Kids Say the “Darndest” Things

I actually had to get to a meeting this morning at 8:30 a.m. I know whoa is me! Since I work from home, I know I have it made in the morning. Trying to just get Sydney and Jason out the door is one thing, but me, too! OMG! It's about an extra hour. So, the first funny thing is I need to walk out the door and all of a sudden everyone has to go to the bathroom. Really? Sydney needs me (and it's not #1 for the record), Jason is upstairs and can't help her. I am in a sweater that is so hot, I think I am going to pass out. It's only 7:45 a.m. What the heck does this day have in store for me?

Well, I made it out the door, get in the car and start driving through the rain. This time of year, I listen to the holiday music on the radio. But, of course, it's drive time and the morning show is on. They are hosting kids on the air to ask them questions about Christmas. Pretty funny. One girl says she is sure that reindeer eat oatmeal with sparkles in it. Of course, the DJ thinks that is great and goes on to say that it gives Rudolph the "runs." Get it? I know, silly. But, anyway, it gets me thinking about some of the funniest things that kids say. Whoever came up with the card line that has kids sayings on them should be a millionaire by now. In light of that, I thought I would share some of Sydney's latest musings. Of course, just imagine a 3-year-old saying them and they get funnier. Not too long ago I started trying to write them down. I haven't done such a great job of it (here comes the guilt), well, because they never happen at an opportune time (driving the car, sitting on the potty, etc.). So, I'll try to keep them coming when I remember them. I also encourage you all to add your kids' funny sayings here. I think we will all get a kick out of them and all probably need a good belly laugh this time of year. Hang in there everyone!

"Mommy, are those your jammies?" – Sydney to me as I get her in the car standing in the driveway in my PJs with boots on, lovely scene.

"I want to see your boobies." – Really, we're starting this already.

"What the heck?" – Jack G. and Sydney's favorite thing to say with passion when they don't know what is going on.

"No, ma'am, Maddy." – Sydney yelling at our dog who is coming over to be next to Sydney since Sydney called her over, hello?!

"No, mommy, Maddy's your friend." – Talking about Maddy, the new dog, a few months ago when Sydney wanted nothing to do with the dog. It nailed it to because I was the dog's only friend and still wanted to give her backJ

And my favorite for the last year or so…"I want my daddy!" cries Sydney and I say back, "I want your daddy, too!"

P.S. I don't think darndest is really a word, but it sounded so good!

Holiday Insanity

Oh my gosh, does anyone else feel as crazy as I do? Where did the time go and how the heck is it Dec. 14? “Ok, let’s not panic. It will all get done.” (Maybe saying it out loud will make it better.) I admit that I just ordered my Christmas cards, we just finished the tree and I am not done shopping by any means.

In fact, on the guilty mommy front, I had to share my story from Friday. On Friday
night, Sydney’s school had a free Parent’s Night Out, so she stayed at school for the evening. All day, my guilt haunted me. “Well, if we don’t have anything planned, shouldn’t we just get her?”

“Poor thing, she has to stay at school all day and into the night, that’s going to be horrible.”

Then, it turned into psycho mom, “Wow, we have three hours, let’s get the Christmas tree, decorate it, install the new bathroom sink, finish all the laundry and be done with everything so we can have a good weekend.”

Boy, that’s romantic for a night without the 3 year old! Well, guess what? Jason and I ended up going out to dinner, which was such a nice treat…just the two of us. Sydney did just fine and didn’t say a word about it and well, none of that long list of “stuff” got done, but we still had a nice weekend. And I figure it will all get done at some point. The laundry has to be moved by the 23rd so that my parents have somewhere to sleep, so at that point I know that will be done. Since we are staying home this year (halleluiah!), the gifts (mostly gift cards) will be shipped sometime this week so that everyone we won’t see will get them at least some time before Christmas. Yeah, it will probably all get done.

As you can tell from the pictures, the tree did finally get done (it took us two full days to complete the entire thing), and Sydney very much enjoyed putting the star on top and taking a picture of her Daddy in front of it (she's pretty good isn't she). I guess that's really all that mattered this weekend. The rest, well, it will wait.

Here’s to wishing you a peaceful and sane holiday…from one crazy mom to another, try not to let it all get to you. If it does, call another mom and b#$ch, she’ll understand.

The Mysterious Multiplying Laundry

Yes, this is a pile of laundry. How do three people -- two adults and one child -- make this much dirty laundry? I have no idea. I took this picture a few months ago because I couldn't even believe it myself. I had to just laugh (or I would cry). I get so overwhelmed by it all and at this point, I just washed it and dried and piled it. Imagine those wrinkles...we're still getting them out:) But guess what? It all got done finally and put away (or we just wore it from the couch) and there was more. In fact, today my couch in my office (no, it's not a distraction at all while I am trying to work) is about half of this again. It's the laundry and the dishes that I swear multiple overnight. My point in all this...don't sweat the small stuff (yes, I’m staying it out loud to myself, since I’ve never been good at it).

I know, I know, laundry isn't so small, but after Sydney was born I had to come to the realization that everything had a place in the priority list...if we had clean clothes on our back, dishes to eat on (even if they were paper), a shower or bath and some sleep (more than 7-8 hours preferably), we would all be OK.

So, in reading this quote this morning, I thought of my fellow mom friends. Let's keep the really important things as our "responsibilities" and not take the rest or ourselves too seriously. It all gets done.

“It is our responsibilities, not ourselves, that we should take seriously."
--Peter Ustinov, British actor and writer

"Walk Away"

Random ideas today, but funny, I think:
1) "Walk away" -- yes, this is actually what I said to my 3-year-old this morning. Really? She doesn't get it. But, of course, in her wisdom (because I was at my wits end telling her to quite touching mommy's things) she said, "I don't want to walk away" with a knowing glance like "oh, yeah, test me." After I walked away, she eventually said, "I walked away, mommy."
2) "Don't touch my socks their dangerous" -- what? Yes, this is what she told Jason and I last night after she put her socks on her hands (yes, from her feet) and then left them in a basket in the kitchen. Where do they get this stuff?
3) For all those with an iPhone, this is pretty cool. I admit the guilt about handing my iPhone to Sydney while we are in the car or at a restaurant to keep her busy. I've even paid for a 5 minute video to keep her happy. Now, I don't feel bad any more. And, yes, we have this bubble wrap app. It's cool. Why an iPhone can actually be good for your 3-year-old

The G-Word

Funny, when I told my husband about the name of this blog, he looked at me strangely and said, "I don't get the no guilt thing." And even when I explained that it was a way for us moms to try to come together and support each other and laugh and live with less guilt, it occurred to me that although it sounds sexist, the Y chromosome somehow lacks guilt. Now, not every guy is like this and I don't fault them. We, as women, just get the brunt of it. It could also be that I was raised Catholic, but I have met many other women of other religious views who have the same amount of guilt as I do. All that said, I wanted to share with you in my second post where I got the inspiration for this blog.

I was reading Suzy Welch's book "10-10-10" (highly recommended easy, inspirational read http://www.suzywelch101010.com/) when I got to the chapter on using 10-10-10 to make decisions about your children and child-rearing. Sydney was 2 and discipline for my sanity was much needed (still is sometimes considering we had to start 1-2-3 Magic when she was 15 months, not kidding). The chapter is entitled "Teach Your Children Well: 10-10-10 as Your Partner in Parenting" and five pages in came the section called "The G-Word." Finally, a mom who is willing to talk about the guilt! While I am not saying you have to delve into 10-10-10 today, since none of us have any free time anyway (I read most of it a few minutes before passing out in bed each night), but I did want to share these words of Suzy's wisdom. It made me feel better, not so alone and definitely not so crazy. So today, let go of your guilt and have fun. It will all be there tomorrow.

Taken from 10-10-10, page 149-150:

…"After twenty years on the job, I would submit that parenting is the most complex endeavor in the world. It can reduce you to putty; it can enrage and humiliate you. It can break your heart. It can suffuse you with feelings of intimacy, pride, and joy so profound you don't know what you did to deserve such a blessing.

I'm not sure parenting can ever be easy, but by introducing greater clarity, consistency, and calm, 10-10-10 can make it easier, releasing you from guilt and doubt and building trust in both directions, child in parent and back the other way. All in, 10-10-10 markedly decreases the days when parenting feels haphazard and overwhelming, and increases the moments when you feel, "I'm being the parent I want to be, and heavens to Betsy, it seems to be working."

Oh, and by the way, should I feel guilty that I fed my child take out the last two nights in a row, because it seems to be haunting me today?J