A Voice from the Eastern Door
A Voice from the Eastern Door
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I have been told and have passed along the saying myself, “Don’t make plans when you have kids,” or is it, “You can’t make plans when you have little ones.” I’m not sure, all I know is both apply to me and my mom friends. I do not mean this in a negative sense. It’s a hard and solid fact of life as a mother. I have made plans in the last year to go to Las Vegas with my old (they’re not old in age, I’ve just know them forever) girlfriends for a weekend of relaxation and fun only to have Big Brother bring home the stomach flu and give it to his...
This weekend the boys had lots of company. On Saturday Little Brother had his cousin by for a visit and they got along pretty well. The usual amount of toy snatching and snack stealing didn’t go on. I really love listening to two-year-olds talk to each other. Their language is a mixture of words, half words and gibberish. I could hear them from Little Brother’s room conversing, but the best parts were when I would hear them jabbering followed by hearty baby giggles that seemed to go on and on. I was folding clothes in the living room when the...
After a summer of hanging out with mom, Big Brother has been eagerly waiting for the first day of school for over a month. He is big enough that he picked out his school clothes and book bag. His school supplies have already been sitting in his brand new book bag for a few days. I tried to find activities for Big Brother during the summer but you run out of time fast. Within two weeks he had been to every playground twice. Even with numerous parks around Akwesasne and surrounding towns he got bored with them. We’ve had friends come by for a day...
Big Brother was invited to his cousin’s birthday adventure recently. He dressed and was ready, waiting for what seemed like forever to him. After he was dressed he kept looking out the window waiting for his ride. Eventually he called up his cousin to make sure he hadn’t been left behind. The conversation was so cute. What I could hear from my end was, “Hey…are we still going? I’m all ready…yeah uh huh…my mom takes long too…they tell us to hurry up and then we wait all day...ok, well you know where I live so I’ll still be waiting OK?” Afte...
So our family did the usual grocery-shopping trip. We went around bedtime, since I planned on letting the kids stay up late in the hopes that they would sleep in. Hey, it’s summer, what could being out a little late hurt? I tackled my list and matched coupons to it. I never realized how many moms have mastered the art of barely ever paying full price for things. I had the cart full of food to last us for two weeks maybe three if we were lucky, and checked out. I handed over my coupons and was happy to have saved our family some money. During th...
Last week I shared things I heard Big Brother say. I would have loved to include Little Brother, but he’s not so good at talking yet. Instead of riddling an entire page full typos and misspelled words on purpose in an attempt to give the actual sound of his words I thought I’d just write down how he communicates in one word demands and other ways. Every single day no matter the weather Little Brother wants to be outside playing cars, especially with his brother’s cars because they are the best. First he grabs my hand and gestures with his s...
2 Things I have heard Big Brother say...this week. 1.) “Mom, don’t ever get skinny ‘cus I love your belly, it’s the best pillow ever.” 2.) “Umm…my brother peed outside again. Oh, you’re outside. Never mind, thought there was a reward for telling you but...bummer.” 3.) “Which grandma are we going visit again? I want to make sure I pack some toys if it’s tota satis house (great grandma).” 4.) “I’m really glad I learned how to read, you know why? Because when you bring me to stupid boring places I can at least read the stupid posters on the b...
Well, summer break has come up so quickly that I’ve barely had time to catch my breath. Between the beautiful weather and invitations from friends and family to join them on beach trips or park excursions I can’t believe it’s the second week of summer vacation already! As soon as Big Brother was done school we hit the road for a family road trip five hundred miles south. We went with my mom and the boys were surprisingly well behaved and patient in the car. Little Brother was on his first big trip with the underwear so I was a little worried an...
After getting off to a slow start this year we finally planted our garden and have been busy with it for the last week. I almost thought the rain would never let up enough for our yard to reasonably dry up. So far our little garden already looks better than our first attempt that was last year. One of my husband’s friends came by with a tractor and plowed our spot. After a few days my husband ran a borrowed tiller through the garden before we went to pick our seeds and tomato and cucumber starters. Sunday was hot and the four of us spent it w...
After a crazy few months I was finally able to get rid of my stress induced writer’s block. There have been a few big changes in the lives of the brothers. Big Brother has mastered reading and now has the ability to sit down with a book and read to himself. I was so excited about this because as a very avid reader I love getting time in to sit down and read a chapter in a new book. I say chapter because that is a small little goal I can reach in the house of boys. Now Big Brother can snuggle up with a book and his mom and we can read together....
Being a mom is embracing all the unexpected. I never thought I would do a lot of things. However the most surprising part of it all is my reaction and the instinct that kicks in so quickly during these unexpected situations. I finally went out and bought myself some new clothes. The best thing I found was a dress that was just my size and favorite color but when I checked out I found out that the dress I fell in love with was 70% off! When Friday night rolled around I was home with sick baby. He had a rough sounding cough so instead of going...
I received the best gift for Christmas. My sister in law gave me this book called “Things My Kids Ruined”. Well it’s really a swear word in place of things but I have laughed so hard reading and looking through that book and laughter really is the perfect medicine when you are stressed or down. It is basically a compilation of pictures and captions of things children have ruined in their parent’s homes or other places. You know how usually you have to wait a week or month before you’ll find something your own children have done to you to be...
So Little Brother has been potty training for what feels like forever. We were on a really good roll. Wal-mart, grocery store, visiting family were all a breeze. He let us know it was potty time by pointing at his diaper. When we ask “Do you have to go potty?” He would nod his head yes. I don’t think he talks as much as other kids his age but he gets along just fine. He’s been communicating for the last year or more using a combination of hand signs, arm signals coupled with what sounds like half words. For example “come on” is “OM ONN”, ...
After having two busy weekends full of winter carnival activities we were looking forward to a day to do nothing. Big Brother had a winter break vacation so it would be his last day home with me before returning back to school. All he wanted to do was stay home and play his games and lounge in jammies. The day started off nice with mommy & kids sleeping in well past our usual day starting times. Their dad was up first so he fed them breakfast. The boys spent the rest of the day fighting over space, toys, parents, couches, cups, chairs at the...
Canada has a recognized holiday called Family Day. In the United States they had President’s Day. So even though the boys attend daycare and school in different countries they both had the day off and were home. I expected a day to sleep in but I had no such luck. Little Brother woke me before seven because he needed to pee. We’ve started taking potty training seriously even though it is basically hit or miss. For the last year we’ve had a potty just in case he felt interested enough to use it. He has sporadically. Once a day for a month he wo...
The last few weeks Big Brother has been a real sweetheart. I think it may be true that no matter what, boys are their mama’s boys because Big Brother seems to always look out for me even at the young age of six. It’s little things that he does that I notice the most. Like holding doors open for me and sharing his favorite cars with Little Brother to keep the peace. Big Brother genuinely wants to help me out and I have to wonder where he learned to be so compassionate and considerate. He is just like any other six year old who talks back fro...
For what feels like forever I have been trying to get the boys to sleep in their own beds. We’ve decorated their rooms to be inviting with their favorite things. Bought nifty night lights. Big Brother’s grandma bought him a loft bed for big kid for his fifth birthday. Tota Boy took him to pick out a mattress for that big boy bed and then for a week we fought to get him to fall asleep in there. Then once Big Brother was asleep I sneak off to sleep. A few hours later I wake up in my own bed only to find myself squished between Big Brother and...
For the last two years I have been on Big Brother to stop picking his nose. If he blew his nose he’d be fine. His reply was, “Well mom I can’t always blow the hard ones that get stuck.” Little Brother now picks his nose religiously during the cold season and has been wiping it on things. I tried to teach Little Brother to blow his nose with a kleenex but he just blows air out of lips mimicking the sound of blowing your nose. Between the two of them I am either about to gag or get out cleaning supplies. Big Brother really thinks he’s sneaky bu...
The holiday season is here and Big Brother is the one with the most Christmas spirit at our house. We had waited and waited for snow. Big Brother didn’t believe it was winter until we got some snow. Even though at first it was a light dusting that blew away with the wind. To him, the swirling of snowflakes and the patches of ice around the yard meant one thing...Christmas was on its way. Little Brother doesn’t understand yet but he is excited about all the snow we got the past week. What started it off was all the Christmas commercials bef...
Over the last few months I’ve been treated exceptionally well at local businesses. I’d like to say thanks to them as an anonymous customer. During the week I have Little Brother on my hip while we run errands. Even though I only have the one boy during the day I had sworn off restaurants for a few months just for the sake of saving a sliver of sanity for my weekends. Little Brother could not be expected to sit still for the fifteen minutes it takes to place your order. Combined with the wait for the food we could never make it. He’ll throw...
Raising boys can be hectic. I’m not saying girls are easy but boys are the bundles I was given. During the day Little Brother is right beside me, underfoot, or my tail. He’s at this crazy mess stage that is driving me bonkers. This week has been especially draining and it’s only Tuesday! The most frustrating part at the end of the day is that people or family assume a stay at home mom does nothing all day. I’m sure they picture a day filled with TV shows and lounging on a couch reading a magazine. Well I’m going to paint a very clear picture of...
Now that Little Brother is bigger he really is determined to hang out with big kids. He wants to do everything his Big Brother does and is driving his brother crazy. At times Big Brother likes the idea of having a tail, the bossy side of him enjoys having someone play follow the leader endlessly and copy cat games of car parking or couch hopping. When either of the boys are tired that is when there are upset feelings. Big Brother may end up upset because he wants a break to veg out and watch his favorite tv show. Little Brother will end up sad...
Being home with your kids really gives you the chance to get to know them. You could be a stay-at-home mom or a working mom it doesn’t matter. I found that rainy days are perfect opportunities to bond and take it easy with each other. Listening to rain fall on your roof, or watching it through the window are times that even though we may not be talking we are enjoying the sights and sounds together. Light rain usually just plays as the back round noise while I find indoor activities for us to do like color, read book after book and this m...
Big Brother is a pretty smart kid. He figures out how to get past obstacles fast and if it weren’t for his tendency to become easily frustrated he’d master a list of other things. Hopefully this year at school, his patience is a little better and he gets through the year with less of a fight. Lately, he only seems to get frustrated at home with us. If I tell him that he can’t do some crazy and dangerous activity, he’ll first question my reason, offer an alternate way he’ll go about doing the exact same thing, and then he’ll plead with me. Fi...
Now that leaves are changing into beautiful shades of yellows, red, and oranges I get to enjoy the new season’s perks. Fall has always been my favorite time of year. It’s not so hot that I need to slather a pound of sunscreen on my boys or limit their time outside to prevent heatstroke and possible sunburns. Also the mosquito’s population slowly dies down. Wintertime they are also limited in the amount of time they can be out in the cold. As for Spring, let’s just say it isn’t my favorite. My boys love mud, if there was a place they bottled i...
