Not so adventures of the St. Clair clan...

Let me tell you a little story about what happens when you gloat or become prideful about a thing.  You get twins.  (I love them.)  They have made me reevaluate everything about my early parenting years.  I used to think I had some skills.  It turns out we just had dumb luck.   I was the newbie mom looking down at other parents with older kids who didn't sleep through the night.  They obviously didn't sleep train.   I looked down my nose at their struggle instead of being compassionate.  Our boys were early risers, but they slept  at night.  Enter the twins.  I can count on my hands the number of times we have slept through the night in the last three years.   Question: How do you teach a three year old to pull up her own covers?!   There was also potty training.  Obviously those parents are just pushing it on a kid who isn't ready.; o r t hey must not be consistent.  Our boys were ridiculousl...

  We aren't raising any natural athletes around here, but we are working on some basic skills.  I grew up participating in and loving sports and so did Ross.  Plus, the whole PE teacher thing.  Needless to say, we definitely see the value in organized sports.  But I'm a lazy mom.  I don't want to do the taxi cab driver thing.  At least not yet.  Ross, bless his heart, is a little more motivated.   Ross has been encouraging the boys in wrestling for four seasons.  It's been a little rough.  The boys don't exactly have what you would call a "competitive nature."  Previously, when we have entered them in tournaments they proceeded to executed moves such as "possum," "pick your nose and yawn," and the "smile and wave."  This year, we weren't what you'd call "competitive" but there was definitely some improvement.  They showed some basic skills and effort.   Currently, the boys are both playing some intro le...

  A lady stopped me as I chased our girls into church last Sunday.  And I mean chased.  I was literally running down the crazy one as she dodged elderly patrons who were trying to exit the building.  But before I could catch hold of her collar, an older woman stopped me.  "Are they twins?" She asked.  They were in matching dresses on this occasion.     "Yes, they are," I replied trying to keep my eyes on the escapee.   "What a wonderful blessing.  You are just so lucky." She was very genuine and very sweet.  I should probably mention here that I am not a saint.  Working on it, not there yet.  Luckily, my first response got lost in the noise of the foyer, and on my second attempt, I simply agreed with her.  "Yes, I am blessed."   I am.  I really am.  But as another twin parent once said about their twins, "They are a blessing I wouldn't wish on anyone."  It's the truth.  I am so...

 Some days four kids seems like a bit much.  When four feels more like eight or twelve, I'm tempted to get a machine like the DMV, "Take a number, kid!"  On those days I'm left wondering what did we do?!   I don't even know. God gave us what we prayed for when we asked for boys.  They do all the stinking, loud, weird boy things.  I'm not surprised by any of it, but sometimes it makes me tired.  And cranky.  And my ears hurt.  And then I feel really old.   Then God gave us girls.  They make me feel even older and tireder.  But they are ridiculously cute and funny...when they aren't crying.  I think the girls were a gift for our boys as much as they were for us.  Those two stinky, dirty, fighting, wrestling, ornery, best enemies, turn into protective, gentle (mostly), sweet, companions and playmates when the girls are around.  The girls love  their big brothers.  They copy everything the boys do and ...

  School is back in full swing and I'm grateful to be in a normal routine again.  It isn't necessarily easier, but I like a to have a schedule and I think the kids (whether they realize it or not) do too.  Sawyer really does enjoy his days at school.  He pretends like he doesn't want to go, but he comes home all smiles and a ball of excited energy every single time.   The first week back, as I waited in the carline, the director came up to my window.  I rolled it down with some trepidation.  Transitions are really challenging for Sawyer and we had a multitude that week with Ross going back to work, school starting for Sawyer, and company in and out.  I was concerned about how he may have held up at school.  Anyway, I rolled down my window and held my breath as she started to speak, "Your son..." "Yes...???" "Cracks me up so much." Exhale. She continued, "He was trying to tell me something about a bake sale fundraiser he wants to do, but ...