Tired.

Katie and her cute kids left today. We had such a good week with them and it was so helpful to have each of her kids paired up with mine so that they were easier during this crazy, CRAZY week. We fit in a bunch to the short week she was here.

On Saturday she did hot yoga with Melanie(I couldn't find a sitter and had done it 4 times that week already), I got my hair done, we went to dinner and dessert with Melanie and Michelle and came home to find the babysitters mom here because the daughter had a stake dance she didn't tell us about. OOPS.

Sunday we went to church with 2 adults and 8 kids. I went early for a meeting with my teachers so we could prepare our presentation for our leadership meeting on Saturday. Only the pianist showed up. We went on a hike through Ute Valley pass and watched the sunset as we came home. The kids talked about rattlesnakes and bears the entire time.

Monday we were hoping to do the incline but no such luck with the sitter so we went to the Y and did yoga, which is lame now compared to the Core Power yoga we have been spoiled with. The older kids swam with Melanie's kids. We had a picnic at the park and the kids all complained of being thirsty so we went home early. We took it easy and got the kids to bed early for school the next day. I started an antibiotic I found in the cupboard that Brent had brought home from the office.

Tuesday Hunter started 3rd grade. Sienna started Kindergarten. Hunter had a mini breakdown and couldn't wear his new shoes. He still has not worn them to school. Sienna loved every minute of her morning and could not have been beaming any more. I made a fool of myself by going back into Hunter's classroom to tell him to ride the bus. He later told me he was not embarrassed, but I sure was. Sienna started piano lessons. She may have beamed more at this point, and no we don't have a piano yet, further complicating our week. We went to Costco and rushed home for scouts. There was no scouts. We put the kids to bed and fell asleep watching Twilight. I coughed so long and so hard that Katie could hear me all the way in the basement and my back was hurting so badly that at 3 in the morning I was googling pneumonia symptoms.

Wednesday was Hunter's 9th Birthday. I woke up early and decorated the living room alone. I missed Brent. Hunter was so pleasant. I took Ayla to gymnastics and then met Katie and Melanie at the Y. Katie worked out while I tried to read since I felt, well lets just say Melanie said I looked run down(which was a nice way of saying how I looked and an understatement for how I felt). Straight from there I checked out the older two from school and then I took Hunter, Sienna, and Elsie to Doctor for well visits. I know I am mean to make Hunter go on his birthday but it was the only time I could get them in and they told me he wouldn't need shots. Elsie got 3 shots. Sienna got 5 and screamed and hid under her chair and screamed some more while a nurse and I held her down. Hunter got one and was such a great sport to go before Sienna and to not complain that it was his birthday and that I had told him he wouldn't have any. Really he had a very good reason to be mad at me and yet he was just focused on helping to calm Sienna down. He even offered to give her the telescope she had bought him from a garage sale last month. It made me want to cry, he was so sweet to her. Then we were off to get Katie and then we went to Little Biggs for pizza and games to celebrate Hunter's birthday. He told Sienna that we didn't really need to do anything since we had already had his party and that if I wanted we could just go to dinner. Do nine year olds all of a sudden begin to be considerate of others? We had fun there and stayed too long. We got home at 8:30 and still had to do ice cream. I had had no time to make a cake and again Hunter said nothing. Is this a different kid? NOPE. Katie gave everyone ice cream with sprinkles on it but Hunter couldn't eat his or calm down enough for us to sing to him because she had also given everyone baby spoons since all the rest were dirty. I washed one for him and found a different metal spoon and gave him his choice of the three but no such luck. He was past the point of no return. We tried to do his homework but it was too much for him. He cried for a good half hour or more until Katie talked him into going to bed. I couldn't wait to go there myself.

Thursday. Today. Sienna came into my bed half way through the night. She wouldn't get out of bed to get ready for school. I helped Hunter with his homework. I convinced Sienna to get ready and helped her with it all to later find that she had a temp of 100. She had been limping but I just thought she was being dramatic. I don't think she was. I let her stay home. I took Hunter to bus and Buoy ran out the door to chase the buck that ran across our yard and into the neighbors. He came back and after the bus left he continued down the street, stopping every few yards to do his business. I followed and called him carrying barefoot, pajama clad, messy haired, baba-carrying Ayla with nothing-but-socks-on, fevering, limping, crying Sienna following me. I walked back home holding Ayla on one hip with the opposite hand trying to reach Buoy's collar. Sienna cried about missing Daddy. I fell asleep in the parlor while the kids watched TV and Katie packed, got and fed Elsie, folded my laundry, and had her kids clean the playroom. Katie got her hair done. She came back and packed up the car and we said goodbye. She left. She left. Hunter did his homework. I tried to finish my 394 page book for book group tonight so I could return the book even thought I couldn't go. I made it to 54. I read about a man packing for a long backpacking walk in the woods and his fear of bears and other things when you can not contact help. Did I mention that Brent is backpacking in Alaska and the last time I spoke to him was for 30 seconds so that he could tell me that he is okay but that he won't be able to call for another 8 days because he won't have reception even on the satellite phone? We tried to go to the church so Sienna could practice but by the time the kids had dishes done and shoes on it was time to go to gymnastics. Hunter's friend, Cameron, invited him to his house so it was just the girls and me. Ayla fell asleep on the way there and waking her up is never a good thing. NEVER! I dropped Sienna off and told her I was going to get gas and then come in and watch. I got gas and then stopped at King Sooper's which is right next to gymnastics to get Hunter a book cover he was assigned to have by tomorrow. I woke Ayla up. She screamed. She wouldn't get out of the car. I talked. I bribed. She screamed and screamed and pointed her toes and screamed. I put the seat up and pulled her out and carried/dragged her into the store. She screamed. I tried to buckle her into the cart. She screamed. I put her in the basket. She climbed out. Several times. I carried her to the aisle and she screamed and sat down and pointed and flexed every muscle. I found a book cover. A lady came up to Ayla and asked her if she could help. Ayla screamed harder and and I asked the lady to leave her alone. She walked up to me and told me everyone has been there before. Why does everyone say that? That doesn't make me any less embarassed or help me in any way. I paid and then put the cart away as Ayla still sat and screamed as I walked back to her a lady commented to another lady that that screaming child needed a spanking. Then she saw me and looked away. HMmM. I carried/dragged Ayla back to the car and put her in. I put Elsie in the car(who was crying because she was scared of Ayla's screams) and then Ayla started crying/screaming that her toe, her toe. I went back around to find her toe stuck in between the seat and the floor. I had to pull hard to get it out. Then she went back to screaming. I parked at Aerials and Ayla came and sat on my lap and after 10 minutes and some hugs and apologies, and some tears shed for missing Daddy, she calmed down enough to go inside. I there found Sienna standing against the wall with tears streaming down her face. She had been waiting there for me the entire time and had missed more than half her class. I convinced her to go in. We picked Hunter up and then went home. We hadn't had dinner and it was again 8:30. The kids found this and that and then it was downstairs to tuck Hunter in. The girls followed me and as I helped Hunter find something to wear tomorrow we started laughing. He tried on my favorite pants, but his least favorite to see if they still fit. I told him that if he will not wear them anymore then I wanted to see his behind in the one more time before we give them to Parker. He laughed and laughed. I love his laugh. He then told me that he likes the way they look but not the way they feel but that he will wear them tomorrow for me since I like them so much. Hunter didn't wear anything other than jeans last year except for the two weeks(14 days in a row) that he wore these same pants once I had bribed him to wear them one day. Once I stole them away to wash them he would not wear them again. I told him that he is funny about wearing something different and reminded him of how much he liked these pants those 2 weeks and he laughed and said that he has to wear things for a few days and that he doesn't like to change. I KNOW! It is what makes me wish he wore a uniform. I think he was affected by me discussing this same issue with the doctor the day before and so I think he is consciously trying. I love it when he is in these cooperative, happy moods. How do I keep them? Then after some more silliness of Sienna in the cute butt pants and Hunter with shorts on his head we were able to tuck the girls in. And here I am blogging.

Yes, I am tired. Yes it has been a very, fun, crazy, packed,dramatic, stressful, long week. But the bottom line is that I did it, and I couldn't have if it weren't for Katie, and the fact that the screaming and ranting doesn't last forever. Three more days.