Always Adjusting

I am always amazed how quickly a day can shift from good to bad. At how much, as a mother, you have to be ready to change directions.

Tuesday for isntance. First, the good is that our friend from medical school, Nicole, has come to visit us with her 18 month old daughter Hannah. She and her husband are doing medical work in Barcelona, and Nicole took a few das to make the flight over to Terceira to see us. How wonderful. Nicole is such a fantastic woman. It is such a joy to catch up with her.

The morning had just flown by. And for a stay-at-home mom, that is a good thing. Chatting with Nicole and playing with the kids had brought lunchtime and JB's return home faster than I can ever remember it happening.

So, my brilliant idea? After lunch I suggested that we ride our bikes (and push our strollers) two blocks away to the natural swimming hole. I pushed Abigail. Nicole had Hannah. The boys were on their bikes with training wheels.

All seemed to be going so well. But you don't count on little things. Little things like little Isaac falling off his bike and majorly scraping his stomach:

He was quite distraught, and our time at the beach was cut remarkably short. I really couldn't blame him. Those deep cuts burn, and he was miserable with all the sand and wind. So we headed home. Only now I had one boy who couldn't ride his bike. I had a little baby girl all covered in sand. I had another boy who needed to be rinsed off. Thirty minutes after Isaac's accident we are back home and spending an hour recovering from the time at the beach. I was trying to hold Isaac. Clean Abigail and Sidge. Give Abigail a bottle. Put her down. Find clothes for Elijah. Major multi-tasking.

The one thing I have really learned as a Mom is that new discoveries are temporary. Don't assume you have solved a problem forever. Kids will figure out a way to change things and you'll need a new formula.

For example. The picture I showed you of Abigail this past week, below.

I had figured out a way to let her be outside but not be on her own, using a gate I had borrowed from my friend Kristy. But by the next day, take a look at the picture below:

Jailbreak! This week I have moved a chair in front of the gate to keep her from going around. But I know this will only be good for a limited time too. It's like basketball. It's like teaching. It's like coaching. It's like life. Stay on your toes. You are never as smart as you think you are.