I about fell off my chair when I read this post. I'm just a little nervous to have conversations like that if I ever have a son. Skip on over to Notes from the Trenches if you need a good laugh.
Thanks, Marilyn, for the heads up on this one.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
The Great 2008 Calendar Debate
I'm a little obsessive about my yearly calendar. I used to carry around a planner, but now I just have a wall calendar. It hangs in a prominent spot in my kitchen (the hub of my household) so that I can keep close tabs on upcoming events. ie: birthdays, anniversaries, paydays, school events, and so on. Since I look at my calendar a bazilion times a day, I want to make sure it's one that I like.
It seems so silly to be this excited over a calendar; nevertheless, excited I am. When Makayla saw me toss it in the cart, she said, "Look mom, it's your show." Oh how I love Grey's Anatomy! (Oh how I secretly love/hate Michelle for introducing me to it!)
I've been debating over the past week whether to get the Pioneer Woman Calendar or the Dirty Dancing Calendar for the upcoming year. They are both about the same price, so that really didn't help me decide anything. So I've been thinking of other factors to help me choose. Dirty Dancing is one of my all time favorite movies. And there may not be a calendar for next year. PW will probably have another calendar next year, but this year she is donating part of the proceeds to Special Olympics, a worthy cause especially since Kasey and I have a friend who participates in Special Olympics.
So I asked Kasey to decide for me. I told him the choices, and he immediately vetoed Dirty Dancing. Personally, I didn't think that was very fair since I let him buy a Star Wars calendar that I had to stare at for the entire year of 2006. And which is still currently hanging above my desk because, "It's just cool." And he faithfully changes it every month so we can make sure to see every picture again.
But to come to the real point of my post today, I was shopping in Walmart and just for kicks stopped at the 2008 calendar display in the center of the main isle. There were the usual calendars for sale: Anne Geddes, Sports Illustrated, High School Musical, Humane Society Pets, Spider Man, and Tinker Bell, along with a few others. Then I spotted it. The clear winner in my 2008 calendar debate.
It seems so silly to be this excited over a calendar; nevertheless, excited I am. When Makayla saw me toss it in the cart, she said, "Look mom, it's your show." Oh how I love Grey's Anatomy! (Oh how I secretly love/hate Michelle for introducing me to it!)When I got home, I started flipping through to find my favorite--McDreamy. *sigh* It might be April for 12 months next year.
Hooray for finding a 2008 calendar. And hooray for it being $5 cheaper than the other choices. What a happy day!
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
In contemplation of parenthood, the good trumps the bad.
I've read several posts recently--like this one and this one and this one. Oh and this one, too--that really have me reflecting on the good and not so good things of parenthood. So, here are my lists.
Not So Good
1. Being puked and pooped on. Although I have to say that the puking has slowed down considerably. And come to think of it, I haven't been pooped on in a while either.
2. My house is in constant disarray. It's so aggravating! I am learning to deal with it. What else can I do? I can't spend my whole day cleaning.
3. The doctor bills seem to be never-ending what with well-checks and colds and ER visits in the middle of the night.
4. Disciplining. I realize that it's necessary and important, but it's one of my least favorite things to do. It's right up there with
5. Bath time. I hate giving baths. Obviously I do it because children need to be cleaned, but I hate, hate, hate bath time. I hate it so much that I don't allow toys in the tub as they prolong the dreaded event. They're in, they're out, they're done. That's how we do it at my house.
Good, Sometimes Great
1. Being completely crazy. One of the best parts of my day is when we crank up the music and dance around like crazy people. I love that part of my job description is making my children laugh. It allows me to show a side of myself that I rarely, if ever, show to anyone but my girls.
2. Teaching my children and watching the light bulb go on when they've finally got the concept.
3. Once the girls are finally asleep at night, I love to sneak back in their room and watch them sleep. It's so peaceful just watching them. It's the perfect end to my day. Watching them and listening to them breathe quietly reminds me how much I love them. It seems to erase all the things they did during the day that frustrated me.
4. Being a stay-at-home mom. I'm so lucky that I'm the one who gets to see all the "firsts" and every cute thing the girls do and say every day.
5. Seeing my husband turn into daddy when he's around our children. If you've seen this with your own husband and children, you know exactly what I'm talking about. You also know that this is not just a good part of motherhood, but a great part.
6. Receiving hugs and/or kisses from my children is just. . . I don't know. It's amazing! I definitely feel like a mother when their little arms wrap tightly around my neck.
7. Three little words: I love you. They are the best. There is something about hearing my child say those words to me that cements forever in my mind the fact that I am a mother. It's amazing how three small words can erase all that's bad in this world and right every wrong. For me, it's the greatest part of being a parent.
Now I'm curious. What are some of your best and worst things about being a parent?
Not So Good
1. Being puked and pooped on. Although I have to say that the puking has slowed down considerably. And come to think of it, I haven't been pooped on in a while either.
2. My house is in constant disarray. It's so aggravating! I am learning to deal with it. What else can I do? I can't spend my whole day cleaning.
3. The doctor bills seem to be never-ending what with well-checks and colds and ER visits in the middle of the night.
4. Disciplining. I realize that it's necessary and important, but it's one of my least favorite things to do. It's right up there with
5. Bath time. I hate giving baths. Obviously I do it because children need to be cleaned, but I hate, hate, hate bath time. I hate it so much that I don't allow toys in the tub as they prolong the dreaded event. They're in, they're out, they're done. That's how we do it at my house.
Good, Sometimes Great
1. Being completely crazy. One of the best parts of my day is when we crank up the music and dance around like crazy people. I love that part of my job description is making my children laugh. It allows me to show a side of myself that I rarely, if ever, show to anyone but my girls.
2. Teaching my children and watching the light bulb go on when they've finally got the concept.
3. Once the girls are finally asleep at night, I love to sneak back in their room and watch them sleep. It's so peaceful just watching them. It's the perfect end to my day. Watching them and listening to them breathe quietly reminds me how much I love them. It seems to erase all the things they did during the day that frustrated me.
4. Being a stay-at-home mom. I'm so lucky that I'm the one who gets to see all the "firsts" and every cute thing the girls do and say every day.
5. Seeing my husband turn into daddy when he's around our children. If you've seen this with your own husband and children, you know exactly what I'm talking about. You also know that this is not just a good part of motherhood, but a great part.
6. Receiving hugs and/or kisses from my children is just. . . I don't know. It's amazing! I definitely feel like a mother when their little arms wrap tightly around my neck.
7. Three little words: I love you. They are the best. There is something about hearing my child say those words to me that cements forever in my mind the fact that I am a mother. It's amazing how three small words can erase all that's bad in this world and right every wrong. For me, it's the greatest part of being a parent.
Now I'm curious. What are some of your best and worst things about being a parent?
Monday, November 26, 2007
A couple of cutie-patooties
After a painful hour of trying to figure out how my new scanner works, I finally have these photos to present to you.
My sister gave them to me in a super-cute frame for my birthday. She also gave me this photo
which was taken in Yellowstone National Park this summer when we vacationed there.
Please allow me a moment to toot my own horn. My girls are so freakin' cute! Okay I'm done.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
She saved the day....or at least my hair!
Hooray for my sister! She was at my mom's house on Thanksgiving and fixed my hair. Then she taught me an easy way to style it. I timed how long it took to do it this way. From just out of the shower to completely finished hairdo is 13 minutes. Not too shabby!
I got a lot of compliments in church yesterday, which was great! I love getting compliments. It really boosts my self-esteem, but the number made me think to myself, "Wow! Was my hair really that bad before?" Hmmm...
At any rate, I am loving my new hair. Yay for sisters!
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
More of my silly 3-year-old
I've been working with Makayla on her reasoning skills lately. Today I was asking her stuff like What do you do when you are hungry? What do you do when you are thirsty? What do you do when you are cold? What do you wear when you go swimming? What do you do when someone does something that you don't like?
I ask her question after question like this to get her to learn cause and effect. It's something her preschool teacher told me would be very good in helping her develop her problem-solving skills.
I asked her What do you do when you want something? Her response, "I say, 'Trick or Treat!'"
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Makayla saw this picture today while I was looking at an email. She exclaimed in horror, "Oh No!! He dropped his head!"
I ask her question after question like this to get her to learn cause and effect. It's something her preschool teacher told me would be very good in helping her develop her problem-solving skills.
I asked her What do you do when you want something? Her response, "I say, 'Trick or Treat!'"
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Makayla saw this picture today while I was looking at an email. She exclaimed in horror, "Oh No!! He dropped his head!"
Conversation with a 3-year-old
This morning as I was getting breakfast for my girls, I had this conversation with Makayla.
me: Makayla, let's hurry and get ready so we can go see grandma and grandpa. Do you want to see them?
her: Oh, yeah! I want to see my grandma. But my grandpa's in Texas.
me: No, he came back from Texas. Now he's with grandma.
her: Well, I can just go see my grandma and my grandpa.
me: okay. Well, let's clean up the house and pack our bags. Then when daddy gets home we can go.
her: To see my grandpa? But he just lives in Texas.
me: No, he doesn't live in Texas. He was just visiting Texas. He lives in Idaho with grandma.
her: He lives in Idaho? with grandma? (pause) Oh, yeah. They do. How 'bout we go to Idaho.
me: Okay. Sounds good.
her: I want to go see great-grandma. And I want to play with my great-grandpa.
me: Does your great-grandpa play with you?
her: Yep! We go outside and do this. (she mimics picking up leaves and putting them in a bag.)
me: Okay we can see them too. Do you know they live in Idaho, too? The same town as grandma and grandpa.
her: They do? (astonished look on her face) That's pretty cool!
me: Yeah, that is pretty cool.
her: May I wear my dress to see grandma?
me: Yes you may. Grandma will say, "Oh Makayla! You look beautiful in your dress!"
her: No she don't! She says I look "wonderful."
me: Grandma says that to you?
her: No. Just great-grandma says "wonderful."
me: (laughing a lot but not saying anything)
her: Oh no! Spiders live downstairs. They go "kickle, kickle, kickle." (pretends her fingers are the legs of a spider and crawls across the table.)
So, I sat down to type this out and Makayla came running into my room with a clementine in her hand.
her: Mom. Can you open this peach?
me: sure.
her: I run in here real fast!
me: You did?
her: Yeah! I run like a antelope! I went run, run, run, run. (pretending to run. not moving her feet, just pumping her arms like she's running) Real fast like a antelope.
me: (stifling a laugh) Is that how an antelope runs?
her: Yeah. It goes real fast. Daddy hit a antelope with our big car. But he's okay. He goes run, run, run to his mommy. And he's okay now.
me: That's right. (handing her the pealed clementine)
her: Thanks
Then she walked away.
I love having a 3-year-old. Most of the time. I love moments like these: the completely honest thoughts of my 3-year-old spilling out of her mouth for me to cherish and enjoy. She really cracks me up sometimes.
me: Makayla, let's hurry and get ready so we can go see grandma and grandpa. Do you want to see them?
her: Oh, yeah! I want to see my grandma. But my grandpa's in Texas.
me: No, he came back from Texas. Now he's with grandma.
her: Well, I can just go see my grandma and my grandpa.
me: okay. Well, let's clean up the house and pack our bags. Then when daddy gets home we can go.
her: To see my grandpa? But he just lives in Texas.
me: No, he doesn't live in Texas. He was just visiting Texas. He lives in Idaho with grandma.
her: He lives in Idaho? with grandma? (pause) Oh, yeah. They do. How 'bout we go to Idaho.
me: Okay. Sounds good.
her: I want to go see great-grandma. And I want to play with my great-grandpa.
me: Does your great-grandpa play with you?
her: Yep! We go outside and do this. (she mimics picking up leaves and putting them in a bag.)
me: Okay we can see them too. Do you know they live in Idaho, too? The same town as grandma and grandpa.
her: They do? (astonished look on her face) That's pretty cool!
me: Yeah, that is pretty cool.
her: May I wear my dress to see grandma?
me: Yes you may. Grandma will say, "Oh Makayla! You look beautiful in your dress!"
her: No she don't! She says I look "wonderful."
me: Grandma says that to you?
her: No. Just great-grandma says "wonderful."
me: (laughing a lot but not saying anything)
her: Oh no! Spiders live downstairs. They go "kickle, kickle, kickle." (pretends her fingers are the legs of a spider and crawls across the table.)
So, I sat down to type this out and Makayla came running into my room with a clementine in her hand.
her: Mom. Can you open this peach?
me: sure.
her: I run in here real fast!
me: You did?
her: Yeah! I run like a antelope! I went run, run, run, run. (pretending to run. not moving her feet, just pumping her arms like she's running) Real fast like a antelope.
me: (stifling a laugh) Is that how an antelope runs?
her: Yeah. It goes real fast. Daddy hit a antelope with our big car. But he's okay. He goes run, run, run to his mommy. And he's okay now.
me: That's right. (handing her the pealed clementine)
her: Thanks
Then she walked away.
I love having a 3-year-old. Most of the time. I love moments like these: the completely honest thoughts of my 3-year-old spilling out of her mouth for me to cherish and enjoy. She really cracks me up sometimes.
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