Tag: mommyhood

children, humor, kids, mommyhood, motherhood, parenting, tantrums

Soccer, Sunshine & the Stinky Face

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Disney Sports Soccer
Image via Wikipedia

Yesterday, the four of us hopped on our bikes and headed to the soccer fields.  The mail lady commented on how she wished she could join us in the sunshine as we whizzed by.

Full Speed rode his big boy bike.  No training wheels, no how.

We were golden.  We did some drills (all according to Mad Dog’s direction–my soccer knowledge consists of ‘kick the ball’ and ‘don’t use your hands’). 

The best part was when Mad Dog played ‘keep away’ from the me and the boys.  It took all three of us, intense concentration and sometimes we caught a break to occasionally knock the ball from Mad Dog’s skilled feet.  The boys loved this game. 

Then, Mad Dog tried to have Full Speed run a  ‘dribbling’ drill.  Apparently this means doing something with your feet and has nothing to do with the fine motor control of retaining saliva in your mouth.  Since Full Speed wasn’t good at controlling the ball in this manner; he pouted, cried and acted like a very spoiled two year old. 

The bike ride home was drama-filled and drawn out.  Full Speed refused to pedal (he’s not so great at riding without training wheels yet either).

At least the weather was lovely.

Eventually, Mad Dog had to coax Full Speed home on foot and I had to carry his bike while balancing mine with my free hand.  It was a long walk home.

I’m so thankful for second chances and new days.

So far so good.

I guess sometimes you need to go to the brink of bad behavior before you can return to the land of the well-behaved.
 

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mommyhood

Miracle

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Full Speed insisted his stomach hurt all day.  It was so critical at one point he had to go to the nurse’s office.

“Okay, then I guess you can lay down when we get home and you can go to bed super early to get better fast,” I sweetly insisted.

Suddenly, he felt better.

The miraculous recovery spilled over to the next day. 

“If you tell the teacher you need to see the nurse again, I will make sure you go to bed right after dinner when you get home.”

No nurse’s note appeared in his take home folder.

He is healed. 

So much in fact, check out this action: (disclaimer–T.Puzzle screams really loud at the end of this for no apparent reason so you may want to cut the audio before viewing)

[wpvideo HnBvLKDu]

So, all is well with Full Speed and he learned how to ride a bike without training wheels in one day this week. 

It seemed the harder I pushed him to learn, the less motivated he was.  I gave up the fight and six months later he got on his bike and rode off into the sunset sans training wheels.

A miracle here, a miracle there, everywhere a miracle.

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

The Movies (Again!)

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Original sequel logo, from the test footage pr...
Image via Wikipedia

The holidays went by at the speed of light. 

We capped off our family vacation with an outing to see the movie ‘Tron’.

At first we were unsure if it was appropriate for T.Puzzle.  He had mentioned being scared about going to see it.

On the morning of, we pulled him aside and asked him if he wanted to go.

“I do.  I’m all growed up now.  I want to see Tron.”

His only request was that he wanted to sit by his brother in case he got scared.

Apparently, Full Speed has become quite a protector.

As we pulled into the theater parking lot, it started to drizzle.

T.Puzzle wanted to race to the entrance.  “Hurry!  Hurry or we might melt!”

Full Speed said, “Are you made of sugar or are you a Wicked Witch?”

“No,” replied T.Puzzle.

“Then you won’t melt!”

Me?

I ran like crazy being 100% sugar and all.

gratitude, happiness, humor, kids, life in pictures, marriage, mommy cliques, mommyhood, motherhood, parenting, self care (or lack thereof), self-discovery

Happy 2011, Everyone!

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Resolutions for 2011 are as follows–

T.Puzzle: To be Superman when I grow up!

That’s super, man.

Full Speed:  I promise to be the bestest boy in all the land.

Considering his initial behavior at our New Year’s lunch out by the ocean, this goal may be slightly on the lofty side.

Mad Dog:  To get fit and have more patience with my boys.

First of all, I think he looks fantastic as is and secondly, I’m thinking he wanted to add ‘and more patience with my wife’.  Since he was speaking this goal directly to me, he was wise to leave that part out.

Me:  To have more gratitude for what I already have.

Case in point...

That’s the great thing about motherhood, it gives you many reasons to be grateful.  I’m serious, mostly…, and no, I haven’t fallen and hit my head (at least not badly).

These are some of the lessons I learned throughout 2010.

1.  No matter how much you dream it or wish it, you are not in control of your life or your children.  It seems the more I try to micromanage Full Speed’s and T.Puzzle’s behavior, the more likely I am to fail and be miserable in the process.   Sometimes you have to let go and let them be who they are, even if that means they act wild sometimes, forget their manners and generally drive you and your spouse nuts.

2. On good days, motherhood is about the balance between caring for the needs of your kids and caring for your own needs.  On bad days, motherhood is about survival.  All you can do is survive until your children’s bedtime, chalk it up to a bad day and start the adventure anew the next day.

3.  When the bad stuff happens, it’s your best opportunity to learn.

4.  I am extremely lucky to have someone like Mad Dog as my children’s father.  Kids love to emulate what they see, and fortunately for me, this means they see love, respect and generosity as a way of life.

Full Speed puts his hands in his pockets just like Mad Dog on our day at the zoo.

5.  Frustration doesn’t get you very far.  Acceptance, an action plan and forgiveness go a whole lot further in this world.

6.  Having kids allows you to remember your own sense of fun.  It’s also a great excuse to wear silly hats when you ring in the new year.

Happy New Year, Everyone!
children, gratitude, happiness, kids, mommyhood, motherhood, parenting

The Movies

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Yogi Bear and Boo Boo, 2010
Image by erjkprunczyk - Happy New Year! via Flickr

 

Mad Dog and I took the boys to see ‘Yogi Bear’.  If I’m being completely honest, sitting through children’s fare, especially the type common to theaters in recent years, can be a bit taxing on your sense of sanity.

I tried to keep an open mind to the inanity of it all. 

When my attention wasn’t captured by the movie, which was most  of the time, I quickly became absorbed in thought.  How could I change my perspective and appreciate this movie, this experience and this moment? 

Well, it helped a ton to hear the unfiltered giggles emitting from each boy on either side of me.  It also wasn’t the worst kid’s movie I’ve had to sit through either.

I couldn’t maintain a zen outlook the whole time.  In the moments I could, I sat back and was more content to watch Full Speed and T.Puzzle enjoy their cinematic adventure.  And enjoy it they did.

I counted myself lucky that we live close to a theater, had gift certificates to pay our way (thank you, Grandma and Grandpa!) and Mad Dog available to join us.

The movie didn’t end up on any of my top ten lists,  but the company was divine.

That in itself was worth the price of admission.

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