I am attributing this to two reasons:
1. My kids are stir crazy in the house, it is winter...and,
2. I have not had my usual "breaks" that I get from my nanny. I am becoming complacent.
I normally have about 4 to 6 hours per week that are mine. I use this time to ride my horses, work in my office or do other projects I can't do with kids outside. After spending some time away from my kids I am usually on top of my game and I keep the kids under control. BUT
My nanny left for Christmas vacation to Texas.
How dare she!
Now I have had to brave the holidays without "ME" time. Between family functions, fighting off some strange headache that has lingered for a few days and not getting any time to "recenter" myself, I may have let some things slip.
When not strictly controlling every action of my children this is what has transpired:
I turned my back while clearing the table and Wyatt pulls this little gymnastic maneuver off. I have no idea what made him think to do this. When I refaced the table this is what I saw. (Since we had been taking lots of photos over the holidays the camera was on the table. I could not resist.)
The next example of incriminating evidence is the following. I went out to put some laundry in the dryer. The laundry room is in my office which is a separate building outside the house. I returned to find this.
Ella is unabashedly stuffing her face with caramel popcorn on top of the dining table.
While taking a Mommy time out in front of the computer I knowingly let each of my kids take a plastic garbage bag to stand in side and jump, like the burlap bag races... They went jolly-like into their room and were having a ball. I could hear them joyfully playing. Mind you my house is tiny. I know when something really BAD is happening. However, I can hear all of YOU people screaming at me now, "NEVER let your kids play with bags..." But I let my kids use scissors, cut with knives, play with fire, use hammers, and occasionally drive the tractor.
Back to the kids...I gave them five minutes uninterrupted and found this.
Half naked bag jump racing with Ella and totally naked Wyatt who was turning the bag into underwear... He thought it was fantastic. Mind you they were both fully clothed to start with.
And finally, my husband called me on his way home with Wyatt from "The Yard" where they work on the big trucks. He said, "Make sure you have the camera ready when we get home." I attempted to pry additional information out of him but he was the vault. This is my son, as I greeted him coming out of his Dad's truck.
Apparently the unsupervised Wyatt and his cousins took their clothes off after they drenched themselves in cold puddles. Then they went into the office at the yard and pulled all the pillows off the couch and played jumpy house. So I am not the only negligent parent in our household.So I think I have maniacs for kids or we are totally irresponsible. But then again, my husband Mike says, "What can you do?"
