Kansas Trip

So... we just got back from Kansas. If you are reading this, and in Kansas, and we didn't get to see you, my sincere apologies. We tried very hard to see as many people as possible without overdoing it, and I think we may have anyway. It was the twins' first time to Kansas, and they met a good deal of their extended family. It was a whirlwind trip, but well worth it. I have no idea when we will be home again, but I already miss it.

We went for a number of reasons- 4th of July, Casey's extended work trip to the UK directly after, and Dad and Valerie's birthdays. I had to split my days up, since Keaton is still taking a good nap in the afternoons, so it allowed a bit of a break mid-day to regroup. Still, with all the help from family, I feel like it's taking a few days to fully recover from the non-stop running, visiting, and travel in general. I have bruises all over my legs from getting the boys and their gear in and out of the van. I stopped counting at 18. I have so many bruises, I almost started to look tan. Yikes!

Keaton had a blast, no doubt about it. He rode the train and carousel at Gage Park, visited the zoo with his aunts and Grandma & Grandpa, went to Chuck E. Cheese with Nana & Papa, watched movies, played in the sprinkler, got a ton of new toys, and some KSU and KU clothes (his current favorite... he will wear nothing else if they are clean). He said some pretty hilarious things, too. Here's a compilation:

*****
K: "Why do girls curl their hair?"
Me: "To look pretty."
K: "For boys?" (How does he understand this already?)

K: "Your full name is Ashley Broke Hetrick."
Me: "I'm not broken."
K: "Your middle name is broken!"

"When I get big and old like Mommy and Daddy, I can drive."

Grandpa: "I'd like to buy this baby." (Rowan)
K: "He doesn't cost anything...He doesn't have a tag on himself."

"Mommy, I hear my brudders being quiet."

"I'm a big drinker." (of water, I hope...)

"I wanna be Papa. When I fix airplanes I will call myself Papa."

"Mommy, you look prettier than the whole world!"

"Mommy, ask me '¿Como estas?'"
Me: "¿Como estas?"
Keaton: "Bien, you too?"

Me: "Sometimes people have triplets, that's three! Can you imagine having three baby brothers?"
K: "I want 20 baby brothers."
Me: "You're gonna need a new Mommy, then. That's a litter."

At the table while the family was playing Apples to Apples, he overheard someone say, "That's weird."
K: "You're weird. Everyone is weird. OH my GOSH!!" LOL

"K-E-A-T-O-N spells wall."

"Someday when I get big I will plant a blueberry bush, a blackberry bush... a burrito bush. And I will grow food for everyone in Kansas and Kansas City and Illinois. Someday when I'm big I can grow a lot and a lot. Someday I will grow potty on a bush." We made need a lesson on what can and can't grow out of the ground...

"We went to the state of Morocco."

Driving from Iowa into Illinois...
Casey: "We're in Illinois, Keaton!"
K: "Yay, that's where my house lives!"

Keaton was pretending to serve Casey coffee. He wanted Casey to 'buy' it from him.
Casey: "Does six dollars give me a lot of coffee?"
K: "No, 20 dollars gives you a lot of coffee." Logical already. Especially with the price of coffee these days!

"This song is Little Black Submarines by The Black Keys. That song reminds me of Nana when she was little."

"I have gas. It's like stinky air." Indeed.

"My body makes gas into my tummy, into my bottom, then I make pancake circles!" LOL... where does he come up with this stuff?

I know I missed so many... like when he was taking an order for drinks for my parents, and Dad said, "I'd like apple juice"... Keaton said, "Okay, I'll get your orange just for you!" LOL! He is an absolute trip. He was a total ham. The Keatonism book may have just expanded by 3 or 4 pages.
*****

Rowan rolled on July 7th at the Hetricks, and Nik rolled on the 11th at Aunt Margaret's house, in front of family. The twins are officially mobile. I am freaking out. I'm sorry that Casey had to miss it. I got to spend some good quality time with family and friends, which was a nice distraction since Casey was gone almost the whole week. He gets back tonight from another trip, and then hopefully he won't leave again until sometime in September. I have even more respect for my friends who are single parents. I don't think I'm cut out for that, it takes more patience than I have ever had.

Speaking of that, I wish I had more of it. I know this is a theme for some time now, but I really am struggling with it with Keaton. I can handle two babies... it's the 3 year old part of Keaton that I struggle with most. I feel guilty because I feel like I yell at him all the time. I hope that's not really the case, and I don't think it really is, but it's still difficult to balance everything. I need some good quality time with him. He really is such a good kid... so why do I feel like I get so easily frustrated with whining, crying, or being a typical 3 year old in general? I don't want to scar him. I don't want him to be afraid to talk to me, or feel like I was never fun. I want to smack myself in the face sometimes. I want someone to shock me every time I tell him 'no', so I can learn. I know these are typical things parents with more than one child face... heck, maybe even parents with one child. But I really feel like I need to be a better Mom to him. I adore that kid. It's not his fault he is a little more needy right now... he's got two brothers to compete with. Every time we are out in public, people stop us- about his brothers. It never fails. I took all 3 of them to Walmart last night, and I think we heard "God bless you" about 4-5 times by various people that witnessed me with three kids. (Before I forget, we were out to lunch with De & Keith's friends and their two kids, and a lady stopped by our table and said she felt sorry for me. I told her not to... then she mentioned something about me having 5 kids... she thought the other two were mine! WTH????) People, don't feel sorry for me. I love my boys. We are (usually) having a blast! Yes, I am frazzled. (This is apparently a good word to describe me, according to my family while we played Apples to Apples. Agreed.) Yes, I am tired. But I wouldn't change my family situation for anything. Yes, I would love to live closer to home. Yes, whenever we go out, it's chaotic. But that's just US. Don't feel sorry for me!!! I may not have planned having 3 kids, but I wouldn't trade any of them. Yes, even the 3 year old. ;-)

The Kansas trip filled my cup. I miss it already. I'm kind of sad to be home. But I'm happy to have our own space, our own bed, and our own routine again. I hope to visit again soon, though. Maybe not by vehicle next time... longest road trip EVER. Totally worth it.

-Ash