Job Security

~

I volunteer in Girlie's class on Mondays.

The class started a unit about Presidents and this past Monday the teacher began talking to the class about what a president does.  (I only had to bite my tongue about 5 times to keep myself from chiming in and correcting misconceptions.)

He ended with, "Doesn't that sound like fun!?  Who wants to be President when they grow up?"

Almost every hand shot up.  Every hand but Girlie's.

"Why don't you want to be President?"  he asked her.

Girlie looked at me.  She looked at her teacher.  She began to look very worried.

"Mommy says I shouldn't want to be president," Girlie explained quietly, looking at me as though I was leading her astray.

The teacher looked at me, dumbfounded.  I shrugged and hid a smile.  He directed the next question to Girlie.  "Why shouldn't you be President?" he asked her.

"Mommy says I should want to be a lawyer Supreme Court Justice cuz they have job security and other stuff I don't remember."  

Her teacher was speechless. 

Wordless Wednesday: My kids had NO idea what these were...

She didn't believe me when I explained it to her.

He thought I was joking and kept telling me I was hilarious.

A Letter to my Daughter on her 15th Birthday ...

To My Darling Girl,

Happy Birthday my sweetheart!  Today you are fifteen, but as I write this you are my sweet, last baby  (unless God has a plan that I know nothing about), my one year old big girl.  I almost cried when the doctor congratulated me at your one year check up, telling me that I no longer have babies... that you are officially a toddler. 

But as you read this, those days are long behind you.  You are 15, a young woman of your own right.  And my heart breaks when I think of the baby you are (were) and then it soars with pride and wonder at what the 15 year old you will be. 

I know I have told you in the past that the teenage years are hard -- I have a feeling, my love, that they will be harder for you than for your brother and sisters.  Why?  Because you are the baby.  You have 3 older siblings that people will compare you too (I hope to God that I am not one of them, but please forgive me if I slip up sometimes).  And as the baby, I know that your father and I are probably going to try to protect you a bit more -- to keep you our baby.  I know in the most logical recesses of my mind that is horribly unfair to you -- but in my heart of hearts I want to keep you my baby for as long as I can.  I hope I am strong enough to let you be independent.  And I hope that you are strong enough to tell me when you feel as though you are not being given the opportunities you need to grow.  I won't always cave to your point of view, love, but I promise to listen.

What do I want for you my darling? 

I want you to be a force -- a force in the world that changes it for the better.  I want you to be strong, and smart, and to try new things.  I want you to fail and learn and try again.  I want you to keep going until you get it right.  I want to see you blossom into the woman you are meant to be -- I see traces of her in your one year old emerging personality -- the one that is larger than life, that meets each day with a grin and a faintly puzzled expression as you try to figure out what is going on.  I hope the 15 year old still has that -- the determination to figure out your world as you meet it with a smile.  One year old you also refuses to be ignored - our neighbors have commented on the strength of your shrieks when you feel that is happening.  I hope that 15 year old you still has your voice and isn't afraid to speak up to make sure you are heard -- shrieking only when necessary. 

Fifteen is a hard year, my love.  Now is the time when you begin thinking about the future - college and life and careers and who you are.  I can't answer all the questions you may be asking yourself and me -- but I hope you know you can still ask me and I will give you the most honest answer I can. 

I also hope you surround yourself with people who will inspire you to good -- this is hardest part of being a person.  Not just a teenager, but a person.  People have an inherent desire to be liked and sometimes we surround ourselves with people who make us feel bad about ourselves, or who are not true friends.  Ask yourself why you are friends with someone -- what do they bring to your friendship?  Do they make you feel better about yourself and your world?  Do they treat you with respect?  Are they nice to other people -- even when they don't want to be or don't have to be?  Do they try to be their best?  Do they ask the right questions?  Do they treat the world with respect?  These are the type of friends who are worthy of you.  I hope you know that you deserve to be surrounded by these type of people -- and that it is okay to remove friends from your life if they make you feel bad about yourself.  

There is an unspoken belief that women should not "rock the boat."  I hope your father and I have raised you to ignore that because sometimes that boat has to be rocked.  It takes a brave person to rock the boat when necessary.  Sometimes you will fall overboard when you do it.  Surround yourself with people who will help you back aboard - people who will make you better, make you question, make you face things you may not want to face.   And sometimes that boat has to be tipped over and you need to swim away and reinvent yourself.

Ask yourself daily - am I happy?  And then make the choices that will make you happy.  (As your mother, I feel like I need to insert a comment about long term happiness with good moral choices.  Not happiness from sneaking out of the house to go to a party -- I will ground your a$$ so fast your head will spin).   

You deserve every happiness.  You deserve adventures, the risk of mistakes, and the joy that comes from learning and experience.    You deserve smiles and laughter, music and dancing.  You deserve to love yourself and your world. 

I hope you know that you can always talk to me about anything -

I love you,

Mom 

Two Year Old Tyranny

I forgot.

I forgot what it is like to have a two year old.

Oh, but BabyGirlie is reminding me....

"Mama.  Mama.  Look at me.  LOOK AT ME RIGHT NOW!" screaming in my face as tiny little hands smush my cheeks and force me to look at her.

~

"Momma KK not baby.  KK six."

~

"I no wanna eat dinner" (spits mouthful of food on the ground). "It yucky."

~

"Mama, I want a birfday too."
"Okay, love, your birthday is in July."
"No. Birfday NOW!"

~

"I need fwiends.  Fwiends watch TV with KK."

Yes.  There are 13 friends in this picture.  This is ALMOST all of them.

"I not KK.  I doll baby."

~

"Sweet Girl, lets talk about the rules for church."
"No spitting no hitting no screaming no urping."

~

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO BABY!"
Me, out of breath, running into the room: "WHAT?  What's wrong?"
"BABY TOUCH TOY! MINES!"

~

"Mama, I poop.  Change me NOW!"

~

Wordless Wednesday: Drive In Movie

Forget that this should be an outside toy...

We're going to the movies....

Birthday!

At our house, on your birthday, you give your siblings presents.  

You know, so they don't feel left out. 

Girlie loved her light up shoes.

Light up Minnie Mouse Dress Up shoes! So LUCKY!

This came with 1200 pieces.  Have fun Daddy.

This girl can eat cake like no body's business.

Wordless Wednesday: Have a Rainbow

Winterland World Of Color

Last week I took the older 3 to Disneyland at night for one last look at the Christmas lights and Winter World of Color.  

 

 

 

 

 

Baby Girlie was thrilled to get to be included.

 

But she didn't quite get it... 

During the show, she kept looking for the "TB" since I told her it was a show.  And when I would point out characters in the water she liked, she would say, "Where, where Mama?"  

Every single time I responded with, "In the water, BabyGirlie."

And every single time she would ask, "Are they wearing their swim soups?" 

That's What Big Sisters Are For...

BabyGirlie had to go to the dentist for the first time last month.

We were both terrified.  

Her, because it was new.

Me, because I knew she was going to bite the dentist. 

But it had to be done... so I scheduled her with her big sister.  

I thought if she saw Girlie go through it, she wouldn't be afraid. 

She climbed up on the chair with Girlie, very worried.  She had a death grip on the Toothy Alligator the receptionist had given her to hold.

Before I could open my mouth to soothe - I knew she was worried -- Girlie beat me too it.

"I was scared the first time too," she said matter of factly as she hugged her sister.  "Let me show you what Dr. Mike is going to do." 

Girlie showed BabyGirlie how Dr. Mike would brush her teeth.  

She showed her the sink where she would spit.

She showed BabyGirlie the light and the TV screen in the ceiling.

She explained how Dr. Mike was going to count her teeth, polish them, and that BabyGirlie would get a sticker AND a toothbrush AND a toy.

Then she showed BabyGirlie how to brush the Alligator and made BabyGirlie brush the teeth too. 

BabyGirlie was still scared (she screamed thoughout the cleaning) but Girlie made waiting for Dr. Mike an adventure.  

It was one of those I-just-got-a-glimpse-of-the-grown-up-you-will-be moments...and I am so proud of her now and so hopeful for who she will become. 

 

Wordless Wednesday: Why go over the playground when you can go under it?

Endeavor!

Over Christmas break, we took the kiddos up to LA to see the Endeavor Space Shuttle. 

More excited about my kindle than the trip.

So amazing! How many people can say they stood underneath a space shuttle.

She cared more about the goldfish crackers I brought than the shuttle.

Decided to explore the Science Museum

Only in LA -- a museum exhibit where you can be on TV.

Stop and smell the roses...

What day would be complete be without rolling down a few hills?

AH! A dinosaur is eating my head!

Just hanging with my pet kitty cat.

Girlie informed me she would like this for her birthday.

Boys and Girls

BabyGirlie has recently discovered that she is a girl. 

She has also figured out that I, Girlie, and BabyBug are also girls and that Daddy and Brother are boys.

She likes to inform us of our genders by shouting, "YOU A GIWL! YOU A BOY!" at us at the top of her lungs.

So the other day, I asked her, "What makes you a girl and your brother a boy?"

I didn't really want to get into a whole gender/body part discussion with her but I was curious to see what she would say.

"Boy no haf haiw.  Giwl haf lowg haiw."  She informed me sagely.

"NO!" her brother shouted.  "Girls wear earrings and boys don't!"

"NO!" Girlie cried, determined to insert herself into the conversation.  "Boys stink and girls smell good!"

"Those are all interesting but not quite right," I said.  "What is something your brother has that you girls do not?"

They thought about it for a minute and then Girlie shouted out: "ANGRY BIRDS!" 

Happy New Year!