April Showers Bring May Sprinkles

Springtime seems to have boosted my kids' energy levels! The more I send the kids to play outside the more worn out I seem to get. How does that work? Is it because I am always running outside to stop the fighting or comfort the crying? Is it because I end up staying and playing outside too? Is it because all the inside toys get dragged outside and all the outside toys get dragged inside? Is it because now there is work to do outside the house as well as inside the house? Is it because everyone needs a Popsicle every five minutes and needs me to watch their latest bicycle stunt? I am certainly glad for the warming weather and signs of spring - but when do I get my energy boost? Popping a candy bar into my mouth every time I pass the kitchen just doesn't seem to do it. (But the chocolate does seem to keep me in a better mood!)

Sean especially has been up to his "Sean Shenanigans" (see "view my photoshows" at the top of my blog template). While I was downstairs doing some laundry Sean was upstairs. When I went back upstairs I was greeted by a trail of decorating sprinkles from half way up the stairs, down the hall to the family room, covered all over the entire floor of the family room (forgot to take a picture of that one before I vacuumed it all up), into the kitchen, through the dinning room, and then another big dump of sprinkles on top of the stairs in the entry way. Not only did he redecorate the entire upstairs but he also managed to eat some too - by the pink sticky evidence found all over his face and hands.

Sprinkle covered carpet - yum.

Caught pink faced.

After cleaning up all the mess I sent him outside to be with Chad and Halle. Big mistake! After only a few minutes outside Halle came in crying (followed by all the other kids). She had been playing on the wood pile by the side of our house and came in with a handful of splinters. After cleaning her up and putting band aids all over the splinters (couldn't get any of them out - have to wait for Chris who is the master at getting splinters out). I sent the kids to the piano room so they could all dance. I also had Aria and Gabe over. It was fun to watch them dance to the Wiggle music.

Aria and Halle stop dancing to pose for the camera.

Chad is a dancing machine.

Gabe has happy feet (Halle still sad from the splinters but trying to dance).

While the kids were busy dancing I snuck back downstairs to check on laundry. As I descended down the stairs I found a new trail awaiting me. A trail of muddy footprints starting from the bottom half of the stairs, all the way down the stairs, all through the hall way and into the laundry room. The outside door was still open and the hose outside was still gushing water.

Did Elmo and Lightening McQueen do this?

Sean's most favorite thing to do the last few weeks is to escape outside (either by door or bedroom window) and turn on the water to the hose. And then he squirts everything. He waters the bushes, the grass, the cement, the windows, the fence, any people outside, and especially himself. I end up changing his wet clothes at least three to five times everyday. Today he went outside with his favorite slippers on (one Elmo and one Lightening McQueen). So he had obviously made some mud, walked all over in it with his slippers, and then came back inside where he tracked it all in.

Right now Sean is in my favorite place - asleep in his bed. As soon as Gabe and Aria went home I put him down for a nap. It is kind of a late nap but I need it. It is so nice to have peace and quiet for a few moments and to take out my frustrations in word and not physically on Sean. I do love him - I just wish his "off" and my "on" button worked better.

A rare moment - Sean on the potty.

As you can see, my last photo is of Sean on the potty. This is another huge frustration right now but I will blog about another time. Time has passed quickly and it is already time to wake up the Sean and start thinking about dinner and surviving the rest of the evening.