Karsten Korner

Wow - Karsten's guardian angel is sure working overtime!! 

Sadly I have forgotten some of the last two weeks events - those a mother swears she will never forget! 

Last Friday while taking the kids to the bus stop in the morning before school we had a close call.  Because it is always a rush to the car, Karsten rarely gets buckled in his car seat before leaving and since it takes time to get all 21 kids loaded and seated and we wait until they drive away so we can wave good bye, Karsten enjoys climbing around the car.  

This particular morning as we pulled to the end of the street, another mom (Laura) came up and asked if I could give some neighbor kids a ride home since she wouldn't be there.  During this conversation, Karsten had gotten out of the car, crossed the dirt road and was waiting with the other kids.  As the bus was approaching, Kimball and Kierra both got my attention to tell me Karsten was with them.  Laura turned around to hold his hand as he was crossing back to the car, when another came flying up the road and skidded to a stop nearly hitting Karsten by inches.  

For a kid who isn't easily frightened, he was sobbing and as I scooped him into my arms to hold him tight, he held onto me for a very long time.  It was such a close call that I was literally shaking and Laura (who was talking to me at the time it happened) started crying.  

A week later he is still frightened by cars!

On Monday Karsten was climbing down from the Kitchen counter, missed the stool completely and fell to his back. 

Tuesday, I accidentally locked the keys in the car, right after buckling Karsten in his car seat.  I had unlocked the door and then decided to start the car while buckling him up.  But, you have to lock the car first, or it won't start.  It was one of the afternoon's Karsten was tired and he didn't want to get in his seat or get buckled up.  He ran to the back of the car and was making it SO difficult.  After minutes of negotiations to give him "choices" and rationally try and get an irrational two - year old buckled up, I shut his door and then realized the keys were on the front seat (years of habit) and I had forgotten to unlock the car before shutting the door.  

At first my mind was trying to comprehend that the doors were all truly locked.  Then I tried to get Karsten to use his foot and open the latch, but soon realized that wasn't going to work because the child-proof lock was on from the inside of the car (because he tries to open the door frequently while driving on the freeway).  

It was all good until the car shut off.  I came unraveled at the seams and was horrified! It was 107 degrees and my toddler was buckled in his car seat unable to get out of a car that was heating up to unbearable temperatures by the second.

While thoughts of finding a rock to break the window to get him out raced through my mind, I did the only thing I could think of and dialed 911. 

The call lasted five eternal minutes until the fire department, ambulance and police showed up.  I waved my arms in the air so relieved to have their assistance.  My mouth had not one wit of moisture inside and I almost couldn't talk. 

The firemen were joking around while they worked to get the door unlocked and I was still playing charades with Karsten through the window trying to get him to at least try and unbuckle his seat belt.  One of the few times he sat in his seat without trying to get out!

They got him out just fine.  Someone got him (and me - who really needed it) a drink of water.  The fireman showed him "knuckles" and Karsten gave him some back.  

One of those moments where life comes to a screeching halt and reminds you to slow down and savor your precious little ones.  As a lady who was standing by to give moral support while waiting for the fire department walked away, she commented that my day could only get better from there :)  So True!

The kind police woman asked me if I was okay and helped me gather my purse and purchases into the car, while I gathered my senses.  The remainder of the afternoon I was quite dazed and in somewhat of a state of shock.  Two nights later, I awoke in the middle of the night (around 3:30 am) and could think of nothing else but this nightmare moment for over an hour! 

Life is fragile - handle with care and prayer (which I did).

An exceptionally busy day

It's amazing that children in a matter of minutes, can get into enough mischief and make such gigantic messes, that it literally takes HOURS to repair! In the minutes it takes to go to the bathroom, brush our teeth, start the laundry, attempt to clean a toilet, take out the trash, focus on only one child's needs, or focus on a single task at hand, great havoc is created.  
 
Today my mom decided that if she were to live this day over again and again repeatedly, that it would be the equivalent of what the scriptures were talking about for those who are wicked in this life and are given the punishment of eternal misery in the life to come, and she definitely did NOT want to go there!

The fact that it was the end of a very long week and Dad had been out of town for the last few days were also contributing factors.  Having said that, STILL....even for Karsten, it was an EXCEPTIONALLY busy destructive day.  

Since a weeks' time has passed since I (mom) am recording the events of this "Black Friday", many of the details have already slipped my mind.  But, they are worth trying to remember, if only to give some sort of justification at the loss of my sanity from years of chaos :)

Here is what I CAN remember of the events of this day.

Mornings are always busy, a bit chaotic, very rushed and tensions are high.  It's a challenge for one or more kid to get ready for school and focus on the needful thing before they get distracted by airplanes, helicopters, boats, piano, Hot Chocolate, fixing school lunches at the last minute, fighting over who get's the last of the "good kind" of cereal, etc Every Single Morning.  About this time of day I (mom), think it would be much easier to hire a nanny and go back to work (although that's not what she REALLY wants.  All she wants is for the kids to get up in the morning, get ready for school at a REASONABLE pace and not make such terrible horrible messes).  At the height of the mornings activities, right when it was time to have prayer and leave for the bus, mom got a phone call from dad's brother Brett at 8 am.  While she was trying to hear the conversation and give directions to our house, so his Father-in-Law, Chuck, could find our house and pick up the trailer, Kimball (without mom's direct attention) was unable to brush his teeth and get his shoes on, therefore wasn't ready and they missed the bus.  While this is all happening, Karsten kept taking his clothes off, got into the sink, played with the water spilling gallons over the counter onto the floor.  Kenzly didn't get up to get ready for school (even after SEVERAL attempts at waking her for an hour REPEATEDLY) and was still asleep at 8:30 am (the time she usually leaves for school) when mom got home from taking the other kids to school, and she too needed a ride (and was late!).  Mom was trying to be ready AND on time to her dentist appointment, but had to check the gate to make sure it was unlocked, check the trailer for a lock, find the keys and move the truck before leaving, so someone could come and borrow the trailer, making it VERY difficult to get off to her appointment by 10, while Karsten was throwing a temper tantrum, slamming the walls with metal objects making large dents with his train because of who knows what, was throwing himself on the ground refusing to get in the car until mom found a "baerry" (battery) for his train.  Once we got there (only 5 minutes late), Karsten was an absolute angel sitting quietly in his stroller for 35 min while mom got 2 fillings, thanks to the fact that the dentist office has NETFLIX and Karsten was able to watch an episode of "Thomas the Tank Engine".  After the dentist, we picked Kierra up from school for the day, to bring her to lunch at a fun restaurant, where we met the Jensen family and had lunch.  (That part of the day was fabulous).  But, as we got home, mom wasn't quite fast enough and after Karsten was let loose from his car seat, climbed into the front of the car picking up the container of leftover food we had brought home and dumped the ENTIRE contents filled with Asian Chicken Salad (with an oil based salad dressing, small crunchy noodles and tiny morsels of food) french fries, breaded fried chicken pieces and a Corn dog over both of the front seats, spilling down the sides of the center console in the impossible-to-reach places, all over our new car (3 months old....AAaahhhhhh !!!!).  He was sent to bed for a much needed nap that didn't last long enough.  


Since it was Friday, mom picked up pizza and cinnamon sticks for dinner.  Aunt Kelly called and was particularly frustrated over planning details of Uncle Gar's surprise 30th birthday party the next day and was needing an ear.  Mom stepped into the office for a few minutes of bliss.  Right as she was finishing the conversation with Aunt Kelly, Dad called from Washington DC and she enjoyed talking with him, but paid a BIG price.  Karsten had spilled Rootbeer all over the counter that spilled down the counter backsplash, all over the barstools and onto the floor, had taken the box of cinnamon breadsticks and threw them all over the counter and floor of the kitchen, then came into the bedroom where mom was talking with dad, found the triple antibiotic ointment and bandaids, spilled the contents on the ground, and wiped ointment over the inside door of the closet and over the wall of the bathroom.  Just after mom had cleaned the ointment (and was still in her room WITH Karsten), he took his diaper off, pooped on the carpet, then stepped in it. It literally took 2 HOURS to clean the kitchen counter, floor, counter backsplash, barstools and her bedroom carpet (which is STILL STAINED - yes, while the germs have been removed, the color has not).  AAAHHHhhhhhh. 

Years from now this memory may bring some laughter, but as for now, we are still in "the Trenches" of everyday heavy artillery!


You know the story of "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, NO GOOD, Very Bad Day"? That's what mom felt like today.  Thank goodness we don't usually have 2 days in a row this bad! We picked dad up from the airport the next morning at 10:30, Karsten took a decent nap, Kierra got to play with her sweet friend Libby Pinckard, Kimballl got to finish and fly his new airplane with dad (3 times) Kenzly went babysitting for 5 hours (her second time only) and had a friend over, and we watched a movie as a family that evening.  Yay for good days.  That doesn't mean Karsten didn't Pee on the floor or take dad's tools and hide them or make any messes, but it was a MUCH better day.  Phew!

Two Years Old

Happy 2nd Birthday Karsten....we LOVE you!!

It would be untrue to say we forgot his birthday. Having celebrated Thanksgiving with extended family in town the previous week, mom's choir rehearsal, dress rehearsal and two performances this week and dad's Christmas work party, the actual celebrating on the "day of" was a little bit of a side note. But, before mom left for choir, our family had a little party and he even had a few presents to open (thanks to Nanna & Papa and Kelly & Gar bringing them the week before!).

Karsten got some books, a sponge-type block set and a motorized Percy train (which he yelled in delight upon opening). Mom loved the cake the most and because she loves it SO much, she let Karsten have some for breakfast the next morning :)

Karsten:

loves his "B" (binks named affectionately by mom and shortened by Karsten)
makes AT LEAST 5 disasters a day
reminds mom of a dolphin when he smiles because of his cute little teeth, face shape and dimple
loves trains
wants to be directly in the middle of what mom or dad is trying to do
climbs on the counter and makes visitors nervous
has light brown hair with some curls
will sing the tune of "scooby dooby doo, where are you" if mom starts it (not recognizable to the general public)
takes naps - phew!
sits on mom or dad's lap on occasion while watching a movie in the evening
folds his arms for family prayer
jumps on mom's back during family prayer in anticipation of "horsey rides"
loves "horsey rides" on Monday evenings after FHE
Seldom stops
runs like the wind
maker of a krazy mom