Remedies

It's funny to see the way you parent through the eyes of your kids. (Or not, when they're yelling at each other or commanding the other to go to time out and you know exactly who they sound like.)  Whenever my kids get hurt- goose eggs, fat lips, big enough bumps and bruises, I always try to put some ice on it. But they usually won't tolerate full ice, so frequently I find myself just going for something as cold as they can stand, usually out of the fridge.

So it's always amusing (and catches me a bit off guard) to walk in like I did yesterday and see Cash with a jar of parmesan cheese up to his head.  Or mayonaise. Or sour cream. Or like happens on occasion, Phoenix will slap me in the face...then bring me a yogurt, which I'm confused about until I realize I'm supposed to hold it to the wound. How thoughtful.

Which habit has also transferred to his new discovery of band aids. He'll get out the band aids, pull one out, then realize he needs to justify their use so he'll whack himself on the head a few times then put the band aid over the inflicted wound.

Or the other amusing things these kids come up with. The other day I was laying on the couch and told the kids I needed to go take a shower.  I didn't pay much attention to Cash saying, "Don't worry mom!" until he walked over to me moments later with a mouthful of water which he promptly sprayed out of his mouth all over me. And the couch.  I had to admit, it did remarkably resemble a shower - especially with how much water Cash can apparently store in his mouth at one time.

Or overhearing Cash in his sweetest voice saying to a barely awakening Ashton, "Good morning Ashton. Want to play pillow fight?" as I glance over just in time to see him lunge at poor disoriented Ashton's head with a pillow.

The other day Ryan and I were discussing how it would be good to have some one on one time with each of them - then we remembered - they never want to be separated. Any time we've tried it they just scream and scream and throw tantrums until they can be back with their siblings. And I have to admit, even though they're crazy, they keep things entertaining around here. Walking in to see all three huddled around the computer watching Mickey mouse on YouTube in Swedish (Cash gets to this completely on his own), glancing over to see one naked kid playing the piano while the other two naked kids "shake their booties" to it, the constant dog piles on top of each other that seem to amuse them, and hearing them all say "look at me, look at me!" and walking in to see all three naked boys (this is frequent now with all the potty training) doing "tricks" on the couch - meaning all three bent over in strange positions with their naked bums fully exposed or legs splayed wide open in my direction. Lovely. All waiting for my proud response.  :)  Yep, it's a lively place around here.