Fever Dreams

James has been semi-slammed with a flu. He has had slight pink eye but was handling it fine. He had a baseball game Friday night and then again Saturday morning. When we got home, he complained of a headache. I had him drink some water and try to lie down. I went outside and worked on the yard with Gav and Jack and I heard James cheerily say from my bedroom window, "Hi Mommy!". He had decided to read a book on my bed, I'm guessing so he could be closer to us without actually being outside. After a while I had to come inside and realized I hadn't heard James in a while. He was passed out on my bed. He stayed there for three hours. Definitely sick! He was also burning up. Once James woke up, I took his temp- 102. Poor kid! I had him rest in his own bed for a while. When his brothers were getting ready for bed, he finally seemed to get some energy back. Of course that meant he had to stay up with us till 10:30... but he finally went to sleep.

In the morning, Gav and Jack always get in our bed. James usually saunters in later due to his late nights (that's changing in the fall with full day school!). James came in basically on schedule, to inform us that he had gotten sick in the potty. A little while later, he got sick again in the tub I had put next to his bed. But he seemed to be feeling better after that. He got to watch movies or draw all day to make sure he got his rest. He even ate a little and drank some. Yes! He didn't nap at all during the day (which I was kind of surprised but grateful for so he could get back on a nightly schedule) so he was ready for bed at a normal time. Well...

It is now 11:07. About ten minutes ago, he came out frantic. He said, "Mommy, I love you! I just love you!". I did not understand where that was coming from. I mean, yes, he says that a lot to me. But it was in such a desperate way, I was so confused. I had him go back to his room (sometimes he sort of sleep walks when he goes potty or wakes up from a bad dream) and get back in bed. I thought maybe he had gotten sick again, but he hadn't. We had the window open to let fresh air in and the blinds up a little because our crazy indoor cat loves open windows and blinds or no blinds, he is going to sit next to that open window. So blinds up for him to sit. Anyways, James started telling Brad and I that a man had come (freaky much??) and then he couldn't get anything else out, he was so freaked out. I got him to calm down a bit more and he said an elf man had come to the window and told James to eat all the elf food. We closed the windows, closed the blinds, and told him not elf or bad guy will come to the window again. Was I freaked out? A little. I knew it was a dream, but some guy at the boys' open windows is one of my worst nightmares, so it hit "home" a little for me. This was obviously a dream and we could tell he was so close to going back to sleep. He was kind of upset with me for not being in the room with him. He really hates that we don't sleep in the same room (attached much??). We sang some songs for him and put on a calm movie. I also said a prayer for him, to know that Heavenly Father will help him. It was just the strangest thing! Our kids don't usually have nightmares so it always catches us off guard. And he was feverish again, so pretty sure this was the evil doing of the fever. Hoping and praying he gets better and happier rest from now on tonight.

My Assistant

Gavin is the best helper. That is not an understatement. He is the best helper. He hates it when I do busy work without him. Most of the time... when I clean bathrooms, vacuum, and clean kitchen he doesn't care. Mostly because I make them watch a show so I can get those things done real quick. Anyways, Gav loves to help. Today he surprised me when he insisted on helping me with dinner. Gavin has always enjoyed helping me bake, but dinner is different. It's faster paced, knives involved, hot liquids, oven, stove top, etc. Instead of doing my normal, "Not now. You can't" because I'm too in the mode to slow down for a four-year old, I let him help. And I'm now thinking maybe he should help me every night. Or most nights. I mean, I have this kid... this four-year old kid who WANTS to help me. All I made tonight was gnocchi, pasta, rosemary cream sauce, and broccoli. And lemonade. Nothing too big. But he set the table, helped me make the cream sauce, and helped me make the lemonade. It wasn't much, but it meant something to him. He actually started stressing me out a bit (because I'm me and can't think very well when someone is talking about things out of order) and I had to tell him that when he's in my kitchen, I'm the chef. He's the sous chef- his job is to listen to me, follow my direction, and follow what I need to do next. He loved it. He had a title! So he stopped insisting on making the lemonade and instead helped me make the cream sauce. I loved it. It was a great experience together that I really hope I remember to cultivate. Saturday we didn't get home till 4pm from James's baseball game, but Brad and I still wanted to get some yardwork done. While his brothers played in the back with their toys, Gavin was diligently with me. He has to help me plant flowers. We had gotten a few new ones for the front to help it not look so sparse. I had to weed to get it all ready and he (mostly) patiently waited and helped. He loves to pull the flowers out of their plastic containers, loosen the soil and put them in their hole. He even dug his own holes. You could tell he was so proud of himself. I told him he was like a real gardener. He laughed at that. He then said I was like a gardener too... which told me that it meant a lot that I said that to him. 

I can't wait for our garden to grow in the back so the boys can help me harvest. Jack and James will actually help with that part... especially the raspberries, which never make it inside our house. Wonder why that is ;) It's things like this I know are important to instill in these boys now. Teach them to work hard and earn rewards, especially if you have someone like Gav in the family. 

Baseball and Bad Nights

James had another baseball game tonight. Of course he did well :) He tried his best. They only had time for two innings. First at bat, no hit but great swings. Second at bat (and last one to bat for the game), got a hit! First out in field... ugh... so distracted. So James. Totally missed a ball sail right past him because he was jumping and spinning in the dirt. Second out in field, he asked to be catcher. He usually is pretty good at stopping the balls, but tonight I think they were a little too fast for him to do much. He did try harder as the game progressed. He did get tagged in the helmet, and there was an audible gasp from everyone. He turns around to the crowd, taps his helmet like, "No worries, this stopped it" and turned back to the game. That made everyone laugh and cheer for him. So awesome. I love seeing him try and progress at a sport. I'm still not sure baseball is the sport for him, but I definitely think it's great for him to learn focus and working as a team. And baseball does a good job at that. 

Onto a different boy... Jack had quite the night tonight. At the game, he fell and cut his hand on the concrete. Of course, right after I had told them to stay on the grass so they don't fall and hurt themselves. I'd say 'live and learn' but I know there still lots to live and lots of learning for this three-year old. We get home and the boys get in a bath. Brad was taking care of them while I made our dinner. I was at the door saying bye to some friends when Jack starts wailing. I rush into the bathroom and Brad's got him. He said that he had been bouncing around and slipped and fell on his face. He had a bit of a bloody mouth. Poor kid! I take him to go get some undies on so I can cuddle him better. After I get his undies on I stand up and hoist him up to carry him. Yeah... I overshot... and I was in their closet... and I "made" him bonk his forehead on the closet rod. Gah! Bad mom! Bring on more wailing and crying (with reason, gol i felt bad). He kept saying, "Mommy made me hit my head!". Blah. We finally got him to calm down and put on some Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives to keep everyone happy. I then had to try to wash his cut out more... apparently when he fell, dirt got pushed into his cut. I got a little bit out, but it was all he could handle tonight. He was in near hysterics again by the end. Now he is in bed and hopefully asleep and tomorrow better be a better day for that guy. Good thing he becomes happy so easily :)

Dirt

Well, true to nature I missed the second day of my every-day-this-week thing. Of course :) So two for today!

Today (... as in yesterday...) the boys were finally able to bust out their new "bakeware" in their dirt pile. Last year I saw that instead of having a sand box (because those are evil), you could do a dirt box/pile instead. Yes! Will it be messy? for sure. Will it be filthy dirty? yuppers. BUT these boys will be able to use their imagination more and get in their element. They have some holey jeans and worn out t-shirts that we are saving for our "dirt days". This isn't something we are doing every day. Not now, at least. We have places to go and I can't handle the stress of multiple outfit changes when we are on a schedule. But for the days where our nights are free (i love those days), this is what they'll be doing.

Today (as in for reals today) just so happens to be a day where we have somewhere to go therefore, no dirt day. Instead of using the dirt, they still enjoyed playing with their new outdoor toys on the patio. I was impressed. Hopefully the novelty of this won't wear off. I'm thinking it won't. What boy doesn't want a dirt pile they are allowed to play in in their backyard? Exactly. And yes, you may call me the best mom ever. In this regard, it might be true ;)

Everyday...

I am hoping to blog every day for a week. The boys say/do such silly, sweet, and irritating (mind you, not all at once) literally every single day that I feel I really need to capture it better. Where to begin on today...

James is super attached to me. The other day he informed me that, "when Daddy dies, I get to sleep in the same bed as you." Brad and I let him know that 1- Brad isn't going to die anytime soon (he better not...) 2- when he does, James will hopefully be married with his own family (which was followed with a very happy "Oh!" and a giggle) and 3- we're pretty sure he'd rather have his dad around than gone, even if that meant he had to be in his own room. This kid... attached. But so sweet. Well, usually. He is like 85% sweet to me and 15% I'm ruining his life and screaming at me. Better than 50/50, right??

The other day on the phone my mom said, "Hi, Gavinator!" when he got the phone. "No, I don't want to be called that today. Today I want 'Gav'... *mom, what day is it today? (Me- Friday)* Oh. On this day, Friday, I want to be called 'Gav'." And Gavin has such a way of saying things so matter-of-factly it was just hilarious.

Jack is singing... all. the. time. Either the Little Einsteins song or the Rescue Bots song. It is freaking adorable. And yet... can get a little old at times. I try to last as long as possible before needing a break. Which is generally dinner time. Doesn't last long... but oh well. It's dang cute and it makes him happy. He is sooo obsessed with Little Einsteins right now. I'm just grateful it's a show I have absolutely not guilt having them watch a bunch because they learn from it. And they hum the classical music now and love it. Ha! Win!

I actually might start teaching them basic piano stuff. I think for sure Gav and James. Jack might need to wait or at least wait till I see if he's interested in what his brothers are doing. I feel like the boys can pick whatever instrument they want to learn, but they need to know the basics of piano. Hello, free teacher and piano at home! Take advantage :)

Day 1, done! Let's see if I can do this tomorrow as well...