Moments and Lessons

So, we all know that life with a growing family offers many moments that can make you either scream/cry or laugh out loud. It's usually up to us to choose which. The last couple of weeks brings three to my mind.
Moment#1
LJ was especially fussy this day so I put her in my back pack and away we went. I was determined to get some cleaning done come rain or shine. Finally, when my back could no longer handle it I let her down to roam. She was out all of 5 min. when Jeremy walked in the door and asked, "What does LJ have in her hand?" After examining the bright red oozy mess covering her hands, clothes, and face, I discovered that it was tomatoes. I had a box of tomatoes in the storage room down stairs that I was planning on canning. They were becoming a little over ripe which explains the ease LJ found in squishing them. As I looked behind her I could see a trail through the living room, down the staircase, and into the storage room. She had managed to smash tomatoes into the brand new carpet of all twelve of my stairs! This lady is fast! Both Jeremy and I got to work immediately trying to get the stains out. In the mean time AJ went to the bathroom and started yelling that he needed his Trusty Bum Wiper's assistance (that would be me). I asked him to please hold on a minute so I could get the stains before they set in. When I finally got up to the bathroom, I found that AJ had left the door open and kindly scooted over to allow LJ to play in the poopy water. As I ran to grab her she must of gotten thirsty and started licking her fingers! AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
Moment #2
After school is the busiest, craziest, part of the day for us. It involves homework for the three older kids, chores that weren't finished in the morning, practicing instruments, any extra curricular activities, meal time, and fussy time for LJ and AJ. To relieve the stress I have learned to make dinner at lunch. It works great but sometimes is not possible depending on the day. This was one of those days. After school MJ had an unusual amount of homework and needed my utmost attention. LJ was especially cross and AJ was bugging all the other kids so they couldn't get their stuff done. I wisely decided to scrap my big meal planned and make whole wheat pancakes with bacon. Sounds easy enough but it still took me two hours to make due to all of the interruptions. When dinner was finally done about 7:00 p.m. LJ had already eaten oatmeal and was crying for bed. I directed the family towards dinner and darted out to attend to the baby and her bedtime routine. When I finally returned to the kitchen exhausted and hungry I found four happy, full, children; a content husband, and zero dinner left. I marveled at the piggyness of them all but laughed at the irony. Me trying desperately to cook for two hours only to have nothing to eat at the end for myself.
moment #3
This morning was Sunday and I was able to get up early, read my scriptures, and take a shower before anyone was up. As I was about to get dressed I heard LJ babbling. I decided I would go and get her and let her play in my closet as I got dressed. The scene I found when I walked in her bedroom was quite alarming and unexpected. My cute little angel had apparently taken off her diaper as it was sitting neat and clean in her crib. I can only guess that she then went to the bathroom without her diaper on because there was poop EVERYWHERE!!!! Poo Poo must make great finger paint because LJ found it very effective. Her blankets, books, clothes, crib, hair,face, and especially hands were all decorated. I assume she got hungry for breakfast because It was all over her mouth as well. GROSS!!!! What is up with this child? At this point she was crying having discovered that she was no longer having very fun in the mess she had made for herself!! So much for a relaxing up lifting Sunday morning.

These fun moments add to all of the hundreds of others I've experienced since I ventured into having a family. I am convinced God gives them to us to teach us something and then sends extra angels to watch over our children to assure we don't kill them in the process. Here's what I learned from my three moments.

Lesson #! :
1. Tomatoes do come out of new carpet with lots of hard work.
2. A husband is actually capable of cleaning if the stakes are high.
3. Neighbors are super heros when they come over with small steam vacs.
4. I want a small steam vac for my birthday.
5. I do actually love my baby more than my new pretty carpet.
6. It is time to teach AJ to wipe his own bum.
7. Babies can drink poopy water and not get sick.
8. It is time to buy a gate for the stairs(which I did the very next day)

Lesson #2
1. It is not a big deal to the family if they eat an hour late just so long as they eat.
2. My family doesn't need fancy meals all the time. They are perfectly happy with simple ones.
3. I belong to a pack of hungry wolves.
4. If I want to eat I need to hide food in secret places.
5. It is worth it to miss dinner when your husband fixes you a piece of toast and a big bowl of ice cream with bananas because he feels sorry for you.

Lesson #3
1. You never know what is lurking around the corner.
2. Pretty adorable babies are capable of nasty ugly things.
3. People at church never know what has happened to you that morning when they see your family perfectly dressed and smiling in a row.
4. Washing machines are beautiful inventions and I want to kiss the person that invented them.
5. Some day I have great black mail to hang over my children's heads.

Over all laughing is a whole lot better than screaming and crying however, sometimes I do all three. I feel a little better knowing that some day my grand children may bring sweet justice and do the same things to their parents. I will then smile and teach my children how to laugh instead of scream/cry!!