AUTHOR ARCHIVES :

I Love Mommy!

Okay, so there are a few first words and phrases that can get a parent a little misty. “I love (fill in the blank of said parent) is one of them. Last week, my little one said “I love Mommy” for the first time. It would have been fantastic on any given day, but she decided to say it on a day that really sucked for me. I didn’t expect her to say it then because I’ve been trying to get her to say “I love you” for weeks now and get “I…u”. Love just seems to be a hard word for little kids to get out. But, at that particular moment she managed to get it out. She’s only said it one more time since then, but I don’t care. She said it and that’s all that counts.

I’m sharing this not only because it was great, but because I think it’s funny how kids know what you need at just the right time without knowing it. Does that make any sense? See, I was a good mommy all day long on the day I got my first “I love Mommy”, but was highly aggravated under the surface and tried not to let it show. It was just a domino effect of crappy things that made me want to drink a bottle of wine at the end of the day, although I didn’t. So, hearing those three little words really meant the world to me that day. I clapped and cried, of course. My daughter knew she did something good that night because we were all excited, but she still has no idea just how much it meant.

I think kids have a sixth sense on these type of things because it’s not the first time this has happened. There’s been other times when my older daughter has said or done something just when I needed it. Of course she didn’t know it at the time. That’s what  made it all the more special. We always hear about a mother’s intuition, but I truly think kids have it too. I can’t wait to see what they come up with next!

Potty Pride

As a mom, so many little things are big things. First steps, first words, and of course, first pee pee in the potty. But, it’s also hard to be there for each and every milestone because kids always tend to do things when we are not around. It’s just the way it is. With my first daughter, I caught the first step (at least as far as I know). I think I was around for the first word…of course it was “Daddy”. But, I remember missing the first potty encounter.

She did it at mother-in-law’s house. I remember my husband calling me at work and telling me. I also remember being upset that I missed it. Imagine, being upset over pee in a potty! Just paint a big “L” on my forehead. These are the things that happen when you become a mother, I guess. I actually got a little misty as I told a co-worker. He giggled a little, but said he understood. I felt so horrible that I missed a milestone! She could care less, I’m sure. But, to me it was a big deal.

Fast forward a couple of years…I’m making eggs in the kitchen, the girls are playing in the living room. My little one strips down to her birthday suit…her sister makes sure I know about it. She runs around naked. I’m trying to finish cooking the damn eggs so I can put a diaper on her. The eggs are done. She’s standing in the hallway…naked.

“Let’s get a diaper on you,” I say. “Pee, pee,” she says. I immediately look down at the floor, assuming I now have a puddle to clean up. Nope, dry floor. “Pee, pee!” she tells me again. So, I carry her and put her on the potty. I figure it’s worth a try. Trickle, Trickle…score! We have our first pee pee in the potty! I clapped for her and made a big deal like we just hit the lotto. She was happy too, clapping and smiling on the toilet. Her older sister came in and was clapping for her too. I was there for this one. Score one for mom!

Like I said, this may sound silly to some, but I was so happy I was around for this milestone. As a stay-at-home/work-at-home mom, you sometimes only have a bag of dirty diapers and a perfectly colored picture of Elmo to show at the end of the day. You often ask yourself what you did all day. The house is still a mess, the same amount of money is in the bank. You feel like you have nothing to show for the day, although deep down you know you did a hell of a lot. So, days like this when I can be around to catch a milestone, mean a lot. I’ll take this one to the memory bank.

Father’s Day Dilemma

So, Father’s Day is just a couple of days away and I have yet to buy anything for my husband (sorry honey!). Don’t get me wrong, I have asked him if there’s anything in particular he may want. He said nothing. But, I’m not sure if it’s a “nothing” nothing or a “nothing” something if you know what I mean. I usually say nothing and mean it, but always get something anyway. I don’t want Sunday to roll around and have him look for something that isn’t around. Ugh. Sigh.

What do you buy Dad for Father’s Day? All the ads tell me Dad wants some new tools, a tie, and some cologne. Those are such snoozer gifts and so predictable. I usually like to think out of the box, but I just can’t come up with anything really good this year. It’s so annoying. Ugh. Sigh.

We don’t even know what we’re doing that day. I asked if he wanted to go anywhere special or have me make anything special. He said he wants to play it by ear. Hmmm. That doesn’t leave me much to go on. Ugh. Sigh.

I know some guys who actually take Father’s Day to go golfing or fishing…alone. Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of Father’s Day? You wouldn’t get to celebrate the day if you didn’t have a kid, so shouldn’t you at least spend it with the family? Maybe it’s just me. Although, I know my husband is probably going to ask the kids to let him just relax. Too bad the chances of that happening are about as likely as us winning the lottery. Ugh. Sigh.

Seeing that we are just a few days out, I think I may just see where the wind takes us.
Although I haven’t bought anything yet and don’t have any dinner reservations, I know that whatever we do will end up being perfect. He already has the three best ladies in the world, right? That’s gotta be better than some ugly tie or power drill, right? I’ve gotta think so. To all the Dads out there, Happy Father’s Day! To all the ladies out there, what are you doing? Maybe I can piggyback an idea from you!

No Vacation from Motherhood

Vacation: noun, a scheduled period during which activity is suspended. That’s the definition from Webster’s dictionary. Vacation with kids: noun, a scheduled period of time where you will get no rest and if you think you were going to, you were an idiot. That’s my definition from the dictionary of Kristina. If you haven’t figured it out yet, I just returned from a vacation with my children. I don’t know if it was the warmer air or what, but at times, they seemed like someone switched out my kids and gave me some creatures from the planet Cling-On and Whine All the Time.

Before you think I had some horrible vacation, I honestly didn’t. It was a good time. But, let’s just say there were some trying times that I really wasn’t expecting. For the most part my girls are pretty good at home, even my little rowdy one is usually okay, although some would tend to disagree. But, during our week at the beach, they did things they usually don’t, which got really annoying.

For one, the defiance of the nap proved to be public enemy number one. My older daughter refused to nap after a busy morning at the beach. Therefore, by the time dinner rolled around, her whine-atude was amped up and she wanted to be attached at my hip, my leg, my arm…you get the picture. Just take a damn nap! That’s all she had to do. But no, she had to prove she was some type of non-sleeping superhero. Epic fail.

As for the little babe, she napped, but was still a terror. At times, she was even worse after a nap. I just don’t get it. She would wake up with such a bad attitude that I wanted to ship her back home. Her fearlessness also made me wish I had eyes behind my head. She became an expert in diving off furniture and even thought she could walk on water. She scared the bejesus out of me when she tried to walk to her father who was in the pool. Luckily he was right there to catch her.

Don’t even get me started on the ride home. My older daughter actually slept for most of the ride. She must have been tired from all those naps she didn’t take. But,my younger one needed a straight jacket and a bottle of Benadryl. She wanted no part of her car seat nor the wide variety of DVDs I brought along. Neither Dora, Caillou, nor Barney helped. So needless to say, it was the ride from hell.

After telling some of my vacation stories, someone told me I need to bring a “children’s helper” along next time. Yeah okay, are you going to pay for that? I didn’t think so. Someone else also told me it gets better. So I’m going to believe that for now. One thing I did learn was that there is never a vacation from motherhood. There’s always poop that will need to be cleaned, mouths that will need to be fed, boo boos that will need to be kissed, and fights that will need to be broken up. On the flip side, there will also always be bottles of wine to drink to help deal with all that! So, we’ll see what happens next year. Stay tuned!

Let Your Kids Leap Ahead This Summer

It’s almost here. It’s the time of year kids look forward to all year long…summer.  Its three months of fun without going to school and without having to set an alarm. But, just because kids are turning off their alarm clocks, doesn’t mean they should be turning off their brains too. Three months is a long time to go without learning something, don’t you think?

As parents, we continuously hear about how we should always read to our kids. But, what about helping them keep up in math too? It’s just as important. During the summer, there is plenty of time to slip in some math lessons to keep their brains fresh and help them get ahead for the fall. Leap Ahead is a great online program that offers just that, without breaking the bank. Problem solving, algebra, and geometry are just a few of the topics covered.

If your child is entering grades three through nine, this is a great opportunity. LeapAhead! Online Summer Math Program even offers a gifted program for parents and children who want a greater challenge. Whichever program you choose, there are plenty of exercisesto keep your child’s mind active.

Summer Practice = Fall Success

Why not take advantage today?

 

*This is a sponsored post

She’s the Town Crier

It’s no secret that my three and a-half year old loves to talk. I wonder where she gets that from?Anyway, she just doesn’t tell you what she’s doing or what project she might have made at school. She loves to tell my business. That’s why I now call her The Town Crier.

Most times, I don’t mind. But there are times when I don’t want people to know that I went to Target for the third time in a week or that we had to rush to Sam’s Club because I had no more diapers in the house although I could have sworn I bought another pack. There’s also the times when she lets people know I took her to McDonald’s for lunch and let her have a soda. I love the looks I get for that one.

From what I made or may not have made her for dinner to what we did all day, she makes sure everyone knows what we’re up to. She’s also makes sure everyone knows what I’m talking about on the phone. I resorted to talking in code or spelling things, but now she’s on to me. Those little ears know too much sometimes.

If you want someone to know something, just tell her. Right before Mother’s Day, my husband took her and her sister shopping. He made the mistake of letting her see where he hid my present. When I came home, she pointed to a high cabinet in the kitchen and said (in the cutest voice), “Mommy,there’s a present in there for you.” I started laughing. My husband just stared at her and reminded her she wasn’t supposed to tell.

She even tells on her sister. I don’t have to worry if the little one is doing something wrong, because she’ll let me know. I think this is going to get her in trouble one of these days. But for now, she’s my little town crier.

What Do I Want for Mother’s Day?

Sometimes Mother’s Day is kinda like Christmas. There’s so much hype about it, and at times the reality doesn’t live up to all the expectations. Sometimes Santa doesn’t fill your wish list, whether it’s December or May.

So, what are the big Mother’s Day gifts? Flowers, candy, jewelry…they’re alright, but do I really want them for Mother’s Day? Honestly, no…especially not the candy. Swimsuit season is practically here and a pound of truffles is not going to help the cause. Flowers…well, I guess they aren’t bad, but they’re going to die in a week anyway.  Jewelry…it’s pretty, don’t get me wrong, but I’m not diggin it this year. So, what’s left?

There are loads of other “Mom” gifts that all the stores are trying to pawn off on all the men looking for that “perfect” gift. But, I don’t see any of those stores wrapping a big bow around a box of “peace and quiet”, “I’m not doing s***t today”, and “Can everyone just STFU today”, do you? They also seem to be forgetting “nap in a box”.  Those, my friends, would be great! But no, instead, we are brainwashed to believe that a bracelet and a dozen of roses would be oh so much better.

I know a lot of you out there would love some flowers, candy, or jewelry, and that’s just fine with me. But, you can’t honestly say you wouldn’t enjoy a day where the kids didn’t scream, a day when you didn’t accidentally stick your finger in poop because your daughter moved faster than you could move the diaper, or even a day when you didn’t have to ask your significant other to unload the dishwasher (the dishes don’t magically walk themselves back into the cabinet, contrary to popular belief).

I think when it comes to Mother’s Day, actions speak louder than gifts. Showing a momma she’s appreciated, or God forbid, actually speaking the words, can actually get you a lot further. Women dig that stuff, trust me.

Okay, so what’s on your Mother’s Day wish list? What’s on mine? Honestly, I just want to have a nice drama free day with the people I love, and I’m not just saying that. If some gifts come my way, so be it. If not, I’m good. I’ll just be steering clear of the poop and the dishwasher.

Oh, How Times Change!

Let’s rewind five years, pre-pregnancies and pre-kids, shall we? A Friday night used to consist of a night out…maybe a movie with the hubs, or if we were lucky some drinks and apps with friends. If we were really feeling crazy, a little trip to “da club” and some dancing.

Let’s fast forward five years, post-pregnancies and current kids, shall we? A Friday night consists of watching some cartoons, usually some Caillou and Pajanimals, followed by some playing, and then putting the kiddos to bed. Once that’s all said and done, it’s time to get crazy. Are you ready? Oh yeah, time to clean a bathroom that I haven’t had time to clean in awhile. Don’t feel sorry for me because the smell of bleach and Lysol wipes is actually refreshing. I’ll admit I actually enjoy cleaning. Plus, it was on this week’s “to-do” list and there’s only one more day to get it done before the week is up.

Once everything is scrubbed and swiffered, it’s time to really have some fun. I know, cleaning the bathroom should have been fun enough. But now, I can relax, turn on my DVR and catch up on my 14 episodes of “Young & the Restless” while I sit here and write (something else on my “to-do” list). Through a few Oreos and a glass of milk into the mix and I am one happy momma.

Okay, before you paint a big “L” on my forehead, I’m actually okay with all of this. If you told me way back when that this would actually make me happy, I would have told you to go smoke another one. But, times change, and people change with them, myself included.

Trust me, I still love to go out and hang out with the hubs or some friends, but sometimes (okay most of the time), I’m cool with staying in and doing things I need to do and really can’t do while taking care of the kids all day long. When I don’t get to do exciting things like clean, just sitting on the couch and hanging with the hubs is pure bliss. Just having quiet time, not filling sippy cups and cleaning poop, is refreshing. Now, time to cross another episode off the DVR…perhaps I can get down to 13!

The Write Stuff

As a parent, we all have a few things…okay maybe tons of things we like to brag about when it comes to our kids. I’ll admit, I’m no different. These days, I’ve really been trying to get my 3 1/2 year old to write letters and spell stuff. Why? Well, it’s pretty obvious. I want her to be smart, enough said.
Sure she’s in preschool, but they haven’t done too much yet when it comes down to writing. So, that’s where I step in.

You would think getting someone to write a letter or two would be pretty easy. Well, I’m here to tell you it’s not. So, when it happens, it’s kinda like hitting the lotto.

I decided to start with the letters in my daughter’s name because it’s obviously important to be able to write your own name. It took a few days and countless tries, but we eventually got our “M”. When we did, I was almost as happy as when I gave birth. I’ll admit I even got a little misty. So, what did I do? Took a picture of our “M” masterpiece and posted it on Facebook, of course. It really was an accomplishment because before we started, she really had no idea what she was doing. I was so proud of her once she got it! What was even better was that she was just as proud of herself too.

Let me tell you, it didn’t stop there. We’ve now mastered the “A”, “I”, “O”, and “T”, and sometimes “Y”. While we haven’t been able to spell her entire name, she is making progress, and that’s all that matters. We’ve inserted our letter practice into our routine almost on a daily basis. In the beginning it was kinda like a chore, but now my daughter actually looks forward to it. Go figure!

In the words of New Kids on the Block, my daughter definetly has the “write” stuff. I can’t wait until the day she can actually write out her entire name. Don’t worry, you’ll definitely hear about here!

Can Women Have It "All"?

It’s the age-old question that always ruffles feathers and this time is no different. Can women have it all? That of course, depends on who you ask. If you choose to ask Drew Barrymore, she’s gonna tell you no. She recently talked about how much it sucks to have to give up some aspects of your career so you don’t miss out on things in your kids’ lives.(Her words, not mine!) As you can imagine, her words have captured a lot of attention, mine included.

After reading what she had to say, I think she’s brave to admit what so many of us are sometimes afraid to. Sometimes women can’t have it “all” if “all” means having a killer career and making every activity and being there for every play date. It’s just impossible. That’s not to say that women can’t be successful and still be good mothers. Being a stay-at-home mother does not, by any means, make you a better mother.

Now that we’ve cleared that up, I think having it “all” means different things to different people. That’s okay. I think it’s supposed to. I think that going by a universal definition is what has gotten so many of us feeling inadequate in the first place. Having it “all” has made a lot of us feel like crap if we can’t work forty hours a week, make dinner every night, have a clean house, and still have energy to play dress up with our kids. That’s why I respect Drew Barrymore’s comments that women can’t have it all.

I know a lot of moms, myself included, who have made professional sacrifices in order to be more present in their children’s lives. I know it’s not a choice that everyone has the luxury of making these days. There are lots of sacrifices that come along with the choice. Trust me, there are plenty of days when I wonder if I made the right decision. There are plenty of days that I play the “what if” game. But, in the end, I truly believe everything happens for a reason and when it is supposed. You just have to trust in yourself and try not to look back (easier said than done).

So, are Drew Barrymore’s comments setting women back a few decades? I’m sure there are plenty of you out there who still think so, and that’s fine. I still choose to believe that it’s okay to admit that it may be impossible to have it “all”.