The sleeping situation solved...

For many months, longer than we can remember or are willing to admit, we have been battling with Claire about bedtime. She did not want to go to bed when the boys did and she definitely would not go in her crib. We found our options were to either rock her to sleep for hours on end, which she still sometimes woke up from, or just let her "hang out" until we were ready to go to bed. In most cases, by then she was ready to crash. As you can imagine, we created a bedtime monster...and then to make matters worse, she started going to bed with us instead of her own bed because we were more desperate for sleep than she was!

After our spring break vacation week, we decided it was time to re-train the bedtime monster. After several failed attempts at SuperNanny solutions and stuck body parts in the gate at her door, we stumbled into an alternative solution.

Night 1: Brady upset by Claire being upset led to Daddy laying down with both of them in Brady's bed. They both went to sleep shortly after.

Day 2: Chris and I remembered that we did not have these bedtime battles with the boys when they transitioned to the big kid bed. Perhaps, the bottom bunk bed is magical!!

Night 2: Musical bed game began!! We asked Brady to go sleep in our bed, so that we could give Claire his bed temporarily. Claire only required a parent to lay down with her for about 10-15 minutes. After a couple hours, the music started back up for the kids to be moved to their proper bed.

Night 3-8: Musical beds is a nightly game with great success! Chris and I gained our evenings back!!

Night 9 forward: The game has changed. Brady has now decided that he will sleep on the top bunk with his brother and Claire can use his bed. For 3 nights now, they are all going to bed in the same bedroom at the same time and sleeping through the entire night.

Chris and I love the new sleeping situation! I have also officially concluded that Brady's bed is indeed a magic bed! As an added note, I find it quite interesting that here we are motivated to find a 4 bedroom home so that they each have their own bedroom and they have all piled in one room together! It's really sweet now, but I am sure it will change as they get older!

Be Creative, but Specific

When it comes to chores, the boys aren't quite to the age where they are begging for chores for allowance money in return. They really only have one set chore right now as part of their role in the household and that is to gather one laundry hamper each on Friday night. Anything beyond that requires a creative pitch or issuance of a challenge. Apparently, it also includes being very specific...

One evening, I gave the boys an empty laundry basket and asked the boys to go on a scavenger hunt to collect towels for laundry and find out how many they could find. Next time, I need to be specific that the hunt was for DIRTY towels, not clean towels. Brady returned with a fully-loaded laundry basket of neatly folded, still stacked towels from the linen cabinet ready to collect his prize for the MOST towels collected.

Shoes, Shoes, Shoes

Claire loves shoes...she will be found on a regular basis raiding the mudroom or someone's closet for the latest shoes to meet her fancy! She has tried out a pair of shoes from each family member with mommy's heels or Brady's boots being her favorite. It is so cute watching her march through the house with a "look at me" attitude!

Decisions, decisions

I can do this mommy without your help!

Runway model!

And we frequently find Brady like this...sporting one sock!  Why...we don't know!!

Icemen Game

In December, we had the opportunity to go to our first hockey game, played by our own Evansville IceMen in the D-Patrick suite at the Ford Center (thanks to my mom). The kids had such a great time that I put in a "special request" to my "contact at work" that I would love to go again in our suite.

In January, we were able to enjoy another great IceMen game along with some close friends (or should I say the boys close friends). The kids had a really good time enjoying each others company, the wonderful snacks, and the game. I love that we have a new family activity at a wonderful venue to add to our list!

Ice Skating Lessons

Chris and I like to allow the boys opportunities to try new activities; if nothing else to expose them to the activity so they aren't afraid. I remember the fear I had the first time I was asked to do something with my friends that I hadn't done before. Ice skating was the last activity that we decided to introduce to the boys. We had taken them ice-skating once and they seemed to enjoy it and Connor even became comfortable with working his way around the rink solo, so we thought that a 6 week lesson would be fun.

The lessons kicked off in mid-December with a break for the holidays and ended in late January. While the lessons weren't the typical ice-skating experience around the rink, it gave them the opportunity to learn the basics of navigating the ice. For 30 minutes, they worked their way from one side of the rink to the other learning how to skate frontwards, backwards, and squatting slightly. The first day also included a lesson on how to get up when you fall....I think I missed that lesson in my childhood based on my awkward attempt to recover when I fall!

Connor quickly became comfortable on the ice and the teachers did a great job of introducing more "advanced" basics to him throughout the lessons. Brady hit a discouraging patch in the middle, but came around during the last two lessons. He was out in the middle of the ice rink making an effort and really listening to the teachers.

While I would like to think this is a new experience we can have as a family, Connor and I may be the only two most interested in this as a family activity.

Brady turns 5-Years-Old!

Claire's Adventure Outdoors

What a beautiful Sunday morning! This was the first time that Claire has been let loose outside now that she is walking and we aren't in the midst of snow or flood seasons. It was fun watching her react to the grass and hang out with her brothers! Connor was the very protective big brother walking her around and redirecting her. Brady also had fun giving Claire a push in the baby swing.

Bike playdate

On a beautiful March afternoon, I took the boys for an afternoon play date with some classmates from school and fellow co-workers kids (6 boys, 1 tomboy)! Brady was the youngest of the group, but was the biggest bully among them talking smack to the other kids.  "My bike may be small, but I bet I can go faster than you"

They started out the afternoon riding bikes in the parking lots and open buildings. There were some occasional breakdowns over hurt feelings and injuries...no surprise there!  At one point, our daredevil kids ventured over to a large parking lot with a 45 degree incline or better. After a few scary "flights" down the hill (mostly from the moms' perspectives), we talked the kids into spending the remainder of the afternoon at the playground. After a fun afternoon of sunshine and fun, we then took the kids for some dinner before parting ways. It turned out to be a great afternoon!!

Holiday Pics of the Seaton Kiddos

Brotherly Love...

I love the relationship my boys have with each other! They support, love and watch out for each other. They fight, threaten, and tease each other. Sometimes, they back up each other's stories and other times they reveal their version of the truth.

Perfect example of support and then the threat heard tonight....Connor said "I put your dirty clothes away that YOU left in the middle of floor! Now, you owe me a million dollars or else!!"

Fall School Pictures

I love the kids' school pictures....they look so great! They are growing up so fast!

Fall Festival

It's an annual tradition to head to the Fall Festival at least once during the week. In the last couple of years, the focus has moved from the food to letting the kids ride rides. This year, we purchased unlimited wrist bands for the boys since they had so much fun riding rides last year! I was the lucky parent of the four to also get the unlimited wrist band to ride with Brady when he needed an adult companion.

Working on best mom award and trying to ensure adequate daylight time, I picked the boys up early from school to head to the Fall Festival. We also met up with the boys' best friend, Carac and his mom. The dads joined us later in the evening. We spent the entire evening in the kiddie ride area with a parent occasionally disappearing to go grab some food. I felt like I spent the majority of my evening in a state of dizziness and I am pretty sure Chris paid some of the ride attendants to go extra long for better pictures of me!

The boys had a lot of fun riding as many rides as they could that evening, some more than once!

Fall Pictures 2010

As I mentioned in an earlier post, we made an attempt at family pics in the park on a fall Sunday afternoon...three kids and two adults does not make for a coordinated group photo. It was always one of them! Got some great personality shots though! Great example of their personalities...stubborn and bossy, defiant and defensive!

My boys...the planners

At dinner one night, the boys were planning their evening of activities after dinner. They were discussing making a deal about the plan and agreeing on it. I only requested that baths be somewhere in that plan, so Connor stated it would be in the middle. They made a plan, apparently agreed on it, and then "presented" the plan to us to be sure we agreed.

Step 1 of the plan was started...Brady decided he didn't like the plan and was making his own plan. He then disappeared upstairs to start the new plan. Connor, so confused by Brady's departure from the plan, said he needed to have a meeting with Brady. He then started re-negotiating the plan with me. Somehow, the bath was falling off the list.

The other night, Connor was having trouble deciding what he wanted to order from McD's. Brady came up with a plan to get one of each, cheeseburger and nuggets, and they could then split. Great thinking Brady...that sounds like a plan!

We think it is so cute that our boys have those discussions with each other and make decisions. We will take that as a good sign! A friend commented that they come by it honestly!

Boys are tough (and oblivious)

Brady came home from school with a nice black bruise and goose egg on his forehead. When asked what happened, we got a response of "I don't know", "no, I didn't fall", "what bruise on my head". I asked if he cried when it happened - "no, I was brave". Later in the conversation, he said he fell INTO the wall. Hmmm...I guess as long as he isn't bothered by it, we shouldn't be.

Boys' Day at Fired Up

For the boys' 2nd day of vacation, they were to spend the day with mommy. We were originally to spend the day at the Zoo with some friends from school. However, Claire wasn't ready to go back to school after the high fever the day before. So, instead, we opted for a low-key, indoor activity. We met up with a couple friends and their moms for lunch and then pottery painting at Fired Up. Claire slept pretty much the whole time - other than when she woke to cold paint on her foot (see below).

After convincing the boys they needed to start with a plate for less risk of breakage and so they had a clean slate to work with, they had a plan of what they were going to draw. Connor is very artistic when it comes to taking something in his mind or that he saw on TV and transferring it to a drawing, so I had no concerns that he would produce a "masterpiece". He opted for a Wall-E scene. Brady had good intentions and I know that it is Handy Manny - can you see it?

It was a good experience for the boys and they had fun with their friends and I got my keepsake of Claire's foot.

Why would we work for free? Show me the money!

Apparently, my boys don't work for free...what's up with that?

A conversation on the way to school:

Connor: "We haven't collected any money for doing our jobs"

Me: "Because you haven't done any jobs lately" (I don't count laundry as a job as that is their assigned household chore)

Connor: "Because you have to pay us and tell us what the job is"

Connor and Brady went on to throw out ideas for jobs, including the request for a BIG job that they can share the money on. They also said they wanted to save their money for a toy and hopefully the toy doesn't cost everything they have in their bank, so that they can still have some savings.

I guess it is time for Chris and I to come up with some jobs...and start handing over the quarters or dollars. I wonder what the going rate for child labor is these days?

Look who's four!

Last Sunday, Brady turned 4 years old (finally)! He has been planning for this day ever since he turned 3 and has already started plans for his fifth birthday. Here is our picture session where he did a great job and looks like such a big boy! Slow down buddy - you are growing up too fast for me!

End of the School Year - Teacher Reports

To mark the end of the school year, we met with the boys' teachers for parent-teacher conferences and then we receive a written report. In the fall, we went in with expectations that the boys act like they do at home and were surprised when we received opposite reports. This time, we were very surprised to learn that the boys have different interests at school (some of which may be the age difference).

Connor's teacher continues to rave about Connor's new found maturity this past school year and how serious he takes his school work. He has picked up more challenging works in the areas of math and language and fully expects him to be reading by the end of the summer. She said he is very mathematically minded. For the next school year, he will officially be a kindergartner and will have the opportunity to "mentor" the younger kids on all the areas he has mastered the last two years (which involves learning patience). She said there is the occasional times when he picks out "busy-work" so that he can look busy while socializing with his best buds, but she lets it slide since he is usually focused. We love to receive these excellent reports...I look forward to what Kindergarten holds for Connor.

We then met with Brady's teacher. Quote from his report - "Brady is a sweet boy who is eager to please, happy, well liked by his friends, and full of energy". We couldn't agree more! She said Brady is very independent and continues to be interested in geography which explains all the various maps that are brought home daily. He has also learned to write his name which was an important achievement and has picked up a few challenging works that he has already mastered. He is not as interested in math or language, so that will be his goal for summer school into the new school year.

They will spend the next couple months in the school's summer school program, which is really just an extension of what they have been doing all year with some added flexibility for field trips and swim lessons. In August, they will kick off the new school year with their current teachers, friends from school that will return, and some new students.

A break from the rain...

The boys were so cooped up yesterday from all the rain, that at the first sign of clear skies we let the boys ride their bikes on the road. It wasn't long before they had the Jeep out instead. Connor has mastered the driving now that he is a little older with just the right timing of his turns to avoid the grass and curbs and taking full advantage of the reverse and forward controls. Brady on the other hand...needs to return to driver's ed. I love the pictures of Connor as a passenger below...at one point, he said "just let me out" and it sounded just like a dad talking to his child ("just pull over and I'm taking over").

"Wait, I need to fasten my seat belt"

"Help!"

"I'm calling for help!"