Why I love my family...

I often find myself saying outloud..."why am I doing this?" Then I remember all of the kind and beautiful things they have said and done for me over the years...

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Hubby's shining moments:

1) After lamenting to him (at age 27) that I thought I was getting old, he said to me:
"You just look like you are approaching thirty." (Glare.)

2) After whining that I was disgusted with my chubby self (having put on weight with each baby and not gotten it off) I said to him, "Don't you wish you had married someone thinner?"

His reply..."I did." (Ouch.)

3) I received a call at work that my 4 year old and my 9 month old were at the preschool and appeared to have the chicken pox. I called hubby on his cell phone and he was off to get them.

An hour later, another call came in. Chicken pox kids still sitting at preschool. Hubby's explanation:
He had to finish his round of golf. (Ummmm, busted!)

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Fond memories of the oldest (now 15yrs):

1) When picking him up from kindergarten one afternoon, he hopped in the car and looked at me and said innocently, "Mom, have you ever been skinny?"

I waited for the rest of that sentence, and when I realized that it wasn't to be followed with anything like "dipping," I lovingly replied..."Yep, before your 9pound 3ounce body came out of my gourd."

2) Same precious son used to be such a help around the house...his toddling sister had removed all of the movies from the movie cabinet and I asked him to please pick them up...saying that "I will give you a dollar if you pick up the movies."

His reply: "I'll give you a dollar fifty if you'll do it." (I still get outnegotiated by this one!)

3) In retrospect, showering with a four year old boy in an attempt to save time, maybe not such a great idea. The problem, as I turned towards the faucet to wash my face, he tried to give me a colonoscopy with an action figure. Yep, last shower we took together.

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Love from the oldest daughter (now almost 12):

1) As we were driving somewhere with the family (then 3 kids), my son was acting up. I threatened him with this not-so-patient-not-so-loving response: "If you don't knock it off, I am going to have to pull over and beat the crap out of you."

Her response in the sweetest voice: "Just do it now mom."

2) After climbing on dad's lap and playing games and tickling and having dad speak to her at very close range, sweet daughter looked at him and said, "You have bad breath." Gotta give the girl props for being a good enough friend to tell the truth! :)

3) On one trip to the grandparent's cabin, grandma had just finished pampering everyone with a foot rub. She then asked this daughter to rub her feet. Surprisingly she said she would and grandma hesitated and said, oh wait, my feet are dirty.

Her reply: "That's okay, I can always wash my hands." Awwww. She is going to make such a great wife, mom, grandma someday! :)

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Third child shares the love (now almost 10):

1) Walking through Target with 4 kids is always a challenge, but for some reason on this trip I was particularly bothered by the incessant begging for stuff....He was repeatedly asking, "How bout we get this, how bout we get that?" I responded ever so brilliantly, "How bout you be quiet?"

His reply, "How bout you be patient?" Ouch. Disciplined by a 3 year old.

2) Singing Christian kids song in the car one day, my son reminded us how secular we really are. As dad and kids and I sang, "Who's the king of the jungle, who's the king of the sea, who's the king of the universe, and who's the king of me?"

Before we could start round two, he shouted: "Who let the dogs out? Who Who Who?"
Yep, we are the most spiritual family!

3) After baking some cookies and giving all of the kids a snack, sweet child #3 was really concerned that the nursing baby wouldn't get any. He asked me if she could have a cookie and I said no. He insisted that yes she could..."Just put some cookie dough in your bra."

Why didn't I think of that?

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Love potion number 4, now 8 years old:

1) When sharing their hopes and dreams with grandma and grandpa, her sister said that when she grew up, she was going to be a "movie star or a princess." Sweet child number four looked at her and without missing a beat asked, "And do you have a back up plan?"

2) Watching Oprah with mom one day, we were glued to the tv as a family of six was about to say how they lived on like $26 K a year...my daughter looked at me and said, "Mom, why aren't we ever on tv. We have SIX kids?" I thought I had it all figured out and said, "Oh, mommy is too fat to be on tv."

It only took a minute for her to look at me and say, "But there are fat people on tv." (Brat)

3) While staying the night with granny one evening, where there were not enough beds, this creative child decided that she didn't want the floor anymore. She woke up her 14 year old cousin and said, "Granny wants to talk to you." He obeyed and came back to the couch to realize that his brilliant little cousin lie sleeping in his spot. Schemer!


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Blessings from the fifth child, daughter almost 6:

1) An American Idol fan, she became notorious at our church (2 years old) for singing, "She bang, She bang, yeah baby..." William Hung style. Oh, that and asking everyone, "What up dog?"

2) Desperately trying to put a sing-a-long tape in the VCR of the grandkid's room at grandma's...she came out all exasperated and demanded we help her. Grandma told her that she had to ask nicely to which she responded she hated us. After giving it another try, and again coming to ask for help, grandma again said, "We would love to help you, but you hate us, remember?"

Rather than ask forgiveness or say that she didn't really mean it, she stormed back into the privacy of the grandkid's room and shouted, "This is NOT good!" (It may not have been GOOD, but it was hilarious!)

3) After a 2 hour play date at a new friend's house, I came to pick her up. We got in the car to head home and she lovingly said to me, "Why can't I have a mom like Kara's mom? She is nice and never yells and lets us do anything we want."

Of course my reply, just as loving, was "Because I got a brat like you instead of an angel like Kara."
Yep, not winning any awards this year.

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Sharing the love as child number 6, now 4 1/2.

1) This sweet child has been patient and loving and sweet from the start, always self soothing (to this day) by sucking her finger. When whining, crying, annoying baby brother crawled over to her and she had had enough, she pulled out her finger long enough to say, "Shut the hell up." Then popped it right back in and kept on sucking.

Where in the hell did she get that word?

2) This child is authoritative. Despite her sweet and often quiet demeanor, she likes to tell me that I am going to play Sorry with her "RIGHT NOW." Me: "And if I don't?"

Her response: "Then I will not poop in the toilet."

We played Sorry, in case you wondered.

3) First thing in the morning one day she hopped up on my bed and asked me "Can I have ice cream now, you said I could tomorrow and it is tomorrow!"

Me: "You can't have ice cream for breakfast?"
She: "Well then can I have Pepsi and Graham crackers?"
Me: (Too early in the morning to argue) "Whatever."
She: "I promise to eat them on the tile and not to spill the Pepsi."
Me: "Do you want cubed or crushed ice?"

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Baby love, now 18 months:

1) Likes to suck finger and play with boy parts with the other hand. Likes to switch after a few minutes too. Note: Do not let this child put his hands in your mouth!

2) This child can be bought with M&M's. He even likes the ones he finds on the floor. Yuck.

3) Another really special bonding time with baby is when he climbs on my lap, asks for ice, and then plunges his tiny fist into my cup. (Gag...see number one.)