Julia has been swamped so I thought I would help her with her Blog. Here is a little story about a day in the life of Mom:
by Mike Wood

I came home after my late night of work a week or two ago and helped Mom get the kids to bed an hour past their bed time. I guess they just like to be up to see Daddy come home. I had taken a stop in the bathroom and wondered why the toilet paper had been re-rolled and folded over as it was rolled up. The house was in order and the kitchen was clean. It seemed to me that mom had taken care of the family once again while I was away. After getting the kids to bed and finally laying in bed ourselves I asked, "How was your day?"
The story started simple enough and I figured it would start at the beginning. It wasn't until I decided to record it and have her recap that I realized the story was much more than I had assumed.
Colton poured milk so Why can't I?
It is amazing what copy cats little children are. Brenna, age 19 months saw her brother Colton, age 6 pour his cup of milk into his cereal bowl. She had cottage cheese and wouldn't you know, a cup of milk. Yep, time to pour that milk with an unsteady hand into my own bowl which of course is much smaller than Colton's. Did I mention the unsteady hand? No problem. When I am done with spilling the milk I just call for help. Mommy!? Mommy!?
Of course mommy came into the kitchen to see milk all over the floor and in the cottage cheese bowl. What a joy to be a mother right? Of course she cleaned it up with a smile while trying to be stern and tell the little toddler no. What next is often the thought going through mommy's head. There is always another adventure awaiting with Brenna in the house.
I asked if this was in the morning or the beginning of the day before the trip to Grandmas and was informed that no this was just in the evening right before sleep. Then the true adventure was laid out before me. Not only were there many fun and exciting things that occurred that day but it seems that most of it happened in a short period of time. The real drama it seems started at Grandmas with spilled milk, a playful walk on a brick wall and a wet shirt from a cousin's bath and more spilled milk. I had to hear the whole story so the adventures began to unfold.
A quick trip to Grandma's house was all that was needed. Of course Grandma lives right next to aunt Melinda and so a trip to grandmas is not just grandmas but all the cousins. I forget the details but somewhere in the mix Brenna had milk at Grandma's house. She was sitting on a stool and dumped the milk in her lap all over her pajamas she had been changed into.
When Mom got home with the kids that night she tried to take a moment to work on the computer and heard Colton yell MOM! from the bathroom where he has sitting on the toilet. She asked what was going on and he responded that Brenna was unrolling the toilet paper. She thought "no big deal" and told him to roll it back up. He of course proceeded to do so. It is amazing how these little toddlers seem to know how to work the art of distraction and misdirection like a professional magician.
No sooner had he rolled up the paper and she was at the side of the toilet reaching in behind him. What is the fascination with the toilet? So of course another scream to mom and her work at the computer was done. "Brenna stuck her hand in the toilet!" Mom rushes into the bathroom to save Colton from his mischievous little sister. She noticed that Brenna was there with one hand in the toilet and her binky dangling out of her mouth. With the agility that only a mother has she picked up the toddler with one arm and tore the binky away from the germs with the other to be tossed out the door onto the floor where it was surely more safe than it would be combined with the toilet water now dripping down brennas arm.
Sternly she tells Brenna that this is not acceptable and no no no and so on and proceeded to wash her hands in the bathroom sink. Now just suppose the fascination she has is not with the toilet so much as it is with the water? scolding and trying to get Brenna's hands washed she is thwarted by the agile little toddler as she tries to stick her feet in the sink along with her hands that are being washed. It seems that her whole plan has come together perfectly and she can now play and frolick in the water all she wants.
Brenna continues to smile her devious smile and giggle as mom tries to clean her and let her know that her actions are not to be tolerated. Have you ever tried to reason with a 2 year old? I'm sure it went over well. Mom did a great job cleaning her up and removing her from the bathroom. It is almost time for bed now and mom needs the break but of course both the kids are hungry, or so they say. off to the kitchen to feed each some late dinner before bed.
Colton as usual wants cold cereal and wants a cup of milk as well. No problem, he can have that. After all he could be eating worse right? This is the story I first heard after I came home and the kids finally went to bed... There is so much more behind each day for Mom.