Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Constant Movement

Yup, nothing ever changes around here, we just keep moving and moving and moving:

So they all went off to school yesterday morning. HOORAY! Sofia and I tried to play on the playground at the boys' school after we dropped them off, but it was just too cold. She was funny - she took off her mittens, but wouldn't give them to me. She insisted on giving them to a dad who was there. Then, when she wanted them again, she called for him to give them to her! She is so "man-focused" - she loves men, and will flirt with all our male friends, but won't give my female friends the time of day.

After I dropped her, I got a bagel and went shopping - actually "returning" (the coat and pants I'd bought Micah, the sneakers for Sam). I did find a coat that Micah actually likes, though! And I bought solar lights for the edge of the driveway! Hopefully now, fewer people will drive down the lawn; our driveway is very steep and somewhat curved, and it is very dark at night.

Sofia and I came back home for lunch and a little relaxing. I had a craft to work on, so I put her in front of a video. She sounded content, but when I finally came back upstairs, she was still watching the video - but she was stark naked! And somewhat blue from the cold...

So I got her dressed again, and we got in the car. I had the feeling she'd fall asleep before the playground (she did), so I had brought my laptop with me, and I sat in front of the boys' school for about an hour watching a DVD (Ironman - excellent film!).

After school was another sukkah party (same house as Friday). This time it was for Sam's class, and they had invited the 3 boys who had left the class for other schools. So it was fun...until the old dynamics started kicking in...and the fighting began...

Soon Sam got in a fight with one of the boys and was crying in a corner. He calmed down eventually, but it took a lot of effort.

Micah was running amok, trying to play with some of the boys.

Sofia, left to mostly her own defenses, continued her climbing spree. I was not standing right on the playground with her (a friendly 3rd grader was helping her). Suddenly, I look down the hill to see Sofia about to grab the top rungs of the playset:



I raced down the hill, and stood under her, trying to order her down. No luck. I sent Micah to fetch another mommy to help me; needed someone to stand under her while I went up and grabbed her.

About two minutes later, one of the other boys came over and said, "that's it, Micah has to leave NOW." It seems Micah had pushed him off the roof of the toy house.

So I yanked the three of them out of there, and we drove to my friend S's house for dinner. I screamed at/lectured them in the car, telling Micah that if he wanted to punch a wall, he should go right ahead, since he wouldn't believe me when I tell him not to do something, and if Sam wants to cry whenever life is unfair, he'd better get ready to cry alot!


They were somewhat subdued when we got to S's house, and I made them stay away from me. I plunked Sofia in the toy-room, where she stayed for hours, happily force-feeding a babydoll (she was sitting on the doll and jamming the bottle into its mouth, I SWEAR that's not how I feed my kids!).

And Micah met his match, in S's nephew, who kept picking on him. Both Micah and the other kid, at different points in the evening, went to S's husband and said "Next time I come here, can you please make sure that kid is not here?!"

So all was starting to calm down...

...when I lost my footing while stepping out on to the back porch, and twisted my ankle.

I'm pleased to say I did NOT spill my wine, however.

Hurts like heck. They had a spare pair of crutches to loan me.

Got home ok. Sofia stayed up watching the end of Ironman with me. She was snuggled in next to me, and just before she fell asleep, she turned her face to me and gave me the most adorable smile. I just melted.

Today was also a bit much. The boys didn't have school (it was Shemini Atzeret), so all three kids went to the dentist. Took three of us to hold Sofia still for her cleaning (she very emphatically announced "Done" several times during the process). She kept putting her hand in her mouth the rest of the morning, and when I tried to take them out, she's scream "Mouth! Mouth!" Poor kid.

Sam needs braces. We're going back next week to get the plaster molds made, and the following week I'll meet with the orthodontist to see what we are up against. His teeth are HUGE.

After the dentist, I took Sofia to school (she had PT , which I didn't want her to miss), and took the boys grocery shopping. Picked her back up and came home for lunch. By this time, my ankle was KILLING me!

After luch, I took a nap while the kids all played (fairly well, I might add). Babysitter showed up around 2:45, and eventually I got the boys out of the house to go to piano and Tae Kwan Do.

After that, we met my friend R for dinner at Bugaboo Creek (kids eat free on Tuesdays!), and then back to synagogue for Simchat Torah celebration. I was bummed, I usually love to dance but I couldn't even stand on my ankle. So I stood on the sidelines watching and chatting.

The boys had lots of fun - I spotted Micah riding on the Rabbi's shoulders, and Sammy was front-and-center for the final Torah reading. But right at the end, Micah had a bad asthma attack. We sat out in the hallway, used his inhaler and calmed him down. Poor boy.

Got home around 9:45, so they tumbled into bed. E said Sofia had not napped, so she'd gone to sleep easily.

Whew. Tomorrow I have to lead children's service again, then there is a lunch at shul. My girlfriend and her daughters might come back to the house for a while - her oldest is a special favorite of mine and we might do our nails together. Then Sam has his therapy appointment, and hopefully I can take him to find sneakers - the hole in his is getting larger and larger.

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