1. if you have a doctor's appointment where you have to bring all three kids with you, the doctor will always, always be running behind. there is no such thing as a "quick blood draw" when you have three kids in tow. and during this appointment, at least one of your children will need to go to the bathroom (after you've been called back to the exam room) so you'll have to haul everyone out and make the trek to the potty. where said child will in fact, NOT have to go. false alarm. so you'll parade back to the exam room and get settled in. after setting up everyone's snacks, drinks, coloring books, pillows, and small cots (kidding) your other two children will decide that they have to potty. only they don't need to leave the room to do it. that small exam room will very quickly begin to feel like a prison cell. there is no escape, especially not for the horrid stench that is filling the room. the two children that have caused the torture like conditions will not be effected at all. the older one will loudly announce the thoughts that are simultaneously running through your head: "it smells disgusting!!" "let's get out of here!" "i'm going to be sick!" you'll have to change diapers on the exam table and you'll realize in between holding your breath and stifling gags - that it's not just your imagination, you really have been waiting for an hour and a half. you will strongly consider leaving those diapers and hightailing it out of there. but instead decide to dispose of them, reschedule your appointment, and advise the nurses that room #3 may need a bit of "freshening up."
lessons learned:
only schedule appointments during school hours.
and
always have an escape route.
2. i started bootcamp last week. i know. i can't believe it either.
the first day wasn't too bad. i could keep up and was still alive after it was over. the second day - we had to run a mile. it's safe to say i cannot remember the last time i actually ran a mile. i've power walked a few here and there, but run? not so much. it was rough. i wish i could say i am one of those people that enjoys running and gets a "runner's high" and all that jazz, but unfortunately, i am not. if there is such thing as a running gene, i definitely do not have it (thanks a lot, mom and dad).
maybe i'll be able to find my inner runner throughout the next few weeks, i'm going to give it my best shot. but i can't make any promises.
lessons learned:
be prepared to run.
and
invest in a good sports bra. ;)
3. we took the girls to a gym dogs meet last saturday. we had never been to a gymnastics meet before so we were all excited. we had been talking about the gym dogs all week and the girls were pumped. now, to be totally transparent, when we first told libbi that we were going to watch some gymnasts, she was less than thrilled. and it may have had something to do with the fact that we had watched the youtube videos of the "fart gymnastics" during the olympics. she said, "no! i don't want to see the tooting gymnastics!" haha! oops. after we assured her that was NOT what we were going to be seeing, she was on board. we talked about the gym dogs all week and how much fun it was going to be. on the way to athens on saturday, libbi excitedly said, "maybe we'll see one of the gym dogs on the road!" and as i explained to her that we wouldn't see them on the road, because they had to get ready for the meet, i started to wonder what she meant by her comment….
so the following conversation took place:
Me: "libbi, do you know where we're going?"
L: "to see the gym dogs."(riiiiight)
Me: "do you know what the gym dogs do?"
L: "tricks." (okaaaaay)
Me: "who are the gym dogs?"
L: "puppies that do tricks." (um, nooooo)
lessons learned:
always clarify.
and
pictures help.
(side note - she enjoyed watching GYMNASTS much more than she would have enjoyed watching puppies) ;-)
4. my girls love to change clothes a million times a day. laney wears at least three-four pairs of (mis-matched) pajamas a day. and she will put on any combination of clothing that she can get her little hands on. the other day i had finally caught up on laundry and had everything put away. laney was thrilled, because she had so many items of clothing to choose from. after outfit number two i told her not to change clothes anymore. i told her that i was tired of doing laundry and finding clothes everywhere around the house and that she could not put on another outfit! she was less than thrilled, but said, "yes ma'am" and went upstairs to play. or so i thought.
apparently she decided to take matters into her own hands. and she proudly paraded downstairs a little while later in her new get-up. it was (formerly known as) a pillowcase. which gives a whole new meaning to "pillowcase dress." she was very pleased with her creation. i was not. it was like a bad episode of project runway. although, i can't fault her because technically, she didn't put on anymore clothes. so i guess she did obey in her own roundabout way.
lessons learned:
keep linens out of reach.
and
be specific.
hopefully, you've gleaned a little wisdom from my
