Christmas Pack Giveaway

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Mommy Took a Sick Day & the World Didn’t Come to an End

As a mother, I often feel as though I can’t get sick. No stomach bugs, no colds, no flu, no nothin’. There just isn’t time for that. Moms can’t get sick because they have to take care of everyone else. If they get sick, the kids and everyone else in the house won’t be able to function. There will be a code red. Everyone will starve. The house will go to shambles. The kids will be dirty and get fleas. It will be a nightmare. So, the easiest solution is for mommy to never get sick. Ever.

But, what happens when mommy’s been fighting off a cold for days? What happens when even three nights of NyQuil doesn’t knock the nasty germs out of her body? What happens when mommy can’t stop coughing at night? What happens when mommy goes to the gym and somehow pulls a neck and shoulder muscle so badly on a spinning bike that she can’t turn her head right and feels like Zoolander (the only difference being he couldn’t turn left)? So now mommy is a coughing fool who can’t move. Does mommy call a timeout and take a sick day?

Silence.

Do you hear the crickets?

Normally, I would say no way. Mommy does not take a sick day. I repeat, mommy does not take a sick day. Mommy pops some Advil and chugs some cough syrup. Mommy sucks it up and pushes through. Mommy pretends her head is not throbbing and that she really can turn her neck both ways without wanting to scream. Mommy does not take a sick day.

But, today, this mommy did. Some may call it a sign of weakness. I call it taking care of yourself first for a change. This mommy skipped the gym despite the nagging muffin top. This mommy called out sick to one of the only two days a week of a freelancing gig despite feeling silly for doing so. This mommy let daddy take the kids to school and grandma’s house. This mommy slept for another two-and-a-half hours and then stayed in her jammies for the entire morning. This mommy watched some of her shows in the DVR. This mommy took a long hot shower without trying to break some Olympic record for taking the shortest one. This mommy drank her morning coffee…hot.

Guess what? This mommy felt wonderful. Guess what else? The world didn’t come to an end. The kids had a great day at school and at grandma’s. The house did not look like a pig pen. The kids were not malnourished. Everyone survived and was pretty darn happy.

It’s strange how we sometimes think we are not allowed to be human just because we have the title of “mother”. Being human means getting sick. Being human means taking time to rest and recharge. Sometimes being human means knowing when to take a timeout…for yourself.

While I may not feel 100% better at the end of my sick day, I feel a whole lot better than I would have if I tried to be some crazy superwoman. I feel much better than trying to prove to everyone that I am invincible.

Guess what? Mommies do get sick. Guess what else? Mommies can take a sick day. Guess what else? Everyone will be just fine…even you!

One Day There Won’t be Any Crayons to Pick Up

As I almost tripped over the rainbow of crayons all over my living room rug this morning, I wanted to yell, but I bit my tongue.

When my daughter went to sharpen her pencil this morning and then emptied the little thing that catches the shavings all over my kitchen floor, I wanted to yell, but I bit my tongue.

When my youngest daughter squeezed her juice box and it trickled all over my hardwood floor, I really wanted to yell, but I bit my tongue.

When I looked around my house this morning and saw the mounds of Halloween candy and other goodies all over my counter, I could feel myself getting frustrated, but I took a deep breath.

As I took in the sights of my house and the tornado that it’s become lately, I could feel myself getting annoyed, but again I took a deep breath.

When I thought about all the cleaning that didn’t get done this weekend because we were too busy having fun, I could feel myself starting to twitch, but I took an ever deeper breath.

I guess you could say I had an epiphany of sorts.

I began to think that one day there won’t be any crayons to pick up. There won’t be any messes to clean. My house may actually look more like a sunny day than a hurricane. There won’t be any mounds of candy because the girls will be too old for trick-or-treating. Instead, they’ll be off to parties wearing costumes that need ten times more fabric and doing things that teenagers do (sigh). I’ll have new headaches and wish for the days when my biggest problem was too much candy in the house.

Instead of picking up pencil shavings, I’ll be picking up the pieces of broken hearts caught in the crossfire of teenage drama. Instead of drippy juice boxes, I’ll be worrying about all the other drinks out there that my girls need to stay away from (sigh).

If you’re like me and you tend to sweat the stuff and stress and that comes along with having little ones in the house…don’t. Enjoy it and embrace it. It’s not to say that you should let your house get to “Hoarders” status, but you don’t have to freak out about every little mess. Take it from a former pre-children “neat freak”.

I’m beginning to really think that these are the “fun” days that everyone tells you will go by too fast. One day you’ll be sitting home handing out Halloween candy just wishing you were still out there trick-or-treating.

So, the next time there are crumbs sprinkled all over your rug or scribbles all over your wall, remember that one day there won’t be any crayons to pick up.

Overheard at Bedtime Prayer: Part 2

About six months ago, I told you all about some of the crazy and silly things my girls are thanking God for during bedtime prayer. Well, the hits keep on coming. I am extremely glad that they are keeping up with their prayers and still have things to be grateful for. The day they’re not thankful for something is the day that I think I’m in trouble. Now that my older daughter has started her CCD classes, she’s getting a little more creative with her prayers and such. Just the other day she told her teacher she was thankful for “Target”…as in the store that I frequent at least twice a week! I would have loved to hear the teacher’s response to that one.

Here are some other things my girls have been thanking God for lately…some of them are a real hoot!

“Thank you God I had guacamole today.”

“Thank you God I had lots of sugar today.”

“Thank you God I’m buying lunch today.” (This one really made me laugh because I guess my homemade lunches aren’t cutting it!)

“Thank you God I had corn for dinner.”

“Thank you God for my wonderful mommy (Awww…). I’m never going to throw her away.” (Umm…thanks? That’s comforting.)

“Thank you God I had soccer today.”

“Thank you God I looked beautiful today.”

“Thank you God I went to Nuvita.”

“Thank you God I had pasta for lunch.”

“Thank you God I played with play-doh today.” (Mommy is not thankful for the mess you left behind, but I’m glad you were happy.)

“Thank you God I had cupcakes.”

“Thank you God I went to Kohl’s.”

And these are only the ones I remember! There are so many everyday things that we would never think to thank God for. But, my girls do! I can’t want to hear what they come up with next.

What’s the funniest thing your child has ever been grateful for?

Springfield Dolls Giveaway

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Home Sick With the Kids? Here’s What You Can Do…

‘Tis the season of sniffles, coughs and fevers. It’s also the season of juggling sick days if you are a working parent. Do you take the day off? Do you try to get a family member to stay with them? It really can become a little complicated at times.

But, if you do stay home with your little ones when they’re sick, it can get a little hairy. We all know kids always want their moms when they’re sick. Although being someone’s human tissue and coughing sleeve is extremely rewarding, there are moments when going for a full body wax would be less painful.

After staying home with one of my sick kids for a few days and overdosing on Caillou and Dora, I felt like I wanted to poke my eyes out with a spork. I think all moms can relate when I say you can get a bit stir crazy. So, instead of plotting ways I could get secretly get rid of Caillou, I started thinking of how to use my time inside in a more positive way (not that getting rid of Caillou is not positive). So, here’s what I came up with:

Clean Away

If your child takes a little nap to fight off that cold, why not chase those dust bunnies who have been playing hide and seek with you for weeks? Why not wipe down the kitchen appliances? We all know that’s one of the many chores that gets overlooked in the day-to-day pick-up. How about those baskets of laundry that just want to go back home in their drawers? The point here is to use your uninterrupted time wisely, especially if you did take a day off of work. You may be surprised at just how much you can get done. Then when your child wakes up you can go back to playing nurse.

Organize

We all know it’s called the junk drawer for a reason. But, it gets to a point where the that junk drawer could land you on the hoarders show. While your child is on the couch watching her favorite show, take a few minutes to sort through the clutter. If you’re like me, there’s something therapeutic about organizing!

Read or Catch Up on the DVR

If you’re not in the mood to clean then take some “me” time. Whether it’s to read a book that’s been collecting dust all summer or to catch up on your twelve episodes of “The Young and the Restless” that’s waiting for you in the DVR (that’s me), do something you like. We all know we never get a lot of down time during our daily hustle and bustle.

Low-Key Play Time

If your child feels well enough to play a little, there’s nothing wrong with letting them. A sick day from school doesn’t mean they have to be chained to their beds and glued to the tissue box. Take the opportunity to play a board game or a card game. Color a picture. Read them a book. Basically, spend some time just hanging out with them. It’s fun and makes the time go by much faster than watching kiddie shows all day long.

The next time your children’s sick days have you feeling a little stir crazy, check out this list and then add a few of your one:)

At What Age Are Kids Most Lovable?

So, as I’m sitting here with my morning coffee as the kids are still sleeping (on a day off, no doubt, score one for Mom), I came across this article talking about when kids are the most lovable. In my current situation, I would say right at this minute when they’re asleep…lol. But, all kidding aside, this study found that kids are the most lovable at age 5. It’s probably because they can feed themselves, go to the bathroom themselves, and dress themselves.

I don’t know if I agree. Being the parent of a now 6 year-old, I can tell you that there is a little sassiness at age 5. There’s a little bit of the “I got this Mom” attitude every now and again. There’s a bit of the eye roll too. That’s not very lovable. So, I’m going to disagree with this study and say that kids are most lovable when they’re just born. There’s an innocence about them at this stage that is undeniable. They have that “new baby” smell that you can inhale for hours. They are so fragile, yet so strong. They just want hugs and cuddles…and a bottle.

Do you agree with this study? Are kids most lovable at age 5? What age would you say?

The “Little Things” are the Biggest Things

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”

I have this little quote on one of my wall decorations in my house. I bought it because I thought it was meaningful and “deep”, if you will. If you think about, it really is true. The things that we often classify as little and “meaningless” have the most meaning…especially when you have kids.

This rang true for me this week when I chaperoned my daughter’s field trip. It was just a simple trip to a farm to see some animals, pick a few apples, and get a pumpkin. We’ve done these things plenty of times during her six years of life. But, it was different this time.

Rewind a few weeks ago when the permission slip came home. Actually, a few minutes before that when I picked up my daughter the day the permission slips came home.

“Mommy, mommy, we’re going on our first field trip and you have to come!”

“Okay, okay, “I remember answering. “Take it down a notch and we’ll check it out when we get home.”

“But Mommy, we’re going to pick apples and pumpkins!” she said as we drove home.

As soon as we got in the house, she ripped open her book bag to hand me the paper.

The first word that stood out to me was Tuesday.

Tuesday.

See, I picked up a little freelancing gig and Tuesday is one of the two days that I actually work outside the house. It’s only for a few hours a week. But, half of those hours happen to fall on a Tuesday. They couldn’t have picked a Monday, Wednesday, or Friday. Nope, they had to pick Tuesday.

Anyway, it really was a no brainer. As much as I felt silly saying I couldn’t work that day, I knew I had to try to go. That was one of the many reasons why I decided to be a stay-at-home mom…to do things like this. I know there’s going to come a day when choices like these are going to be made for me and I won’t have the luxury of deciding whether I want to go.

“So, Mommy, can you go?”

“Yes honey, I’ll make it work. As long as the teacher says I can go, I’ll be there.”

Hugs and kisses followed. I felt great for making her happy.

Fast forward to this week.

All morning my daughter was buzzing with excitement over the “big” field trip. I dropped her off and told her I would see her soon. When I walked into her classroom and gave her a little wave, she was already grinning from ear to ear. My little mommy heart did somersaults. She introduced me to some of her little friends. I know there are days ahead when the thought of me meeting her friends will “embarrass” her, so I’ll take these little moments all I can now.

So, we went on the trip and had a nice time with her classmates. The two-and-a-half hours were over before I knew it. The bus dropped us off. I kissed her goodbye. She went back to school. I went home to her little sister.

Field Trip Fun!

Fast forward to pick-up time.

My daughter was happy to see me (score for Mommy again). She started telling her sister all about this huge pig we saw…and how it pooped…of course. She told her about the apples and the pumpkins and everything else. The pooping pig was the only thing that got any response…of course.

The rest of the afternoon was status quo…homework, snacks, playing, dinner, etc. Then as we were sitting down for our nightly dose of Caillou, my daughter held on to my arm really tight and said, “Mommy, thank-you so much for coming on my field trip today.” It made my mommy heart all mushy to hear a thank-you for such a “small” thing. Just to know how much those tiny two-and-a-half hours meant to her meant even more to me. So, the next time you think you’re doing something “small” for your kids remember to , “Enjoy the little things. For one day you may look back and realize they were big things.”

Can We Stop With the Pooping Baby Dolls? Please!

“Look Mommy, this doll poops charms and surprises and real poop!”

Me: (rolling eyes) “Great.”

This exchange between my three-year-old daughter and I goes on more times than I care to mention. She is obsessed with dolls that poop…everything. Did you hear me? I said obsessed!!!

It all started one day when she was watching a video on my phone. Yes, my daughter occasionally watches videos on my phone. Don’t judge. Well, during an episodes, a box for one these “great” dolls pooped up…I mean popped up. From that point on, it was all over. She started to ask me to put the “poopy video” on.

Curious about her fascination, I had to watch. Basically, it’s some narrarator chick (who was probably never a mom) talking about how she’s feeding a baby. Then minutes later she gets excited about how “charming” her doll’s poop is. Sometimes it’s just a soiled diaper, other times she strikes gold. The narrator gets obnoxiously excited. Either way, I’m grossed out. My daughter is thoroughly amused.

Besides the videos, I don’t know where all this came from. Her older sister was never one for the poopy dolls. But, number two is. No pun intended. The funny thing is, she doesn’t even have one of these dolls. Why? You may ask. Because I just won’t buy one. I know dolls are for play and joy…blah blah blah…but I have a problem with a doll that poops charms, surprises, or anything else. Until diamonds and pearls start coming from my kids’ butts, you won’t see one of these dolls in my house. I won’t even buy the ones that actually give wet or “dirty” diapers. They’re just gross.

What I would like to see in one of these videos is for the doll to have an all-out blowout. Moms, you know what I’m talking about. One of those blowouts that goes up your baby’s back all the way to her neck. One of those blowouts that goes through every layer of clothing possible, but still manages to get on the car seat. If baby doll had one of these, I want to see how excited our narrator chick would truly be. I do know who would be happy. This girl right here. This would prove that these babies are real. No charms. No jewels. No stuffed animals. No cutesy poop. Just the real stuff.

I know the probability of this happening is slim to none. So, in the meantime, can we stop with the pooping baby dolls? Please!

Mommy, How Do Babies Get in the Belly?

“Mommy, where do babies come from?”

It’s the question many parents dread no matter what age their child may be. No matter how you answer, nothing good is going to come from it.

a) Depending on your answer, your child may not believe you.

b) Depending on your answer your child will have more questions. Or…

c) Depending on your answer your child may not believe you and will have more questions.

My guess is that the answer is C.

Ugh.

Well, a variation of that question keeps popping up in my house more frequently than a darn whac-a-mole.

“Mommy, how do babies get in the belly?” asks my almost four-year-old.

Ugh.

Think fast. Think fast!

Answer: “Well, if a mommy really wants a baby, she makes a wish and prays that the baby will come in her belly. If she’s lucky, she will have a baby in her belly.”

I know, not the best explanation. But, I don’t think we need to start drawing diagrams and have the birds and bees conversation at this age no matter how educated we want our kids to be. Personally, I think it’s a little TMI for a three-year-old to handle. So, I go with my answer. In response, I get:

“What about boys? Can boys ask for babies?”

Answer: “No.” I decided to go with a cut and dry answer this time around. But, now my six-year-old decides to listen in and give her two cents. Good grief, I’m being tag-teamed.

Question: “Well, why?”

Answer: “It’s just the way it is.”

Silence.

They seem to have bought what I just sold.

Sigh. I can breathe a little easier. That is, until that question rears its ugly head again in a couple of days.

I know many people out there may think I’m doing my kids a disservice by not being honest with them about how babies really get in the belly. What’s wrong with protecting their innocence a little longer, especially at ages 3 and 6 (especially age 3)? I know they need to know. I know I run the risk of someone else bursting my bubble. But, I guess that’s the chance I take.

I know there will come a day (sooner than I would like) that I will have to honestly explain how all the parts fit together and how things really work. But, just not at age 3. I know there will be even more questions that I will have to answer. I will answer them all…honestly.

So, have you had “the talk” with your kids? How do you answer “the question”?

The Mommy Rundown

As a mom, the rundown of your day’s activities can make you feel so run down you want to scream. When I can’t scream, I write, laugh, and drink plenty of coffee!

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