We Went to the Beach

Oh yeah.  I finally made it to the beach this summer!  What a wonderful day.  Of course, in order for me and my family to function at any event, we have to bring in the playpens, corrals, diaper bags, proper clothing, food, sippy cups, etc.  Add beach toys, towels, lawn chairs and a wagon to beach day. 

My mom and our family friend beat me there (that's no surprise, they have a lot less gear!) and had a beautiful spot picked out.  I arrived by the picnic table with our wagon loaded up like we were pioneer settlers truckin' out west.  Behind me toddled Maximus, our little ray of sunshine, and Hailley, who whimpered and whined all the way from the parking lot down the long hill to our spot. Leave it to a 3 year old to be upset about being out by a lake in the sunshine. Swaylynn, our 9 year old, had already beat us to the water. 

After a few threats: "I can find a corner anywhere for you to stand in, Hailley," we made ourselves at home and enjoyed our day.  The kids were all great.  They didn't fight once!  We spent hours there playing in the water (Swaylynn put seaweed on Hailley's head), exploring nature (Sway found a baby dragonfly- it was so cool!) and building towers in the sand.  Maximus was furious because I put his corral, with him in it, right down on the sand by the water.  I may have gotten a few looks from the other parents there, but hey, that boy thinks he can swim (he can't!) and I needed my heart to stop pounding after 20 minutes of chasing him around in the shallow water. 

We ended our day with a long walk by the lake.  I can't begin to express how fantastic the scenery was!  God is good.  :)

On the way home I put on Neil Diamond's best hits, my secret weapon.  The kids barely made it out of the state park before they were passed out- their sandy faces slouched against their car seats. Oh yeah.

Yup. I'm Nuts.

We bought a puppy last month.  For those of you who are thinking, "Awwwww", put your puppy dog faces away and evaluate my thoughts here. 

My husband and I have three kids.  Ages: 9, 3 and 1.  The reason we have three is because WE DON'T WANT FOUR.  We brag about how bright we were to have Blake get a vasectomy two weeks after Maximus was born and we lean eagerly into our futures that are diaper-free.  So what do we do? We run out and get a dog. 

Don't get me wrong, he's super cute.  His name is Don Capone (after my grandpa and our current love of mafia film) and he's a pure bred boxer.  He sleeps in the kids' little chairs and chases his stub-tail and rolls around in the backyard barking at his squeaky toy.  My heart has melted again.

However...

It's officially a circus around here.  I thought it was before, but now it's definitely a circus.  Swing by around noon today for the nap act- you will be rolling around on our kitchen floor.  Admission: no money accepted.  You just stay in our house and I will sneak out the back door.  I will go to the beach by myself.  I will lay on the sand, catching rays and reading.  I might bring a bag of chips along.  I won't share with anybody, either. 

The kids chase the dog who chases them and bites their butts.  Suddenly I'm consoling Hailley, my three year old, for the scratch on her leg and yelling at Maximus, the infant, at the same time because he has wrestled Capone into a position I didn't think puppies were capable of.  Together they all destroy crayons in the kitchen.  Then there's Swaylynn, my nine year old, who plays with Capone for awhile and then complains that he doesn't like her anymore.  Sway- you just chased the puppy around the yard for an hour.  He is so wore out!  Give the poor guy a break.

Capone ruined the plants in our backyard.  He dug a hole there too.  He ate my Money magazine last night.  The first week we got him, he choked on a dandelion. (No worries, he was fine.  It was pretty hilarious, really.)  Capone has been caught standing on our living room table and the one in our backyard. As far as potty training... its been interesting.  Thanks to my son, I've held Capone's poop in my hand. 

Let me be cliché for one moment though: he completes us.  It's totally crazy around here, and he adds to the element of insanity that already stains our lives, but it works.  I love Capone.  He's family.  Even if he did eat half of my birthday pizza. 

This one's for you, kids

I want to remember these precious moments:

Carrying you downstairs in the basket of laundry (Maximus)

You saying, "I like your butt Mom." (Hailley)

You saying, "Thank you for today Mom." (Swaylynn)

How you style your hair yourself and I let you go to school like that, even if it's a little "different" (Swaylynn)

How you took 3 steps towards your family and clapped along with us for your achievement (Maximus)

How proud Daddy is that his little boy is obsessed with all things electrical (Maximus)

When you and I giggled hysterically while reading The Big Sister Book: I was laughing because you knew all the words and were saying them with such excitement, and you were laughing because I was (Hailley)

The day you were overtired and kept wandering around the house saying, "I'm down in the dumps today!" (Swaylynn)

How you follow your sister around like she is the greatest person on the face of this earth (Hailley)

Since you heard me say it, now you randomly say, "Thank you God!" (Hailley)

The way your little face scrunches up and bursts into tears when you think I'm leaving (Maximus)

Every time Grandma Deb leaves, you rush over to her demanding hugs and kisses, then you say, "BYE! LOVE YOU! THANKS FOR COMING! BYE! LOVE YOU! SEE YOU LATER! BYE GRANDMA!" (Hailley)

How I am pretty sure you are a writing prodigy but I'm afraid to brag and make the other moms feel bad (Swaylynn)

The day that my old friend died and I was so sad, you went down to the furniture shop in town (of all places kid!) and got me three little star decorations in red, white and blue to remember her by (Swaylynn)

How you get into my Tupperware cupboard and when I attempt to shoo you away, you get this gleam in your eye and a little crooked smile that apparently you already know works on the ladies (Maximus)

How sometimes you crawl on your knees and other times you crawl using your toes (Maximus)

The way you curl up next to me with your blanket on the couch saying, "I want to snuggle with you Mom." (Hailley)

The way you lounge around reading Goosebump books instead of pestering me to play video games (Swaylynn)

I love each one of you SOO much!  You are so different from each other and so fantastically amazing in your own way.  I thank God every day that you are mine for a while on this earth.  I can't wait to see what you grow up to be. 

Love always and forever,

Mom

...Really?

I had the three kids in the car and we were running an errand.  All was going well so far- I even stopped at the gas station and got everyone treats. 

When we got to our destination I got the bulky double stroller out of the trunk and went around to the side of the car, to remove my 2 year old daughter from her car seat.  I opened the door.  There she sat, squeezing her entire juice drink out into her lap. 

*Sigh*

Love means not minding the sticky mess.