What I have noticed with my little boys.

So when my oldest was young, it seemed rather easy to have children, he wasn't too bossy, or loud, or much of a stinker, so I figured, heck I am really good at this parenting thing. Well sister I was wrong, way wrong, I wasn't a good parent, I just was lucky to have a good kid and only one of them.

I now have two more of them and sister it isn't easy. It didn't double my work load, it quadrupled it. The fighting, the yelling, and disagreements, and that is just with my hubs and I.

I am a stay at home mom, and I am on duty 24 hours a day, I actually think they cram more hours into our days as a stay at home parent than others, just because the days can be sooooo long, and sooo draining. When you look forward to Arthur on PBS instead of Peg plus cat, you know what I mean. "I have a really big problem."

(Really it isn't a really big problem, that is just from the show, Peg + cat, it is said over and over.) 

But somethings I have learned are that my boys can go from one emotion to another faster than a woman PMSing, and as a PMSing woman I can say that. They can hate you, then boom, love you. They want to be left alone, and then, cuddled all day. I find it is a lot easier to deal with them when you let them take the time to figure these emotions out and get them to use their words, to realize what is making them feel this way, I don't mean an hour of psychoanalysis, but just letting them know, this is what angry feels like, when you take someones toy, it hurts them. That way, it is easier to distract them, and help them move past the fits and tantrums. Because it gives them more control and power over their surroundings. But it also means I get a lot of, "I am so mad at you mom" moments. But I also get a lot of hugs and kisses, just a few minutes later.

One other thing I have learned is kids watch for every reaction, to everything, I mean EVERYTHING. How you laugh at bad words, how you give in after the tenth time, of asking for ice cream cones. How you shriek, when their cold toes touch your warm legs. And if they get a pay back or a reward by that reaction, whether good or bad, they will do it over and over again. If they find it funny to yell boo right in your face, and you tell them you hate it, guess what, you get "surprised" all day long. You laugh too loud at a joke, you hear it thirty times an afternoon.

I am not saying don't react, I am just saying be prepared and ready for what you respond to, good or bad, because it will be repeated over and over and over and over.

Speaking of repeated over and over, once your child is old enough, he will spill the beans and tell all your secrets to every and anybody, that is one of the real reasons you don't fight in front of your kids. Unless you love the cashier at the grocery store knowing you called daddy an asshole. Just an example, really never happened to us, really I promise. Or your spouse knowing just how often you run out to get fast food. Or your Mother to know what you thought of her Christmas presents.

Lastly, boys love body parts and what they do, they love farts, snot and poop, they will pee anywhere and everywhere. They will also make a weapon out of anything. They will take their shirts off to wrestle each other, and they will talk about killing the bad guys and villains. Just the other day my four year old ask if there are new eye's doctors use to replace the eyes that villains rip out of other people. I was thrown off by it, but I didn't react, just answered, nope, no new eyes, once they are gone, they are gone. I don't know where this came from, (maybe some whacked out cartoon on a channel that maybe they shouldn't be watching), but I didn't want to dwell on it too long, or else I would be hearing about eye transplants for the next two weeks.

I know there is a lot I don't know, and much more I do know, like Narbles are marbles, sandwiches can never have crust and must always be square, that no matter how long pretend you are asleep at night, thinking your spouse will get up with the kids when they are crying, it won't be long enough. Also that the days blend into each other, you lose track of the days of the week, the last time you had real date, or a shower even.

But I will keep getting up each morning trying again to retain my brain cells, keep my shirt snot free, and to be ready for hugs, followed by tackles at a moments notice. Because I am a parent and my kids need me to be there, as a constant reassurance that they are loved and wanted.