Multitasking (MTI). It's a beautiful thing. When you actually accomplish something! I wrote a post when Owen was a newborn, something about breastfeeding while doing two or three other things and I asked if it was MTI (multitasking) or TMI (too much information)?! LOL! As moms we have to MTI. Answer the phone while changing a diaper and letting the dog outside. Or folding laundry with one hand while holding a baby in the other and changing the channel to entertain the toddler. Problem is, my MTI doesn't get anything accomplished anymore! At the end of the day, all I have are half-completed chores all around my house. And yesterday I couldn't remember what year it was...seriously. I was filling out our enrollment forms for gymnastics while trying to keep the boys entertained and looking up our pediatrician's phone number (for the paperwork) and honest to goodness could NOT remember what year it was. Yikes! I was so embarrassed and overwhelmed at that moment that I didn't dare ask someone what year it was! Thankfully the paperwork said "For the year 2011-2012"...whew! Once upon a time I rocked at MTI. At my first "real" job after graduating college, I could answer the phone all while typing up a note in a student's file and grabbing handouts for another student standing in my office. And I think I did a fairly good job at it! Not anymore, I really think I have developed ADD since becoming a mom. Problem is, I get started on something just to get interrupted shortly into the task and then I forget to return to finish it. Or I start a chore and notice something else that needs attention and is a higher priority. So, my house is always halfway cleaned, laundry halfway done, two hours worth of ironing piled up, clean dishes still in the dishwasher, etc. etc. etc. So, I've decided it's time to change it (or at least try)! There is some psychology behind this (yes, I'm a bit of a psych nerd) and I wanted to choose a goal that I considered "easy" so that I would have a quick success to keep myself motivated for change. However, I always bite off more than I can chew so I told myself to pick one goal for this week. So, what do I do? I chose two. It's just one of my quirks...to be an overachiever :) My goals for this week were to 1) plan out my week by writing down specific to-do's on specific days, and 2) really focus on keeping the house picked up by cleaning up after ourselves and doing a quick pick-up after the kids go to bed. So far I've been doing ok. I've been marking off my to-do's like never before and the house is somewhat picked up *wink* I would give myself a "B"...I think I would've been more successful had I just stuck with ONE goal this week LOL! I believe it all comes down to self-discipline and setting realistic goals and I think it's going to be a lifelong work in progress!
So, onto the boys! They are truly so much fun. On most days. Cole is working on his vocabulary, he still pronounces "octopus" as "applesauce" and gives a really awesome attempt at "hippopotamus!" It's interesting to watch a child in the two-to-three year old stage. I always thought the "terrible two's" meant the child continuously misbehaved throughout the 2nd-3rd year of life. Instead we are more like on a roller coaster ride. Sometimes it's smooth sailing, he behaves well, he's sweet and caring and minds. Other times we are up and down with tantrums and back-talking and just down-right bad behavior. It's interesting to watch them grow because you know they are developing and learning about their boundaries when they begin to misbehave...I see his little mind asking "how far can I go with this and what can I get away with?" Toddlers are confusing...one moment he's kissing baby brother good night and the next he's coloring in the white flower on my rug with a pink marker. Thank goodness it's a washable marker! I seriously wonder what possesses them to do these things?!?! LOL! And Owen is our little eater! The kid eats everything and won't turn down any chance for a snack :) He's at the stage between baby and toddler where everyone stops to talk to him (he's still got that cute baby-ness about him, yes I made up a word, but he's not quite to that obnoxious toddler stage that strangers run from)! And he just eats it up! He's not really saying many words besides "Papa!" I remember Cole doing this too...he started saying words and then completely stopped. Owen was saying "thank you" "mama" "dada" "zoe" "dog" but now he's back to babbling and pointing (he points at my dad and says "Papa" at least!). He keeps us entertained and on our toes (he gets into things faster than I can blink an eye-he threw his blankie into my mop bucket this morning and now it smells like vinegar...pretty sure he won't want to sleep with that!). He also LOVES his big brother, wants to be just like him and do everything he does...I think it's sweet. Cole can't stand it! And yes, I signed them up for gymnastics. You're probably thinking "boys...in gymnastics?" I say, "why not?!?!" My sister-in-law first introduced the idea to us when she enrolled our nephew in it several years ago and then we attended a few parties at Tulsa World of Gymnastics and they loved it! We tried out a class for free yesterday and I had to DRAG them both out, both protesting, both wanting to stay and play! Totally worth it to me to see them so excited over an activity! Anyways, here are a couple pics (please forgive my terrible photo-taking abilities):
