I'm baaack!

Loving all of you the way I do, and missing the sweet times we have spent together over my keyboard, I thought I'd let you all know ....

I am alive
I am healthy
I have not been sick
I have three children under the age of 18 months that keep me pretty busy
And ...

The winter seasonal depression thing has hit me pretty hard this year!!

But!

The trees are showing some signs of spring, and, even though we have received a half inch of ice so far today, I can't help but feel that spring is not too far away.

Its a wonder you can find a minute for yourself with all those little ones. Glad you are well and I completely understand that winter depression thing, after all its Feb. I have noticed that the willows and forsythia branches are getting a little brighter yellow tinge so maybe things are starting to come back to life. Sunset is after 5:00 pm now, not that we have seen much sun lately.

Take heart girls.Spring is on it's way. The squirrels were mating today.They must know something we don't know to mate in one of the worst storms of the winter.They said on the news it is th15th major storm of the winterThis is a picture of one in Dec. JOY

Al:

You are completely crazy ... and I love you for it!! LOL!!

Each day just gets better and better. I HAVE noticed the squirrels and chipmunk activity lately. Spring! Glorious Spring is so close!!

Glad to read you Candyce!!

Candyce!!!

Did you have twins _or_ triplets?

~* Robin (who just came back also ~~] :^) )

Hi Candyce - I know how you feel except I only have one child and he is 22 months. I don't know how you do it with three children - I have enough trouble with just one. Hang in there spring will eventually arrive. Some Valentine roses just for you!! Eleanor

Welcome back Candyce! Welcome Robin too. (from the Twilight zone?!)

victorgardener wrote:

Candyce, God bless you! And stay strong and sane - you know we're all here for support.

Here's a sunny patch of daisies for you!

Hi Candyce! Glad to know your OK, was wondering what happened to you!

Cool, Robin!

Candyce - welcome back to your home bored ! Cant imagine 3 kids. I missed all day as I was on Floor duty.

as busy as Candyce is, i bet she doesnt have time to be home bored!

Candyce - I am sooo glad you are okay . . . I was getting worried! Three little ones is more than I could handle - ever! You are definitely a braver woman than I am!

Thank you, everyone, for the encouragement and the beautiful flowers.

Eventually, I will get back to reading and posting as I had been before.

Helloooooo to you, too, Robin! So glad you were able to return to us.

No, I am never 'bored'. Not with THESE three 'grands'!!!!!

I can't imagine, Candyce. I spent the day with my two grands, age 5 and 9, and barely survived the 5 year old. The 9 year old boy is a walk in the park compared to the little girl. If I had to discipline her, the poor thing would be in time out 24/7. She got mad, because she thought her car door was locked and she couldn't get out. It wasn't, she just wasn't pulling the door knob hard enough. She got so mad she started screaming and told me she was never going to get out of the car, she was going to stay there forever. Makes sense, huh?

How old are your 3? Do you babysit them all? Or do they live with you?

I can verify that 5 and 9 are not easy, but as you said, Polly, the 5 yr old is a lot more work!

I've come to the conclusion that ages birth through 31 years are not easy!! But I wouldn't change my life or the kids or grandchildren for a million dollars!! Eleanor

I think it depends on the person. My life began at 16. Everyday since then (well most days) have been better and better.

Regarding children. My eldest was a perfect infant, a terrific toddler, a horror at 4, fabulous until 14. Then we could hardly wait to get rid of her! We sent her to Japan for a year when she was 18. She has never lived with us since (honestly, this woman is impossible to live with - I felt sorry for her boyfriend until I met his mother! so, it's true, for every shoe there's a mate). Now, I love her dearly; she is a good person, but wow! is she moody. She has mellowed with age, and absolutely dotes on her new puppy - but I still wouldn't want to live with her.

Her sister was a horror until she was two - she never stopped crying. And in some ways has been more trouble than DD#1, but she is not as moody as her sister. She is still with us and is now a junior at college.

Can we hear their side?!!

I can tell you my grandaughters side. I heard it all today.

The one I liked the best was----it's not fair he's always going to be older than me. On why my grandson can do it, and she can't.

Oh well I can fill that in for you. I was the wacko mother that took the girls camping, catching frogs, and snakes and bugs! (which we always released in a safe place before we went to bed)

I was the wacko mother that let my girls try all kinds of (safe) things. Lessons in art, music, theatre, sports.etc. With no pressure to do anything but enjoy.

I was the wacko mother that went to school for years, which meant my girls had to learn to live without a lot of stuff their peers from 2 income families enjoyed - like Easter trips to Paris (yes, France!)

I was the wacko mother that did not tolerate drugs, booze, or cigarettes.

I was the wacko mother that insisted on respect for myself, for others, for all creatures, for the planet.

I was the wacko mother that insisted that bedrooms were for sleeping - no personal phones, tvs, or computers.

I was the wacko mother that made sure they saw live theatre, went to great museums, and great national parks.

I was strict as hell, but kept some simple rules: kids can get dirty, but they must be clean when they eat. Kids have the right to make mistakes - just not the same mistakes over and over and over and over . . . . Kids are home inside the house when the street lights turn on - or I know exactly where they are. Bedtime was bedtime - no negociating (though I could be lenient for special occasions). Kids never had to eat everything on their plate - but they never had a houseful of snacks to munch on afterwards either. Candy, pop, and chocolate were reserved for holidays like Easter, Valentines, and Christmas.

On the other hand, I never fussed too much about what they wore, as long as it was reasonably modest. So they could wear grunge clothes - but not lewd grunge clothes. Nor could they wear vulgar t-shirts. My youngest is emerging from a stage of only wearing black . . . And I never fussed over their rooms - I just closed the door.

I must have done something right . . . they are good citizens and caring people.

No wonder the older one went far away!! (Just kidding - I'm the same way, though I'm not sure I can tolerate grunge clothes, or goth, or baggy pants falling down their butt, or any of that crap.)

This message was edited Feb 18, 2008 10:23 PM

I wish these kids came with instructions!! LOL Michaela - sounds like you did a good job with yours. I don't think I'd call you wacko though - I think it was just good parenting!! I had two girls and I love them dearly but I couldn't live with them again either!! Eleanor

Seandor, sounds like you did a wonderful job!

Sounds like good rules to live by.

Yeah, why call yourself a 'wacko' mother? Sounds like rules and guidelines any healthy mother would have.

I solved the whole problem...I just borrow them and give them back. Life is wonderful for an Aunt!

OHhhh! Anita,

I'm so glad to see you here too!!

~* Robin

:) I'm always around.

Hi Anita!!

Well compared to a lot of parents, I was not the "norm." My kids never got to use my credit cards (neither of them have their own credit cards even now!). My kids never learned how to drive cars (you have to admit, this is pretty weird - but the eldest would not control her temper, and the youngest doesn't like to drive).

Regarding clothing styles, most people grow up and conform to societies expectations; there are few opportunities to wear weird clothes and hairstyles when you are working to support a family. I was not keen that they do anything permanent (like pierce their nose) but the eldest did all that stuff once she moved out from home. Of course, NOW she regrets the silly tatoo and the pierced tongue. But I would have warned her, had she asked. Notwithstanding, she has never lacked for employment; she is a stellar worker and gets rave references from former bosses. The woman has "work ethic" pulsing in her veins.

Both the girls are keen readers - and this pleases me.

Wow! That's horrible! I can tell you, you'd be the 'norm' in my circle of parent friends. I don't know parents who even allow their kids to have cell phones or TV. Where was this normal that parents would give their kids credit cards? Those parents do an enourmous disservice to their children by spoiling them like that. I'm sure there are parents around here who do that, I just don't know any personally.

Really, Harper? You don't know any parents who let their kids have cell phones or tv??!! That's amazing - especially the tv. There is some good kids' stuff on tv. One reason my little guy is more advanced in reading than my older one is the combo of educational dvd's we have plus a few very good tv shows.

Okay, let me clarify and stop exaggerating. They don't have a TV in their child's room, TV time and content is greatly limited (to quality stuff), TV is never a babysitter, usually the parent watches with the child. Esentially, the TV is used for the wonderful tool that it can be, not just a zone-out box.

Both my girls have a t.v. in each of their rooms - just for the video games, which they don't play much. They're not "cabled" so they don't watch anything on them.

It's funny, the 15-yr-old has a PlayStation, so she can watch dvds with it, but thinks her 27" isn't big enough for that! Our living room t.v. is a 31", not much bigger. I think she doesn't like watching movies alone!

She was obsessed with Sesame Street as a toddler and (maybe as a part result of that), taught herself to read at age 3-1/2! One day we were in CVS looking at greeting cards and all of a sudden she began reading off the headings on the tabs - "That says 'grandpa' ", etc. I freaked!

I wish I could say she's now a Mensa kid, but she's not.

She loves watching educational t.v. - like history and science stuff.

Oh, by the way, Happy Mr. Rogers Neighborhood Day!

I will not ever allow a tv in the kids' room(s). We have never had one in our bedroom.