Keepin' it Real

It occurred to me last night that my blog mostly (okay, only) features the positive aspects of parenting and life in general.  I tend to be a glass-half-full type of person, so this kind of makes sense.  However, today I thought I would dedicate a post to the not-so-awesome experiences that are part of my days and that make me stronger and wiser.

There are those few days when most everything seems to go right and I go to bed feeling like, "Man, I nailed it today."  But more often than not, at least a few things go wrong.  There are those types of days where my toddler is screaming at me because I gave him the wrong snack (which happens to be the one he specifically asked for) or put the TV on the wrong show (which also happens to be the one he specifically asked for).  These moments are especially difficult when it's not even 7:00am and my eyes haven't even opened all the way.

There are those days when my infant and his internal colic-clock know that it is exactly 6:00pm and therefore time to start screaming.  This is usually the same time of day when I'm trying to feed the big boy, or give him a bath, or do something productive.  When will I learn?

One day my two-year-old, who happened to be diaperless due to a diaper rash that needed to air out, decided to poop not once, but twice on the floor.  I take that back, the first time was on top of his changing table, where I found him standing up and trying to reach something on top of his dresser.  The second time, he had stepped in it and tracked it all over the playroom and given me two extra loads of laundry to do, in addition to washing all the affected toys and affected child immediately, all the while gagging and remembering why I never want another puppy.  (Remember, there's a baby somewhere in the house that still needs tending to while all of this is going on.)

And speaking of babies, one day I might have left him in the swing-like contraption long enough to run to the bathroom and heard frantic screaming before I could even get down the hall.  When this happened, the only information I could get from Davis is that Reece was somehow hit in the head with a Lego.  Hmmm...Oh, and because of this little incident I might have raised my voice at the perpetrator and felt very guilty for the rest of the night.  All I could do was apologize and try to learn from the experience.

In an effort to do something fun as a family one morning before Derek went to work, I decided we would go to White Deer Park to see some rescued owls being released back into the wild.  They were to also have other animals to see, and I thought Davis would love it.  Well wouldn't you know, this was the one morning Reece decided to take a very long nap, which put us leaving a few minutes later than we wanted to be.  Well, we arrived right on time, except there was no parking left, so we had to park across the street and walk.  As we approached the festivities from a distance, the last owl was being released.  We did get to see it briefly because it hung out on a nearby tree branch for a little while.  The other animals must have been no-shows because we never saw them.  Oh, and I stepped in a fire ant hill with flip flops on and spend a good bit of time slapping ants off of my feet and ankles, and the rest of our time at the park taking deep breaths and resisting the urge to put my foot in the drinking fountain.

So as you can see, it's not all rainbows and butterflies around here.  Mostly, but not all.  I love my children more than words can say, and I wouldn't trade even these moments for anything in the world.

Did I mention that all of these things have happened in the past three days?

Little Things

My mom and I were talking the other day about how there's some study (some journal, some year) that showed that the happiest people are those who appreciate and enjoy the "little things" in life.  Maybe that's why I'm so happy!

I really do take pleasure in the simplest of things, and here are a few:

• That first cup of coffee in the morning...aaaahhhh...especially if I can enjoy it in silence, all by myself.  It gives me a few minutes to collect my thoughts and prepare for the wonderful chaos that will begin as soon as my little ones wake. 
• Food.  I can't help it.  I love to eat.  I will save you from reading a bulleted list of individual foods and just leave it at that.
• Watching a movie that I know by heart and loving it more and more each time I see it.  Steel Magnolias anyone?
• Sitting on the back porch listening to the rain.
• The sound of the ocean.
• Sunday afternoon in the back yard with my family.
• A really good book that you keep thinking about all day, and you look forward to picking it up again to see what happens next.
• The way Reece smiles as he's falling asleep.
• The way Davis says, "I wub you, Mommy."  Really?  I get to be the one he calls "Mommy"?  I can keep him?!

Another great pleasure in my life is watching my children enjoy simple things.  I love to replay these sweet moments in my mind and wish I could capture them all on camera.  Here are a few recent "little things" involving my sweet boys:

• Davis and Derek sitting on the ground in the back yard after dark, using the flood light to see, and digging holes in the dirt, just for the sake of digging holes in the dirt.
• Reece's face lighting up and a few giggles escaping as he looks at the two of us in the mirror.
• Davis insisting on walking from the car into Target in the rain and stomping his feet through each and every puddle on the way.  I'm not sure if I heard more laughing from him or from the other shoppers.
• Davis literally clapping after taking a bite of a truly delicious piece of food.  Wonder where he gets that from...
• Reece's loud squeals of delight as Derek lifts him up in the air to "fly".  I'm usually on drool patrol for this stunt. 

I'm glad that we try appreciate the joy in the little things.  Because I have a sneaking suspicion that one day we will look back on them and consider them the big things. 

Cloth

We have slowly transitioned Reece into wearing mostly cloth diapers!  I have gone back and forth on my feelings about using cloth ever since before Davis was born.  I thought I'd do it, then I decided I wouldn't; I felt guilty about not saving the money and keeping the diapers out of landfills, but then I thought about how much work cloth would be; etc., etc., etc.,...

Fast forward to a few weeks ago when a friend of mine was "destashing" (getting rid of a bunch of her cloth diapers) because her son was almost completely potty trained.  She gave me a great deal on just about everything I needed to get started, and boom!  We were cloth diapering.  It seemed kind of overwhelming (and gross) to me at first, but now I'm so glad we're doing it.  I feel good about the fact that I'm saving us a little cash--cloth diapers have great resale value, so this factor really adds to the cost-savings--and that I'm doing something positive for the environment.  And added bonus:  cloth diapers are really cute!  and chemical free!  and cute!

"Does this diaper make my thighs look chunky?"

Cheap Entertainment

Here's Davis.  With popcorn.  At 8:00 in the morning.  Waiting for the garbage man.

Davis-isms

I walked into my bedroom the other day while Davis was watching TV and he says to me, "Mommy, my sad."  I asked him, "Why are you sad, Davis?"  (Insert at least two dramatic sighs and pouty lip faces.)  He answered, "No 'Mike the Knight'."  Apparently the wrong television show can really mess up your day.

This morning D told me, "My sick.  Need messicine."  I asked, "What hurts, Davis?"  After a long pause, he said, "Me.  My hurt."

Another cute thing...A few days ago, I was wearing Reece around the backyard while D was playing.  I decided to get out the leaf blower and clean off the patio.  Davis asked, "Mommy, what this thing do?"  I explained the concept behind a leaf blower.  After trying to get it started a few times and not succeeding, I gave up and put it back in the shed.  When I came back out, Davis said, "Not workin'.  Daddy fix it."  Well if that didn't motivate me to go back in there and make the dang thing work!

Davis' language is developing so well!  He has some articulation issues, but they are adorable so I'm in no hurry for him to speak perfect English.  Davis-ese is working just fine at the moment.  As for Reece and his development, in the words of big brother Davis, "Baby Reece tute."  "Baby Reece crynin'."  "Baby Reece need paci."  "Baby Reece pit up."  "Baby Reece happy."  "Baby Reece talkin'."  "My kiss 'em?"  "My hold 'em?"

Down on G-Ma's Farm

We took a trip out to my mom's house on Sunday.  It was a beautiful day and we got some good old fresh country air.  

Davis had fun chasing butterflies and helping G-Ma cook lunch.  

Reece enjoyed riding around strapped to his mama and blowing spit bubbles.  

Derek and I were reminded that we would eventually like to live in a place with more land.  I want my kids to be able to wander and explore and play outside all day.  Derek wants to live in isolation with no neighbors so he can be a real hermit.  To quote Phil from Duck Dynasty, "You need to be able to take a leak in your yard without someone saying, 'Hey, what's he doing?'"  As long as I'm not too far from a Target, I'll be "happy happy"!

This Old House

Davis is dangerous with a spoon.

The butterflies love G-Ma's zinnias.

I need to broaden my photography interests...but with so many pretty flowers and butterflies and babies around, it's hard to find the motivation.

"I just felt like running..."

This hat was intended to keep John Reece out of the sun, not make a fashion statement.

"...So I just kept on running."

Moving on to the next garden

Ha!  Tricked 'em both into falling asleep!