From the Scent of Powder

October 05 2011

Posted in: Me Myself · Tags: nostalgia

It catches me off guard. A simple item like a pink make-up brush, sitting innocently in the middle of my kitchen table. Like a time tunnel.

“You still have this?”, I asked my mom, amused at the memories that came flooding back.

“It’s been in my purse. Abby got it out.”

Before I knew it, I was an unsure 17 again. Experimenting with the latest eyeshadow tips out of magazines and applying mascara until it was close enough, though never quite the same as instructed. Wash, repeat, sometimes until my cheeks were red. A sentence of occupying our single bathroom for hours on end, staring at my reflection from multiple angles.

Wishing I was someone else. Who fit in. Who was beautiful and better.

I could see myself, hunched over the bathroom sink, cases of powder and colors around me. It was as if I traveled back 15 years before I was reminded of the now.

“That’s mine!”, my little Abby declared, grabbing the brush out of my hand. And I was back again. “Grandma gave it to me.”

Then as I sat, my daughter, thankfully still far away from uncertainty and self-doubt, positioned herself in front of me and began to sweep the soft bristles over my cheeks. The scent of memories in old make-up held within and familiar, yet forever ago. That girl I once was, who didn’t know then. If I could tell her, I’d say you don’t need magazines or pore-clogging foundation. There is already a strong base to stand on. One day you will be enough. You will fit in and your beauty will shine to those who truly matter.

How to Not Dress Your Kids Appropriately

October 03 2011

Posted in: Daily · Tags: fall, life, of course

I love fall. I do. It’s my favorite season. The colors of the falling leaves. Pumpkins and gourds. Halloween and costumes and candy. A cup of a steaming drink in your hand in the morning. There are rainy, gloomy days, but it mostly comes without the threat of doom and destruction like spring. It’s not too hot, not too cold, but usually a nice road down the middle.

The problem is, however, I have no idea how to dress my kids for the day.

My boys don’t care what they wear as long as they have something on, so I still pick out their daily ensemble. With the weather being like it is, I find myself at a bit of a loss. I put them in shorts one day last week because the day before was in the 80′s. That day, however, barely made it to 65. So I dressed them in long sleeves and pants the next day, when they came home sweating off the bus from upper-70 temperatures.

As my mom would say, this is how people catch colds. And my mom would be right, since Jedi is fighting one heck of a cough right now. Luckily, no other symptoms are present, he still feels fine. Thus I sent both boys to school today.

In long sleeves and jeans. With a light jacket.

Though I feel I should have bundled them in winter coats, since it was in the 30′s while standing at the bus stop this morning. Except it’s supposed to be 75 by the time they return home.

A 40 degree difference all in one day.

I may love fall, but I have no idea how to dress for it. And we’re all going to catch pneumonia by the time it’s over.

Nuggets

September 30 2011

Posted in: The Kids · Tags: conversation, good, Jedi

“What did you have for lunch today?”, I asked Jedi when he came home from school.

“Chicken nuggets”, he replied. “Hey, Mommy? What part of the chicken is the nugget?”.

“I’m not really sure”, I answered, honestly.

“You know what I think? I think it’s the chicken’s…”, then in a whisper, “boy parts“.

“So you think chicken nuggets are a chicken’s nuggets?”, I repeated before breaking into rolling can’t-catch-your-breath laughter. “Come up with that one all on your own?”

“Yeah”, he beamed, proud of his observation. But then he wondered, “Do cows have nuggets?”

Wiping tears out of my eyes from laughing so hard, I stammered between gasps for air, “If they do, we don’t eat them”.

“Oh, OK. Hey, Mommy? Is nuggets a bad word?”

Still laughing, I said, “No, nuggets is not a bad word”. Thinking about it for a moment after, however, I added, “Though we might not want to talk about nuggets with Grandma”.

Twitter, Fun for all Ages

September 28 2011

Posted in: The Kids · Tags: Abby, teh internetz, ww

She may be only 3, but my daughter is a burgeoning social media maven. Not only does she hijack my computer, but she knows how to open Tweetdeck, too.

Announcing her presence:

Here she is, venting about her lack of cookies:

Which leads to her loss of keyboard privileges, and this:

Yes, this happens often. Obviously, if you’re not following me us on twitter already, you should be. Just look at what you’re missing. (Also, you really should follow @mecreaves, she’s the best kind of awesome.)

The Mom Bag

September 27 2011

Posted in: Daily · Tags: life, motherhood

We’ve all had those moments as parents when a certain situation strikes you upside the head with the enormity of what you’ve gotten yourself into. The damn, I’m such a mom moments. I used to be smacked with these flashes a lot when my kids were even littler and everything was new. Some were beginning milestones that were easy to explain. Like our first ride home from the hospital or staying up all night for the first time with a sick child. But then there are the smaller bits. The ones that are just enough to make you briefly pause and soak in what you’ve become.

But only briefly, because moms can’t pause for long.

I don’t get so swept away as often anymore. Mostly because I get it. I’m a mom. I have 3 kids who remind me of that constantly. If not by their actions, then definitely by the calling for my attention on an endless loop.

Every so often, however.

We had come in the door from running an errand when I heard my cell phone ring. It was in my bag. A bag that was packed. With 48 Toy Story 3 Memory game cards scattered on the bottom that Abby insisted on taking along, just-in-case diapers, stickers, suckers, crayons, souvenirs from our trip to the zoo a long time ago, and something sticky. I had to dig through it all just to get to the one item that was mine, the phone. When it struck me and I paused. I’ve already done the diaper bag, which I haven’t carried in ages. But now I have “the mom bag”.

It’s terribly harsh, but it’s true. I am such a mom.