Karen Chatters » home life

Holding on

Karen — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:00:34 +0000

Sometimes you just have to look at the pictures, the captured moments, the stillness of it all, to remind you that some of these not-so-great moments will pass. They will, honestly. The pictures of the smiles and new moments and excitement help you to hold on to the fact that your kids are awesome and you are SO lucky. Today is one of those days. And it’s not even that the entire day is bad. It’s that witching hour before bed, or even before dinner, where things fall apart. Where the independence and exploring toddler can push all your buttons and try and push you over the edge. Where the screaming and the yelling and the crying and the complete and utter disregard for what you say has you wanting to hide in a closet. Because it’s not all day, just those last hours of the day that can cloud the laughter and the fun from earlier. Pushing away the happy memories for those moments where you’re ready to lock the kids in their cage.

The sounds of silence

Karen — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:22:44 +0000

As I sit and write this, Courtney is in her room screaming, not sleeping, and Patrick is going down to bed. It’s that time of day where you sink into the couch, happy to have survived the day and having had no one die on your watch. You sit and think, I’m done. I can’t do this for another minute. When do these kids go to college?

All day, every day, we parent our kids and nurture their souls. We play with them. We feed them. We clothe them. We bathe them. We tickle them. We clean their wounds and put bandaids on them. We clean goldfish out from under the couch and smoothie out of the nostrils of their noses. We clean the kitchen and fold the laundry. We vacuum the dog hair and maybe make some doctors appointments. We go to the grocery store, drive the carpool and shuttle kids to gymnastics or ballet or soccer practice. The day is a cacophony of small voices that make loud noises. “Mommy mommy mommy” and “I want my daddy” all day long. Cries and tears and skinned knees and bumped heads. The never ending words from Jingle Bells and Old McDonald, all rolled into one.

These are the noises that make up my life. They go on and on and on. Some days they seem to never stop. And you long for that moment of silence. When the kids are sleeping and you can sit and catch your breath and maybe have a thought of your own about something other than, ‘did he eat that rock?’ Or maybe, you can be totally crazy and have a conversation with your spouse. Uninterrupted.

Sure, these days are short. The kids will get older, there will be less hanging on to my leg. Or my every word. The desire to sit in my lap or to hold my hand or to tell me they love me will become the days that I long for. The need for me will become less as their need for independence will grow. I get all that and I don’t look forward to it. But then I do.

The sounds of silence are rare. They’re desired and sometimes longed for. Needed, even. But rare. Some day I will long for the singing and the dancing and the running and the crashing and the never ending chorus of ‘mommy mommy mommy’s’. But today. Today. I’d just like some quiet.

Christmas Wrap-up

Karen — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:28:53 +0000

Get it? Wrap-up? Or maybe it should be the un-wrap-up. Sorry, moving on…

We’ve had a great holiday here in our little home. Courtney’s been out of school since the 14th and in all honesty, we’ve done almost nothing. We had a huge Holiday Open House here on the 18th and after that, it was relax and hangout mode. Patrick woke up the day after our party with a cold that then went to his chest. There was snot everywhere and coughing and general nastiness so we stayed home so he could recover. Then there was Christmas and more hanging out at the house. And New Years, where we showered and took off our pj’s and ventured out into public. OK, not public as much as going to someone’s house, which is approximately 1 minute away in the car. And I’m SURE they wouldn’t have cared if we’d stayed in our pj’s… And now it’s FREEZING and we aren’t going anywhere today. And honestly, that’s all good with me.

Courtney had an excellent Christmas. She didn’t really get it, but close. She woke up Christmas morning and laid in bed for 1/2 an hour before I went in to get her and her first words were, “Did Santa come?” There was no banging down the door. No running down the steps. It was almost like a regular morning, until we got downstairs. Santa didn’t wrap anything which made the big reveal happen all at once and the cleanup super easy. But that also meant that Courtney wanted to open all of our gifts, which was fine but maybe not so exciting for her. Either way, she had a great day. Christmas day wrapped up (sorry, I didn’t mean to do that again) with Courtney singing Jingle Bells at the top of her lungs from her bed at 10:30, long after we’d turned out our own light.

Usually hanging out at home for 3 weeks with not a lot to do drives me a little crazy but this time, it’s been really nice. Hell, a week at home with nothing to do drives me batty. But I’m not complaining. Courtney’s had a great time. She’s been playing with her toys and Patrick or Paul or I. And because Patrick isn’t walking, going out requires lugging him everywhere and the kid is HEAVY but he wants to do everything his sister does. And sometimes staying home is easier and less exhausting. But, all good things must come to an end. Reality starts tomorrow with Courtney going back to school and doctors appointments and errands and one more day in our pajamas is all good with me.

I sure hope Santa likes sugar...

Getting the milk and cookies ready

And we can't go to sleep until we feed the reindeer!

Wow, Santa DID come!!

CARS!!

And the Princess has arrived

Checking out the new bike!

Happy New Year

Karen — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 12:00:58 +0000

From my zoo to yours, Happy New Year!

Is it Wednesday?

Karen — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 14:53:57 +0000

Courtney’s out of school this week and Patrick has the crud. We’ve barely left the house since Saturday and people are getting a little looney up in this place. I’ve been holed up either in my sewing room or the wrapping room (aka the guest room) or the kitchen since Friday and I’m losing all track of time. As a matter of fact, our big outing on Monday was to Hobby Lobby and I didn’t even get the kids dressed, I just took them in their PJ’s. Why? Because I’m a winner. In other news, I do believe I’m going to have all my presents completed by Christmas and I do consider that a major accomplishment. I canceled PT for today for Patrick as I’m sure his therapist wouldn’t want to touch him with a 10 foot pole, given all the stuff coming out of his nose. That is also a bit of a win as I haven’t showered in several days and I can’t swear that I don’t smell. On the down side, I still have a couple of errands I need to do today, and, well, still no shower. Oh well. I’m sure when they say “‘Tis the season” they don’t mean the season to go unbathed, greasy and smelly.

Rudolph is very sick.