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children, humor, kids, motherhood, parenting

The Dark Side of Valentine’s Day

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I am off my game.  You would think I would know better.  All I need to do to stay on top of things is periodically read old posts from this blog.

I couldn’t resist.  I gave the boys small-scale lightsabers with M&Ms inside the handle.  They are completely adorable, they light up and they came with candy.  They are a perfect little Valentine.

Do I even need to write what happened once the boys bounded downstairs and grasped the lightsabers in their hands?

I don’t.  You’re a smart bunch.  You saw this morning’s lightsaber death match between the boys coming a mile a way.  You could have warned me to get them anything else.   My enduring love for Han Solo and all things Star Wars clouded my judgment.

I have paid the price and like the dark side I do not.

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children, humor, motherhood, parenting

Rules Were Made to be Broken

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Yesterday a new love seat arrived for our family room.  It is very comfortable and has motorized foot rests.  Of course before Mad Dog and I could allow ourselves to enjoy it, our first priority was to set ground rules with the boys on how to treat this new piece of furniture.

1.  No jumping, fighting or standing on the love seat

2.  Do not play with the button for the footrests, this is not a new spaceship toy

3.  Sitting next to Mom is allowed but only if you can do so calmly and quietly (this usually lasts for about five minutes until I end up with a foot, yes, I said foot, in my eyeball)

Of course following these rules can be quiet a challenge.  I watched as T.Puzzle sat on the arm of our couch ready to launch himself at full force on the love seat.

“Whoa, hold on there, T.Puzzle.  Remember, no jumping allowed!” I said rather forcefully.

“I wasn’t going to jump, Mom.  I was going to swing.”

And with that, he grabbed the couch arm like a pommel horse and before I could stop him, swung his legs in a perfect arc landing squarely seated on the love seat.  It actually was quite athletic.  If I would have been watching these shenanigans in a different venue I may have been inclined to award him a bronze medal.

Looks like we’re back to the drawing board on our list of rules…

T.Puzzle as a baby swinging in the proper context
humor, kids, motherhood, parenting, tantrums, terrible twos

New Year, New Mom…Happy 2012!

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When writing my posts I try to be honest.  My resolution for the coming year is to keep the honesty going.  Motherhood has not always been easy for me and I want to continue the truthful documentation of my triumphs and tribulations.

I would like to start this off by first of all sharing how far I have come since the birth of Full Speed.  In the seven years that I have been lucky enough to call this kid and his little brother my own, I feel like a completely new person.  I learned it was easier to accept the harsh realities of raising two extremely spirited boys than continue to fight it. The more I let go of my parenting expectations (like having a quiet house,  having children who exhibit minimal tantrums and/or power struggles, receiving gentle hugs, etc.) and embraced my kids for exactly who they are, everything started to get easier.  You can sense this evolution if you have been following my blog for a while.  The more recent my posts, the less pitiful they are.  2011 has especially been a turning point for me.  My boys are older and I am hopefully wiser (ha, ha).  I am now finally able to reconnect with parts of myself that I thought motherhood had taken forever.  My boys are more independent (sigh) and this has allowed me the freedom to return to myself a little bit more every day.

How do I know that I still have a long way to go?  Well, this is where the honesty part comes in play.  Every time I hear that a friend or family member is expecting a child, especially their first, a tiny part of me hopes that at some point their future bundle of joy will throw some serious, Grade A tantrums. There, I said it.

Full Speed, age 2, on the brink of a meltdown
Never to be outdone, T.Puzzle, age two, gets ready to rumble

I have yet to meet another Mom who has dealt/deals with as many tantrums as I have survived.  If you are out there, hang in there.  It gets better and so do the deals at the liquor store if you buy in bulk.

Anyway, I raise a glass (or two or twenty) to my best year of my motherhood experience yet.  Thank you 2011!

Can’t wait for 2012… Happy New Year to All!

children, humor, kids, motherhood, parenting

Merry Parenting!

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It’s difficult to know how effectively you are doing your job as a stay-at-home Mom.  There isn’t much to go in way of job performance reviews or bonuses for excellence in laundering.  I gauge how I’m doing based solely on the behavior and successes of my children.  This is not a system without its flaws.

We were outside yesterday as I tried desperately to burn some Christmas Eve energy out of the boys.  I ended up keeping them out too long and two meltdowns later, T.Puzzle had to be sent inside. 

Full Speed didn’t mind.  In fact he wholeheartedly agreed he was ready to go inside, too.  He put all the toys away without being asked and happily volunteered to help me put away my folding chair.

“Wow, Full Speed!  I’m so impressed with how helpful you are being.  Way to go!”  I felt so proud of him and myself.  Obviously my caring and thoughtful examples through the years for Full Speed were showing signs of paying off.  I gave myself a gold star for parenting until…

“Mom, I’m being a good helper to make sure I stay on Santa’s good list since Christmas is tomorrow.”

Santa – 1      Mom – 0

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

children, humor, kids, life in pictures, mommyhood, motherhood, parenting

Two’s the Limit

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Full Speed joined me as we picked up T.Puzzle from school.  The morning receptionist was filling in for the afternoon and she commented on how much Full Speed has grown.  We both marvelled at how old both my boys were getting and how soon we would no longer be coming to this preschool.   I told her it will be a hard transition when T.Puzzle (my baby) goes to kindergarten next year.

Then she asked, “Are you one of those Moms that is going to have another baby when the youngest starts school?”

I almost choked at the question and blurted out, “Absolutely not!  Trust me, all you would have to do is spend some time with my boys and you would understand.”  

How do I know this for sure?  I have a close friend who had a chance to meet my boys for the first time.  I know she fell in love with them as they did with her.   Having seen the boys in action she finally gets what my motherhood journey has truly been like. 

I’m not entirely sure but I’m guessing she was even impressed I decided to go for two.

The boys enjoying a bedtime story with my friend. They quickly adopted her as one of their own.