The Hawkins Christmas December 4! Yes, I ran out of time this day. I was planning on yelling and freaking them awake, but they looked way to cute and peaceful, I couldn't bring myself to...yet.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Christmas Parade, Dec. 3, 2011
December 3rd's video. We spent the evening with friends, family, cousins and grandparents watching the Christmas parade. Watching Anea's face and holding her back from joining the parade was my favourite part!
Christmas Parade 2011 from Debbie Hawkins on Vimeo.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
My Little Elves Hard at Work
Here is our newest video! Elves working hard for our December 2cnd video! (Took a while getting it uploaded.)
Little Elves - December 2, Christmas 2 from Debbie Hawkins on Vimeo.
Little Elves - December 2, Christmas 2 from Debbie Hawkins on Vimeo.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Christmas At the Hawkins
A few years ago I did a video every day in December. I thought I'd try that again this year, so here it is - our Christmas starting December 1st!
Monday, November 28, 2011
Fear of the Dark
"Mommy, will you stay upstairs for a while?" It's been Keyon's request the last few weeks after I've tucked them into bed. At four years old, night worries and fears seem to have started setting in. Most bedtime excuses I am abrupt about and ignore them or give them ultimatums if they bring it up again, but fear of the dark is something I still remember vividly, and have alot of patience for.
As I was reminiscing, I remember when I was younger with my family ever expanding, my parents built a room in the basement for my sister and I to share. Feeling all alone down there and in the dark, I remember making a quick dash from the stairs to the safety of our bedroom, worried about what could happen that late at night in those 15 feet of space between those two places. Even having my sister sleeping across the room, I would lay awake, straining to hear any noise of life upstair, trying to block out the strange creaks and groans that a house seemingly makes only at night. Most nights, my dad would be in his workshop down the hall, and though I'm sure it drove my mom nuts that he spent so much time down there, it was relief for me. Once that table saw started up, I would be able to relax and fall asleep. To this day, the smell of sawdust and the sound of a table saw is a favourite of mine.
We moved to Chilliwack when I was a teen where we built a room for my 2 sisters and I to share. I sure missed the sounds of the workshop, but we had our own stereo then and fell asleep every night to the soundtrack of "The Last of the Mohicans". Even then, being in the same room with two sisters, I would wake up scared in the middle of the night and try to make noises to wake them up, hoping to be invited to share their bed with them, which never happened. For some reason I never felt able to just crawl in their bed on my own accord.
At 18 I remember waking up in the night and being too terrified to move or call out as I watched a shadow creep across the room, seemingly to "get me". Even once I was married, I was so thankful for the neighbours dog (and I hate dogs) which made me feel safer, as Matt was gone alot of evenings. To this day, I have to have a curtain open or a nightlight on, or I will freak out if I wake up during the night, and when we are camping and it's pitch black, I have to sleep with a flashlight turned on the entire night.
All these memories have resurfaced now that I have to teach my own children how to handle their fears. This last year, they were terrified to go upstairs alone, and as much as it drove us CRAZY, I could also understand it, because I remember going down hallways and being so scared to look into dark corners or dark doorways, or even to close a door and see what might behind it or in a closet. I would picture a scary or ugly face and was so worried that when I looked in those dark places, I would suddenly see that horrible face there, even though I knew how ridiculous it was.
Now with my own children, I put my laundry on when they go to sleep so they can hear noise. I leave nightlights on and the bathroom light. I put music on a sleep timer for them and let the light from the cd player act as a nightlight for them. I promise to check on them in a little while to see if they are ok. And most recently, I will occasionally make myself busy upstairs for a half hour so that my sons can fall asleep more easily. This being said, I don't accept any crap from them at bedtimes, complains, fake injuries and random requests are ignored. Discipline is given and privileges are taken away if these things and my patience with them and their fears are abused.
I only share these things with you all because I think alot of people don't understand childrens' fears of the dark. You can't rationalize fear away, you can't force or discipline it away. I think you can just give them ways to cope with and handle it until they grow up to use self control and their brain is developed enough that they are able rationalize themselves through the moment. So happy bedtimes to you, and don't ever lock me in the dark or I will attack you like an animal and probably bite your face off!
As I was reminiscing, I remember when I was younger with my family ever expanding, my parents built a room in the basement for my sister and I to share. Feeling all alone down there and in the dark, I remember making a quick dash from the stairs to the safety of our bedroom, worried about what could happen that late at night in those 15 feet of space between those two places. Even having my sister sleeping across the room, I would lay awake, straining to hear any noise of life upstair, trying to block out the strange creaks and groans that a house seemingly makes only at night. Most nights, my dad would be in his workshop down the hall, and though I'm sure it drove my mom nuts that he spent so much time down there, it was relief for me. Once that table saw started up, I would be able to relax and fall asleep. To this day, the smell of sawdust and the sound of a table saw is a favourite of mine.
We moved to Chilliwack when I was a teen where we built a room for my 2 sisters and I to share. I sure missed the sounds of the workshop, but we had our own stereo then and fell asleep every night to the soundtrack of "The Last of the Mohicans". Even then, being in the same room with two sisters, I would wake up scared in the middle of the night and try to make noises to wake them up, hoping to be invited to share their bed with them, which never happened. For some reason I never felt able to just crawl in their bed on my own accord.
At 18 I remember waking up in the night and being too terrified to move or call out as I watched a shadow creep across the room, seemingly to "get me". Even once I was married, I was so thankful for the neighbours dog (and I hate dogs) which made me feel safer, as Matt was gone alot of evenings. To this day, I have to have a curtain open or a nightlight on, or I will freak out if I wake up during the night, and when we are camping and it's pitch black, I have to sleep with a flashlight turned on the entire night.
All these memories have resurfaced now that I have to teach my own children how to handle their fears. This last year, they were terrified to go upstairs alone, and as much as it drove us CRAZY, I could also understand it, because I remember going down hallways and being so scared to look into dark corners or dark doorways, or even to close a door and see what might behind it or in a closet. I would picture a scary or ugly face and was so worried that when I looked in those dark places, I would suddenly see that horrible face there, even though I knew how ridiculous it was.
Now with my own children, I put my laundry on when they go to sleep so they can hear noise. I leave nightlights on and the bathroom light. I put music on a sleep timer for them and let the light from the cd player act as a nightlight for them. I promise to check on them in a little while to see if they are ok. And most recently, I will occasionally make myself busy upstairs for a half hour so that my sons can fall asleep more easily. This being said, I don't accept any crap from them at bedtimes, complains, fake injuries and random requests are ignored. Discipline is given and privileges are taken away if these things and my patience with them and their fears are abused.
I only share these things with you all because I think alot of people don't understand childrens' fears of the dark. You can't rationalize fear away, you can't force or discipline it away. I think you can just give them ways to cope with and handle it until they grow up to use self control and their brain is developed enough that they are able rationalize themselves through the moment. So happy bedtimes to you, and don't ever lock me in the dark or I will attack you like an animal and probably bite your face off!
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Baby It's Cold Outside
The weather has changed to almost winter weather now, and it was so cold out when I picked Kief up from school. I have been having alot of fights with him lately, and when he refused to wear his jacket, I decided to pick that fight in a different way, and so instead of arguing, I gave an evil little laugh (inside my head of course) and braced myself for the judging looks of the other moms as we headed outside with Kiefer's jacket half dragging on the ground (as I refused to carry it).
This day, I let him walk as slowly as he wanted, spin as many circles as he wanted and dawdle the time away, glad I'd had to park a ways away from the school. His cumbersome jacket hitting the ground got a few whines, but that was it, so as we left I I rolled down my window and turned the cold air on. Not a complaint from him. So I roll my window down the rest of the way and rearrange the vents to shoot at him. Still he chatted away without a complaint. We were almost home now. I drove slower and cranked the air up all the way. Still not a peep about being cold. Fine, I will use the power of suggestion.
"Aren't you cold yet?"
"Nope! Not even a little bit!"
Curses! My plan has completely failed! I have lost my battle! Noooooooo! "What?!!" I exclaim. "I have to see this - I'm going to check your hands when we get back!"
He's giggling now, and willingly lets me check his hands once we park. Sure enough they are mildly cool, but not one bit cold. I do not know how he did it, but he won. Maybe I won't bother arguing with him about the coat anymore. I have conceded defeat - what's the point in arguing when he's right! *sigh* I feel the judging stares coming my way!
This day, I let him walk as slowly as he wanted, spin as many circles as he wanted and dawdle the time away, glad I'd had to park a ways away from the school. His cumbersome jacket hitting the ground got a few whines, but that was it, so as we left I I rolled down my window and turned the cold air on. Not a complaint from him. So I roll my window down the rest of the way and rearrange the vents to shoot at him. Still he chatted away without a complaint. We were almost home now. I drove slower and cranked the air up all the way. Still not a peep about being cold. Fine, I will use the power of suggestion.
"Aren't you cold yet?"
"Nope! Not even a little bit!"
Curses! My plan has completely failed! I have lost my battle! Noooooooo! "What?!!" I exclaim. "I have to see this - I'm going to check your hands when we get back!"
He's giggling now, and willingly lets me check his hands once we park. Sure enough they are mildly cool, but not one bit cold. I do not know how he did it, but he won. Maybe I won't bother arguing with him about the coat anymore. I have conceded defeat - what's the point in arguing when he's right! *sigh* I feel the judging stares coming my way!
Thursday, September 29, 2011
The Letter "No" and the Toilet Master.
We were practicing Kiefer's spelling test when I decided I couldn't stand how his little "n"'s looked like "h"'s, so I took matters into my own hands. We practiced n's hand over hand, and when he still forgot the concept of staying below the dotted line and starting at the top of your letter, I told him a story...
A story he can relate to, about a baby "n". "n" stood for "no". The baby "n" isn't allowed upstairs. Upstairs is the place above the dotted line. No going upstairs baby n! Kiefer is giggling away as I explain that the dotted line is the baby gate to keep the baby downstairs. We do some more n's. Now I teach him the curve that goes with the n. I tell him the baby "n" loves going upstairs so much, it reaches up and kisses the baby gate before going back down. Kiefer is in a fit of giggles once again as we practice more "n's", and I have a "yessss, I'm an awesome mom" moment. For a brief moment.
A very brief moment.
All this talk about babies makes me realize that mine is no longer underfoot, and I know exactly where she is. "ANEA!" I exclaim. Keyon starts giggling right away and chases after me as I charge up stairs, hoping I'd made it in time.
I hadn't. My guess is she had been up there for at least a minute. It was the worse one I'd seen yet. The toilet hadn't been flushed and water was all over the toilet. My eyes take in the peed in toilet, the pee water covered the toilet seat, and then my gaze follows her soaked sleeves all the way up to the toothbrush she held in her grubby hands. A toothbrush I swore I threw out a few weeks ago, and either way, had been fished out of the garbage at one time or another. A toothbrush that, if my deduction reasoning is up to par, I'm guessing was swirled around in the toilet before being placed in her mouth. She just stood their grinning, her toilet water styled hair askew and a her toilet-water-garbage toothbrush dangling from her mouth, while Keyon jumped up and down, giggling and shouting his lastest nickname for her. "Toilet Master! Toilet Master! Toilet Master!"
You may think you have an idea of the thoughts that went through my head at that moment, but my guess is you'd be a little off, for the first thought that ran through my head was, "I knew I shouldn't have bothered getting her dressed this morning! All that work matching her entire outfit..."
So I stripped her, bathed her in the sink, redressed her, fed her, cheered at Kiefer's sweet "n's" and now I am thinking that baking cookies, banana bread and washing my floor can all wait for another day. It's time for the Toilet Master's nap and to finish practicing Kiefer's spelling test.
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