Bye-Bye Big Keith (& lil' Charleigh)

Keith and his little girl Charleigh are headed home tomorrow morning. What an amazing blessing to have him and Charleigh here for nearly two weeks. And to have AD for half of that. JB's rotation has been incredibly grueling, as we well expected. Last week he was gone ninety hours. Having someone here to talk to and give you a break to go for a run or to go to the bathroom by yourself, is really nice.

It's been an especially difficult couple of days for me. I'm not exactly sure why, but I think it is just moving into a new milestone in motherhood -- the referee. AD and Keith have been so encouraging to me. They told me that even though I feel like I am a few steps behind, they think I am really a few steps ahead. It's nice to hear that. But feeling it would be even better.

Last night during the few minutes I had with JB, I discussed this with him. My feeling that I am just trying so hard to catch up and stay on top of the boys and the dog and the house and my life; how to keep the boys from arguing and fighting and yelling and instead loving and sharing and playing nicely together. He reminded me that the next eighteen years will be about coming to one new roadblock after another and figuring a way around it. So that is what I am attempting to do. I don't need to solve it today. I need to work through it. I need to seek council. I need to hang on. I need to pray. I need to stay consistent. Consistency and calmness. My mantra. Say it again Wendi. Consistency and calmness.

And I just need to continue loving those boys. How do you get mad at a kid with a bucket on his head (as illustrated in the photos above)?

I also need to stretch that mantra into the doggie. He had a very bad day. He didn't stay in his "down-stay" when Sarah came to the door and as a result, he knocked Isaac over. And then we caught him, twice, eating out of the garbage can, something he has never done. In addition, the following conversation played out this morning. Hopefully by reading this you can sense my frustration:

I put last piece of cinnamon raisin toasts in pieces on kiddie table for Isaac. I ask Keith to keep Charleigh and Elijah away from the table so that Isaac can eat the toast. He's the "worst" eater of the group, and he loves this toast, and it's the last piece, and I want him to eat a good breakfast and . . .

. . . Isaac turns away for a second. I turn to the sink to wash some dishes and suddenly I hear, "Bubby naughty. No-no Bubby."

I turn and see it. Scrubs has eaten all of this toast. Licked the table.

Calmness. Part II of my mantra. Calmness. Isaac and Elijah are watching me. My behavior with the dog (and in traffic) is vital to their future behavior.

But MAN that doggie made me mad!

Keith thinks it's because he's been letting Scrubs sleep on the couch with him and allowing him to think he's higher in the pack then he really is. I'm not sure. Either way I locked him in the laundry room until I was much, much calmer.

I also got a migraine this evening before dinner. While this is frustrating and makes coping with the house a bit harder, it is a relief that this is the first time in nearly two weeks that I have faced one of these suckers.

All righty. I need to get Isaac to bed and help Keith get ready for his early morning departure. Thanks little brother (and his wife) for help making week two of three not to shabby. I'll have Monday thru Thursday next week before my college friend Jaime comes in to keep me company for the last call weekend of residency!

Hip hip hooray!