Squeaky Wheels

Did I tell you that about a month ago my brakes on the Beastie Boy needed to be replaced. Beastie Boy is what I call my Ford Expedition.  He's a Beast. He's a Boy. It works. Ya can't exactly safely drive around the hills of Seattle with a Beast who has bad brakes so... lucky for me I have a really HOT mechanic. He is skilled in the brake department as well as many other departments, and so it was not a major financial burden, thanks to "Dear Lord Baby Jesus" and my Giant. But, My Giant did opt for the brakes that squeak for a bit until they are worn in, as opposed to the ones that don't squeak, but cost more money. I never knew that new brakes could squeak as much as old ones, and I never knew you could purchase a higher priced brake that takes the squeak out. Did you know that? Well anyways, new brakes are not really what I want to talk about, although I am happy to have them they don't exactly make for a topic that can fill a whole blog post. I mean, my oldest daughters complaints about the sound they make and how embarrassing they are to her when I pull up to pick her up in front of her High School might fill up some more space, but nah.. what I really  wanted to talk about with you Beloved reader is the phrase, "The Squeaky Wheel Gets The Oil" You have heard that phrase before I am sure, but let me tell you how that phrase plays out in the life of a mom with four kiddos. I'm finding that recently I am needed in several places all at once. I don't know if this happens to every mom with more than 1 child,(maybe even it happens when you only have one child) but it's been happening to me more often than I would like. Like last week on Wednesday night I was needed in 3 places at one time and yesterday 2 places at one time. It is from this, that I have realized where the term "The Squeaky Wheel gets the Oil" came from, because that is kind of how I rule out where I am going to be in these incidences. If it's an event with a child that has been squeaking a lot lately, then that's where I go. Squeaky kids sound like this, "Mom I really need you to be there for such and such because so and so's Mom needs help with such and such and no one else volunteered and ya da ya da ya da" Or  "Mom my teacher wants to talk with you about something." Teachers and teacher conferences get a top slot on that sound thermometer of squeaks. Now over the years the squeaks have changed for me.  It used to be that when I was at home with all my Fab 4 when they were little, and someone would start to cry in one room, while I noticed another child in the other room getting into something they shouldn't  be getting into I would go to the crying child first. Unless of course the child I noticed being sneaky was getting into say the knife drawer, then I would put that fire out first, and then hurry right over to the wounded one. Which would mean I would leave the other two children who I was  reading a story to, to hit the pause button, but then they would start crying and ...  you get the idea. Can I get a witness that Squeaky Wheels are a common occurrence in the life of a parent?
Well, now the squeaks are much more of a scheduling conflict kind of thing.  Which, I have to be honest is not my strong point.  I'm not naturally a list, calendar, planner, organizer. detail oriented kind of gal. But, I'm having to become one for the sake of my own sanity and for the sake of keeping all these squeaks well oiled. And so again I say to all you Momma's and Poppa's who have gone before me in running this race called parenting; BRAVO!  Now I'm off to go take care of some more squeaky wheels. Who knew motherhood signed you up for being a mechanic as well!