Car Wash Solitude and Lary Boy

How can it have only been 11 days since Sam left. Eleven days that is starting to feel like 11 weeks. I am just not cut out for single-motherhood. I don't have enough patience, enough stamina, enough energy, or enough consistency. ( Or enough mint chocolate chip ice cream).

The kids are OK. There are usually strong behavior changes when Daddy leaves, and as usual, it is the boys who are the most affected. Nightmares, stuttering and explosive behavior from Tiff and a sad, melancholy demeanor from Collin. It just makes it all that much harder to parent because the behavior is ten thousand times worse then normal.

So, looking for the positives becomes a search for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow for me. Focus on the positives, FIND them, and enjoy them.

I got 8 minutes of the BEST alone time yesterday. Kaebrie was napping, Kaitlynn was at a friends house, and the boys were watching a survival show on discovery, so I left them here. I had to run to the hospital to pick up Collin's prescriptions, which they had not ordered yet (no surprise there) and on the way back home, I decided to run into the shoppette for a Boise paper and on another whim, decided to buy a car wash. This is one dusty and dirty place, and my pretty new blue van sure wasn't looking pretty.

So I punched in the code, and in I drove. The water started spraying, it was kind of dark, and I turned up the radio as loud as I could stand it. There were some great songs on the Praise and Worship station, and it was so loud that I could feel the music. There is no better place to sing then alone inside a running car wash! Three whole songs. I felt as refreshed when I drove out of there as my van did! :)

(do they have security cameras inside those things???)

We are working SO HARD on teaching the kids to respond correctly to each other. I am so tired of hearing "MOMMY ( she touched me, she took my toy, he stuck his tongue at me, he won't leave me alone, and 12,758 other tattle tales)." Over and over we tell them, "talk to the (sibling) first, using nice words and a nice tone, THEN come get us if they won't listen.

So, just a few minutes ago, I send Kaebrie to her room to get her jammies on and I hear her say,

"please get out."

"please get out."

"please get out."

Seriously, she said it about 11 times, all softly and sweetly. (Progress, I thought, YAY!!!!)

I was so excited she wasn't screaming at someone, but then I realized that whomever was in her room was blatantly ignoring her, and then I started to get mad. So I yelled back there, "WHOEVER IS IN KAEBRIE'S ROOM, SHE HAS ASKED YOU NICELY OVER AND OVER SO PLEASE GET OUT!!!!"

Kaebrie walks out into the hallway and says. "Mommy, they won't get out." Now I am really angry and I am stomping down the hall the her room when she says.'"Larry Boy and Alfred won't get out of my room."

..................... That stops me. She was tattling on her IMAGINARY FRIENDS!!!!!

I tell you what, I do have some experience with three year olds, but this one takes the cake. I have never met a more verbal, social, creative and unique child. All you family back home in Alabama, you have about a month left until we arrive, so start taking your multi-vitamins now and investing in a nice set of ear plugs probably wouldn't hurt anything either.

Tomorrow, I am taking Collin and Kailynn to see Prince Caspian. We have been waiting for about 6 months and are so excited. Collin re-read the book again last week so it would be fresh in his mind. A sitter is coming for the little 2 ( or little 4 if Larry Boy and Alfred are still here tomorrow).

I put on some shorts today. SHOCKING!! And sat outside in the backyard for about 20 minutes, feeling my skin go into shock at the vitamin D exposure. We reached 88 today and will be in the 90's this weekend. It just feels so good not to feel cold!!! I had to wear my sunglasses because the glare coming off my white skin was blinding. But I sat and listened and watched Kaebrie and her friend Colton play on the swingset. They took turns swinging and locking each other up in their jail. The funny thing was when Kaebrie told Colton to push Larry boy on the swing, AND HE DID!!

If any you can tell me how I can get Kaebrie to treat her brothers and sister as politely as she treats Larry boy and Alfred, I would appreciate the advice!

:)