Family

Saturday Doug and I traveled down to Boston. It was a gorgeous day, similar to our wedding day exactly eleven years earlier. Again, we were dressed in finery, off to celebrate another union. The union of my brother Eric and his new bride Alyssa.

Eric and Alyssa said their "I Dos" twice; once in August, surrounded by my parents and her parents, and then again earlier this month in Paris. Saturday night was the family and friend gathering at Mistral and it was such a lovely time. I got to meet all her family, some of whom I'm friends with on Facebook but hadn't met in person. I got to hear how much her family adores my brother. And I got to remind people how happy I am that Eric has Alyssa in his life.



It was a great night. We got to celebrate our anniversary while celebrating their wedding. Eric and Alyssa are just so perfect for each other and we're so happy she's part of our family.

Change of Heart

I started writing a post yesterday about my failings as a mother. About how no matter what I do, my kids don't listen to a damn thing I say. About how the kids fight me every.step.of.the.way all day long. About how I feel like I'm failing my kids by not setting rules that they can actually follow. Or some such drivel.

Then I got this on Twitter:

MicheleDan@kristins4kids Remember--none of us are perfect parents. Think how hard it would be on our kids if we were. We just have to be good enough. (If I knew how to actually copy my Twitter screen, I would have posted it that way. But I don't, so this will have to suffice).

To be honest, I did a mental rant-and-rave at this person after I got the message. I wasn't feeling good enough. I was feeling low. However, I had some time to digest what she was saying, and I realize she's right. I am doing the best I can possibly do for these kids of mine. Some days I do better than others. Some days I yell because they've emptied the entire toy shelf in the living room, and some days I just sit and watch them play with their toys and quietly ask them to put them away. Some days I have no patience for food/napkins/cups thrown on the floor and some days I remind them not to do that and ask them to pick them up themselves.

This morning started off much like yesterday did and I was getting really frustrated, again. Then somehow the kids settled down and there I was, reading books to Izzie, just the two of us. It was calming, reading silly Sandra Boynton books while she sat in my lap and snuggled against me. I could hear Drew and Annie playing nicely together and realized that it's not going to be peaches and cream, rainbows and glitter all the time. Sometimes it's going to be dark skies, cranky kids and cranky mama. Sometimes I won't be good enough. But I have to strive to be better, every single day. Not perfect, just better.

All Aboard the Bullet Train

Um, so it's been a couple of weeks since I blogged. Whoops. So, hop aboard the bullet train if you'd like to play catch up.

• Meg is loving third grade. The homework is too easy for her right now so I'm hoping things pick up in that department here post haste. We haven't gotten a single newsletter home from the teacher which is a letdown after last year's teacher sending us DAILY emails with PHOTOS!
• Drew started his last year of preschool last week (i.e. his THIRD year) and is really happy for the first time since he started there. He goes an extra day this year, and stays for lunch there each day. This year is all about kindergarten preparation. He's such a big boy (you know, except for the constant tantrums and lack of listening ears at home).

• I went back to the spine doctor earlier this month. In a nutshell, my discs are going to continue to deteriorate and my herniated disc will always be herniated, but if I'm not in pain then I don't have to see her or go to PT. I haven't been on any pain meds for a month so the Prednisone did the trick. I think I can live with that.
• The twins are on a nap boycott. To say that this sucks is an understatement. Izzie threw herself out of her crib AGAIN yesterday but at least she didn't break her collar bone again. Drew's new school schedule is a contributing factor as we're picking him up when they're usually going down for a nap, but even this weekend was the same~no nap. I may be turning to drinking earlier in the day if this keeps up.
• Apparently H1N1 (aka the Swine Flu) is going through Megan's classroom. I say apparently because there's been no official word from the school and it's all hearsay from kids in the class, but not from my own child. All of my kids have stuffy noses at the present time and I'm watching them like a crazy person for any sign of a fever.
• Doug and I are heading to Boston next Saturday to celebrate my brother's wedding. It will be fun to see him and his wife, as they've been in PARIS since September 1st. It's also our 11th anniversary that day so what a fun way to celebrate.
• Fall is almost here. The leaves are beginning to change, and the twins and I are going apple picking with Drew's preschool on Friday. I can't say I'm sorry for this summer to get on out the door. It really wasn't one of our best.

What's new with everyone else? I've been trying to read blogs but commenting has gone out the window these days. Usually the kids are trying to kill each other when I'm trying to read, making coherent comments a thing of the past. I'll get back to everyone soon, I promise!