Random Thoughts

As I wandered through our house tonight, I noted the junk everywhere after my attempts to clean up. I chose to surrender the fight and catch up on blogging. 
Our younger two are enamored with the vents - I either find them standing waist-up in them, hiding in them, or stuffing things down them. I just passed glittering objects in the one near our room, and it would give me chills to open it up and get the toys, so I just ignored it.:) For some reason, reaching down them gives me the same sensation as wondering if a monster is under the bed when my feet hit the floor in the middle of the night. Don't tell the kids.:)
Today Joel clocked Jonathan with a hard plastic helicopter (this is a pattern). I made him sit on the bathroom floor alone after being disciplined. Nothing seems to work with him - he is very sweet and loving but can be hard as nails. He laughs when disciplined, does not listen, and is carefree about hurting his brothers. The comfort I take in this is that Jonathan was this way for some time and no longer is. At the time, I thought it was related to his delay, that he didn't understand how his actions affected others, etc. because Jackson had never made the same choices. Jono snatched hair bows, glasses, pulled hair, hit, etc. and we called him the Down Syndrome Bully. So, I remind myself that Jonathan was once this way and maybe Joel will snap out of it. Until then, I think we have discovered that isolating him works wonders. 
Tonight, we did just that. After injuring his brother, I put Joel in the bathroom. He was content for some time, so I just waited until he wasn't. Then, when he reached his limit, he got the bathroom rug and stuffed it in the toilet (which did not have clean water in it). He called for us. Jamie answered. Jamie asked him if he did it so he could get out to which he answered, "yes." Upon my arrival, he put his arms around both our legs and said, "I wuv you guys." Unbelievable. Jamie and I usually look at each other and say,"Were you like this? I wasn't!" Jamie and I both had our moments but both of us were rather compliant and people-pleasers so this kind of behavior baffles us.
This is the first week that our children have not been sick since the first week in January. Monday Joel went to Mothers' Morning Out and it was the first time I had been alone on a weekday in almost six weeks. It was nice. I felt human. 
Jonathan was weepy when I picked him up today. He is fighting congestion again. When he gets congested, he tires easily and can't breathe well. I assume this is because he has asthma. I know I feel the same way when I am congested. I will think he is getting a bug until I pump him with his inhaler and mucinex and then he starts feeling better. Poor guy. I hope this improves with time.
A few weeks ago, Jonathan wrenched the toilet handle off one of the toilets. I have no clue how to repair it. I bought the replacement handle yesterday, attempted to fix it, and just could not follow the pictures. I did get it down to where all the old hardware was off and there is a hole in the tank where the handle was. Last night, as I lifted the tank to manually flush it, I found Jonathan's toothbrush in there. Disgusting. Jamie was in bed, falling asleep. I ducked my head in and said, "Hey! Jono's toothbrush was in the tank. Gross!" Jamie said, "I know. I saw it." WHAT?!!! "Sorry I didn't get it out." Needless to say, that toothbrush went in the trash and he has a new one now (I keep new ones in the closet for such a time as this).
Joel has been coughing for weeks. He seems completely fine - no fever, good appetite, etc. but coughs mostly when lying down. I facebooked for suggestions. One was Zarbees - an herbal, natural treatment that has been great. Another was putting Vick's on his feet and wearing socks at night. For the most part, he can sleep cough-free at night now but the cough is not clearing up. Wondering if we should go to the doctor but so tired of going there...:)
Jackson requested that Joel and I come to lunch today. I ran out of time to stop by home so I grabbed McDonald's and headed to the school. I thought it was possible I wasn't supposed to bring McDonald's in the school but wasn't sure. Joel and I ate it. The boy across from me didn't have lunch so I shared with him. Then, all the boys wanted some, and I felt badly not sharing with them, so I did. When I got up to leave, the teacher politely intercepted me and told me I wasn't supposed to share fast food with the kids. I was so embarrassed. I am such a rule-follower and felt like a child whose hand had been slapped. As I tried to maintain eye contact with her as she mapped out the policy, I felt her discomfort in having to explain this to an almost forty-year-old mom. Ugh. I also realized that Joel had disappeared out the door and I was trying to remain cool. After she was finished, I ran out the door and Joel was no where to be found. I tried not to panic and eventually found him in the lobby, "hiding" from me. We came home and I put him down for his nap. I fell asleep next to him and didn't hear my alarm go off. We awoke at 2:45 (I usually leave the house at 2:35 to walk and get there by 2:50). We raced there in the car and were on time, thankfully. I didn't need another strike against me at school - I was feeling emotionally fragile already.:)
Our house is coming along and we are now in the stage of picking out colors, appliances, etc. I hope this part is fun and not a trial.
I ran in a half-marathon on Sunday with no training other than Crossfit. I work out, typically five days a week. Crossfit says that you should be able to hop in a half-marathon or marathon and be just fine. I decided to find out. I think Jamie was as nervous as me. I was terrified of maiming myself. I went with our babysitter, Becca, and we got there as the gun went off. We ran past the Balloon Lady who seemed to be astonished we arrived. I spent the next two hours and six minutes running and feeling great. I was trying to run in this manner they call Posed Running. Since I had never done it for 13 miles, my calves cramped around mile 11 or 12. I tried not to push it, took a bathroom break, and hydrated at almost every water station. It was 21 degrees and I was nervous about that as well, but dressed appropriately, so I felt fine. My calves hurt for three days, but other than general soreness (and nausea after I ran, which is typical for me), I recovered just fine. I am not trying to brag - it isn't bragging because my time was not impressive. However, my point is that Crossfit works. I was skeptical but am not anymore!
Jackson starts soccer next week. He hasn't played since he was four. It was at age four that he decided organized sports were not his thing. He has done swimming lessons and baseball since then but has difficulty engaging. He wants to be the best without practicing and gets frustrated if his skill level does not improve without trying. Again, Jamie and I look at each other, wondering where he got these kind of ideas, but continue to encourage him to try sports. This time, I think he is realizing he has no one to play with after school because everyone else is busy with activities and that if he wants to see people, he is going to have to do an activity. He does seem excited and we just want him to have fun. We shall see. I don't know how I am going to get him to practice and handle the other two but it will work out.
This post was certainly random and disconnected so thanks for staying with me! I will post pix next time.