Category: gratitude

gratitude, happiness, kids, parenting

Peace on Earth

WFAM

We attended the Avondale Luminaria Celebration. It is a local community Christmas event. We have friends that live nearby and were able to get us parking as it is very crowded. Then we set out to explore the luminary lined streets on foot (simply beautiful). Essentially it is a festival of holiday lighted homes and vehicles that drive up and down the main drag with the passengers (some in Santa gear) tossing candy. There was a live nativity (little T.Puzzle couldn’t get over the baby calf) and of course another meeting with Santa. While waiting in line the boys almost reached their breaking point right as they were about to meet Santa. They were getting wrestly and antsy and almost knocked over some decorations. Luckily, as I could sense we were reaching the danger zone of behavior, it was their turn. They sat nicely on Santa’s lap and had a lengthy chat.

Full Speed made himself right at home with our friends insisting that he hold their hands as we paraded down the street. T.Puzzle followed suit as he has to do everything his older brother does. The boys shouted ‘Merry Christmas’ to all we saw and seemed to fully participate in the collective holiday cheer. It was a joy to watch.

My friend asked me a little about the boys and family. She commented that Mad Dog was an awfully quiet guy. I said he is mostly, however there are times he can surprise you. I could tell she didn’t believe me.

Full Speed had managed to claim her as his own personal companion for the evening and they begin darting among the crowd (at Full Speed’s insistent lead of course). At one point Full Speed and my friend got separated from the rest of us. Her husband, Mad Dog, T.Puzzle and myself stopped in our tracks hoping that soon we would be reunited.

We made the best of it while we waited. T.Puzzle and I watched the lighted cars go by and sang Christmas songs while Mad Dog watched the Steelers big comeback on his iPhone (so much for sacrificing football for family time; you will not be allowed to say that again, Mad Dog!). When the Steelers scored their down-to-the-wire winning touchdown, Mad Dog shouted so loud it startled me (and everyone in a five block radius). If only my friend had been there to hear that. Then she’d know Mad Dog’s not as quiet as one might think.

Turns out Full Speed and my friend had lost us in the crowd and decided to head back to where we had initially parked. No harm, no foul. On our drive home, two very tired but very happy boys were as quiet as mice. Apparently there can be peace on earth after all.

children, gratitude, happiness, mommyhood

Touchdown! (Part Two)

WFAM

Mad Dog not only made me breakfast and cleaned up the kitchen, he has offered to take the boys to Box Seats again this afternoon.

I would write more but it’s jig dancing time again. I’m opting for a combination of Beyonce’s ‘Single Ladies’ choreography with some old school Madonna ‘Holiday’ dance moves.

Come together in every nation, it’s time for a celebration!

gratitude, humor, kids, life in pictures, mommyhood

Supermarket Miracle

WFAM

This was my morning. First I got T.Puzzle up and dressed. I said, “What would you like for breakfast?” I was full well anticipating an answer like ‘pancakes!’ or ‘waffles!” Instead he said, “Cupcakes with sprinkles!”

I promise you I did not give him that for breakfast. At least the cupcakes I had baked for his birthday made an impression on him. I guess I will have to Betty Crocker it out for him on future celebratory occasions. Let’s hope he outgrows his egg allergy because store bought cupcakes are a beautiful thing.

When it’s Full Speed’s turn to start the day I ask, “What would you like to wear today?” He responds, “My Santa shirt.” This confuses me. He doesn’t have a shirt with a Santa picture on it or even a holiday themed one.

“What shirt do you mean?” I ask.

“The red one I wore when I met Santa,” he explains. His tone implies that pretty much everyone on the planet except his Mom knows this. Red polo shirt it is then.

I love that in the first ten minutes of my day that my boys are so entertaining. I think that means we are off to a good start.

After T.Puzzle and I drop off Full Speed, we head to the grocery. In the past I have dedicated entire posts to his legendary meltdowns and unpredictable behavior. Today, I changed my game plan. It was risky but it paid off. I had to survey the area and make a hasty choice. On this particular weekday morning the place was dead with only a handful of staff and customers sprinkled about.

I let him out of the cart.

I know as you let that concept sink in, you have a great deal of fear and admiration for me.

He helped me pull the cart and placed (more like plunked and thunked) items in the basket. It went slowly but it went well. I even knew I had a spare fruit snack in my purse to bribe him to sit in the cart during checkout. It worked like a charm.

My morning started off as slightly humorous like any other and then it turned into a supermarket miracle. God bless us everyone!

children, gratitude, mommyhood

Stick With You

WFAM

An eerie silence has fallen over my house. We’ve had such a bustle of visitors and activity that now it almost seems like we are living in a library. I’m having a hard time cleaning up all the baby toys and baby stuff. I’m missing my family terribly.

Full Speed was in caretaker mode this morning (it helps because he got about 13 hours of sleep). He takes his role seriously as ‘man of the house’ when Mad Dog is out of town. He noticed Baby D’s high chair was still at the table this morning (I didn’t have the heart to fold it away yet). I told him I sure felt sad that his cousins had left and that I would miss them.

“Mom,” he said, “T.Puzzle and I are still here and you can see us everyday so you won’t ever miss us.”

“Thanks, Full Speed, that makes me feel better. I’m glad I get to see you both every day,” I responded. I love when threads of empathy come through Full Speed’s words. It makes me feel like maybe I’m doing my job right.

Another life skill we are working on in our house is ‘sticking with it’. That means whatever Mommy gives you, you say “thank you, ma’am, it’s exactly what I wanted.” For instance, I’ll give the boys a couple choices for snack and if they can’t decide, they have to be happy with whatever Mom puts in front of them. Same goes for toys, clothes, tv shows, etc.

As I was preparing breakfast (frozen pancakes gourmet delight), Full Speed asked his little brother if he could remember what Full Speed told Santa he wanted for Christmas. A dutiful T.Puzzle shouts, “Guns and swords!”

Full Speed was impressed he remembered. “Give me a double high T.Puzzle.” T.Puzzle jumps from his chair and slaps his brother’s hands.

Now, as a mother, you can sense that Santa actually giving Full Speed guns and swords for Christmas would be an accident or a gravely endangered T.Puzzle waiting to happen. I tried my best to offset the weaponry violence.

“Hey, Full Speed, what if Santa isn’t able to bring you guns and swords for Christmas? What if he brings you something else but is certain you would really like it?”

“I’d stick with whatever Santa gave me, Mom,” is his automatic reply.

“I’m sticking with you, kid,” is mine.

children, gratitude, happiness, life in pictures, mommyhood

Never Gonna Happen

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Baby D

My sister’s trip is winding down and I am sad. To top it off, Mad Dog left at the crack of dawn on a work trip. It was hard to get out of bed with my usual chipper attitude (not true, I always have a bad, early morning attitude so at least I was consistent).

T.Puzzle’s third birthday was a lot of fun. Soccer Girl and Sparkle joined in the celebration and you will notice in the picture that Full Speed had a slightly sour demeanor (it’s tough having your little bro’ take center stage).

All day long T.Puzzle talked a big game about his cupcake with sprinkles but when it came right down to it, he cringed in fear when it was time to eat. Since he has an egg allergy most cakes and cookies are foreign to him. The irony was not lost on me that I would slave all morning in the kitchen only to have him turn his nose up at the final product. I did eventually coax him into trying it and then he pretty much inhaled it. I hope he enjoys the ones I sent to school with him. I’m curious to find out if he ate them or thought they were weird.

Full Speed turned up the energy for presents. He was super ‘helpful’ in opening and playing with all of his little brother’s new toys. T.Puzzle handled this ‘helpfulness’ well which was impressive.

The best present of course is the fact that we could all be together to share in the celebration. However, trying to explain that to a three year old, especially a three year old like T.Puzzle, is like asking him to poop on the potty (i.e.-never gonna happen!).