If you remember, I stared school last week. I had a few assignments this week. At least one in each class and then some reading as well. I was lucky enough for Chris to have taken the kids out for a couple hours so I could get some things done. But for the reading, which maybe I should have done first since it’s the most time consuming, I didn’t have Chris. He’s gone for about 9 hours a day and I really don’t have a lot of down time to sit and read. I know I can’t be the only mom who needs times while their kids are around so I made a list of a couple of my go to solutions for when I need time.

1. Coloring Sheets
2. Play-Doh at the table.
3. Pattern Blocks with Sheets
4. Popcorn & a Movie
5. Quite Time
6. Nap Time
7. Dancing
8. Finger Paint
9. Sharing my Kindle Fire for FreeTime

Obviously all this stuff is supervised. Because there is NO way I would let the monsters paint without me being a around. So far this week, I’ve been able to get everything done, minus memorization of some vocab words. For that, I really do need quiet time. Which means that’s something to do after the kids go to bed.

Do you have any “go to” activities for the kids to do when you need to get something done?

Although I knew about the “Ring around the Rosie” song, I had no clue about the other two!

What do you think about these kids songs?

1:Sky Diving

Photo used under Creative Commons from alwaysmnky

I have always wanted to skydive. I don’t really remember a time when I didn’t. It always looked fun and scary as hell all at once. It’s a tad funny now because once I had kids, I became instantly afraid of dying. But even with that, It’s something I plan on doing one day. Once I’m done having babies and they are older, I will be jumping out of a plane with a parachute.

2:Travel

Photo used under Creative Commons from oatsy40

I think a lot of people wish this. They wish they had seen more or done more. My thing is that I won’t be able to see a lot of Europe until the kids are either older or out of the house. I would love to see Rome, Paris, London and maybe go to Ireland. But the expense for use and two-three kids is a lot. I just wish I could have seen it all before.

3:Bungee Jumping

Photo used under Creative Commons from Gusjer

Another “dare devil” activity I think would be a blast!

4:Moved

Photo used under Creative Commons from bryce_edwards

Growing up, we moved, a lot. It was Illinois, Arizona, Illinois, Oregon, Illinois. We always came back here but besides my sister, I don’t care to live in this area. I love Chicago but being on the west coast, we were able to see a lot. We traveled to San Diego and San Francisco. We saw they awesome Red Wood Forest in Northern Cali. I’ve been all over Oregon and Washington.

I loved/love Washington. I’m a big city girl at heart. I love all that city’s have to offer. Tons of people, fantastic food and there is always something to do. This is why it was a huge deal for me to go to New York City. I crave city life. I married a man who loves Illinois. His family is here. He loves it completely. Chances of us moving are slim to none until I’m at least 30. I wish I had moved more before I had the monsters.

5:Gone to College

Photo used under Creative Commons from JoeInSouthernCA

This one is pretty easy. It would be nice to already have a degree. It would be great if I was already Allie Ferriera RN. It’ll happen I know but it will probably be a much more daunting task because I have to worry about my kids, homework, writing papers and clinicals. Again I know it can be done but it would be an easier task if I had done it before kids!

Do you wish you had done thinks before having your kids?

I realize that one or any of these could mean that I didn’t have my kids. If it was either do all this or have my kids and husband, then there is NO question in which I would pick.

I’m sure it’s been a long time tradition to give every parent you’ve ever seen advise of some sort. Or to be the asshole who makes comments like “I wouldn’t let MY kid do that” because you in fact do not have any children. I mean I guess I kind of understand. Generally these comments come from the old “done with kids” crowd or the “I have no kids” crowd. I rarely get them from parents with kids that are my kids ages. That isn’t to say that they aren’t judging inwardly but I’m okay with that.

What I can’t wrap my head around is why people think they have the right to open their mouth about children that aren’t their own. We are a bink(pacifier) family. Landon loved his from birth to know. Emmie we used a bink to break her of her night time feedings at a year. Pacifiers have really been a godsend for our family. Since Landon has always taken one, it has been hard to break him of it. I remember when he has just turned three. We had to go to Sams Club. We didn’t realize it but he had a bink. At the time we hadn’t yet taken it away during the day. If you’ve ever been to Sams then you know that they check your receipt before you leave. As the lady was checking our receipt she looked at us and said “He shouldn’t have that in his mouth!” I wanted to punch her. It made me so incredibly angry.

Don’t get me wrong because every single person judges even if they don’t realize they do it. And that’s fine. You want to judge what I do with my kids in your head have at it. I’m sure I could find a flaw of yours as well. But to tell me out loud how you think I parent is incorrect or that my child, who I have allowed to do something, shouldn’t be doing it. That is not acceptable. Especially if you open your trap in front of them and make them feel as if they are doing something inappropriate when they aren’t.

It really gets under my skin when people can’t keep their thoughts to themselves. I choose what it best for my child. I feel like until recently he needed the bink as a comfort item. Also who am I to talk because I’m on the cusp of 22 and still occasionally suck my thumb. If you want to tell me what you did with your kid, that’s fine. But don’t tell me how I shouldn’t or should do something when I don’t ask for your opinion on the subject!

All I ever hear from people is how wonderful it is to be a parent. And while the pros of parenthood far out way the cons, there are still cons. Here are a couple of mine. They are in no particular order.

1.The whine- I’m not talking about the customary cries from a baby. No I’m talking about the two teenage attitudes both my kids seem to have developed. The screaming, or screeching rather, that Emmie has come to love anytime she doesn’t get what she wants. Or the constant crying because I have to take something for Landon. With Landon’s pissy fits though I also get the joy of hearing “I never get -insert what I took away here-!”

2.Loss of Beauty- I know this really isn’t something that is to big a deal for most of you but I have a problem with it. Having a two(well almost) and three year old makes my days challenging. By the time I get to nap time I don’t want to waste it on showering. I just want to sit and chill out. I enjoy the “me” time. I guess I kind of feel like it’s such a waste since I stay home. Most days I don’t leave the house. This one is preventable but it is defiantly a con for me.

3.Diapers-So again this is an assumed responsibility of parenthood. I have not problem changing diapers. I mean sure it’s a pain in the ass when my child poops six times a day but I can live with it. What I can’t stand however is that diaper removal when I’m not in the room. The other day for example Emmie went into the kiddos room and removed her diaper. Not a big deal except after she took it off she pooped….ALL OVER THE FLOOR! Things like that I have trouble dealing with.

4.Hurting- You know when your kid is playing and is so EXCITED and then something happens. Whether they fall or they hurt themselves or in my case their sibling comes and beats the shit out of them. It is one of the worst feelings I get. Like my kid goes from joyful to in pain in like .02 seconds and their is nothing I can do to stop it until it’s already done.

5.Worry- This really is more self explanatory. But just in case you have no clue this is a close second to number four. Even when I try not to worry I do. And not just about them getting hurt but things like “Are we making the right choices?”, “Will either of them become serial killers?”, “Will they hate me as an adult?” are just a few of them. Although the serial killer thing I’ve only ever thought about once. Because when you have kids you worry and wonder about every single part of their life.

These little monsters are the reason I live and am a generally sober person. I love them all my heart but some times the make me lose my sanity for a day.

Landon and Emmie fell asleep next to each other on their mini couch.

Also I feel the need to clarify that these are my cons and it’s how I feel. To bad if you don’t agree. Do you, as a parent, have any cons? What are they?