"You're Gonna Miss This"

This is the phrase I hear most often thrown around between older moms and new moms.

"You'll miss this when they're older."

"Cherish every moment! They're over so quickly."

There have been many moments, though, that I can look at specifically and say, I am *not* going to miss that moment.

Like when I had to miss my brother-in-law's wedding because my toddler wouldn't stop screaming and flailing around in tantrum, so I had to stay in the car and listen to her scream:

Or when the baby is sick and snotty and cries constantly and only wants to be held ALL DAY LONG:

When your toddler refuses to nap even though she is EXHAUSTED and she spends the next 20 minutes in the car screaming her head off and rubbing her eyes:

When both kids cried/whined through your entire shopping trip to WalMart:

When you get only 4 hours of sleep total for several nights in a row with a teething baby.

When your baby decides to give up the pacifier--but can't sleep without it quite yet.

When your baby breastfeeds so hard you develop scars on your nipples.

When she screamed an entire flight from Philadelphia to Los Angeles.

But the moments aren't all bad. In fact, there are lots of moments that I know I will want to remember. They're the ones I will miss.

Carrying a sleeping baby around Disneyland:

Watching her get excited over little things, like a box of books featuring her favorite character:

Keeping each other warm on cold nights:

Playing squishy face:

Making silly faces in the selfie cam:

Teaching her the art of video games:

Watching her climb the playground equipment for the first time:

 Being able to wrap her up in a towel after bath:

Being able to give her a bath in the sink!

When they both fall asleep in the car:

When they light up with their whole face when they see you for the first time in a while.
Dance parties and singing out loud.
When they surprise me with something new they are able to do or say.

The Dichotomy of Motherhood

(Photo courtesy of my obliging hubby)

Motherhood is this strange dichotomy.

A constant push-and-pull between the needs of the present and the desires of the future.  For me, the needs of the present shout and cry and wave their petulant fists: "I need to do the dishes (because we are completely out)! I need to pack up the house! I need to take a shower! I need to get some SLEEEEEP!"  The shouting is usually when she is refusing naps, or not going to sleep at bedtime. (The crying occurs in the 3am hour.)

But at the same time, my knowledge of the desires of the future are like little whispers: "The dishes can wait. She's only small for so long. You'll miss this some day. Look at her little fingers holding onto your shirt. Listen to her little breaths. She won't let you do this when she's 12, or 16, or 25. Embrace it now."

So I hold her a little longer tonight. I watch her little chest rise and fall, watch her eyelids shudder as she begins a night of dreams. I know this time is so short. Tonight, I think of the future, and leave the dishes for later.

Avonlea Overheard, Vol. 13

We are out getting a drink, and Avonlea says, "I want a drink, too."
So I ask, "Oh really? What kind of drink do you want?"
And she says, "Umm...I will take a sweet tea. With light ice, please."

Avonlea Overheard, Vol. 12

Mom: Avonlea, do you want to go to Buffalo Wild Wings, or Applebee's?

Avonlea: I don't know what you're saying.
(Which is what I say to her when she mumbles or is using a new word J haven't deciphered yet.)

Avonlea Overheard, Vol. 11

Mom: What story do you want to read tonight, Avonlea?

(Avonlea picks up a Disney collection of stories, points to the Minnie Mouse story.)

Avonlea: The scratch story!

Mom: Oh, Avonlea. Mommy doesn't want to read that story. We read it all the time. I want to read a different one.

Avonlea: I know Mommy. But you need to be nice.

Afternoon in the Life...

I follow a really great group on Facebook called Toddler Approved. It's always chock-full of great ideas, and having done several of them, I can say that it's one of the best sites for toddler sensory/art/behavioral techniques.

I saw a great post about "Fizzle Pumpkins" that I thought Avonlea would really enjoy. We painted a couple of our pumpkins a few days ago, and she really enjoyed it, so I thought it would be fun to step it up a little.

We paint at our house at least once a week, and Avonlea really enjoys it. She's also pretty good at keeping the paint off of herself and on the paper/other surface we are working with.

At 4:45 I got the painting equipment together. I mixed the paint up while Aria played on the floor peacefully. Avonlea was excited about painting, so she was running back and forth in and out of the house. I brought Aria out and put her in the Bumbo seat, along with our metal colander and a spoon. She enjoys "making music", so I thought she would enjoy it while Avonlea and I painted.

We started painting, and right away I found out that my paint/baking soda ratio was off. It wasn't gliding onto the pumpkin like paint would normally, it was looking more like clumpy cottage cheese, and sliding off. I was frustrated, but we pressed on. Avonlea seemed to be enjoying herself, so I just let it go.

Aria took a really great nap today, but she slept early, so she was ready for another nap early. She started to get fussy only a few minutes after getting outside. She had tossed aside the spoon and was instead leaning over as far as possible and playing in the dirt (of course).

I decided to speed the process up and bring the vinegar out in a cup with a straw. Of course, Avonlea couldn't manage the technique, so I was helping. But because the ratio was off, I'm pretty sure it wasn't as spectacular as it would normally be.

During the entire time we were painting, we were being buzzed by flies. I'm not sure what it is about our house, but the flies and the ants are TERRIBLE. We have a fly trap that we have been meaning to put out, but just haven't yet, so I decided, after 10 minutes of trying to swat the flies, that I would put up the fly trap.  So I left the girls outside and went in to get the rope and fly trap.

I came back out and Avonlea had taken the paints in her playhouse. While I was hanging the fly trap onto the roof, I was trying to yell to Avonlea not to pain the inside of her house. I finally got the thing hung up (it is full of water, so I couldn't just set it down to stop Avonlea), stepped off the chair, and my knot came undone and fell to the ground, completely breaking apart and splashing stank water all over me.

At this point, I am frustrated. I look in the house, and Avonlea is disobeying and painting the inside of her house--with her fingers. I carry Aria inside and put her on the floor with some toys. I go back out and carry Avonlea inside and rinse her off and wash off my legs, which had been sprayed by fly trap stank water. I put Avonlea in time out, and gather Aria, since she was angry about being put on the floor.

After Avonlea's 2 minute time-out, I take her back outside to clean up her mess, which of course she can't clean up well, but I have to follow through on in order to be a good mom.

The whole time I am thinking, why did I even attempt this nonsense??

This happens to me SO OFTEN. I have good intentions, and then it all gets mucked up somehow. *sigh*

Avonlea Overheard, Vol. 10

Avonlea: I have something in my eye.
Allison: Oh yeah? What do you have in your eye?
Avonlea: An eyeball.