Though you may not have ever noticed it before, our kids have always been OshKosh kids. There are several reasons for that. We've always liked the classic little boy style, for one. And if you shop well (using coupons and visiting the nearby outlet stores during big sale seasons), you can buy a lot of clothes really inexpensively. Three rough and tumble boys take a lot of clothes. And if you look in their closets, 99 percent of their clothes are always OshKosh. Or they used to be.
But the boys are getting older, and bigger. And most of the OshKosh clothes in stores only go up to size 8. Size 8. It's hard to believe that I have boys that are outgrowing that size, but I do. Connor has moved beyond little boys sizes completely. Sawyer is barely hanging onto it.
In the past, we have always bought more new clothes for Connor as the oldest (with the assumption that most would eventually pass down in pretty decent condition). We will overlook how almost every pair of long pants is being passed down with holes in the knees the last year or so. That strategy may not work for much longer, as Sawyer is pretty close to the same size as Connor these days, in terms of weight if not height.
A few weeks ago, I went through the boys' closets. Usually it means a lot of re-arranging. Connor's too small clothes go to Sawyer. Sawyer's too small clothes go to Xander. Xander's too small clothes get divided into a few things we keep (don't ask, I'm not sure I could explain it) and a big stack that we donate to some of our younger cousins.
And for the first time ever, I went shopping somewhere that didn't have a single OshKosh item of clothing.
Our new home is Old Navy. Still classic little (okay, now big) boy clothes. Good prices and good selection. And even more important, good sales at the beginning of each season.
It's going to be different not seeing my babies in OshKosh anymore. They've worn it from birth to now (ages six, six and seven, respectively).
Sigh. Who told those boys they could grow up this fast?
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Monday, March 26, 2012
The Artist
One of our boys LOVES art. He brings home pages and pages of art from school, whether it is a page of colorful letters or coloring pages his teachers have created for him of recent topics at school.
Outside is no different. He loves the sidewalk chalk. Most of the time, he uses the wooden play set as his canvas. But Daddy recently poured this concrete pad in the back yard (for the pool in the summer, perhaps for a basketball goal next fall). Right now, it's Xander's canvas.
As you can see, his coloring skills have really improved. He still relies on me to make his outlines for pictures and even the words, though he could easily label them himself (just not make the block letters to color).
Xander. The lefty. Our little artist.
Outside is no different. He loves the sidewalk chalk. Most of the time, he uses the wooden play set as his canvas. But Daddy recently poured this concrete pad in the back yard (for the pool in the summer, perhaps for a basketball goal next fall). Right now, it's Xander's canvas.
As you can see, his coloring skills have really improved. He still relies on me to make his outlines for pictures and even the words, though he could easily label them himself (just not make the block letters to color).
Xander. The lefty. Our little artist.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Saturday, March 24, 2012
A Day at the Park
Times three.
One of the hardest things about having three kids is that there is only one of me. I cannot be in three places at the same time. Taking all three of the boys somewhere requires a lot of effort and a lot of vigilance, especially now that the boys have outgrown the strollers. It means I'm constantly scanning to make sure all three boys are not only safe, but also that they behaving appropriately. And the twins both require an extra amount of attention for that last part. I am constantly scanning, but very rarely giving any of my children the undivided, one-on-one attention that most kids crave.
Recently, I've started taking the boys on individual walks around the block. It's a little bit of exercise for all of us, but it's also a little one-on-one time that the boys don't get a whole lot of during any given day (unless doing homework counts, which I'm sure, to them, does not). It doesn't take much time, and it gets all of us away from the screens that seem to dominate our lives these days.
Today I decided to take it one step further. I wanted to give each of them a trip to the neighborhood park. Just me and one of the boys, going at their pace and doing whatever they wanted to do. It was a beautiful Spring day in our part of the world, and Josh was going to be home all day (attempting to study, but also able to keep an eye on the other boys who would be at home).
Sawyer got to go first. Mostly because he was already in his red Crocs attempting to escape out the back door into the yard before the idea even occurred to me. We walked, because he doesn't really have an interest in the bikes or scooters that his brothers do. We walked slowly, because that is his style. He likes to look at things, to sometimes retrace his steps and get better looks at things. He was particularly interested in the inground pool he discovered in the neighbor's yard a few houses down. I don't think he'd ever noticed it was there before, but he was very curious today. We eventually made our way to the park, where he spent a while spinning around a wooden post before we ever made it to the play equipment. He made a beeline for an unprotected Coke on the park bench, and took a few drinks before I could stop him. Then it was up onto the play structure to trace his favorite letters on the four-in-a-row game. There was a little sliding, a lot of dancing his way across the arched bridge between the two sides of the structure, and even a few stops to spin the wheel on one of the towers. I talked him into a brief swing, but he's not been interested in the park swings lately. Our last stop was the spinning rings, one of his favorites. Can't you tell?
And last but not least is Connor. I purposely saved his trip for last, as we actually needed to run an errand at the end of ours. And I suspected he would want to ride bikes, which he did. He does well on the trip to the park, he did a little less well on our errand (with more intersections and more traffic). But we'll start with the park. We rode around the sidewalk path for a little while, then parked our bikes near the playground. He spent some time climbing the corkscrew and doing a few slides before he settled into the rings. He likes to flip himself upside down, which is sometimes more successful than others. He spent quite a bit of time wearing himself out here today. Next he stood on the railings with a smug look on his face begging for pictures. I talked him into taking a break to watch the big kids play "kids pitch" baseball on the neighborhood field. We climbed to the top of the bleachers, of course, and watched an inning or so. And then it was time to head out on our errand, a quick stop at the neighborhood grocery store. But first, since it was just a few doors down, we stopped in at Orange Leaf and Connor had some ice cream. Chocolate, with some mixed chocolate chips on top. And a cherry, of course. Last was our stop at the grocery store, to pick up a loaf of fresh bread for dinner (Grammy was stopping over for dinner and to pick up Connor for an overnight visit).
And that was a big part of our Saturday. Three separate trips to the park.
It was definitely nice to spend some one-on-one time with the boys. I don't know that Sawyer or Xander cared much at the park itself, but both liked going at their own pace on the trip there. Xander is usually a speed demon (like Connor), and Sawyer usually has to be prodded to keep up. Connor loves the one-on-one time all the way through.
For me, it was just nice to not have to scan the whole park looking for all three boys. To follow each boy as they moved to whatever interested them, without worrying if I was moving too far away from the other boys. To enjoy some time watching, and sometimes playing with, just one boy at a time.
One of the hardest things about having three kids is that there is only one of me. I cannot be in three places at the same time. Taking all three of the boys somewhere requires a lot of effort and a lot of vigilance, especially now that the boys have outgrown the strollers. It means I'm constantly scanning to make sure all three boys are not only safe, but also that they behaving appropriately. And the twins both require an extra amount of attention for that last part. I am constantly scanning, but very rarely giving any of my children the undivided, one-on-one attention that most kids crave.
Recently, I've started taking the boys on individual walks around the block. It's a little bit of exercise for all of us, but it's also a little one-on-one time that the boys don't get a whole lot of during any given day (unless doing homework counts, which I'm sure, to them, does not). It doesn't take much time, and it gets all of us away from the screens that seem to dominate our lives these days.
Today I decided to take it one step further. I wanted to give each of them a trip to the neighborhood park. Just me and one of the boys, going at their pace and doing whatever they wanted to do. It was a beautiful Spring day in our part of the world, and Josh was going to be home all day (attempting to study, but also able to keep an eye on the other boys who would be at home).
Sawyer got to go first. Mostly because he was already in his red Crocs attempting to escape out the back door into the yard before the idea even occurred to me. We walked, because he doesn't really have an interest in the bikes or scooters that his brothers do. We walked slowly, because that is his style. He likes to look at things, to sometimes retrace his steps and get better looks at things. He was particularly interested in the inground pool he discovered in the neighbor's yard a few houses down. I don't think he'd ever noticed it was there before, but he was very curious today. We eventually made our way to the park, where he spent a while spinning around a wooden post before we ever made it to the play equipment. He made a beeline for an unprotected Coke on the park bench, and took a few drinks before I could stop him. Then it was up onto the play structure to trace his favorite letters on the four-in-a-row game. There was a little sliding, a lot of dancing his way across the arched bridge between the two sides of the structure, and even a few stops to spin the wheel on one of the towers. I talked him into a brief swing, but he's not been interested in the park swings lately. Our last stop was the spinning rings, one of his favorites. Can't you tell?
Next up was Xander. He opted to ride Connor's old Razor scooter, which he has pretty much taken over these days. At first he was kind of wobbly, but he's gotten the hang of it the last few weeks and it's now his preferred mode of transportation around the neighborhood. Now the only problem he has is either going a little too fast (and losing control) or not paying attention to the giant cracks and potholes that are part of a thirty-year-old neighborhood. But we eventually made it to the park. He knew right where he was going, too. He is no stranger to the park or the play structure. As soon as we park the scooter and take off the helmet, he's ready to go to the slide. He stays there for a while, running up and sliding down, over and over again. He takes a few slides down the fire pole (clearly Daddy's boy there), and a few spins down the corkscrew. He also tackles the rock wall a few times, always using the slide to come back down. With a little prompting, he even says hello to one of his classmates who happens to be playing at the park. Next he takes a pretty long break on the swings, but then jumps off (from pretty high up in the air, I might add). He eventually makes his way to the small slide where he stays for quite a while. Eventually I convince him it's time to head home, and he happily leaves the park to get back on his scooter. But not before he decides to show his acrobatic climbing skills on the play bridge.
And last but not least is Connor. I purposely saved his trip for last, as we actually needed to run an errand at the end of ours. And I suspected he would want to ride bikes, which he did. He does well on the trip to the park, he did a little less well on our errand (with more intersections and more traffic). But we'll start with the park. We rode around the sidewalk path for a little while, then parked our bikes near the playground. He spent some time climbing the corkscrew and doing a few slides before he settled into the rings. He likes to flip himself upside down, which is sometimes more successful than others. He spent quite a bit of time wearing himself out here today. Next he stood on the railings with a smug look on his face begging for pictures. I talked him into taking a break to watch the big kids play "kids pitch" baseball on the neighborhood field. We climbed to the top of the bleachers, of course, and watched an inning or so. And then it was time to head out on our errand, a quick stop at the neighborhood grocery store. But first, since it was just a few doors down, we stopped in at Orange Leaf and Connor had some ice cream. Chocolate, with some mixed chocolate chips on top. And a cherry, of course. Last was our stop at the grocery store, to pick up a loaf of fresh bread for dinner (Grammy was stopping over for dinner and to pick up Connor for an overnight visit).
And that was a big part of our Saturday. Three separate trips to the park.
It was definitely nice to spend some one-on-one time with the boys. I don't know that Sawyer or Xander cared much at the park itself, but both liked going at their own pace on the trip there. Xander is usually a speed demon (like Connor), and Sawyer usually has to be prodded to keep up. Connor loves the one-on-one time all the way through.
For me, it was just nice to not have to scan the whole park looking for all three boys. To follow each boy as they moved to whatever interested them, without worrying if I was moving too far away from the other boys. To enjoy some time watching, and sometimes playing with, just one boy at a time.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Go, Go, Go
There was a time when I thought sending all the boys off to school meant I would have some free time. The school year is about two-thirds over, and I am finally realizing that it will probably never happen. There are moments, and even sometimes a few days in a row, where I don't have a lot going on. But most of the time, it's go, go, go ... and then go some more.
I also happen to be a single parent every third day, what with Daddy's job at the fire department and all. And that rotating shift can make it hard to find a consistent schedule for me or for the kids. Plus he's still building on the side, so his other two days are usually pretty full, too.
Take this week, for example. Baseball is back in full swing, which means we're at the ball field four different times every week. We practice for an hour on Saturday and Sunday, then we practice for two hours on two different weeknights. Those weeknights also rotate. And guess how they rotated this week. Both of them were on nights when Josh was working. The twins were less than pleased, I assure you.
It makes for a long day.
Up at 7 to get ready for school. Running errands or doing some work around the house until it's time to pick up the boys at 3. Rushing home to get a snack, start (and hopefully finish homework), and make sure everyone goes potty (because the restrooms aren't open yet) before you load up at 4:30. You pack all the stuff it takes (not only for baseball, but also to pacify two unhappy little brothers being forced along for the ride) and then drive through rush hour traffic across town to get to practice. We won't even talk about keeping two unhappy little boys occupied and relatively quiet for two hours during practice. And then you rush back across town to get home, fix dinner (or give in and get fast food), then hurry into baths and bed (or finish homework if you didn't manage to do that before practice). Oh, and don't forget to feed the puppy and let him outside for a few minutes (but not too long, or he'll bark his head off and annoy the neighbors). And be sure to rinse his paws off before he comes inside, because the back yard is still a mud pit from the recent driveway expansion and landscaping project. We've seen our share of muddy footprints all over the house lately, and that would add something else to be done.
It makes me tired just thinking about it.
And I've done it twice this week. And will do it several more times over the course of the season. It's the nature of the beast. I cannot imagine how other people do it. We only have one child involved in extra-curricular activities. The twins do have speech once a week, but that's consistent and routine at this point. I cannot imagine having events for all three boys. I would never manage on nights like tonight.
It's 9:15 and I just got everyone into bed. Late for a school night, but what are you going to do? And as much as I would like to enjoy the quiet time to myself, I will probably follow them into bed soon. Because tomorrow it all begins again ...
I also happen to be a single parent every third day, what with Daddy's job at the fire department and all. And that rotating shift can make it hard to find a consistent schedule for me or for the kids. Plus he's still building on the side, so his other two days are usually pretty full, too.
Take this week, for example. Baseball is back in full swing, which means we're at the ball field four different times every week. We practice for an hour on Saturday and Sunday, then we practice for two hours on two different weeknights. Those weeknights also rotate. And guess how they rotated this week. Both of them were on nights when Josh was working. The twins were less than pleased, I assure you.
It makes for a long day.
Up at 7 to get ready for school. Running errands or doing some work around the house until it's time to pick up the boys at 3. Rushing home to get a snack, start (and hopefully finish homework), and make sure everyone goes potty (because the restrooms aren't open yet) before you load up at 4:30. You pack all the stuff it takes (not only for baseball, but also to pacify two unhappy little brothers being forced along for the ride) and then drive through rush hour traffic across town to get to practice. We won't even talk about keeping two unhappy little boys occupied and relatively quiet for two hours during practice. And then you rush back across town to get home, fix dinner (or give in and get fast food), then hurry into baths and bed (or finish homework if you didn't manage to do that before practice). Oh, and don't forget to feed the puppy and let him outside for a few minutes (but not too long, or he'll bark his head off and annoy the neighbors). And be sure to rinse his paws off before he comes inside, because the back yard is still a mud pit from the recent driveway expansion and landscaping project. We've seen our share of muddy footprints all over the house lately, and that would add something else to be done.
It makes me tired just thinking about it.
And I've done it twice this week. And will do it several more times over the course of the season. It's the nature of the beast. I cannot imagine how other people do it. We only have one child involved in extra-curricular activities. The twins do have speech once a week, but that's consistent and routine at this point. I cannot imagine having events for all three boys. I would never manage on nights like tonight.
It's 9:15 and I just got everyone into bed. Late for a school night, but what are you going to do? And as much as I would like to enjoy the quiet time to myself, I will probably follow them into bed soon. Because tomorrow it all begins again ...
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