Wins and Fails

Last weekend we put up all of our Christmas lights. Seeing Daddy on the roof, Auggie thought he should join. So we let him....

He wasn't really impressed. Not high enough or crazy enough for him I guess. As he was climbing up, I thought it was a good idea....but then I realized he will now think he can get on the roof at any time. Great. Not sure if letting my two year old get on the roof was a parenting win or fail.

That got me thinking about my other parenting wins and fails lately.

Baby B you aren't going to want to get on the roof someday are you? I am sure one day I will walk outside and both boys will be up there. My poor Momma heart!

I failed Bennett this week. Nana and I took him Christmas shopping. I am slowly getting back into remembering to pack a diaper bag and at the last minute threw in an extra outfit just in case there was an accident. A Halloween outfit to be exact. Of course he had a blowout first store. We were able to salvage the dino shirt so the rest of the day my cute little boy rocked a dino-ghost outfit with no socks because baby socks are dumb. Fail.

Not sure if a win or a fail. I was showering (with three children sitting in the bathroom with me--privacy is nonexistent in this house) and Em asked me what we were going to do that day. I answered with "laundry" and she kind of just looked at me confused. Probably not the answer she was looking for. A few minutes later Em and Aug left the bathroom, to do who knows what. When I got out of the shower I could hear little voices on the other side of the house. The big kids had taken it upon themselves to start the laundry! Teamwork and helping Mommy equals a win. Standing on wobbly chairs and attempting to reach the soap equals a fail. Toss up!

Look at those bright eyes. I could never forget this one, right? Wrong. I forgot where I put Bennett the other day. The kid lives/loves his bouncy seat so that is normally where he hangs out. For some reason I had laid him in his crib to chill. Change of scenery, big kids can't trample him. A little while later I thought I should go check on him and I went in to the front room to where the bouncy seat was. No Bennett. I honestly had to think for a minute. Where did I put him?

I kind of blame him for this one. He is just too good!

I can thank Mother Nature for my next parenting win. And bribery! To get my kids to behave all morning, I bribe them with the promise of snacks outside after naps. So far it has worked for about a week. Auggie has helped pick up toys, Em has not been sassy, we have had some really great days lately. So after naps we come up with some sort of snack, they bundle up and I send them outside. No mess for me. Bennett and I sit in silence inside so I can hear them have silly conversations and our big front window lets me watch them ride in the Barbie jeep or be super heroes. Not sure what I am going to do once the cold sets in this week. Just telling Auggie that "Santa is watching" is not going to cut it.

These two have been best buds lately. Em comes up with some game or story line and Auggie just does what she says. For the most part. When they go outside (now that I think about it...is letting them go out by themselves a win or fail?) I tell Em that she is in charge and for Auggie to listen to her. He always says "Ohtay" and he always does. This week I was spying on them "fixing" the Barbie jeep in the drive way. So sweet. I walked to the kitchen for a drink and when I returned to my watch-post, Auggie was laying on the ground, crying. I watched as Em scooped him up and hugged him. Awwww. I figured he had fallen down and she was making him all better. When they came in I commented on how nice that was for her to console him. And then I asked what happened to make him cry.

Emery with a shrug of her shoulders: I just pushed him down.

Not the answer I was expecting.

Emery: But then I said sorry right away so everything is okay.

Well....I am glad you two worked it out.

Fail.

We had a family of five win this past week. We successfully ate out at a restaurant and are not banned from coming back. Actually we somehow made less of a mess than we normally do. Winning!

Em and I are making a Jesse Tree this holiday season (thanks for the idea Kaci!) We make an ornament and read a bible story to go along with it. We read about Adam and Eve and discussed that they did not listen to God. That turned into the fact that Em should always listen to Mommy and Daddy. Emery agreed with that but then stated, "And Auggie should always listen to me." I guess he better.....or you will push him ha! 

Trying to teach her the reason for the season--win. Em totally missing the message--fail.

There are those every week fails like not remembering the last time the kids bathed because bath time with three kids is a production. That isn't going to change anytime soon. 

But there are also every week wins like the amount of "I love yous" said per day in our house.

Without going back and checking the score (because I am pretty sure there were more fails/close calls on the list) I am going to say that I am winning. Or at least trying really hard.

Hope to have more wins this week. Happy Monday all!