Jenny's Thoughts: Bubble Wrap

I like to think that we’re decent parents. I mean we’re not the best; we’re not the worst. I often joke that I’m a self-proclaimed “slacker mom.” I try to keep my childrens’ expectations of me low so that 1.) they’re not disappointed and 2.) if/when I do go beyond the bare minimum, they’re extremely impressed and touched. Lately, I feel like as parents, we’re JUST squeaking by with the lowest of requirements: we’re just trying to keep the children alive and mostly unscathed. And we’re kind of failing.

First of all, there’s Kayli’s elbow. Obviously, she’s fine and I was/am/will always be thankful that the dislocated elbow (thus far) is her worst injury that we’ve had to handle. But, seriously, that child may just give us a heart attack soon. Last week, I was heading in to use the downstairs bathroom. I saw something out of the corner of my eye and glimpsed Kayliana clinging to the OUTSIDE of the stairwell banister. She was only about four stairs up but she was en route to climbing up, up, up on the out, outside. She was holding completely still as if thinking, “If I don’t move, maybe she won’t see me and I can continue in my escapade.” I, obviously, quickly got her down planting her feet firmly on the floor and scolding her. She immediately began talking in her baby gibberish with hand motions. I don’t know if she was trying to change the subject and distract me with her cuteness of if she was telling me off in a string of toddler profanity. At any rate, I turned around and took care of my business in the restroom. When I came out, there she was again, clinging like a little tree frog to the stair banister again. Seriously?! THIS time when I scolded her, in her anger, she began yelling, “Mine! Mine! Mine!” and ran back to try and throw the stair railing (she’s an angry thrower, if you’ll recall). I explained (in vain) that the stair railing was not hers, that she could not continue to climb it nor could she throw it.

On Saturday evening, we were SO excited to get to see Mia – Kayli’s birth mom. We haven’t seen Mia in quite a while and she came to see us, the new house and join us for dinner. Shortly after Mia’s arrival, we were in Zach’s room where he’d just been showing her his “set ups.” (This is the THING lately in this house. The boys spend HOURS on building these elaborate scenes – “set ups” – with Legos or Playmobils – and then I don’t have the heart to always make them put them away because they ARE quite impressive and they spend an entire afternoon working on them.) Mia and I had stayed in Zach’s room and were chatting when all of a sudden we heard a huge crash, a loud scream followed by crying and Mike yelling at Zach. It was ugly. Apparently Zachary had “accidentally” pushed Matthew. (We’re thinking it was one of those “accidents” that could’ve easily been avoided). Matthew had fallen hard, hitting the back of his head against the sharp corner of the wall in the hallway. Matthew was crying (but thank goodness not bleeding – for his sake and our carpet) and had a huge bump forming under his hair. Poor kiddo. Zachary was crying for being unjustly accused of being too wild and injuring his brother. Kayli was watching it all and enjoying the excitement of the moment. I was praying that Mia wasn’t regretting her decision of choosing us as her daughter’s family. Then, just when things had settled down: Matthew was resting with an ice pack, Zachary was calmly being discharged from time-out by Mike, Mia and I had gone back downstairs to retrieve our Pina Coladas….thud, thud, thud, WHUMP, SCREAM, crying, and under-breath cursing. Kayliana for only the 2^nd or 3^rd time in her life and tumbled head-over-heels down the stairs. Yup, we’re parents of the year.

I KNOW this stuff happens. I know that awful, tragic, horrible accidents happen to the most diligent of parents, but when they start stacking up in frequency you do kind of start to feel a little sucktastic. Um, childrens’ guardian angels: do you mind stepping it up a little ‘cuz I’m feeling like we need a little more back-up?!!

Today, we’re getting ready for our biggest camping trip of the summer. We’re SO excited! The boys have been asking everyday for the last several if we can just leave early. I’ve explained that while I’d like to as well, camping – with three kiddos especially – takes some serious prep and packing. In addition to all of that, Mike will have another task today: dismantling Kayliana’s crib. Last night she fell out of it. Recently, she’s climbed out of it a couple of times successfully. But last night in her anger and fury (with the fact that we were ignoring her 2am cries for “num nums;” sorry the kitchen was closed) and with the handicap of pitch-blackness, we heard the awful sound of a big THUD followed by harder crying. She was fine, her arm/elbow was fine, but my heart didn’t stop racing and I couldn’t go back to sleep for nearly an hour.

So, camping: open water, sticks, roots, rocks…I’ll be bringing the bubble-wrap for our children.

Morning cuddles in Zach's bed (notice the wall color "Martin Midnight Magic").