Mommin' It Up!

September 18, 2009

I Want My Baby Back!

A few weeks ago when Joshua started school, I was very nervous about how he’d like it and about how Sophie and I would be without him. The good news is, he LOVES school, he’s doing great, and Sophie and I are having great days together one-on-one.

The bad news is, although Joshua is apparently very good at school, he grows horns and a tail at 3:15 every day when he walks through the door. From about 3:15 to 5:00 pm every day, he is cranky, tired, fussy, and sometimes disrespectful. He has also discovered a new Olympic sport which practices hard at every afternoon called “Aggravating his sister”.

The other day after school, I don’t remember why exactly, he pointed his finger at me and mouthed off when I asked him to do something.

“Do you talk to your teacher like that?” I asked.

He made a HORRIFIED face. “NO!” he gasped, as if it was the worst thing I had ever suggested.

“Then you don’t talk to me like that. You respect me and behave for me just like you do your teacher!”

Needless to say, I am punishing him appropriately. Seriously, I don’t take that crap.

BUT. On one level or another, it continues. And Emily says since Kate has gone to kindergarten, she has become much more needy and emotional.

So tell me, when do these kindergarteners get over this? Please say it’s soon! I miss my sweet baby boy!

September 17, 2009

Here’s to Longevity

Today is my dad’s 65th birthday. Happy Birthday, Dad! (It’s Medicare time, WOOHOO!) In honor of this big day, I thought I’d share with you some of my favorite memories of my dad.

My dad is an awesome dad. I always knew he loved me, because he told me AND showed me. There were never any worries of me having “daddy issues”. The self-confidence I’ve had that has been the subject of many jokes on this blog, was I think, not necessarily innate but the product of two parents who loved the crap out of me and encouraged me.

When I was little, my dad used to take me fishing a lot. He loves to fish, and he’s a real “outdoor guy”. These days, you probably couldn’t pay me to fish (borrrr-ing) but back then I thought worms were cool, and my dad was cooler. One time when we went fishing, there was a bird trapped on the water somehow. I think it was injured, and it couldn’t get back to land. Well, my dad went all Nature-MacGuyver and saved that bird. I was SOOO proud and excited. It was a major drama and my daddy was the hero! He just couldn’t stand to the the bird suffer, or to let me see it.

My dad is always helping people. When I was a child, (a terrible, sinful child) he used to exasperate me to no end by stopping to help every person with car trouble he ever saw. Be it the side of the road or the Big Lots parking lot, Dad would ALWAYS stop to help. And he usually COULD help because he was very good with cars. Also, if something was wrong with your plumbing, your appliances, or your roof, my dad was the guy to call. He could fix anything, and he still can! I learned a lot from watching him offer help to strangers – because he could.

One of my best memories of my dad is when he walked me down the aisle on my wedding day. I was his little girl and yet he graciously accepted Bobby into our lives and graciously moved from being the #1 man in my life to #2 (and with Joshua’s arrival, #3, I guess!) Dad never made me feel worried about spending money on my wedding or college either for that matter, or the Christian school we attended growing up. He wanted us to be kids while we could be kids, and made sure we had the kind of childhood that would lend us to being functional, happy adults.

Ok, this is getting long and sappy but one more thing. I love the way my dad loves my mom, and I love the way my dad loves my kids. He dotes on my mom like they are still teenagers, I mean he really LOVES her, after 41 years of marriage, he loves her. And my babies – my dad loves to spend time with my kids. He takes Joshua on big walks and loves to snuggle Sophie. She definitely has “Papaw” wrapped around her little finger!

So, anyways, happy birthday daddy. You are the best dad a girl could ask for – truly. I know you always say that I got “every bad trait you have” but I like being like you. I wish I could be as good! I love you!

Jenny Michelle

September 16, 2009

Connectedness

Connectedness? Is that even a word? Oh, well, if it’s not, you know what I am getting at. Feeling connected has become really important to me in the last few weeks. And I am talking about connected in the physical sense. Really being with my friends, not just on skype or twitter, but being with them. I’m longing for them. Emily and I talk every day, but there’s been times these past couple of weeks or so when I’ve just wanted to drive out to her house and show up and invite myself in and sit as close to her on the couch as she’ll let me! I want to be with her. And her sister. And my BFF Luanne, and pretty much all the other wonderful women I consider good friends.

I’ve had playdates every day this week so far, and I have a friend who works full-time coming over for lunch today on her lunch break and I can’t wait. I just want to love my friends! I’ve gone through definite periods in my life where getting out and about, or cleaning the house to have guests was too much hassle. But now, it’s what I WANT to do. It is weird and compelling. But I am going with it for now.

So, you wanna come over? Let’s plan on it!