my precious ones

]]> http://mychaoticbliss.com/2010/03/07/ok-so-im-a-day-late/feed/ 0 http://mychaoticbliss.com/2010/03/07/center-stage/ http://mychaoticbliss.com/2010/03/07/center-stage/#comments Mon, 08 Mar 2010 03:54:53 +0000 Amy http://mychaoticbliss.com/?p=988

Girl Scout Thinking Day

Demonstrating Saipha at BBA Trade Fair 2010

This week, I had the chance to see two of my darlings take center stage in their respective activities.

Leah and her Daisy Girl Scout Troop gave a presentation about Girl Scouts (or Guides as they are called) in Mexico. The event was in celebration of World Thinking Day: a day when Girl Scouts and Girl Guides around the world think about one another.

She looked adorable, knew her lines, spoke clearly into the microphone, and smiled. I was a proud mama!

My oldest darling, Zachary, was asked to participate in a Goju-Ryu Karate demonstration at the annual Bedford Business Association’s Trade Fair. The program is part of Bedford Public School’s Community Education Program.

He was asked to demonstrate the kata Saipha. He and his partners did an excellent job! He also demonstrated kumite, or sparring. I don’t particularly enjoy watching that part…always afraid something will get broken.

I thought I had someone I could rely on. Someone who could care for them as well, if not better, than I. I’ve trusted this person with my children for more than 11 years. Eleven years. Without incident.

Recently, though, I’ve begun to wonder if this individual is really the type of caregiver I want for my children. While I don’t have a nanny cam, I do have some photographic and video footage to present to you as evidence.

Take a look and then tell me: Would you leave your children with this person?

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

Exhibit C

Exhibit D

Exhibit E

Exhibit F (He's a french hobo?!)

And finally, Exhibit G.

Now, tell me, should I leave them with their Daddy anymore?

I never felt very sorry for my mom when she told that story. Even after having my own children. Afterall, I have four, she had one. She couldn’t have needed that bath, that solitude that badly. Could she?

I was reminded of that story today as I was in the shower. My two year old, Sarah, was happily playing downstairs while Daddy was working. Before I knew it, they were in the bathroom, playing a rousing game of peek-a-boo with me. First one side of the curtain, then over the top, then the other side. You get the idea.

This wasn’t even a luxurious, soaking, bath. It was a quick shower and they couldn’t just let me be in peace.

When I was finished, I had to dry off completely while still standing in the tub because Sarah was now brushing her teeth. Of course, the brushing kept being interrupted by her pointing, laughing and shrieking at my naked body.

I’m sorry, Mom. I’m. So. Sorry.

Paul and Jamie were newlyweds. We were newlyweds.

Paul and Jamie had a dog. We had a dog.

Paul and Jamie had a slanty floor in one part of their apartment. We had a slanty floor in one part of our apartment.

Jamie went back to school. I went back to school.

Paul and Jamie had British neighbors. We bought a house and had a British neighbor.

Paul and Jamie had a baby. We had a baby.

We used to laugh so hard at their life because we could relate so well to it.

Time froze for Paul and Jamie when the show went off the air. We kept moving forward. But every now and then, something will remind us of them.

Like the time they walked in and found Murray, their dog, standing on the dining table. Paul looked at Murray and said, “This is new.” and just kept walking.

This is new.

Earlier this week, I walked into the dining room and saw this. To which I said, “This is new.” and just kept walking—to get the camera.

This is new.

Well, I’ve been wrong before.

She is the most independent of all my children. I think her mantra, if she knew what that was, would be, “No child left behind!” If the older kids are doing it, so is she!

Many many posts could be written about her adventures and hijinks. I’ll save those stories for another day. Today is Friday, so it’s time for Friday Funnies.

One of the areas that Sarah shows her independence is in diaper changing. When she wants it changed, sometimes she comes and tells me, but she often just takes off her pants, then her diaper, gets a wipe and brings me a clean diaper. (Yes, I think she’s ready to be potty trained. I simply haven’t gotten around to it yet.)

Ok…so on to the funny.

Last night she went in her bedroom and pooped. Instead of coming and asking to be changed, she went into her brothers’ bedroom, removed her pants–and, you guessed it, the diaper. Little round turds were flung all over the floor of her brothers’ room!

The boys found that absolutely disgusting!

Michael and I just laughed.

One of my favorite things to do is to volunteer at my kids’ school. If parents are invited, I’m there!

I love being able to observe them in their school setting–learning, interacting with their friends and teachers. It’s just so much fun!

And they love having me come in. That hour, once a week, quietly reinforces to them that I am there, I care, I’m interested. (Sure there are other ways to reinforce that, so if you are not a parent that volunteers at school, don’t think I’m ragging on you, because I’m not.)

As they get older, the teachers start weaning us off of our children. By third or fourth grade, the kids start planning their own parties, we do things for the teacher, rather than work with the kids. By fifth grade, there really are no classroom volunteers. And by sixth grade, forget it! They don’t even have parties anymore. Instead the kids start taking on leadership roles in the school–at Halloween, for example, they host a carnival for the rest of the grades.

I remember walking down to visit my oldest (a sixth grader) at the end of the day on Halloween party day. He wasn’t there. He was in gym class. His stuff was all packed up for the day. I walked in, probably looking very lost, and spoke to the teacher for a moment. Then walked to his desk where his costume, backpack and coat were all gathered and waiting for him. I said (lamely, I’m sure), “I’ll just take his costume with me so he doesn’t have to deal with it on the bus.”

I recognized myself for what I really was in that moment: a parent desperately wanting to feel like her baby still needed her.

It’s good the teachers start weaning us in third grade. It takes a long time!

A few weeks ago, sixth grade parents were invited to come in and help during science class!

What?

You need me?

Absolutely!

I’ll be there!

What? What did you say we’d be doing? Dissecting. Cow. Hearts?

Um. Yeah. Great. You can count on me.

Today was the day! It was actually supposed to be on Valentine Party Day. Get it? Hearts…Valentine’s Day…but it was delayed due to snow days.

And so I went. It wasn’t as gross as I thought it would be. I think my son would say the opposite.

In fact, he had this to say–“It was disgusting, but a lot of fun! My favorite part was when we cut open the heart along the septum in the middle.

I also liked messing around cutting open different parts to see what’s inside. My least favorite part was pumping air through the artery. It was gross.

I was surprised at how much blood there was.

I’m not sure if I would ever want to do it again.”

He may not be sure if he’ll ever do it again, but I am! I have three more kids to get through the sixth grade, and by golly, if they need me, I’ll be there!

It was scary. It was painful.

During my early adult years, I didn’t have dental insurance. A friend’s daughter was going to dental hygienist school and needed guinea pigs patients. That was kind of cool. I got the works! All the work was well supervised by actual dentists and when I found a regular dentist, all the records, x-rays, molds were transferred there. For me, it took away some of the fear that I had.

Fast forward twenty years. I’m taking my children to the dentist. Actually, we go to the same office my husband went to as a kid. His dentist has since retired, but Dr. Joe is there practicing ‘the art of painless dentistry,’ as the sign in his lobby states.

They love it!

Today, my daughter (6 years old) and I went. She got raspberry toothpaste (last time it was chocolate!) and a bubblegum flavored fluoride treatment. She’s so comfortable there, she just leans back and relaxes–as though she’s waiting for her massage rather than her teeth cleaning.

Last time we were there, she asked the hygienist so many questions that she sent her home with little mirrors, a mask, gloves, some extra toothbrushes, etc., so she could “play” dentist.

She's not pretending, she's practicing!

Later, when we played, she corrected me and told me she wasn’t playing, she was practicing because she was going to be a dentist someday. I can think of worse careers for her…

(and, please, no comments about my big mouth )

I have never done a Valentine’s party.

Last week during our snow days, Leah decided to plan one. The kids will sometimes set up a club, store, game room, dance party, etc., in their bedrooms and the rest of the family attends. I figured that’s what she was doing. Actually, she invited several friends from school. Unfortunately, the inviting was one of those things where first graders make all the plans but the parents aren’t really in sync…nobody knows a time or place…

When I broke the news to her that her friends were not likely to come, she was heartbroken. I promised that the entire family would participate and that helped a little. One of her friends actually did come over for awhile in the evening (only because her mom was here to pick up Girl Scout cookies, but she didn’t care why) and that helped a lot.

After her friend left, she asked if we could have the party. Our 11 year old son had a friend over and the boys were playing. I asked (ok, insisted on) their involvement for a mere 5 minutes. They all went along with it enthusiastically, staying for another activity even after I told them they could leave.

I have to say, she did an amazing job planning and executing this party!

She planned games, activities and snacks:

Pin the Heart on the Donkey–She drew and cut out a donkey and several hearts. She taped them all to the wall in her bedroom.

Heart Potato–She used a heart shaped pillow and sang a song for the music while we sat in a circle and passed the heart.

Valentine Storytime–She spread out her heart blanket on the floor and read Clifford’s First Valentine’s Day to us.

Snacks–She baked cookies yesterday (Pillsbury Simply Cookies ready made chocolate chip cookie dough dressed up with pink sprinkles prior to baking).

She even had heart stickers and drawings she had made as prizes for the games.

A perfect little party completely planned by a six year old!

She did her mama proud!