I'm awake early in our new house. Not exactly by choice but because Jeffrey just CANNOT PLAY QUIETLY. Short screams of frustration, intermittent giggles, and the endless monologue of movie quotes make it impossible for meto ignore him. The two year old can't ignore it either, which is why "Mommy!!!!!" breaks into my dreams as well. The two year old is crazy enough to have earned the nickname "Honey Badger." But Honey Badger has not yet figured out that he is perfectly capable of escaping from his crib, and at this stage in motherhood I am certainly not going to be the one to inform him.
Andrew wanders into my room. He's trying to escape the noise as well. His giggles and running monologue keep the other boys awake too, but at night, not in the morning, and has not been as extreme during summer. So he is seeking the sleep he couldn't get at the beginning of the night or in the wee hours of this morning. He's getting too big to join both of us in bed, but he'll settle for snuggling with Daddy while I try to give the rest of the house a few more moments of sleep. Jeffrey, Luke and I head downstairs for breakfast. Jeffrey requests popcorn, which he would have for every meal if I let him, but I convince him to request something else, so buttered toast(es) and applesauce is what we agree on. Luke requests the same because he always wants what his brothers have.
(Jeffrey has listened to my typing, come over to the screen, and begun reading what I'm typing. "I love popcorn!" "Jeffrey...that's ME!!!" "Mommy, can Jeffrey sit with Mommy?" This mix of first person and third person is a continuing speech problem that we're working on...sometimes we have to speak to Jeffrey in third person that he actually understands what we want him to do.)
Kadee Joy is blissfully unaware during the most severe of thunder and lightning storms, so her sleep is not at all disturbed by our breakfast making and eating. Moving to the new house has brought her within a few blocks of her BFF, so during the day she is either with her BFF, her BFF is with us, or she's making plans on how to arrange another visit with her.
(Jeffrey interjects into my typing in a whisper, "Mommy...I love you.")
Luke is enamored with transportation and the cartoons closely related to them. Thomas the Tank Engine and Cars are his particular favorites. He's playing with "Vader" (Mater) and Doc. Daddy's love of Star Wars makes names that are close to any of it's characters morph into one's that Luke is familiar with. I've tried to tell Luke that the tow truck is "Mater" not "Darth Vader", but it doesn't seem to matter.
The boys are all in one room. It seems to be working well. I'm typing in the office/playroom, which is why Luke, who normally wants to be at my side at all times, is content to play while I compose this post. Jeffrey loves the computer (and me!) too much to be parted from either when they are available. So he's still here, sitting comfortably squished in the computer chair watching everything I type.
Shortly after my last blog post (and by shortly, I mean within a couple of days), a realtor who had been on the lookout for a house for family (she is the parent of two of my students) came across the one we're now in. We had been told that Andrew would only be able to go to my school if we were within it's borders...not just the district's borders. This one was on the market to be sold or rented...we put in an application within 24 hours of it being placed and wonderfully got it on a two year lease. It's half a mile from my school. I've never lived so close to a school I teach at. My kids have never lived so close to a school they've attended. We love this house so far. Thank you, Lord, for putting it in our reach.
We loved Andrew's old school. He made so much progress. One of the shortcomings of it was the collection of data as to where he is academically. They know where he is, and we know where he is, but that info is not put into a format that transfers well into the public school system. This is what I will be working on this summer (among other things).
Chris has yet to really start a summer break. His church duties, moving duties, and duties as a husband and father have given him little time to relax. Yesterday we had a beautiful morning outside on our deck. The kids played freely and "helped" Daddy when it was time to grill for lunch. We've made a little haven on our deck and call it Cantina Del Tiner. It was lovely. Then Chris went and helped a friend from church move.
(Jeffrey is reminding me, "It's almost Jeffrey's turn.....")
I get this reminder about 400 times a day regarding various electronics. Uncle Aaron has a plan to teach Jeffrey and Andrew code so that they can come work for him. I think Jeffrey especially would thrive on this, but I would worry that his already limited interest in the outside world would become non-existent.
(Luke is keeping up a constant list of requests, all punctuated with "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!" Both boys want to be in the chair with Mommy.)
So many people ask if my boys don't like to be hugged...to which I can thankfully reply that quite the opposite is true. I'm afraid we're going to have to start teaching appropriate boundaries for hugging people in general.
(Luke got his hand squished by Jeffrey sitting on them. This is because Luke is trying to drive his cars on the chair that both Jeffrey and I are sitting on. Car sounds (that are more like growls) add to the soundtrack Jeffrey had started to provide. "Mommy, I want up!" No third person for Luke. "Me!" and "I want" and "Mine" come easily to him. Now Luke is stuck under the armrest of the chair. "Mommy, help!!!" And now all three of us are sitting in the chair.)
Andrew wants to go the pool. Always. Kadee Joy got to go with her BFF yesterday to the Alamo Heights pool. Our family will have to find an alternative water source because we can't currently afford the $475 it costs for our family to be able to use the pool. We've been to one this week at another friend from church's community pool. It was just me and the four kids with my friend and her two little ones along with other community members. I was primarily on Luke duty until another dad informed me that Jeffrey was trying to get into a little floating boat that did not to belong to him, and subsequently gotten into it upside down. The mom next to him also informed me that she was worried because Jeffrey was shivering so much. I don't think she got that a little boy with two percent body fat shivers while in the pool regardless of how long he's in there. Chris arrived shortly after this and sat in the sun with Jeffrey, who stopped shivering about 10 minutes later.
(Luke turns his face toward me and gives me a kiss. It's slobbery, but I'll take it. Jeffrey is reminding me again, "It's almost Jeffrey's turn, Mom...")
I had several friends at work with children who graduated this year. One day, when I was returning from bus duty, they saw Jeffrey running towards me wanting a hug. "Oh, cherish these days!," one of them said. "Before you know it, they'll be graduating from high school!"
(Luke turns his face toward me again and plants another kiss on me. Jeffrey is giving quiet growls of frustration. He will do ANYTHING to be able to use electronics. Luke leans into me and I give him a hug. "Thanks for hugs," says, and then goes back to driving Doc on the computer desk.)
Obviously it's time to go. If anything, this post has reminded me how much my kids crave and enjoy my attention. I lead a blessed life. Thank you all for your prayers in our efforts to find a house that would allow Andrew to come to my school. God is faithful, Andrew is enrolled, and we are grateful for Him once again providing for our needs.
(Jeffrey wraps his arms around my stomach and gives me a hug.)
