Really? A Parenting Book?

If I'm really honest in this here space, I would tell you that I am not a very productive person.  If you were to call me on any given day and ask me what I'm doing, lately my answer would be something like painting pictures for the neighbor, or covering my kitchen chairs, or blowing bubbles on the deck, or going for walk with my Little and the pooch.  Answers you would not get are cleaning the house, cooking dinner, making a grocery list, or organizing the family finances.
Last night when Kev told me that he needed the car today, I thought to myself, "self, we'll be at home all day, perfect time to organize your life, like you've been planning on."
Instead, when we woke up to see the bluest of blue skies, we decided to walk into town to check out the new coffee shop, and wait for trains to roll by. Who needs organization when you can play right?
So there we were, stepping out from our driveway promptly at 9:45... dog loosely held by one hand, and baby being pushed by the other.  What a perfect morning we were having, spring green was screaming at me from every angle and the sky was really the most perfect blue without one cloud.  I was so fully engrossed in my surroundings that when I hit a bump in the road, it didn't even phase me.  That is, until I realized that the bump in the road was Libby and I driving over her with the stroller!!!!!!!!! 

Seriously, didn't I learn about strapping her into the stroller last year about this time.  Ideally, there just so happened to be a crowd of landscapers around as the wheels rolled over her little wrist.  A nice lady came running to tell me her tail of dumping her little out of the pram unstrapped,  and I thought, it's nice to know I'm not the only delinquent mother out there. 
She recovered quickly, thankfully, and we continued onward to town.  My eyes were set on that hot mocha, that waited for me track side.  When we arrived I tied Gus to a heavy bench and took Libby in to order my drink..."sure" the guy says and I hand him my card...."this ones on me , we only take cash and checks,"  Wow, it was like he knew I had just been through a traumatic experience.  I wanted to hop over the counter , hug him and tell him that I just drove over my baby with the stroller while she laid helpless on the pavement and the mocha was the only thing keeping me from breaking down into a fit of guilt...I didn't though, I just said thanks and assured him I would be back with $3.00 in hand.

Libs and I went back outside and I let her play by the library while we waited to see a  train,  to top off our outing.   She was making her hundredth lap around the flower bed when I saw her lean over, pick something up, and put it in he mouth...and what should I find tantalizing her taste buds, a long lost fruit loop from some child's snack cup, not our snack cup!  I managed to ripped  it out of her jaws of life, only to find her seconds later with another.  It was as if Hansel and Gretal had left her a little trail to Toucan Sam land.
No bedlem ensued on the journey home, so we stopped off at the park so I could put housewife duties off for just a little longer.  As we swung back and forth together, I made a mental note, always use provided straps especially if there is an audience, and clear all play areas of unidenifed snacks!

Happy parenting, the book will be out soon, and yes, I'll sign your copy!
Grace and peace...

12 Steps

I pretty sure that I am suffering from internet addiction...do they have 12 steps for internet addiction, are there programs I could enroll in!  I wasted so much time last week, so by the end of week, as I trolled through pages of 18-24 months ebay sundresses, I had it with myself and stopped turning the computer on during the day, hence the lack of posts.  The Little is resting now and I've been pretty productive today so felt like now was a good time to mention that we went to the circus last week and loved it!

Libby cheered when the performers came out in the opening parade,  she waved, she squealed, she laughed!   As a mother, it was almost a perfect moment, she was so happy, and why shouldn't she, we were at the CIRCUS!  I cried, in delight.  I love those moments.

The highlight of the day was hearing my name called at the beginning of the show because I won a drawing!!!!  One of the pre-show acts was a painting elephant. The painting is then raffled off.  Who should be so lucky?  Actually, my friend works the sound board for the circus band,  and he secretly  rigged the drawing as a surprise for us! 

Plus, who wouldn't love a painting done by an elephant with the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey's stamp of approval!  It's hanging in play room at this very moment. 
Speaking of elephants, Libby has an interesting love- hate relationship with them.   She loved seeing them....

Until they did that trick where they all stand up one each others backs, then she started to tremble with fear and say "nooooo," "noooooo!"  I told her they weren't fighting and that they were nice.  Now whenever she looks through her program and gets to elephant page, she says, "el-phants no-no, el-phants nice."

Hands down, it really is "the greatest show on earth."  Next time the circus train comes to town, we are definitely there!

The next day had spring written all over it.  It was sunny and just cool enough for long sleeves.  We took Dadue to a new park we visited during the week and instead of a quick romp, we stayed for hours.  Here's lots of pics to keep you, cousin Jill, and whoever else cares too look, tided over, until I give myself permission to piddle on the computer again.

Here's hoping you are outside taking a walk and not sitting on the opposite side of a computer screen. If you're not, turn it off and go outside. Before we know it, summer will be here and we'll all have to close our windows and doors and slather ourselves with sun block to retrieve the mail.
I love a lot of things, but I especially love spring, and the way Libby blends right in with all the other things that are growing.
Grace and peace friends.

Wild Thing

Dear Laura,  Thank you for reading "Where The Wild Things Are" to me at Barnes and Noble a long time ago.  Thank you also for giving Libby your copy.  The pages are well worn through.  It was her favorite, even before they made a movie about it.  Love ya, Car

I read the Little that book most nights and have done since she was really small.  When I do, I always wonder when she'll grow tired of book about a boy and monsters.  I keep waiting for her to prefer something about princesses that is pink from cover to cover.

She is delightfully feminine most of the time, comforting her babies, as she drags them through the back yard by their hair. She grins from ear to ear when I buy her a new dress and puts it on right away. Every morning when I fix my make- up and hair and top it off with a spritz of vanilla bean body splash, she earnestly asks me to apply her lip gloss, and "spraa."

 There is this side of her though, that lets her sandy blond hair hang down in her eyes and guarantees that there will always be dirt on her face and most likely on that new dress.  It's the part of her that sneaks out the back door  in her bare feet when I'm not looking, only to find her sitting on the bottom step of the porch examining a bug.  It's the part of her that always picks up sticks on a nature walk and squeals when she sees a bird fly over head.  The part of her that climbs up as high as she can, when ever she can, on whatever she can...my very own wild thing.

I think I love that about her, even more than the fact that she wants to wear my lip gloss.  That little glimmer in her eye that makes me think, "Oh please don't go, I'll eat you up, I love you so"

Here's to the Wild Thing in all of us.  I hope that you embrace it, for Wild Things make life more interesting, the howl at the moon, they make the water rough, they always have dirt on their face...
Grace and Peace

Manipulate This

I took the Little to her 18 month check up a month late this week.
Does your pediatrician make you feel like your a bad parent?
Mine does.
I don't think that she does it intentionally. I like her, really I do.   I don't think I want a new doctor or anything, but here are some examples of her making me realize my short comings....
Dr:  "Mrs. Jones, how many words does Libby know?"
Me:  "Do you want a number?" (in my head I'm frantically going over the words I here all the time, baby, mommy, dadue, kitty, nack....)
Dr: "Yes, is it 6-12, or 12-20"
Me:  "Well, I don't know, she tries to repeat everything I say, so yeh, she knows a lot"
Dr:  "Yes, but how many does she say with out promting"
Me:  " I would say definitely 12-20"
To myself: "is there some study guide I didn't get, about taking your child to the Dr.'s and how to answer their questions appropriatly?"

Next example
Dr:  "Mrs. Jones, does Libby stack blocks?"
Me:  "Ummm....Libby doesn't have any blocks, but she loves to carry bags around the house and put stuff in them" (Not the right answer)
Dr: "Just buy her some cheap blocks, she needs manipulatives for those fine motor skills"
To Myself:  "Right, cause she doesn't get that from pretend shopping?"
Me:  "Yeah, I really should get her some blocks, but you know,  all the block sets come with hundreds of pieces and guess who will be cleaning them up? Me, that's who"
To Myself:   "Did I just say that out loud?"
Dr. to Herself:  What a selfish mom, doesn't she want her kid to learn?  I'm disgusted"
Dr:  She doesn't need a hundred, just like 4"
To Myself:  "Whatever, get off my case, I'll buy her some blocks and where do I buy that study guide?!"
Me:  "I'll go to the store on my way home Doctor!"

Next...the kicker!
Me:  "So, I really think Libby is allergic to peanuts"
Dr (looking shocked and horrified):  "Why did she have nuts?"
Me:  "Well, it could have been a dessert, it could have been a peanut butter and jelly sandwich I gave her"
Dr. (pretty sure she was about to call child services):  "You gave her peanut butter????  They are not suppose to have peanut butter until they are 3!"
To Myself:  "That's interesting because last time you said 2"
Me:  Yes Dr, you mentioned that before, but I am being honest, she's had it, and her nasty diapers and rash tell me there's a problem and I would like to know what to do about it?"
To Myself:  "Seriously, where do I get 'The Clueless Parent's Guide To the Doctor's Office?'
......
Then there was a whole talk about Pediatric Allergists and all I heard was blah, blah, blah, blah, blah...
So, do I need to go buy an epi-pen and hang a sign around her neck that reads "stay back you Skippy lovers, my baby  is allergic"...

I still have this strange hope that maybe she really isn't allergic, and her life can be filled with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and imaginary shopping trips to the living room with her baby dolls, talking in her own little Libby language, that is always filled with wonder and excitement....

Until then, we'll be eating sun butter sandwiches, while stacking our blocks, discussing the condition of our world, while I very carefully keep a running total of every words she says in my daily planner...
Do you know me?  I don't have a planner!  Even if I did, it would end up in the bottom of my purse, jam packed full of receipts that I should have thrown away months ago.

Grace and Peace friends, here's to gold star parenting!

Father/Daughter Pics

Kev's mom ask for a nice, horizontal photo of he and Libby for a new frame that she has.  Here's how it is going. 

We'll be trying again today in hopes that someone is more cooperative...Kevin!

Here's hoping your weekend was as lovely as ours was.
Just look at these two.
Big love to my cousins the Poro's on tying the knot,  who doesn't love flowers and cupcakes all in one day?

Grace and peace...Happy Monday

Driver's Ed

Do you remember how great it was when you were a little kid and your dad would let you sit on his lap and drive the car into the driveway?

Not so exciting for the Little...more on the traumatic side I guess!
Thank goodness her face didn't stay like that...

Dear Grandma...I tried to get a picture of them together and this is what I got.  I think that your son looks awfully handsome, but for some reason your granddaughter would not smile...sometimes she is so pensive (just a little side note...she drew on her arm, she did not slice it open!)

and for the rest of you, here is a shot of the Jones', or Joneses, or Jones's Easter Sunday (Can someone please tell me how to write our name plural the correct way or is it possessive plural?  clearly I need a refresher course in Language Arts).  We had a great time with friends.  We ate ham and lamb, but we sure did miss being with you, whoever you may be!

I love all the pictures in this post, mostly because they all have my Little in them, but also because, when I look at them I can feel how warm they are.  I love the sun and the spring,
Libby loves baby dolls and anything that has to with babies.  In fact, my friend has a new little boy and whenever she tries to hold him, nurse him, change him in front of Libby, she thinks she can jump right in and help her in any way that she can...I need to talk with her about personal space particularly when a lady is trying to discretely nurse her baby!

Here's hoping you're soaking up the sun...while it last.  It is only April you know, and April showers bring May flowers, so were sure to have a few more gloomy cold ones left before summer sets in for good.  Until then, I do so like you 90 degrees with no humidity.  Thank you for coming to Ashland so early.

Happy Tuesday
xxx

Happy....

We almost can't help but spend all day outside, with the doors wide open when spring arrived this week in such a glorious fashion.  There was no teasing, just full on birds chirping one morning, flowers blooming, and temperatures we normally don't see until at least May. 

Not only is this weekend extra special because my dear one is finally home, but it is Easter too.  If the single most important day in history isn't enough to make you happy, I don't what is?

We dyed eggs outside this afternoon.  The Little, who is awfully grown these days,  loved it.  She carried her basket all around the back yard and cried when I would not let her take her eggs upstairs for  nap time! I think that she cracked all of them except two. 

I wont write a lot of words tonight, but I will say grace and peace, as I often do.  Tonight I pray that each of you, whoever you may be, would know that those two words would be impossible were it not for Easter...the cross, the grave, and the hallow tomb.

Blessings to you my friends...
xxx