In Praise of Lazy Parenting

Here is the link to that cute article!  I did it!

"Look, Mama!"

Well, that's it, I am officially in the "Look, Mama" stage.  All day, Molly follows me around or shouts to me from the backseat, "look, Mama."  I look and she proceeds to do something ingenious, like..........

trying to snap her fingers

    imitating someone on TV

        drawing a circle

              standing on one foot

                balancing something on her head or hand or knee or toe

     placing her head on the ground as if she might do a somersault

                                  actually attempting a somersault

                                           doing a funny face

                                                  turning around in a circle

                                                       

And the list goes on..........I find myself all day saying, "good job, Molly.........nice............way to go"....and any other encouraging phrases I can think of at the moment.

Am I encouraging mediocrity?  I forgot how funny this age is.....and how much I love it!  I wonder if Max will go through the "look, Mama" stage or if it's a girl thing?  Either way, you've got to love how kids marvel in the smallest accomplishments, and how much they thrive on their parents' approval.  And, it's so darn easy to approve of them at this young age.  All that they do really is great, and new and fun.  

Which leads me to wonder.......why does that change?  Why, as our children get older and we get older do we tire of the little accomplishments and only get excited about the big ones?  

Today I am marveling at the little ones more.  I pat myself on the back for making my bed, combing my own hair, and feeding the fish all by myself.   I am not going to allow myself to look around and see how every other parent seems to be doing it better.  I read a funny article today in Wondertime, which I tried to find a link to, but am not technologically there (but don't worry, I patted myself on the back because I know how to check my email), about a mom who is very much like me, and it made me laugh.  She is a mom who forgets to put the money under the pillow from the tooth fairy sometimes, lets her kids watch too much tv, doesn't eat organic or grind her own flax, and best of all, stands up for the fact that even with all of that, she adores her children and will not be bullied into the mom-style of conquering a daunting to do list every day that leaves you without energy for the real stuff in life.  I laughed because I relate, yet I find myself trying to live both sides.  It has given me food for thought. 

So there is my essay for the day..........didn't I warn you that I sometimes ramble and sit upon a soap box or high horse or something or other?  

I think I may need to talk to adults more.

A face that not only a mother could love!

Patrick, 2 months old!

We miss you Sweetheart and Patrick!

(and Grandma and Grandpa, too, of course)

I have a family here on earth......

On Mother's Day they were so good to me............

Olivia made me this card with a poem using the letters in my name!

My husband pulled through with flowers!

And my favorite candy........

One of my favorite movies........

A new book that I haven't read but wanted to........how did he know???

Also, the darling made me the cutest "gift certificate," yes, you heard me, HANDMADE, which said that I was entitled to a new outfit to fit my growing tummy!  He actually TRIED to shop for maternity clothes for me, but got totally overwhelmed and gave up.  

I feel the need to repent of all the times I have called my husband a bad gift giver.......he redeemed himself and then some this year with gifts, and most of all with thoughtfulness.  He made me pancakes for breakfast, cleaned it all up, and made the yummiest flank steak for dinner.  His kind deeds and the words he wrote me in his card were the biggest treasures of all. I have an awesome family.

Sorry for the sickening sweet post!  I heart being a mom!

A conversation with Molly....

I made some raspberry jello the other day, which I love with cool whip on it, and asked Molly,

"Molly, do you want some jello?"

She looked at what I had, and answered, "no, wed (red)."

I said, "You are right, it is red, but it's called Jello."

"No, wed."  She replied again.  OK, you win.........

"Do you want any Red?"  I asked.

"Yes!"

Sometimes it's not worth the battle.

A rough morning, to say the least

The other day, Olivia got up at 6:30.  Not unusual.  She typically gets up, makes her bed, quietly comes downstairs, closes my door so softly, so she doesn't wake me, and then does her thing.  Her thing ranges from sneaking TV to sneaking potato chips, to doing totally great things like drawing or emptying the dishwasher (nice, but noisy).  But this day she felt lonely, so she decided to wake her brother and sister up, who in turn woke her mom up.  Not a good move.  I started out the day grouchy, and immediately sent her to her room.  M and M were stinkers all morning and their nap could not come soon enough.  As a side note, their nap lasted close to 4 hours, so not all was lost.  So, after walking her to the bus I went upstairs to get clothes for the kids for the day, and I found a note that said, "Mom.....I love you........I'm a brat..........Olivia."  It broke my heart!  I did not call her a brat, but she obviously got that message from me.  And I'm sure it wasn't the first time.  So, to undo her sad feelings and my pangs of conscience, when she got home, I told her that I found her note and I had her sit down by me and write five really great things about herself.  She was resistant at first, but then in a sideways glance I caught her smiling, revealing the exact outcome I was hoping for.  Here is her list:  

1. I am the love gill

2. I am a good gill

3. I am thotfl.

4. I am rilly good at reding

5. I am rilly good at lafing

So, change gill to girl and phonetically sound out the rest and you've got her list!  I could add 100 more, including, she is helpful, she has a winning smile, she is confident, she makes friends easily, and she is the best big sister and helper ever!  I highly recommend this exercise not only for our kids, but for us.  What do you consider your five greatest attributes?

This is why he can get away with anything!

For Grandma....

Grandma Bonnie couldn't believe Molly could be a big enough girl to have french braids!  And she was so patient while I did it........thanks, Elmo!

Breakfast.....it does a body good!

I started out on the right foot this morning at 6:30 when my tummy woke me up starving.  I ate a nice bowl of this:

But, at 10 AM while out doing errands I could not resist picking up a box of buttermilk glazed:

And, of course, a:

So much for good intentions!

Molly the caretaker.........

(photo by Kristen)

Today at McDonald's playland Molly and Max were up in the play structure and after a while Molly came down and walked up to me with her ever-so-concerned-brows-knit-together look and said...........

"Where's my Maxy, Mommy???"

I thought this was just too sweet.............