Gearing up for the big move

Just days before our move to the new house. My mom arrived a few hours ago. We're gonna let the kids get adjusted to having an extra body in the house, and then I'll start crazy packing this place up.

Yesterday, both kids were sick. Vincent had been complaining that his stomach hurt since Sunday night. After breakfast, he said it still hurt. I gave him a Tums. I read the bottle several times to make sure it would be okay. There was nothing said about age restrictions. Obviously, I wouldn't give one to Tyler, but Vincent seems old enough.

Picture this: I'm in the bathroom with both boys. I have Tyler pooping on the toilet, and Vincent getting ready to take the Tums. He chews it up, and immediately says, "But, Mommy, my tummy still hurts a little bit." I say, "Well, you need to give it some time to work. Now, please go back to the dining room and clear your food from the table." "No Mommy," says Vincent, "it still hurts." "Hmmm..." I say.

Then, it happened. Vomit. I yell to David for paper towels and help. More vomit. Tyler wants off the toilet. More vomit...You get the picture.

By mid-morning, Vincent was feeling great. In the afternoon, Tyler woke up with a 103 degree fever. Sweet. For a sick boy, though, he did really well at dinner. By 7pm, he was clearly ready for bed, but when told to go, he would just shake his head, and lay right down on the living room floor.

This morning, he woke still feeling a little warm, but before naptime, he seemed to be back to normal.

I guess it's better a few days before the move than on the actual moving days that the boys feel crummy.

Overwhelmed

This afternoon, I found myself cowering way downstairs in our tiny storage room with a full-sized Snickers bar, trying to figure out what the hell was my fricken problem. I had just had a full blown meltdown with the kids, and for what? I don't know! I think I even scared one of the other moms when picking up Vincent from preschool.

Seriously. It's the rain. I know, we live in Seattle. But, it's not that often that it pours. I don't care if we have nowhere to go when it's pouring. Today, we had stuff. I'm still not so good with luggin' two kids around, while holding an umbrella, in the rain. And, Tyler was all floppy in my arms.

I was freaking about all the stuff we seemed to have accumulated in our rental home in just a little over a year. I can't believe we have so much stuff. We've even purged. How can this be? I mean, how did we fit all this stuff in our old 910 sqft house? I refuse to believe we've added that much more STUFF. Whatever the case, it's here. And, I have to pack it all up. I know I'm just over thinking. I mean, we have 3 weeks before our planned move. We don't have to be completely out of our place until the end of the month. And, we'll have the keys to the new place next Monday. Plus, my mom will be here to help. So, WTF am I so overwhelmed with? It's just me. It's in my nature. I'm a D.Q. (Drama Queen). Control Freak. OCD.

But, so here's the other thing that overwhelmed me, in a completely different way. Vincent. My dear, dear, sweet Vincent. I had managed to get Tyler down for a nap, and went to get Vincent settled for the afternoon. He could see the stress on my face, and he looked at me in a way that said, "What's wrong, Mommy?" So, without thinking, I just started telling him about how the place is a mess, and I have so much to do, and I don't know how I'm going to get it all done. I sat on this little step stool with my face in my hands, and he came over and put his arms around me, and said, "It's okay, Mommy. It's okay. It's okay. It's okay..." He patted my back and kissed me on the face. I was floored. Vincent's ability to empathize just amazes me.

And, so I sat in that little room, thinking about all that just happened in the last hour. Overwhelmed by the task of moving, but also totally overwhelmed with my love for Vincent; both my boys, for that matter. And, that (along with the Snickers bar) was what calmed me down, and gave me the strength to pull it together, and just take things one step at a time.

I was able to pack up a few boxes, and still have a bit of time to do something I wanted to do.

And, really, when you think about it, wouldn't you be totally overwhelmed with love by these boys?

Enjoyig their Mickey Mouse lollipops from Aunt Diana and Uncle Ken... Showing off some new kicks...

Cruisin' in a motorcycle...

Dressed up as Sheriff Woody in a parade at Chinese school...