A weekend of "New Rules"

Many of you already know and many of you will find out: ages 5 and 2 are mischievous ages.  Sometimes new rules have to be put in place every once in a while.  A long Memorial weekend was a perfect setting for some "new rules".


New Rules #1 and #2:  
These rules came to be because Sofia wanted gum and couldn't wait for me to finish my dinner, so, she got a chair, grabbed one of the "junk bowls" (we have several) from the top of the fridge to get her own gum.  It wasn't in there so she put it back.  A few minutes later when I was putting dinner stuff away, I opened the freezer and the bowl fell on my head because it wasn't far enough onto the top of the fridge, dumping multiple packages of graham crackers onto the floor which she takes home from day car every day and we end up with bowls of them on the fridge.  She came inside to find me picking up the packages on the floor and stating:  "NEW RULE:  No kids climbing on chairs or counters to get anything off the top of the fridge!"   Sofia:  with wide eyes...."sorry mamma...."  Me:  Also (New Rule #2):  "No more bringing 5 packages of graham crackers home from school - I think we have enough!".


New Rule #3:
Sofia to Pappa while I'm outside:  "We need our vitamins today" - Pappa gives them to her.  She comes outside chewing something.  Me:  "whatcha eating' Sofia?"  Sofia:  "my vitamins"  Me:  "Sofia - you already had them today - you got them from me!......LAAAARRRRSSSSS... - she's already had her vitamins today!"  Lars:  "She said she hadn't".  Sofia with wide eyes:  "I just wanted one more mamma..."   Me:  "NEW RULE:  No lying to one parent about getting your vitamins - it could be DANGEROUS!"


New Rule #4:
The next morning Sofia comes to me with the vitamin bottle..."Mamma?  Can we have our vitamins this morning?  We haven't had them yet - you can ask pappa." (See Rule #3)  Me:  "Sofia - where did you get the bottle?"  Sofia:  "From the top of the fridge."  Me:  "Sofia - I thought we talked about not climbing to get things from the top of the fridge?"  (See New Rule #1).  Sofia:  "I know mamma, but I just wanted to get them..."  - as she is pushing down and opening the CHILD-PROOF BOTTLE!!!!.   Me:  "SOFIA - how did you get that open?"  Sofia:  "I just pushed on it like you do mamma....".  Me:  "NEW RULE:  No opening any medicine bottles - only grown-ups can do that - it could be DANGEROUS!"   (do I hear an echo????)
 Now even the child-proof vitamins have to go even farther out of reach then the top of the damned fridge.....geesh...

New Rule #5:
Sofia, Lars and Espen are outside while I clean up dinner dishes.  Espen is being a stinker about staying in the front yard while Lars shovels rocks - Sofia plays with him and gets him to stick around.  At one point, I see her pick him up and turn him around on the side walk.  A few minutes later I hear a WAIL.....Sofia:  "Moooommmmm, Espen fell and bonked his heeeeaaaaaad......."   Espen continues to wail......while Sofia seems overly concerned about this....  Espen's biggest worry was the new road rash on top of the old road rash from the day before on his knee.  I comfort him and finally settle him down.   Sofia asks if he's OK.    Later, during Espen's bath, I notice a nice goose egg on the back of his head......Me:  "Oh Man....you really DID bonk your head!".   Sofia comes running into the bathroom:  "let me see, mamma - where is it?  Is it OK mamma?  Me:  "Yes, Sofia, why?  Sofia:  "He just fell...."  Me:  "Sofia?  Did you drop your brother?"  Sofia - with wide eyes:  "It was an accident mamma - I was just carrying him and it was an accident...."  Me:  "NEW RULE:  NO carrying your brother on the cement side walk......"

Ahhhhhh, life with kids!  It's so magical......and exhausting.......and magnificent.......and exhausting.........and the very best thing in the whole wide world!