Making the Adjustment – 100 Day Blog Challenge – Day 62

Getting Back into the Routine

First off, I just realized I am about 2/3 done with this blog challenge.  How did that happen?  That’s pretty exciting and the finish line is starting to emerge.

So, today was the first day back to our old routine of being a part-time single mom.  I think, no I KNOW we got spoiled and was so glad and used to having hubby/dad home.  It’s going to be yet another adjustment for all of us, but, we’re doing what we have to do to move forward.

Today was a bit of a challenge for all of us.  From getting them to pick up their toys to making their beds, to turning off the Wii, it was as if they turned off their “listen to Mom” switch or something.  We made an attempt to have an outing, and it was a case of Murphy’s Law.  Looking back on the whole experience, and after venting to my hubby, a lot of it could have been avoided and handled differently.  Hearing him say, “You kinda created your own mess” was a hard pill to swallow, and very true.  As much as the boys would like to have the dog on an outing to the Boardwalk, it just might not happen.  So, tomorrow, if the weather is nice again, we will wake up early and go for that bike/walk.  And that’s a BIG if!!!

The boys are asleep now, and it’s funny how things seem to come together AFTER they sleep.  I was about to share some pet peeves I have on raising boys, but that gave me an idea and I’m saving it for another blog post.  Today’s reflection for me is to take it one day at a time and each day will get better.  We’ve done this before and came out fine on the other end.  We will be fine once again this go around.

Keep moving forward!!!

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What Is Your Most Proud Moment? – 100 Day Blog Challenge – Day 53

Proud Moments

Wedding Day 2005. I like to joke and say Elijah was the silent witness at the ceremony.

This is a very simple blog post.  There are 3 moments that I hold very near and dear to my heart.  The first is the day I got married.  I remember it like it was yesterday.  We were already engaged for about a year and a half and then we found out in January ’05 we were going to be a family.  So, we decided to get married in the courthouse, and it worked out perfect.  We joke all the time and say that the Man in Black married us, because he looked like Johnny Cash.  He was very serious with us, too.  He sat down with us prior to the ceremony and asked point blank, “Are you serious about this?”  Then he asked again, “Are you serious about this?  This is not something to be taken lightly and if you’re not serious, I will not perform the ceremony.  I appreciated that talk because it showed how much he values marriage.  It was a great ceremony, and we just celebrated 9 years in March.

2005 – Elijah’s first official photo.  It’s amazing how far we’ve come from that day.

The other proud moments are the birth of my children. It goes without saying that these boys have made my life complete.  Elijah, my oldest, almost didn’t make it, and we call him our miracle baby.  We had a couple scares during this pregnancy.  First, there was the possiblity of him being a down’s baby.  There was a chance he had Trisomy-21, and we had to go over to IWK Children’s Hospital in Halifax for further testing.  After taking the Maternal Serum testing, it turned out he was fine, no signs of down’s, but regardless of the outcome, we were going to see the pregnancy to term.  He was a full-term baby, but there were complications on delivery day, which lead to an emergency C-section and he wasn’t breathing when he was born.  Both his lungs collapsed, he had to be revived and was ulitmately flown over to the IWK.  I didn’t get to hold him or hear him cry until he was two days old.  Today, you couldn’t tell he had any complications and he’s about to turn 9 this year.

2008 – Justus makes his appearance into the world.

Justus, our middle child, was very emotional time when it came to his birth.  We were excited, nervous, scared and on pins and needles.  I know I was because all I kept thinking about was 2 1/2 years earlier.  It was another c-section and this time, we all heard a cry.  I cried, hubby cried, the staff in the room cried, and it was the best sound I ever heard.  Justus turned 6 this year, is finishing up Kindergarten and is simply thriving.  He’s a little reserved, quiet and sometimes likes to be on his own, but he is so smart.  He loves to build, draw, color and design.  He fell in love with building blocks at 6 months and would color-coordinate the blocks as if it were second nature to him.  He’s the same way today, and heaven help anyone who tries to mess up his creations.  He can be very quiet, but when he makes his presence known, watch out.  That’s the Taurus coming out of him.  He also has a smile that will melt your heart.

2009 – Isaac at 2 days old.  This is one of my favorites.  He still makes this face when he sleeps.

As for Isaac, our youngest, well, he was always a spit-fire, even in utero.  Again, we had a scare and the possiblity of down’s, so it was back to IWK for further testing, which later showed he was fine.  Isaac’s journey into the world was also interesting.  This was right around the time of H1N1.  The day before our scheduled c-section, it seemed like everyone was getting the H1N1 vaccine (shots) and this ended up being a family affair.  Can you imagine sitting there, one day before my surgery getting the H1N1 shot?  Anyhow, that happened, and the following Friday morning, I was on my way to the hospital.  Isaac came into the world letting everyone know he was here and let his presence be known.  I remember because of the H1N1 fiasco, visitors were only limited to one family member a day, and thankfully, the boys got to see their brother before it was enforced.  Isaac is very fun-loving and always has a smile and a “hi” for everyone.  He feels it’s his job to make everyone smile.  He will be 5 this year, and can’t wait to start Kindergarten in the fall.

So, these are my proud moments; moments that I wouldn’t trade for anything.

My best creations.

Tales of a First Time Barber

As if my duties as a SAHM aren’t long enough, now, I must add “barber” to the list. And trust me when I tell you, this is NOT a job title I really wanted to add to my responsibilities.

You see, hubby is the barber in the family.  In fact, he cuts all our hair.  I can’t remember the last time (or if there was EVER a time) any of us went to a barber…wait, I take that back.  Late 2010/early 2011, I had a hairdresser cut my hair.  Hubby felt he could do a better job.  Anyhow, hubby is in Alberta, Canada for work and left at the end of January. Unfortunately, he didn’t get a chance to cut the boys’s hair before he left, and he said I would have to take over the duties.

You can imagine the look of joy on my face to that piece of news.

I’ve got to do WHAT?!?!?!?!?

So, this weekend, I decided to face the music, or in this case, the clippers, and dive right in.  I wish I could say the boys were all in and on board for this new found adventure.

I’m surprised no one heard any of the chaos that ensued in my house this weekend.

I was NOT looking forward to this AT ALL.  I have never, EVER cut hair and now I’m responsible for not 1, not 2, but 3…3 haircuts!!!  Saturday was the first attempt, and let’s just say a trip to the dentist for a root canal would have been better than attempting to have my oldest sit down for a haircut.  He bawled, he fought, he was hungry, he was tired, his feet hurt, his nose hairs were out of place.

Jeez, just say you don’t want me to cut your hair.  No dramatics necessary.

Man, was I upset.  No, I was PISSED!!!  I was pissed at the boys for acting up and not giving me a chance.  I was pissed at hubby because he left me with such a HUGE undertaking and no form of training.  Talk about jumping without a net or life preserver.  I was pissed at myself because I let this get the best of me.

So, I chalked up Saturday as a wash.  Clippers/Boys -1; Mom – 0.

This morning, during our Skype chat with hubby, we spoke a little about how to tackle the hair cutting, and in my usual style, wouldn’t let hubby get a word in edgewise without adding my pity party woes.  He wasn’t happy, but I did hear what he had to say.  So, we decided to give it a good ole try once again.

Justus was a willing participant.  Heck, he was probably the easiest of the 3.  Zip, zip, done.  Hey, I survived and his head was still attached to his body.  Yay, Mom!!!

Justus’s New Cut

The next 2 weren’t so easy.

First, Isaac said he wanted to go, then, he got in the chair, and you’d think I took his favorite toy.  That didn’t start out great.  So, out of the chair he went, and in popped Elijah.

Good grief, this kid has a lot of hair.  It’s curly thick and FULL.  Why?  He wanted to grow it out a bit, but decided he got tired of it.  Lucky me, huh?  So, I get the clippers to Elijah’s hair, and hearing the words of hubby in my head, I just dive in.  Hair to the left; hair to the right; little curls here; stragglers there.  Holy crap, WHAT DID I DO TO MY CHILD’S HAIR?!?!?  I got a little too confident, switched to a smaller attachment, and let’s just say it took off more than I expected in that first run through.  Oh well, maybe it will start a trend.  Sorry, bud.

Elijah’s Happy with Mom’s Skills

This is NOT looking great for me and I’m really not liking this new responsibility.

Well, I survived that one, I managed to fix it up as best I could and he still looks like my big guy.  He did a lot better than the day before and actually said he likes it.

Two down; one to go.

I think I should have had a drink before I took on Isaac.

Oh my goodness, when they say tackle the worst FIRST, listen.  First, Isaac had to go to the bathroom; then his back itched; then he was thirsty; then his back itched again; then his leg was hurting; then he didn’t want his hair cut; then his neck hurt…

Shoot me; shoot me NOW!!!

After some persuading; bribing and having Elijah sit right in front of Isaac, he FINALLY decides to sit down.  Then, he gets back up.  Then he sits down again.  But he covers his head.  His hands didn’t move from his head for what felt like YEARS, but then he decided his hands were tired.

Originally, he wanted to keep his Mohawk, so we agreed that we would simply shape up the sides and he’d be on his merry way.  As I start the clippers, the arms go over the head, AGAIN!!!

Seriously, didn’t we JUST have this conversation 2 SECONDS AGO?!?!?!

OK, I say, “I’m DONE!!!”  Isaac was not liking that.  So, he decides to sit down, keep his hands to his sides and let me shape up the sides of his head.

“Mom, I don’t want my Mohawk anymore.  I want it cut off.”

“Are you sure, Isaac?”

“Yes, Mom.  I don’t want the Mohawk anymore.”

Breathe in…breathe out!!!

So, before he could change his mind, I went right for that Mohawk…in one felt swoop, that bad boy was GONE.

Up jumps Isaac off the chair.  “I need to see, Mommy.”

Mind you, they NEVER pull this crap with their Dad when HE’S cutting their hair.  HA, let them try something like that.

Isaac in his calm state.  I’m pretty proud of how it turned out.  Don’t let that cute face fool you.

Another go around with the clippers and then I need to change the blade.  Meltdown number 5 million starts.  “No, I don’t want the green one.  I want the purple one.”   After another back and forth battle and explaining that the back of his head (the nape area) needs just a little more help, he was NOT having it.  

What was I THINKING?!?!?!

Well, he FINALLY gave in and let me finish.  He survived, and to be honest, his looks the best of them all.

So, once they’re all cleaned up and dressed, I ask to take some pictures to capture this once in a lifetime moment.  Pictures…this is something we do all the time.  Someone tell me why THIS time, they all acted as if they were facing a firing squad?!?!?  My goodness, didn’t we just survive the apocalypse?!?!?

Yep, those are my boys.  And I just finished cutting all 3 of their hair!!!

Anyhow, my first attempt at being a barber ended with everyone coming out fine on the other side.  We all survived, and now, they’re asleep.  Yep, I’m SuperMom!!!

So, to any of my fellow Moms who may be (or have been) in my shoes, and faced with the lovely task of cutting your child(ren)’s hair, realize they’re probably going to fight you and make your life hell, but in the end you will survive.  Trust me, you will.

Heaven help me when I have to do this AGAIN!?!?!?  Hopefully, hubby will be home by then.

Yay, we all survived!!!

Oh man, I need a drink!!!  (And this comes from someone who hasn’t had a drink in a LOOONNNNNNG time!!!)

Take care, and thanks for reading.

My Boys Will Thank Me Later

I will say this about how I raise my boys…

In and out of our house, we have rules.  If they ask for something, they must use the words, “Please” and “Thank you.”  They must be respectful to their elders, and any adult in the room.  If they get out of line (use a tone or language that we don’t like) they will get a slap on the hand, mouth or bum so they learn their lesson.  They must clean up after themselves, do chores and help around the house in any way we see fit.  They must ALWAYS be there for each other, because at the end of the day, they are brothers and they have each other to lean on for support.

I am a strict Mom.  I can also be a bit uptight.  When we go out in public, I fuss over them, and make sure they behave themselves.  I dislike it when they try to overstep the boundaries, and they do test the limits ALL THE TIME!!!  I’ve yelled at them in public, I have made an example of them in front of other kids, and they know I will call them out at any time.

Why do I do this?  I am their MOTHER!!!  I am not their friend, I am not their equal.  I am their superior and they must respect my authority.  They MUST listen to their parents, they must follow OUR rules.  I’m not here to cater to their every need or give them everything they want.  They’ve heard me say “No” to some of their requests, they’ve seen me blow my top; they’ve seen me cry.  They say they will listen, not do it again, but 9 times out of 10, the cycle has started all over again.

There are times I wonder if the words I’m saying get through to them or if I’m just talking to the air.  I know they understand me and get what I’m doing.  I’m also not a complete ogre who walks around with the yardstick.  We have other rules that we live by in our home.  We sit down at the table for meals all the time.  We say grace before every meal.  We say prayers every night before bed.  We say “I love you” more times than you can imagine.  We give each other lots of hugs and kisses and we say “Sorry” when we’ve done something wrong.

My boys won’t be boys for very long.  Next month, my oldest starts the 3rd grade and my middle is entering Kindergarten.  By next year, ALL 3 boys will be in school and there are going to be pressures from kids at every angle.  They are BOYS.  They are impressionable.  They are smart.  They are talented and they have a bright future ahead.   As their Mother, it is my job to ensure they are prepared for the world – the good, bad and ugly.  They will make mistakes, and hopefully they will learn from them.  We have a pretty strong bond and they feel comfortable telling us their troubles and I hope it continues as they become TEENAGE BOYS.

One day, they will grow up and become MEN.  They will hopefully have a great education, a successful career of their choosing (even if they decide not to partner up with me) and eventually (hopefully) they will fall in love, get married, and have children of their own.  Then and ONLY then, will they understand WHY I was so strict with them as babies.  One day, they may even have a baby girl (or 2 or 3) of their own who will grow up to be a teenage girl and eventually a WOMAN.  They will want their daughter to respect herself, her body and treat it like the temple it is.  They will want their daughter to know that her beauty comes from within and not have to seek it in the wrong places.  They will want their daughter to know and understand that saying “NO” is okay if something doesn’t feel right and that at ANY TIME, they can call on their Dad for help if needed.

My boys may not like and or appreciate all the rules and structure now, but when they get older, they will thank me later.  Why?  I am their Mother, I love them very much and it’s MY job to help raise them to become true GENTLE MEN!!!

Take care, and be well.

For the Love of My Boys

It’s been a while since my last blog entry, and what can I say, life has been busy.

With that, I am about to do a shameless plug for my boys.  Very rarely do I enter them in contests, but, I decided to enter their photo in the Today’s Parent Cover Photo Contest.  Today’s Parent is the monthly magazine for Canadian families to gain parenting advice, learn new recipes, ways to cope, etc.  I’ve been a subscriber since 2005, and now I’m moving forward with this contest.

Last month, I submitted their photo to be considered for the contest, and I honestly didn’t think they would be considered. You can imagine my shock when I got the email saying they were one of the finalists.  Granted, there are over 9,000 entrants all over Canada, but, my goodness, they were considered.  The contest opened today, and I’ve provided a link below where you can vote.  It runs all month.  The winner, or my case winners, would be featured on the September 2013 issue of Today’s Parent Magazine. 

Pretty cool, huh?

I know my chances are slim, but, there is still a chance.  So, here’s my shameless plug.  Please, please, please vote for my boys!!!  I think it would be pretty darn amazing to see them on the cover of a national magazine that would be in lots of homes across Canada and available online.  To vote, click here.  You will have to register to vote, however, I’m not sure if it’s limited to Canadian residents.  So far, they have 3 votes, one of those are mine.

They are my pride and joy, and everything I do is for them.  I would be humbled and honored if they were the winners.  Thank you for taking the time to read, please vote, and share with your friends. 

Take care, be well, and thanks again.