As I write this, in 2 minutes, you turn 32 years old.
There you are asleep on the couch, your glass of root beer still full. Like always.
Just a few hours ago, we watched brainless television shows. Like always.
We snacked on junk food when we really shouldn’t have. Like always.
We talked about the sweet (or not so sweet) things the kids did today. Like always.
The clock just struck 12.
Happy Birthday, sleepy boy. I can’t wait to spend your special day and many more together.
We got the movie “Enchanted” this week and the kids love the music and dancing so much they feel compelled to reenact it. It’s very entertaining to me and they’re getting pretty good at it too! Nate even tackles Nia when a bunch of bicyclists run over one of the characters! I’m so proud!
Not only is she growing up so quickly, she’s also super brave! While we were at the mall today, Andrew asked Nia if she wanted to get her ears pierced. I don’t think he ever thought she would say yes!
Pretty Princess Earrings
She asked if it would hurt like a shot and he told her yes. She didn’t care – she wanted them pierced. We walked into Claire’s and the very nice clerk asked her what earrings she would like. She knew right away. Who cares it’s the birthstone for October? It was a pretty, pink, sparkly earring and it was her choice.
She sat on Andrew’s lap and watched as the clerk cleaned the earrings and put on latex gloves. I thought that for sure would scare her. Nope. She didn’t even seem tense.
The clerk used extra care to make sure Nia didn’t see the piercing gun as she went in for the first ear. The clerk counted – one, two, three. That was it. Nia’s tiny earlobe just had an earring shoved through it and nothing. Not a deep breath, not a whimper, not a cringe, not a flinch, nothing. We asked her if she was ok and all she said while smiling was, “It just surprised me a little bit.” With that, she got her other ear pierced and then got to pick out other pretty princess earrings to wear later.
We are still in shock. What a brave little girly girl with the pink, sparkly earrings. You amaze us every day.
Ever hear two little girls, ages 4 and 5, talk on the phone? Nia’s friend Nicole calls her every couple of days just to make sure her favorite colors are still pink, purple and blue and if she’s changed her mind about who her favorite princess is. It is a riot. Tonight, I actually got some of the conversation (if you can call it that!) on camera and thought you might like to watch Nia act all grown up and stuff. She even told Nate to go away because he was being too noisy!
After I stopped the camera, Andrew and I really cracked up. Nicole asked Nia what she did at school today and I told her to tell Nicole what she had for a snack. Although Nicole had started talking about something else, Nia just started yelling “Peanut Butter Crackers!” She kept yelling it because she thought Nicole’s “what’s?” meant she couldn’t hear what Nia was saying but really Nicole had no idea why Nia was shouting “Peanut Butter Crackers!” at her.
I think I’m going to try that next time I get an unwanted phone call. “Hello?” “Hello Ms. Va-yez?” “Peanut Butter Crackers!” “Ah, yes, is Ms. Va-lez there?” “Peanut! Butter! Crackers!”
Yep. Sounds like a plan.
Sometimes I don’t feel like the mommy as much as I feel like the “supplier.” There are certain things that we just cannot let Nia have at her disposal.
1. Her use of construction paper must be monitored. Now, I’m not so bad that I hold all the paper and only give her a sheet at a time or anything. (What fun would that be for either of us?) But, if I let her have free reign over the entire stash of construction paper, we would need to restock it every day. It can get out of hand real fast if we’re not careful.
2. Tape. Wow, does she have a passion for tape. She wants to tape everything. Don’t have a hair clip? Tape it. Did a glass break? Tape it. She will cut up the tiniest pieces of construction paper and then want to tape them together or to other whole pieces of construction paper. Glue won’t do. Nope. She’s gotta have the tape. It appears as though she’ll keep getting her tape and paper fix thanks to her Aunt Sissy. She recently sent us a nice supply so as long as I maintain control of how much Nia’s using, we should be good to go for awhile.
3. Flavored/Scented lip gloss. She would love so much to be able to carry 3 or 4 tubes of it in her tiny purse and apply it liberally throughout any given day. I would love for her to be able to do that but I can’t let her because she’s allergic to something in them. I feel so bad that I have to confiscate them from her when she gets them as a gift. (If I don’t she will sneak away and smear them on her mouth over and over again until the gloss looks as though she was eating it as well.) She always asks, “Can’t I just try a little Mommy? Just a little?” My heart breaks because I remember how much I loved those glosses when I was little but I just cannot let her get her grip on the gloss.
4. Scented lotions. If she could she would use the whole bottle in one day. If she’s even alone with a small bottle for more than a few minutes she smells as though she just painted herself with it.
Ah, and this is only the beginning. I’m sure it’s only going to get more interesting and challenging as grows up.
I’ve never been an ultra-religious person. I believe in God. I believe in Jesus. I had weekly religious education classes as part of the Catholic faith but I was young and didn’t pay much attention. (Did I ever mention that Andrew and I grew up in the same church? I mean, how was I supposed to pay attention to anything when I knew I might see him?) Also, I’ve missed more Sunday masses than I’ve attended and now even when I’m there I’m not really there. It’s not because I don’t want to be (I actually really want to be), it’s because I’m a mom and moms with kids in church just don’t get to pay much attention to what’s being prayed about or preached. So wouldn’t it figure? Now that I want to learn and want to be there, I really can’t.
It’s something that has really been weighing on me because right now I’m experiencing a true need to be taught about God and Jesus and benefit from the guidance and strength offered through the Bible. But now I dread even going because Nate is a maniac in church and understandably so. He’s two years old and we’re trying to make him whisper and not act like a caged animal for roughly an hour – even when we’re in the “cry room.” (And yes, we’ve tried every trick in the book to help him through the hour. Snacks, toys, crayons, blankey. Nothing works.) Trying to teach him how to act in church (or just to be quiet) while trying to walk away from mass with something inspiring or encouraging is nearly impossible. I end up leaving frustrated and disappointed that I didn’t get anything out it.
Amazingly, I’ve found something that is uplifting me but it’s not through our church. I never thought I would say this and truly believe it but it seems God has lead me to what I needed. Each Wednesday, I take Nia to a nondenominational Bible school for children at a local Baptist Church. (One of her friends invited her to it.) Because she is so young, I am supposed to stay on the church grounds while she’s in the 90 minute school. At first, this was awful to me. I thought, what am I going to do during that time? I don’t think they have have free wireless internet. I don’t really want to just sit in the hallway and lurk while I read or book or something. That’s when the extremely friendly director of the Bible school guided me to a room with a sign that read “Ladies Bible Study.”
Just those words intimidated me. What business did I have entering that room? I’m only vaguely familiar with some of the “big” Bible stories and I was certainly not one of those ladies. They are all in the same Baptist club right? Will they all hiss at the Catholic and hold up the Bible if I cross the threshold?
Never could I have been more ignorant. They were so wonderful and welcoming and at the end of that study I knew I was meant to walk in that room. It’s helping me in so many ways and I’m learning things about the Bible that I never knew before and I’ve also just realized, while writing this, that I shouldn’t rely on my Sunday morning church service alone to inspire me. Inspiration and guidance is all around me everyday. In my family, in the Bible, in my friends, in good deeds…
From now on, I will walk into church with a light heart knowing that my healthy, happy little boy is going to want to play and I am more than likely not going to hear a word of what is being said. As long as we are not bothering anyone else, I will do better to not let it bother me. I will use the time there to thank God for His ways and show my faith to Him with my family. Maybe I’ll even get a prayer or two in as well. (For Nate to be quieter could be one of them!)
I wanted to get him a pair of navy blue or maybe tan/brown sneakers. Ones that would go well with a majority of his clothes. I’m not a fan of the crazy colored shoes or the ones with cartoon characters.
None of what I like or want mattered after seeing Nate’s reaction to these –
Special Shoes
He was so excited – smiling ear to ear, saying “Thomas Train!” over and over again. We bought them and he carried the bag out of the store like a big boy. Carrying them didn’t last long though. Why do that when he could wear them and continue to point out his “Thomas Trains” as we walked from store to store? It actually became a pretty awesome mood changer too. When he would start to get fussy Andrew would ask, “Nate, where’s Thomas?” That’s all it took. Immediate happiness. I’m not sure how long it will last but I will certainly use the power of the shoe for as long as I can!
He even wants to wear them over his footy pajamas while he sleeps! No, we didn’t let him curl up next to his dirty trains. No, instead, we let him sleep with a hard plastic pull-toy Thomas Train that plays music. When Andrew went to check on him before we went to sleep last night, he was hugging it. His precious blankey (or “kay-kay” as he calls it) was way at the bottom of the crib. We couldn’t believe it!
“This too shall pass.” I know it’s a quote/saying/belief that is commonly used in times of mourning or hardship but for some reason it feels good for me to apply it to where I am right now.
I know it could always be worse but I’ve been having a really hard time dealing with the difficulties of raising a 4 and 2-year-old. And I’m not talking about just a few incidents here or there with them. I can handle that fine (or at least I think I can). What’s really getting to me is the constant fighting between the two of them, Nia giving me major ‘tude whenever I try to talk to her about her actions and Nate’s aggressive behavior that doesn’t seem to be getting any better.
Right now the major thing that’s getting me through this is knowing that I will get through it. I realize that it is just a stage and it will eventually end. I also realize, however, that after it ends, another stage will start! Hopefully, it will be the sharing, caring and listening stage. I can dream right?
Dinner for one at a trendy restaurant in Buckhead-Atlanta – $47 (two glasses of Sangria and tip included)
A glass of wine, a Coke for the designated driver and the tip at the Ritz Carlton (also in Buckhead-Atlanta) – $20
Times I feared for my life while being driven in an SUV by a girl I hardly knew – 3 (but it made for some laughs!)
Number of movies we all knew the lines to – 9
Hours I spent away from my family – 7 and a half
Fun I had while sharing a night out with the girls – Tons
How much I appreciate and love Andrew for being so cool about my night out with the girls – Immeasurable
(He even did all the dishes and put them away!)
*Thanks to my neighbor, Allison, for thinking of me and liking me enough to invite me along with her buddies!
Are You Zhazha? 
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