I'm Going to be a Better Blogger Badge

I suck at blogging. I was so excited about starting this daily "journal" of mundane motherhood feats and I just haven't stuck with it.

Well, I'm going to do better. I must do better. There's something therapeutic in looking back over my totally chaotic day and giving myself a few badges. And I must admit there's something super gratifying in other people knowing about my successes and failures. Call it vanity, neediness, affirmation junky. Whatev. I just don't want to be on this crazy journey alone. I want people in on it.

Heck yes I just bounced Ella on my knee, played Chutes and Ladders with Jack and face painted a rockin' butterfly on Evelyn's face - all at the same time. Who can do that? I thought breastfeeding and stirring a pot of soup was an accomplishment. I have come so far as a mother. Um, and I also just walked Cody, pushed Ella in her Little Tikes car and helped Jack and Ev ride their new bikes around the entire block. It's true.

If I had been documenting all the kick-ass things I've done in the last two years since I started this blog, I would have like 30 vests full of badges in my closet. Currently I only have one with just a few pieces of flair, at least according to this live document. And that just won't do for a girl who is about to turn 30 in a few days. I need all the badges, back slaps and atta girls I can get, especially when it comes to mothering and wifing and friending and on and on and on.

So, here we go. Some new vests - fully flaired - in my closet this year. Year 30 (technically 31 as my dad says, meaning I don't need to have a big bash or many presents for my bday this year because my official 30th was last year. Whatever Dad). Happy birthday to me.

Today's Badges

• I started this thing called Timer Time. Jack and Ev are no longer taking rests. It's driving me crazy. I need to not see them for at least one hour during the middle of the day. So, for my sanity and their safety, we've started Timer Time. We bought colored timers from the Dollar Tree (Thanks for the recommendation from my friend Corinn) and both of them have to stay in their rooms for 60 minutes until the timer goes off. They are only allowed to come out to go to the bathroom. If they yell to me or ask questions - discipline. They can do whatever they want in their room - except yell to me or ask me questions. Get it? It's worked fabulously for two days. Ask me in a week how it's going. We'll see. But I'm encouraged today.
• I took all the kids in their rain boots down the street to a large puddle and let them search for worms and get totally disgusting and wet. I almost barfed at one point as Jack proudly showed me his hand covered in worms. Bleh. I told him how awesome it was. Ew.
• I've also decided that if I'm wearing an outfit that I feel cute in and it doesn't get dirty, I'm wearing it two days in a row, maybe even three. I'm on my second day of a sweet Arcade Fire t-shirt. I'm on day three of a pair of black skinny jeans. Why stop the good thing I've got going here?!!