The Summer of Good Intentions

Each summer, as the school year ends and the thoughts of lazy days where sleeping in and wearing pjs all day roll around in my head, I begin to plan out our summer agenda.  This summer was going to be the summer of academic progress and completing projects off of my to do list.  I was going to teach Carter his times tables.  Oliver and William were going to do extra work with math and read 4 books each.  I had a hefty project list which included painting all the closets, organizing our workshop, basement, and camping gear, and spray painting all of the metal filing cabinets.  I was going to test out new lunchbox menu items with the kids, as I have one son who is an extremely picky eater.  I was going to make healthy snack ideas in mason jars so that whenever they wanted something to munch on, I had quick healthy "grab n go" snacks already prepared.  I was going to work on the flower beds to make them pretty.  All of the kids' school supplies, clothing, and shoes would be purchased way ahead of time and the van would be completely cleaned and ready so that when I drop off the kids in the school line, the teachers wouldn't gasp at the horror of a van filled with food wrappers, socks, toys, cups, and just plain dirt.  After all, I had several weeks in which to accomplish such a worthy list.  But here we are knocking on the door of a new school year and my to do list is sadly almost untouched and the academic progress is seriously lagging.  So, now this summer will be labeled as the summer of good intentions.

However, in place of completing the never-ending to-do list and tending to school work, our family had the absolutely best summer we have ever had.  This was a summer of firsts.  The kids became swimmers.  The boys went to various cub scout camps.  William attended 2 overnight camps, one of which was three hours away.

Jarod, William's camp counselor and family friend.  William attended a Christian camp this summer at New England Frontier Camp and had an absolute blast.  He now wants to earn enough allowance to buy bibles for each of his classmates and start a class during recess to dedicate to bible devotionals.  My heart is singing.  

We went, as a family, to Great Wolf Lodge.  This was Oliver's happy place.  Each of us really enjoyed this water park, but Oliver seemed to enjoy it the most.  He rode all the water slides, even the scary one where the floor drops out from underneath.  It was at this family outing where the boys learned to be more independent, venturing further away from Beau and I to enjoy the wave pool and slides.

Our cute wolf ears from the Great Wolf Lodge

Oliver worked on an adoption scrapbook.  Zander began working two jobs to help offset his college expenses.  I took them more places by myself.  In the past, I rarely took all 3 to places without Beau.  It always made me a little nervous that I was always outnumbered.   But this summer, between their maturity and my confidence, we went many places together without Beau, and each time I returned home with the same number of kids that I started with.  Oliver and Carter attended their first Cub Scout day camp and that too was successful.  The boys have wonderful stories of archery, shooting bb guns, swimming, crafts, and male camaraderie, and just all out fun.  Our neighborhood now has 13 children all somewhat close in age and this summer we got to know each one of them.  My boys now have friends to play with in our neighborhood.  We had two boys try out for the local travel soccer team and they both made the team. We go to the beach every summer as this is probably one of my favorite things to do.  But this summer, our beach trip was so very different.  Usually Beau spends time in the freezing water with the boys enjoying their wake boards while I take several trips dipping my toes in the water and spending time with Ollie playing in the sand (he only plays in the water a few minutes and then spends the rest of his time looking for crabs and playing in the sand).  But this summer, Beau and I actually found ourselves sitting in chairs together with no kids around.  This time, each of the 3 boys made friends with surrounding families and spent most of their day scattered about playing with others.  It was an odd feeling.  Is this the end of the era where mom and dad provided all their entertainment?

Oliver has always enjoyed digging in the sand.  

Carter found several starfish.  

Doesn't William look so much older?  

Oliver dipping his toes in the cold water.  

As soon as school let out for summer, we went to Florida and spent almost 2 weeks there.

 We didn't do the theme parks this year.  Instead, we focused on the smaller things.  We spent quality time with my parents.  The kids became little fish in their pool swimming nearly every day we were there.  We visited with friends.  They got to play with a puppy, hang out in a chicken coop and pet goats.  They got to ride a child's motorcycle.  We visited a Florida beach and they were amazed at the warm temperature of the water.  We took them to St. Augustine and we went to the restaurant that Beau took me to just prior to proposing to me.  We ate good bbq and had real sweet tea.  Ollie got his icee from Sonic (yes, this was on his must-do list).  They experienced their first real thunderstorm as we were caught in it at Disney Springs.  The lightning was so close to us the hairs on my neck stood up.  It was terrifying for them.  We took Ollie to visit various places from his childhood and the hospital where he was born so he could make his very own adoption scrapbook.  We went to Spring Park and walked along the pier.  We visited with family in Daytona and had a great time with them at Chuck E Cheese.  We seriously didn't do anything major.  Together, we just enjoyed the small distractions from our normal chaotic life.

School starts this Thursday and my to-do list is just as long as when summer began.  The basement is actually worse than it was in June.  The camping gear is spread all over the place in various locations.  My flower beds are full of weeds.  The boys did manage to complete their math packets.  One of the two boys completed their reading assignment.  One boy seems to have forgotten his times tables and I have spent the last two weeks following him around the house quizzing him.  I was so obsessed with him re-learning his times tables before school began that I actually found myself following him to the bathroom.....to which he replied, "Really Mom?"  Carter didn't learn his times tables because I never brought out the flash cards so I could work with him.   But, we did have lots of play dates with friends, pool parties, birthday parties, riding bikes, VBS, playing with neighborhood friends, soccer practices, camps, cooking out, hiking, brotherly bonding, swimming in a lake, and fun family trips.

Beaver Brook Association put together a fun day of activities and eclipse viewing.  

 So teachers, I sincerely apologize now.  My kids brains are mush.  But, they are filled with lots of fun memories that I hope will last a lifetime.  Please have mercy on them when school begins.  It's not their fault. Their slacker mom is to blame.

Thumbs Only Get in the Way

Catch a ball.  Tie shoes.  Monkey bars.  Write.  Open a lid from a jar.  Button a shirt.  When Zander was born, these were all the things that flashed in my head that he would not be able to do.  Being born with only 4 fingers on each hand and no opposable thumbs, I was certain that Zander would lead a very limited life.  I knew there would be a life full of accommodations in his future.  In our house, we gave out high fours instead of high fives.  Zander was never a thumb sucker.  He would never be able to hitch hike (this is certainly a positive thing).  I have a tendency to be pretty pessimistic rather than seeing the glass half full kind of a girl.  Thankfully, Beau is the exact opposite.  My all time favorite story about Beau's sense of humor regarding his son's missing thumbs was when Zander was about 6 months old.  We were at the mall and Zander was in the stroller.  I was a few feet away shopping, but I was close enough and could hear and see the whole interaction.  This sweet little old lady came over and began to sing the "This little piggy went to market" song using Zander's fingers.  Halfway through the song, she realized she was going to run out of piggies before the song was over, and she just sang "Hmmmm" in an uncomfortable humming sound.  I wanted to save her and have a conversation, but Beau wanted to see her reaction so he left her hanging.  She quickly grabbed her shopping bags and almost ran away.  To this day, Beau and I laugh about that.

One thing that I did not count on was Zander's stubbornness, determination, and deep competitive streak.  These have all worked in his favor, even the stubbornness (sometimes).  Zander has always had a great sense of humor about his hands, even as a small child.  He got that from Beau.  I was very sensitive about the situation, but Beau taught Zander from an early age to not only accept his beautiful hands, but to embrace them.  To this day, Zander would tell you that the missing thumbs is a great conversation starter.  He has never shied away from this topic.....ever.  He will be the first to make a joke, thereby, putting others at ease.  One summer during scout camp, he went to the nurse's station and had covered his hands in cloths and filled them with ketchup to look like blood.  He then proceeded to explain to the nurse that he had lost his thumbs.  She was horrified, but he was quite satisfied with his humor.

When he was learning to write as a little guy, his teacher wanted him to use a special pencil gripper.  Zander graciously tried, but it didn't take him long to decide that he didn't want anything that would differentiate him from his fellow classmates.  He worked harder, but he taught himself to write using a normal pencil like everyone else.  His hand gets tired very quickly because of the grip he has to use when writing, but he was never deterred.  When playing on the playground, Zander quickly became the fastest monkey bar user.  He could beat all his classmates.  He would joke saying that he didn't have thumbs to get in his way.  He did this all because someone told him that he shouldn't use the monkey bars because he may fall.

In kindergarten, his teacher challenged each of the students to tie their shoes.  There was some kind of treat for the students that could accomplish this challenge (although I can't remember now what that was).  Up until this time, Zander had not been able to tie his shoes.  But this competition was all he needed to spur him on.  Later on, in about 3rd or 4th grade, Zander was involved in an OT program at his elementary school.  Zander always struggled to use scissors.  Cutting on the line proved to be a very difficult task.  His OT purchased him some special spring loaded scissors to assist him with his cutting skills.  Zander tried using them, but again, he was being singled out and therefore would not use them.  He did go on to learn to cut with more precision.  He worked hard on that skill.  However, his determination was not so much for his own gain, but more to prove others wrong.

Zander was very active with gymnastics and was quite good.  Once he got a little older, he joined an all boys gymnastics class where he would be using the uneven bars and rings.  The Russian teacher was just sure that Zander shouldn't be in this class and could get hurt.  I assured him that he would be fine, and sure enough, Zander excelled.  In fact, I think he was a little faster due to not having to manipulate his thumbs for the turning.

When he was in middle school, the school counselor thought it would be a good idea for Zander to learn to use the Dragon Speech computer program that would translate his spoken words into typed format. Being respectful, Zander obliged.  However, to this day, he still has never used this program.   Remember the not being singled out thing?

I am proud of Zander's determination.  I have always told him that his only handicap in life would be his own attitude.  I know that God has gifted Zander with many things that help him overcome his hands.  He is quite intelligent.  He has long fingers and a strong grip.  Zander may have to sometimes try a little harder or work a little smarter, but he always manages to figure things out.  When I can't open a jar of pickles or pry open the lid to the juice container, he is my go to guy.

Now, he has a job at a local grocery store chain where he is a bagger and a cashier. Customers are always commenting about how quick and efficient he is whether he is bagging or ringing up groceries.  This past week, the grocery store held a bagging contest.  In this contest, the baggers had to bag groceries the fastest, according to the store's rules, and distribute the weight as evenly as possible.  Zander won this contest.  Apparently, whoever wins this local contest will go on to a district level contest, and then to national.  Yes, folks.  There will be a national champion bagger sometime this year.  Who knew?  Regardless of how far Zander makes it in this contest, I am proud. Proud that the fastest bagger of the Nashua Hannaford grocery store is none other than my son with no thumbs.  How ironic is that?

For his senior year in high school, he has to take some kind of art/music credit.  He chose guitar.  I am not sure what his instructor is going to think when Zander shows up the first day of class for learn guitar.  I am actually kind of anxious to hear about the reaction.  Boy, would I love to be a fly on that wall.  Zander's sense of humor is endearing.

He recently learned about the "No Hitchhiking" sign in driver's ed.  And of course, he couldn't wait to purchase one of his own to hang in his room.  Ha.  Ha.  This kid cracks me up.

That Boy Can Move

Our family took our annual trip to Canobie Lake Park last week.  We go every summer and the boys look forward to it each time.  It's no Disney, but it is the perfect pace and size for our family.  This year, we were able to bring one of Zander's childhood friends with us as he was here for a short visit. The lines are never long, the weather is never too hot, and there is enough of a variety to appeal to each of my children.  Carter loves the water park and the water rides while my other three love the rides.  Now that Will and Ollie have joined the over 48" club, they qualify for many more rides now.  Carter is taller than his 2 older brothers, but he refuses to ride anything besides the kiddie rides.

So, as normal, we entered the park with our buddy.  This year, our buddy system was interrupted a little in the beginning because we had a guest.  Zander and Jarod went off for a few hours together to ride the big stuff.  Beau was in charge of Carter and William.  I had Ollie.  Ollie is always my partner whether it be at restaurants, sitting on the couch, going to parks, riding on the airplane, etc.  Although we have been to Canobie several times, due to his sensory issues, going to places like Canobie can be extremely overwhelming.  So for almost an entire hour, Ollie and I simply walked around the park and he took in all the scenery.  He glanced at the various rides and we talked about each one.  We even stood in a few lines, until he changed his mind and wanted to keep searching.  It was exhausting.  I am usually like a big kid in that I love to ride the coasters and I was beginning to lose my patience.  But Oliver finally got on a ride and after it was over, he was fine the rest of the day.  In fact he got on a "big boy" ride even though he was a little afraid. He saw that it spun in a crazy fast circle and asked me if he would throw up from the ride.  I told him I didn't think so, but he had never ridden it before so I wasn't positive.  That answer didn't stop him.  He got on the ride and assured me that if he felt nausous, he would simply cover his mouth so he wouldn't throw up on anyone.  I am glad to report that he did not vomit.

In the middle of the day, we all met up and traded around partners.  Zander, Jarod, and William spent some time together.  The teenagers introduced William to the big coasters and from I heard, William was a pro.  The last part of the day, all 5 boys rode the water rides over and over again.  The three littles, of course, wanted to sit next to Jarod.  Jarod was generous enough to ride with each of them, even though I think he was getting tired of the same rides.  It was a fun day.  However, my fondest memory of the day was a fun interruption in the late afternoon.  The park always plays loud music over their pa system and mostly it is just background music.  However, as we were walking on the sidewalk going from one ride to another, a certain song came on and it seemed to speak to Carter.  He literally stopped in the middle of the sidewalk to begin dancing and beat boxing.  He was such a fun sight that passersby stopped to watch.  Before we knew it, Carter had a crowd of people standing around him to watch his performance.  The best part was that Carter was completely oblivious to his fans as he was so "into" his dancing and beat boxing.  If I had been quick, I would have put my hat upside down on the sidewalk for people to toss in their spare change.  We probably would have had enough to buy ice creams for everyone.  I also wished I had thought to snap a picture.  I was too busy watching his performance. 

What Do You Mean There's No Santa Claus?

Santa Claus, Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy are fun magical characters that many children enjoy celebrating.  Some parents do not celebrate the magic of these stories simply because they do not want to deceive their children.  Which I totally understand.  Many parents do not celebrate these characters because of their religion.  I get it.  Some parents do celebrate these stories because it brings such an innocent joy and magic to the lives of our children.  Beau and I are those kind of parents.  Let's face it, once you become parents, you enjoy Christmas just a little differently.  Parents get pleasure from watching the excitement in their children's eyes on Christmas morning.  In any case, I feel that however you choose to handle "Santa, the Bunny, and the Fairy" is your prerogative as parents.  The saying, "To Each His Own".

Zander has always been a matter of fact kind of kid.  I don't remember the age, but Zander came to us one day, just after Christmas, and announced that he knew there was not a Santa Claus.  In fact, he claimed to have known for a couple of years, but he didn't want to risk not receiving anything for Christmas.  In his mind, kids didn't receive toys if they didn't believe in Santa.

Zander's last year believing in Santa

 Two years ago, our little William was questioning the validity of Santa.  He would ask us little prying questions about how Santa delivered packages to homes without chimneys or how could his sleigh hold toys for all the boys and girls of the world.  These are very common questions children ask as they become a little more aware.  But William was kind of young still and Beau and I wanted to keep the magic alive a little longer.

 Perhaps we enjoyed his innocence too and weren't ready to "educate" William yet.  But his questions began to lead to comparisons of Jesus.  Being a new Christian and recently baptized, William began to innocently put Jesus and Santa in the same category.  This is when Beau and I realized that although we made serious efforts to gently guide William through this process without divulging the "big secret", we quickly came to the conclusion that William wasn't satisfied with our flimsy story.  It was time to "educate" him of our deceit.  As it turned out, he handled it with great maturity and he was actually thrilled to be part of the conspiracy.  He was also obedient in that he didn't tell his brothers or classmates.  The whole process went more smoothly than we expected and it helped William place God back into his rightful spot....highest of high and on the throne.

Fast forward two years.  To the present.  Oliver has decided that he wants an expensive kids motorbike for Christmas.   I have explained at great lengths that Beau and I do not believe that a motorbike is an appropriate gift for a 7 year old, not to mention the financial implications that come with such a gift.  Besides, we would have to buy 3 bikes.   You know, to prevent the endless bickering over who gets the next turn, making sure each child gets equal time on the bike down to the second.  I get nightmares just thinking about it.   So Oliver's little 7 year old mind came up with a simple solution.  He is going to ask Santa for the gift so it will be free.  Wow.  The Santa Claus gig is backfiring.  Now, with many kids, parents can successfully redirect their children and after a short while the child will move on to the next thing.  But not our Ollie.  He is like a dog with a bone, only 100x worse.  Literally.  He fixates on things until pure exhaustion.  At this point, this motorbike fixation has lasted weeks.  It doesn't help that one of the houses we pass regularly on our outings has a young boy with a motorbike and we see him riding it around the farm often.

One evening during a dinner conversation,  Oliver brought it up again.  I was so glad that Beau was here to witness and be part of the conversation.  Because of the timing of many of my previous conversations with Ollie, Beau was at work and missed most of the fixation.  Anyway, Beau is usually really good at finding the right words to lovingly nip the conversation.  But not this time.  Even Carter joined in with the whole Santa Claus can bring it for free theory.  Then the final mistake happened.  Carter said he would ask Jesus.  That comment led to a whole list of questions about the difference between Jesus and Santa. Beau and I were losing traction.  He and I just looked at each other and knew what had to be done.  William just sat there silently the whole time with an all-knowing smirk and just kept eating his dinner.

Beau, as delicately as he could, delivered the news.  Ollie handled it in full Ollie style.  He found it humorous and was glad to be a part of the grown-up plot.  It was amusing to watch his eyes twinkle as he was figuring it all out in his mind.  But our poor Carter.  He was devastated.  He wailed out in these exact words, "My life as I knew it is over"! Yes, he has a thing for theatrics and can be quite dramatic.  However, he was genuinely saddened.  But Beau and I knew that if Ollie had to keep it a secret from Carter, that would have maybe lasted for seconds.

Santa is fun and Christmas is magical, but that should never be confused with the true gift of life and our source of happiness, our Savior.   Our Ollie and Carter will be alright and Christmas will be a little different this year, but at least they will come to better understand the importance of Jesus.

Poor Carter's expression when he learned of the conspiracy

Being a Mom...With Four Boys

All moms, regardless of demographics, backgrounds, religious beliefs, political views, financial status, and education, have certain things in common.  We labor over many difficult decisions regarding the care for our children.  Some days, the decisions seem endless.  Disposable vs cloth diapers, bottles vs nursing, being a scheduled mom or being a mom that takes a more laid back approach to parenting, what foods to feed her child, distinguishing between a normal cold or the flu, knowing whether that boo boo just needs a kiss, a band-aid, or stitches.  Moms are the go to person for everything.

We find the missing Lego heads and the matching socks, we spell Dinosaur for like the millionth time so they can watch a documentary about their favorite prehistoric animal on Netflix, we referee between siblings, we make sure their favorite pajamas are washed and ready to wear, we give hugs when needed and we give instruction and direction when necessary.  I imagine most moms reading this can relate and completely understand.  And although each child is different with their own little quirky things that make them special, motherhood is always the same.  Yes, mothers vary in their approaches and decisions, but ultimately, we struggle through the same experiences.  It is what bonds us.  Several moms can be standing at the playground and it's like we have our own secret language.  With just a courteous smile, a simple nod of the head, or an all-knowing wink, we are instantly somehow all on the same page.  Behind that smile is an understanding that only moms have.  This is not to say, however, that dads don't have this bond with other dads; but it's just different.  They use fist pumps, high fives, innocent competition, and so forth.  I don't want to in any way diminish the role of a dad.  They are equally as important and necessary. 

But this blog is dedicated to all the moms of boys.  I have observed many moms over the years with girls.  Things are significantly different between mom and daughter relationships and mom and son relationships.  There is usually a sweet bond where lots of talking about every single detail of the day is discussed.  Moms get invited to many tea parties and dress up sessions.  Moms and daughters share in trips to the salon for pedicures.   Girls actually enjoy shopping with their moms.  If moms have multiple daughters in the home, from what I have witnessed, quiet playtime exists.  Yes, there may be drama, some squealing and tears, but ultimately, it all settles down and harmony re-enters the room.  I rather enjoy watching the dynamics of moms with their daughters.  It is generally pleasant and refreshing. 

Then we have the other moms.  Moms like me.  Moms with only boys.  These moms, and I may be biased here, are pretty special in their own right.  Don't get mad.  ALL moms are special and deserve to be recognized and honored.  But moms with just boys are a special breed.  Mothers of boys is not for the weak, thin skinned, frail, tender-hearted, and timid moms.  Nope.  Oh sure, we can possess these traits at times because we are ladies.  But the reality of it is moms with boys need to be tough.  The house is loud....ALL the time, except for those special hours between 8:30pm and 6:30am.  Also, you might as well come to the realization that something is GOING to get broken.  We have a special emergency kit in the house.  No, I am not speaking of our normal emergency kit that includes bandages, peroxide, thermometer, etc.  Our emergency kit includes spackle, putty knife, spare paint, super glue, duct tape, nails and screws, and a miscellaneous "How to Fix It" book.  Zander was our only child for 8 years and during that time literally only one thing in the house was broken as a result of his negligence.  However, in the last 8 years when our family grew by 3 more boys, I have lost count of the broken items.  Beau has had to make several drywall repairs (he has become a master at this), we have had to re-paint walls and furniture because of our little artists using sharpie markers, I have glued my fingers together while trying to repair broken figurines, bed slats have become broken because little boys like to play Superman, we have had to replace windows (surprisingly, a nerf dart and arrow can actually break a basement window), and Beau has had many opportunities to learn plumbing skills as items have been flushed down the toilets that should NEVER have been there in the first place.  Let's just say that the local dump is filled with broken items from the Bennett household. 

Also, boys resolve all their problems with wrestling and relentless competition.  However, once their battle is over and a victor has been announced, the problem is done.  No grudges, no hostility.  They simply go back to their activity until the next problem.  Boys are little engineers and they prove this each time they decide to take things apart.  I can not even begin to tell you how often I have found little screws in odd locations from yet another attempted experiment.   They are little dare devils and  getting a bloody boo boo is something to be celebrated and is a sign of bravery.  Little boys hope it will leave a scar so they have something to brag about.  Climbing trees and digging for earthworms is a must and chasing rabbits, groundhogs, turkeys, squirrels and chipmunks is all too common in my house  (yes, all of these visit our yard.  The groundhog has made a home underneath our deck).  Running into each other with their bikes on purpose making the victim scream with fear is just another example of their playtime together. 

Communication is reduced to grunts, minimal responses, and absolutely no details.  Oh sure, I get details surrounding their gym time or lunch time at school.  They can tell me how many times they jumped a rope and how much better they were than other students (the competitive drive, remember?) or what their best friend brought for his snack and how they want me to buy the same stuff.  But talking about social things, academic topics, conversations they had throughout the day....forget it.  Now we're back to the grunts and yes and no responses. 

Boys have an innate ability to constantly be dirty and stinky...even just moments after their shower.  Their clothes attract dirt, spilled drinks, fallen spaghetti, and dropped toothpaste.  I have become an expert at deciphering what kind of stain is on their clothes and how to properly treat that stain for removal.  It's a science really.  The growth of dirty clothes in the hamper grows exponentially.  If I fail to do laundry for a couple of days, I might as well give up because I am doomed.






Boys are loud, destructive, and competitive people.  Over the years, I have found that I am actually louder than I used to be.  I feel like I have to be just to be heard.  I laugh at things that just a few years ago I would have never found funny.  Potty talk is common in our house.  Bodily noises entertain the boys far more than it should.  I have come to the conclusion that I will NEVER have a clean bathroom again...until they move away to college.  Calm and stimulating dinner conversation is a thing of the past.  They bring me souvenirs all the time, like slugs, bugs, spiders.  They thoroughly enjoy hearing me squeal every time they bring me a creature from the dirt.  No rain puddle goes unnoticed.  We can be on the other side of the parking lot and I don't even see the rain puddle, but somehow, the boys have an uncanny sixth sense and are what appears to be magnetically drawn to the water.  I have often times been splashed from the waist down from my precious little guys stomping in a puddle.  Some days I feel like I have completely lost what makes me feminine. 

But then there are those precious moments that somehow make everything ok again.  Whether it's Zander witnessing me struggling to lift something and he helps me without being asked, or William running into the house with muddy feet to bring me that special flower he searched all over the yard to find for me or that moment when Oliver comes up to me and gives me the biggest hug and looks right into my eyes and he tells me how much he loves me, or when Carter cradles my face with his hands and says, "Mommy, you are so pretty", they are all such special moments in time.  During these moments, my heart melts and I remember why it's so special having boys.  My boys look after me, they take care of me, they can be gentle and tender with me, and they love me.  Oh, what a special relationship between boys and their mom.  I am lucky.  Tired and frazzled, but lucky.