My life in 7 words

Ha! Isaac just declared, “You’re the MAKER, and I’m the EATER!”

Local Time

One beautiful weekend, we hopped on our bikes for the first time since last fall. I put Elijah in my handlebar carrier and Brian pulled the bigger boys in the trailer. I made sure to bring the diaper bag, because it seems we always go farther than intended. We half joked to each other that, “Wouldn’t it be funny if we ended up in downtown Newnan?” I knew right then that we had both taken that as a challenge and our certain destination.

Noodle battle

My brain cells have largely reclassified themselves as dandruff. I had grabbed a pair of socks and went hunting for my fuzzy Crocs. I found one Croc shoe, so I slipped on a sock and stepped into my shoe. While wandering with my remaining sock in hand, I entered our large master bathroom and found a pile of the boys’ clothes that forgot to find the laundry basket. I scooped up the laundry and sorted it into the laundry basket. Pausing to remember my original mission, I realized I was empty-handed.

The Red Light Lady

Yesterday, as I sat in traffic near the children’s hospital, heading to Elijah’s CT scan, I remembered a minor event that happened last month when I was leaving the same hospital. It is really insignificant, but it stuck with me due to the range of emotions it provoked, from anger to embarrassment to humility.

Visitation Plights

We started last week with a little lite shoplifting. The boys and I joined a friend and her son at a large mall. First, we perused some children’s clothing stores. After ambling halfway to the end of the mall, then cruising back to the start for the “pahhtee,” I discovered two unpurchased pairs sun glasses in my jumbo stroller. I happened to be directly in front of the store whence they came. I walked them back to the rack, remarking to myself that stealing is apparently remarkably easy if one plays the role of an overwhelmed mother of three.

Bead Dazzled

We had a colorful week. The boys got to enjoy an overnight dusting of snow, early last week. I slammed their clothes on and sent them out the back door, before the day warmed. Ian paused to remark that his fluffy sweater felt like a life jacket, and then did a remarkable, cartoonish impersonation of an emergency flotation vest blasting full of air and then he bobbed around a bit. They ran and kicked and rolled in the barely-snowy yard. Ian wanted to make a snow man. I put some exam gloves on over my fingerless gloves to help roll a few snow balls before getting breakfast started. Ian came in and wanted some exam gloves too. I buried his fists into a pair, and as he struggled to get his fingers into the right holes, he wailed, “I don’t have as many fingers as these have!” I know the feeling, little buddy.

Words to Remember Vol. 1

This is a running list in admiration of my boys’ language development and expressions. Ian Repetend: pretend Hopticopter: helicopter Igick: Isaac To in front of me and beyond: Buzz Lightyear’s “To infinity and beyond” Degio: Diego (the show) Piwow: pillow New Van: Our ’09 Ford Flex Na na: toddler version of nurse, eat Vegtibital: vegetable…

Why…

…is every critically-in-need-of-groceries day a rainy day? …do my babies love love LOVE to eat paper? Or better yet… …where did the other half of this toilet paper tube go? …is my one-year-old acting more like a 2-year-old, and rejecting the bite of waffle I hand him, in favor of the much larger piece in…

The Fun “1”

Our baby boy has graduated into toddlerhood. Elijah had his first birthday last Friday. Brian went to work for the first time that week, since we had been iced in. Most places were closed. People were ice skating and skiing on the streets of downtown Atlanta. The Tuesday before was supposed to have been Elijah’s…

A Visual Catch-Up Guide

To help you cope with my usual delinquency, I have created a visual catch-up guide of the recent history of the Cummings family, covering our three Christmases, and into the new year.  On the first third of Christmas, I achieved, on the 15th shutter release, a nearly-focused snapshot of my three miniature men about to open…