Kids first :p

I miss the days of diapers and no sleep!  Did I just say that? Yup!  As the mom of 2 five year olds and one barely 7 year old I can easily confess that this is not easy.  

My twins are going two very different directions.  Callum in sports and Rachel with dance and gym.  I love seeing this.  The problem though is that this makes things very difficult because now the days when my babies had nothing now we have t-ball.  It's always easier just doing gym so we are all together the whole time.  We literally are all scheduled 6 days a week for children's activities.  Next month my goal is to start my kids in Hebrew school at the Chabad and that means we will be booked 7 of 7 days.  Oy vey.  

Emotionally they both are going through different stages as well.  Rachel and Callum are both growing and becoming very social but they are struggling with comparisons and rivalry.  Their teachers and I know and understand that they are both two individuals and no two humans are alike.  Callum is excelling in books and math.  Rachel in art and other pursuits.  While the teachers and I don't ever compare they compare to one another.  Callum will tease quite a bit.  This is a delicate balance between teaching and just downright punishing.  I'm thinking next year in school it is time to separate them in school and other things.

Harm continues to excel academically and socially but at gym he is struggling with teasing for the first time.  The older boys tease him because on the gym floor Harm delights in the mundane like conditioning and the older boys think that is pretty dweebs.  This has been a great learning experience for him!!!!  He is learning to be tough and not let theses children bring him down,  on the other hand I worry about him dominating his classmates.  He runs bets he knows he will win for money.  He sells lunch items from home for money and toys.  Yup, you can tell which of my children is a native Las Vegan!  This takes a lot of redirection and love.  I'm proud of him but we don't need a little Steve Wynn or Sheldon Addleson in the playground.

This leads to the mere fact that they all need me more.  They need hugs, refereeing, one on one time, heart to hearts, and goodnight songs and they need all these things every single day!  At times like this I feel like the easy thing is my electronic associates!  iPads, iPhones, DVDs, and DVR are easy assistants but no replacement for having s real mother with hugs, and kisses.  So I try earnestly each day to live by my promise their needs come before my work and I pray the rest will fall into place.  Of course it doesn't all get done.  I've cooked a single week night since school started.  I do laundry only by emergency!  Which means I can do get away every two weeks or so.  But the kids feel the love and that in life is what matters.