Category: motherhood

children, family, gratitude, humor, kids, motherhood, parenting

My Dolphin Tale

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Our Memorial Day weekend started off innocently enough.  We made good time, the boys were on their best behavior and I was on my way to see Winter the dolphin.

Winter, the Dolphin with no tail in Clearwater...

Winter’s story had deeply inspired me and I was looking forward to seeing her in person.  Well, after over four hours in the car and the last hour stuck in heavy traffic, my dreams of seeing Winter slowly began to splinter.  Mad Dog powered through.  He pushed me through my cranky disappointment and ignored my snarky remarks as we rode the seemingly never-ending trolley to Winter’s aquarium.  We made it with an hour to closing (paying full fare of course!) and raced to find my dolphin.

It was love at first sight.  She is the sweetest, kindest soul and I could have contentedly sat and watched her for hours.  T.Puzzle and Full Speed took one look at her and turned promptly to Mad Dog, “Where are we going next?” they demanded to know.  While I watched Winter swim lazy little loops, Mad Dog ran at warp speed from one corner of the aquarium to the next trying his best to keep the boys entertained in the tiny space.

Overall the boys were champs and I got to spend time doing something that I really wanted on our weekend getaway (a rarity as a mother of super active boys).  All was redeemed when we headed to the beach that night and the boys tried mightily to chase away all the birds.

How does one peacefully coexist in a household where your kids seem to only want to attack the very wildlife you wish to quietly observe?  I’m not exactly sure.  I know I love my boys and I don’t ever want them to change who they are.  Sit quietly, yes.  Change?

Never.

children, family, kids, motherhood, parenting

Share and Share Alike

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Keeping up with our schedule sometimes leads to two, very tired boys by the time the weekend rolls around.  Add in lots of time with extended family and by last Sunday, meltdowns were the norm.  Mad Dog gallantly tried to play a soccer game with the boys and their cousins while I enjoyed some quiet indoors.  It seemed like every five minutes one of my boys was sent inside for poor attitudes, sportsmanship (or lack thereof) and random outbursts.  As the tantrums continued, Mad Dog’s stoic exterior gave way to out-and-out frustration.  While I did not enjoy the boys’ behavior, a slight part of me was happily relieved that Mad Dog was experiencing the boys at their worst.  As a working parent, Mad Dog only sees the boys for slivers of time during the week.  Then, when he spends time with them on the weekend, they are usually in great moods because, well, it’s the weekend.   As the parent who stays home, and believe me, I do not take my time at home or with them for granted, I get to see a lot more of their ups and unfortunately their downs as well.  When Mad Dog is witness to the downside, it helps to validate my motherhood experience in its entirety. 

 Today my wish for you isn’t that your kids have lots of meltdowns for someone other than yourself (if they must, then by all means, I hope it is for someone else!), instead I hope that you have someone (partner, friend, parent or anyone that makes you feel supported) who shares the good and the bad with you.  It just makes everything better.

children, family, kids, motherhood, parenting

A Good Sport

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We had a good week.  To quote T.Puzzle he “didn’t be bad to his friends” at school (always a bonus) and Full Speed has rightfully earned the nickname “Crazy Legs” on his flag football team.  This is Full Speed’s first season of flag football and he has taken to it like a fish to water.  I marvel how this determined little athlete is actually genetically related to me.  He must have all of Mad Dog’s sport-related genes.  Not surprisingly, I tend to become highly anxious watching Full Speed play.  Naturally, T.Puzzle senses this anxiety and feeds off of it masterfully.  We end up bickering like an old, married couple.  I have since learned to place him far away from me during games (I tried separate fields but that somehow felt wrong) and we all are happier for it.

My life from here on out will be heavily sports-centric.  I must accept this as my fate or I will crumble under the pressure.  Fortunately for me, I’m Full Speed’s and T.Puzzle’s number one fan.  Look out 3 on 3 soccer, we are coming for you soon!

children, family, gratitude, humor, kids, motherhood, parenting

Happy Mother’s Day!

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Here is a Mother’s Day letter written by Full Speed.  It is probably one of the best letters ever and I’m not just saying that because I’m his Mom (oh, yes I am!).

I would like to thank all of you for continuing to read my adventures in motherhood.  I started this blog to document the ups and downs of raising my two, spirited boys.  Over time, it has become a great way to help me cope with the craziness of my life.  Now, I continue to write it simply because I love to write and because I hope it brings humor and light to those who read it.  So, basically I’m saying, I hope it helps you with problems you’ve never heard about. 

On this Mother’s Day, regardless if you have children or not, I hope you have people in your own life who celebrate how amazing you are today and every day.

children, family, motherhood, parenting

How Do You Spell ‘Impossible’?

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I L-O-V-E this kid!
I have officially signed up T.Puzzle for kindergarten.  I am handling this sign-up a lot better than I did Full Speed’s.  I think it’s because I know what to expect and knowing Full Speed loved his kindergarten experience, I’m very hopeful T.Puzzle will love his, too.  Or, maybe I’m more than ready to hand him over to his kindergarten teacher.  It seems as of late, T.Puzzle is convinced I really don’t know how to read and questions me emphatically if I correct him.  I have to spell the word out loud while he hides the text.  He peers at the word furtively beneath his cupped hands to make sure I can’t cheat.  Then, I have to prove phonetically why I think it is the word it is instead of the one he thinks it is.  Oh, I’m ready for this guy to go to kindergarten, alright.  I just hope his future teacher is excellent at spelling.