Tag: parenthood

children, family, humor, kids, motherhood, parenting

Water Break

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While we struggled at the onset of the boys’ soccer season, we have reached a nice level of flow and acceptance.    Full Speed’s team has jelled and while they may not win every game, they try hard and work well together.  As for T.Puzzle, we have come to realize U-6 soccer is more a test in parental patience than it is anything else.  It’s good there are only two games left in this roller coaster season.  When we lose, we lose in such a spectacular fashion that it is sometimes difficult to regroup and move forward to the next game.  Fortunately, the kids at this level are so firmly planted in the present moment, they attack each new game with the confidence of an undefeated squad.

It has been interesting to watch T.Puzzle evolve over this U-6 season.  He started off much like last year.  His main concern was when the next water break would be called.  Then he slowly began to be invested in the outcome of the game.  First, he actually focused on where the ball was and what the score was for an entire game (this is impressive for a five-year old).  The next game, he took his defense seriously and to the extreme.  He began to use karate moves on the opposition (he has since been coached on keeping his hands to himself).  Now, he gets angry when he has to sit out a period.  He sits with crossed arms, kicks the bench and shoots daggers at Mad Dog (he has since been coached to adjust his attitude).

Looks like he is headed down the Mad Dog/Full Speed-win-at-all-costs road.

Seems I will be quietly waiting for water breaks alone from now on.

children, humor, kids, marriage, mommyhood, motherhood, parenting

No and Yes

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One of the goals of parenthood is to teach your children to be independent.  In theory, the more they are able to do on their own, the more freedom it will give you.  However, sometimes in the process of teaching your two boys who don’t pay attention to details the art of loading the dishwasher, it can turn slightly calamitous.  Somehow water ends up everywhere but the sink and they will attempt to start a load for only two plates when I’m not looking.  This load is done without detergent of course.  In their defense, those two, lonely plates really did shine.

I try to be patient, I try to let some things slide…especially my feet in the watery abyss surrounding my dishwasher, and yet there are still daily tasks for the boys I haven’t allowed them to do.  

Over the weekend I went for a morning run leaving Mad Dog in charge.  When I came home, I asked if he had followed up on the parentally supervised tasks of the boys’ morning.

Did they get their vitamins?

No.

Did they get their glasses cleaned?

No.

Is their hair combed?

No.

Did T.Puzzle get his nasal spray?

No.

Finally in exasperation Full Speed declared, “Everything you are going to ask Daddy the answer is going to be no!”

Mad Dog didn’t miss a beat.  “That’s not true.  You have to ask the right questions.”  Then he went on to list all the questions he would easily be able to reply yes to.

Are the boys protected?

Do they have a roof over their head?

and, this one’s my favorite…

Do they have love?

Yes, yes and yes.

So, let’s ponder this for a moment.  To quote Full Speed (he gleaned this little gem from a movie), “Happy wife, happy life.  Unhappy wife, stone-cold misery.”

gratitude, happiness, kids, marriage, mommyhood, motherhood, parenting, self-discovery

2, 4, 6, 8 Who Do I Appreciate?

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Do you ever wonder if your partner understands how hard you work to make everything seem easy? 

How when he may (or may not) reach for clothes for the kids, they are clean, neatly organized and always at hand?   This goes for karate uniforms, too.

Or, when he walks in the door, the kids are playing with each other in a respectful manner (someone had to teach them this and they need almost daily reminders of how to continue to do so), the house is clean (relatively speaking) and dinner is cared for (most nights).

And, what about all the learning these kids need to do that you have to help them with?  Eye appointments and doctors visits, too?

Believe me, I’m just getting started here.

Now, before you stop reading in protest Mad Dog, let me flip it around.

Do you ever feel like your partner understands how hard you work to provide for her and the kids?

How about all the long hours spent alone in an office (with no windows, mind you!) on endless phone calls trying to accomplish seemingly impossible business feats and doing so while making it all look easy?

What about trying to manage a team that is scattered across the nation that looks to you for leadership and expects nothing but excellence from you? 

Or the myriad of calamities and unexpected projects that pile up on your already overtaxed work schedule?

And what about the time spent away from your boys?  You know they are incredible and they grow by leaps and bounds every day, and you have to miss some of the really important and downright cool stuff.

You are handling all these things and doing it well even at great personal cost.  Does your partner get this?

Really?

I don’t know that I do.

Sometimes I’m so focused on feeling underappreciated in my own corner of the world that it begins to feel like a part-time job.

Are life and relationships ever going to be exactly how you want them to be?

Nope.

What can I do today to take care of myself, give myself the recognition I desire and honor and appreciate my partner in the process?

I love you, Mad Dog and appreciate you!

I guess that’s a start.

children, health, humor, kids, mommyhood, motherhood, parenting

Full (Speed) of Hot Air

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Children and gastrointestinal issues go hand in hand.  Mad Dog and I have witnessed this firsthand.

When Full Speed shared that his ‘tummy hurt’ and then proceeded to turn a sickly pale color, we changed our dinner plans.  Nevermind that we had only seconds before pulled into the restaurant parking lot and were ready to exit the car and head inside.

We weren’t in a gambling mood.

Instead we decided to grab some food at a drive-thru and eat at home.  That way if Full Speed had any issues, we would be out of the public’s always watching eyes and have access to cleaning products if the need should arise.

We couldn’t figure out if Full Speed was really ill.  He was pale and restrained one moment, then hyper and happy the next.

After we picked up our food and had it spread out on our kitchen table, a low rumbling noise began deep in the bowels of Full Speed.  It went on and on a rose with a vengence and a long-winded burp escaped from his lips (you could have spelled Mississippi fourteen times before it was over).  An embarrassed smile spread across his face as he smirked out the words, “Excuuuuse meeeee!”  Mad Dog and I could tell he instantly felt better as the color returned to his cheeks.

Aha!  Full Speed’s stomach ailment was solved.

If only all mysterious child illnesses and behaviors could be dissected so easily.

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

Clean Slate

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If you are new to this blog, meet Full Speed and T.Puzzle. The most calm and quiet brothers you will ever know who always, always behave. For everyone else, please disregard my previous posts. It's time to wipe the slate clean.

We made it.  To IHOP that is.  The boys were well behaved, the food good and we met some friends there as well.

Full Speed and T.Puzzle were excellent.

Let me repeat that.

Full Speed and T.Puzzle were excellent.

We went to Full Speed’s book fair after IHOP and you will never guess.  They were excellent there, too.  I mean really, really good.  It was swarming with people and chaos.  They never wandered far from my side and patiently ( yes, that’s right, I said patiently) waited in the very long line to purchase our books.

You could have knocked me over with a feather.

We came home, got in our pjs and curled up to read our new books.

I couldn’t have written a better ending to our night so I won’t.

The. End.