i don't know what it is about the evenings that kenny isn't here for the kids' bedtime...but they pretty much suck the big one.

today, however, was fabulous. kenny sent me out first thing in the morning to "do whatever i wanted" so i discovered new roads as i drove, listening to my favorite radio station. then i happened upon the best nursery i've ever been to. rows and rows of perennials, annuals, HUGE hanging baskets, herbs, and vegetable plants (heirloom!). if our garden hadn't already been planted, i'd have walked away with a lot more than i did. i only walked away with $19 worth of annuals - ivy, petunias, impatiens, and a GORGEOUS begonia plant that i just kept potted in our hallway. i want to look upon its glory every single morning as i stumble downstairs for my first cup of coffee.

we had a great rest of the day (except for the fact that we're in the thick of the really big, bad whining stage with the two older boys. perhaps this is subject for a different post altogether, but kenny and i are so over the whineys. when do kids grow out of it? and please, no smart remarks like, "liz, you're 34 and you're still whiney!" i already know that.) and then kenny headed off to bible study. at which point, momma is alone against three boys.

tonight, the two older boys decided that they were dying of thirst. just two minutes after they each had a cup of milk. they were so thirsty that rowan told me, "i'm so sad that you won't give me a drink." i told him that if he didn't whine about it for five minutes, i'd get him a cup of water before i turned out the lights. he succeeded, and he had his water. then he told me that the water made him even thirstier. when i said, "no more water, rowan" he told me that he was sick. and then sawyer said that his back hurt. and then adam decided it was his turn to cry. i gathered them altogether and brought them downstairs. i changed adam's diaper (he was...um...smelly), and told the boys to put on their rain boots. so we all traipsed outside to feed and water the chickens for the night.

at least the chickens have learned that bedtime means bedtime. we headed out to the coop with 15 chickens following us (waddling! they waddle like ducks!) to the squeals of joy from the boys. i put their food and water in the coop and half of them hopped up in. the rest followed us back to the house.

"take two" of boys' bedtime. the older two were alseep within minutes of me leaving the room for the second time but adam wasn't going to have any part of this sleeping thing. and he let me know by his wails. so i did what dr. ferber teaches parents NOT to do...i went and picked him up and brought him downstairs. we sat on the front stoop and chatted for a while with the chickens. then i sang him a few songs, and after 15 minutes, put him back in his crib. he protested all of 2 minutes and was asleep soon after.

at this point, it is about an hour and a half AFTER the boys' normal bedtime. i go outside to check the chickens and they're all huddled in the corner of their coop like good little girls. i lock them in for the night and head back to the house for a relaxing evening hour before my own bedtime.

five minutes pass, and sawyer starts to cry. i go to him, find him alseep and rolling about in bed. i tuck him under his sheet, give him a kiss, reassure him of our love for him (even when they sleep, i tell them i love them...can't hurt, right?) and come back downstairs. five minutes later, another sawyer episode. fifteen minutes later, another one, but this time, he's awake and telling me he needs a drink. i rub his back and he's asleep in minutes.

that was five minutes ago. i'm just waiting for yet another cry from the room. maybe we should skip the soft serve ice cream after dinner from now on?