January 8

After a couple of stressful days, I decided that today we should stick close to home and keep a low profile. The day started out well; after breakfast, I got all three big kids started on an art project. While they worked, Eli and I put away all of the Christmas decorations. It was pretty perfect.

The kids practiced their sharing language (I even heard Lily say, "When you finish dat, I have turn?") and worked happily on their chalk snow scenes.

I know. Mom of the Year Right here.

And then, in the blink of an eye, everything disintegrated. I spent the next two hours annoyed and frustrated while the kids seemed to do just about everything wrong. I tried to keep my cool, but when I saw that Lily had climbed up on a chair, filled two cups of water from the refrigerator, and then spilled that water all over the papers on my computer desk and the floor - WHILE CALEB AND DAISY WERE SITTING AT THE COMPUTER!!! - I lost it. I was out of the room for two minutes, taking Christmas things to the basement. When I left, the girls were happily watching Caleb play DreamBox. When I came back, Lily was a sopping mess and Caleb and Daisy were oblivious.

Really?

Maybe I'm expecting too much of my kids, but lately my frustration with them is that they aren't watching out for each other. My goal is for them to be a team: to encourage each other to make good choices, to warn one another when they think something is going awry, to help and share... But lately they seem to have an "Every man for himself" attitude. 

Perhaps my expectations need adjusting, because things aren't going well right now.

While Lily stood in a puddle (at least it was water and not urine!) and Caleb and Daisy stared at the computer, Eli was so tired that he was literally crawling around the house, crying. So that was when I lost it. I sent the big three to their rooms while I put Eli down for his nap, and then I fed them lunch and sent them to bed. It was not pleasant.

After naps, however, it was much more pleasant. Eli was the first to wake up, and he and Caleb had some quality time.

Boy was hungry. Food made him happy! 

While I got dinner ready, Caleb fed Eli yogurt melts and made him laugh. It was sweet. Then Caleb asked if he could take a few pictures of Eli. 

Sure, kiddo! 

He was really pleased with his work, so I didn't crop or alter it in any way.

It was nice enough outside that as soon as the girls woke up, we all went to play in the back yard. All of the kids were so happy!

I promise I did not let Lily wear her pajamas all day. She wore these to bed last night, then got dressed this morning, then sometime later in the morning decided to put her jammies back on. She loves them that much. 

She also loves being pulled around by her brother in a found wagon.

Eli, meanwhile, was in his happy zone. Outside, swinging, with a ball. He just laughed and laughed!