Can't take your eyes off 'em. Not even for a second.

I really don't know how to gauge this but I am sure every mom thinks it at one time or another. Is my kid really more energetic than other kids? On one hand I really hope so because it means there isn't something horribly wrong with me. By the way, if I didn't get something done and I promised to, it is likely late because I ran out of run after because of my kid. I would venture to say, however, that my kid could play your kid under the table. In drinking terms that is, my kid could wear your kid out and still have energy for days.

Here, as the big kids were working hard editing the workout video, Xyla managed to find a pile of wood that she relocated from outside and began stacking end to end up the wall. It was tall enough that it was a little precarious. Then Fuzzy suggested it was times like that he really wanted to make the "sculpture" permanent by fastening it to the wall. Then she would always be able to say "see that, I made that." I think we can just take pictures and save the wall.

One second you think they are ready to go somewhere. Then you run into your bedroom to "grab something" you forgot and you come back out and they are sans pants and practically in a whole new outfit ready to fish.

By the time you get them re-dressed for whatever it was you were trying desperately not to be late for, they are insisting that you leave their implements in a very exacting location. If it isn't in it's specific spot they will throw a fit until it is, which means you are going no where fast. Some fights are worth fighting and some are not. Especially if you don't have to look at it until much later in the day.

You can't leave them alone with the computer because if you do there is usually a high magnification that you can't figure out how to fix but you know it is fixable because you've done it at least five other times. Or there are 100 pictures of various funny faces they made in the photobooth function of your Mac. Sometimes you come around the corner and realize they have managed to click their way to things they should never, ever see. Like that there is a Hershey, Penn. And they make Hershey's chocolate there. CHOCOLATE! MOMMY, I WANT CHOCOLATE! (yes, she takes after me.)

Then there are the days when you come out of your room from folding and putting away laundry to find the entire contents of your purse strung across the living room along with the entire contents of her toy box, her closet and she has got a good start on the pantry shelves. Those are the days you want to just go back in your room and close the door and pretend for a few minutes that it never happened. But you realize that your kid is still out there and there is flour in your pantry.

At some point it is ill advised to leave them alone at night too. The evening of this picture I laid next to her as she fell asleep in her room. I got up and went to my room. The next morning the bathroom light was on, there was pee in the potty and this is definitely not where I left her.

I asked one of her teachers if it seemed like she had more energy than the other kids. She said yes and that it spiked in the afternoon right after their naps. Frosty even was a little amazed that she was blasting both engines last week from 8am to 5pm before she finally started getting cranky. (No nap!)


Now everyone knows why I am always exhausted. I talked to one of her other teachers and asked her the same question about Xyla's energy level. She said she doesn't really worry about the energetic kids who will listen and participate when she tells them it is time to settle down and read a story or some other quiet activity. Even though Xyla seems overly energetic to me, that I don't need to worry about ADD.


 I wasn't even worried about that. I just wanted to get some idea of how much activity I needed to get her to burn up some energy so she will go to sleep at night. We got a baseball and mit. Tonight it is supposed to snow. Come on winter I am waiting on you to help me wear this kid out. Anytime you want to find out whose kid has more energy you can bring your kid over and we'll let them play it out. Which ever kid drops first . . . loses. It will be fun for everyone.