Saturday and Sunday mornings are my favorite. I am always the first one to wake up, crawl into the sofa in our loft, get under a blankie and start reading a book (or two, or three). Then, the kiddos wake up, find their way to me, and cuddle for the next few hours. Sometimes they fall asleep beside me. Sometimes they read their own books with me. Priceless...
Before I had my first child, I read every possible book I could find on having kids (the Sears approach, attachment parenting, etc.). That being said, nothing ever really prepares you for taking care of a child, or let alone 2 (or ten). Believe me. Nothing. You think you know things...
1. no matter how many hours I spend cleaning, it will only take them a nanosecond (and I mean a nano-nano second if there is such a thing) to make it dirty. This goes for anything - their nice crisp freshly laundered clothes, the playroom and the neatly arranged toy bins, or the living room with the symmetrical placement of throws and pillows. You name it, give them a nanosecond and boom! total chaos. This used to get to me (it still sometimes does), but now I try to enjoy it and find myself just letting them "play" and enjoy the "pond," "forest" or whatever it was that they were building from the seat cushions that I so neatly arranged just a few seconds ago. What? chocolate ice cream on your new shirt?
2. when you make a promise you keep it - If you've ever cruised through a grocery aisle or department store with a kid, you know what I mean. Sometimes I do not even remember promising to buy them that particular item, but they really do remember. "You promised, mama? remember when we were here last time, you said..." So now I 'premise' each shopping trip with "we are here to buy blah-blah and not toys, or bubble gum."
3. let go (starting from now) - I will tell you a secret - I cried the first day I went back to work after having my first child. In fact, I cried all the way to work (all 35 or so miles), and then some more during the day (and the next few days). That was a tough one! I thought I could handle it with the second child. Kiss the baby and smile. Turn away. Walk fast to the car. Don't look back. This is what they teach you at every daycare center in America. Of course, I still cried all the way to the car, all the way to work, and then some more while at work. Tough. And this is just about going back to work. I still get weepy just thinking about it. In time, I will learn. Maybe when they're 42 or something. I promise (or maybe not).
4. band aids solve everything - Kids learn pretty quick. I would guess that there was one time when my first born had a boo-boo and putting a band aid solved everything. paper cut? band-aid. scraped knee? band-aid! bumped your head? band-aid. sore throat? band-aid! I think our 2 year old is catching on. The other day the kid was peeling tons of band-aids and covering his knee with them. He offered a few to me as well. Maybe I looked tired?
5. I have miraculous powers of healing- When my kids are hurt, they run to me and say "mama I have a boo-boo..." As if I can really do anything about it. But I do and I can! At least in their eyes and minds I can! A hug, a kiss will make it better. Such power! They watch my reaction to the "injury" and if I say "oh, its nothing, it's just a scratch...you're going to be OK!" they feel OK. Then, when they are not looking, I quietly panic and call my husband to ask if we should take them to the ER...
6. Unconditional love is possible - before I met my husband, I made a list of all fine traits I would like in my future husband- to-be. It was not a long list, and I do not remember all of the items on the list. The fact remains though that I had a list, and he fit the bill. Having kids made me forget about my lists, and from the moment (nanosecond) I knew that I was having my babies, I loved them already! They did not have to be anything, and I loved them already!
My first born asked me recently what I wanted her to be when she was older, and I found myself saying the same thing I said before she was born, "Happy and healthy." They can be anyone they want to be, and I will love them no matter what they say and/or do. (I do hope that I can teach them about life)
Shhhh! don't tell them I said so. At least the part where I said they can do just about anything...
Gotta go. #2 who is an early riser like me..just woke up and found the path to me...
Thanks for listening!
