers. She's having fun already.

Garrett is going to run his new teacher ragged. On Wednesday she called to tell me that he had a great first day, but he was eating woodchips. On Thursday, the ST called to tell me that he was chewing on a crayon and then he proudly took a shower in the water fountain in the classroom (way to watch him). He kept telling everyone "wet shower". We all had a good chuckle. He's just so darn cute! He's able to get cafeteria lunch this year, so we're going to try it out next week. I can't imagine my little guy getting a tray and carrying it back to his seat...I'm assuming he'll have lots of help! Even the kindergarteners don't get lunch! How cool is he?

Braeden has been really rough lately. He never has slept through the night, but he'd at least sleep in his crib for 2 hours at a time...once in a great while I'd get 4 hours of sleep. The last month or so he's been really rotten about sleeping in his crib...screaming and screaming and upsetting Garrett. So, I've let him stay with me in bed (I don't care anymore as long as we all sleep). Well, lately he's waking up crying and crying there, too, and I'm really out of ideas. He fell asleep nursing tonight in the rocking chair. I put him in his crib and he immediately woke up and I let him scream for 50 minutes straight until he couldn't breathe so I gave in. I brought him back downstairs, nursed him again and now he's asleep in his swing and it's after midnight. I'm exhausted. I don't know how to stop this.

Well...I guess I'll go and try and find something to sleep with on the couch. He'll probably stay in the swing for an hour. Then I'll try taking him back upstairs. The 4th should be an easy kid; this has been a nightmare!!!!!! He's so lucky that he's cute.

First Day of School

Crappy Shutup

So...Garrett's teacher this year is Mrs. Clabby. Now, that is tough name for Garrett to say; it comes out sounding like "crappy". We've been working on it for a few days now, and still "crappy". And now for some reason, he's added "shutup" to her name, so now when I ask him to say Clabby, he says "crappy shutup". Great. I already warned her and the ST (both got a chuckle out of it). Should be an interesting year!

We also got a chance to see his old preschool teacher (he had her for two years). She's over at Thomas and Kaleigh's school today. It was great to see her; but I'm really going to miss her. She let Garrett and Braeden run around her classroom while she unpacked. We've already decided that Braeden will be attending the same preschool. I love the fact that it's housed in a grammar school, so that the kids are able to leave the room and go to art in the art room, library in the library, music in the music room, gym in the gym and eat in the cafeteria. And they can participate in the school programs and shows. They also get to go on field trips (on school buses), which I think is great. And the older kids help out as reading buddies and as helpers for school field days. Also, the teachers are wonderful and there are sooo many of them. Last year, Garrett actually helped bake cookies in the school kitchen (and then we ate them when the parents visited), and they get to do neat centers like the water table, sand table, shaving cream center (Garrett always smelled so good when he came home!)

Anyway...there is another little girl with DS in Garrett's class this year, and I'm so excited. She's a little cutie (Natalie). We're practicing saying her name (without adding shutup).

2 More Days....

Back to school on Wednesday! I'm getting a little weepy today; I made Thomas sit on my lap for a while and watch the Wiggles with me, Garrett & Braeden. Would you believe that Thomas' feet are the same size as mine? He's going to be one tall boy, that's for sure. I told him he's gonna have to watch out; all the mommies are going to be trying to get him to date their daughters! I've had a few moms comment lately on how handsome he is....sob. What happened to my little baby?

We had a great time yesterday at our neighbor's pool party. We were there from 2:00 until 8:30, and I went back 'til 10:30 for drinks and lots of gossip. I wish we had gotten together sooner. It always seems like you wait too long to do things. Next summer I promise that we're having some rockin' parties here at our house (guess that means we have to pick up the yard).

Well, my project today is upstairs. If I'm brave enough, I'll take a "before" picture. It's just too darn hard to put away laundry. Braeden is always attached to me, and when he's not, I'm online! But today I'm going up. I'm going to see what clothes the kids have...see what hasn't been peed on by a cat...(gross, I know) and put clothes in actual drawers! Of course, it's already 11:00 and I haven't done a damn thing. Bill is grocery shopping :) so I have to wait until he gets home! And it's almost lunch time anyway...

O.k., I guess I'll go do something. I do have to say one thing, though. I saw a friend yesterday who had a sister who was profoundly retarded. Every time I see her, she tells me a story about her sister and most of the time I enjoy hearing them. Except yesterday, out of the blue, she tells me that someday Thomas will probably be embarrassed by Garrett. And now, this has been on my mind since yesterday. First of all, why did she need to say that? Doesn't she realize that I've pretty much thought of everything by now? I've been optimistic, pessimistic, a realist. It just seemed to me a rotten thing to say. Then I'm thinking that at some point he'll probably be embarrassed by all of (if he's not already :) ).

Off to snuggle with the kids until Bill gets home. Garrett is into the Muppets lately, so we're going to watch them for the gazillionth time.

Fourth Grade Survival Supply List

This is what I had to buy for Thomas for school this year:
1 2" three ring binder, white $9.49
1 binder, not too big, too hold folders $3.99
6 three-hole punched folders $7.00
2 Black marbled journals $2.00
Supply of notebook paper $2.00
3 boxes of #2 pencils $12.00
Sharpie markers, darker colors and have 1 black $8.29
scissors $2.29
erasers, tip of pencil ones $4.79
1 small pencil sharpener that holds shavings $2.99
supply of colored pens for correcting $6.29
2 EXPO markers and eraser $7.99
1 box colored pencils $.99
supply of post it notes 3x3 $9.98
supply of 3x5 index cards $3.59
calculator $3.99
a pencil bag $4.99
ruler $.59

Are you freaking kidding me? I spent close to $100 on Thomas already and he can't wear any of it! Kaleigh needed to buy pencils, a folder and a pencil case. Now this isn't including the $175 I already spent on 2 LL Bean Backpacks and 3 LL Bean lunchbags (one for Garrett, too). And we still need to go back to school shopping for clothes!

It looks so quiet from the outside....

If only you could hear what's going on inside!!!

In Memory Of...

In the last three day, two little babies have passed away due to complications after open heart surgery.

Please keep the families of baby Lillian and baby Gabi in your thoughts and prayers. I cannot even begin to imagine the pain that their parents are going through. When things like this happen, it really makes you stop and think about how thankful you should be for what you have. I'm going to hug my kids now.

Do they really need pants?

I'm getting stressed for back to school. I know that somewhere, upstairs in a bag?, are a bunch of pants from last winter/spring that might (slim chance) still fit the kids. Which means I will have to spend MINUTES searching through the numerous unlabeled garbage bags in order to find the clothes. Then I'll have to dig through the unorganized mess of various sizes of clothing that, at the time, I did not feel the need to sort ("I'll just do it in the Fall"). All to find the pants. And I know that Thomas' will be too short, Kaleigh's will be too short and Garrett's will be too short. I don't think Braeden has anything in THE BAG. I will wash them anyway, and probably fold and put them away, too. And they will get put on the bottom of the pile each time we go through the drawers of clothes. So, why don't I save myself the stress? Why not just leave THE BAG where it is and take the checkbook and run to Target, Kohls, Sears, J.C. Penney? Because I can't get myself to spend the money on new pants if the old ones might fit! Soooooo...I guess I'll have to put aside some time to find THE BAG and search for THE PANTS!

Anyway....
I have 2 extra kids here today, and I'm telling you it sounds like I've got a herd of elephants running through my playroom. I've never heard it so loud in there! I guess I'll get a cup of coffee and a couple of tylenol and try to keep 'em all happy.
What I find amusing is that they're all playing in Braeden and Garrett's Dora Playhouse. The same playhouse that Kaleigh told me would be soooo embarrassing to have in her yard. "I'll never go in there. It's stupid". Hmmmmmmmmmm. I don't even know if they're letting B and G in! I hear they're playing "Little House in the Big Woods". Braeden may be playing the part of the bear, but I'm not sure.
Garrett is just happy to have kids around to play with. He gets so sad when his big brother and big sister are doing their big stuff.

Well...off to make that coffee!

Everyone has one, I want one, too!

So...I want a blog.

I've tried to do this before, but each time I forget I have one.

This time will be different.

I decided to name it "Does Not Work" because, at a doctor's appointment about a year ago, the secretary filling out my paperwork asked me where I worked. I told her that I was a stay-at-home mom to 4. She wrote in big letters across the top of the form "DOES NOT WORK"...then, to make it even worse, she took out a big yellow highlighter and highlighted it! Bill got a chuckle out of it. I wonder if she'd like to come over and spend the day with me sometime?

Anyway...with the kids going back to school next week, I hope to actually blog regularly. Of course, it was my intention to post a little bit now about myself and family, but that family is sitting unattended in the living room and I need to run in there and change some diapers.

I'll be back, I promise.

This time will be different!