real life moments in the shoe store

I took them all to the shoe store.

A random growth spurt invaded our house this past month, and despite my protesting it left behind kids that grew a few inches taller and shoes that felt a bit smaller.  So I planned to hit the shoe store up right when they opened…you know, because bringing chaos in during that time is much more manageable than during busy hours.  

We went in at 9am, they all tried on shoes, and found a pair that fit.  They didn't have the style that Kip and Ryk picked out, in their sizes.  I anticipated some complaining to erupt, but Ryker just said to Kip - "well, dude, we live in Mississippi, that is gonna happen."  And just like that, they settled on a second, not as cool choice, without complaining, "even though these aren't my favorite." (Ryk wanted a hot yellow pair, Kip wanted the red pair Ryk got)

I smiled and was amazed at the way it all played out so smoothly.  I paid, they each grabbed and carried out their bag of new shoes.  Ryk held the door open for us all, and they walked out, right by my side, heading to the van.

No huge scenes, no fussing, nothing.  It was…easy.  Strangely easy.

As I loaded them up in our (paid off!!) minivan I thought to myself, so this is our life?!  Like I can successfully take them out, solo.  I can get them all to try on new shoes, and make a purchase without any uproar?!

Suddenly it was bittersweet.  And I'm not sure if it was more bitter or sweet.  See I adore this child raising gig.  To have littles who need me, rely on me, to care for them.  In a strange way this calm outing had me yearning for little boys who are obnoxious and outspoken in public, who need reminded of "appropriate out in public language."  To have a baby close by not wanting to leave my arms.  But we were there, all 4 sat in a row and waited their turn.  Even my "baby."

It feels so overwhelming, to be in this phase of life.  Where they are growing, changing, and becoming little people who listen (mostly).  To have little boys that open the door for me, siblings and the lady trying to enter the store.  To have kids that carry their own bag of new shoes, walking quietly behind me to the car. We are here, and it is just…breathtaking.

I was reveling in this profound moment, getting all teary eyed as I was ready to back out of the parking space, and Ryker said:

"Hey mom, remember the last time we went here.  That plastic guy (mannequin) in the store was naked, and Kip said wiener really loud, and you told him not to say that word in public, and he said it again, then the shoe guy laughed, and lots of people laughed, and you got really red, and Jovie fussed because she wanted rainbow shoes, and Hartley was crawling around trying to eat the shoebox and papers, and I got those really neat fire shoes.  Yeah, that was the funniest shoe shopping day ever.  Today, it wasn't funny, it was just…(long pause)…cool."

So, today, we were just…cool.

Monday with my crazies

I had anticipated a day of errands.  Getting immunization forms, registering the boys for school, grocery shopping.  The boring, but necessary things that need done.  Kip checked the weather while we were snuggled in bed this morning - the early rising kiddos #2 and #4 with mom and dad..."sunny with a high of 90, shorts mom, definitely short weather."  

I get them breakfast, help kiddos brush teeth, and they get shoes on.  We get in the van.  

"um mom, the clouds are storm clouds.  The weather man was wrong, very wrong this morning."

We get to the clinic to get the immunization forms, no one will be there until noon.  It was 8am.  Apparently an extended 4th of July holiday break.  Mom fail moment #1 of the day.

So I convince the NP who works opposite of me to fill out the immunization forms I need.  She says no problem, because she rocks.  Why didn't I think of that first?!  We pull up and it is raining buckets and thunder/lightening.  I tell them "it'll pass quickly, it always does."  We plan silly games in the van waiting.  It doesn't pass quickly. 

 Kiplin, the keeper of time, says "mom we've 

been here for 29 minutes, he was correct.  Can we just do this a different day.  I give in.  Buckle them up.  Swing by Panera for a few cinnamon crunch bagels (them) and a latte (me) just so that this 60 minute outing wasn't a total wash.

We get home and they were all just…perfect.

Which rarely happens.

It was an afternoon of bliss.  Bliss because they had a mama who was present.  Ignoring the 5 laundry baskets of clean clothes, the clothes in the washer and dryer that needed changed out, the 3 bathrooms that needed cleaning, and the dishwasher that needed emptied and reloaded.  

Their behavior is a perfect reflection of my attitude for the day.  When I'm focused on them, and not the up keeping of the house, we all just dig life.  Really.  Enjoy each other and soak it up.  

Some days, because I'm a working mama, I feel like on my days home I'm just "putting out fires"  - tending to neglected chores gone undone while I'm at work, dealing with behaviors that slid by while they were with the nanny but don't slide by with me, grocery shopping…etc.  But if I do this, if I focus on trying to have everything in order, as a working mama, I'll miss out on so much of them.

and I miss out on enough the 67 hours I am at work.  So today it is them:

The way she uses her left hand, and has become quite the little master of "drawing a complete human"

and how she weasels the marker caps off 

to copy her big sister - using her left hand too…

and how he has figured out to incorporate lower case letters into his name

and stacking a "marker tower as big as Mighty Kip"

and just the normal, crazy Monday things: couch snuggles

And sister's blankie wrestling

thumbs up because "it is a mom home day"

Bookends

high fives

Big brothers who let littlest sister just maul them - 

and pull his hair

and her hair

Children's Museum

Sunday in the south is boom town during church hours.  We took advantage of that knowledge, and planned to be at the Children's Museum in Memphis right when they opened.  By my prediction we'd have at least 2 quiet, non-crowded hours there.  That is one thing about a "large" family size, I think about crowds before I plan our outings.  I'm not a fan of weekends spent at kid friendly places, in turn I try to plan weekday outings when possible.  But as the summer is coming to an end, we're trying to do lots in our few days left that have both Paul and I not working on the same days.

Fearful that our van would have a tire blow out (near balding rear tires + 110 degree weather + 80 minutes of freeway driving…yeah not the safest combo, I pictured us stranded in the heat waiting for a tow).  So, I did the carseat switch, in 94 degree, 8am heat so we could drive there safely.  I was sweating by the end, and probably swore a few too many times, but I got them in.  The kids were all excited to drive in the new car.  Paul's car.  Which is referred to as two different things depending on who you ask: "sir night" per the boys, or "the bat mobile" per Paul.

I bickered with Paul because he just wasn't doing anything right that morning - you know, didn't get the address plugged into his car's GPS while he went out to cool down the car.  Five wasted minutes while trying to figure out a new GPS is an eternity for a carseat hating 1 year old.  He graciously brought me a Diet Coke, but I didn't want one and was annoyed that he wanted me to be super thankful about this gesture…yeah he was being over the top needy with affection, and I was being in an over the top introvert/antisocial mood and was annoyed in general about his overly affectionate hands that wouldn't stay on his side of the car. And let me tell you, 80 minutes in the car with car hating kids, an annoyed wife/mom, and a husband desperate for affection…well that damn Children's Museum was just way too far away.

But we got there despite numerous questions of "how much longer," and after a much needed cheese it cracker snack to curb the bored=hungry feelings the three biggest were complaining about.  Hartley, bless her, slept the ride there. 

I get to the door of the Children's Museum and see my reflection.  Ryk said "take a picture" so we did.

I wait for peanut bladder to use the bathroom (Paul), and I start sweating in just the 2 minute walk from the car to the front door…and right when I start to get grumbly, I see this sticker on the door.  I guess maybe other mom's have the same sour mood before getting to the Children's Museum and need a friendly reminder too:

Anyway, we pay and then the kids had fun.  Lots of fun.  And the drama to get here, was soon worth it.  It always is.