Isabelle's Shoes

Isabelle needed new tennis shoes and so while the other kids were at school we headed to the store to get them. At the store she saw these pink sandals and refused to try on anything but the sandals. Everytime I tried to put on a pair of tennis shoes she would scream and kick her legs trying to keep me from putting them on. She was in a shopping cart that put my face at foot level. After a few kicks to the head, we left the store with a brand new pair of tennis shoes........and the pink sandals.

Later that afternoon, when we picked up her sisters and brother, she had to show off her sandals. I was holding her on my hip talking to Rhyan while I waited for Levi the exit the school and Isabelle thrust her foot in Rhyan's face so that she could admire her sandals. She did the same thing to Katie and to Levi and to the girls we carpool with. When her dad got home she had to race to the door and she kept picking up her foot saying "Shoes" so Steve could also admire them. I think I'm raising Imelda Marcos.

A Brief Moment of Sanity

This year instead of spending Martin L. King Day letting my kids sit around in their pajamas, (which we do every other year), I decided to be a little more ambitious and we went hiking at Red Rock with a friend and her daughter. I warned Rhyan and Levi, (especially Levi), that because I would be alone I needed them to be on their best behavior. That meant no running ahead up the trail where I couldn't see them...or fighting...or tattling...or hitting the person who tattled...or hitting anyone else...or crying...or any other thing that would cause my blood pressure to skyrocket. We had a blast.

Unfortunately, the 20 minute car ride home was a different experience all together. Levi and Rhyan fought over nuetral middle seat territory in the back of the van, which resulted in Levi kicking Rhyan the whole way home and Rhyan screaming and crying. Isabelle and Katie, (mostly Katie), "kindly" sang songs at the top of their lungs to drown out the screaming. It also kept them them from fussing, but it didn't help to keep the noise level down. As I clenched the steering wheel to keep from pulling over and beating my children in full view of the rush hour traffic on the freeway, I savored those 2 precious hours. Because in those 2 glorious hours, I had a no whining, crying, screaming, hitting, kicking, tattling, moment of sanity.