Now I know why it is important to learn to count to ten....

it is so when you become a parent you can do it over and over again so you don't go insane. I knew parenting would be hard, heck I remember what my brothers and I put my parents through. Yet I never realized it would require such patience and understanding that would have to come from the inner depths of my heart and soul.

Raising three children in today's society is an inevitable juggling act. Raising three boys with such differing personalities, needs, ages, and stages is more like performing in a three ring cicus on a daily basis.

Bubba has been on the move since he started walking and doesn't stay still for any length of time, even when he is sleeping he is rolling around! We have had to rearrange the house too many times to count so he doesn't get into things or climb. He is an amazing child that just exhausts me! I am typing this as fast as I can because he is actually sleeping right now and I really needed to get some things off my mind.

Buddy is really growing up and maturing fast. He turned eleven a few months ago and it has been a roller coaster of good days and bad days with the pre-teen attitude. Recently though there have been more good days then bad. Could there really be light at the end of the tunnel?

And yet, Piccasso has been doing things recently that I never ever thought he would do. He has lied to us several times and today he got in trouble for writing on the seat of the bus!( Which incidently he lied to me about yesterday!) I know this too shall pass and I know what he is doing is in some ways a stage. I just hate feeling that I can't trust him. I am so disappointed in his behaviour. He is a good kid and he knows right from wrong. He knows lying is not okay and this is the 3rd or 4th time in the last 3 months! I just keep counting to 10 and trying to keep my cool with him. He got detention at school and he has to clean the seat tommorrow morning. We had him also write a note appologizing to the bus driver, he can't play with his little friend across the street ( since the two of them were partners in this crime) for a week, and we had him write "Writing is for paper not for buses" 20 times. We tried to make the punishment fit the crime. I just hope it prevents him from ever doing it again and makes him think about the consequences of his actions from now on.

For those of you with boys looking to see if you will survive, the answer is.................................yes...just remember to take deep breaths and count to ten........OFTEN!