You are the MOM!

When Laurina and I started preparing to have children we talked about several things other than the normal, "I wonder what he/she will look like?", "I wonder if they will like _____", etc. As we talked it became abundantly clear that we both wanted us, and not someone else, to be the primary influence on our children when they were young. God has blessed us, in that we can afford for Laurina to stay home with Jeremy and Daniel. The reason we can afford to do that is because we made it a priority and I married the most unmaterialistic (is that a word) woman on the face of the earth. She coupons, eats off the dollar menu, rents free kids movies, and plans the kids fun "free" activities (the park, library, classes at the gym with a membership she gets for free, etc). WOW, I've gotten off on quite the tangent here... my point was to say that Laurina had something she had to do last Thursday afternoon and I got to put myself in her shoes for a meager half day... Here's how it went down.

Laurina leaves around 1pm. She's already put both kids down for their naps (she's good like that). I'm upstairs trying to finish up my telecommuting work day. I hear thump, thump, thump. I save the files I'm working on and come down stairs, but it is too late. Jeremy has already gotten out of his bed and went into Daniels room (seriously???) and woke him up. So I threaten Jeremy, and try to rock Daniel back to sleep. Finally I get Daniel back to sleep, and I leave that end of the house and what do I hear? Thump, thump, thump, thump....Jeremy's up again. After four times of telling him to get back in his room, I'm already running out of patience. An hour later, I declare nap time over.... really she goes through this everyday? I thought during nap time, she was supposed to get a break?!?!?!?!? I feed the boys a snack and things are getting a little hairy.... probably because I didn't handle the nap thing properly and I've got two tired children on my hands. I am sure mommy would have had a much better solution, but I pull the only daddy trick I know. I get out the computer and the big speakers and just start jamming some music and let the kiddos make as much noise as possible. By the end of snack, there has been food thrown on the floor, wiped on me, plates dropped on the floor, several crying episodes, and I'm bruised but not defeated. To make it through snack time, I grab a Pepsi can off the top of the fridge and chug it in one big gulp... this is significant because I probably don't drink 10 cans of soda a year. Wow 2 hours in and I'm already using caffeine and sugar as an escape. I wrangle both boys and head outside. Not too much drama here. Other than the fact that Jeremy keeps for asking for things that are in the opposite part of the yard from where we are at. This is the day I learn that the maximum number of times you can tell your three year old to watch your 11 month old for "just a minute" while you try to fill his request in another part of the yard or house and get away with it is 5 times. On the sixth somethings happening and it is going to result in crying! Anyway, I survive until dinner time and what has my magnificent wife done? She already has dinner prepared. All I have to do is heat it up. Luckily she came home during dinner. How does she do it? I got a half day dose of what she does everyday all day and I needed a "break" when she got home.

All this is to say, that you are a wonderfully patient woman. We are reaping the benefits of you staying at home with our children. They are both wonderful and every time we have them around other more "unruly" children I am thankful that you are the one who is instilling values and discipline in Jeremy and Daniel. When we are having a meltdown (like two nights ago when Daniel started cutting his teeth), I'm thankful that you are the one who knows our children inside and out and can tell when something is wrong even when they can't tell you exactly what it is. Most of all I'm thankful that you are such a committed and great mom. When I'm in charge of the children, I think of how I can survive the day, but you think of all the things you can do to make it the best day possible for the boys no matter how difficult that task may be for you. And that's what sets you apart and makes you such a great mom. You seemingly always put the boys interest over your own. We love you!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!