Last night, after the babies went to bed, Adam and I played Settlers of Catan with our older two. As always there was laughter, yelling, and more than a few tears. This is just how board games go at our house; Allisan talks a big game for an 11 year old but when you start dishing it back to her, out come the waterworks. Good luck stopping them once they start too:
"Allie chill out, we're just having fun."
"I can't help it!! (sob sob sob) I don't like when dad/Riley/you make fun of mehehehe!!"
"Oh my God. We aren't making fun of you; we're teasing you the same way you were teasing us when you were winning. Calm down, stop crying."
"I'm trying!! It doesn't help when you keep talking about it!!"
So then you just have to ignore her because if anyone even tries to speak to her during the calming down phase we have to start all over.
Look, I can totally relate- I'm a cryer too; I cry when I'm sad, I cry when I'm mad, I cry when I'm happy, I cry when some college student wins a car on The Price is Right and when the Star Spangled Banner is sung before a sporting event. I hate it. So, I feel for her, I really do, but look:
Teasing is an important part of the family dynamic, especially in a large family. I'm the oldest of five and any of my siblings will tell you that picking on each other was an important part of growing up. I'm not talking about big T Trauma here, just a sprinkling of verbal jabs.
With a kid count of four we qualify as a large family now and it's every man, woman, and child for themselves.
During one of the more fun moments of our game I caught myself thinking about what it'll be like when the babies are old enough to play the games we enjoy- and then I realized by the time they're old enough to play Settlers and Smallworld and Ticket to Ride and Pandemic, Riley will be in his...twenties!...excuse me while I pass out.
Saturday, January 24, 2015
Taking Forgetfulness to a Whole New Level
(This story has been sitting as draft for months now. When I went to publish what I had written the computer froze and I lost all but the first two paragraphs. I had poured so much humor and wit (!!) into round one that I was too mentally exhausted to redo it. Now months have gone by and I've finally finished it.)
I had just put the twins to bed and I told Adam he was in charge while I stepped out to grab half & half along with a few other groceries. It was dark and it had been sprinkling on and off all evening. I really enjoy my grocery store trips- it's my little break from poopy diapers and warm spit-up- and this evening was no different, I rolled my window down just enough to let in some cool autumn air, I cranked up the radio which was playing Iggy Azalea's Fancy, and I did my best to rap in time while gesticulating in my minivan.
I arrived at my local Fred Meyer, got my cart, took out my list, and charted my course. I took my time choosing bell peppers- looking over each one individually, chose my bananas at a leisurely pace, contemplated buying a cheesecake (my will power held up and I passed), and checked out a few clearance carts. After grabbing my last item- the half & half for our morning coffee, I made my way to the check stands.
After paying for my goods ($56?!? I swear all I bought were a few produce items and creamer) I left the store and made my way back to my van. I could tell that something was off even from a distance because the cabin light was on, I thought that was weird. The van was parked with the driver side facing away from the store but as I rounded the back of the van I saw the reason for the light being on. The driver-side door was wide open.
Crap! Someone broke into the van. This was my first thought. I jumped in and did a quick check, "Hmmm strange, the only items that someone would bother stealing are still here." The realization sunk in: I had parked, opened my door, gotten out, and then just walked away from my van. Who does that?? Obviously an exhausted mother of four including twin newborns does that. Thank goodness no one took anything, it would have been so easy. This was probably what kept would-be thieves from taking anything; it was too easy, it must be a trap, or someone else must be inside the van- why else would the door be open?
I have a feeling this is just me now- this is what I do. I suppose I should just embrace it, people will understand.
I had just put the twins to bed and I told Adam he was in charge while I stepped out to grab half & half along with a few other groceries. It was dark and it had been sprinkling on and off all evening. I really enjoy my grocery store trips- it's my little break from poopy diapers and warm spit-up- and this evening was no different, I rolled my window down just enough to let in some cool autumn air, I cranked up the radio which was playing Iggy Azalea's Fancy, and I did my best to rap in time while gesticulating in my minivan.
I arrived at my local Fred Meyer, got my cart, took out my list, and charted my course. I took my time choosing bell peppers- looking over each one individually, chose my bananas at a leisurely pace, contemplated buying a cheesecake (my will power held up and I passed), and checked out a few clearance carts. After grabbing my last item- the half & half for our morning coffee, I made my way to the check stands.
After paying for my goods ($56?!? I swear all I bought were a few produce items and creamer) I left the store and made my way back to my van. I could tell that something was off even from a distance because the cabin light was on, I thought that was weird. The van was parked with the driver side facing away from the store but as I rounded the back of the van I saw the reason for the light being on. The driver-side door was wide open.
Crap! Someone broke into the van. This was my first thought. I jumped in and did a quick check, "Hmmm strange, the only items that someone would bother stealing are still here." The realization sunk in: I had parked, opened my door, gotten out, and then just walked away from my van. Who does that?? Obviously an exhausted mother of four including twin newborns does that. Thank goodness no one took anything, it would have been so easy. This was probably what kept would-be thieves from taking anything; it was too easy, it must be a trap, or someone else must be inside the van- why else would the door be open?
I have a feeling this is just me now- this is what I do. I suppose I should just embrace it, people will understand.
Friday, January 23, 2015
Claiming Originality is Unoriginal
There are a number of amusing lists out there that begin with, "You know you're the parent of twins when..." and for a parent of twins these are pretty funny to read. Each time I read something like this there are two items that always make my chuckle because they're so true:
1) "You will hear the same questions over and over again from random strangers every time you venture out with the little ones." I would also add, "and the people who ask these questions will believe they are being original."
2) Every time you see a parent with a baby you will instantly look for "the other one".
I'm going to address both of these thoughts here because this is my blog and that's what it's here for- my trivial musings.
Item number one: I know we've all been guilty of this from time to time. I'm sure that when I told that guy at the grocery store who was really tall that he was really tall I wasn't the first one to point this out to him, but now I'm on the other end of things and it's annoying! Here are phrases and questions we hear nearly every time we leave the house:
Oh look, twins!
Wow, you have your hands full
You must be busy
Both boys or...?
Do twins run in your family?
Are they identical?
At least you have some helpers! (speaking about the older two)
These seven things are all we ever hear come out of people's mouths anymore. That's it. Nothing else. Just once I'd like someone to ask about the consistency of their stools. You know, just to spice things up.
Item numero two: I didn't really think this would happen to me but I catch myself doing this all the time now. I'll be out at the mall and there's a mom and dad sitting on a bench getting baby out of the stroller and I glance around to take a look at the other baby, only there is no other baby because not everyone has twins. I'm crocheting something cute for my sister who is pregnant with her first baby and when I was figuring out how much yarn I would need I caught myself thinking, "Ok and times two would be..."
1) "You will hear the same questions over and over again from random strangers every time you venture out with the little ones." I would also add, "and the people who ask these questions will believe they are being original."
2) Every time you see a parent with a baby you will instantly look for "the other one".
I'm going to address both of these thoughts here because this is my blog and that's what it's here for- my trivial musings.
Item number one: I know we've all been guilty of this from time to time. I'm sure that when I told that guy at the grocery store who was really tall that he was really tall I wasn't the first one to point this out to him, but now I'm on the other end of things and it's annoying! Here are phrases and questions we hear nearly every time we leave the house:
Oh look, twins!
Wow, you have your hands full
You must be busy
Both boys or...?
Do twins run in your family?
Are they identical?
At least you have some helpers! (speaking about the older two)
These seven things are all we ever hear come out of people's mouths anymore. That's it. Nothing else. Just once I'd like someone to ask about the consistency of their stools. You know, just to spice things up.
Item numero two: I didn't really think this would happen to me but I catch myself doing this all the time now. I'll be out at the mall and there's a mom and dad sitting on a bench getting baby out of the stroller and I glance around to take a look at the other baby, only there is no other baby because not everyone has twins. I'm crocheting something cute for my sister who is pregnant with her first baby and when I was figuring out how much yarn I would need I caught myself thinking, "Ok and times two would be..."
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