Thursday, January 7, 2010

Let Them Eat Snow

We are now one week into the new year and I'm feeling sluggish. Perhaps I'm suffering a hangover from all of last year's chaos. I'm not sure. I do know that all I want to do is sit around in front of the fire, snuggle up with a good book, and not talk much. As you can guess, that doesn't really happen around here. Still, it is a lovely thought.

Trying to get back into the swing of things after the hectic holiday and the school break always leaves me feeling a little lost. I feel like I am one step behind. It doesn't help that my little girl, who used to sleep for twelve hours straight at night, is now getting up twice a night and putting up a struggle when I try to put her to bed. Lack of sleep mixed with my chaos hangover is not a very good combination.

To combat my lack of ambition I am letting the boys run wild. Well. Not really. But I certainly am letting them get away with a whole lot more than I usually do. I just don't have the energy to scold right now. Probably a good thing.

This morning Tommy and Ben were being pretty sassy and instead of punishing them I sent them out into the snow. When I looked out the window I saw them doing this:
Why is it that the things I used to do regularly as a child now gross me out when I see my kids do them? All I can think about is how long those ice chunks have been sitting outside. How dirty they probably are. Ick. But. No matter. I let them eat the snow and ice until their hearts' content. I am choosing my battles and in doing so have found that there really are very few battles worth fighting. Especially when I am this tired.


Grace is sleeping up in her room. The boys are outside eating dirty snow. Joey is in school. And Todd is at work. Perhaps that book by the fire IS possible!


Wait...


I think Grace just woke up.

32 comments:

Brittany said...

I'm experiencing this sluggishness, as well. And they never sleep or are busy all at the same time. never. And I'm never going to sleep again. And...ahh! Let's run away to a cabin and just sit around and read books... Our husbands can take care of everything, right?!

MamaB said...

I completely know where you are coming from! Since our girls were born literally at the same time I'm glad (sorry) to know that it is not just my kid that went from sleeping through the night to gettting up a couple of times. Teething? Need for solids (have you started solids yet)? Comfort? Heck if I know! I just wanted to give my support and let you know I'm going through the same thing!

painted maypole said...

you HAVE to eat snow as a child. just warn them about the yellow stuff, then let them have at it.

imbeingheldhostage said...

hee hee, the exhaustion of having a new baby in the house-- I'm starting to forget that ;-) It's great for the kids though. I think it's good for them to explore. The other day Ky picked up snow at the playground and promptly shoved it in her mouth. I told her not to do it anymore, but the other moms were freaking out. I ate DIRT when I was little and I'm ok (well, except for this eye twitch and the tendency to leave long comments).

Cassie said...

God made dirt and dirt don't hurt! So I'm sure dirty snow doesn't hurt either haha. Cute pics!

Cara said...

First, I love the shot of the one boy feeding the snow to the other. Too cute, yet gross. I always find Nicolo trying to drink the water in the bottom of the planter of the house plants so I know what you mean.
Second, I hear ya sister! I am having one of those hangovers too. My youngest use to go into his crib at bed time and I could walk out the room and not hear from him again till at least 4:30 (which wasn't awesome but better than now). Now he is in his big boy bed (climbed out of the crib one to many times) and won't stay in it at bed time or at 2:00 am, 3:00am, 4:00 arghhh!
I hope for both our sakes it gets better soon!

Anonymous said...

I used to eat snow too, but definitely wouldn't anymore. The perspective that changes as we get older.

I hope your little girly starts sleeping again so that you can catch up on your rest.

Hilary said...

Every kid needs to eat snow. It a law. :) Those are very sweet shots.

dawn klinge said...

There's a wonderful peace that comes when we surrender. You're a wise mama to choose those battles carefully. You're right, very few of them are really worth fighting.

Lisa @ Boondock Ramblings said...

I know. Those things gross me out too. I worry he might eat dog pee or the gas that leaked out of our car the other day! Yikes!

Emily said...

I guess all they wanted was a snack! :) I hope that time alone works out for you at some point...I hope it works out for me at some point...it sounds like heaven!

tracey.becker1@gmail.com said...

Yes. The snow... Ick. The bunny poop. The pee. ICK. But. I let them.

Scrappy said...

Such cute pictures. :)
I hope Grace starts sleeping well again soon.

Unknown said...

That is so funny and cute! I love the one where one brother is feeding it to the other! HA!

I hear you on the "sluggish" part. Hang in there friend!

Putting the FUN in DysFUNctional said...

A little dirt never hurt anyone!

Anonymous said...

I'm with you on this one. Snow does taste a little icky to me too.

Not Your Aunt B said...

Cute! It cracks me up...your kids eat snow...mine eat sand...and we both worry about it even though we did it as kids! HA!

Tonya said...

A book by the fire sounds lovely eating dirty snow not so much!

Jessa said...

Winter is 100% not my friend. Maybe try a little extra D and C in your diet to give your spirit a boost.

tweetey30 said...

Kat I have told my girls not to eat it but you know when your back is turned they will do it anyway just to see if you are watching.. A little white snow isnt going to hurt them as long as they know when not to eat it.. I hope you get some ME time... I know I need that quite a bit esp since I fractured my toe on Dec 9th...LOL... Ok hope things look up soon...

david mcmahon said...

G'day, Kat

Hope you got the time to read a book by the fire.

Isn't parenthood just the greatest blessing of all. I wish your clan peace, love and a long path of joy in the new year.

Warmest regards.

David

Kristen said...

I am so hoping that whatever Grace is going through that it ends quickly. The lack of sleep is so beyond hard! Let them eat snow. Let them do what ever it takes to survive.

Hang in there, and hopefully soon life will be back to "normal" for you! Sending lots of restful thoughts your way!

*I can't stand the eating of snow either. But we have two yellow labs and I am just freaked out by the fact that the dogs could have been outside!! ugh!

Karen Deborah said...

Slowing down and resting is just what the good Lord prescribed for snowy January, with fires and good books. Eating snow won't hurt those boys at all. There is a lot of B12 in dirt!

Maggie's Mind said...

How dirty can snow really be? I'd never thought of it and probably don't want to know because I know I ate a lot of it. I turned out fine. Kinda. ;) Hope you were still able to find some time to read and relax.

lime said...

oh i am wishing you that book time by the fire. i spent the weekend doing that with every spare minute and it helped.

Kathryn said...

I'm with you, that book by the fire is calling my name and pulling on me hard. Unfortunatly I can't always hear that call over the extremely loud boistrous group of Teens and Toddlers banging around the house because of the extremely cold temps outside!
I hope you get your quiet, mine only seems to come around 2am and even then, if a teen catches me awake then its "talk time"...I'm sluggish too!

Anonymous said...

I JUST blogged about Hunter's crazy lack of naps (he still sleeps through the night thank GAWD but he will not nap during the day even though he's exhausted!)...I keep reading about all kinds of babies having sleeping issues lately. Is it a full moon or something? LOL

MomOf4 said...

I can relate. It is hard to get back into a strict routine after a nice, long break. I hope you get a few minutes with your book. (When your hubby gets home, grab your book and run for the bathroom! That is a great hiding spot - at least for a few minutes! Ha!)

Anonymous said...

I want not acquiesce in on it. I over nice post. Specially the title-deed attracted me to review the intact story.

Jill said...

I miss the snow... the cold ... wearing jackets!

And picking our battles is a huge thing here! My husband gets irritated over the little things... me, not so much? My girls bicker all day long ... I often feel like a referee - and I should wear black and white striped shirts every day. If I corrected everything they'd be sitting time outs more often than they'd be playing!

Jill said...

And free time? What's that?

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Words To Live By

Be grateful for each new day.
A new day that you have never lived before.
Twenty-four new, fresh, unexplored hours to use usefully and profitably.
We can squander, neglect, or use them.
Life will be richer or poorer by the way we use today.
Finish every day and be done with it.
You have done what you could;
some blunders and absurdities crept in;
forget them as soon as you can.
Tomorrow is a new day.
You shall begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be
encumbered with your old nonsense.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson