Adventures of family rearing with a stay at home mom... I have a teenage daughter, a tween son, and a grown husband... I'm a homeschooling mama and I'm passionate about children's rights and autonomy - I want to change the way we view our children and in turn, empower childhood... I'm also laid-back, but yet, I'm a helicopter mom... I'm somewhere between freedom and stop having fun because, it's dangerous...
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Mid Week Revelation: Cleaning up is hard to do
I've realized my children must be under the misconception that if they put a toy away after they are done playing with it, their hands will fall off... Motherhood, it's not for the weak.
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Reminiscing those days
When the house is quiet and the day finally concludes, I
find myself sitting alone in front of my computer scrolling through old photos
of my daughter growing up. I was never this sentimental when it comes to my
children. However, as my son is maturing and soaring through milestones, it
makes me reminisce the days when my daughter was a baby. The days when things were easier, there were more cuddles, and the days were more productive.
As time passes and my children grow older, I find one of the
harder parts is allowing them to be their own person, something I strive so
hard to create. I never realized how easy it was then they were younger -They
do what their told and follow your every step. However, when they reach preschool
age, they develop an opinion. I believe this is where people label defiance,
where I see their own personality.
I struggle with my daughter saying no to me. I struggle with
her walking off to view something she wants. I struggle with not being able to
carry her to the car when I'm so desperately in a hurry.
Life was much easier when you were the center of their
universe and cartoons couldn’t raise a candle to you.
Life was also much easier when my daughter didn’t talk so
much. Never in my life have I needed a “time out” to collect my thoughts from
being asked thousands of questions a day. Everything is “why do they do that?”
Why do you think they did that?” Why would they do that?” You get the picture.
I laugh to myself now because once upon a time I used to
have the TV or children’s songs playing in the background to create noise
because the house was too quiet. Now the silence is filled with my daughter yelling to get her brother out of her room, with my son whining because he
wants to play with his sister, or both of them seeing who could yell the
loudest (I still haven’t figured out why this is so much fun).
I find that my days seem much more scattered. My
productivity rate is down 70%. I used to read to my daughter a thousand times a
day, with my son, I am lucky if I read three times a week. My daughter had over
a 20 word vocabulary at a year old and was singing nursery rhymes at 16 months.
My son is 16 months and doesn’t say more than “hot” (of course other than momma
and dada). With my daughter, I used to sit and go over word flash cards with her, whereas with my son, I can’t seem to find the time to sit on the
floor.
I could remember watching a cartoon and cradling my daughter
with her sheet and Curly Shirley (her favorite doll) until the whole show was
over, now it lasts about the first 5 minutes until she gets up and moves onto
something else.
I never thought I would be one of those parents longing for the
days before, but now that they’re gone, I can’t seem to shake the feeling I’m
missing something. That uneasy feeling I get when “ba ba black sheep” comes
on the CD player, because it was the first song my daughter ever sung to me.
It just seems like it all went by too quickly… Like, it
doesn’t even make sense that I have a 3 year old and a 1 year old.
Of course, there will always be new memories and milestones
created, but there will never be those monumental firsts again. She will never
say her first words, or walk for the first time. But she will continue to
develop and grow into this beautiful person that will have many more firsts of her
very own.
But until then, I will huddle up in my bed and watch old
videos and browse through pictures in the dark comforts of my room, reminiscing those days.
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Mid Week Revelation: Why will boys be boys?
I've realized if I turn my back for a second, my son is scaling something so quickly like he's just escaped from prison and the attack dogs are chasing him... Motherhood, it's not for the weak.
Sunday, April 20, 2014
Easter morning: The magical voyage
As the night came to an end and Easter bedtime stories were
read. While both kiddos were sound to sleep, I tip toed through my downstairs
hiding plastic coin filled Easter eggs. Making sure my old wooden floors didn’t
creak. Their baskets already stuffed with delicious homemade chocolate and a
toy a piece anxiously awaited them.
Morning came too abrupt. My daughter made the quickest leap
between opening her eyes and standing up -Completely ignorant of anyone around
her sleeping. She didn’t care to eat breakfast, just eager to embark on the egg
hunting journey.
My son played quietly in his crib, unaware of the holiday.
Once downstairs, my daughter clean swept the area of eggs –her
mother’s competitive genetics shine through on occasions like these. She did
pause a few times to aid assistance to her laggard brother.
He followed her every move, walking in her footprints, only
steps away. He didn’t care if he found one egg (I’m not even sure he completely
knew what was going on), he only cared that he was sharing this excitement with
his sister.
She found his basket first, her eyes lit up when she saw the
self-propelled Thomas the Train set the Bunny left for him and commented with, “brother,
you’re going to love this!” My son squealed with excitement.
My daughter didn’t stay in one place too long. She doesn’t
tend to let grass grow under her feet. She continued to race around to find hers,
discovering more eggs along the way. Finally finding her basket and unveiled her
toys, Kwazi’s Octosuit (from Octonauts) that she begged for. Then, tucked away
alongside the record player, she found the Wonder Pet’s Schoolhouse, something she
has been asking for since Christmas.
My husband followed them around with the video camera, while
I snapped the memories with my camera. We do not buy our children things throughout
the year, only holidays and special occasions. So I enjoy providing well for
them on these occurrences.
I love watching their faces (or my daughter’s, since she’s
the one who really understands what is happening) when they see a toy they
love, or their eyes glowing from excitement, and their giggles from the joy.
It’s moments like these that make the overwhelming daily
grind worthwhile.
It’s moments like these that allow me to step back and
appreciate my little family -The happiness I’m able to bring to them on this very Easter.
I’m able to envelop in the magic of Easter and share the mystery
with both of them. As a parent of young children, I realize these are only going
to be a few short adventures in time and right now, I’m grateful I’m able to
charter the voyage with them.
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Mid Week Revelation: I'm not ready for them to grow up
I've realized that one of the hardest things about parenting is your children grow up faster than you are ready to accept... Motherhood, it's not for the weak.
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Who talks more?
There’s something about the volume in my home, maybe it’s
the fact that we’re Italians, but everyone is loud. Well not everyone, my
husband isn’t, but the rest of us are –even my German Shepherd is very vocal. There
is always something going on. A loud based conversation, songs playing in the
back ground, or both of the kiddos participating in imaginative play –very loudly.
To me, silence is deafening. Noise is soothing.
As the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, my daughter is
a mini me -Constantly talking to hear the sound of her voice, whether she is
singing, adding commentary, or just asking questions. On a normal day, my
daughter and I get into a competition of who can say the most words. The sad
part is, I’m losing –and that is saying a lot.
My daughter has reached the age where one simple explanation
to one of her MANY questions throughout the day just isn’t good enough anymore.
The “whys” have reached a level of insanity and that is the only time my brain
needs a time out to stop and think.
It’s a rare moment if my daughter isn’t screeching through
the house riding her big wheel at top speed, giggling, or singing at the highest level. So it was only a matter of time until my son
picked up the habit. At first, I thought he was taking after my husband and
only speaking under dire need. However, I guess environmental influence is
stronger than genetics after all.
Some of the tidbits he has picked up are, he walks into a
room and yells, yes yells, “momma!” at the top of his lungs even if he’s
looking right at me, then smiles and points. Or, he picks up his toy phone and
strolls through the rooms having a loud babbling conversation with his
gesturing hands animated every step of the way.
My daughter and son dance so heavy it sounds like a herd of elephants stomping through my home. They also stare at each other and scream at the
highest pitch to see who can do it louder -while both of them giggle to the
extreme. From the outside, this seems silly, but when you break down
the unfolding image, you see two siblings sharing a common bond –a loud one.
You see a younger sibling copying his older sister because he wants to emulate
her. Watching this is very special to me. It is showing a positive
progression in their relationship. Plus, that means my daughter is tolerating
him long enough for them to even have moments like these.
In the end, I love that my home is loud and everyone is always
talking because that means conversations are constantly ensuing. I love that my
daughter is a free spirit and runs wildly and I absolutely love that my son is
following suit.
Everyone’s family is different and to me what makes each of
them special is that they’re tailored to fit the individuals.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Mid Week Revelation: Stages of a boy
I've realized that it must be physically impossible for my son to drink from his sippy cup and not spit it all back out onto his feet while standing (and giggling)... Motherhood, it's not for the weak.
Sunday, April 6, 2014
Two amazing beings
Yesterday I was stressed. We were racing out the door while
running late for a family birthday party…
My son was waiting at the door, sitting with his shoes in
his hand.
My daughter was running through the house, making a game out
of putting on her shoes.
While finally in the car, decompressing from the last 10
minutes of utter chaos, I hear giggles coming from the backseat.
An unbelievably precious sound…
One that makes a parent’s heart skip a beat.
Peering through the rearview mirror I could see my daughter’s
and son’s hand intertwined in one another.
Their eyes locked on each other.
Like they were speaking their own language -Having a
complete conversation that only siblings can understand.
She was telling him all about the crazy world outside their
window and he was just eating it all up –giggling to extremes when she made a
silly face at him.
As time passes, my two are becoming one. They seek each
other out and share emotions. Their love for one another is growing –a feeling that wasn’t so
grand at first.
I spent the rest of the drive periodically gazing into the
rearview mirror and at the same time, smiling at my husband. I was feeling
complete while reflecting on this metamorphosis that was unfolding behind me.
Realizing, what was a few extra 10 minutes of chaos when you have these amazing
beings sharing a life with you.
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Mid Week Revelation: Who is the hip one now?
I've realized my dancing and singing to every Sheriff Callie song isn't aesthetically pleasing on the eyes or ears. However, both of my kiddos rave about it and demand encore presentations. At the same time, I've also realized that I'm not quite sure who the "hip" one is anymore... Motherhood, it's not for the weak.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)