Lucky mom

Mary Lawton, truly I must be the most blessed mom in the world. Thank you for being my sweet baby boo.

I love you.

Upcoming milestone [sniff]

I just made the appointment for Mary Lawton's first haircut. This is really pulling at my heart for some reason (not to mention making me anxious, because I have no idea how she'll react). Sunday at 4pm. Wish us luck.

The horror, the horror

This was Sunday afternoon. It doesn't look as bad now as I thought it looked at the time. We live in a small house, so any toys on the floor are usually too many toys on the floor. On Sunday I felt like the toys had taken over. Oh well. We had fun.

Mine!

Mary Lawton is going through a serious "Mine!" phase complete with grabbing, snatching, hoarding, etc. (Lord, please let this be a phase.) If you even come near her when she is holding something, she starts screaming "MINE!" She was screaming in the bathtub the other night while Sweet LJ was bathing her, I looked in, and she was crouching over a bath toy so he couldn't get it.

I've read this is normal for her age and that we should model sharing and encourage sharing and taking turns. We do, but it really doesn't seem to be helping.

Today when I dropped her off at daycare (and lately she walks into the room yelling "MINE!" and making a beeline for the first kid she sees with a toy), it popped into my head that this seems to be causing her some anxiety. She is so happy and cheerful at home, but at school she seems distressed and anxious. She can't enjoy what she has because she's so worried about what she doesn't have.

Maybe I'm over-analyzing this, but moms out there, please weigh in if you have any suggestions.

Me and my little buddy

June 30, 2010

Bittersweet

My 13.5-months-old daughter told me "bye-bye" for the first time this morning when I dropped her off at daycare. I love that she loves it and doesn't mind seeing me go, but, well...you know.

Reflections on motherhood

Motherhood has humbled me. I remember rolling my eyes when friends said they couldn't meet us for dinner after 7PM because it was bedtime. Couldn't they keep the kid out later? Now I understand. Childless coworkers were complaining recently about moms who block grocery store aisles with the giant racecar shopping carts. Childless me would have complained, too. Now I understand. You can't push the cart next to the food, or your child will grab everything. I no longer judge women scolding their children in Target, because I have no idea when they last slept longer than 5 hours in a row, whether they have eaten in the last 24 hours, or when they last got to go to the bathroom alone. I've become more empathetic and sympathetic and learned some lessons.

As soon as you cross the doctor's office threshold with your sick child, she will begin smiling, waving, and laughing, and the fever will disappear.

If you need your child to take a nap, she will not. If you need your child to wake up from a nap, she will not.

Avoid wearing dark colors when your child has a cold.

People who tell you their babies slept through the night at 8 weeks old are lying...or they slept through the crying, or they drugged their babies.

Roll up your child's sleeves before you let her feed herself blueberry pancakes. Really, just roll up her sleeves before you let her feed herself anything. Or, just take off her shirt.

The farther in advance you make the plans, the sicker your child will be when the event rolls around.

In hindsight, having a plan is funny.

Everything stains. Water stains.

Just throw away the really dirty clothes.

You will never find the missing baby sock, so stop looking.

Don't spend much on toys.

A bath will turn around even the worst day.

What would you add to this list?

The Mama Test

My aunt sent me this, and here it is for all the rest of you mamas.

*****
I was out walking with my 4-year-old daughter. She picked up something off of the ground and started to put it in her mouth. I took the item away from her and I asked her not to do that.

"'Why?" my daughter asked. "Because it's been on the ground. You don't know where it's been. It's dirty, and probably has germs," I replied.

At this point, my daughter looked at me with total admiration and asked, "Mama, how do you know all this stuff ? You are so smart."

I was thinking quickly and replied, "All moms know this stuff. It's on the Mama Test. You have to know it, or they don't let you be a Mama."

We walked along in silence for 2 or 3 minutes, but she was evidently pondering this new information.

"Oh...I get it!," she beamed. "So if you don't pass the test you have to be the dad."

"Exactly," I replied with a big smile on my face.

*****
Happy Friday!

Questions to ask your mother

A friend was telling about these awhile back, and I just found her email again. I plan to ask my mother these in person during our family vacation next week--so get ready, Mom!

1. What's the one thing you would have done differently as a mom?

2. Why did you choose to be with my father?

3. In what ways do you think I'm like you? And not like you?

4. Which one of us kids did you like the best?

5. Is there anything you have always wanted to tell me but never have?

6. Do you think it's easier or harder to be a mother now than when you were raising our family?

7. Is there anything you regret not having asked your parents?

8. What's the best thing I can do for you right now?

9. Is there anything that you wish had been different between us -- or that you would still like to change?

10. When did you realize you were no longer a child?