Super Mommy!

When you are a parent I think it is truly incredible the roles that you adapt to and become. How awesome that God gives us Grace to be able to do all that parenthood requires of us, He makes us SUPER. I have lately found myself feeling like quite the detective. It even goes beyond discovering where (or who) that funky smell is coming from, beyond telling if a mess could be chocolate or poop by sight alone, it goes beyond...

All summer long Ash has been waking up several times a night, and just recently I think I discovered why, he was cold. Ash was wearing the same summer pajamas as his brother and sister, but DJ insists on sleeping fully covered (even his face) every night under a big blanket and we have closed all the vents in Iz's room because it tends to get freezing when the AC is running; but poor little Ash refuses to use his covers and he sleeps right next to a vent. A few weeks ago I put him in some long feety pajamas and he slept through the night. Score 1!
Lately, DJ is struggling in the preschool program in church. J was called out several times a few weeks ago because DJ was lying under a folding chair and refusing to come out, and then sitting in a corner (arms crossed, grumpy frown and all) refusing to move or participate. That kind of disobedience calls for a punishment, it used to be that if you misbehaved at church you would not get a doughnut (our Sunday ritual). That was until the Sunday DJ said to me, "that's fine mom, I don't want a doughnut any way." I had to sit down and look through everything we did on Sundays, what could be turning DJ into such a monster. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks, low blood sugar! When my kids start REALLY acting out I have to run through the check list

#1 are they hungry
#2 are they sleepy
#3 do they have a dirty diaper or in DJ's case when did he last use the potty. I swear DJ would hold it in until his bladder literally burst if we didn't make him go, and having a super swollen bladder makes him a crazy super grouch!

In this case while every other day of the week my kids eat breakfast, have a mid morning snack, and lunch around 11:30, on Sundays we fed them breakfast and nothing else until lunch around 12:30. No wonder DJ was crabby! We have now implemented snack time in the car on our way to church and a potty break as soon as we arrive. DJ is a different kid in class now, the teacher even used the word amazing where before she had used the word barbaric. Score 2!

Everywhere I go I feel like one of those detectives who rolls into a restaurant and within minutes can tell you the eye color of the waitress and describe the tattoo of the man sitting at the bar. Except I can tell you things like, the if the toilet lid was up when I walked by the bathroom, if the glass of milk is about to spill even if I am across the kitchen. When we walk into a new place I instantly know the things that my kids will tear apart, crawl up, and get stuck inside of, so I act accordingly. I wonder how I should use this finely honed skill once my kids get older. Can I use it to tell if they really just went to the movies, or if they really don't have homework after school. Who knows? But one thing is for sure, nothing is getting by this Mama (OK probably some things, but not a lot of things). I am excited to see what other Super Powers motherhood has in store for me.

two boys and a girl

This is what happens when you have 2 baby boys and then a GIRL.

My baby, in a boy camo creeper that I painted a pink birdie on.  I thought surely having a baby girl would be all hair bows, ruffles and twirls, not so much.  I love making things for her and I really love buying her sweet things, but for every day wear it is just not practical!  Iz is as rough and tumble as her brothers ever were, so I find myself going through their old things trying to figure out what I can make work for my girl.  I think this creeper in particular turned out wonderful, a little girly, a little tough, all Iz. 

A special thanks to my dear friend B, who actually gave me this creeper when Iz had a blow out at her house (B has all boys), then told me to keep it.  I had no clue what I could possibly do with this boyish onsie when my baby was a girl!  Then I painted the birdie on it and I LOVE it, now I feel inspired.

How cute is my Iz?



BOYS!

It is never so obvious to me that my boys are in fact crazy, as when we have family and friends over to visit.  Nobody ever says anything, they don't have to, it's their wide eyed fear as they watch DJ bodyslam Asher off of the couch that speaks volumes.  Or the way they avert their eyes when the boys run into a room in head to toe knight/viking/superhero gear because just the sense of violence to come is so overpowering.  The way visitors all move up to sit on the edge of the couch when Iz is in the room because they know at any moment a brother could come tearing around the corner and take her out.  I am tempted to say, "my boys are ALL boy," or "boys will be boys," or "at least Iz will be a tough little girl,"  but these are all cliche and not at all true.  My boys are something, let's say something "special" and they terrify just about any person who is not around them constantly (like me or J or our dear friends in OK who have come to embrace the epic violence in the Newberry household). 





I recently joined a movement on FB called "21 days of prayer for boys" all about learning to pray scripture for the ones you love, especially the boys in your life, however, I truly learned so much more about my boys.  I learned that their epic violence is not unique, it is not super common, but it is not unique.  I read this blog post and I felt the weight come off of my shoulders...
"when boys are just too much"
strangely enough the author of this blog post is the same author of the "21 days of prayer for boys" apparently she feels my pain.  We are all born selfish, we are born with only thought of ourselves and desire to only do what makes us feel good.  For some of us the desire to please is what makes us feel good so we behave and do as we are told, for others (my boys) we feel good when we are in control, when we lead and are able to do whatever whenever.  Now I can bribe and threaten my boys to get them to behave themselves (and I do) but that only works 75% of the time. It is only when their hearts change that they will have the character and the obedience that I desire for them.  It is only when their hearts change that they can truly love and be great leaders. 





Who can change hearts?  Certainly not little old me, only God can change hearts and so my prayer from now until the day I die is that God softens the hearts of my children.  I am committed to being a living example for my children (although I do mess this part up on a fairly regular basis, I am trying), and I am committed to letting my children be who God has created them to be.  There is a fine line to be walked between letting my kids be who they are in the depths of their souls and making sure that they are socially acceptable human beings in public. 

I am praying every day for the hearts and souls of my children but I also need to remember to pray for myself.  For patience and wisdom, for God to open my eyes to see the things in my children that come from Him and to notice the things that are out of place or wrong.  I wish that all of the people who come to visit could see the things that my kids do when no one is watching.  The way that DJ will lovingly brush the hair out of Iz's eyes.  The way that Asher gives kisses by holding your cheeks in his chubby hands and puckering up so huge you think he might swallow your face.  The unsolicited "I love yous" or the way that they tell me at least six times a day that I am pretty or precious or cute, they also love to tell J that he is "the best daddy in the whole life world contest."  Yes my kids are wild, and violent, but they are also loving and caring.  God entrusted these babies to me just the way they are, and so I will indulge their wild side by slaying dragons and having pillow fight wrestling matches, but I will also show them what is loving and caring.  Most of all I will pray for their little hearts because in the end it is not really me at all that will make them mighty men, it is the All Mighty that will do that job.

Mama Tip #2

When you are potty training your 2-year-old with a 1-year-old in the house you are bound to run into problems.  My solution is when someone is trying to potty (this can work for you too, I know I never get a moments peace, even in the bathroom) and my 1-year-old appears, entirely fascinated by the whole process, I put him/her in the bathtub.  This worked with Asher and now its working pretty well with Izzy.  They can still see what's going on, but they can't touch anything that will make you gag.  Plus they are very distracted by the idea of being in the tub with their clothes on and no water, sometimes its hard to talk Izzy out of there!  Just a little tip for you Mama's out there who are knocking your baby making time out like I am!

Upcycled T-shirt

This was at one time an XL mans shirt that I got from Goodwill for $1

Here is what I did to it...

I cut it apart at the armpits so I had a large tube of fabric

I used a tank top I like to make the marks for cutting the appropriate space for my armpits (I never realized how yucky that word is :/)

I then sewed a hem large enough for my ties to feed through at the top of my front and back piece

and I used my seam ripper to make a little hole in the hem already at the bottom of the shirt

I fed elastic, cut 1" shorter that my waist measurement, through the bottom hem and sewed it together

Then I fed the tie (that I made the same way I made the belt here except without the button or closure) through the tunnels in the top front and back pieces (much like a pillowcase dress).

DONE

in one nap time

for $1 and some left over fabric from my Easter Skirt :)

** A little note if I make another one I will use a smaller shirt, this one has a LOT of fabric.  In order to achieve a good length I would cut off the sleeves and straight across the shoulders instead of straight under the armpits

Mama Tip #1

Since I had several babies all at once fellow Mama's often ask me how I do things, and the answer is necessity.  They say that necessity is the mother of invention, and that is a fact.  When you need to get something done and you have 3 babies screaming all around you, you just have to work it out! It also helps to pay very close attention to the mothers around you, I am always picking up new tricks.  Anyhow, I thought I would start to put a few tricks down to help me remember what I used to do and maybe help some other mamas out along the way.  This is a tip I got from my friend Janine, and she got it from her friend Kim, who probably got it from her friend (fill in the blank), and so on, that's how we mama's roll.  Any how it's brilliant and share it all the time...
juice box handles!

You would think he would be more excited about getting some juice

Ahh, there we go

You just pull the little triangle box tabs from the side, it helps release the pressure and gives you kids something to squeeze besides the box itself, which when squeezed will send a fountain of (undoubtedly red or purple) juice all over everything.  One of my biggest mom fears, the juice fountain, conquered.  Now if only I can figure out how to conquer the fountain type mess these boys leave in my bathroom...

Have a Happy Juice Box Filled Summer!

21 days of prayer for boys

Today I am starting 21 days of prayer for boys with my friend Mary Chris @ http://mc4him.blogspot.com/
I am so excited to see what God can do with my passionate prayer on behalf of my sons!