So I've been commiserating a lot lately about this destructive, get into everything, explore and mess it all up phase that the girls are in. It's exhausting some days, most days. They are so dang fast I can't keep up with their trail of terror.
I was sitting at my Sisters house and we were talking (over wine....the only way to properly talk) and she was telling me stories I remembered hearing a few years ago about Shaylah writing all over the walls, climbing the refrigerator and even the time she got into Mariah's room, which was in the process of being redecorated, and snuck a paint tray into her own room and painted the walls.
I was looking at my beautiful now 5 year old niece thinking about how well she listened, how well she took direction and how independent she is. I'm thinking she's SO easy to manage! Just at that moment she walked over and grabbed a raw hot dog out of the fridge, slapped in on the counter and said, "Lissa! Do you want a wiener?" I politely said no thanks, not a fan of unidentifiable meat, and she proceeded to hold it like it was her penis, swing it all around and dance up and down with it waving it in front of the dogs face laughing hysterically.
It's just a different kind of crazy at every stage. It's entertaining....that is for sure!
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Monday, December 12, 2011
wrapping gifts
Royce and I decided to pare down for Christmas this year and get the girls well thought out gifts that were handmade could last forever and grow with them. Aside from the new Waldorf wool baby dolls (that they will be over the moon for) I got them each an apron made by my oldest friend, Rachel. Her and I grew up together, were more like sisters than friends and even bunked up together for a few years in college. She's all over the world now and hard to keep track of but we stay in touch and seeing her brings me back to some of the most fun times of my life. She makes an apron a day (almost) and sells them for extra cash. She's always been crafty and resourceful and when she made one of these little owls I had to have it! I convinced her to make another and got them both (score!). They are special to me because the girls will love them, help me in the kitchen with them and they were hand crafted by my dear friend so they will always remind me of her every time I see them.
Before I wrapped them up I had to snap a pic. I'll get more when the girls are dancing around the kitchen in them. I simply love them! Oh and those little wings are actually pockets!! Love!
Thank you Rachel for the special gifts. Love you!
Sunday, December 11, 2011
the weekend of destruction
It all started with me leaving for a half an hour Friday night. When I returned I walked into the house with music blaring at full blast, Royce in the downstairs bathroom shaving and Adia running out with another electric shaver unplugged pretending to shave the locks off the top of her head. Where is Rasa???? I go upstairs and see the light on in the bathroom but the door closed. I open it and all of my families toothbrushes are in the toilet intertwined in a couple rolls of unspooled toilet paper. Ahem....Daddy daycare is in need of improvement!
Episode two started with an unlocked baby gate at the top of the stairs. Saturday morning, about 6 am Rasa hopped out of her bed and quietly made her way downstairs. At some point Adia joined her but we're unsure as to when. Since Royce and I were sleeping peacefully in bed the details are a little hazy. We woke to a sea of silver paint marker on the legs, arms and finger nails of both girls. A camera charger once black now coated in fresh silver paint. New sparky silver drawings on the wood floor under the kitchen table. A house heavily scented in enamel paint.
Sunday morning after the girls and I went out for breakfast I decide to pick up the playroom and leave the girls playing happily and appropriately in the living room downstairs. When I hear screams of glee less than five minutes later I decide to investigate. When I came down there is a sea of white and two girls making snow angels on the dinning room floor. Snow everywhere! Wait not snow....two new big bottles of grated parmesan cheese! I spent an hour vacuuming it up as it melts inside of my vacuum cleaner and the more I try to get it off the floor, the more it seems to spread. The girls are bottomless with parmesan cheese stuck to their butt cheeks. The couch is white and there are trails of it throughout every room and on every piece of furniture.
I'm tired man. I'm tired.
**updated Sunday night**
The girls were running laps around the upstairs and decided to hunker down in our walk in closet. They were playing quietly (will I ever freakin learn??!!!) behind Royce's hanging shirts. I checked on them over and over but they were hiding so I would hear nothing, go in and peek behind the clothes and leave. I got comfy on the couch and thought wow this is nice, it's quiet and I can relax for a minute before they go to bed. A millisecond later, Adia comes racing down the hallway to the loft with tiny quilting pins stuck all over her pull up.
"Oh *(&^!"
What the hell did they get into??
I walk into the closet and behind the clothes is an empty little Tupperware container that used to house about one thousand tiny quilting pins. They. Were. Everywhere. The floors in the closet are distressed hardwood - complete with gaps and knots etc. Each gap and each knot hole was filled with pins. They. Were. Everywhere. I had Royce grab me a magnet off the fridge and that helped with the clean up - those little buggers are hard to grab onto!
I think I got them all. I don't really know. They keep showing up all over the house now. I'm sure I'm going be pulling them out of the bottoms of my feet for weeks.
Sigh.
The girls are only two for like a few more weeks. If I make it out of the terrific two's without a mental breakdown or a drinking problem than I feel like there probably is a God.
Episode two started with an unlocked baby gate at the top of the stairs. Saturday morning, about 6 am Rasa hopped out of her bed and quietly made her way downstairs. At some point Adia joined her but we're unsure as to when. Since Royce and I were sleeping peacefully in bed the details are a little hazy. We woke to a sea of silver paint marker on the legs, arms and finger nails of both girls. A camera charger once black now coated in fresh silver paint. New sparky silver drawings on the wood floor under the kitchen table. A house heavily scented in enamel paint.
Sunday morning after the girls and I went out for breakfast I decide to pick up the playroom and leave the girls playing happily and appropriately in the living room downstairs. When I hear screams of glee less than five minutes later I decide to investigate. When I came down there is a sea of white and two girls making snow angels on the dinning room floor. Snow everywhere! Wait not snow....two new big bottles of grated parmesan cheese! I spent an hour vacuuming it up as it melts inside of my vacuum cleaner and the more I try to get it off the floor, the more it seems to spread. The girls are bottomless with parmesan cheese stuck to their butt cheeks. The couch is white and there are trails of it throughout every room and on every piece of furniture.
I'm tired man. I'm tired.
**updated Sunday night**
The girls were running laps around the upstairs and decided to hunker down in our walk in closet. They were playing quietly (will I ever freakin learn??!!!) behind Royce's hanging shirts. I checked on them over and over but they were hiding so I would hear nothing, go in and peek behind the clothes and leave. I got comfy on the couch and thought wow this is nice, it's quiet and I can relax for a minute before they go to bed. A millisecond later, Adia comes racing down the hallway to the loft with tiny quilting pins stuck all over her pull up.
"Oh *(&^!"
What the hell did they get into??
I walk into the closet and behind the clothes is an empty little Tupperware container that used to house about one thousand tiny quilting pins. They. Were. Everywhere. The floors in the closet are distressed hardwood - complete with gaps and knots etc. Each gap and each knot hole was filled with pins. They. Were. Everywhere. I had Royce grab me a magnet off the fridge and that helped with the clean up - those little buggers are hard to grab onto!
I think I got them all. I don't really know. They keep showing up all over the house now. I'm sure I'm going be pulling them out of the bottoms of my feet for weeks.
Sigh.
The girls are only two for like a few more weeks. If I make it out of the terrific two's without a mental breakdown or a drinking problem than I feel like there probably is a God.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Peaceful Parenting
This mission statement is from another attachment parenting momma and I loved it so much I had to share it.
Like all Mother's I am a work in progress who makes lots of mistakes and doesn't always know what the "right thing" to do is. I am committed to figuring out the best way to raise my daughters in a way that fills them with esteem and compassion and humility. I will not beat myself up for being tired, frustrated, or even at my wits end some days but I will promise to take time each day to stop, reflect and reevaluate.
A Parenting Mission Statement
I choose to raise children who are respectful and believe they are worthy of respect. To this end I will not force you to act respectfully, but rather I will treat you with respect, both modeling the power of respect and teaching you that you are worthy of it. You are a person, as valuable as any regardless of age. We all deserve respect. If you treat me disrespectfully I will tell you how it makes me feel so that you can grow as a person for these lessons.
I choose to raise children who are confident and who know themselves enough to be true to the song in their hearts. To this end I will not use shame or manipulation nor will I encourage conformity over free-thinking. I will instead support your dreams and desires and your hearth's truths. Your right answer and my right answer might not look the same. I'm good with that. You are your own person.
I choose to raise children who are kind and caring and see kindness and caring in the world as well. Because of this I will treat your feelings and needs with the utmost respect. Just because I am bigger than you doesn't mean I'll use power over you to get my way. I'll help you seek out and see kindness in the world throughout your childhood.
I choose to raise children who are honest and value the power of truth. To this end I will not use punishment when you act inappropriately but instead I will determine the need behind your behavior and help you find an appropriate way to meet every need. I believe that speaking the truth takes courage and should be encouraged with unconditional love - not discouraged by judgement or punishment.
And when I fail at these things (which I will sometimes) I will own my mistakes. I will apologize and let you know that I, too, am learning as I go.
Like all Mother's I am a work in progress who makes lots of mistakes and doesn't always know what the "right thing" to do is. I am committed to figuring out the best way to raise my daughters in a way that fills them with esteem and compassion and humility. I will not beat myself up for being tired, frustrated, or even at my wits end some days but I will promise to take time each day to stop, reflect and reevaluate.
A Parenting Mission Statement
I choose to raise children who are respectful and believe they are worthy of respect. To this end I will not force you to act respectfully, but rather I will treat you with respect, both modeling the power of respect and teaching you that you are worthy of it. You are a person, as valuable as any regardless of age. We all deserve respect. If you treat me disrespectfully I will tell you how it makes me feel so that you can grow as a person for these lessons.
I choose to raise children who are confident and who know themselves enough to be true to the song in their hearts. To this end I will not use shame or manipulation nor will I encourage conformity over free-thinking. I will instead support your dreams and desires and your hearth's truths. Your right answer and my right answer might not look the same. I'm good with that. You are your own person.
I choose to raise children who are kind and caring and see kindness and caring in the world as well. Because of this I will treat your feelings and needs with the utmost respect. Just because I am bigger than you doesn't mean I'll use power over you to get my way. I'll help you seek out and see kindness in the world throughout your childhood.
I choose to raise children who are honest and value the power of truth. To this end I will not use punishment when you act inappropriately but instead I will determine the need behind your behavior and help you find an appropriate way to meet every need. I believe that speaking the truth takes courage and should be encouraged with unconditional love - not discouraged by judgement or punishment.
And when I fail at these things (which I will sometimes) I will own my mistakes. I will apologize and let you know that I, too, am learning as I go.
Happy St. Nicholas Day!
Last night Royce and I were up until 1 am making little elves for the girls for St. Nicholas Day. The story is that children leave their shoes outside their bedroom door in hopes that St. Nicholas will come and fill their shoes with coins or candy if they've been good and naughty littles get a lump of coal. I remember being in grade school and having some kids find candy canes and other treats the morning of St. Nicholas and their excitement. Since we follow Advent holiday's I was excited to see it pop up and know that it would be a little taste of Christmas this early in December. Royce and I had fun painting them last night (his version was scrapped - scary monster elf lol!).
Adia came downstairs and was very excited to find her treats. She didn't care if St. Nic was real or not, who made what or where it came from. She was just happy to reap the benefits of it!
Rasa walked down and found her surprise and was very excited! She crawled in my bed with her little elf in one hand and the bag of M&M's in the other.
Me: "Oh wow! Look at what St. Nic left you!"
Rasa smirks and looks at me like duh
Rasa: "This is not from Santa! This is from you, Momma!!!"
&^$?!! Is this going to be a hard sell????
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