A Charm of Finches

I am in love with the summer. Seriously. In. Love. There is so much stress during the school year what with the headache that is homework and the rushing back and forth to and from school and other activities. Structure is not a friend to our family. We are more fly by the raggedy seat of our pants kind of people. Needless to say, summer is the time of year that we all really look forward to. I have been squeezing in at least one fun outdoor activity a day, usually the pool, the beach, or hiking on the trails near our home.

I have to admit that while I am loving the summer, by 3pm nearly everyday I consider calling my mom and asking her if she’d mind if I sent all 3 kids out her way for the remainder of the summer. There is something so spectacularly frustrating about being at the beckon call of four little people all day long. They constantly need something or feel that they just have to tell me how horrible their brother, sister, or Leilahni is being. Sometimes I yell a lot. Mostly it’s about them not getting along or about the mess. They make the most ridiculous pig messes every single day! My windows are always open because our house is a freaking sauna due to our lack of air conditioning. I am sure that the really nice elderly man next door thinks I am insane and wished to death that I would shut my windows and stop begging my kids to get along already!!

Sometimes I am the grouchiest woman in the world and can’t believe that my children still even remotely like me. I wish that I had a tape recorder so that I could hear myself. The kids have picked up on some of my choice sayings. Tonight Andrew told Jacob. “I just need a little me time. You are constantly in my space!” He sounded like a 30 year old woman in need of a gin and tonic. Also the kids have stolen my “are you serious!’ complete with my sarcastic tone. Amelia has decided that she needs to tell Lehlahnia exactly how to do just about everything. Even mundane things like how she should chew her food. Amelia insists that Leilahni is in dire need of her assistance. She will literally sit by leilahni and watch her chew her food to make sure her bites are just the right size and that she doesn’t put too much food in her mouth at once. Can you say micromanager!
I constantly hear her saying “No, no lehlahnia this is how you do it.” As if her 9 month age advantage has made her that much more of a capable human being. Sometimes I wish I could hear Leilahnia’s inner monologue. I am sure that she is constantly wishing Amelia would stop talking! I always have to tell Amelia “Leilahni is an individual capable of making her very own decisions.” “But, but, I am helping her mama!” Oh, and have I mentioned that Amelia now refers to me as mama. Jake and Andrew ahve never ever called me that. I am slightly convinced that it is because I have gained like 500 hundred pounds this year. I think fat ladies go by mama. I am becoming a fat mama. Tonight Amelia, sounding exactly like me, told Jake “I am capable of making my own decisions.” This sounded really really cute coming out of a three year olds mouth. She said it with such sass! I am really, really hoping that the kids don't take up my sailor language that I use while driving. I am paralazed with fear that one of these days Amelia will yell over to the person pushing the cart in front of us at the grocery store to "fucking move already." it will happen!

My favorite summer pictures so far:

Amelia in Chicago!