5-year-oldism

"Last one to the car is a cotton leg!"

Household Rules!

These are the rules that I assumed were understood in our house. In the last few months, I have found that this is not the case. Now I realize that I am by far out numbered with boys. I do. I really do! I expect to have to go to the ER on occasion and maybe even an overnight here and there for observation or even an ambulance ride but I am putting my foot down here and now and setting limits about how often because unfortunately while there are many males there is only one female to try and keep up with all of them. I tried to just verbally reiterate that which I perceived was know. This too has failed so now I am making a written version since my group of boys do not seem to understand I mean it! For my sanity's sake I am now writing them down so the Washburn boys/males (at least the ones in this household) can consult them before I lose my mind!

If at all possible, I prefer to limit the time spent in hospitals to a maximum of once a month if not less FAR LESS! That said:

1. No concurrent hospital stays this includes but is not limited to concurrent hospital stays at different hospitals. 

2. Concurrent ER visits will be permitted as long as both patients go in and are released at approximately the same time.

3. No back to back hospital stays. 

4. Once again this includes ER visits. 

5. If the monthly ER visit has been used, you are to refrain from any activity that will likely result in another ER visit if continued. This includes but is not limited to: dancing on the slide that is 8 ft above concrete, encouraging balls to be thrown at you while you ride a bike to see if they can cause you to crash, running around the edge of the jagged pool walls, trying to see how long you can stand on the raft that is by the jagged pool edge, etc....

6. The mom of this household reserves the right to add to this list or further clarify as she deems necessary especially as the the males try to see how far she can go without sleep!

BTW! Do you realize how much sleep you lose when you are at the ER or hospital? (ALL NIGHT LONG!!)  I do!! The mom/wife loses even more because she has to be coherent enough at all times to answer all random questions placed to her about the cause of said condition/accident and digest any randomly generated information the medical personal is willing to give or insinuate by action or inaction!

Turning 10

What happens when your baby(the oldest) turns 10. We are driving to the store and Brad started to bemoan our son's upcoming birthday.
Brad-"Erik is turning 10."
Me-"Yeah."
Brad-"Are you sure Erik is turning 10?"
Me-"Yeah."
Brad-"I remember him being born."
Me- "Yeah."
Brad-"Vividly! It seems like yesterday!"
Me-"Yeah."
Brad-"Are you positive Erik is turning 10?"
Me-"Yeah."
Brad-"Do you know what this means?"
Me-"What?"
Brad-"We are getting old!"

What's that Racket?

Let me set the stage for you: It is 8:30 in the morning. The boys have been told to shut off the TV and go upstairs  to clean their room. (It is amazing how if I am not up that must mean we can pile on the couch and watch TV instead of cleaning our room before we exit it!) Not just "clean" their room but "spic and span clean" your room! I hear singing and loud noises. Oh, here comes one boy complaining because his brother scratched him. I scold him and his brothers and tell them to "CLEAN YOUR ROOM!!" After things like this continuing on for 20 minutes or so I hear growling, roaring, yelling etc.. (They're boys these are really not uncommon noises just LOUD) and they come down playing on the stairs. I hurriedly get up to go reprimand them again thinking how my dad, and their dad is going to be upset about all the commotion. Who do I see? Their PAPA, aka My FATHER instigating the WHOLE thing!!! The rebuke flew right out the window and the laughter came bursting in!

Gartering

"Papa, Papa" yells Matthew. "I want to go gartering with you!"
Papa-"Oh yeah? What do you do when you go gartering?"
Matthew-"You dig with the digger. Then you plant seeds, then you bury them, then and then you water them"
Papa- "Well, we better go gartering then."
He didn't need to garden. He didn't need to plant seeds, (He just did the day before.) It was not the proper time to garden (too hot) but to Papa it did not matter. He spent time gartering with Matthew. I love the kid's grandparents!

Health Issues

I was not going to blog about this since I try to keep it pretty light hearted here but then decided the purpose of this blog is to keep a kind of Family Album since I stink so much at Baby Books, and Photo Books. Our family has been in crisis mode for over a month now due to Brad's health. In the last month, he has been diagnosed with CHF, DVT, PE, Bilateral Pleural Embolisms, Gastroenteritis, amongst other things, all from a bout with pneumonia. We have been coping as best as possible with lots of help from parents (his and mine), friends and church members. We have people we do not even know praying for us and we are eternally grateful. He has been in and out of the hospital for over a month with the average being in far more than out (over 3/4s) and that has just take a toll on our family. At the same time we can see positives in all of this. We have seen how wondrous God can be and how merciful he is. Thanks to all for the help and prayers!

Happy Birthday!!

Happy Belated Birthday to my 7 year old! Sorry I am late but we have been having internet issues amongst other issues. Once upon a time (before the Lord intervened) he was going to be the baby of our family. Thankfully he is not since he is such an awesome big brother. He is helpful and growing up too fast for me. He is such a good reader, and is always up for outdoors "anything." Out of all the kids he is the most like me (maybe because we are both the second child in our family). Now hopefully that will not scar him later in life. I love you and am so proud of you. You are and will always be my baby!!