Category: gratitude

children, gratitude, happiness, health, kids, mommyhood, motherhood, parenting

Clear Heart, Clear Lungs?

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Poor little T.Puzzle.

You know he would pick his first week of Christmas break to come down with a bronchial virus.

He is finally showing real signs of recovery.  Hopefully he will lose his old man’s smoker’s cough soon, too.

He has been a trooper.  Even the night that we ended up on the family room couch at 2am as I held him upright to stave off the cough, he kept a bright outlook.  He kept worrying that my feet weren’t covered and periodically rearranged our throw blankets that I had tossed haphazardly on top of us.

I was grateful for a reason to smile in my tired early morning haze.

So, maybe our plans for Christmas break have been slightly thwarted.

At least we are together, we have a roof over our heads and we have love in hearts.

Next up?

Clear lungs I hope!

gratitude, happiness, humor, kids, life in pictures, marriage, mommyhood, motherhood, parenting

This is Only a Test

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We are in our fourth day of the 17 days Full Speed and T.Puzzle will be home for Christmas break.

I know, you all just said a silent prayer for me. 

Thanks, I appreciate it.

My goal, other than the obvious one to remain as sober as possible during this time, is to test the waters to see if I would enjoy having both boys home full-time for the upcoming summer in 2011.

So far, all signs point to yes.

That wasn’t a typo, people.  I really wrote that.

Oh sure, T.Puzzle’s bit his brother three times (not to mention his own dear mother), and Full Speed’s imagination is in constant, kinetic motion requiring that he ask a minimum, and I mean minimum, of at least 1,000 questions a day.

In spite of all that, at the end of the day, I am glad to be spending it with them. 

Time is fleeting.

My boys are growing.

I must learn to seize the day.

Of course surviving this break would not be possible without two (I know, I thank the heavens every day that I have two) awesome babysitters that feel more like family with each passing day, and a willing parenting partner like Mad Dog, who will hopefully be present a little more on the home front in the coming weeks.

What can I say?

Either I’ve gone off the deep end,

OR

I’ve learned a thing or two along the way.

Or more likely, I’ve learned to accept a kid or two for exactly who they are and learned to go with the flow a little more.

OR

Mad Dog has just signed me up for a lifetime membership to the ‘Wine of the Month’ club.

Cheers!

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children, gratitude, happiness, kids, life in pictures, mommyhood, motherhood, parenting, self-discovery, Taekwondo

Wise for His Size

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It was Full Speed’s turn to graduate.

He was fired up from the start.

Once he donned his sparring gear he felt unstoppable.

He attacked with everything he had.  His opponent didn’t stand a chance.

Full Speed breaks out his flying spin kick.
Go Full Speed!

One of the best parts about being six years old is that life and its lessons haven’t completely caught up to you yet.  You still believe in the impossible.

Santa will visit your house.

Life will always good.

And, in Full Speed’s case, you can imagine that you are a six foot, 190 lb. man who can beat anyone or any obstacle with a spin kick and a heart like a lion.

Maybe Full Speed has something to teach us all.

children, gratitude, happiness, kids, life in pictures, mommyhood, motherhood, parenting, Taekwondo

Board Break

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Time flies when you’re having fun or when you are simply living your life as quietly as possible hoping for the best.

Another Tiny Tiger’s graduation was upon us.

T.Puzzle has struggled to break the necessary board to advance his belt.  Full Speed asked permission from the instructor to help hold the board for T.Puzzle. 

That was the highlight for me; watching Full Speed want to be the ‘big brother’ for T.Puzzle.

After what seemed like 87 million attempts (all of them failed), T.Puzzle could not break the board.

The instructor asked Full Speed to step in and break the board on T.Puzzle’s behalf.

And break he did.

Eventually, T.Puzzle was allotted some more attempts as graduation was winding down.  He kind of sort of broke it on his own accord.

He earned his new belt and the pride spread across his face from ear to ear.

It’s great to earn a new belt, but even better to have a brother who’s got your back.

children, gratitude, happiness, health, kids, life in pictures, mommyhood, motherhood, parenting

Shot Through the Heart

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T.Puzzle waits with a smile for the doctor.

I am already seeing the signs of the ‘four year change’ in T.Puzzle.  It happens gradually with lots of days of backsliding.  The only reason I am aware it is happening at all is because I witnessed the same change in Full Speed two years ago.

It starts with the simple things, like saying ‘yes’ when Mom or Dad ask you to do something all the way to the more complicated, like sampling a variety of Thai food without batting an eyelash or throwing remarkably less volatile tantrums.

I had to take T.Puzzle in for his four year wellness check-up.  He was ultra-compliant and happy to boot.

I was relieved that he was following direction so well.  My soul relaxed a notch as it clicked that this is exactly how it happened with Full Speed.  The ‘four year change’ is upon us.

We were having such a good time.  I didn’t want it to end.

Then, it was time for the vaccination portion of the visit.  T.Puzzle’s glee quickly turned to horrified shock and despair.

It was like leading a dimpled, giggly lamb to slaughter.

He had to get four shots.

FOUR.

As each shot stabbed into his puny thighs, his wails got louder and louder.

He was so loud, the receptionist went to the back storage room and got him six ‘Lightning McQueen’ stickers for his ‘bravery’.

Once I had him calm, collected and on our way home he said, “Mom, my legs are all better now,” and didn’t give them or his shots a second thought.

Four years old.

T.Puzzle’s best year yet.