You're doing great, Mom!

Russell broke my phone last night. One of the teeny tiny little prongs inside the part that the charger goes into broke off because he was trying to shove the charger in upside down. That phone lasted us a year, pretty good around here if you ask me. It's dead as a door nail. Baby Jared used to throw my phone in all kinds of water. Until he was 2.5 or 3 all I had were "Go-Phones". He threw it in the dog's water bowl, the bath tub, the kiddie pool, a puddle of rain water outside. Each time was a different phone. So since I can't post any real pictures of my tyrant here are a couple VERY fitting ones that were posted to my FB wall yesterday...I literally laughed out loud at these.

HA!! Thanks Aunt Ruth!

Thanks Amanda, this is hilarious!!

I've noticed that some people have been sharing the blog with their friends. I think this is great. Let all the moms of crazy tyrant boys unite, I'm not alone (lol)! As great as this is, I feel like I should make it clear that even though Russell (and the others) are crazy, I love them with all my heart and I wouldn't change a thing! Jessica (my awesome hairdresser, go see her at Bel Fiore in Rockwall) found a grey hair last time she gave me a style, but honestly I'm okay with it because I assumed I would have MANY more by now. I love each one of my babe's personalities. They are strong willed and that's okay because they are going to make it in life. I'm confident that they won't be pressured into things that easily. I'm grateful for my kids and I pray that they never feel diferently.

With that being said, a trip to the grocery store requires 2 shopping carts (1 to strap Russell into and set Wyatt's carseat in, and 1 for all the food), a Midol, and an energy drink. The recovery from said trip consists of a trip to Sonic for a Rt 44 Diet Coke. True story.

 Here's a big THANK  YOU to the random mom that kept cheering me on this Monday as we crossed paths down every aisle, and all but high-fived me as we exited Wal-Mart. "You're doing great, you're almost done, keep smiling, your babies are beautiful, it'll get easier" People like her make my MONTH. Reminds me of this story that was floating around a while back...it's a must read for every parent, absolutely hilarious. And here's a big ol BITE ME to the lady that felt the need to come up and tell Jared "Thank you for being such a good father" because he got on to Russell for biting his Grammy at the dinner table (at El Fenix). He IS a great dad, but come on. This happens a lot. We'll be in public with all 4 kids and women are ALWAYS praising Jared for being out with all 4 kids. HELLO....I'M STANDING RIGHT HERE NEXT TO HIM! He isn't alone!!!! And heck yeah he better take us all out in public every once in a while. Geeze, I'm climbing the walls over here.

*Russell just dumped his cereal out on the couch*

Is there a Blue Bellaholics Annonymous? Cause at 8:00 pm when I crawl into bed, you won't find a glass or wine or a stiff drink in this Mormon's hand. You'll find a hefty serving of Blue Bell. My drug of choice. Probably counteracting the insanity dvds. I just want to take another second to thank Elle for not picking THIS November to get married...I'll be looking awesome in my bridesmaid dress NEXT November. It's not just me either, after El Fenix last Friday we went to Firewheel to buy me a new pair of work out shoes and then hit up Wal-Mart because Jared was concerned that there might not be enough ice cream in the freezer for BOTH of us.

*Russell is jumping off of the coffee table*

*Russell is swinging a mop handle around*

*Russell is dumping out the dog food*

He's busy this morning.

*Russell just knocked over the basket of folded laundry*

Maybe I should blog at night while he's asleep....

Monday Jared got to have lunch here at the house. The kids wanted macaroni and cheese and hot dogs so Jared went outside to grill them for us. He ran in and told me to go handle Russell so I walked outside and Russell was chasing him away from the grill with the water hose!!! This picture isn't from that day but its the same scene, different outfit!

Little stinker.

Since I can't post pictures from yesterday, here a couple from last week. I hope you all have a great Thursday!! Hug your babies and your hubbys (or wifeys)!!

Russell eating his birthday breakfast. "Here's your drink Russell, DON'T squeeze it!" Ha! He sqeezed it.

Russell got into the baby powder again, this was right after he smeared the baby lotion all over the toilet seat.

*Russell is now contained in the rocking chair right next to me :)*

Please don't call CPS.

I tried really hard catch Russell in the act with my camera as many times as I could yesterday.

I caught him...

Feeding his breakfast to Penny.

In the Wyatt's cradle.

Playing on my laptop and then trying to hide when I walked into the room.

Shorts on his head, this is his signature move.

Basket on his head.

On the counter, sink on, having a cookie.

In the toy baby crib.

In the baby's swing.

Getting BACK into the toy baby crib.

Put these boots on about 15 times.

Broke the little thing of the blinds so he could walk around swinging it at people.

AND....while I typed that out, he pushed a chair over to the counter and got another cookie and got into the candy jar.

Russell is a biter. Yesterday he bit my arm twice, my hand once and my BUTT. My eye has developed a twitch recently but only when Russell is being Russell....and when Jared gets home from work. Coincidence? Not a chance.

Russell did lots of things that I didn't take pictures of as well. At one point he came running out of my bed room naked so I ran him to the potty, he peed and then I diapered him and put his shirt back on. I sat him on the couch and went to my bathroom to get his shorts. In that 3 seconds he climbed up onto the counter and stole my Diet Coke. That's just what we need...Russell Owen on caffeine! I went to go check on the baby, came back to the living room and Russell has taken his shorts off again and just knocked the trashcan over. Caught him shoving 2 cds into the Wii....no wonder that thing makes a growling noise when we try to play it.

Jared went home with his Uncle Dallas and Aunt Britanie yesterday afternoon so Wylee and Russell played together. They were playing in the toy kitchen so Russell grabbed a plastic spoon out of the real kitchen to eat his fake bread with. I found him gagging himself with it until his eyes were red and watery, and laughing every time he did it. Nice.
*Ok, while typing that out Russell brought me his diaper full of poop, with poop on his hand.*
He also ran into the living room with Jared's belt and hit me with it...over and over again, I couldn't get away from him.
And to finish the day off I found him in the hallway in nothing but a diaper scrubbing the floor with the toilet bowl brush...and it was wet.
So there you have it. That was a fraction of the excitement that takes place on a daily basis around here. Obviously I couldn't catch everything that he did yesterday. I need a nanny.

Anyone else think my 3.5 year old is a little too big for an excersaucer?

And just so you don't think my other kids are angels, here's a bonus story. We went to Wal-Mart last Monday like always and as I was checking out the old woman that was ringing my stuff up looked at me with a HORRIFIC look on her face like she was about to cry and frantically told me that Wylee had just woken the baby up by pinching his nose shut. It'll be a long time before I forget the look on that woman's face. All I could really do was turn around and say "Wylee, don't touch the baby and DON'T pinch his nose shut!" But what I wanted to say was, "Look lady, if that's the worst thing that happens to Wyatt today then I'm gonna consider it a good day. This cute little teddy bear that you've been waving to for the last 5 minutes has colored that baby's eyelids with markers, stuck a quarter in his mouth, slapped and bit him more times than I can count, and sat on him. Please don't call CPS."
On that note....I hope you all have a good hump day :)

Introducing Russell.

THIS is Russell Owen.

He is by far the craziest kid we have. I once heard Wylee say to her baby dolls, "That's Fussell, he hits us and kicks us and bites us and throws things at us." Yep. That pretty much sums up Russell. In fact, as I type this, he is climbing up on the recliner that I'm sitting in and jumping off of it to the couch.

Sunday afternoon is the ONLY afternoon that everyone in the house naps. This Sunday, however, Russell and Jared did NOT nap while the rest of us did. Wylee ran into our room and yelled "Russell peed on my floor!!" Jared got up to go see what was going on and I heard him say, "Why are you naked on the counter??" Russell was sitting on the bathroom counter butt naked washing his shorts in the sink. Jared asked him if he peed in Wylee's room and he very proudly took Jared in the room and showed him right where he had peed. The fun isn't over yet. Jared put Russell back to bed (diapered and clothed) and came back to finish his nap. We woke up again about an hour later to find Russell, butt naked AGAIN, sitting on the bar behind the kitchen sink spraying the trash can with the vegetable sprayer! I can't make this stuff up people. His arms and legs were covered in marker and that kid hadn't napped a single minute. Never again will I fall asleep before making sure Russell is asleep first.

This is the kind of stuff that goes on daily in our house......

Russell dipping toilet paper into the toilet bowl and throwing it on the walls (this happens a LOT, and I have a fear of balled up wet paper...especially toilet paper). And yes he is in a onesie at 2 years old. Its the only way that I can keep a diaper on his bum.

This is Russell covered in body wash.

Russell wearing my socks, he does this ALL the time.

Look at that face! Guilty as sin. He just turned on the water as Jared was looking into the sprayer.

Russell is always getting into baby powder, reminding me that I haven't hidden ALL of the bottles yet. He covers the toilet lid with baby lotion. He drinks out of the toilet, and often. He jumps from the coffee table to anyone or anything he can reach. And I can't keep a diaper on that kid for the life of me!

Just last night Jared took his diaper off and I had a new one ready to put on him and then put his pjs on. Wyatt was laying on his blanket on the floor and Russell walked over to him bent his knees, and peed all over Wyatt's blanket, he was dang proud of it too.

I figured if I start a blog documenting the terror that is Russell it will help me to laugh about it rather than go crazy. One day I'll make a book out of this blog and give it to his wife when they get married...and I'll laugh, cause when he has kids he's gonna get back all the heck he gave me!

One more picture just to remind myself that he does have brief moments of sweetness :)