Puke (AKA Vacation 2014)

Yep. This vacation was a pukefest.  All who attended (except Daddy, so far) were sick.  Mommy did a bazillion loads of laundry, Sunday River has $80 of our quarters, as well as a mattress that could not be saved.  I will stop being so graphic (well, only slightly).  But just note that 24 hour bug my ass.  My kids continue to have lingering sickness.  What would be better - constant sickness for 24 hours and then done, or sick then nothing for 24 hours, making you think you were all set, you sanitize and move on and then it happens again?  I am thinking the first.

Anyway, our week at Sunday River, which was to be filled with skiing and tubing, and dinner out, and games and fun and movies and fun - was more like, clean and nap and movie.  Which was ok too.  But not ideal.

Highlights included waking up on Saturday night to a sick kid, and then walking to the bar across the way to get quarters (because the quarter machine was out) and trying to convince someone to give me a quarter so I could finish the wash at 1am…  Or, being woken up from a nap on Monday afternoon to a bunch of men bringing firewood into the condo (at our request, as although everyone can be sick, you can still have a fire going), and then asking them after they lugged wood on their 90th trip - can you please take this vomit-sodden mattress to a dump for me?  That was pretty good.

It wasn't all bad...As I mentioned above, this was a slow sick...There was 90% okness, and only 10% not...So, for the other 90% we skied, we ate, we partied. We had Cristel and Doug for the start of the weekend and ate like kings.  We played cards, we watched Lady and the Tramp.  James even stayed with the Lindstroms for an hour or two while me and the Joel's went skiing.  James introduced the Lindstroms to Princess Sofia which purely horrified them and was awesome.  Good kid prep for them.

Joel, Joel and I made it out skiing together a few afternoons while James stayed in ski-care.  We went everywhere and it was a pleasure to see little Joel ski through trees.  Probably shouldn't have left James in ski-care though, although not visibly sick, the kid was a bit of a cranker, and his ski notes of the week included: "James sat down on the slope and screamed 'No' until we took him in because he didn't want to do pizza pie."  Sick or 2 and a half and James?  we are not sure.

We (and you now that does not mean me) only went to the pool once.  We rested a lot.  We watched, as a family, Swiss Family Robinson, which was awesome.  It was my first time seeing it and the boys loved it.  I highly recommend. I made chicken soup, which all boys ate in moderation, and Angus cuddled with all of us.

This morning, we were to leave.  Joel Andrew was to go to ski school, James maybe to the pool and then we were to be off.  At approx. 10:30am, into the 58th load of laundry for the weekend I changed my mind. I decided I would clean everything, lysol everything, and we would stay.  I checked my work email, got stuff done, and made it so I could be there at 10am tomorrow.  We were feeling better as a family, and we were going to salvage this vacation, dammit.

We went out to lunch.  It was a two chardonnayer for Mommy, and I am talking jug of wine chardonnay, filled to the brim of my large wine glass, thank you cheesy Maine restaurant.  Vacation finally arrive.  We napped like champions. Mommy watched The Bachelor, on her iPad, in a clean bed (I know, disturbing, but a lot is going on in this family and a prefer watching more than mindless TV, but TV that reminds me that there are other complete crazies out there).

Later in the evening, when I was sober, James and I went tubing - which he wanted to do - all while watching the zip lines which are directly above the tubing park and asked if he could do that too.   When we actually went tubing, at the end James would claim- not with tears, not with sadness, but just with complete seriousness, "let's not do that again."  Ok.  So, I would take his hand and we would walk away, I wait 5 minutes, and he would look at me and then say, "I want to go tubing."  So, we go tubing, and Repeat.  Wait 10 minutes and he wants to go again.  At our last attempt, the poor lady who had to push our tube each time decided the last trip was going to be one to remember and really chucked us down the chute. The shear weight of the two of us on the tube brought us to the top of the snow pile where the fencing is and we both agreed: "Let's not do that again."

Daddy and Joelly went night skiing.  Mommy made dinner, we watched the fireworks.  It was a nice end to a pukey vacation.  I have two little loves that are not yet professional skiers, that do not totally listen, that complain, and do not aim when they are sick.  This was a tough "vacation" but I have to believe that in a few years it will truly be a vacation, and one we will enjoy forever.  So, this is just training for the days that we will be on the mountain, and I will be complaining that they left me for moguls or tree skiing while I went back to the house and drank chardonnay by myself… I hope that time comes, but for now I will try to remember to enjoy what I have.  And hope that tonight I do not wake up to: "(cough, cough, cry)… MOMMY!!!!"

Snow Winter

There has been a ton of snow this winter.

And we love it.

Though I discovered I rather ski on ice that snow.

But the boys are true New Englanders and are loving every moment.

Mommy Reads a Book

Maybe its the winter.  Maybe its that Mommy has been cranky.  Maybe it is because Daddy is in Canada.  But times have been tough at the Williams house.  And by tough, I mean we are all whining like brats here.  Clearly including me.

So each night I want bedtime to click earlier and earlier. And it sort of does.  I even posted on Facebook recently that if I were ever to write a book about my life and experiences, it would probably be called: "Waiting for Bedtime."  This post received my most likes in a while, and it was all parents.  Except for one or two people…

Anywho, last night waiting for my friend Gina to show up, I couldn't take the whining and the crying any more and decided 30 minutes early it was bedtime.  I brought the guys up, and was ready to just throw them in bed and shut the door and then they asked to read a book.  I surprised myself and said I would read two.

We are not that crazy educational family here.  I hardly do read books to them, and when we did read a book every night to Joel it was the same one - either Puppy Love or Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.  But a few nights ago they asked so nicely to read a book and a few nights ago they sat quiet, patient and with both their heads on their hands in awe and excitement for the book reading.  So, why not do it again?

It is so cute to see them sit, side by side, enthralled.  I wonder how long this will keep up. But I am psyched that I found something fun to do.  I think we will do one book from now on, just to ensure bedtime does not continue to take longer and longer.  Short and simple, quiet time together.  I guess this is what all the other parents have discovered, when here I was all along thinking I was a genius for just throwing them into bed and running downstairs to catch the last second of Extra and pour my second glass of wine…  New routine?  We will see how long the novelty, and the paying attention lasts...

James Morris, Skier

Lots of posts, but different subjects.

Joel Andrew skied when he was 2 and 3.  It was mostly for us, and for our fun and amusement I now see.  Joel Andrew skies this year and he is amazing.  He does black diamonds, he knows how to stop and turn and goes through trees and has a great time.  When he was 2 and 3 and not in a solid program, we basically put him in daycare - I realize now - that was expensive, and sometimes frustrated him and made him cold.  He was not mature enough yet to learn the finer points of skiing, and just leashed down the mountain when he was 2, and pizza-ed down the mountain when he was 3.  Was it worth it, yes?  Does he love skiing now, yes!  But, I just thought I would share my realization, which came with James.

James has been going to "ski-day-care" the past few weeks.  This allows Joel Husband and I to get out on the mountain while Joel Andrew is in ski school, and it also allows James the chance to suit up and ski too - which makes him so proud because all he really wants to do is what his brother is doing, so he loves the idea of going to ski school and skiing like Joelly.

We watched him go on his "snowflake mobile" to his lesson, he didn't even notice we were there.  He was just happy to be going out with an instructor and having a great time.  We watched him another weekend on the bunny slope, no tears, he rocked the magic carpet and then did not so much rock the slopes - but we attributed that to the sticky snow that day.  I was proud of my guy.  He needed more of a mountain I kept thinking.

Here are his ski-lesson notes:

1st lesson: "James and I went out and did a few runs on the magic carpet.  He can ski without any help and really likes to go fast! We are working on making a pizza and turning, I think we are getting close"

2nd lesson - sticky snow day, see I was not wrong: "Even though the snow was sticky we still had a great time on the magic carpet!  We did 5 runs and James had a great time!  He is working on making a pizza without an edgie-wedgie."

3rd: "James did a great job gliding on his skis!!  He had a hard time doing pizzas, but made some turns and had a LOT of fun."

4th: "James does great skiing! He can glide very well on his own, but just needs to get better doing a pizza to slow down.  Great job overall!"

The positive messages have two themes.  One - James loves it.  We have witnessed this and we can confirm he does.  Two - he does not want to learn how to slow or stop.

We took him on his first chair lift run this weekend, after his 4th lesson, and he was awesomely excited and true to the notes from his teachers - I have never seen such a happy expression from the kid, mouth wide open happy and ready to go.  I have never seen such a frustrated grin on his dad, trying to pull James by the leashes and keep him going at a manageable speed.  James will not try and stop, he would keep going and going into the ski lodge if he had his way.  I think his dad put it best: "James pulled me down the mountain."

We will let him go to ski-day-care a few more times, he loves it and why not?  Plus skiing for us too!  But, I am thinking next year he will really grow into more of a skier, like his brother.  For now, I am keeping him away from some of the Olympic sports on television, like any that go fast down a mountain...

James and Potty Training Update

Just thought I would send over a potty training James update since this week has been a complete 180 from just a few short weeks ago.

James now wears underwear.  Like all day, and for nap too.  He has accidents, yes.  But I think Joel Husband and I rationalized this as all kids have accidents and it is part of learning.  Joel Andrew hardly had any accidents.  Like maybe a handful total - he was special for sure.  So, just because James has an accident a day doesn't mean we should give up on him.  We are full steam ahead with the potty training with James, and he is trying.

I think I have never been so proud as when the little guy told us in the car ride to Sunday River: I have to go potty.  Then, he waited till we got to the rest stop, and happily went potty.  He came out beaming and so proud of himself.

I think having a weekend with three older kids who all wore underwear really cemented it for him.  Now, let's hope to ride the wave here and please give me patience for all the laundry.  I know so accidents may happen ahead.  Please no poopy accident..!

Better Weekend

Thank you guys for your comments on my last post!  It helps to know that others are experiencing the same thing, and I thank you for all your suggestions too.  We will try them out!

I am happy to say that the weekend more than made up for the bad snow day.  We had our neighbors up who have a 4 and a 6 year old.  The 4 year old is Joel Andrew's best friend, Laurel - who is also going to be his wife some day according to him as well.

Good times were had with two completely different parenting styles which I think both get the job done.  My neighbors are very patient, so patient and so kind and have two beautiful and loving children who are awesome.  We are a bit less patient and less kind…  But our kids rock too.  I hope we didn't traumatize them…

Joel Andrew and their oldest matched well at skiing, and James added well to the bunch of fun.  We were NON STOP all weekend though, which made me collapse on the couch Sunday evening, followed by two boys also collapsing on the couch.  We skied both mornings, both afternoons, pooled it both evenings, sent most of the kids to the pizza movie game night at the lodge on Saturday night, watched the fireworks altogether Saturday night, did not get to sleep until at least 9:30 each night…  We were sooooo tired by the end!

The most fun of it all was chatting a bit about what life will be like in the school district in Hampton Falls, since our neighbor's oldest is already in the school.  We can't believe the whirlwind that is going to hit us soon.  Joel Andrew gets evaluated for kindergarten this week and we will see if he will go in this year or not and should know in the next two weeks.  He will be devastated if he doesn't go with Laurel.

I hope we did not scar our friends and neighbors with a rousing round of Cards Against Humanity.  Either way, they are stuck with us for the next 9 years through elementary school, or worse - life if Joel has his way and marries Laurel!

Joel Andrew, Drama King

Can't always blog about the good, right?  Yesterday was an awesome snow day.  And by awesome I mean there was lots of snow.  I will get into the whole - working people who have snow days home with their kids stink, because there is no focus on your children and the focus is instead yelling at your children to move, be quiet or watch more TV while you take a conference call or write a "really important email" thing later.  All I did was look outside and see the snow that I could not play with and feel so guilty for yelling at the kids that just wanted to have fun with me.

Because of that, I forced myself to have some fun in the afternoon - we invited our close neighbors over and had hot tub time in the snow.  It was awesome.  Good times were had by all!

But the main cause for this post, is the fact that since I needed to ignore my kids for a lot of the morning and late afternoon, they were monsters.  Constantly fighting, Joel Andrew threw so many drama tantrums that he needed to take a nap at one point, which he has not done in years it seems.  Not sure how to quiet these men when Mommy needs quiet too.  Any thoughts there?

Back to work/school day today and I am exhausted!  I hope this crazy period passes...