Forget-Me-Nots

Tidbits of our family life I don't want to forget:

1. Derek's gluts are always flexed.  When I poke them, they feel like cinder blocks.  He also has incredible upper-body strength.  If I threw him on a rocky wall, he'd stick to it like Spiderman.

2. The boys were fighting over a toy in the car the other day and I thought it was going to be another one of those screaming/crying marathons.  But they all of a sudden quieted down and I turned around to find them like this:



I call that redemption, people.

3. Mike found Audrey and Marcus sleeping together on the same mattress one night. The next morning, we found out it was because Marcus asked her in his puppy dog voice, "Will you sleep with me, Noona?" (heart sigh)

4. When Audrey and I both think something is silly, or that the boys are doing something that is darned cute or funny, we give each other this open-mouthed smile and shrug our shoulders the same way. It's a quiet acknowledgement that we both get it...whatever the situation is.

5. Derek has been a handful and NOT a joy to take out in public, especially anywhere that requires us standing in line. Audrey has been known to ask, "Mom, are you embarrassed?" during these not-so-pretty moments. Why yes, my child. Your brother makes me ashamed and reveals that I am a failure of a mother. Thank you.

6. On that same note, I had to take all the kids to the DMV last week (for you non-Californians, that's our Department of Motor Vehicles.) I went armed with my iPod, iPhone, toys, and snacks. However, we endured a brotherly brawl, Marcus scream-crying at the top of his lungs, "He pinched meeeeee!", Derek trying to escape and Audrey stressed out chasing him around, which led to Derek falling and bonking his head, and more scream-crying while I had to clear up our car registration issue. The man behind the counter and all the people in line were staring and laughing at me and my brood. Literally belly-laughing. Hey, at least they got some entertainment out of me during their wait. That's why I take the kids out...to entertain others.

7. I took the boys to the park one day and LOVED hearing Marcus spontaneously ask some kids, "What's YOUR name?" They proceeded to make mud soup together. I loved watching them play. The new kids weren't weirded out that Marcus couldn't walk or that he talked funny. And they also were okay that Derek had to get naked afterwards because he was covered in mud.



8. We took a walk around the neighborhood and Marcus let go of my hand to walk on his own. We counted about 70 independent steps. Amazing, I tell you!

9. Audrey is BFF with her school nurse. She goes there, and sometimes gets a friend to escort her, after any kind of scrape, bump, or imaginary issue. One day it was some mystery eye pain that she conjured up. Why? Because she wanted to come home early so she could take off her socks.

Instagram collage of the last few weeks: