Some Things are Hard to Explain

Yesterday, while driving by a cemetery, Miss B asked about the flowers and headstones. She wanted to know about that place. She thought it looked pretty. I usually have a sort of "open" policy when it comes to telling her stuff. I try to be as honest as possible, while keeping things on a level her four year old brain can comprehend.  This one gave me pause.

This past spring, right before Easter, a friend of mine and her five year old son died tragically in a house fire. While we didn't take Miss B to the viewing or funeral, I couldn't hide my sadness in those days. I wasn't sure what to explain to her, but I knew she would be asking about her friend, when she would see him and play with him. Explaining death to someone so young is difficult. They don't really understand. 

Ever since then, Miss be has sort of had this - I don't know if fascination is the right word - but she frequently asks if people are dead or are going to die. I'll say "don't let your brother get that, he might choke on it" and sometimes she responds with, "and then he'll die?"  

After a few minutes, I decided to stick with my honest is best policy and I explained to her what that place was. She was very quite for a long time and didn't say anything else about it. It's times like these I really wish I could hear her inner dialogue and know what she is thinking.

If there was ever a need for an instruction manual on parenting, I think it would be for this.

Learning to Share is Hard

Learning to share is hard. For Me. Learning to share is hard for me. 

Yesterday Miss B. wanted to color. We had racked up on fifty cent boxes of crayons at the beginning of August when all the school supplies were on sale. So I got her a box and me a box. I LOVE new crayons. Freshly sharpened, not broken, paper still neatly wrapped around the crayon. She had a Care Bears coloring book and I had a Lisa Frank one. Anyone else remember when Lisa Frank was all the rage? Things were going well, and then, she wanted to color MY picture.

To some people this is no big deal, but to the crazy obsessive ones likes me this is a HUGE dilemma. I should teach her to share. It's NOT a big deal. It's JUST a coloring page. 

Except I already had the color scheme all worked out, and she wanted to color my purple unicorn brown and she doesn't color in the lines. 

Sigh 

I wanted to take my coloring book and hide in the closet to finish my picture uninterrupted.  Instead, I closed my eyes and handed over the coloring book to my four year old daughter. Later when my husband got home she proudly showed him the picture that she and mommy colored together. My husband was impressed - with me. And I stayed up late after she went to bed coloring a new picture.

Keeping Me on My Toes

My son is a climber. 

Like seriously. The other day he was in his high chair and I turned around and he was standing on the tray with his hands on the back and one foot over the side about to jump off. This is new territory for me. Miss B. was always happy to stay put on the floor and play with her toys. She NEVER got into things.

Or on top of them. 

He's only ten months, but the crib is already in the lowest position because he tried to climb out of that too. He has long legs (from his daddy, not me) and if he can get he leg on something, he climbs it. 

So gone are my days of putting him somewhere safe for a little while while I get something done. Because with the climbing on top of stuff, comes the falling off of stuff.

Sometimes that Happens to Mommies

I was sitting on the living room floor playing with my ten month old son when suddenly I was besieged by the sneezes. I couldn't stop. And at around the tenth sneeze guess what happened? If you've ever pushed a baby out of your vagina you're only gonna need one guess. Yup. I peed my pants. My husband was laughing at me and when I said "Oh a peed my pants a little with that one!' my four year old was shocked. I wish I'd had a camera to capture her face at that moment. Have you've ever see a child's face when they've just been told something they find unbelievable and they aren't all together sure if you're serious or not? I could have just told her Santa wasn't real, or N'SYNC was getting back together.  She was standing there with her mouth open, half smiling, just staring at me.

 She said, "you're just kidding right?" I wish.

 "Nope, sometimes that happens to mommies."

Who Needs Sleep Anyway?

wish I could sneak in a car nap!

I have so many things to do. All the time. It's never ending. And the OCD side of me has a little nervous breakdown  when things don't get done JUST RIGHT. I can't help it. I try to tone down my crazy for my kids sake. I don't want them to feel stressed when things are not going perfect, but unless I walk around in a constant state of wine induced intoxication (which actually sounds like fun right?) that's just who I am. And with my husband's recent job situation - we never know when he's going to work or be off - I took on a work from  home job. I had big dreams for this gig. I was gonna work just three hours a day and bring in some helpful extra income. HA! JUST three hours I said! NO big deal I said. Well  I've come to realize that unless I stay up past midnight or get up at four am , or maybe both, three hours ain't gonna happen. If my kids are awake they don't allow me the peace and quiet I need to work. as I type this post I have already gotten juice, changed a diaper, pulled dog food out of the baby's mouth, put Miss B in time out for feeding the baby dog food and taken three phone calls. So my choice is to do this thing in the morning before every gets up or at night after they are asleep. That doesn't leave me much sleeping time. But I haven't slept for eight hours in over a year so why start now right?

Time Flies When You're Havin' Fun

Why does vacation takes so long to get here and then fly by so fast? Last Thursday we packed up the kids and drove the two hours to Gatlinburg for our first family vacation. This is the first time in a long time that any kind of trip was just about us and not centered around visiting somebody. We did the full on tourist thing (even though we've been to Gatlinburg so many times I don't think we really count as tourists there) and stayed at the Wilderness Adventures of the Smokies waterpark resort. It really was a blast. Most of the vacation centered around Miss B, but that was totally okay. I had fun just watching her have fun and experience new things. This WAS our first trip to the area with kids. I'm not normally a promoter of places, but I would recommend this as a place to take your kids for the weekend. There's loads to do, and a full service bar in the waterpark (obviously for mom and dad). Even being there with the baby wasn't hard. We're going to try and make this family vacation thing at least once a year. I trip for just us. I'm already ready for next year!

Attitude With a CAPITAL A

Dimples is nine and a half month now, and giving his sister a run for her money in the drama department. Miss B was never one to throw tantrums, so I guess her brother is making up for it. He bites me when he's mad and bangs his head on stuff when he's really really mad. I'm almost afraid to take him for his next check up! The boy has bruises and scrapes all over the place. They're going to think I abuse my children. Oh and heaven forbid I don't let him have something he's reaching for. I swear he tried to bitch slap me yesterday when I picked up to keep him from climbing up the stairs.

 

 

 

 

 

I guess it's only fair. Miss B was a really easy baby. She never got into stuff, never put anything in her mouth, and was a breeze to wean, get sleeping in her own bed, and potty train. Of course, I feel like since she skipped toddler and went straight to teenager, I thought that debt was paid.

I guess I couldn't have two easy babies. All I can hope is that this means he will be an easy toddler. Otherwise I might go crazy, (Pretty sure I already am!)