April 2013

Today is not my absolute favorite day of being a mom... You are all challenging me in your own little ways.

Today, it seems you all woke up with your own ideas on how the day should go: William woke up and the first thing he said was, <whining> "Can I play LOTS of video games today? Is today a 'stay-home' day?" (ie: weekend/no school). Mason got up and followed suit with Will, as he did most days...only Mason is easier to deter from video games, he often simply whines about things: getting dressed, eating meals, going potty, combing hair, etc...and today was no exception; running away, yelling, and finally crying "but I can't do it" as he clothed himself, knowing I would make him get dressed. Norah is a tornado. All over the place. Into something new each day, leaving horror in her wake. It's the office drawers, kitchen cupboards, printer paper, basket of yarn, boys underwear drawers, any container with toys in it, and even things I didn't know I had (lipstick...I don't even wear lipstick!) etc etc... Nori, you put food in your hair! ...that's why it hurts when I comb it! I mean, really, imagine if we didn't have No More Tangles. ugh. Norah's most recent game is not really eating meals but spreading it out on her tray, face and hair; then throwing her empty, but enough-to-mess-up-the-floor dishes on the floor...only later to whine for treats. Guess what, Nori - you're busted! ...guess what else...fixing this issue is NOT FUN for ANY of us. You don't eat meals, you don't get treats...you get your meal...again. Needless to say, this adds more whining and crying as you watch your brothers eating their rice krispie treats while you throw your peas on the floor during your 3rd attempt at actually consuming them in order to receive your glorious snap crackle popping reward. Well, we survived dressing, eating and getting to preschool with Mason & Will...it was upon picking up Mase that we had another issue. Bad day. Kicking preschool teachers is not nice, Mason. You screamed, kicked, flailed, yelled and screamed and hit. You did this because of a 'broken' mini cupcake at snacktime - which is your favorite thing about preschool! You proceeded to smash it and wipe it on your pants simply so you could leave the table to wash your hands and escape the whole situation. You little stubborn boy! Well, I parked the car and made you go back in to apologize to your teachers...you did not like this...but you did it. You know you made bad choices today and you know you get to try again on Wednesday. I only hope that I'm able to give you some ways to handle those feelings in the future. Right now, you and little tornado girl are sleeping it off...while William is at preschool...counting down the days until summer.

It is only 2:00 and I'm exhausted. Nothing has gotten done at home today. Dishes are sitting, laundry is sitting, and I am sitting. Three babes attacking me from different angles has me exhausted. All normal behaviors for your ages...not anything bad or unusual for 1, 3 & 5 year olds. Healthy little kids, I have! I think I deserve a time-out today  - and I'm taking it...now. I'm going to eat a 'potty treat' of Norah's and watch a daytime talk show...and when you kids wake up and Will gets home. I have to do what I told Mason when I put him to bed... "...you get to start all over when you wake up. choose good choices and a good attitude!"

To start my good attitude, I will list some great things about today:

• Mason & Will let me comb their hair without yelling, whining or running away...even asked for hair gunk! "aka: the Daddy stuff"
• Will got ready and into the car like a champ...bathroom, backpack, coat, car, buckle!
• Norah ate ALL of her oatmeal this morning (before rubbing the spoon on her head and throwing her spoon and bowl on the floor)
• the two babes are sleeping peacefully at this very moment
• Will loves asking about math problems and I love answering
• Will shouted out this morning how our baby seeds are growing and how he SEES that it grew since just 5 minutes ago!

Love you kids...even when I'm beat!
Boring post today, but I wanted to document the 'day-to-day'...and it's not all hilarious or warm and fuzzy all the time...

...even on boring days, at least one of you says, "I wuff you, Mom" (that would be in a Mason accent) ;)

Here are some pictures from the last month or so... planting seedling tomato & sugar snap peas, grandma and grandpa visited, Easter, playing in the March snow, the lipstick incident, and some cute faces from my favorite people.

your personalities...at the moment...

Today...what are we doing today...? I think this every morning and it's always been my resolution to "get it together" each year. Maybe writing it down here will help me do that!? Well, at this very moment, you kids are playing with matchbox cars on the floor. The cars are talking, playing, fighting and having 'race-crashes' as Will has dubbed the car wrestling matches. Yes, even Norah. Well, just to get started, here's a little bit about each of you and your personalities...

Norah: Nori, you are always moving and getting into everything! We do not keep toilet paper out because of you. Toys are constantly dumped out and scattered. Literally, you will dump out a box of blocks and just throw them around or carry them from room to room. Yesterday while I was making dinner, it took you about 6 seconds to empty an entire box of zip lock baggies onto the floor as I was washing raw chicken juice off my hands...seriously!?! But I know that there is something so fun about you...I can't wait to see what you grow up to be like! Already, you  hang with the big kids pretty well...even jumping in on the nightly wrestling matches with brothers and dad. You already have quite the personality and we can CLEARLY see the attitude emerging...fun, sassy and loving. If you're upset, you scream like a pterodactyl, but that's not too often, luckily. Dad and I love getting you going back and forth saying "I love YOU!" to see who gets to say it last. Sounds more like "I yu YOUU!" from your mouth, so precious...over and over. It's even better when you start the chant yourself. You are quite independent most of the time. I think we have your big brothers to thank for that. You are easy to put to sleep and love to snuggle with anything...especially your blankies from my Auntie Jeannie (same as your big brother Mason). At night, you like to sing any song at all - you like to sing along with your gibberish and every so often you get a word right. It's so fun to just lay with you and 'talk' at bedtime. You learn so much everyday, it's clearly visible each day. We love you!

Mason: My little growler...yes, you growl a lot just for fun or to play with your siblings. It's a loud growl that you love, but sometimes makes Norah cry and it hurts the ears of anyone around you. I'm not sure where you learned to growl so well, but you are excellent at it! You are an ever-changing little guy. Everyone who sees you now says how you've grown! Your reddish hair always catches the attention of strangers and makes your Irish Grandma Brew so happy. You are so unique. You are high drama most of the time: asking for snacks, sharing toys, needing help with something, spilling your milk, accomplishing a goal, being excited about something...always very dramatic about expressing yourself. We often work on talking without being so dramatic, but it's just you! You are great at almost anything you do, but you need lots of encouragement to try new things. When you are happy, you say the funniest things. Lately, you talk about pooping a lot! Just at random times. You were recently sick and that seems to be what you like to bring up..."remember when I was sick and screamed for you because I had to go poop!?" he he. So funny. We're trying to teach you and Will what is appropriate in public conversation now...it's just the beginning and we've seen minor improvement - good for you! You LOVED your blankie (which is in shreds - I just took it and cleaned it up for your memory box) and snuggling. You always want to be held or sit on laps for hugs. Your favorite song at bedtime is "Finkle, Finkle" (twinkle, twinkle) and you love to sing it...at this time, we are pretty sure you won't be the lead singer in any band. ;) But WE love to hear you sing. You take a lot of grief from your big brother, but you always go back for more. You two love each other a lot, despite the daily bumps, bruises and arguments. You're best buds. I'm so glad you have each other. We love you!

William: Wow. You are 5! I can't believe it. It's been quite a journey with you! Anyone who gets to know you says how smart you are. You were our first awesome babe and you broke us in for the other two. When you were young (2) you didn't like to talk...almost at all. We signed you up for preschool very early for speech...as soon as you started...you TOOK OFF to put it mildly. You are extremely smart and strong willed. You will not do things that we want you to do - like try riding your bike or playing baseball. It has to be on YOUR terms. If we just leave it alone until you try it on your own, you may just love it...but if we ask you to try it, you will absolutely refuse! Very frustrating for us, but you've proven to us that you will get things accomplished in your own time - and when you do, you always succeed! In fact, when you are not good at something right away, you will often quit trying entirely...you are a bit of a perfectionist! (kind of like me...sorry!) One of our favorite things about you is how you love everyone. You talk to anyone and make friends wherever you go. You'll just say, "Hi, I'm Will" and there you go! You only like to sing the Alphabet at night time and sometimes you like to mess it up because you think it's so funny. Recently, you lost your bottom two teeth! You were eating your cereal one morning and suddenly spit out your tooth...you said, "So that's why my cereal was so crunchy!" You teach your brother and sister so much about growing up. They are so lucky to have you as their big brother. We love you so much!

Right now, it's time to get Will ready for school, feed you all some lunch, and get on with the day. Your favorite movie at the moment is Rio, so I think we will glue some feathers to paper and make birds if we have time. Exciting, right!? But I know that Will is going to like it the best! At one time, he never played pretend...now, it's ALL THE TIME and I have a feeling a paper bird is just the thing! I know Nori and Mase will follow right behind him and they'll be having a bird party soon...

...on with the day!

for my babies

So my babies, I've decided to start you your own blog that you can check out someday...someday when you can read. I'll try to keep up on the happenings around here so you might be able to imagine what your childhood lives were like...well, I'll write what I want you to remember, that is! I can't help but wonder who might read this someday...maybe your future spouses...whom at this moment are just little tiny kiddies, just like you are - asking their moms for more cereal, getting put on timeout, and asking to have their butts wiped. yep. I said it. I do a lot of butt-wiping these days!

I'll save you the math...right now, Will is 5, Mason is 3 and Norah is 1. I am 31 and your dad is 32 (almost birthday time for us). I am constantly making meals, cleaning up, or chasing one of you! I stay home with all of you and life is usually very eventful but sometimes very dull (it's winter and we're stuck inside now). Will attends his 3rd year of preschool everyday; Mason just started his first year of early preschool: and Norah and I go to preschool activities together once in a while to get out of the house to meet friends. Dad goes to work at US Foods everyday; and Porter sleeps and barks.

We just moved to Plainfield, IL from our great life in Hanover, MN after Thanksgiving 2012. Jason got a promotion to work at the corporate offices and we made the tough decision; moving away from family and friends, in hopes for a better life for you kids with more opportunity. You all are great at making friends, so I know we will do great here. We are going to do everything we can to make sure you still stay close to the family we are now 8-11 hours away from. We have always had fun at all of the Brewinski houses doing the Minnesota outdoor play. Will went tubing behind uncle Mike's boat last year and we all fed the chipmunks. You all love riding in Grandpa's little red car, watching the birds, and running up and down the dock. Uncle Matt just bought a cabin too...so we will me making the trip annually at least to visit them in the summer. We will also go to SD to see your other cousins. Your dad has a twin, you know...when William was 3, Aaron walked into our house and he said, "Look! It's another daddy!" So, we will be sure to keep in touch with them. Even though they are not close to us, we will be sure to stay close.

Lots of time on the road! Skype is our friend! Now, we just need to make more time to do it...

I wish I had started this earlier for you boys! I hope you remember some of this stuff, and if not, that's why I'm writing. Well, here goes...