Some Moments of Fun

It's raining outside. Both kids are recovering from their sinus cold and back at school, doing well.

I've been taking care of business, including taking myself to the gym and working out at least 40 minutes a day. I am so happy that we have respite care this afternoon, because this is my week for tackling my monster pile of To Do items.

From behind the bedroom door I can hear the kids scooting around the house on their mooeys, playing drive-thru McDonald's. I almost fell off my chair when I heard James ask "Can I help you, please?" Even as I grinned, I thought "He is having waaaay too much fun saying that!"

Cascading Negativity

I tell you. Some days are just out to get you.

So, after a peaceful morning (for me), the afternoon was tense. I walked into a household of unhappy people who coincidentally had not eaten in over 3 hours. I was also blamed for the kids being moody because I am too soft on them. Um hmmmmm. You know, I could be wrong, but I don't agree. See, there are these things called autism and sensory overload and they live many places, like our family. Plus, we've all been stuck together in this house for four days -- so throw in cabin fever. I got out lunch STAT and 3/4 through the meal things began to even out.

Then I announced the kids were finishing up homework that had been missed while out sick. Oh the whinging and unhappiness. My husband had had enough and was trying to get his work done in another part of the house. Can't blame him -- it's about the only way to get things done when the kids are home.

I gave management my best shot over the next two hours. Steadily coaxing my daughter through a review of fractions at the homework desk. Attempting to get James to sit down and work on his spelling words at the kitchen table. Trying to keep them from looking at each other and derailing the process. Keeping my voice calm (yeah, that's a neat trick -- I "pretend") and things moving.

James really didn't want to write and he had two time-outs for not cooperating. He kept fretting over a baby tooth that's been lose for weeks. Finish writing a word 3 times ... try to get the tooth; repeat. Finally, about word #6, he yanked it out and lost his mind to excitement. It took me ten minutes to get everyone really refocused and the tooth secured in a ziplock bag and stored in a cupboard. Many moons later, James finished his spelling. While his sister looked over her paperwork, I had him read his test story for school. That went much better than the spelling. Yay. Break time in his room with some DVDs on my old laptop.

Focused on daughter in the family room, with several pages of review and a practice test to complete. I walked her through several questions ... and privately wondered why they are teaching some fractions the way they are. They seem to be doing basic algebra already -- treat it like algebra, not a chart. Daughter says it helps her to have me near her, so I sat quietly near her, exuding calmness and mathematical genius. Or you know, whatever ...

Her work checked out, but she could not find her sheet with her spelling words. Oh well. Someone is going to have to be quick on her feet for that makeup test! We made scones from scratch to celebrate, and left a voicemail with a classmate who might have spelling words. Yes, it's now in the midst of Superbowl Party Heaven ... I can dream (in vain, as it turns out).

So now I start dinner. I am trying to MAKE meals from scratch for my husband and I: chicken breasts with veggies in a casserole dish, baking in the oven. Also frying some chicken on the stovetop while using the microwave. We live in development housing that was built with quantity favoured over quality, shall we say, and the appliances are really, um, underwhelming? So ... the microwave over the stove gets fried and starts emitting a really nasty buzzing noise. Won't cook. *Sigh*, okay ...

Finish dinner prep, taking more time to cook without the microwave, and ... the microwave's fan starts blasting on all by itself while we're seated at the table, sending James into fits of crying and screaming. It must be physically awful for him. It's really hard for us to hear him and try to calm him down. I bail out the tiny tea cubby so my husband can unplug the zombie fiend that is now our microwave. Takes minutes to calm James down. My husband and I, not so much. Meal, while delicious, has FAIL stamped all over it.

My husband has been home more often than usual this past week and kind of ragging me for how I do things around the home. I am not perfect, by any means, but I have been doing the best I can, choosing my battles between tantrums, cleaning the house, getting homework done, working on AB challenges and general child rearing (as well as doing some work on the side to bring in a little money). It's been I doing the choosing, because every week day my husband has to leave the house before breakfast and gets home around their bedtime.

Well, this weekend he wants the kids to cut out the chips at meals and eat fruits and vegetables instead. A good idea and I invited him to try. Hello, frustration and rising blood pressure -- I know you well. Our daughter did end up eating some of the new foods and got better about it each night she tried. James at first flat-out refused. Tonight, he was made to eat a carrot sliver, and I remembered why I choose not to fight this battle with him: he threw up all over the kitchen table and started crying and choking. My husband was livid. Ten minutes later, three people were in bed, unhappy but safer from the cascading negativity. Good God, I hope so!

The Big Sleep-In

So. Tired. This. Morning.

So I let the kids come to me this morning. Told them where to find a snack. Told James where to find the iPad. Told them this morning they were playing in their rooms until I got up.

I slept in until all of 8:30. It was fabulous.

Dreamland

James has started talking to me at night before he goes to sleep. It started with his sister putting him to sleep a couple of nights over the Winter Break. Very sweetly, she would tell him stories and tell him they would see each other that night in Dreamland. Then James would ask her what they would do and she would tell him. They came up with all kinds of fun things to do together.

Sometimes James wants me to stay with him for a bit after lights out. He doesn't want me to talk or sing. He just likes to hold my hand and check that I am still there. Tonight he wanted to know if the whole family was going to Dreamland. I said yes.

"What we gonna do?" he asked. "How about fly?" I suggested. "Yeah. I gonna have wings?" "Yes." "What colour?" So we came up with all the colours for each family member's wings: gold for James, aquamarine for his sister, purple for me, and green for Daddy.

Yes! Sweet dreams.

SOOC: Birthday Boy

Guess who turned 7 last month?

James is 7. I still have trouble believing it, sometimes.

As per the past couple of years, his birthday, coming soon after the big winter holidays wind down, was haphazard. Kind of like those days with patchy clouds that randomly give way to brilliant periods of sun. His birthday occurred during the first week that school started back up again, so not only did I need to remind the teacher, James would only get to see his Dad for a bit on his birthday. Also, it was an early morning drive Daddy to the bus stop morning, so James at least got a jump on his special day, and got to have us all together sing Happy Birthday to him.

After the bus drop, I took the kids to Starbucks, where James could have a special treat and open some presents. He liked his Curious George DVD and got really excited about getting the Barney one from his GrandMarie. Because it was his birthday, Big Sister and I sucked it up and let him watch Barney in the car on the way to school.

   

James helped make his cupcakes from scratch the night before, using a Lazy Daisy recipe. I made an extra batch from cake mix the next day, to be sure everyone got some. They sure turned out nice!

I think the best part for me was seeing James hand out his birthday cupcakes to his classmates, and having them sing Happy Birthday to him. I think his face says it all:

But his day was not over yet. We went up to my parents' house for some pizza dinner and more presents. James and his sister played with balloons, a wheel chair, and mysterious things in the attic. He went to bed pretty quickly once we got home, that's for sure! Happy Birthday, my big guy. Love you.

This cake shot is certainly SOOC. Unfortunately.

I'm participating in the SOOC action at Marvelous Mommy's blog. Come on over to see more or join in!

Friday Followup

Okay. Two hours later, I can report that while it felt good to workout and I feel better in my conscience that illness did not put me off my exercise regime again ... what is really making me feel better is that I came home to calm children who had already been fed.

 The freedom from meal prep, sit down, and clean up at the end of the day made me giddy. Thank you, THANK you to the wonderful woman who provides respite care!

I can't explain how good this feels. I just know I am capable of smiling again.

Feeling Blueish

No special reason, just lots of little or regular things that have been piling up. Now they've got me down. Probably does not help that both kids and husband have been home sick off & on all week. Even cleaning up the dishes feels like a marathon event.

So glad that respite care is here for me this afternoon. So glad that the kids are not dangerously sick and are mostly cheerful. I know I'll have to buckle down and get them somewhat up to speed with all the school they've been missing, but right now I am hiding out, having a coffee, and mentally going "lalalalalalalala" with invisible fingers in my ears.

You know how all those articles and stories tell us to get out and exercise to fire up those endorphins and help us feel better mentally, as well as physically? I am about to try that one out. I'll let you know how it works.