Last night, as the windy rainstorm, named Irene, came ashore in VA, Brenna was wounded. She just couldn't go on. It was terrible, there were tears, sobs, snot, lots of band-aids...for a paper cut that could not be seen by the naked eye.
Last night, as the windy rainstorm, named Irene, came ashore in VA, devastation struck the Bania House. It took us hours to reclaim the carpet from the bags and bags of...potato chips, the toys, Couch Forts, wrappers of assorted variety, band aid wrappers from above mentioned paper cut.
Last night, as the windy rainstorm, named Irene, came ashore in VA, we centralized our First Aide equipment in the kitchen to make a make-shift First Aide Kit. We stuffed it full of Band-Aids, Gauze, Eye Rinse, Tweezers, Wraps, Super Glue, Wound Closures, Tampons and Tape. Jaxom and Brenna asked why the Tampons and I replied, "I hear that they are great for nose bleeds, but I intend on using them for my ears when the power goes out."
Last night, as the windy rainstorm, named Irene, came ashore in VA, we gathered up all the candles in the house and found a lighter. It's a good thing to, because that way the power never went out.
Where is the social experiment in all of that? Compare that to today...
Brenna fell off of her bike as she crashed into Dre, she scraped her knee, sliced her ankle above her shoe, and ripped open her calf. Now I only know that this happened, since there was no tears, no one came running for Band-Aids, but because I asked why her shorts were muddied. She replied all nonchalantly the story of the bike crash. Jaxom replied with a she didn't even cry.
The Neighborhood kids left their ice creams wrappers to float in the wind, and my kids were chasing them down to put them in the trash. They helped clean up all the outside toys that the kids outside were playing with when they were called in.
So the moral to this Blogory...for the next "natural disaster", I am going to invite the neighborhood kids over so that I can relax.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
The Compassion
As I battle off Bronchitis...yum gooey lungs...I am reminded that my children do sometimes care that I am still around.
Things that remind me of this...
"Arwe loo otay, Mommy?" Odin
"She can't die before she pays for the food." Brenna
"Mom, you cough scares me." Jaxom
The utter look of terror mixed with disgust as I use the Nettipot on my sinuses...Gunnar.
He didn't even have to be asked to go upstairs to bed.
I must look terrible.
Things that remind me of this...
"Arwe loo otay, Mommy?" Odin
"She can't die before she pays for the food." Brenna
"Mom, you cough scares me." Jaxom
The utter look of terror mixed with disgust as I use the Nettipot on my sinuses...Gunnar.
He didn't even have to be asked to go upstairs to bed.
I must look terrible.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
A Miracle Happened...(child highlight)
Something strange happened today...one of my offspring OFFERED to help the other. So what? Big deal right? Yeah, until you hear who it was that did the offering...
GUNNAR!
My Gunnar, my Gigi, my son, offered to help another human being...unsolicited. My Gunnar...my Gigi.
I had to pick my jaw up off of the floor as I watched him HELP his little brother carry his shoe box to the closet and put it back in it's cubbyhole. Even as I type this one out...I am still having trouble believing it...and I saw it with mine own eyes. OOPS...I need to pick my jaw up again.
Still shaking my head.
For those of you not familiar with my son, Gunnar, and why this is such a huge deal to me...
Gunnar lives up to every bit of his Warrior name. He came into this world screaming...almost as loud as my screaming as I pushed him out (it is rumored that I could be heard in the waiting room down the hall, and scared all the other mothers in the ward). He was one of only 2 of our children to come home with us when I was discharged...and I checked out a day early. He was a colicky baby, didn't babble until he was 15 months, didn't say a word until he was 25 months, didn't use a sentence until he was well past 3, and now that he is 4 and words are finally pouring forth...there is a lot of anger and screaming mixed in with them.
Gunnar has always been twice as physical as he was vocal. He has a strength like no other 4 year old I've ever know...I have had 2 before him... He can be sweet as a kitten, or as rough and rash as a mountain lion. His anger can turn on a dime. He can over power me, he's a BIG 4 year old. He has broken the bones of others. He is a fierce protector...apparently we are not allowed to tell his other siblings what to do.
Gunnar knows no fear. Recently at a branch party in the country...he charged a charging Mastiff. Everyone was afraid that Max was going to barrel over him as Gunnar ran from him...that is until Gunnar turned on his heels and charged back at Max full throttle. Max tucked and ran.
Gunnar does not sleep well nor often, so kindness is not a willing attribute. Kindness and sleep do not pour forth from him, but when one or the other, it is truly amazing.
Gunnar has been diagnosed with:
Being the 3rd child (retracted)
Having a unique hearing disorder (retracted)
Being Autistic (retracted)
Being normal (Retracted)
Being Emotionally Disturbed (retracted)
Gunnar has now been diagnosed with PDD-NOS (Pervasive Development Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified) and this is the first time that I have publicly shared that bit of information. Gunnar is a work of art, he has many harsh, dramatic colors, but like any good piece, he has depth, subtle hues of kindness. He is ever evolving, when you look at him from the outside, you see an angry, defiant brat, as I have overheard many a time in public. But, if you truly know him, you see his frustration, his learning, his coping the best that he can.
My biggest fear for him, is that one day he is going to over hear a snarky remark from some ignorant onlooker in a store, and he is going to redirect onto them, and I am not going to be able to stop him for one of two reasons:
1. He has over powered me.
or
2. I am going to be silently applauding him for defending himself in my head.
More than likely...it'll be option 1, but I cannot rule out option 2 unfortunately.
Gunnar is still a work in progress, we are still trying to figure out ways to help him understand right from wrong, good and bad, normal, acceptable, none of the above, how to make good decisions.
So now you'll understand what I mean when I say...A Miracle Happened. Because no one had to lay the choices out for him, no one had to coax him, we just happened to be looking the other way kinda sideways...you know so we weren't watching, but could still see everything that was going on. And it happened.
GUNNAR!
My Gunnar, my Gigi, my son, offered to help another human being...unsolicited. My Gunnar...my Gigi.
I had to pick my jaw up off of the floor as I watched him HELP his little brother carry his shoe box to the closet and put it back in it's cubbyhole. Even as I type this one out...I am still having trouble believing it...and I saw it with mine own eyes. OOPS...I need to pick my jaw up again.
Still shaking my head.
For those of you not familiar with my son, Gunnar, and why this is such a huge deal to me...
Gunnar lives up to every bit of his Warrior name. He came into this world screaming...almost as loud as my screaming as I pushed him out (it is rumored that I could be heard in the waiting room down the hall, and scared all the other mothers in the ward). He was one of only 2 of our children to come home with us when I was discharged...and I checked out a day early. He was a colicky baby, didn't babble until he was 15 months, didn't say a word until he was 25 months, didn't use a sentence until he was well past 3, and now that he is 4 and words are finally pouring forth...there is a lot of anger and screaming mixed in with them.
Gunnar has always been twice as physical as he was vocal. He has a strength like no other 4 year old I've ever know...I have had 2 before him... He can be sweet as a kitten, or as rough and rash as a mountain lion. His anger can turn on a dime. He can over power me, he's a BIG 4 year old. He has broken the bones of others. He is a fierce protector...apparently we are not allowed to tell his other siblings what to do.
Gunnar knows no fear. Recently at a branch party in the country...he charged a charging Mastiff. Everyone was afraid that Max was going to barrel over him as Gunnar ran from him...that is until Gunnar turned on his heels and charged back at Max full throttle. Max tucked and ran.
Gunnar does not sleep well nor often, so kindness is not a willing attribute. Kindness and sleep do not pour forth from him, but when one or the other, it is truly amazing.
Gunnar has been diagnosed with:
Being the 3rd child (retracted)
Having a unique hearing disorder (retracted)
Being Autistic (retracted)
Being normal (Retracted)
Being Emotionally Disturbed (retracted)
Gunnar has now been diagnosed with PDD-NOS (Pervasive Development Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified) and this is the first time that I have publicly shared that bit of information. Gunnar is a work of art, he has many harsh, dramatic colors, but like any good piece, he has depth, subtle hues of kindness. He is ever evolving, when you look at him from the outside, you see an angry, defiant brat, as I have overheard many a time in public. But, if you truly know him, you see his frustration, his learning, his coping the best that he can.
My biggest fear for him, is that one day he is going to over hear a snarky remark from some ignorant onlooker in a store, and he is going to redirect onto them, and I am not going to be able to stop him for one of two reasons:
1. He has over powered me.
or
2. I am going to be silently applauding him for defending himself in my head.
More than likely...it'll be option 1, but I cannot rule out option 2 unfortunately.
Gunnar is still a work in progress, we are still trying to figure out ways to help him understand right from wrong, good and bad, normal, acceptable, none of the above, how to make good decisions.
So now you'll understand what I mean when I say...A Miracle Happened. Because no one had to lay the choices out for him, no one had to coax him, we just happened to be looking the other way kinda sideways...you know so we weren't watching, but could still see everything that was going on. And it happened.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
The Story Behind the Quotes
In response to a few questions like, "I thought that you were making up what they do until..." and "Where do they get this stuff..." and "If they were my kids, well let's just say things would be different...", allow me to explain, and I promise not to chastise you if you silently disagree...
Some people call me a sink or swim mom, and while, yes, I do think some things are better learned the hard way; I also believe that exposure is a good thing as well. I believe that if you refuse your kid candy, they will gorge themselves on it when you aren't around. I apply this rule to speech. Freedom of Speech is celebrated in our house. I believe that if the kids hear curse words openly that they will be less likely to abuse them when they are older. I think that the more they are exposed to certain less desirable parts of our language, and *GASP* teaching the appropriate uses and responses to that part of our language, the less likely they will curse someone out in a fit of rage. So far it has worked for us, none of my kids have been in serious trouble at school or with the law. No one has died. I fiercely protect my children, but I am proud that I teach them to defend themselves as well...so yes, I openly admit it, I curse in front of my kids, I am human, it is a part of our language, and short of a true saint, I have never met a person that does not curse.
Now there are a few restrictions, of course, to our household freedom of speech. They are:
Thou shalt not threaten violence against a sibling.
Thou shalt not argue with authority, because you will lose.
You may under no circumstances use the "C" word or "F" word. Those are reserved for adults.
If you curse, you need to be able to defend why you used that choice of words.
This language is only suited for home (hence the celebrated in our house part of free speech).
On occasion you will get some great things said like:
"My butt smells like ass, Mom." Thanks Gunnar
"Get up off of your fat ass and get me something to eat." That was actually not one of mine, but my beautiful sister, Kelsey when she was 3 or 4ish. She said that to our Grandmother.
"Look at that little shit." Thanks Brenna
"I need to take a giant crap." Thanks Jaxom
(Odin has yet to partake in the cursing games)
Sometimes embarrassment:
"Everyone look out that lady is freaking huge!" Thanks Jaxom (2)
"The pee just kept flowing her vagina..." of the woman in the stall next to us... Thanks Brenna (5)
"Did he stuff socks down there? Is that how big it is Daddy?" Thanks Jaxom (4)
"I get racecar diapers because my penis is fast." Thanks Odin (2)
Thinking about it, Gunnar is the one who truly sticks to the whole only suited for home rule...go figure.
But other than those laughable and embarrassing quotes, you do sometimes get a true glimpse into their young, impressionable minds. They aren't afraid when to tell you when something happens, when someone is rude, how they feel about something; they lose the sugar coating and white lies. They speak their minds, and while, yes, sometimes they take me aback. Sometimes they do truly amaze me with what they say.
"I would never act those hooligans, Mom, because I love you and don't want to go to jail." Jaxom (6)
"When I move out, I will still love you, because you put up with my diapers, and crying, and bullshit, even though I tried not to." Jaxom (9)
"I love my body, some of the girls in my class said that I am fat, I could have said that I'm big boned, but I went with have you looked in a mirror?" Brenna (7)
"Do these prices include the use of coupons?" Brenna to her 2nd Grade Teacher (7)
"My mom can stretch a dollar." Gunnar (4)
"Wars should be settled on paper, but that would defeat survival of the fittest, huh?" Jaxom (9)
"She might yell and scream and embarrass me, but that's because she wants me to grow up right." Brenna (7)
"The Nerves of Rude People." Gunnar (4)
I love the things that my kids say, so do I wish they would turn it down a notch, sometimes, but then that wouldn't be us. I know that not everyone agrees with how I parent, and that is fine. They didn't come with a manual, and only time will tell how they turn out. At the end of the day, all we can do is what we think is right and believe that what we do today will mold them into responsible, grown people.
Some people call me a sink or swim mom, and while, yes, I do think some things are better learned the hard way; I also believe that exposure is a good thing as well. I believe that if you refuse your kid candy, they will gorge themselves on it when you aren't around. I apply this rule to speech. Freedom of Speech is celebrated in our house. I believe that if the kids hear curse words openly that they will be less likely to abuse them when they are older. I think that the more they are exposed to certain less desirable parts of our language, and *GASP* teaching the appropriate uses and responses to that part of our language, the less likely they will curse someone out in a fit of rage. So far it has worked for us, none of my kids have been in serious trouble at school or with the law. No one has died. I fiercely protect my children, but I am proud that I teach them to defend themselves as well...so yes, I openly admit it, I curse in front of my kids, I am human, it is a part of our language, and short of a true saint, I have never met a person that does not curse.
Now there are a few restrictions, of course, to our household freedom of speech. They are:
Thou shalt not threaten violence against a sibling.
Thou shalt not argue with authority, because you will lose.
You may under no circumstances use the "C" word or "F" word. Those are reserved for adults.
If you curse, you need to be able to defend why you used that choice of words.
This language is only suited for home (hence the celebrated in our house part of free speech).
On occasion you will get some great things said like:
"My butt smells like ass, Mom." Thanks Gunnar
"Get up off of your fat ass and get me something to eat." That was actually not one of mine, but my beautiful sister, Kelsey when she was 3 or 4ish. She said that to our Grandmother.
"Look at that little shit." Thanks Brenna
"I need to take a giant crap." Thanks Jaxom
(Odin has yet to partake in the cursing games)
Sometimes embarrassment:
"Everyone look out that lady is freaking huge!" Thanks Jaxom (2)
"The pee just kept flowing her vagina..." of the woman in the stall next to us... Thanks Brenna (5)
"Did he stuff socks down there? Is that how big it is Daddy?" Thanks Jaxom (4)
"I get racecar diapers because my penis is fast." Thanks Odin (2)
Thinking about it, Gunnar is the one who truly sticks to the whole only suited for home rule...go figure.
But other than those laughable and embarrassing quotes, you do sometimes get a true glimpse into their young, impressionable minds. They aren't afraid when to tell you when something happens, when someone is rude, how they feel about something; they lose the sugar coating and white lies. They speak their minds, and while, yes, sometimes they take me aback. Sometimes they do truly amaze me with what they say.
"I would never act those hooligans, Mom, because I love you and don't want to go to jail." Jaxom (6)
"When I move out, I will still love you, because you put up with my diapers, and crying, and bullshit, even though I tried not to." Jaxom (9)
"I love my body, some of the girls in my class said that I am fat, I could have said that I'm big boned, but I went with have you looked in a mirror?" Brenna (7)
"Do these prices include the use of coupons?" Brenna to her 2nd Grade Teacher (7)
"My mom can stretch a dollar." Gunnar (4)
"Wars should be settled on paper, but that would defeat survival of the fittest, huh?" Jaxom (9)
"She might yell and scream and embarrass me, but that's because she wants me to grow up right." Brenna (7)
"The Nerves of Rude People." Gunnar (4)
I love the things that my kids say, so do I wish they would turn it down a notch, sometimes, but then that wouldn't be us. I know that not everyone agrees with how I parent, and that is fine. They didn't come with a manual, and only time will tell how they turn out. At the end of the day, all we can do is what we think is right and believe that what we do today will mold them into responsible, grown people.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
They do the best things...
Yesterday we had the best time at Kristy and Cole's future home site for our Store Picnic! The kids and I vegged out in the lake...that Kristy would only go ankle deep in...CG wouldn't even get in the water...wuss! The kids were amazed that Mommy could open her eyes under the water...and hold her breath as she watched the fishies swim by at their feet. The kids had a great time with Kathy's lot~Jaxom thought that it was funny that Diego's mom let him swim in his boxers.
Notables...
Brenna swallowed about a gallon of Lake Water....mmmm fish poop.
Odin was a big boy and peed in the potty instead of his pants.
Odin took a really big dump in his pants...we threw away his shorts...I didn't want that in my washing machine, nor did I want to ride home with that.
Gunnar broke it down for us with his very unique dance stylings...that kid was happy yesterday.
Jaxom ran and ran and ran...he ran so hard all day that he had a headache...and fell asleep on the way home.
Quotes from the week...
"All I see is my stupid sister." - Gunnar
"I wiss, I wiss wit awl my harwt, to fwy wit dwagons in a wand aparwt" - Odin
"I swear, I have never eaten a cookie like that in all my life." - Brenna
"I'll love you forever, Mom, but one day I will have to get married and leave you, I think I might visit though." - Jaxom
"I has race car diapers, cause my penis is faster." - Odin
"No really he likes it when I pull his hair out." - Gunnar (Doom has a bald spot)
"Where do fish poop?" - Brenna, after she realized she drank lake water
"He's just a little stupid from all the cookies." - Jaxom
Notables...
Brenna swallowed about a gallon of Lake Water....mmmm fish poop.
Odin was a big boy and peed in the potty instead of his pants.
Odin took a really big dump in his pants...we threw away his shorts...I didn't want that in my washing machine, nor did I want to ride home with that.
Gunnar broke it down for us with his very unique dance stylings...that kid was happy yesterday.
Jaxom ran and ran and ran...he ran so hard all day that he had a headache...and fell asleep on the way home.
Quotes from the week...
"All I see is my stupid sister." - Gunnar
"I wiss, I wiss wit awl my harwt, to fwy wit dwagons in a wand aparwt" - Odin
"I swear, I have never eaten a cookie like that in all my life." - Brenna
"I'll love you forever, Mom, but one day I will have to get married and leave you, I think I might visit though." - Jaxom
"I has race car diapers, cause my penis is faster." - Odin
"No really he likes it when I pull his hair out." - Gunnar (Doom has a bald spot)
"Where do fish poop?" - Brenna, after she realized she drank lake water
"He's just a little stupid from all the cookies." - Jaxom
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Watering the Weeds
I get that kids grow, they eat you out of house and home, sleep from sun up to sun down and no where in between, but this week has been ridiculous. I was an outsider in the kids lives this week...it's been conversion week...we went live today...as a result, I have not been home as much as I would have liked.
Every night that I came home this week, Odin was curled up on the couch sound asleep. Every morning when I left for work this week, he was sound asleep. Today was really the first time I have been home in a long while; here is what he has learned to do without me.
He can sing the opening song to Dragon Tales
He speaks in sentences
He opens bags of chips on his own
He grew 1.10 inches
He learned how to put on his back pack by himself
He memorized the secret locations of all his favorite movies
I miss my baby!
Every night that I came home this week, Odin was curled up on the couch sound asleep. Every morning when I left for work this week, he was sound asleep. Today was really the first time I have been home in a long while; here is what he has learned to do without me.
He can sing the opening song to Dragon Tales
He speaks in sentences
He opens bags of chips on his own
He grew 1.10 inches
He learned how to put on his back pack by himself
He memorized the secret locations of all his favorite movies
I miss my baby!
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