FOR TODAY...April 27, 2010
Outside my window...Snow! Yeah, I know...seriously. It was 80 a week ago and today it's snowing. Can't imagine why I have a cold!!! :)I am thinking...about how I've been a bit MIA from my blog lately. So much for NaBloPoMo, I guess. Those problems others were encountering really spooked me. I wasn't sure how to proceed. As with everything else if I ignore it long enough it goes away or I forget what bothered me in the first place. I guess that's a good reason to have a short memory.
I am thankful for...my boys. They keep me going and give me a reason to smile, laugh, and TRY every day. I am always trying to be the best version of myself for them.
From the kitchen...Avery has been upgraded to a larger crate. She loves going in there just to get away from the boys and is very good about "going to bed" at night when it's bedtime. I still need to pack up the china cabinet so Dave can move that out of the kitchen and we can make some more progress on our house plans.
I am wearing...a warm fuzzy sweater. I know it's nearly May, but it's only 50 out today so I thought a sweater was needed. I wish I had the comfy pants and blanket to go with it, but that will wait until later tonight, I guess. Then I can snuggle up with my hubby on the couch and really relax!
I am remembering...the fantastic trip to Arizona my sister and I took last week to visit family and be there for my cousin, Todd's wedding. We had a fabulous time! I would love to go back when we have more time to travel and see the sights (the Grand Canyon!) but am so glad we were able to get to Sedona. I will do a whole post about the trip soon to share some of the fantastic photos I was able to get while we were there!
I am going...grocery shopping tonight. We are bare bones at home. Sad thing is, we have a lot of food yet but without the staples, it's nearly impossible to do much with what we have. When you're on the last roll of toilet paper you know supplies are low!
I am reading...I started reading The Time Traveler's Wife on the plane to Arizona only to realize reading on a plane gives me the same motion sickness that reading in a car does. So that didn't last long. I assumed that having 5 days without my kids would afford me all sorts of leisure time to read a lot but that didn't happen. We hung out with family, went swimming, stayed up late, got up early. There was very little leisure time to be reading my book. So two weeks later, I'm still on page 6. Nice. At this rate I'll finish the book by the time the kids are in college.
I am hoping...this headache goes away and I start feeling better.
I am hearing...nothing. Ah. Sweet nothing.
Pondering these words...
"Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You." Dr. Suess
I love Dr. Suess. That man is brilliant. We did an entire unit on Theodor Geisel in one of my college children's literature courses and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Nathaniel had to pick out his favorite book to take to school for his Star Week today and I was secretly thrilled when he chose Green Eggs and Ham.
Around the house...laundry is piled up everywhere. I have been able to keep up on WASHING the laundry lately, but folding and putting it away has fallen desperately behind! Hopefully I can catch up by the weekend!
On my mind...stress. I have a to-do list that's a mile long. Some of list items are personal obligations I've imposed upon myself. Other things on the list are requirements. For every one thing I check off the list, three things get added. My eye has started twitching from the stress and I had hives all day yesterday. I need a massage! :)
Noticing that...I am in a much better mood when my kids wake up happy. Nathaniel woke up this morning and quietly stayed in his room to play until I was ready to get up at 6:45 AM. I only got mouth from him once and Alex was playful and smiley. Its days like these that I wish I didn't have to go to work, but alas...
One of my favorite things...my iPod. I have been plugged into it for over a week. My office moved at work and the new location is a lot louder than my previous office. My iPod not only helps me focus on my grant writing, but drowns out all the chaos and noise.
A few plans for the rest of the week: This week is ridiculously busy. Besides the 6 grants I have due on Friday (which seeps into my evening life when I'm this far behind), I have grocery shopping that is long overdue, a surprise 80th birthday party to attend for my mother-in-law, and more that I'm sure I've forgotten unless it's staring at me from my calendar.
Here is picture for thought I am sharing...
I've been struggling with this lately. I tend to have a laissez-faire attitude when it comes to my children. I mean I feel it's important to teach them right from wrong and give them boundaries and rules and such. But I also tend to be pretty laid back in their ability to explore their world and make their own choices and mistakes. So, when my children want to eat mud I let them. But lately, I've been waffling. I'm not a big germ-a-phobe, nor do I tend to worry about them getting dirty. I mean they're boys, first of all, and secondly, what doesn't kill them makes them stronger, no? Ok, so that's a little exaggerated, but the point is I ate dirt and lived to tell about it. In fact, I'm sure it was good for me somehow. I have no doubt that it taught me valuable lessons (that dirt tastes gross) and probably bolstered my immune system (yeah!). So, why do I struggle with what's right and wrong here? I'm not sure. I suspect it's partly because we live in an industrial part of the City and I always fear that our dirt is somehow less healthy than the country bumpkin dirt I ate as a kid 30 years ago. Weird, I know. I just don't want one of those kids that's afraid to try new things or get dirty or explore because I made them afraid. You know? So I tell them it's yucky and let them decide that it's gross, hopefully before they ingest too much of the toxic stuff. What do you, as parents, do in this situation?
3 comments:
Oh, my, I'm tired just reading your blog! You young Moms just amaze me at how you balance your lives. I have such admiration for all of you, including my own daughter and daughter in law. I think that you do have to be careful up to a point with the "dirt deal" but if they can't eat a little they miss out on an important part of life. :o) Of course, 33 years ago I didn't have all the toxic worries that we face today. Blessings to you for a wonderful week!
Let them eat dirt! People used to be appalled when Jayden would drink out of puddles in the driveway, but he survived! I think I have instilled some sense of fear and questioning, particularly in Chloe, that might not be there if I did not hover all the time and instead let her work things out for herself.
Ya know, I think the personality of the kid determines a lot about how you parent...on so many levels, from eating dirt to potty training to what will evolve into curfews and borrowing the car. I can be laid back about dirt eating, particularly, because Shawn doesn't like stuff that feels funny in his mouth or tastes gross. If anything, he's the kid who sees Alex eating mud, tries it, and comes running to me to wipe his tongue off with a washcloth! And a lot of people think I created that somehow, but I don't ever recall stopping him from eating outdoor finds (e.g., dirt, mud, rocks, grass, sticks). He's just that kid that patrols himself. Well, only when it comes to putting odd things in his mouth...other behaviors? That's a different story! The bottom line -- parent YOUR kid! And other people should focus on theirs!! Let them eat mud!!! :)
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