Mid Week Humor: Silent children

There's nothing quite like abruptly hearing your daughter yell to her brother, "run! shut the door!" And then seeing the bathroom sink overflowed and spilling onto the floor... Motherhood, where crying is socially acceptable and sometimes encouraged.

A new reader

I have to admit, for how proud I am with my daughter's new ability to read books by herself, I'm just as sad for missing the night time snuggles when I was the sole reader... But alas, I sneak in a book or two and wiggle myself right beside her, so we're cheek to cheek, and blame it on that she's just not tired enough to sleep yet. I read, while I watch her tired eyes slightly close and her head becomes heavier and heavier on my shoulder. I try my hardest to catch these glimpses of milestones in the palms of my hands and grip them ever so tightly, not wanting to let go. But, I hold those memories in my palms and I know I have to open my hands just a little bit, so I can move forward with her.

Mid Week Humor: Mothers and their warm coffee

Right when I thought it was OK to sit down for some hot coffee, this is what I stumbled upon...

Motherhood, preventing mothers from consuming a fresh cup of warm coffee since the dawn of time.

A tale of Kindergarten blues: Recess

My daughter attending kindergarten was one of the most thought out processes to date. I wanted so desperately to home school her and retain her from the real world. I wanted to control her environment and shield her from the normal school house behaviors, then release her, once her brain was mature enough to understand people. 

My daughter has always been a very social being and has never been at a loss for words. She navigates social situations with ease and has been doing play dates with groups of children since she was born. However, since kindergarten, she seems to be hiding in the shadows more and more. And it breaks my heart because this was exactly what I wanted to avoid. 

She tells me stories about her days at recess, that no one wants to play with her. She'll eagerly walk outside with the rest of her class (and the various other grades that are outside as well) and bounce around to each child, asking if they want to play. After every kid declines, she positions herself on the concrete, with her back against the brick building, and watches all the children play around her. She tells me this, teary eyed, and asks what can she do differently to play with friends, like all the other children. 

I know this has been hard for her, because making friends was always easy. But I'm guessing, as children age, they become less open to others. And cliques begin to form at an early age.

I remember my days from school, or as I like to call it, prison. I was bullied from 1st grade until high school for anything and everything. I got physically pushed around, mocked by boys, and even beat up by girls. I was an easy target, because I was so very naive and sheltered from life's ways. I was very quiet, I never spoke out of turn, and wouldn't dare butt into a conversation. I was awkward, timid, and didn't have a place. So my recess days were always standing off by myself, counting the time away. But, I never expected this from my daughter. I always anticipated large friend circles from her. At home, she is exactly the person I am now. An alpha, a strong will, someone who isn't afraid to go after something she wants, and isn't worried about what people will think of her. But, I wasn't this person back then. This person I am now, took many many years of grooming from life. 

So she has a head start. A very lucky head start, that I didn't have.

Although, she is much more of a sensitive child beneath that exterior. Far more than I ever was...

Today, we completed our normal morning routine before school and we talked at the breakfast table about what to expect during the day. I offered some more advice on how to engage with others and to be a little more assertive when asking them to play. She seemed ready to try again and we devised a plan.

And today, was a success...

...Partially...

She ran off the bus at parent pick-up, so very happy to tell me about recess. She started her story off by saying she did as I said, she asked the other children if they wanted to play, even her friends that she does play with outside of school, and they all said no. She told me that it hurt her feelings and basically, let the wind out of her sails. So she retreated back to her typical spot, against the building and tears filling her eyes...

But then something beautiful happened...

A little girl who also went to her preschool last year stumbled upon her and asked how my daughter was doing. She knelt down beside her and talked, comforting her. Then asked if my daughter wanted to play with her... Of course, my daughter eagerly obliged. 

My daughter's eyes lit up like magic, as she told me the final part of the story. She said today was a great day and she couldn't wait to see if tomorrow will be just as fun. I told her how happy I was that her day went so lovely and how proud I am of her for sticking it out and being open to everyone. 

I knew the little girl's mother, so I texted her when we arrived back home. I told her that she should be proud of her daughter and that her daughter's actions today left an impression on my child. She then explained that she also had a similar conversation with her own daughter about playing with others that might feel left out. Her good parenting and presence in her own daughter's life was transferred over to my child today. 

And I'm grateful...

I am grateful for that one little act of kindness that proves there are still good and thoughtful people in this world. And even children have the capability of seeing another human upset and are aware enough to reach out their own hand.  

As a mother, I am grateful for all the parents who put the time into their children's lives to teach them to be kind and thoughtful of others. Because with that knowledge, you'll never know how one action could change someone's whole day.

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Days like these

Our feet dug deep into the soppy spring earth that lied beneath our energized bodies. The day felt like a mid summer evening and the sun stayed above the horizon longer than usual. The heat felt wanted against our winter skin, leaving our bodies rejuvenated. We pushed our outdoor adventures and explored all the snowless terrain. Ending the evening at a pond that we discovered among our hike... Yearning for more days, just like this.

A Spring-like day at the farm

Today, my son and I basked in the unusual 60 degree weather... We found our way to our local farm after dropping my daughter off at school. The place was deserted, with only a few remaining animals outdoors. The air was fresh and breeze was warm. My mind was confused as it felt like late spring, but with not a single bud on the empty trees, it reminded me that we are only March 1st. 

We walked around the farm, hand in hand, talking about all the beauty our eyes can see. The skies above were crystal blue and the sun penetrated our pale winter skin that yearned for acceptance from vitamin D.  But, the once frozen ground, was now soppy and muddy as our shoes dug deep in the earth below. However, the no snow provided my son the opportunity to wear his new beloved R2D2 sneakers that light up with every step. 

I enjoy this simple time alone with my son. It brings me back to a time when I only had one child and my daughter and I would venture out, just the two of us. Last year, my son wasn't verbal and even by the end of the summer, his words were still hard to understand. However, this farm adventure was much different. We walked the grounds and talked about everything around us. We stopped in front of the cows and I rattled off some helpful trivia about them and the same with the sheep. He asked questions and even sung Old Mac Donald, before filling his little hands with feed for the animals. 

Our local farm also has a baby calf barn and they have a section where you can read stories to them. He was excited to see all the babies in one location. So, once we entered the small barn, my son pulled a book from their shelf, sat on the rocking chair, and pretended to read them a story.
 

One of his favorite things to do is feed the ducks. These ducks brave the winter every year and stay on the grounds because there are always people in and out who stop by to feed them. But, when we arrived, we couldn't find any of them in their normal spot. So, we explored further down to the creek and my son shrieked when he saw the 3 white ducks across the water... We ran back to get food and dropped some corn pieces next to the rocks by our feet. The ducks didn't come over, but my son said, "we'll keep the food here so they could eat it when they're hungry."

Before long, my son was getting tired and it was nearing the time to pick up my daughter. We made our way out from the water's edge, towards our car. We played, "last one there is a rotten egg" -my son loves that, probably because, I'm always the rotten egg...  Although, before our feet touched the concrete, we realized that we couldn't leave the farm without walking through our spooky forest. However, with not a single leaf on the trees or no ground brush, the spooky forest wasn't so spooky. So when I pretended there was a witch following us, my son said, "there can't be a witch because there isn't anywhere for her to hide." Just then, the wind from my sails dissipated and I agreed with him.

After crossing the bridge towards the parking lot, we stumbled upon some beautiful flowers poking out through the dried leaves... A definite sign that spring is immediately around the corner... A highly anticipated event. 

Being an outdoor family, the winter days become long and tiring. Sure, sleigh riding is fun, but the activity is limited and repetitious. We are lovers of spring days, it's the perfect combination of beautiful weather, which is not too cold and not too warm... This milder air makes way for more outdoor adventures of hiking and exploring, and also frequently farm visits.

These will be our days... Our days to be outside until the sun dips below the horizon and the night time cooler air turns warmer. Our days to eat outdoor picnic lunches and drink fresh lemonade. And our days to make even more memories to top last year. 

Welcome Spring... We've missed you!



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Mid Week Humor: Unforeseen training obstacle

I love American Ninja Warrior. It's so incredibly inspirational, and with me being a former athlete, I find myself wanting to get back into shape and eventually competing... But then suddenly, my son becomes upset because his strawberries are in a bowl and not a plate and my daughter colored red streaks in her hair. Then, I lose my train of thought and I'm instantly distracted by a package of cupcakes. And I'm all like, I'll start my training when my children are teenagers... Motherhood, where on some days, a package of cupcakes saves you from crying.