Raising Siblings

Scotty and Janey are moving away from being two babies that live in the same house, to being siblings. Of course I knew when I got pregnant with Jane that they would love and hate each other, tease and play with, protect and attack each each other, all the things that siblings do.

The past few weeks have been full of these two keeping me on my toes in so many ways:

Literally - where did all of these toys come from?

Creatively - it's cold outside (again) how can I keep you two (and myself) from getting cabin fever?

Cooking - how many ways can you serve mac-n-cheese and make it desirable?

Teaching - Scotty has A and B down, now if he could just get to C, he usually likes to just repeat AB AB AB.

And in a million other ways...

Some days I am so intimidated by these little people. For the most part, it is two against one during the day; 2 pulling sofa cushions off, 1 putting them back up, 2 taking a bath and splashing/dumping water on the floor, 1 trying to keep them safe, get them clean, and keep my bathroom from being destroyed in 15 minutes, 2 screaming and crying because on is crawling on the other and the other is getting smashed (Jane or Scotty could be in either position with this one) and 1 referee.

And then they do something so spectacular, like give the other a kiss, or give up a toy for the other, or even just lay quietly next to the other for even a minute or two while Mommy sits down for 3 seconds. It's times like these that I remember that we are all shooting for the same goal: being happy and in one piece till Dad comes home (we have short term goals at our house), cause when Dad gets home, Mom gets a break and the kids get to wrestle.

Janey on the lookout, so she can warn Scotty when Mom is coming...

"I guess you caught us..."

"Yeah, now what are you gonna do?"

I love my sweet little angels/rascals.

I think being a Mom is the hardest thing I have ever done (besides that one time I ran a mile w/o stopping - holy crap that was hard!). Not that it is hard to get them dressed, or make bottles, or change diapers at 3am, or folding 7 loads of laundry in a day, or fixing toys, or reading the same 2 books over and over and over again; it's the 24/7 part of it that is hard for me. It's the "Maybe if smile real big and have dinner cooking for my husband, he won't notice I haven't showered and the house is a mess" thought I get at about 4:30 most days.

Today while I was changing Jane's diaper before putting her down for a nap I thought to myself, "I wonder how many diapers I have changed in the past 2 years? I wonder if it is really doing them any good to take naps at the same time every day? Does it really matter if Scotty says "Sorry" to his sister this time, or that he says "please" when he wants his fruit snacks? Is it really worth the fight?" Then I got a strong scent of what I was cleaning off my daughter. and that brought be back to reality...

Yes it is worth the fight! I am fighting the 24/7 battle for the future of my babies. Cleaning up their waste, whether in the diaper or on the toilet seat b/c he wasn't positioned quite right, only teaches them good hygiene, and their regular naps and bed times will help them get the most out of the times that they are awake. And of course it matters that Scotty says sorry - it matters every time, because he and Jane need to know that we love and care about each other, and that we have manners! Of course it is worth the fight. My kids are worth the fight. I love them too much not to fight for them.

So that's what I will keep doing, every day, till that one glorious morning that I wake up and realize the it is 10am and I have just woken up to birds chirping because my kids are grown, and happy with good hygiene, good sleeping habits, good manners, and they know they are loved by each other, by me and by God.

And even though they do keep my on my toes, at least I get a good workout!

Your average fridge (in need of a good scrubbing)...

With a truck in it.

I looked in the rear view mirror to check on the kids and saw this... my heart melted. And while trying to get this picture, I only almost got it two wrecks!