What I beleive to be true

You know how Oprah always said "What I know for sure...."? I remember thinking when I heard that there just wasn't much that any of us can really know for sure, right? I feel like in the last 12 years of my "adult" life that what I thought I knew, or believed or perceived has changed over and over. I think this is part of growing and trying to remain open minded. But at this time, about 10 or so days before my birthday, I want my kids to know what I believe to be true, important, and unimportant all at once. These are all just my perceptions mixed with my goofy humor. So here it goes..........

What I believe to be true is that life is fast, sometime difficult, sometimes depressing, but mostly rewarding. I believe that being a parent is the most mentally exhausting thing a person will ever do. I believe mistakes are inevitable, but it is never to late to apologizes when we make them. I believe that kids grow up WAY to fast and that for some reason so many parents seem to want to encourage this pace. Enjoy being a kid because like life, if you blink it will be over. I believe in free will. That all actions have consequences and some can follow you for the rest of your life, but 99% are complete reversible so be careful in your choices but don't let fear keep you from taking risks. I believe in humor. Laughter really is the best medicine. I believe in monogamy, and that intimacy should be between two completely committed people who love each other deeply. I realize this is an old fashion idea for most but I believe it safest for heart, mind and body. I believe in romance. I believe in never going to bed when your mad at someone and never allowing them to go to bed when they are mad at you. I believe dancing in your living room to good loud rock music can change your whole perspective. It's like vitamin D for the ears and sole!! I believe every child should go to bed in a warm home, with a full tummy feeling safe and loved no matter where in this great big world they were born!! I believe in possibility even though I sometime forget to believe in my own. I believe that great teachers save kids lives and deserve more of our appreciation, credit, and MONEY!!! I believe every rose does indeed have it's thorn, and every day has it's dawn but I'm not sure I believe that every cowboy sings a sad sad song.I believe dogs are better then cats (sorry to all my cat friends.) I believe football is better the baseball, summer, better then winter, but snow is better then rain. I believe it is very likely that I will always suck at proper punctuation, grammar and spelling but that most of my friends will love me despite this and read my weird blog post regardless. I believe that judging others is the greatest sin we can commit but it is also the easiest trap to fall into. I believe in the potential of my children. I believe I found true love, even when he leaves his dirty laundry on the bathroom floor or his used floss in the sofa table (that one really makes me crazy!! ;) I believe in an open heart, a giving spirit, and that we as humans have to stop looking at the worlds population like an accountant for a large corporation looks at employees. People are not numbers, and if you were looking at someone you knew, that you loved right in the face that needed your help in some small way could you really throw them out in the cold, hungry and with a armed gunman running around. Because that's what it feels like so many of us are doing. It's just easier because you don't have to look that human being in the face to tell them you sorry but you just don't care that much. I believe we can be better, we want to be better and we either will be or we wont be around much longer.

I realize this is all just the rants of a housewife with wicked insomnia, a wild imagination, and dreams of her children having a fulfilling, happy life but that sure wont shut me up any time soon!! Agree or not, I hope it will make you think about what is important to you. And this song has literally nothing to do with my above rants but I believe it to be awesome!!!

Bodhi's Got Moves like Jagger

Haven't had much time to blog lately so here is a short video of the Bodh-ster. I have been trying to get Bodhi's cute dance moves on video since he was about 9 months old. He has always loved to dance to any kind of music. He really loves this Black Keys song. He moves are so much more impressive but as soon as the camera starts he gets a bit more mellow and distracted by it. Hope you enjoy.

Cohen, the great, the kind, the optimistic!

I had an idea recently to start writing the boys a letter each year on their birthday. I plan on saving them all up and giving them all their letters when they graduate or something like that! I wish I had thought of doing this earlier but better late then never. I wanted to share Cohen's first letter with all of you because on this day 8 years ago I became a mother. Hope you enjoy reading what I think makes my son so special.

Eight years ago today I was given a gift so special, so precious and so loved beyond what you feel love can be. Today my sweet gift, you are 8 years old. You have proven to be so much more then I could even dream. So I want to tell you about who you are right now so that when you are older and life has carved you out and left you with dents and dings you can read this and find the pieces of you that you may have lost. You are such an amazing boy. You are smart, hard working. You have an abundance of kindness and caring that makes me so incredibly proud. You teacher says you are one of her easiest students in her class. What a gigantic help you are to me with your little brothers. You always clean your room when I ask. You always help around the house when I need it. You have the divine ability to never harbor jealousy of anyone or anything, which is something your Mother wants to learn from you. You have it down! ;) You are a teacher and an extremely patient one at that. You love video games, Star Wars, Spider man, The Ducks, Costumes, and chocolate. But most of all you love your family unconditionally!! Your really into the idea of making movies and have been asking for a video camera for a while now. You have several ideas for movies and websites you want to create. You are so creative. You have an exceptional sense of humor. That you get from your father. You can laugh at yourself when a situation may be a bit embarrassing. In so many way your are like me. You wear your emotions on your sleeve. You have empathy for others that seems mature well beyond your years. You can be hard on yourself but never hard on others. You love with your whole heart. Now what I want you to know is that you need to give yourself more credit then you do. You will succeed at whatever you really want in life. You WILL make your dreams a reality. I can see this in you even of you don't yet. You will find the exact right person as a partner in your life and you will work hard at that relationship. Should you choose to have children they will be the luckiest people on the planet because you will be their father. You bring me joy each and every day son. Thank you for being a part of me I will always have. I love you!!!

Sly Delegation

A day or two ago I was went to sit down on the sofa and possibly read the paper for 5 minutes while Bodhi and Eli napped. As soon as I sat down I realized now that I was not in constant motion it felt quite chilly in my living room and so as I often do I thought out loud "man it's pretty chilly in here!" Cohen spoke up and said "Wyatt, could you get Mommy a blanket?" Sweet right? and it was sweet, but it was something else. Something smart and tricky and even slightly impressive (OK, I might be easily impressed.) It occurred to me that Cohen had not only been thoughtful about his mother's comfort but he was smart enough to ask Wyatt to do it, essentially doing the good deed, getting the credit and he never even had to lift a finger! If you know my son, you know he has no ill intentions. It's just not in him. But who said being an opportunist is ill intent? I just call it Sly delegation. The fact that I not only picked up on this but am sharing it with you all may mean I need to get out of this house more. I'm to tired, of course, to leave but I probably should just the same.

You're to young for hickies!!!

My five year old had been playing in our play room in the basement when he came running up the stairs yelling in a terrified voice "Mom, what is wrong with my arm? What happened to it?" I looked down to find a giant bright reddish/pinkish mark on his arm and I wont lie. My initial reaction was 'Oh, God, what the hell is that?! That looks horrible and serious!' Just before panicking out loud I noticed that this mark was in perfect proximity to his mouth and in an oval shape. I asked him if he had possible been sucking on his arm. Guilt immediately came over his face but his mouth insisted he had not. After I explained to him that if he had not been sucking on his arm then this mark looked serious enough to illicit a trip to the hospital. So out came the truth. "OK, ok. I lied. I did it. I was just really hungry and my arm was so tasty!!" I don't think he connected the sucking on his arm as the reason he had the self inflicted hickey until I asked him. Why he choice to lie at that point only he knows. He does so love to tell a tall tale on occasion. After explaining this is not good for his skin I don't think he will be doing it again until it's inflicted by a girl in his teen years. ;) Just had to share this gilt ridden photo with you all.

Who says you are not enough?!

I remember reading this article a couple of years ago before I had the twins, when life was full of bon bons and leisure time. (NOT!!!) I remember thinking even then how dumb this woman's question was and how could any semi-intelligent person even ask this about being a mother. Someone recently posted it on Facebook, reminding me if it's existence. I thought it was written so well. It really laid out the craziness and the mental exhaustion that being a Mom can be. Now of course, don't get me wrong. I love being a mom. I love my amazing boys. I love that I get to contribute to a part of who they become, thus contributing to society as a whole in my opinion, because I am raising amazing kids who will do great things in the world if I do say so myself. ;) But seriously, I personally think all parents should feel this way about your kids or what is it really all for? I mean if it wasn't, at least in part, to make our kids exceptional contributors then what would they be for? Just for our personal amusement and then when they turn 18, we can be done being amused and expect that they function as respectful, loving adults. Although there are exceptions of kids who had little to no parenting as a child and became incredible people it is much less likely then a child whose parents were present and taught them to kick ass each and every day. So when you put some perspective on it like this I don't see how anyone could belittle the job of being a mother. I could be raising the man who cure cancer or aids or invents a 100% clean and sustainable power source or maybe, just maybe he will be the worlds greatest husband and father. You could be too!! Whitney was so right. The children really are our future! ;) So when someone makes me feel like I am less then enough because I'm 'just' a mom and I'm too tired for nights out, or to keep my house spotless I just think to myself "hopefully my son invents a pill that fixes your medical disorder of "judgmental bitchiness" cause I will get your ass in that clinical trail asap!! Here is a link to the Washington Post article in case it's easier to read. Even when we doubt our abilities, we have to always remember that our hearts are in the right place and no one can take that away from us unless we let them. Mom's Kick Butt!!! Cheers to my fellow Moms and the incredible people who support us in the hardest job on earth!!

Mini MacGyver

You know............. when your boys "MacGyver" any and all common house hold item. I am sure not all boys have a desire to build a man killing robot out of a car battery and 3 paper clips but they do around here. Cohen has always loved to build things. He has made numerous jet packs out of 2 liter pop bottles, guns out of toilet paper and paper towel tubes, and boats from those little card boar snack trays they receive with their school lunches. In fact he has "saved" and brought home every single snack tray since first grade for what he calls his "art-crafts." (I have a whole cupboard of 'waiting to become' art crafts.) He saves the seeds from any fruit he eats and plants them randomly in my back yard. So if you show up one day and I have an apple tree growing out of my patio you will know why! He actually builds some pretty impressive things with random "junk" he has dug back out of my recycling. Other then the fact that he is a giant pack rat I think it's great, well, with one exception. The massive use of dental floss!! Now you would think he would have the healthiest most plaque free gums and teeth in Portland with what we go through around this house, but unfortunately according to his dentist that is not nearly the case. You wouldn't believe the uses a boy can find for floss. But my favorite of all time was when I walked in to his room one day and he and Wyatt had stung it from his platform bed to the closet rod and back again. I asked what the heck were they doing. He said quite matter-of-factly "We built a zip line!" If that aint MacGyver-like I don't know what is. I truly wish I had a picture of his design, but as it was probably the 3rd container of floss in a week that had been "re-purposed" I was pretty much just seeing red at the time. What is a crafty Mom to do but (after calming down) be proud and impressed of each and every project!!

What's with boys and toy guns?

You know...............When they can turn even to most nonviolent, beautiful thing into a gun!!! I am so over toys guns!! In fact I have always hated them. When I had my first child I was absolutely determent to never let him have a toys gun of any kind. Funny thing about boys, they find a way to make ever last damn thing a freakin' gun!! Cohen would hold toy drills, Lego's, and even sippy cups up and pretend to shoot them. I was fighting a loosing battle every day! It didn't change with the other 3 coming along either. Bodhi says all of 10 word. You can bet "gun" was one of the first. So the other day when I was making this coat wrack to put up near the front door wouldn't you guess Wyatt picked up right up and turned it over pointing it like it was some kind of automatic weapon.

I eventually gave in on having guns. Mr Drey and I have NEVER purchase a single toy gun for our boys but EVERYONE else does. It seems to be the most popular gift the receive. After all it is the thing they want more then any other toy.

Why are you so sweaty? I was watching Cops.

You know your the Mom of 4 boys when your life feels like a Will Ferrell movie every day!! I have come a long way since the birth of my first son. I remember thinking when the Ultrasound tech said I was having a boy, "A boy! What am I gonna do with a boy?" Everyone in my family has girls. I have a sister and a step sister. My Mom is 1 of 4 girls and they all, you guessed it, had GIRLS and My Dad's brother had 3 girls as well. Seriously, There were NO BOYS and I didn't think we were capable of making/having them in our family. Turns out it is what I am best at!! ;) (Yes I realize that Aaron is the one truly responsible.) Now that I am surrounded by them I have had time to adjust, and it was a big adjustment! I had no idea humans were capable of taking about poop, farts, penises, eating bugs, guns, bad guys, good guys and Star Wars as much as boys can!! I have become so accustom to the grossness that is boy, that I too, on occasion, have made degenerate stomach churning jokes myself. But those jokes are so worth the reward when I see the surprised and excited look on my boys faces. "Did Mom really just say that? Awesome!!" I think it has made me a better mother and a better person. I can enjoy watching some dancing with the Stars but still look forward to the football game all week!

So here's to just the right amount of gross, a pinch of inappropriate, a dash of 'I'm stronger then you' and a whole lot of love!!!

My light saber is as big as yours!!

You know your the mother of 4 boys when you own all most twice as many light sabers as you have children! Oh my Star Wars! I wont lie to you. I do love Star Wars. I can remember being a little girl and my dad watching Star Wars with us each year when it was broadcast on a network channel. Now that I have 4 boys of my own I can see the love of Star Wars in each of them. We have at least biweekly Light Saber fights in our living room. (Yep, I get in on that craziness!!! You bet ya!) The older boys quote the movie like they themselves acted in it! If I do a quick count I believe we have 7 light sabers in this house and I wouldn't have it any other way!! Do not underestimate the force in a Momma of 4 boys!!!

(Adult Content kind of) If you give a baby a Penis...

This subject matter may be slightly offensive to like 7 members of society, so if you are one of the seven you might want to stop reading now. You know you are the Mom of 4 boys when you have an ultrasound photo of each baby in Utero with his hand placed firmly around his Penis. In fact I have had a lot of ultrasounds in the last 8+ years and I have seen this same handle bar action at least 15 times while pregnant. During my last pregnancy with my twins I had an Ultrasound at least every 4 weeks and during one of those "hey Mom! Look what I found down here!!" moments the ultrasound tech said that she had been doing her job for 18 years and that every boy grab his 'junk' and every little girl would always touch her face or head. Figures, huh! And it sure doesn't stop there. All for of my boys learned to say the word peepee with in the first 5 words in their vocabulary. Now with my twins I have noticed that they seem to really take note of each other 'business' during diaper changes and bath. Pointing like a paleontologist would when discovering a new species of dinosaur shouting 'peepee, peepee!!' I would like to think that as they become young men and then grown men that they will grow out of this behavior. But if you have a husband then you and I both know that will never happen. ;)

I sure hope that's a raisin you just ate off of the floor!

You know your the Mom of 4 boys when you watch your toddler pick up a small object off of the floor and quickly shove it in their mouth and you do nothing because you are quite sure it was a raisin from their morning snack. At least you are pretty sure. I mean what is the worst that could happen. I would tell you but I am not sure you would have the stomach for it. With my first child I was so careful. Everything was scrubbed thoroughly. if it fell to the floor it went straight in the trash. Now a days I like to give those kids the benefit of the doubt, ya know. I am a firm believer in the 10 second rule. Turns out carpet fuzz can't kill, and I conveniently side with the school of thought that dirt that is ingested builds their immune system. If this is true my boys could fight off the bird flu!! ;)

Happy snacking/ immune building Mommas!!

My Over Picker is an Over Sharer

You know you are the Mother of 4 boys when one comes to you and says "Mom, I need a Kleenex. I picked to hard!" Amazing how there can be a box of Kleenex in every room of the house but a finger always does a better job when your 5. I can't tell you how many times in my 7 years of being a Momma I have had a small toddler hand thrust in my face with a big green glob stuck on the end of it, as if to say 'Here Mom. Do something with this!' I guess this is better then the alternative of oral disposal. ;)

It aint myin'. Is it Urine?

You know your the mother of 4 little boys when you wake up in the middle of the night in the dark to use the bathroom and you are very careful to not let the bottom of your pj's touch the floor around the toilet in fear that a small man child may have woke in the middle of the night and the dark before you and in his sleepy state peed more on the floor then in the toilet.

This sweet innocent looking boy is by far the most guilty of creating this hazard in our home.