Lately

It's been a while since I've been able to blog. Mostly because exhaustion usually sets in before I get to do this at 9:30 at night. John says I'm always tired, I agree.

The poop saga continues. Yesterday I had all three kids pooping by 11. I think, "Yay. At least we're already done with this." No such luck. Caleb, of course, poops in his underwear several times. I don't think much about it when I see Ethan with some baby powder on him. He is five, he likes to take care of himself. But then, Caleb has some on him. Okay, what's up with this? I ask Ethan, his reply:"Caleb did it." "Did what?" Is my next thought. Enter boys' room. A snow hill is what their dresser resembled. I actually didn't blow up but calmly and rationally stated, with not much compassion:"You have to clean every bit of that up with wash cloths now." I turn and walk out, and off they go to gather the cleaning supplies. Linley is in need of something so off I go to deal with her while the boys go to their snow chute to start cleaning. I come back to check on them but there is still white on the dresser. Okay, at this point I'm getting irritated. FInally, I come to the bottom of it. Ethan:"Mom, that's Butt Paste that Caleb painted on it." Oh great. Butt Paste is similar to Desitin but it's just big boy medicine. No, it does not wipe off like powder. Scrub hard and it may come off. Then all of a sudden the boys are cleaning with their wet rags the race track on their wall. Hey, that's fine with me. At least they're cleaning. Note: tonight I still saw some Butt Paste on the dresser and there is still baby powder on the top of it that just didn't get clean. Oh well, at least we know Butt Paste sticks well.

Caleb is now three, as I'm sure you know. 3 is such a wonderful age. Your young child growing stronger, getting taller, becoming more independent, growing more stubborn and less rational as you go. Now, I think Caleb has a guilty conscience since he's not pooping in the potty. Every other word that comes out of that child's mouth has something to do with poop. A word of affection: "Hey Poopey." A word of anger:"POOPOO, DOODOO, PEEPEE." A word of rebellion: "You're poopie Mommy." Whenever he must express himself it always comes out with these words. I think he feels bad that he's not pooping in the potty. Really. I do. Now, though, his fits are not rational yet but they are getting there. He tells me he doesn't want self-control. Really? I think I got that.

Linley is starting to get the hang of it with these boys. THe other day my twin sis was here visiting and we were trying to get all the kids out to the pool. It just didn't happen with Linley, she pooped in her swimmer diaper so I just change her and put her to bed, it's time anyway. It's 105 degrees outside so I just lay her down with a diaper. She sleeps so soundly then it's time for her to get up. Well, she must have gotten bored or just trying to figure things out. We walk into her room to get her and there she is, in all her glory, nude with a diaper lying next to her. Yes, she took it off. The child is only 5 months old. Already? Makes me nervous.

Well, all are asleep and that's where I want to be. Good night.