The "Cameras"

So, life in the Brown house has been crazy lately. Claire and Owen have just gone with flow and just had a great time over the last few weeks. They pretty much did whatever their little hearts desired. I have been so wrapped up in the Wedding and getting everything done with Mom and Tara, I have kind of just let my kids do as they please. I did not realize the fruits of the last few weeks until the last couple days...I have a couple HEATHENS on my hands!!! =)...I kid...kind of.

Let's start with Owen....Owen does not mind...at all. You tell him "No!", he looks at you, gives a grin and keeps on. Lately, rather than disciplining, I have just been removing him from the situation (beating on Mama's printer, disassembling the Fall decor on the Dining Room Table, pouring dog food in the DOG WATER etc.) and keeping him busy with something else. Now I am seeing I have a monster on my hands. At the wedding, he was a complete little terror and ran wild the ENTIRE time. Although anything a little blue eyed shorty in a tux does is cute...I realized at the Wedding, Owen is OUT OF CONTROL!!! So Shane and I discussed it Sunday night that we have to get him back in tow...easy right?

No....it is not.

Now I must tell you that Owen does not necessarily play, he gets into things. That is how he plays. If he is not into something, he is breaking something. Just in the past 36 hours, Owen has...

1. Emptied a brand new bag of wipes.

2. Emptied the dog food bowls AND the water bowl into my just cleaned kitchen floor.

3. Dumped 3 full hampers of freshly cleaned and folded laundry.

4. Smashed a pumpkin muffin into the rug.

5.Poured his juice cup all over Oscar.

6 Went outside in the back yard to yell at the dogs to come in with his sister, but he managed to find as many piles of dog poop to stomp.

7. Put as much toilet paper as possible in the toilet...and then flushed.

8. After Claire was getting out of the tub this morning, climbed in, fully clothed in diaper while dumping the entire brand new bottle of kids shampoo in...over his head in effort to wash his hair.

9. And finally, somehow changed my printer to read in "French" and now I could not figure out how to change it as I could not READ FRENCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (fixed it finally)

So for everyone of these things, he got in trouble. At first, I spanked. He shook it off as if he was barely patted on his butt. Time out has never worked on my kids...EVER. So I thought I would try what I do with Claire and works with her...count backwards from 5, with the anticipation of getting in trouble when I get to 1. First time I did it, he thought I was counting down for him to race to the front door =). This afternoon I did it and he actually looked at me, slightly scared and started shaking his head...saying "No Mama!" He still kept on what he was doing, but shook his head No the entire time. When I got to 2, he finally stopped, looked up at me, yelled "1", and stopped. Did it again later and he took off running again as if in a race again.

To all of you out there without kids that see the terrible kids SCREAMING in WalMart and their parents just ignoring them and you think "I will never let my kids act that way, I will discipline them!"...think twice before actually saying it. I am eating my words...

Now to Claire - Claire is very smart. I know I am her parent and I am bias, but I will still say it. She has learned to lie. Shane and I noticed a while back and he had the greatest idea...

For example: This afternoon, I am working, Owen is doing God knows what (supposed to be watching Frosty the Snowman that he INSISTED be on even though he has no interest) and Claire is holding Sadie on the couch (we are dog sitting for Tara while Tara and Drew are honeymooning). All of a sudden I hear Sadie squealing and Owen screaming. Owen comes into the office, red marks on his face and crying "Cah...ee ee" (Claire, Owee).

Me: Claire, what happened"

Claire: with a very guilty look on her face, holding a very nervous Sadie, "Nothing."

Me: "Claire, are you lying to me?"

Claire: "No, nothing happened."

Me: "Do I need to look at the tapes out of the living room cameras?"

Claire: "No...Owen tried to take Sadie from me and I smacked him in his face."

Claire thinks we have cameras all though out the house watching her and Owen's every move. Shane told her that we put them everywhere so we can keep an eye on them and we always know if she is lying. But she's smart...a few minutes later, we have this conversation:

Claire: "Mama, can you tell me where you keep the cameras?"

Me: "No, why?"

Claire: "Just in case I need to clean them for you...or I need to see if Owen got in my stuff...or if someone ate all my candy?"

Me: "Well they are only for Mama's and Daddy's to know where they are."

Claire: "Okay...I have just never seen one."

Me: "They are hidden really well..."

Claire: "Mama, they will know if you or Daddy lie too."

She walks off looking around the room, looking for these "cameras". She is for sure trying to see if we are lying about the cameras.

On a funny note...I noticed from the papers in Claire's backpack today in school they learned the meaning of Thanksgiving.

Me: "Claire, did you learn about Thanksgiving today?"

Claire: "Yes."

Me: "What is Thanksgiving?"

Claire: "When you eat lots of turkey and pie."

So in the spirit of Thanksgiving:

I am thankful for all the chaos, things broken and messes in my house today as it means that I have two children that I love with every bit of my heart and would not trade this NUTHOUSE for the world! Even when I am furious, they both melt my heart with their sweet eyes and grins. Claire came and told me she was sorry for hurting Sadie (she did not mention O =) )and Owen always gives me a kiss after he has been crying after being in trouble. Every time he gives me a kiss he says "IOVU". Love it!

I am also thankful for my Mom that comes over everyday and A. helps me with the kiddos and B. is a witness to it all that can vouch for me that it is indeed crazy!!

My camera is dead...and I cannot find my charger. I think it is lost somewhere between here and all the events this weekend, but here are a couple pics from the last few weeks that I never got around to posting!

This was the view of them all week as all we did was run around...the were psyced to get to ride together in the BACK of the van =).Owen mad about something...this was the day that he got in the tub fully clothed even with his shoes on last week, hence why he has no pants on...Playing in a box! WOO HOO!!!!Hope you are having a great week!!!