My oldest says to me, "I have my eye on a first grade teacher. She's pretty and has glasses."
That about sums up what she's looking for in a teacher.
I can just imagine the pick me up lines they are throwing around at recess or how the kids size up their prospects at the lunch table.
"You see her? I'm going to tell her I like her hair."
"Oh yeah? Well, I'm going to show her all of the books I can read in a week."
"Back off, I saw her first."
This past school year Riley spent the fall months trying to emulate her teacher's high-waist skirts. (She has to tuck it in with a polo. It's not a good look.) Then, she moved on what will go down as the Great Converse Phase of 2013. She just had to have shoes like her teacher.
Riley is also one of those rare kids who is dreading the end of the school year. For the past nine months we have seen our little person grow and shine under her beloved teacher. Riley feels loved and shows love to the kids in her classroom. She worries when someone looks sad and is excited when a classmate gets a compliment. This all starts with a great teacher.
The greatest compliment for a teacher, I think anyways, was given today when after our conversation about her future teacher crush, Riley explains, "I just think I would make a great kindergarten teacher."
Me too, lady friend.
Monday, May 19, 2014
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Lunch
Sometimes I just can't be bothered making food for my little people. I am totally cool eating chips and salsa for a meal so we must they be expected to be fed so damn often.? The drinks, snacks, food, the wiping, the preparing, and then preparing for the next meal can be a bit much.
After giving birth to baby number two, I had a very angry (and hungry) two year old on my hands. I would be breastfeeding Reese when the two year old pipes in that she's hungry. It is not enough that I'm literally dripping milk into one kid that I have to maneuver said milk machines to the kitchen to whip up another meal?
This is when Riley came up with this whole bread and butter business. Because one, I didn't care, and two, I was leaking, so great, you want to eat six slices of bread and butter? Go for it, knock yourself out, kid.
Fast forward some years now and girlfriends can now reach the butter in the fridge and wipe it on their own bread! I almost wept when I saw this happen because one less food item to get out for them-praise Jesus. I even had an epiphany moment where I moved all of the plastic-kid cups down to a lower cabinet and get this, they can get their own drinks now, too!
The moral of the story: my kids like butter. And bread. And guess what? They are still alive. It was a sanity saver in those hectic and tired days and it helped out a lot to have Riley "help" as much as she could.
I like to pretend that I was using some awesome parenting technique and teaching the little people responsibility but really, I was just really, really tired of making meals.
After giving birth to baby number two, I had a very angry (and hungry) two year old on my hands. I would be breastfeeding Reese when the two year old pipes in that she's hungry. It is not enough that I'm literally dripping milk into one kid that I have to maneuver said milk machines to the kitchen to whip up another meal?
This is when Riley came up with this whole bread and butter business. Because one, I didn't care, and two, I was leaking, so great, you want to eat six slices of bread and butter? Go for it, knock yourself out, kid.
Fast forward some years now and girlfriends can now reach the butter in the fridge and wipe it on their own bread! I almost wept when I saw this happen because one less food item to get out for them-praise Jesus. I even had an epiphany moment where I moved all of the plastic-kid cups down to a lower cabinet and get this, they can get their own drinks now, too!
The moral of the story: my kids like butter. And bread. And guess what? They are still alive. It was a sanity saver in those hectic and tired days and it helped out a lot to have Riley "help" as much as she could.
I like to pretend that I was using some awesome parenting technique and teaching the little people responsibility but really, I was just really, really tired of making meals.
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Same-Sex Lizards
I feel compelled to teach my kids about life. What comes with that is that people often judge others - we use this strange moral compass to tell others what they should or should not do. When people ask me about what religion I "am," I really don't have an answer because when it comes down to it, I believe in kindness.
When Riley was very little, she would be playing with her animals; tigers, lizards, horses, and sharks, to name a few. Sometimes, these animals would get "married." The different animals would end up having a ceremony where my four year old would reside over it and pronounce them "husband and wife."
Me: "You know, these two lizards don't have to be man and wife."
Her: "Huh?"
Me: (holding a yellow and green lizard) "See, one is green and one is yellow, and they are both lizards. They can be different colors and still get married. Or, they can BOTH be lizards.
This is where I hold up the lizards and wait for her big ah-ha moment.
Her: "Ooooookay" (goes back to playing with the animals)
(It should also be noted that this is when my husband usually walks out of the room because he cannot handle another life lesson a-la-lizard)
When Riley was very little, she would be playing with her animals; tigers, lizards, horses, and sharks, to name a few. Sometimes, these animals would get "married." The different animals would end up having a ceremony where my four year old would reside over it and pronounce them "husband and wife."
Me: "You know, these two lizards don't have to be man and wife."
Her: "Huh?"
Me: (holding a yellow and green lizard) "See, one is green and one is yellow, and they are both lizards. They can be different colors and still get married. Or, they can BOTH be lizards.
This is where I hold up the lizards and wait for her big ah-ha moment.
Her: "Ooooookay" (goes back to playing with the animals)
(It should also be noted that this is when my husband usually walks out of the room because he cannot handle another life lesson a-la-lizard)
Sunday, May 11, 2014
Mother's Day
Today was Mother's Day.
I should post pictures of my coffee filter flowers, handprints on mason jars, and love poems with my kid's feet placed onto typed stationary.
But I won't.
Instead, I spent today soldiering through, white knuckling through the sadness.
On Mother's Day 2007, Dan and I spent the morning celebrating my first of these holidays. I took time at Tropical Smoothie asking about ingredients and rubbing my tiny belly. Ten minutes later I started brown spotting while shopping for maternity clothing at Old Navy. I was 12 weeks pregnant. Three days later I had a d&c because my "missed miscarriage" at 10 weeks was taking too long, the doctors said.
A year later, I sat holding a three week old perfect, baby girl. That was my second Mother's Day.
I remember the overwhelming sadness and guilt I felt. I should be elated, I should feel lucky, I thought to myself, as I gazed down at my newborn as she breastfed and held my finger in her tiny grip.
I should be happy. I should look at two of my perfect little ladies and think of all the joy they bring to our lives. And they do. But on this day, I feel an emptiness. On this day, I think of all the other moms out there who are missing their babies, born and unborn. And these feelings make me feel like a bad mom. Good moms don't fear Mother's Day, I tell myself. Good moms look for the good, focus on who they have in front of them, and are elated to be able to even have kids, I reason in my head.
But instead, I lay in bed, make excuses for my lethargy, and watch the clock until the day is done.
I should post pictures of my coffee filter flowers, handprints on mason jars, and love poems with my kid's feet placed onto typed stationary.
But I won't.
Instead, I spent today soldiering through, white knuckling through the sadness.
On Mother's Day 2007, Dan and I spent the morning celebrating my first of these holidays. I took time at Tropical Smoothie asking about ingredients and rubbing my tiny belly. Ten minutes later I started brown spotting while shopping for maternity clothing at Old Navy. I was 12 weeks pregnant. Three days later I had a d&c because my "missed miscarriage" at 10 weeks was taking too long, the doctors said.
A year later, I sat holding a three week old perfect, baby girl. That was my second Mother's Day.
I remember the overwhelming sadness and guilt I felt. I should be elated, I should feel lucky, I thought to myself, as I gazed down at my newborn as she breastfed and held my finger in her tiny grip.
I should be happy. I should look at two of my perfect little ladies and think of all the joy they bring to our lives. And they do. But on this day, I feel an emptiness. On this day, I think of all the other moms out there who are missing their babies, born and unborn. And these feelings make me feel like a bad mom. Good moms don't fear Mother's Day, I tell myself. Good moms look for the good, focus on who they have in front of them, and are elated to be able to even have kids, I reason in my head.
But instead, I lay in bed, make excuses for my lethargy, and watch the clock until the day is done.
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Teeth
I have a six year old so naturally, one would expect that I am really excited about the milestones of said six year old. I am, truly, except for one thing, this whole loose tooth, gaping holes, and bleeding at the dinner table business.
When Riley lost her first tooth, she pulled it out on her own in the bathroom. No crying, no dramatic exit, just pulled it out and brought it to us. So cute, I thought, and also, mostly, “oh thank the lord I didn’t have to pull that puppy on my own.”
Second tooth was lost at school during snack time. We are pretty sure she ate it because tooth is still MIA. Then we had to write the tooth fairy a note. That was fairly exhausting.
Now we are in what I like to call the Nanny McPhee stage. She has lost three teeth and one top tooth is hanging on to dear life. I honestly can’t look at her mouth without cringing. Her tooth bleeds without warning when she twists it the wrong way, bumps it, or tries to eat something. And, it sticks out of her mouth far past the normal limit. See exhibitA.
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Please also note that these teeth are falling out at record speed. It took this lady what seemed like six months to even have one tooth pop up as a baby so I guess she is making up for lost time in the dental region. I’m just hoping for a tooth fairy break.
When Riley lost her first tooth, she pulled it out on her own in the bathroom. No crying, no dramatic exit, just pulled it out and brought it to us. So cute, I thought, and also, mostly, “oh thank the lord I didn’t have to pull that puppy on my own.”
Second tooth was lost at school during snack time. We are pretty sure she ate it because tooth is still MIA. Then we had to write the tooth fairy a note. That was fairly exhausting.
Now we are in what I like to call the Nanny McPhee stage. She has lost three teeth and one top tooth is hanging on to dear life. I honestly can’t look at her mouth without cringing. Her tooth bleeds without warning when she twists it the wrong way, bumps it, or tries to eat something. And, it sticks out of her mouth far past the normal limit. See exhibitA.
Please also note that these teeth are falling out at record speed. It took this lady what seemed like six months to even have one tooth pop up as a baby so I guess she is making up for lost time in the dental region. I’m just hoping for a tooth fairy break.
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