AAAAAAAACCCCCKKKK***tearing hair out***

What a difficult parenting season this has been! I'm going nuts!

Just in the last week Owen has poured an entire bottle of shampoo on his sister's head, thrown the puppy by the collar, colored in reading books, and poured out a full bottle of expensive hand soap--this is all in addition to his "normal" misbehavior.

Eden is no saint either--she took ALL of the wet wipes out of the container, assisted her brother in the coloring of books, colored on the entryway floor and wall....

Seriously, I haven't been this angry in a long time. I feel like I'm yelling A LOT. It doesn't help that I'm getting very little sleep, and have ZERO energy. My chest, heart, and lungs seem tight and sore.

Both kids are currently taking a "time out" in their beds, so that I can cool it.

I want to come home, and have 5 seconds without crying kids to at least set down my things and take off my shoes. Please? Can we just get through lunch without smearing our food through our hair, or getting covered with peanut butter? Seriously, am I asking too much? I'm so tired of being tired. I'm in desperate need to simplify life, and get some SLEEP!

Boys and Girls

The difference between my two kids:

When Owen was 20 months, I would tell him to go get a diaper. He would scamper off, get a bit distracted if a train was anywhere nearby, get the diaper, scamper back, chuck it at my head, and then laugh mercilessly.

When I ask Eden to get a diaper, she says something very serious in her own language (please imagine this--she talks with her hands [where does she get that?], and it seems as if she's saying "Are you serious?! A diaper? I am way too big for a diaper. That is totally NOT cool, mom."), but then scampers off. She returns with a diaper, the wipes, and a changing pad--all the while singing a song--usually about being wet, wet wet. She then proceeds to give me instructions (in her sing-song voice) while I change her, "buh-et, wah-et, momma."

Owen at 20 months (December 2006)

Eden 20 months (July 2009)

Family Pics July 2009

Photo Credit: Baily Hollen

Yet Another Photo-Catch up

I just found the cord to my camera that connects to the computer and enables me to download pictures. So, here's another photo catch-up from May through mid-July.

Eden taking a bath after eating black beans. I have hilarious video from this bath time.

Owen being a boy. (If you can't tell, he's hooked a line of carabiners to the grill, and is attempting to haul it across the back deck. No, I don't know why--beyond the fact that he is a boy. These are the bizarre things they do.)

One of only two photos we took while camping before Eden's little "adventure."

The kiddos, and Owen's buddy Julian at The Elders concert at the Foote Lagoon.

Saturday morning breakfast picnic and cartoons. I did this all the time as a kid--good memories.

WANTED

A new digital camera that takes awesome, focused pictures of my kiddos despite how quickly they move. Bonus points for being shock and water proof (and idiot proof).

Additionally, camera needs to have long-lasting batteries, because it must be on and ready at short notice to capture the ever-fleeting, sweet moments of my children's lives.

Pictures should upload automatically, sort, edit, and post to my blog and facebook page--just awaiting my fantastic commentary.

Please send application and references. Thank you.

Owen, the Baker

After dinner tonight I turned the oven on to preheat, so that we could bake cookies. I left the kitchen to go give the kids a bath.

When we were done, I could smell something odd--I blew it off--typically we leave the stone pan in the oven, and it often has a smell as it gets hot (curing).

By the time I made it into the kitchen smoke was filling the house--NOT normal. I opened the oven to find a cookie sheet with an oven mitt, a pot holder, two pie grippers, and a plastic ladle. I quickly pulled them out, and removed everything from the cookie sheet--thankfully, the ladle had only begun to melt.

I believe I uttered the words, "What on earth?" I soon remembered from early this morning--Owen was "baking cookies" while Matt made coffee. These items must've been from his early-morning baking-play.

I love being a mom.