Eyes on the prize, or the children.

Ever wonder what happens when somebody is watching kids outside and you blink? Thankfully, the joy of living in the middle of nowhere means that the road isn't quite as dangerous ... but don't let that fool you. Kids will be kids!

My two youngest, and two of their cohorts in crime (other ways known as cousins), discovered the four wheeler unattended and .... put rocks in the gas tank.

[disclaimer: I wasn't the one outside who let four children 4 and under out of eyesight]

so two hours of fathers day was spent with grandpa and uncle taking off the gas tank, emptying it, and cleaning it. With four kids watching part of it apologetically (realizing they did bad), following which they all got time out and lost outside privileges for somewhere between the day and the week, depending on how they behave.

Speaking of 4-wheelers, the men are going up to round up cows today. May I present the modern rednecks horse trailer!

Mommy, where did you get me?

We were driving home the other day, just like any other, when a series of questions headed a direction that I was not quite ready to go.

"Mommy, where did you get me?"

Um ..... I explained that just like his cousin Ily was in her mommy's tummy once, and Paul was in his mommy's tummy, a long time ago he was in my tummy. We discussed that a long time ago his brother and his sister were also in my tummy. (Not at the same time, of course). Thankfully he didn't go on to ask how he got there in the first place.

Brandon insisted he didn't come out of mommy's tummy. According to the sweet logic of a three year old; he came from daddy's tummy. His brother and sister came from mommy's tummy.

If I were lucky, the conversation would be over right there. But I'm not. And it wasn't.

"So when I grow up I can get married like you and daddy and I can have babies? And then you'll be their grandma! " He went through this process for about five minutes, how he would marry a girl, and they could have babies so I could be their grandma and his grandma would be their great grandma.

"So you really want four kids?" I explained no. I have decided I'm perfectly happy with my three children. I want my three kids and I love my family just the way it is. He insisted I wanted four kids and I tried to understand why he decided I wanted four kids. The truth finally came out "because you have four car seats mom. You can't have more car seats than you have kids!

Ah, the simplicity of life when you are five.

Now I know that he wants to make me old by having children and making me a grandma, and he will never have a spare booster seat just in case. Someday the conversation will have to continue, but I'm satisfied with a simple "from mommy's tummy", at least for now.

Unrolled toilet paper terrorizing the house

This is where you start to wonder what in the world toilet paper has to do with anything halfway interesting ... if you have kids, you probably aren't wondering. :-)

So; ... lately we have had an influx of unrolled toilet paper in the bathroom. The logical culprit is the 2 year old female; ... that's' about the right age. But upon investigation, it appears there was never any unrolled paper when she was around. If anything, she likes it on the roll better.

The 3 year old? Nope. That implies he wants to use the potty, and he'll use it, but he's still pretending he can't figure out the roll.

The adults are out ... so that leaves the 5 year old. Yes, Jacob has been randomly terrorizing the house by unrolling toilet paper in the bathroom. Daily.

It turns out he has issues with toilet paper. If it's crooked, wrinkled (or torn wrong), he can't use it. So he unrolls it until he finds somewhere that he can find four perfect squares together. Because if it's not perfect, it can't be used for it's purpose.

It turns out that when somebody has OCD, it releases something in the brain that makes them seriously anxious. So for whatever reason, he "can't" use messed up TP ... and I have no idea what to do with it.

Mystery solved! However, now we have to figure out how to explain that it's ok to use MORE than 4 squares of toilet paper. You don't have to call an adult to help when your 4 squares are used! (I didn't teach him the four square rule!!! It's an even number that folds to an even number ... )

{sigh} ... how fun.

Babywearing conference

Yes, that really is Jacob. The first time I put on a baby wrap, WAY back when.

This week I’ve been able to get to the IBC conference in Rigby. IBC stands for International babywearing conference. (Although, IBC conference means it’s conference conference, which is way redundant). I have no idea how it ended up in Rigby, the last one was in Chicago.

In essence, that’s hundreds of moms who are pro-babywearing, in a tiny place, from all over the world. To make this Easy: Baby-wearing is the act of using a wrap, sling, carrier, pouch, or other method to attach baby to mama and wear them around. Ironically, I have rarely seen 2 of the same method this week, and where I have, it’s usually a wrap or a sling, and they use it slightly differently. The point is simple; it’s to do what is best for baby.

You do get the eccentrics, (always), but for the most part, it’s really cool and informative! Yesterday I hit a class on babywearing safety, and if I’m lucky, today we’ll make it over to the museum in Rigby. They have this awesome exhibit that is babywearing through the ages. Which means 200 years of whatever the popular carrying technique was through the years. Really awesome! (If I’m lucky I’ll get over there). I heard somebody mention that near the exhibit is an old Idaho exhibit that includes some native Americans, one with a baby in a backboard!

I also went on the baby walk yesterday morning, which was awesome too. Because me and Megan got to chat with other moms. I know my baby is not baby enough to spend much, if any time in a wrap anymore (unless I’m on a walk because I KNOW she wants to be carried five minutes in and my back can’t carry her. So for walks, I can still get away with it). But even without a wearing-size baby, the conference is still interesting. (And it only happens every two years, and never again so close to home, so how could I skip ALL of it?).

The babywearing safety, awesome! I have learned about different types of wraps and carriers, met lots of moms, and it’s just been fun. I feel like I’m in my element with other moms who understand how helpful it is to keep baby attached. I saw a cartoon the other day of a mom with a baby in a wrap, a stranger came up to her, “you know, your child will never learn to walk if you use that thing.” She looks over with a smile and points to her other child, a few years older, “oh, have you met my daughter? Exhibit A?” (I’ll try to find the link to that).

I’m not totally nuts saying you have to put your child in a carrier, I’m just totally for it, because honestly, it made my life easier with Jacob. He was colicky, he screamed for 9 months! Then a friend introduced baby wearing to me. I had tried a front baby carrier before, but it didn’t work for him, because he was big, so it was hard to get him in, and harder to get him out. I didn’t realize there were things that were adjustable!

As soon as that child was in a wrap, he turned … human! He slept, he was easier to deal with. And he spent a couple hours a day there. (I even learned to nurse in it, and make jam with him attached to my back). Then life got better, and I will never give up the wrap. When my kids get older, I’ll still suggest a carrier for their babies. I don’t care what type, (well, I do if it’s unsafe and will smother baby, but other than that … anything works).

My wrap may never get used again, (except as a hammock, it works awesome for that), but it’s still been probably the best baby purchase I ever made!

Expecting!!!!

First things first; no it's not me!!!!!!

This weekend we had an awesome family get together with cousins and everything, and it was a whole lot of fun!

My cousin's wife looked slightly expecting, but it was hard to tell, until I saw her daughter, with a very proud "big sister" shirt on! She's due in November.

The party went on normally until the last relative arrived ... and my sisters brought out these M&M's .... :-). Half of them say my sisters family, the other half? "Welcomes the third"!!!!

... it took a minute ..... they have two kids .... !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway, so I have a new niece/nephew, due late this year, and I am so excited!!!!!! Just had to share.

By the way; the M&M thing .... the all time cutest method I've EVER seen.

A few years ago my brother announced his wife's pregnancy with an awesome poem.

Followed by the sister with a "big sister T-shirt"

Followed by the same sister with the cool M&M's ....

Look out .... I sense a battle coming!

Thankfully, the battle can't last too long, you can only announce so many pregnancies ...

But it'll be fun!