Stop At Two . . .

When we were having baby number 2, our neighbors across the street were having baby number 4.  I remember several times when our babies were a little over a year old, we would see each other unloading kids from the vans after church and they would yell across the street, "Stop at 2, stop at 2".  We just smiled and inside I was thinking how horrible.  And then when I got pregnant with John, they would say, "You should have stopped at 2."  And I thought it is a little late.

Well, now we have 4, ages 8, 6, 4, & 2.  And I have found myself thinking, we should have listened, they warned us,  we should have stopped at 2!

In case you are thinking, how terrible . . . let me share a few of my we should have stopped at 2 moments.

This last week I had a meeting with a gentlemen to fill out papers to apply for a program that should help us get some financial help to pay for John's therapy services.  Sarah was with me and was quietly playing with the diaper bag.  I look over to see what she is doing. And she is sitting quiet as can be in her own chair like a big girl lining up a row tampons on the table.

Paul had a day off during Fall break and after a round of puking and pooping  going through the whole house we decided  it was finally time clean the carpets.  We moved as much furniture as we could out  of the rooms and onto the wood floors.  Our little adventurous princess was having a great time playing in the furniture  until she realized she was stuck.

While the kids were out of school for Fall Break I took them to the Doctor to get their flu shots.  We had not been in the patient room 20 seconds and the kids, yes all 4, were scrambling to get to the top of the big table to sit.  Sarah let out a load cry, I scooped her up and realized John had bitten her.  Unfortunately that  is common around our  house.  But I had never seen a bite like this, or had never seen it right after he had bitten her.  Her poor little arm had teeth marks that went in what seemed like a 1/4 inch.  The teeth marks left a purple bruise color immediately.  Oh, and yes the nurse saw the whole thing, and just smiled politely.  I got Sarah calmed down and John reprimanded.  As we were getting ready to leave the nurse meekly says, "That was pretty deep you may want to put some antibiotic cream on that bite and keep an eye on it," and then gives me a handout about the warnings/precautions/treatments of animal and human bites.

One evening recently John and Sarah found a way to keep themselves very busy . . .

.  . . emptying the two bottom book shelves.  Then they decided that  those shelves were just the right size for . . .

. . . a cozy spot to read a book!

The all time, we should have stopped at 2 moment happened yesterday morning.  I had a little time before Elizabeth, Rachel and I were headed out on a Girl Scout activity and I thought I would work on my lesson for primary.  As I was doing this I heard the toilet flush, then I heard it flush again. Hmmm!  That sounds very suspicious.  So I holler to the kids, "Who is flushing the toilet?"  Elizabeth and Rachel come running to me a bit frantic, "John and Sarah are putting cars and stuffed animals in the toilet."  What the heck!  Sure enough when I go in the bathroom, there is a little happy meals stuffed animal puppy floating in the commode and three Hotwheels cars sunk to the bottom. 

I was about to stick my hand in to pull them out, but stopped myself as my fingertips touched the cold water and called John over.  He needed to be the one to go fishing.  He hesitated at first but then put  his little hand right in and pulled out all the items.  I so wished I had my camera and almost put the things back in so I could get a picture but decided that would send the wrong message.  Instead I  put everything in the garbage.  I flushed the toilet to be sure there was nothing else.  It  didn't flush right.  So I told Paul he needed to find that handy little coat hanger toilet fishing pole the neighbor had made a while back and see what else was in  there.  He tried, but could get nothing to come out.

The older girls and I had to leave.  When we got home later in the afternoon, Paul told us he went to the hardware store and bought one of those plumber snakes, but  it didn't work.  So he took the toilet off, yes un-installed the toilet. Then ran the snake from the back side . . . presto!  Out popped another Hotwheels car and a sad little friend of Strawberry Shortcake, Orange Blossom.

Don't get me wrong, I love my two little monsters, but I will honestly admit there are moments when I dream about how calm life would have been if  we had stopped at 2.