Mothers Day 5k.

What a great way to start out my Mothers Day.

Most often Mothers Day is kind of family day.

But this year a group of us got together to walk the Mothers Day 5k.

Friends, friends moms, friends kids, my kids.

It was fun.

Lincoln did not want to wear his tiara (it was an all women’s race, it was going to be his clever disguise).

 

I miss your face.

I wonder if I will ever get used to nights away from you.

I know these nights with your dad are important.

But I just can’t help it.

I miss your face.

One of those moments.

It was last night.

Tucking my little Linc into bed after a long day.

After reading our book and saying a prayer I handed him his pet giraffe,

But he wanted something else.

After some whining and frustration with me not being able to figure out what he wanted,

He just grabbed my face.

And with both hands pulled me in for a sloppy little toddler kiss.

It was just one of those moments.

Battle of the Brush…Okay, it’s not a battle (that just sounded good) but it does seem unproductive

Ugh…

Those tiny teeth.

That little tiny tooth-brush.

The Thomas the Train toothpaste.

And my sweet little boy.

It really doesn’t sound too menacing, and it’s not.

So I don’t know why it bothers me.

Probably because I feel like nothing is really being accomplished.

First I let him try.

Silly, he just puts it in his mouth takes it out, repeat.

Then I help.

Also silly, I struggle to get him to open, I try to brush his little pearly whites, but it really just seems like the toothbrush barely makes contact.

Ugh.

I am hoping that forming the habit is really the purpose of toddler tooth brushing.

They do, after all, lose these teeth eventually.

And he does look pretty cute trying.

Brotherly Love

 

This will be one of many pictures of my two boys together.

I look forward to all of the years.

I look forward to all of the hugs.

All the high fives.

All the wrestling.

All the balls being thrown or kicked in the house behind my back.

All the giggles.

All the bedtime secrets.

The blanket made forts.

The bike rides.

And the small successes.

I look forward to all the times were you will stick up for each other.

Be a good friend.

And an encouraging voice.

I am so excited for you to share your lives together.

To grow older with a best friend.

To know that you always have someone in your corner.

I am so glad you are brothers.

Though there may be fights and a little rough housing along the way.

You will always have each other.

Brothers are forever.

Please, don’t helicopter my child.

This has started to happen to me more and more.

People “helping” my kids.

We will be at the playground or walking through a store and Lincoln will struggle,

He will trip over his own feet.

Struggle to get up some steps that may be too big for his little legs.

Or slide down a slide that is may be too steep.

And I will watch.

I don’t sit back and watch because I am a mean mother, I watch because I believe my son can figure it out.

My child is strong enough to get up those steps- he just needs to realize it.

My son is perfectly capable of picking himself up after a spill- and he has no problem doing it.

If he slides down a slide and lands on his butt, he can decide if it was worth it- and 9 times out of 10 he will want to do it again.

And I truly believe my son is smart enough to problem-solve his way through any situation that may be challenging for a toddler.

I believe in my kid.

So I watch him.

And if you want to practice a different form of parenting, go ahead.

BUT KEEP YOU MEDDLING HANDS OFF OF MINE.

If he falls, please, don’t help him up.

If he is about to go down a slide that you may think is too steep for him, please, don’t stop him.

And if he is figuring out how to get  onto large playground equipment, please, don’t assist.

Because I am his mother.

And I don’t think you are helping my child.

You are stifling his learning.

And you are taking away his opportunities to problem solve.

Trust me, if my kid is in harm’s way I will be the first person he sees, I will be the first one to comfort him, and I will be the first one to wipe away his tears.

But I won’t do everything for him,

And I certainly don’t want you to.

Parent your kids however you want (and I will be honest, I may roll my eyes at you from a distance)

But keep your hands off mine.

Have you experienced something similar, or am I the only one? 

I think he plays dead.

That is what I was thinking on my way home from work today.

It was my first day back and my mom has flown in from Washington state to watch baby Bo for these first few weeks.

I told her it would be easy, the kid just sleeps all day until Linc goes to bed.

You will be fine.

Um…apparently I lied.

Bo was awake the entire day.

How could this be?

I wish it had something to do with the fact that he misses his mother so much he was just too distraught to catch some Zzz’s,

but I don’t think so.

I think he plays dead.

If his brother is awake and around, Bowen is “sleeping.”

When big brother goes to bed, all the sudden BoBo is wide awake.

I used to think that he was just bound and determined not to ever let me have a moment to myself,

but I think I have figured out the actual reason.

He is protecting himself.

Linc has had a very difficult time sharing moms attention.

He hits poor Bowen any chance he gets.

He has kicked him in the stomach when he was lying on the floor.

He has stomped on his head.

He has even started forcing food into his mouth, “sharing.”

Try as I may to protect my little cub, I can’t always catch every strike before it lands.

So he sleeps.

Playing dead is his only form defense.

I don’t blame him.

Lincoln is a beast.

Dear mom, it could be worse.

Dear mom,

I am so sorry.

I know how it appears, and to unassuming eyes it could be frightening.

But I really did try.

Even though it looks as though a tornado full of crumbs and apple sauce has hit my home in the not so distant past,

believe me,

it could have been worse.

You see I have enemies.

These small creatures that live in my home and prohibit me from doing any housework.

One is menacing and cruel.

Every object I pick up he takes right back out.

He gets in the garbage and plays in the trash.

He hides my Sperry’s in places I can’t find them, such a clever distraction.

And the other one,

he is almost worse.

His power is his scream.

If you get further then 3 feet from him he will deafen you with his cries.

Oh the horror of my situation.

I have tried to make friends with these small things but to know avail.

I have even tried to nurish them to win thier favor,

but no.

They mock me and spit out their food, throwing it on the floor and mushing it into the carpet.

They spill their milk and throw their plates.

I cannot win.

The house cannot be cleaned.

Please do not judge and know that I tried.

But it’s these creatures,

they are just so mean.

And believe me,

It could have been worse.

 

Bizarrely Inappropriate

Today we all left the house for a much-needed break.

The kids and I tried to escape on our own and got about 3 houses down before getting stuck.

I’m so ashamed.

After getting back in the drive-way we called Isaac and admitted our defeat.

He had mercy on our locked-in, cabin-fevered selves, and picked us up for dinner.

God bless him.

We went to Chili’s and as we were eating a waitress (not ours) came up and commented on our adorable small child, Bo.

I don’t think this is weird, I make cute kids, so I thanked her and then she was on her way.

Later on in the meal Bo started crying and I had no choice but to feed him in the restaurant.

I don’t mind breast-feeding in public, but it is a little awkward.

But this waitress kept walking by our table looking for Bo.

Um, he is under my sweatshirt gnawing on my breast, do you mind not staring?

This happened once or twice and I just thought I may be imagining things because I am a little self-conscious about feedings in public.

But then, after Bo finished, she walked by again and said,

“I know this is really weird, but do you mind if I hold your baby?”

Um, yes, as a matter of a fact, I do.  First of all, I am eating.  I haven’t left the house in upwards of 48 hours, I finally have two hands to work with because I just finished feeding an infant, AND this is ice cream, so I would like to eat it now SO IT DOESN’T MELT.  Second, I don’t know you!  You could have the bubonic plague for all I know.  This is an infant, he is not even two months old, as much as you think I want your stranger, diseased hands all over my son, I DON’T.  Lastly, I STILL don’t know you, and you seem weird, because no one in their right state of mind would come up and ask a mother, who they don’t know, if they can hold their very tiny infant son.  See me women?  I am mama bear, this is my cub. Now back the F up before I get all gangster on your a**.

So obviously, what I actually said was,

“Sure, of course.”

The great diaper debate: Pampers vs. Huggies

Earlier this week I cam across this blog questioning the sanctity of the various diapers we mama’s use and it got me thinking…

Does anyone like Huggies?

I am totally an off-brand mom.

I have to be.

But when it comes to diapers it is totally worth the money to get something that works and works well.

For me, and most moms I talk to, that is Pampers.

I specifically am a huge fan of Swaddlers.  They are the best.

However, I recently made a terrible mistake.  I saw a commercial for Huggies Easy-Up diapers and thought, “what a great idea, I should sooo buy those for Lincoln.”

Well it is a good idea, getting those easy-up diapers is a breeze and a great transition into pull-ups…

too bad Pampers didn’t think of it.

I have had more blowouts this week than I have had in the entire rest of his life combined.

He was sent home from daycare TWO DAYS last week!

He may not have had the most solid of bowel movements but had he been in Pampers, I doubt I would have been picking up a poopy child.

So mama’s of the world?  What do you prefer?  Is anyone out there a Huggies girl?  Has anyone had success with off brands?  I would love to hear all about it.