I think we are being very patient and understanding about the potty training. Tré is great at staying dry all day and even some nights. No problem there. Dija on the other hand is just not willing to cooperate with the sitting on a potty of any sort. So we’ll just wait on that for now.

Poop, as you may have read previously, is another story. There is a time and a place for poop. Not in the pants is a good start! I believe Tré is capable of tackling this next milestone. He has control (that may be the whole problem) but for some reason he is hesitant to sit for the process. We have had some success so we do have hope.

Last night I was being paged from the kiddy room, “Neenee, Neenee, Need your help.”

I didn’t need to ask but these conversations are getting more and more fun with new vocabulary.

“Neenee bring a bag” ok this is getting interesting….. “Go git a poopy bag Neenee and help me”

So in I go with a poopy bag for safe disposal of toxic waste.

Standing in his bed holding his nose, “ew ew ew tinky poop.”

“you got da bag Neenee?”

OK I’m not totally incompitent Tré, I’ve been changing bums for nearly 24 years!

So the change goes well and the poop is safely disposed of, “Thank you Neenee”

Hugs, kisses, off to bed.

I’m positive nobody has a child this adorable even if he won’t poop in the apropriate place.

It’s been a tradition for us to build a shed, or in Bridgewater it’s a “miscelaneus accessory building”, on the long weekend in May. With each house we’ve needed a new shed and it becomes a little more elaborate and usually provides entertainment for the neighbors who think it can’t be done.

Throw a couple toddlers in the mix and see how this project goes. Keep in mind that kids in backyard get rather dirty because of the unfinished landscaping project….we will get to that eventually as well. Handwashing extends beyond the hands and is manditory upon entering the house while leaving shoes on back doorstep. It causes a bit of a traffic jam when there are 3 extra kids haning out with us. At least those 3 kids brought adult supervision of their own! One adult has even given her time and “talents” to lend a hand with building our shed.

Now as if the weekend couldn’t get any busier…our new bed arrives on Saturday morning while I was out working. Thankfully Nana was here to lend a hand. Then there was the issue of where to put our old bed and the livingroom floor seemed like an alright place to store it temporarily.

Well it’s a good thing we put that there! It would have been a hard nap for poor ol’ Gisele when she came in from swinging her hammer if there was just hardwood laying under her. It also came in handy when the kids had bellies full of homemade pizza too – oh, how do you get toddlers to eat pizza that they’ve only picked at in the past? Invite 3 other kids to sit eating it so they understand the value of Neenee’s pizza! So with full bellies four kids laid and one sat on the bed to watch a movie while we enjoyed our meal in peace. I was beginning to wonder if there would be peace at this point but the kids settled nicely. Tre and Dija enjoyed having friends in too.

For now, the bed still sits in our livingroom. I’m just going to be a little choosey about who I invite over while we have a bed in our livingroom.

Back to the shed….Papa had our son Justin around to help on Saturday and they had a solid floor and framed walls and Tre had building lessons all day long. He was VERY helpful. Sunday afternoon our friend Gisele joined the fun and they managed to get the frame complete and siding on before rain started in the evening. Amazingly the rain is held off all day Monday while Papa, Gisele and Justin got the roof on. Today is the first day without little feet running all over the backyard . I’m certain that some sceptical neighbors are doing a double take because there is actually a building standing there. It’s a 12×12 building with a sloped roof soon to be shingled and the front wall is our recycled garage door that was replaced last fall. This shed is not a kit – Papa is too creative for that. There was thinking involved all the way. I’m impressed but I never doubted his abilities. I love watching his projects take shape and I understand why he’s a superhero to our wee kids. Papa really is amazing.

Now if any of you plan to drop in for supper this week please give me enough warning so we can put the bed in the shed!

I don’t seem to have any privacy anymore but it wasn’t too long ago that this was a familiar issue. Our youngest daughter, Caitlyn, has special needs and doesn’t always respect privacy but she’s so innocent and adorable when she checks to see which undergarments you have on that it seems totally acceptable. So the comfort level when little heads poke inside the shower curtain to see “whatcha doin Neenee?” is likely not normal in every household.

I really wish I had a video of me getting ready in the morning….except for maybe the naked me part! Let me try to replay it with Dija is my audience.

Neenee stands in robe straightening her hair, this just takes a few minutes. Upon completion Audience erupts in applause, “Yay, Yay, Neenee!”

Neenee removes robe “you poopy Neenee?”

“No Dija but I have to get changed to go to work” (Oh I get it …I’m getting changed so I must have been poopy!)

Neenee begins dressing as she normally does….the pretty Zebra Bra goes on and Dija starts yelling with excitement “Papa, Papa!”

At this point Neenee totally lost it – hysterical laughter follows.

There is no point to this replay, no lesson to be learned…well I could likely find one but sometimes it’s just good to erupt  in applause or laughter.

I had plans today (OK, not really today but last Tuesday!)….the kids love walking so I thought I’d put one in the stroller while we walk and do some errands. Easy! Having given this objective about 2 hours I have decided to change my objective.
After about 3 “time outs” and a poopy diaper I have decided that I’m happy to stay at home and not deal with behaviour in public this morning. Why cause any of us that frustration?

Between kids fighting over a toy stroller and a refusal to pee on the potty before getting dressed to go out I had pretty much decided that nothing was that urgent that I HAD to get out this morning. Then the poop….oh my, I’m happy it happened at home! I may have been impatient and annoyed if I had a morning like this 20 years ago. Today I figure everything else can wait. I’d rather stay home to redirect behaviour and have a better day tomorrow! There is no deadline to meet here and I DO have the option, so really I’m looking at the grand scheme of things….what really matters right now.

So let’s share our toys, no fighting, slow down, stop for a cuddle, deal with the immediate and PLEASE poop in the appropriate place!

I find myself observing the children, just watching the facial expressions or a reaction to something new. Not just watching them though but examining them and absorbing moments with them. Tre was outside on our unfinished landscaping pile of dirt (project that began ” pre” children!) and he was blocking the wind and dust as it tried to blind him. When the wind calmed down and he played, sent his worms back home and drove his hummer in the dirt. He froze and sat silently staring into the distance. He suddenly had a look of concern. “Neenee, more wind, more wind coming!” Seconds later it arrived…I did not see it coming. It astounds me that he hears and observes something that many would never have noticed. We both managed to share the joy of the laundry dancing on the line though!

Introducing Tré… a boy with chocolate brown eyes and so many facial expressions I’m pretty sure he’s been to acting school already. A trait I’m certain he learned from his mama. Oh my, I do love watching his face. Tré is almost three now and loves to be Papa’s shadow…any grandfather would love this shadow too! He loves cars, trucks, trains, worms, his sister, running, climbing, peanut butter, hugs and kisses. If Tré wants to do something naughty he is kind enough to announce it by asking me (Neenee) to go into the kitchen so I won’t see it. How thoughtful!

Introducing Dija… drama queen at home and shy little girl in public. How else can a little baby girl cope with a rough and tumble big brother? Dija is almost 2 now and loves clothes, books, shoes, giggling, hair brushes, her thumb, her big brother and “wake up kisses.” Dija is Nana’s girl – Nana is my mother and Dija’s great grandmother – they share a special bond. Differing from her brother, if Dija wants to do something naughty she just does it and sometimes watches your face for a reaction. Her new method of saying please is to stomp a foot…not acceptable but you have to applaud her tenacity.

Introducing Papa… a diaper changing dad kind of guy. Kids instantly flock to him without him saying a word. They just know he’ll read them a story or find something interesting to do whether he has props or is empty handed! Papa has been by my side for almost 25 years now and I would not have survived “Take One” without him (of course without him there would be no kids!). When I seem to be at the end of my rope he ties me a knot to hang on to then swings it a bit so we see it as an adventure, hang on tight and go with the flow. We seem to balance each other out rather nicely. He’s always sensible when I feel frazzled and when I run out of steam he’s right there to step in. He’s the brave one who suggests outings with kids that I’d never think to attempt… it always turns out fine. Thanks hun, I know you’re reading.

Introducing Nana…the 70 year old great grandmother who is NOT senile but there have been acusations – she’s just willing to do things that many older women would fear. Babysitting her great grandchildren is one crazy thing she does – regularly! Nana has energy of people have her age and tons of lofe to share. She is very popluar with anyone who needs a mom or nana. People tell me all the time how fortunate i am to have such a mother – I know, I KNOW! I would never have been able to parent my own children without her and now here she is again being a constant support. That’s just who she is. We all love Nana (pretty much everyone who knows her).

That pretty much sums up the immediate introductions with the exception of me, Neenee. That’s what the babies have decided to call me. I have been a parent longer than I was not a parent. Our family started when I was almost 21 and now almost 24 years later it continues to grow….yes that makes me almost 45. I loved being a full time mom the first time around but now I work in a fantastic atmosphere doing what I love with people I love. This is a new experience for me to be a working “mom” and it’s going well because Nana our hero is on deck. I’m not going to go on about me so just keep checking back and you’ll get to know who I am.

Why “Take Two” ?

My husband and I accepted the role of parenting two grandchildren – sure, we’ll “take two!”

This is the second time around for us – “Take Two”.

..we did “Take One” almost 24 years ago with our daughter….she was followed by her brother(now 22) and baby sister(now 19). I’m sure you’ll hear bits of “Take One” from time to time.

So take two minutes now and then to read the happenings and have a giggle.

I wasn’t expecting to be a grandmother at my age but I love my grandbabies and can not imagine not being their grandmother. I didn’t expect that circumstances would, without warning, cause them to move into our home (a lovely 2 bedroom home too small for our kids to move back in) and be in our care full time. I’m so thankful that my husband is fantastic with the babies and that we have my mom nearby to help out at a moments notice. My, how life has changed!

We had been empty nesters for about 2 years when the decision was made that placed the children here. Thankful for the two year breather I quickly rearranged some furniture and set up two cribs. This can’t be any more difficult than the past 23 years can it? Don’t get me wrong, I loved having my kids and enjoyed the growing up years. However, it wasn’t always easy.

This blog is going to be my outlet for the moments when there is nobody else watching when i just need to say – “oh my gosh they are so adorable!” It will keep me out of therapy when I think that I’m the only person on the face of the earth who has been changing diapers for almost 24 years. I’m accepting the fact that I just do not have time to write a book so this will do for now.

Parenting has changed for me. I know you can do everything to the best of your ability and even follow instructions from Dr Phil, Oprah and Martha Stewart. You can bake homemade cookies, sew pretty dresses, spend all kinds of quality time with the children and always do the right thing…but the fact remains that you can not predict the outcome and there are no guarantees. Children do not come with a warranty, you can not send them back. There will be disappointments.

Have I been a perfect parent? Heck No! However, now that I’m doing it again I see a lot of similarities in my parenting but now I do it with a confidence that I lacked 24 years ago when I started “Take One.”