Friday, May 21, 2010

Ho, ho, ho

My daughter was playing BrainQuest with my three year old and asked him this question:

"What comes out of a chimney?"

Without missing a beat, he answered, "Santa!"

An herb by any other name

My son's teacher: Class, who knows what an herb is?

The class: quietly thinking

My son: loudly, excitedly I know what herbs are! My mom has some growing on the kitchen counter!!

Teacher: Do you know what kinds they are?

My son: I don't know what kinds they are, but she gave them names!

Teacher: What did she name them?

My son: She named them Basil and Cilantro!

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Out of the mouths of babes

The other day, a dear friend was babysitting all our children while my husband and I were at a wedding reception. My darling baby was getting fussy, so my 3 year old suggested the babysitter give her some nummies (our term of endearment for breastmilk). When she replied that she couldn't do that, he was perplexed.

"Where is your chest?" he asked her. "Is it broken?"

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

One blessed mamma

Mother's Day comes but once a year. . .a day for mommies everywhere to be celebrated. It was no different in our house.

My celebration began Saturday morning. My husband and kids let me sleep in till 9:40 (I don't think I've slept that late since B.C. - before children). When I finally awoke, it wasn't to the sound of pounding feet downstairs, or fighting and screaming, it was to the sound of. . . silence. Nothingness. Because no one was home but me. Did you read that correctly, dear reader? I was alone in the house. That may not sound like a big deal to some of you, but others will understand. I may be alone sometimes at the grocery (if being surrounded be strangers is being alone), but I am very rarely alone in the house. So, as you can imagine, it was blissfully quiet.

After I had reveled in the solitude, my family came home, brimming with excitement. It was more than my 3 year old could bear and a tiny bit of information about my present leaked out.
Soon after, my husband suggested I go shopping for a few hours before he had to be at church. By myself again. I almost didn't know what to do with myself!

The next day after church, I was showered with gifts, lunch at my favorite Mexican restaurant, and a day together at a park with my children and husband. I couldn't have asked for a better way to celebrate Mother's Day. Thank you, God, for this family!

Friday, May 7, 2010

You gotta have friends. . .

Wednesday, I hit the wall. Hard.

I had spent the night before giving my 3 year old son nebulizer treatments every three hours, in an attempt to keep him out of the hospital. I "slept" with him (in quotes, because there wasn't much sleeping going on while I was kicked and whacked all night), and was awakened by him in the morning telling me to get out of his bed or he would kick me in the head.

The day proceeded in much the same fashion. Nebulizer treatments, doctor visit, hysterical tantrums at every turn, a baby whose two naps totaled 55 minutes, and one tired mommy. By one o'clock I had had it.

By the time my husband got home, I was exhausted, grouchy and not much fun to be around.

As I relayed Wednesday's events (and my inability to take it all in stride) to a couple of friends, my sister and my husband, I was reminded why each of these people is so important to me. As I grumbled about my failure to have it all together when life was tough, each one listened to me and let me vent. No one looked at me in shock and said "I never lose my temper with my kids!", or "What is the matter with you?" They hugged me, said they loved me, and told me they would pray for me.

Thursday was much better, due to more sleep and fewer tantrums. But most importantly, it was better due to friends who listen without judging and who love me through the tough times.

Monday, May 3, 2010

It's all in the eye of the beholder

Tonight I had a special night with my 5 year old preschooler. His class put on a lovely program for all the mommies. After the program, I took him out to Culver's to maximize our time together.

We discovered that two of his best buddies also had the same idea, and he was very excited to see them there. We ate our ice cream while he made faces across the restaurant to his peeps.

As we were leaving, we discovered a beautiful rainbow in the sky. We drove out in the parking lot to check it out more thoroughly.

"I can't believe it!" he said.

As I gazed at God's glorious show in the sky, I started to say I couldn't believe we got to see such a sight either. . .when he continued his thought.

"I can't believe TWO of my friends were here tonight!!"