Brown~E~Points

Aren't children at Christmas just about the most wondrous thing?
Yes. And No.
This sweet little cherub in the box

may look innocent and full of Christmas cheer-- but rest assured that this expression was in response to my telling him NOT to get in the box full of fragile decorations for the 5th time. I was torn as to whether or not to take pictures of the child while he was directly disobeying, but therein lies the dilemma of child-rearing. They can be so naughty and so nice at the same time! In retrospect i'm glad i snapped the photo before sending him to time-out for the ?th time that evening. ... that beautiful evening that was supposed to be magical-- setting up our tree, and decorating it together by the fire as a family. ... our first Christmas together at home as a family of four. All those time-outs made it not so magical in the moment. but now that i'm looking back on the pictures a few weeks later, i'm realizing that those moments don't have to define the overall experience. The wonder in a child's heart is just going to be coinciding with the folly that is all bound up there too. Sometimes he just can't help himself. He was excited. Can you blame him? It's Christmas! And loving him (even enjoying his cuteness) while dealing with that folly can be the secret to preserving the magic.

i'm finding this first year with two little energetic boys on my hands to be quite the occupation. meaning, they occupy my time, attention, and heart 24/7. and that's not really too much of an exaggeration. don't get me wrong. there's nothing else i'd rather be doing (well most of the time :) ). in fact, someone told me the other day that i was 'soooo meant to be a mom'. i used to think that, back when i was single and dreaming of being married w/children. but i've been so 'occupied' by the practicals motherhood for the past couple of years that i don't believe i've really stopped to consider that this is indeed what i was made for. not just in the sense that i am a woman who has been given the task of raising 2 boys. but in the true colloquial sense that i LOVE what i'm doing... tho it is completely occupying my every moment.
i guess i'm saying all of this to somehow create a base for the excuse for not blogging much lately. i am still learning how to balance life with 2, and perhaps that is enough of an excuse. i do feel a little guilty sometimes for not writing more often. it IS something i enjoy, and actually helps to keep me balanced. but i have to remember that my family is my priority, and writing about them is a hobby. and in some seasons, hobbies are just not as accessible... or something.
the urgency of diaper-changing, potty-training, nose-wiping, time-out enforcing, meal prep and clean-up THREE times each day (which includes washing 6 hands, 2 faces, 2 trays, and the surrounding floor), laundry, vaccuming (ok so that doesn't really happen that often), errands, pre-school, playing trucks and the like-- take precedence over any kind of free time. and with the little that i have at the end of the day, all i want to do is crawl into bed with a bowl of ice cream.
...which i do.
in the midst of it all, i want to take time to recount all of the blessings i have been given, as a way of staying positive in the midst of what can often be trying mundane-ness.
i have 2 very healthy boys...all systems functioning beautifully.
they both usually sleep through the night.
they both usually go to sleep rather easily and compliantly.
they don't seem to have any allergies.
they are incredibly adorable and rather endearing.
they are both moderate to excellent eaters.
they often will nap at the same time for at least an hour during the afternoon. 2 if i'm lucky.
they are both rather easy-going, and when they're not, they're easily distracted and persuaded.
they both have a wonderful sense of humor and love to laugh.
Christian, though he is still suffering a pretty nasty bout of the terrible twos, is creative, conversant, and tender-hearted... when he's not clobbering his brother for looking at him the wrong way.
Kyren is developing right on track, gaining weight nicely (he's my excellent eater/bottomless pit), discovering the world around him with all of his senses, and learning how to masticate with his 3 new teeth. He is down to seeing his PT and OT once a month, and while he's still not a chatterbox, his comprehension of language and his use of sounds are both improving by the day. This week he learned how to wave and blow kisses.
Both of them are developing their emotional/sensitive sides. Christian becoming more in tune with how his (and others') actions affect his and others' emotions. He is learning that his actions have consequences, and emotions are impacted by them, big time.
Kyren will throw himself on the floor face down and cry if Christian yells at him or pushes him away. He's also learning to voice his opinion in a variety of ways. He wants to be where the action is, and is not happy when he's discouraged from participating. (for example, right now he can't understand why he's not allowed to climb up the step stool and onto the toilet with his brother).
our greatest challenges right now are getting them to both sit still and smile for a christmast card picture. . . keeping them both happy at the same time. . . . and maintaining our cool during meltdowns, defiance, and enforcement of the rules.
oh, and potty-training. which, for the past week has gone rather well. not without some resistance here and there. we've gone through half a bag of m&m's and several twizzlers-- and we are rather confident in this being a one way street to big boyhood. oh and who knew that hippos could be potty-trained as well? definitely a great tactic for getting him interested.
pictures to follow.
so that's the tyranny of the urgent in a very small nutshell-- now if you'll excuse me i think there's some ice cream calling my name...