My day job

Lately I’ve been posting about our DIY projects and some may be wondering where the heck my kids are. They are here. Trust me. The only way I have been able to get any of these projects done (or half done) is by working on things when they go to bed at night or when G.G. or some other angel comes to help watch them so I can bust out some painting. I used to have nap time to do stuff. While my 3 and 4 year olds still take 2-3 hours long naps, #3 will only take half hour naps. Some times he will throw in an hour long nap, but it is always when the other two are awake. Figures.

So anyway. My day job. Taking care of 3 boys ages 4 and under. It’s tough. I love it, but it is tough.

They are constantly arguing over toys or someone looking at the other the wrong way. Then there is Carter’s favorite phrase “Coen, I’m not ready for you!” which he cries as if Coen is about to stick him with a needle. It means that Carter has just gotten up from sleeping (morning or nap) in a bad mood and needs more time before he can behave like a decent brother around Coen.

When I give them a meal, one will usually finish and want to be excuse. The other will immediately be done and need to be excuse as well. Problem is, whoever is number 2 isn’t actually done and will be asking for a snack 10 minutes later. No exaggeration. Referee Mom now has the added task of reminding them before being excused that there will be NO snack since they did to finish their meal. They still come back 10 minutes later and throw a fit when I explain why they cannot have a snack.

Coen recently has taken an interest in what he wears. He wants to wear shorts. Always. Red basketball shorts to be exact. One more battle that I face nice and early each day. He also still puts all of his clothes on incorrectly. There are days when he gets undressed for bath time and I realized that he has had his underwear on backwards all day long. Really? How does he not notice that? I’m still perplexed at how he can wear his shoes on the wrong feet and continue on as if all is good. I don’t think I can even get my shoes on the wrong feet.

Keaton has become a mama’s boy which I love because I haven’t had one before. I also hate it because he will not let me leave the room for 30 seconds before he is in an all out meltdown. Even with daddy in the room, he some times loses it when I leave to brush my teeth.

Carter breezed by his first, second and third years. Such a sweetheart. Four… Four has not been good to us thus far. He wants to negotiate everything. He wants treats in exchange for going to the grocery store. Me too, Buddy! Not going to happen. You go where I go and it is no treat for either of us to have you at the grocery store.

All of that said, I do have the best job. Some times I just need to journal all of this. If not for me to look back on when I wonder why I was so tired all the time, for them, when they are older to look back on stories of what they were like when they were little. What crazy things they said or did. On days when I think I can’t do it and should go to work full-time, I realize that I would miss way too much. I just have to keep capturing the good on video so that I can replay the cute and remind myself why I stay home. There is no way I could miss all of this.

Oh, Keaton. You have no idea how patient your brothers are with you, but I have a feeling that it won’t last.

Carter takes such good care of his toys. He says he hasn’t seen Daddy pull in the mirrors on his big truck, but I’m pretty sure he has…