Cloudy days and rain

I think that sometimes my mood seems connected with the weather.  Last week was full of clouds and rain.  I am looking forward to the warmer days that are coming when I can at least take the kids outside in the back yard.  It seems like such a simple thing - but getting them dressed for outside and then carrying around Abby (to cold/wet to let her crawl around) is exhausting. When the warm weather finally comes they can run around on bare feet and if the clothes come off it really does not matter :).  Maybe because I'm looking forward to this I feel more depressed when it rains or turns cold again. I also notice that when it does rain or is cloudy my hips seem to hurt more and it gets painful walking around.

The week seemed to go by in a fog.  I think the only time I got out of the house was when we went for our normal Costco trip.  I'm not looking forward to when Hannah is here regarding getting out of the house - often the only time I do get out of the house (unless it is for appointments) is the Costco trip.  Currently we need two carts for our trip- for kids and food.  When Hannah comes there will be a lot less room for food... which means I will have to stay home with her and probably one other sibling :(

On a lighter note, Abby is almost walking :).  I think the only reason she crawls now is because for her at this time it is often quicker.  Today (Monday) was sunny and very warm.  My mom came over for a few hours and we played outside in the back yard (finally!).  I put green food coloring in the tub for the kids when they took a bath - they were very impressed.  Nathan requested a host of different colors of course "Now blue?, Now yellow?...." .  He stole the baby shampoo , convinced that the orange colour would turn the water orange.  Sarah now describes everything she does in first person " I dip, I poke, I laugh!, I jump, I fall...." .  She amazes me with all the words she comes up with.

This morning (Tuesday) it was raining again.  I decided to bake muffins.  That in it self is a crazy decision for me.  Of course they all wanted to "help".  I put Abby in the sink striped down to her diaper and filled up the other half of the sink with soap and water so she would have something to do.  Nathan decided that he wanted a sink bath and jumped in the sink naked.  Sarah and I mixed up some batter and they all ate chocolate chips.  Nathan decided not to listen and got kicked out of the sink - Sarah took his place and "tickled" Abby with the dish scrubby.  Poor Abby had her entire head white with soap while her sister laughed her head off.  Nathan was not done getting into trouble and got himself kicked off the chair not listening again and spooning sugar into the water of my coffee maker.  He also peed on the chair he was standing on - I think I got him to the bathroom on time to finish.  Nathan put the little potty lid on the toilet and stated he had to poop.  I have no idea if he did or not - I just know he was done when I caught him twice splashing his foot in the toilet (don't worry- he flushes as many times as he can while trying to go to the bathroom).  Sarah who was also naked after getting herself kicked out of the sink (kept on trying to turn the water on) peed on the same chair.  I got her on the potty but she didn't do anything more.  I got the last batch of muffins in the oven and then made some lunch as fast as I could (Abby was screaming at me) , Sarah who I hadn't got a chance to diaper yet peed on the same chair AGAIN while picking at her lunch (it was Mark's chair ... don't tell?) .  I was a little encouraged because Sarah had run to the bathroom before lunch feeling like she had to go - she just had the timing off.  I finally got the girls in bed , mostly cleaned up the kitchen mess and ate some lunch myself when Abby woke up :(  I took her down and she napped on top of me while Nathan bounced around the couch like a crazy person.  Now I'm trying to muster some energy to walk them to the library - hopefully Nathan will release some of his energy.  My apologies to the library staff in advance.   My kids often leave a pile of books on the floor and I don't have time to clean it up before they are making another mess somewhere else ...

I think I've redefined the definition of "super-mom" for myself.  I always thought of a super mom as a mom who does it all and her kids are clean , well behaved and not crazy.  Now I think of a super mom as a mom who survives days like this and is not insane or crying.