Monkey Girl

Today my baby girl went across the monkey bars all by herself. She has mounted the ladder at the foot of the monkey bars for the past three days without getting up the courage to push off from that top step. But today, she conquered her fears!! She didn't want me to watch because she thought it would make her mess up, but I happened to have my iPhone out and noticed she was hanging from the first bar out of the corner of my eye. So of course I opened my camera and captured her progress across. I'm so proud of my brave girl!!

Healing Hugs

I have felt stressed and overwhelmed the last 24 hours. But the simple, selfless hugs my children give me can truly make everything better. How bad off can I be when I have three unconditionally loving children surrounding me on a daily basis? Not bad at all. ❤

Anger Overload

My three-year-old son is easily angered. My now five-year-old daughter was like that at his age, but she has a much better control over her emotions now, and often uses art as her outlet. My son has yet to find a way to unleash his anger without damaging objects or injuring people. And I realize he is only three, but helping him find a more acceptable means of expressing his anger would benefit not only those at the receiving end of his outbursts, but also him.

After quite a bit of Googling on how to handle angry children, I’ve come across a pretty universal list of “don’ts” that make perfect sense but can be so difficult to actually comply with when in the throes of a heated episode with an angry child. Things like don’t yell or challenge the child, don’t try to reason with the child, and taking a break from the angry child can be hard to remember, at least for me, when my son is throwing a fit and my stress level is doing nothing but going up through the roof. In the end, my anger is fueling his anger, and the fury we are creating together is engulfing everything in its path.

But I am the adult, and I should be able to manage my own anger and frustration, thus allowing my small son to feel his emotion and hopefully cope with it productively. I need to be the role model that shows him how to confront his anger, and be his support as he learns to calm himself down. I am not only the adult, but I am the mom. And being mom means my emotions come second (or third or forth) to my children’s emotions. Only then can I help my son find his way through those difficult feelings of anger, upset, and frustration.

I just have to remember: Breathe… Relax… Stay calm…

Easier said than done. ツ

Sizing Up Charlotte's Web

A few weeks ago I started reading Charlotte’s Web to my five-year-old. Unfortunately, this popular classic failed to catch her attention for more than a couple of days.

I noticed as I was reading it that the language was not familiar to my daughter, which isn’t surprising considering it was published in 1952. And though I am a lover of description, I don’t believe my five-year-old is, and E. B. White definitely wrote in a way that would help the reader visualize what they were reading. So Charlotte’s Web has been returned to the shelf to wait until my daughter is older and hopefully able to take pleasure in a story I enjoyed when I was younger.

When I asked my daughter why she didn’t like the book, she told me that it was because there was no color, and that she doesn’t like all black pictures. Of course, this leads me to believe that perhaps she isn’t ready for chapter books, which rarely have color photos. But this momma will not give up!

It’s important to me to establish chapter books as commonplace in our house and in the lives of my children. So the next chapter book to be put to the test? Candy Fairies: Chocolate Dreams by Helen Perelman. Keeping my fingers crossed!!

Being Three

I have a love/hate relationship with the age three. On the one hand, a three-year-old is a lot of fun. Their imagination is starting to really blossom, and their worldview is starting to take shape to include more than just themselves. But on the other hand, their fight for autonomy and need to understand their emotions results in quite a bit of attitude and back talk, at least when my kids are involved.

I have a five-year-old daughter, and when she was three I thought she would always be a contemptible, ill-mannered, self-centered girl, and I knew I had to have done something terribly wrong to have raised such a child. Despite all the encouragement that she was just going through a phase, I KNEW this was how she was and would always be. I was wrong, of course. My daughter now is loving, helpful, obedient 98% of the time, and just a pleasure to have around. I am thankful every day that she chose me as her mommy.

Now that my son is three, and his attitude makes me seriously miss the sweet little boy he once was. I suppose being a boy makes a bit of a difference, since he is loud, plays rough, and has a fascination with various bodily functions that he thinks are hilarious. But his tone towards me sometimes borders on impertinent, and I have to pull all my strings to stay composed and not erupt into anger. The only consolation I have is that I know now that he IS going through a phase. Of course, my son can still be sweet, and his imagination and creativity is amazing to watch and be a part of, and I DO love having him around. I just wish he would cut the attitude and borderline bullying toward his little sister.

My one-year-old is a joy to have around. She is beyond entertaining and an absolute love, but I cringe to think of the little monster she will become when she is three (or even earlier, since she has older siblings to model after).

Even so, I would never trade up motherhood for anything in the world.

So Many Reasons

I’ll be the first to admit that I am a cynical person. But lately it’s as though my sardonic outlook lingers long after the initial reaction occurred, and that just makes for a miserable day. Not only does it cause me to be depressed for longer than necessarily (though depression is rarely necessary), but it also puts a hamper on all the great things going on around me, particularly with regards to my kids, and all the amazing ways they brings sunshine into my life.

For that reason, I have been trying to open my mind and look beyond what I see and try to be more positive about the upsetting things that occur. For instance, being stuck behind a slow vehicle while I’m trying to get my daughter to school on time. Instead of just getting angry at the driver, I rack my brain for all the possible reasons the driver might be going so slow: they are lost, their vehicle is having maintenance problems, they are having a horrible day and are not totally aware of everything going on around them, they are dealing with rowdy kids in the backseat and don’t realize they are slowing down as they try to dole out discipline, etc. The minute I start seeing other reasons behind an aggravating situation (instead of thinking they are purposefully slowing down just to upset me), I immediately feel less hampered by negativity and quickly abandon my upset.

Though I seem to be naturally cynical, I am not particularly fond of that part of myself. So any little trick that I can use to diminish those undesirable traits of mine are quite valuable.

Now let’s just see if I can continue having a more “glass half full” outlook. ツ

Simple Acknowledgment

Saying I feel exhausted and overwhelmed after these past few days is an understatement. Caring for one, then two, then three children with fevers and coughs and congestions can be quite draining.

But I’m here with my children, cuddling with and soothing them when their bodies just want to rest, tickling and laughing with them when their energy starts to pick up. I have the privilege of being a stay-at-home mom, and I have a wonderful husband who makes it all possible. 

I wouldn’t trade any of this for the world.