Well, the last week has been a challenge. I don’t understand why everyone has to scream as much as they do.  Ugg…sometimes in order to carry my point across, I have to yell louder than they do just to make my presence known.  That is a bad cycle to be a part of. Makes me sad to think about it. But I think that if they overrun me without me having my voice heard it would make me far sadder. Will I establish a happy medium? I certainly hope so. It might not be tomorrow, but hopefully the day after.

Are there any experienced boy moms out there that could lend me advice on the rough housing? Lori said in a parenting lecture that it was natural and that boys have an innate need to rough house. She also said that they will never injure each other intentionally. There is always a point in which they stop. This rough housing thing helps them learn their limits. It helps them to understand things of which  I cannot understand because I have never been and will never be a boy. What I really need is a mom friend that used to be a boy….that would be awesome….anyone out there? I would love your insight!!! The other complication is that O does not understand how much he hurts people. Today he punched me 6 times in the stomach. I have a high tolerance for pain, but that hurt and it also upset me. I haven’t seen him like that in awhile, but the past couple of days his impulse control sensors are way off. He is so unaffected by it. One good thing is that he only does it to me, J, and sometimes Peter and E. His teacher told me today that he NEVER hits anyone.

E has been sick for a week. It seems that when my kids get sick they scream. I feel like screaming when I get sick.  In fact, I feel like screaming when my kids are sick, too. As every parent knows, it’s wretched to see your kids sick. You would do anything to make them feel better. But, then after a few days of it, you are just plain exhausted. It seems that the younger two guys don’t get cute-cuddle up sick like J does, but they get screamy and whiney. It is hard to take. You start to feel less bad for them and start to wonder what all of the screaming is about. At some point you forget that they are sick and just wonder why there is so much noise. I’m not sure exactly sure as to what is going on, but E, at 20 months now, is having massive temper tantrums. I put him in his crib after 20 minutes of his tantrum and was googling, ‘temper tantrum’ ‘how to break a toddler temper tantrum’ ‘uncontrollable tantrum’. No new information. Tried the change of venue, the distraction, the changing of subject. I’m pretty good at that stuff, but it doesn’t even deter little E. Sometimes it just adds fuel to the fire. After the tantrum breaks, he is just tired. Today he had a record long 2 1/2 hour nap. Hopefully this just has to do with the tail end of whatever bug he has. If not, I think that I will be signing him up for 5 full day/week care.

Just a few days left til Christmas. I think that everything is ready. I am looking forward to the whole Christmas experience. St Joseph’s for family mass, then to my sisters for Christmas Eve dinner, brunch at our house, then dinner at my parents. Our family virtue this and next week is generosity. I think that it’s a good virtue to ponder and explore. I am looking forward to our family conversation about it next week. I want my kids to be good gift givers. It is a skill. My dad, and mom, are the greatest gift givers. I don’t know who picked my name in our family secret santa this year but I secretly hope that it is my dad. He always puts such a huge amount of thought into buying gifts for people. The look of anticipation on his face when you open a gift from him is so unique. I want my kids to understand that feeling.  Both sides of it. What a gift to be able to give a gift in such regal, caring fashion, and also to be able to receive a gift that such thought went into. Peter and I weren’t going to exchange gifts this year, but I think that it’s important for the kids to see us exchanging gifts.  Nothing grandiose, just gifts that have thought and meaning behind them.

So thrilled on so many levels for my dear friend, H, who had a sweet little baby girl this morning. I’m so emotional today about this birth and so entirely happy for their family. What a true gift for them, and for her. What a wonderful match. You can tell by looking at the photos of them together just in those first few precious hours that they just complete each other. Does it get much better than that? No, that IS it! I really think that is just pure and utter bliss.  I love babies. I love everything that they mean. All of the wonder and hope. I am pretty certain that I won’t have anymore babies as I know that they are only babies for a short time, then soon enough they are wonderful, feisty toddlers. But, the joy of it all is so wonderful! I’m determined to find joy at every stage. As challenging as each stage is, it is all bliss. Remind me of that when I am failing to see that!