Random Thoughts

In an effort to avoid folding more laundry, I thought I'd post things I realized about myself while folding laundry:

1. Update: I am doing as some of you suggested and washing every person's laundry seperately. It is SO much easier, and I highly recommend it. It saves the sorting time. However, while folding my laundry I was depressed by the fact that they were ALL pajamas! Apparently, that is all I wear! What a change from my working days of skirts and sweater sets (you teachers out there will appreciate the sweater sets)!

2. I have lost my inner child: I can't play dollhouse for more than 5 minutes! I used to play for hours and now after 5 minutes in which I more reorganize furniture and brush doll hair rather than use my imagination, I'm done. Of course, it doesn't help that when I do get into it and use my imagination Ashton says, "No, say this..." Regurgitating imagination is really not fun. As Jon put it after having a Daddy-daughter day Saturday, "Playing dollhouse is hard! When will you be home?" My daughter will make a good wife someday because, aside from being bossy, she can guilt trip with the best of them. "Mommy, why can't you spend some time with me and play dollhouse. You never pay me any attention." Seriously, she tells me that, and I fall for it!

3. Remember on Willy Wonka when he invented gum that had a 3 course meal? Or have you seen the spaghetti noodles with 7 grains and Omega 3's added? Why can't someone do something like that for Goldfish crackers? That would solve most of my dinner struggles and unhealthy food guilt. Not to mention solve the unmentionable bathroom troubles!

4. I love Ashton taking ballet and visiting with the moms there, but I dread Thursdays. It is a logistical nightmare for me! First it takes me over an hour to get everyone dressed and ready for a 1 hour class. I know that sounds like a copout or laziness, but it is so HARD to take the twins out. They are too heavy to carry and what do I do with them for an hour? If it wasn't for my savior Pamela who holds/feeds/carries 1 every time I don't know what I'd do, and now she's had the nerve to create her own baby and leave me high and dry! Just kidding! No wonder I only have pajama laundry, I'd much rather stay home than go anywhere. I know some of you are thinking I'm reverting to my introvert tendencies, but it takes me at least 3 trips to the car to get us all loaded and then again to unload, and it's cold! Sorry, done whining now!

I have to go now! It's within an hour of ballet time, and now I'll be pushed to make it. Besides, ringing in my ear over and over as I type this, "Mommy aren't you going to watch me play dollhouse?" Sorry for the boring post. Thanks for giving me an excuse to avoid laundry, dollhouse, and outing preperation.

You Know You're a Mom Who Grew Up in the 8o's If

First, a little background. I'll do ANYTHING to get Jackson to do his homework with minimum griping or to make it a little fun. I wish I had a camera on me. More than any other time of day it is when I feel the most frazzled or like the biggest super mom on the planet! I am usaully sitting at the kitchen table with at least 1 baby in my lap bouncing or taking their bottle, talking to another baby in his exosaucer so he knows I'm around and praising Ashton for her "homework" or begging her to be quiet for 30 seconds so Jackson can think! Anyway, back to the title. I got so tickled at myself last night when I realized, you know you're a mom who grew uo int he 80''s when you find yourself singing rewritten Poison (I'm pretty sure) to your 6 old to help with his spelling. After having bribed him with gum (don't knock it until you have kids in school!) to get him to the table, he spelled first without the I. Last night we had already talked about every word needing a vowel. So, I came up with a song, "Every word has a vowel, just like every q has a u" (They're learning q's this week.) sung to the tune of "Every Rose Has a Thorn". Please pause here and sing it yourself, you know you're humming it anyway! As if that wasn't desperate enough, I wasn't singing it but rather Will was with a little help from me moving his mouth. This was Will's follow up to his Billboard hit duet with Wesley to help Jackson remember on his spelling test sentences, "Capital letters and Punc, punctuation." I need to publish an album, obviously. It would include other great hits like "The Address Rap" and after he used 100 Legos to build SpongeBob Squarepants for 100 day celebration, "Who lives in a shoebox on Jackson's desk, SpongeBob lego pants, who's made of 100 Legos is he?" Well, you get the idea. I guess I should sign off now. I'm sure I'll soon be getting numerous calls from record producers now that I've revealed my secret song writing genious! Or, Will and Wesley will be getting calls for bookings in kitchens throughout the Hill!

Conversation with My 6 Year Old...

J: "Let me teach you something about life."
Me: "OK? Teach me."
J: "People say there's no such thing as super powers, but that's not true. I mean, can you climb a tree if you needed to?"
Me: "Uh, maybe. I guess if I needed to."
J: "See, people can climb trees. Not all animals can do that. That's a super power."
Me: "What's my super power?"
J: "Maybe being speedy? (He didn't say at what?) My super power is seeing through things. If you were behind a mirror I could see you. Ashton's super power is definately yelling!"
Me: "What do you think Wesley's is?"
J: "Wesley's is pooping and Will's is pooting."
Me: "Well, at least they make a good pair."


A few months ago I actually asked Jon how would we know if Jackson had super powers. How did Clark Kent's parents first discover he wasn't just imagining? Jackson about had me convinced that night that he could see through things. He was telling me what was behind my head and seemed so sure of himself and his super power. I was really starting to wonder...

After having this nice long converation with him tonight (I edited a little where he went into his techinical explanation of how he does his eyes to see lines of different colors) I realized that his REAL super power was getting out of bedtime since I had already sent him to bed and he came down to get milk and "teach me something about life", and I fell for it!

3rd Post in One Day!

Yes, this is my 3rd post. That is becaue I'm tired and don't feel like doing anything else. It's not just because Jon was gone this weekend. In fact, I was asleep by 7 last night! Then at 10 on the dot Will woke up. He keeps doing that, wide awake at 10 and won't go back to sleep. We tried to get him back to to sleep. He'd fall asleep in our arms and as soon as we lay him down start screaming like crazy. We were up until 1. Then he woke up again at 1:30. I finally just held him all night. I know that's spoiling him, but I had to sleep. So, today I'm in the recliner with my laptop watching a Monk marathon and blogging. Nice and relaxing, but the big kids will be home soon so relaxing time almost over- boo hoo!

Still, I want to tell the funny conversation I had with Jackson last night. While we were eating last night he said, "Mommy is dang it a bad word?" I said it wasn't the worst word but not one I wanted to hear my 6 year old saying. He calmly replied, "Yeah, it's not as bad as damn I-T." He said the bad word and spelled the word it! When I almost choked he said, "Well, if you can't spell damn just say it!" Definately not my proudest parenting moment, but my funniest! And no, he didn't hear that from us!

I know this is a little late, but I just downloaded the cutest pictures of what Santa filled (and I do mean filled) my stocking with:

Hi, My Name Is Tonya Dodd and I'm Addicted To...

Webkinz! For those of you who don't have kids old enough to be into Webkinz yet, they are cute stuffed animals that come with a code. When you enter it on their website, they become a virtual pet. You have to feed it, decorate its room, play games, oh the fun never ends! Unfortunately, I'm addicted. After the kids go to bed at night, I am usually playing their Webkinz. It's gotten so ridiculous I even planted a garden and water and weed it every night. OK, actually I planted 3! Jon says I have a real problem when I'm up playing past 11! My kids love them too. The most effective punishment in our house right now is to put their Webkinz in time-out. Sadly, when they can't play their Webkinz I get online to feed and care for their pets. Why should the innocent pets suffer just bc/ the child misbehaved? So, now you know my guilty pleasure (I know there are more moms out there lurking in Webkinz world. It's not kids logging on at midnight with me). See the cute picture with me and my 14 grand-Webkinz!
Ashton even dresses in her best attire to play hers: Sharpay dress, Wonder Woman gold belt, Ariel crown, Easter bunny socks, and pink lay. Can my girl accessorize or what?

The sad part is addicts pass on their addictions to their children. In this case at 4 months! Hey, the babies need more tummy time so what better way than hanging out with sissy and bubba playing some games! They actually like this. Usually they cry during tummy time.

The kids racked up at Christmas. Ashton got 6, so now she has 7! Do you think she likes them?

Jackson got 5 and couldn't be more excited. Added to his previous 2, he now has 7.

Thank goodness, they now have the same number! All kidding aside, Webkinz are really great. They have really learned a lot from the games and having to take care of soomething. Not to mention, budgetting their money. It's funny to see how a boy and a girl play differently. Jackson mostly wants to play the games. He hoards his money and won't spend anything if it makes his total go below 3 thousand! He also is really learning math by adding up his totals and subtracting it from his amount, all in his head! He's learning to save up his money for something big. Then there's Ashton. As soon as she gets 1 dollar, she spends it! She only wants to decorate her house and shop for new clothes. She really wanted to buy a yard, so I tried to earn her some money. She kept spending it and couldn't grasp the concept of saving up for something! She has really learned a lot too. She can manipulate that website like nobody's business. I think she can use the computer better than a lot of adults! Any way, we love our Webkinz. Jon and love that they are the cheapest toys they got and what they love the most!

Let the crazy fun continue, and I'll try to work on my addiction, maybe!

Fun at the Dodds

Want to see what we did while the kids were out of school? Ashton wanted to have a tea party so she got out a blanket, dishes and the babies' Bumbo seats. When she handed them a cup they held it just like they've been going to tea parties all their lives! It was so cute. We laughed and laughed and had the best time. This is probably one of the first things they have all 4 played together. Things like this were why we all enjoyed their break so much.
Wesley has this sad look and is turning his cup upside down. I think he needs more tea!

Will doesn't seem ashamed at all to be using the pink Barbie cup!

However, the funniest moment came when I went into the kitchen to fix a bottle. When I came back, Jackson had turned the babies to where they were facing each other. He said, "Look Mommy, Will's Oprah and Wesley's her guest." How funny is that?

Update

Happy drugs wore off. Babies took turns crying and sleeping. Ironed clothes for Jon for hours as his b-day gift. Jackson begged me to watch him play video games. Ashton spoke only in whine and repetitive phrases at each screeching volume. Mississippi is far, far away. Me tired, go to bed now.