The Boys School Pictures

There is really nothing I can say, a picture is worth a thousand words, right?!?!

Mommy Brain

Please try to not judge my blogs too harshly before reading this entry. I am not a dim woman. I am very well educated, socially capable, and can easily exhibit common sense when making decisions. On a daily basis, I seem to have it all together.

But with the incessant feeding of children's television programming and movies into my brain, talking to pre-schoolers the majority of my time, and doing it all pretty much on my own, I AM LOSING MY MIND!!!! It is true, the old adage, if you don't use it, you lose it. I can literally feel my brain melting away, cells disappearing, waves going still. I feel so dumb sometimes. I call it "mommy brain".

I apparently can be easily influenced which was obvious when I informed my husband the other day that I was "going potty" when he called for me from the other room. He quickly pointed out that it was not necessary to use polite kiddy language with him. It was embarrassing because I began to wonder when I have spoke to other adults like a child. I know I am not the only mom who feels this way, it just seems like it sometimes. However I think most other people seem like they have it together more than they actually do, though. I hope that is true for me. Anyway...

I just remember being proud of my words as a writer and speaker, I have a degree in English for heavens sake!!! Yet my mind frequently goes blank when I need to recall even the simplest thought or word, like "fork" or "slide" or my children's names. I have to call roll before I get to the name of the kid I need to yell at. I have a love and passion for grammar, I aced it in college. Yet even typing a blog article has become difficult for me and I seem unable to remember all the rules. I also seem to over use the same words because I am just unable to recall synonyms.

So I am thinking, did I waste my time and money on an education that seems to be disappearing from my cranium faster than you can say "Sesame Street"?

My Own Take

Another blogger used his kids' book titles to come up with a list of pick up lines, absolutely hilarious!!! (check it out on "Laid Off Dad" in my links). So I decided to try my hand at it by taking a look at our own kids' library, this is what I came up with:


(For those who enjoy eating at the "Y")
"If You Give a Moose a Muffin..."

(For the foreplay challenged)
"Ready or Not, Here I Come!"

(For the Viagra users)
"Dr. Seuss, Pops Up!"

(For those late night quickies)
"Once Upon a Time, The End (Asleep in 60 Seconds)"

(For the role players)
"Tickle the Duck"

(For the ladies)
"I Need a Snake"

(For our little friends)
"Bob the Builder: Can We Find It?"

(For our NOT SO little friends)
"Billy is A Big Boy!"

Finally...
(For the swingers)
"We Can Share!"

Personal Space PLEASE!!!

My kids have an issue. They are really quite behaved with me and if they crawl all over me, I am their mom I don't mind. Unfortunately, NO ONE will ever know this because as soon as they get around other people, they become leaches.

They have no concept of personal space. They also do not know a stranger. Everyone is their friend. This happens when we go out with people, when they visit our house or in public. If I talk to someone and apparently know them, they become fair game for my children affection. Let me clarify for those with their heads in the gutters, I am NOT talking about anything inappropriate by any means! (hugs, sitting in lap, sitting close, etc)

I wonder if this was my fault. Did I hold them too much? Did I allow too much affection? If so, I would have never thought in a million years that too much attention or affection toward or allowed from my children would have eventually turned into a behavior issue. Where did I go wrong?

So my question is, do people have a problem with children invading their personal space, whether they HONESTLY like kids or not? How would they prefer the parents handle it? Should I insist that my kids quit hugging or sitting close, even if the person says "no, its fine, its ok"? Any when people say this, are they just being nice or are they really ok with this? Also, do any other parents out there have this problem too?

I cannot be an unbiased judge of this because they are my kids AND I love kids and honestly do not mind children being close. I find it very sweet, charming and adorable.

Just a few thoughts and questions brought on by a visit from DC Cookie and another friend last night. Especially with females, my kids are very affectionate. What can I say, they are mommy's sweet babies!

Discipline without shouting? Spanking? Huh?

With the age of my children growing larger, so does my patience grow thinner.

After a very honest discussion with some of my sister's in 'Twindom' on Thursday night I realized, once again, that I am not the only one who has problems with trying to balance a PEACEFUL, yet EFFECTIVE, form of disciplining our multiples without shouting or even spanking. Which is why I love to go out with them, feeling apart of a group is always more satisfying than feeling alone in any situation. I always walk away feeling refreshed and empowered. Thank you ladies!!!

Anyway, I decided that I needed to do some research, AGAIN, on discipline to see if there is something more out there to help those of us who truly want a more peaceful relationship with our children. Usually I only search child care in general, but this time I found something specifically catering to the mom's of multiples out there.

It is a group of three book from the authors and experts at Twins Magazine. It is a Discipline Packet that covers topics of dealing with the difficult task of parenting multiples so they can become the glowing examples of angelic behavior that they are in our sweetest dreams!

I can't say that I can or am willing to practice all the suggestions, but I know I am always up to learning any new technique that MAY make my job as a MOM a little easier.

Here is the link if you want to check it out: http://www.twinsmagazine.com/discipline_packet.html