Will we be on a first-name basis with staff at our local hospital?

This week has been... Challenging.

With two kids who seemed determined to tag team their sleeping and coordinated the effort so well that not one blessed night gave me a full night of that very valuable shut eye, Jacob's extra efforts to fall, tumble, and flip off of the many surfaces he can climb onto at home (and we're finding that there are MANY that fit the bill now), and Katie's ability to go from happy girl to angry *grrr* monster (but still pretty cute) with her naughty talk backs and excessive use of the word "NO", well, like I said... Challenging.

Tonight was full of excitement of the falling/running kind. Jake was playing in the dining room where we have a small bench for the toy castle and toy house to set on. He must have tried to climb onto the bench. It fell, he cried, I was taking a nap so I pretended to sleep on. John handled the situation and since he didn't come charging into the room with a bleeding baby in his arms, I figured I was safe to continue in my ignorant bliss. Plus, I didn't have to wonder what happened for too long; Katie came in to give me the scoop. And also to ask for a refill of super duper juice. I was shocked when, after I told her I was taking a nap right now but I would get her some after I woke up, she said okay and headed out of the bedroom. She shut the door on her way out and I slept for another 20 minutes! Shocked.

Oh, and later in the evening Katie and Jacob were running through the house. Katie was holding Jake's hand and pulling him along in her wake. Well, she was holding his right hand in her left and not being too careful about her brothers need for personal space. As she rounded the corner into the dining room, I cringed, waiting for him to smack into the wall or table and breathed a sigh of relief when he cleared them. I stuck my head around the corner to see what happened on the next turn and saw Jake run (or be pulled) right into the play kitchen. Katie didn't even look back at the noise... she just kept pulling. Jake reoriented himself, and off they went. I laughed. Because it was kind of funny.

And for a little more excitement, tonight Jake was laying on the couch and *somebody* was standing on the arm of the sofa. I told Katie (oops, did I just give away the identity of the culprit?) to please get down carefully. She didn't seem to have her "listening ears" on. I told her again and something got through. She looked at me, wobbled, tried to balance but with no luck. She didn't step ON Jakes head exactly, but her foot did come into forceful contact with the side of his head on the way to the couch. He cried. Katie was sorry. We moved on.

And about 5 minutes later, it was deja vu. Katie balancing, Jake's head resting close to Katie.
And she slid off of the arm of the couch. And kind of laid down on Jakes side. She was getting up... and she slid down onto him again.

Arg.

More crying, another apology.

But we got it worked out.

Other than that, there wasn't any other kid to kid angst... Just Jake falling off of stuff he tried to climb. And he's only 1. Great. Lots of time to get on a first-name basis with staff at our local hospital.

Fun times.