Laura Vegas

i don't consider myself a strict daycare mom. i'm pretty easy going and like to have fun and laugh a lot. i have rules … and expectations. but nothing rigid or anything. and sometimes … i think the kids can get away with more, if they know i'll get a few good photos out of whatever they're doing. they know me … they know i'm a picture taker. so here is how it went down one afternoon last week. and btw … these photos technically stink big-time. but they're funny!

it started innocently enough. the dudes came to mow the lawns (joe is highly allergic and just can't do it). and haley and nikolas wanted to watch them out the window. just like THESE pictures from last year. so here they are … watching the backyard this time.

i guess they decided they couldn't see enough … and they wanted to get a view from higher up. so why not just climb up on the back of the couch, right? because laura doesn't mind when we do that, right? wrong … i detest when they climb up there. because #1 … they don't belong up there. and #2 … it makes the back cushions all wonky. but i guess i was in the kitchen … doing whatever it was i was doing on a wednesday afternoon. btw … sarah is home because it was early release day, and she got out of school after lunch. alyssa was at a play rehersal.

next thing i know … kids are literally flying OFF the top of the couch. ok, haley? not so much. she was just sort of sliding down the cushions. but nikolas? that dude would stand up on the top of the back cushion. and jump with great gusto onto sarah … who was just laying there looking at a book order form.

i know these pictures are super blurry and bad. but i think they're hilarious. he must have flown off the couch about 20 times in a row. and i just stood there taking pictures of him. you'd think out of 20 … i would get a few better pics. sady, you'd think wrong. lol! after i finally decided to give up on getting an incredibly awesome shot … i totally switched gears on them. i go from encouraging this "wrong" behavior for the sake of a photo … to the "we do NOT jump on the furniture, so you had better get down from there NOW!". it's no wonder they get confused with my "rules". lol!

and a few more super blurry, terrible color shots. we have these 3 large baskets that slide in the table in the family room. that table is so beat up from 8 years of daycare kids … and i never have anything ON the table. i desperatly want to paint it black … but the kids would just ruin it again. i digress. so haley and nikolas are always pulling the baskets out. i like them nice and straight … it bugs me when one is sticking out one side more than the other. i just have blankets in 2 of them … and then diapers, wipes, and extra clothes in the other one. but on this day (after the jumping activity) … they pulled all 3 baskets out all the way and had them all over the family room. i must have been really busy with something … because i never even said anything to them. but they took it upon themselves to try and put them back. i kid you not … these 2 kiddos spent about 10 minutes trying to get the baskets back in the table. and i just watched.

they were so cute … both working together …. side by side. pushing and pulling. they just could NOT get them in there. they'd get one in … and they would push too far, and it would come out the other side. they'd go back and forth … working on both sides. finally, i had sarah help them out. i felt bad that they worked so hard … had to send someone in to help that had some common sense.

but one thing that helps me after crazy days like this? all that activity and gusto … it really does poop them out! naptime is much needed quiet time. lets me recharge a little … so that i can have the energy and patience for more craziness when they wake up. this photo isn't really from the same day … it's from back in february. but i thought it was cute … and it goes with my story.