The ENERGY Monster

Rainy days are very tough for me. Not just for me, but for my boys as well. We all would much prefer to spend our entire day outdoors. Unfortunately, even during nice days we must retreat home to eat, nap and so that I can keep the house somewhat clean (however, there is the logic that spending less time indoors would actually mean less mess… but it just never works out that way for me. The place is messy no matter where we spend our time. I must have messy elves that clutter my place to disaster while we’re out.) BUT on rainy days we are stuck inside for the day. Rainy days are every mother’s worst nightmare. This is when you want to clobber all those Pinterest Princesses out there. Sure, I have a “rainy day” pinterest board, what mom doesn’t? BUT WHO has time to set up these awesome looking but impossible activities? I MUST have the crafty gene, I knit and sew…. lack of craftiness is definitely not my problem. It might just be that I have too many kids, or kids that don’t like to sit still (they really don’t) or kids that never want to do the same thing at the same time.  Apparently just because they are twins doesn’t mean they will have the same interests. What gives with that? Seriously. They pretty much have NOTHING in common. Except a love of throwing wooden train tracks when angry. They both agree that doing so is a great way to let out some steam (Mommy is working tirelessly to teach them other ways deal with emotion). They both like tv! But of course I decided in a fit of desperation to remove the television from our living room in hopes that it would help with some of the “threenager” issues we’ve been having. Also, I got tired of them fighting over what shows to watch. So I’m always at a loss during rainy days of how to keep these rambunctious boys happily indoors when outdoor activities are a no-go. Today we read for most of the day, which is great…. really really great. BUT makes it hard for mama to get other things done. With coloring or any other artsy activity I’m able to be involved while flitting about the room tidying and cleaning. While reading I’ve got at least one on my lap and the crawler climbing all over me. Coloring only entertains one of the twins, and only for about 10 minutes… then he needs some other form of activity. I find if he is bored, he gets what I call “ENERGY”. “ENERGY” is a disease that causes the child to start running back and forth, over and over again, sometimes with a twirl or two but ALWAYS with arms splayed out in hopes that things (the messier or louder the better) will be knocked over. I make him clean it up but that doesn’t seem to deter him at all.. I’m flummoxed because I do believe a bit of boredom is actually healthy for a child and helps to build imagination. But so far it only seems to feed my child “ENERGY”. When he does this I usually can calm him down with some pretend school work, but again, that lasts maybe 5-10 minutes before the ENERGY monster strikes again. Luckily, they no longer launch off the couch like they used to do. I don’t really know how I got them to stop doing that.  It was honestly probably just that they got bored of it.

So is it just this age? This lack of focus? Actually, they CAN focus. They could spend hours being read to (but they have to be able to move while listening), playing trains and cars, and I’m fine with that…. they do get in fights over trains and cars though, which means it never really actually lasts HOURS.

The ENERGY monster distracted with the help of mommy's camera phone

Please, I’m open to some rainy day suggestions. This mama needs some fresh ideas!

5 Possible Facts About Today

5 possible facts about today:

I may or may not have cut 3 inches of my hair instead of working through a rats nest knot

I may or may not have eaten half a gallon of coconut milk ice cream after all three boys were in bed #whole30daynegative1

I may or may not have ran the shower but actually read a chapter in my book this morning while Jason gave the boys their breakfast

I may or may not have chosen to go hang out at the sprinklers instead of getting some whole30 compliant ingredients to fill my near empty fridge.

I may or may not be writing this from the couch in the twins nursery, since me holding court (is that even a saying?) in here is the only way to get them to sleep nowadays , even though they've been asleep for at least 5 minutes out of fear that they will wake, start begging to play and make mommy's brain explode...

Warning: May not he grammatically correct. Also definitely not in chronological order.  Not gonna worry about it. Note: warning should be at top of post... Meh

One Baby and a Momma in Seattle

Marlowe and I waiting to board the Seattle Ferry. We so fancy. (Is that from a song? Everyone says it..)

This year Jason gifted me with the most amazing Mother's Day gift. A trip back home with Marlowe! He still needed to be introduced to many very important family members, so he absolutely had to tag along. Luckily I'm used solo transporting three boys, which meant that ONE boy, one very small boy that cannot yet walk or crawl felt pretty damn similar to traveling alone. Well, not really. But it was easier. I think you catch my drift. The day we flew he cried all of five minutes. It was as we descended into Seattle, so most likely due to painful ears. We started with a two hour subway ride to JKF, where we caught our six hour flight to Seattle. Which means EIGHT hours, with only five minutes of crying. I was so proud! Until I realized it was probably because my poor youngest child was STOKED to have so much undivided attention from momma. The last time he had eight hours free from temperamental toddlers was during our four day hospital stay after he was born (four days of BLISS. Best vacation ever. Not kidding). To be fair, the twins have never really experienced this luxury either.... That's a whole different parental guilt trip blog post though. But Marlowe entered a world that was already quite divided. The boys require so much attention and are what I like to refer to as "spirited" (Old School Folks would call them "challenging" or maybe even "rebellious".  I like rebellious better, maybe even more than I like spirited.)  Marlowe, on the other hand, is apparently a pretty easy going baby... As long as I'm at a touchable distance. I never had time to stop and appreciate or even realize this until I went on my trip back to Washington. I kept waiting for him to break down, and he just wouldn't. Apart from two hours that I spent at the movies with my sister, he was a perfect smiling little angel. THIS IS WHY PEOPLE HAVE MORE BABIES! I swear to goodness, my little pumpkin pie almost tricked me into thinking I wanted more! Babies that get a lot of attention generally are pretty happy... This I've concluded based on my scientific research involving just one baby. My theory is that it's all a biological diabolical hoax to get you knocked up again.  And, I'm sorry to all those waiting on another pregnancy announcement from me, but it just isn't going to happen. I don't need to try for a girl, I'm content with my three little men. And I don't think we can squeeze any more cheeks (however small and however cute) into this NYC apartment.

This trip also made me realize how invaluable having family to help really is. Even if it's just to play with him for a few minutes. Anyone asking "Can I hold him?" Was returned with an enthusiastic "SURE! HERE YA GO!" and a wiggly baby thrown into their general direction. I wish I had my entire family living with me here in the city. Having family close is such a precious thing. Day to day, week to week, month to month, season to season, etc... I go without that help. Jason and I made the choice to live across the country so that's that. It's just one of those things you don't realize you miss until you see what you could have had.

Blowing bubbles in JKF

On my resume "nursing while babywearing and pushing a double stroller" will be the first skill I list. Obviously a boss at multi-tasking. 

Flu Fun

Marlowe sick with his first flu and fever :(

So January is almost over. How the hell did that happen? This month has flown by and not because we were enjoying ourselves. Unfortunately, we suffered with the flu for the first two weeks. It was horrible, disgusting and I can't believe we made it through. It all started after a vigorous hot yoga workout that left me feeling amazing. I was so happy "YES, I killed that class!"  Soon after I started feeling sore shaky.. But who doesn't love a good post workout ache? However, feeling chilly was pretty weird, especially since my apartment is usually kept at a toasty 80 degrees (building management controls our heat). Jason suggested that I take my temperature. I NEVER get fevers... I may get sick, but fevers are not common for me. So when the reading came back as 102 degrees I was quick to find a plausible reason that did not include illness. I was embarking on the Whole30 eating regimen and had begun PIYO workouts. That's A LOT for a body to take on (hello New Years Resolutions!). With all of these changes I was certain that my body was just in shock. That 102 fever must be because I overdid it, right? Especially after a hot yoga class? Pretty sure that can happen.... right??? Well three days later and not feeling any better I finally took myself to Urgent Care. The doctor looked at me and was ready to pronounce me sick with a "bad cold', but my intuition told me it was worse than that. I asked for the Flu test. The doctor said "Sure, but you are too well to be sick with the flu". Should have seen the look on her face when she came back five minutes later and told me it came up positive. Yup, well... Moms aren't allowed to act or look sick, didn't she know that? It was too late for me to take Tamiflu so I had to power through the fever with rest (ha. HA HA HA.) and lots of fluids. That night Marlowe came down with a fever and three days later Charlie, and two days after that Marek. So far, Jason remains healthy (which he loves to point out and tease that it means he has a stronger "constitution") and I'm praying it stays that way. Because men can't handle sickness as well as we women folk.
Getting the flu is terrifying when you have little children. Marlowe is too young for the flu shot and is at higher risk just because of his age.  Charlie I worry about because he is teeny and seems to have a harder time bouncing back from illness... Marek does pretty well, thank goodness. The flu only lasted three days for him.  However, this year there are SO MANY horror stories of the flu. This strain is horrible and crippling for some (I think my family lucked out. It could have been SO MUCH WORSE). Of course I was reading all the scary articles while we all were suffering, which is not the best idea.... but I was so relieved when the fevers dissipated and they started eating again. Yay! We made it through the flu without a single hospitalization! Which I consider a victory with this nasty strain.
Now we are getting back into our regular routine, which is a bitter battle after a sickness like the flu. Fact is the boys get very spoiled while ill, and if mama is suffering as well then they also get away with murder. Which they did. They totally murdered my apartment, but this lucky mama has a friend that treated her to a housecleaner once the sickness was gone. That is a RARE treat and it was much appreciated!
Who else is dealing with the flu? What are you taking to get you through it? Tamiflu saved us and I think the elderberry I was shoving down our throats made it less severe. Stay well everyone!