Oops

January 17 2012

Posted in: Daily · Tags: good, winter

Taking advantage of the wet powder sheeting the ground before it disappeared in the following day’s spring-like forecast, I promised my kids some time to play in the remaining snow. Within our advancing initial steps, we bent down to grab a handful and set our sights on any nearby target. The first shot in the friendly winter war.

I had only a single rule to follow: Don’t hit anyone in the face.

With each tag and a mark of evident precipitation left in its place, a telltale hit. Traipsing through the snow, a cast of footprints trailing behind. It was mayhem of flying snow and flinging laughter. It didn’t take long, however. As then, I breached my own command. Admittedly, a striking lucky shot.

Bam! Oops. A smashed snowball square at Jedi’s face.

His eyes froze shut for a brief moment before he turned to me, cold crystals clinging to his lashes. I was ready to apologize, concealing my amused surprised, instead prepared to deal with the ridiculous fallout. To wipe the snow away from his wet cheeks. But then he laughed, the greatest kind of laugh. Infectious as it was. And so did I.

“Revenge!”, Jedi declared as he rose, scooping more snow into a compact mound. Believe me, he got it.

Apologies were still said, though unnecessary. Because accidents happen. Even moreover, sometimes rules are supposed to be broken. Especially when they’re your own. It’s when an act of fun can reign profound. In that moment, it proved to be a very good kind of oops.

Maybe I Wasn’t Specific Enough

January 16 2012

Posted in: Daily · Tags: life

The alarm rings from my son’s iPhone first thing in the morning, before the sun is even awake to shine. I open one eye begrudgingly, enough to reach for it under my pillow and swipe it to snooze. The next 10 minutes I lie there, breathing in the quiet air and restful eyes for as long as I can.

The alarm rings again and I think, I really need a cup of coffee.

Not yet, however, as I now have to fumble through the haphazard process of getting ready while still half asleep and rush our way out the door. Not to forget gloves and scarfs and hats and zipped up coats, no one else bothered by the cold but me. Someone remind me again why I say I like winter, as the fierceness of the cold whips at my face.

And I think to myself as my breath freezes in midair, I really need a cup of coffee.

But first, back home, I need to pick up discarded coats and gloves. There are dishes to wash, beds to make, and the first toys to put away. Then, at long last.

I pour myself a cup of coffee.

With deadpan precision, the phone rings. After I hang up there, I remember I need to make another call. I glance in circles, forgetting where I placed my cup. It doesn’t matter, because my participation in a game of Candy Land has been requested. Then coloring and a search for Mickey Mouse on YouTube.

Finally, I take a drink.

It’s cold.

I sigh and think to myself, I really need a cup of warm coffee.

It’s Official, Kids Have It Easy

January 12 2012

Posted in: Daily · Tags: lists, motherhood

“Kids have it a lot easier than parents”, Jedi stated one recent afternoon. “Do you want me to tell you why?”

Of course I said I did, please list your reasons because I would love to hear this. His explanation was enlightening, though brief.

1. Kids don’t have to cook
2. We get to drink apple juice
3. We have more free time

All true and accurate. But the list could have went on. Here are just a small selection of mine to add on to his list of why kids have it easier than adults:

1. Kids do not have to brave the grocery store. In fact, it’s better if they stay home.

2. Kids get to sleep in. Not that they ever do, but they can. And if they did, maybe the parents could, too.

3. Kids ask their parent for answers on their homework, and then they take all the credit. If an adult did that at their job, it would be considered plagiarism.

4. Kids don’t have to do laundry. Or a long list of chores that keep the house running. At least not yet. Kids complain relentlessly when they are asked just to pick up their toys.

5. Kids do not have to remember and schedule a myriad of appointments. They go along with what we say, even when we inevitably arrive at the pediatrician on the wrong day.

6. When a kid barfs in the middle of the night, they are never the one who has to clean it up.

7. “Mommy? Mommy? Mommy? Mommy, why are you not listening to me? Mommy?” Need I say more?

Enabling

January 11 2012

Posted in: The Kids · Tags: Abby, of course

My daughter was snacking heartily from a bag of cheddar Goldfish crackers. This after complaining she was hungry, even though she had just finished lunch. That girl can eat. She reached in, fishing for another. Kindly, she offered it to me.

“You hungry, Mommy?”, Abby asked.

“No, thank you. You can eat those, they’re for you”, I said.

Abby was unsatisfied with my answer, however. She continued standing before me stoically, searching my facial expressions for any signs of impending weakness. Surely, my mind would change. My daughter was determined to give me a damn cracker. A 3 year old enabler.

“Fine”, I relented. “I’ll take just one. But only one.” Because there’s always room for at least one Goldfish.

“OK, just one”, my daughter cheered, opening the bag wide enough to fit her head inside. Then, a single cheesy cracker fish swam into the palm of my hand. And then another.

Those fish, they just kept swimming uncontrollably.

Before I knew it, I was holding on to a handful of small orange Goldfish, with a little girl pushing more into my mouth. When I clearly remember specifying I only wanted one. Just one. The magnificent powers of persuasion. Not to mention a really cute kid. Then, half the bag was gone. How does that happen?

The Top of the Toy Pile

January 10 2012

Posted in: Daily · Tags: a toy's story, Christmas, good, lists

It’s been a few weeks since Christmas now, and all the toys my kids received have lost their novelty. For this year, I made it a mission to gift items that held a purpose, rather than, say, a Captain America action figure that would just be thrown in a drawer to be forgotten. As always, however, some were more of a hit than others.

These are the top toys from Christmas ’11 that haven’t been a waste of money:

1. Play-Doh Fun Factory Deluxe Set: Santa must have been high on candy canes this Christmas when he decided to leave this play-doh set under the tree for Buzz. With the constantly picking beads of doh out of my carpet since, and fighting a losing battle in my obsessive compulsion to keep the colors separated. This isn’t about me, though.

2. Abby & Emma Magnetic Dress-Up: Big, chunky pieces with a lot of options. It keeps my little fashion star’s attention for awhile as she mixes and matches the outfits. It’s something I would have loved as a kid.

3. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: This was a last minute addition to Jedi’s stocking. I’ve bought him other chapter books in the past that he never so much as glanced at. This one, however, a book with over 200 pages, he finished in 4 days.

4. LEGO Duplo Building Set: Buzz loves LEGOs. I bought him a few sets of the regular LEGOs, but he’s not quite at the level to put them together by himself yet. The Duplos are just right for him. And it comes with a playmat that can be zipped together into a bin for additional storage. Anything that comes with its own storage is a good idea.

5. AquaDoodle: Christmas night, I set this up and watched as all 3 of my children sat together and played with it. Taking turns. Together. It was amazing.

6. Hungry Hungry Hippos: I remember this game from my youth being really loud. There’s enough noise in my house as it is, so I was hesitant. But turns out, it’s a really great game for all of us. It’s straightforward and easy enough for Buzz and Abby, but competitive for Jedi. Now, the only thing we need to work on is the sore losing attitude.