These days I prefer to stand

I've probably talked to death about how there are never enough hands or laps or time with multiples but these days, it seems that laps are in the shortest supply. Let me back up. I posted about Beckett's puke episode last week. But about a week earlier he had some chest congestion and sounded like Darth Vader a few times. We of course freaked out and took him to the after hours clinic at our pediatrician. He had a cold. It never progressed to runny nose, fever, or cough and the girls never got it but we allowed some behaviors that we normally wouldn't. Then the whole puke thing. And we allowed more bad behaviors coupled with extra attention. Now we are in the midst of very painfully trying to break some these bad habits.
He only wants to eat if you are STANDING and holding him while feeding him. He wants his pacifier at all times not just at nap time. He knows that it is kept on the changing table in the nursery. If the gate is down he will try to go upstairs and try to climb the changing table to get at it. If I stop him and bring him back down without the passy, it is a total tantrum. Any toy or book is HIS and he thinks he has every right to grab, steal and swipe anything from anyone at anytime. If he is stopped or reprimanded, another tantrum.
But what had really tipped me over the edge is that I can't sit down without him immediately coming over and sitting on my lap. It would be one thing for him to just sit and snuggle but he hauls books every where he goes. Not only books but magazines as well. So anytime I sit on the floor to play with the kids or on the couch he is right on me with a book in hand waiting for me to read. If by some miracle one of the girls gets to me first, he will try to push them out of my lap. You can imagine how well that goes over.
There has been times that he has been playing in the living room and I sit on the floor of the kitchen to play with one of the girls or whatever. I think he can see through walls because he comes around the corner with a book. It is also a problem when getting the kids dressed in the morning or at night which I do sitting on the floor. It's an open lap. Doesn't matter that I'm leaning over trying to get a wiggly little girl dressed or diapered or lotioned. I've had him scream and cry the whole time I get the girls dressed. It's a wonderful way to start the day.
I don't want to sound like a mean mom but sometimes I want to sit down by myself. And some days reading books or magazines all day long can be tedious. Can we just play with the fake food or reptiles or cars or anything? We can if I stay standing.
So the funny thing about the whole lap thing with Beckett is that he usually wants me to read this one Triathlon magazine that he drags around. Actually this magazine is a favorite with all of the kids. They have piles and piles of books but they love this magazine because of the one picture on page 156. The first thing Becket does on the morning is race to this magazine and the last thing we pry out his hands at night is this magazine. Tonight I even had to pry it out of his hands to take a bath. We keep the bathroom door in their room open because so much heat comes out of that vent. They know that they are not to cross the line between the carpet and linoleum or whatever it is. Then when they are in the bathroom, they know they are not supposed to go on the carpet without their diapers. Tonight Beckett was standing at the edge of the linoleum totally naked not interested in taking a bath but only interested at staring and pointing at his beloved magazine that got left behind on the carpet. By the way, Addy thinks that she is allowed to go into the bathroom and cross the carpet line if she is not walking but crawling or pushing herself on her belly. Talk about pushing limits.
Anyway they all know how to find THE picture in the magazine. They go to the picture first, then browse a few more pages, go back to THE picture, scream and point, browse a few pages, go back to THE picture, scream and point and on and on and on. They fight over this magazine but Beckett usually ends up with it due to sheer passion and willpower.
Tonight something just TERRIBLE happened. No, the magazine didn't accidentally catch fire or get swept up with dirty cloths and run through the washing machine although that has crossed my mind. The picture got ripped out. I didn't do it. I didn't witness the incident but I'm sure lots of tiny little grubby fingers were to blame.

So now THE picture will go on the wall of honor with two other pictures that Beckett has been passionate about and we eventually had to hang up in the kitchen-
A winner of a bike race getting the traditional two kisses. We remind Beckett the only way to get kissed by two girls is to win a bike race.


From Oprah magazine- maybe it is the balloons he likes?

Our newest addition. This is the first picture that all three have loved. I'm pretty fond of it as well.
The kids are gaga over elephants A baby elephant is a bonus.
Triathlons? Enough said for Rich.
This picture is in Thailand. Our trip there marked the official start of our journey to to become parents. So glad we never made an offering at the famous fertility shrine in Bangkok like we had planned. Three works for us. It's tight but I can still fit all three on my lap, if Beckett will allow it.

I don't know if you can see it but this is what it says on the balloon picture that Beckett loves:

"They always say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself." -Andy Warhol