These pictures speak fairly well for themselves. Everett found some dresses handed down to Tegan when we were going through the closet in their room. He asked if he could try them on, and I said sure.
Filed under Everett
Last week, Skip & Barbara, and Rob, Celia and little Ayla all came to visit. I posted this one picture (the rest of the weeks pics can be found here, here, here, and here) because the outdoors seemed to be the theme of the week. We spent much of the time just sitting out back – watching the kids play, chatting around the patio table, eating (always eating!), and catching up. We spent a day at the Wildlife Zoo and Aquarium, another exploring an old ghost town, and an afternoon playing at Makutu’s Island. We watched Paxton’s baseball game, celebrated at Everett’s 5th birthday party, and rocked out on Rock Band. Celia made us an authentic puerto rican meal, filled with yummy foods with fancy names that I vowed to myself I’d remember, then of course promptly forgot.
The week wasn’t without it’s snafus though. We never did get to take them geocaching or offroading. I never made my berry dessert (I hope introducing them to Jamba Juice made up for it!) We learned that the children’s museum is closed on Mondays, that Mike’s truck will overheat after too much heavy mountain driving, and that it takes a long time to get 11 people all moving in the same direction at the same time. I’d like to think we’d all agree it was worth it!
It was so good to see them all, to get to spend time with our neice who we’d previously only known through photos, and to share our little corner of the world. I only hope they all had a good time, and that their vacation was a great one.
And last but absolutely not least:
Happy, happy birthday to my beautiful five year old Everett. I loved petting all the baby goats with you last week!!!!
Everett has been having a difficult time lately. He’s been sleeping with us more often than not, crying more easily, and picking fights with his brothers. Trying to talk to him about the problem has yielded few answers, but to the best of my knowledge he’s feeling displaced by Tegan – who is nearing toddlerhood at full-steam ahead, and taking up more and more of my time and attention.
Yesterday he burst into tears for the third time, this time because he wanted to play Playstation, but Spencer had just started a game. Spencer offered to let him play with him – it was a 2 player game – but he didn’t want to play with Spencer, he wanted to play with Paxton. When I told him that it wouldn’t be fair to make Spencer stop his game so he could play (but that he could play when he was done), he tried pulling the controller from his hands, then unplugging it from the system. I told him he’d have to leave the room if he was going to keep doing that, and he left. I took a deep breath – I was more than a little frustrated by that point – and followed. I knew that he’d be in the other room crying, and he was…. curled up in a chair, sobbing his little heart out. I picked him up, got him settled on my lap, and held him while he cried. He buried his face on my shoulder and cried until he was out of tears. We eventually talked a little bit about what he was feeling, but mostly I just let him cry. And when he was done, he was better, and a few minutes later he was happily playing with his brothers again.
I know what the popular school of thought is on the subject… that you have to stand your ground, show them who’s boss, ignore the tantrums… I know all of that and I unapologetically say that I think it’s ridiculous and cruel.
The last time I cried, really cried, was the day that we had to have Ally put down. I was so thankful that I had Mike with me that day, to hold me as I cried. He couldn’t change the situation, couldn’t take away the hurt… he was just there, and he let me cry. And the way that that helped was immeasurable.
So what I wonder is this: If we as adults know how valuable it is to have, literally, a shoulder to cry on, why on earth do so many parents expect little kids (who are that much less emotionally equipped to deal with disappointment) to do it on their own?
I'm Jen... the shy, lost girl from the east coast who married at nineteen and eventually found herself - four kids later - in the middle of the desert. I like chocolate. You can read more about me here.
