Eye of the Tiger

The day before yesterday we went to the zoo. It had been awhile and I really love going to the zoo. It was easy with just Hans and Olive since the older kids were at school. They get really excited. We hadn't seen the tigers that well since we've had our pass. It was sleeping this time around, behind a bunch of tall grass and as we were walking away he woke up and moved to this perfect spot. This was our first trip to the zoo without a stroller. I know it seems like such a small deal but each little bit means I no longer have little babies. I will miss all the fun things about having babies but I am glad to no longer have diapers around. If you add up all the years I have spent nursing it equals 10 years of my life. I know that they are not babies and I am trying hard not to treat them as such. Hans is fully out of baby phase, when we were watching a show the other night in bed he was cuddling with Pete and I thought he was asleep but as soon as there was kissing I heard "Lame". I guess I've just been a little melancholy thinking about how little time I have that they will be so happy to just be with me. 'Cus this is where we are heading. I spend a large portion of my day shuttling Siobhan around. We have one car. We would be happy to not have one at all but this state is actually less walkable that Utah. Pete takes a commuter train so that I can have the car because the kids need to be picked up and I have so many doctors appointments. Sunday, after picking Siobhan up from a friends she asked if that same friend could come over and that her mom would pick her up. I said yes because Oscar was at his party and I figured we wouldn't be doing anything. They had saved some money up and wanted to go to the movies. I said yes and walked them to theatre. I made sure they found out when it got out and where I would be. When I went to pick them up I waited 35 minutes! I even went into the theatre to get them but the lady wouldn't let me into the lobby without a ticket. Then Siobhan had the nerve to ask if she could sleep at her friends! On a school night! So, we are now two days into a two week grounding. There's other reasons, but you've suffered enough. Today is the first softball game and back to school night for Siobhans school. She has forgotten her work at home twice since school started so I am really curious to see what her teachers say. What was that about I mentioned about babies? Just in case there is someone thinking I am not mean let me add another story. You have all been regaled with my tales of video game obsession. I am not above making things up to teach my kids a lesson. When they are little it just makes things easier. Hans is sure that I will magically know if he has done something wrong and cannot lie to me. I recently told him that if he watched too much television or played too many video games he would go blind. I have also added that the eye will fall out. It scared him straight for awhile. Yesterday I really didn't feel very good and I sat on the couch with him and we played a game together. Throughout the game he must have declared me the best mother ever about 50 times. When it was time to turn it off the honeymoon was over. " I can see one of your eyes kind of bulging out Hans, you'll lose it if we don't stop." " I still have another one," he said. Well, this morning he woke up and one of his eyes was stuck shut. He stumbled into the living room yelling " I've gone blind! I'll never play video games again." With that job done, my next will be to convince Siobhan that the number of pimples that are cropping up on her are directly related to the number of clothes she leaves lying on the floor.