You Are So Much More

My Dearest Mermaid,

This birthday post is so late it is incredibly embarrassing. Over a month late. So sorry, love.

Seven years old. Wow. Or, as you pointed out, "Only three away from 10." But I still have some time before I have to think about how you are in the double digits, so please don't rush me, my dear.

You are definitely my sassy child. Always independent, you have a hard time understanding that just because you are able to do something, doesn't mean you should.

You are loving school. Math is your favorite subject, and strongest. You are still struggling with reading, but you are doing much better. You're like me - impatient, and easily frustrated when you can't read a word quickly, not wanting to stop and take the time to sound it out.

You're fearless. I love seeing your determination and confidence. There isn't anything you can't do. You take risks that make me shake my head and make my heart skip beats. I try to walk the line between keeping you safe and allowing you to explore and remain confident in your abilities. It's a tough line to walk, and you get frustrated with me often. The words "Why not?" and "Don't worry, Mom!" are heard quite frequently in this house.

You're so incredibly social. There isn't anyone you won't talk to, and invite into your life. Again, I struggle between keeping you safe yet not creating fear of the world within you. We've had so many conversations about talking to strangers, and talking to people in general. My love, people do not need to hear about every detail of your life. You have a hard time understanding that. And with your confidence, you are having a hard time catching on to the fact that you will not be friends with everyone you meet. When the neighborhood boy stopped asking you to come over to play, you couldn't understand why. Neither could I. Except that some people are just too different to be friends. But my heart broke as I tried to field questions for WEEKS on why you couldn't go over and play. Another tough line to walk.

You are amazingly helpful. You are such a great older sister to your brother, helping to get him dressed in the morning, playing with him, comforting him when he gets upset. You make me so proud. You help out around the house so much, no questions asked, and because you are absolutely determined to own your very own American Girl Doll, you are always asking to do extra chores for money. You have $16 left to go before you can buy that doll.

You're bright, funny, happy, and a match for me in sarcasm. You keep me on my toes. You forgive easily and don't hold grudges - I'm thankful you didn't inherit that flaw from me. You love to sing and you love to learn new things.

And I am so incredibly lucky to have you as a daughter.

Happy (Belated) Birthday, my Mermaid. I love you so much.

You Are So Much More

That's Better

So far this morning is turning out better then yesterday.

Actually the whole day was tough until I started reading people's stories over at We Are The 99 Percent. Really puts things into perspective.

Also, I got my morning run in today, and that always helps cheer me up.

I'm also over at MassMoms today, talking about easy tips for writing a birth plan.

Have a great Tuesday!

That's Better

How to Know If You Really Want Kids

Think you want to have kids? Think again.

Monday mornings are tough, but the Monday coming back from vacation is always harder. I specifically went to bed early because I knew I would have to do a lot of post-vacation clean up around the house.

The Tadpole took forever to go to sleep. And then he kept waking up. Over and over again, all night long. I tried nursing him, cuddling him, rocking him. I took of his pj's in case he was too warm, changed his diaper, but whatever was bothering him did not stop. I got literally one hour of sleep, from 5:30 to 6:30AM.

I missed my morning run. I hate missing my morning run.

I heard The Knight get out of the shower at 6:30AM. I heard him come into the bedroom and I heard him say to me, "Do you know Tadpole is naked?" I grunted in response. He poked my back and I opened one extremely heavy, crusty eyelid to glare at him. It was enough to wipe the smile of his face and I closed my eyes again.

Then I heard him say, "I smell poop..."

I sat up slowly and looked around. And then I saw it. The Tadpole had taken off his diaper, pooped on the rug, stepped on it, and tracked it all over the entire second floor. Including the WHITE rug in the hallway and the girls' room. THEN he apparently played with it and rubbed it all over himself.

The Knight cleaned The Tadpole up while I attacked the rugs, swearing under my breath the entire time. I went into the girls room and started the clean up in there.

While scrubbing the rug, I looked up and saw that they had taken an entire box of maxi pads and stuck them to the bedroom walls.


*1....2....3...4...5....6...7....8...9...10* DEEP BREATH.

"Girls why did you do this?"
"We wanted to make a carpet on the wall."

Of course we found out when we started to take them down that the sticky layer does not come off unless it takes some of the paint with it.

DEEP BREATH.

Meanwhile, the Knight had finished cleaning The Tadpole up and left for work, smirking at me as he walked out the door. F*cker. I want to go to work at a place where the co workers don't sh*t all over the house!!

DEEP BREATH

I'm finishing up the rug cleaning when The Mermaid tells me that she'll take The Tadpole downstairs and start breakfast. Which she has done many times before. I smile gratefully at her, thank her, and tell her I'll be down in a minute. I finish the rug, scrub my hands until they are red wash my hands, and go downstairs where I'm greeted by the sight of literally half a box of cereal all over the kitchen floor. Not the usual amount of cereal that most parents are stepping on, I'm talking literally half a box.

"WHAT HAPPENED?!?"
"Oh, well, Tadpole asked for the box and I gave it to him and he dumped it out."

Another cleanup. Now I'm sitting here, typing this while staring at the coffee maker, willing it to drip faster.

It is only 8:45 in the morning.

Sadly, this day is not all that unusual. If you read this and still want kids, congrats. You're going to make a great parent. And you can have mine, all three if you want.

How to Know If You Really Want Kids