Archive for the ‘Parenting’ tag

Cold Days: A Different Perspective on Tissues, Thermometers and Sneezes

Check out this funny public service announcement about germs! http://tinyurl.com/ntejfr

It all started last Wednesday night at supper. “Aaa….Aaaaa….Aaaaaaaa…Chooo!” marked the announcement of Giant’s first cold of the fall. By Thursday morning, he was miserable.

With one in kindergarten and one in preschool, it was only a matter of time before germs invaded our Little Yellow House, so I took a deep breath and jumped into action armed with the mindset that this time I was going to try something new; I was determined to find something positive about our situation.

Needless to say, this past week turned out very different from what I had originally planned. And that’s okay. If I really think about it, there were unexpected gifts hidden amongst the tissue boxes, the hand sanitizer, the thermometer and the remote control. Giant’s cold provided us the gift of time. In between nose blows and fever checks, Giant had the time to sleep in, which nourished his tired little body. We had the time to watch our favorite kid’s television show and we learned a new word: “Dinosauric” (which means super big…as in dinosaur big). We had the time to discover that Giant likes to do crossword puzzles – just like his grandpa.

If we wanted to read until our eyelids turned inside out, we had the time to do it. We read lots and lots and lots of books and we had the time to dream and build skyscrapers — complete with a visit from Godzilla. We had time to pull out my cookbooks and read how to make gumbo – a direct result of serendipitously stumbling onto a lot of Louisiana-bayou stories. We had the time and space to make a big pile of hard-boiled eggs together and enjoyed eating hot and steamy bowls of chicken corn noodle soup with lots of crackers.

One morning, as they sat together and colored, I overhead Elf say to Giant, “I lub yew” and Giant countered, “I love you, too.” If Giant had been in school, which he normally would have been, this spontaneous and precious moment of recognition between them would have been lost.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m a firm believer in school — always have been — but I have to admit that I loved spending time with my children last week. Time to enjoy and nurture both of my babies with nothing required on the “to do” list. Time to linger, explore, discover and reconnect.

Now that they’re headed out of here, I can say “thanks” to the germs.

Speaking of which, anybody see the hand sanitizer that was just sitting on my desk a few minutes ago? Helllooooo….anybody?

Best until next time,

Chris

Standing Tall

This week, our trip to the local library yielded one of those larger-than-life moments when we brought a book home about the Empire State Building in New York City. Giant and I read the book, cover to cover, as we sat together snuggled cozily under the weight of the blankets that cover his bed. We read of the adventures of the sky boys, the specialists, riveter gangs, water boys and all of those responsible for raising a monolith off from a piece of paper into reality.

It wasn’t long before skyscrapers in general took on a life of their own here at the Little Yellow House. It’s official: Giant has discovered skyscrapers. For those who follow my blog (thanks!), or for those who know our family, you know that Giant is five years old. Five-and-a-half, if you ask him. He is inquisitive and fascinated with structures of all types, so this adoration and desire to learn all that he can about skyscrapers really comes as no surprise.

However, I can’t help but take it one step further. If you think about it, skyscrapers can be a metaphor for not your own children’s lives but also for the lives of children everywhere. For those entrusted to care for their hearts, bodies and minds, we want to raise our children to be straight, flexible when necessary and strong…able to stand on their own in all types of weather.

Recently, Joe Biden said, as he remembered his friend and colleague, Senator Edward Kennedy, remarked that Kennedy was “never small.”* Though the two are worlds apart, there’s an element of that description in both of my children.

It is also my dream for them.

In Elf, who’s two years old, I see the spunk, wit and spit of a prize fighter running through her veins. (Neither Hubby nor I will admit which one of us is responsible for that!) She is happy and knows what she likes. And, she’s not afraid to tell you. She also knows what she doesn’t like, which mostly consists of vegetables for the moment. When she mixes the batter for muffins, her face contracts in concentration, tongue sticking out a little from the corner of her mouth. When she runs, she runs with all of her body, arms pumping and a huge smile on her face. When she screams in anger or frustration, she screams loud…really loud. She embodies life in its purest and rawest form.

In Giant, I witness a child who can seem larger than life with his robust energy and zest for the world. And with age, I am witness to his evolving sense of right and wrong and his love for the earth. Here is a tenacious child who can express his many feelings, one who has been much too busy building and racing his cars and trucks around to notice art supplies and now spends hours creating maps, pictures of cats and people. He’s curious about words and how they work and often attempts to craft the letters of the alphabet and numbers that he’s exposed to daily into real words. I enjoy sharing jokes with him, catching him by surprise to see if I can catch his eyes light up and dreaming up big plans.

Nature graced us and blessed us with two beautiful and precious babies. Those who raised the Empire State Building first began with raw materials and wove them together to create something beautiful. We hope to do the same in raising our children.

How my husband and I choose to create and nurture connections—or not—how we choose to inspire our children, build confidence and believe in their ability to achieve their dreams all make a difference…for we are building the foundations for the man and woman they will ultimately become.

Regardless of what path each one of our children chooses, my husband and I hope that our children will never be or feel small in this lifetime. May they always stand tall…just like the mighty skyscrapers.

*http://www.examiner.com/x-12837-US-Headlines-Examiner~y2009m8d26-Ted-Kennedy-remembered-by-Vice-President-Joe-Biden

Mom-isms: ReEnchant Style

This week ParentsConnect and Twittermoms.com created a new contest encouraging readers to share their favorite made up words specific to children and parenthood. So many of us have our own little special words for kids, diapers, carpool lanes and lovies and lots of fun-loving folks didn’t mind sharing their favorites. The contest received many humorous and endearing contributions which started me on the path to wondering about my own family’s lexicon now that we have Elf and Giant. In this week’s blog, I share a few of the words that we use quite often at our little Yellow House and you’ll get some insights into our crazy, chaotic and colorful world.

ReEnchant inspires us to look at things from a different perspective, so why not choose the lens of laughs, “oops!” and yikes sometimes?! Perhaps you’ll feel inspired to share your own.

Special thanks to my creative hubby, JR, who got into the spirit by providing his own contributions.

So, without further ado, here are some “Momfinitions”…ReEnchant Style.

Green Ranger: Noun
The special and complimentary name for a person who does a good deed for the earth.

“You turned off the light. You’re such a green ranger!”

Bikosaur: Noun
Term used to describe someone who chooses to use his/her bicycle as transportation rather than for purely recreational purposes.

“We are bikosaurs. We are only one of two families (in a school of close to 1,000 children) who choose to ride our bicycles to school and back home on a regular basis.”

Yadowat: (ya’-do-wat) Interjection
The word, spoken with an inquisitive and rather alarmed tone, we heard after informing school officials that we ride our bicycles to school.

Me: “Yes, we ride our bikes to school.”

School officials/representatives: “Yadowat!? Isn’t that dangerous?
Let me have you fill out a form…just
in case.”

The Eagle: Noun
At the Yellow House, this is the code word for poo in the bathtub.

“Oh no, there’s an Eagle in the bathtub! Everybody get out now!!!”

Note: The term, The Eagle, is not to be confused with the historically important phrase, “The Eagle Has Landed.” Although that’d be really funny to hear coming from the bathroom.

Dust Blindness: Noun
Pretending that you don’t see the dust that’s accumulated on your furniture while you’ve been busy supporting, educating, feeding, nursing, debriefing, guiding and coaxing reluctant children to do what they’re supposed to be doing, cooking and preparing umpteen “nutritious” meals and snacks a day, “doing” the laundry, washing and drying the dishes, shopping, vacuuming, taking care of the bills, taxi-ing children to and fro, taking care of the household correspondence AND that’s all on top of working your full or part-time job that pays a salary, which is probably too low for what you actually do.

“Yes, I’d love to invite you over for lunch today, but I’m just recovering from Dust Blindness and the house really needs some attention.”

Aqualanche: Noun
Term for the water that ends up running out of the bathtub and onto the bathroom floor when your kids decide to play Star Wars in the bathtub.

“Oh no! We just had an aqualanche and I’m out of clean towels to dry the floor! But at least Han Solo and Chewbacca are safe.”

Neotopia: Noun
Name for the ideal world where first aid products like Neosporin and Hello Kitty band aids can be found in every draw of your home, car and purse/diaper bag AND are quickly accessible in the event of an emergency.

“We were out in the middle of a hike when she feel and hurt her knee. I left all of my first aid supplies back in the car! This never would have happened if we lived in Neotopia…”

Tantrumathon: Noun
The days when each one of your children has more than one meltdown.

Message heard on an answering machine: “It’s 100 degrees outside, the air conditioning doesn’t work and I’m out of popsicles. I’d come answer the phone, but I’m living in the midst of a tantrumathon!”

Vanicide: Noun
The act of signing the purchase paperwork for the van you swore you’d never buy.

“I’ve committed vanicide. I’m now the proud owner of a minivan…but at least it’s red.”

Sardining: Verb
Squeezing two children in the bathtub at the same time in order to save time…oh, and water, too! Bonus points if you can squeeze in there too for a quick shampoo and rinse.

“Elf and Giant had a great time sardining in the tub tonight. It was a cozy fit, but when you’ve got an imaginary coffee house to run, tight quarters can make for a very efficient business.”

*Descending Medicalitus: Noun
After the first child, the declining need to administer immediate first aid and place high-priority calls at all hours of the day and night to the pediatrician with each successive child that you have.

“Elf has a fever. It’s not high. I just gave her some Tylenol and put her to bed. She’ll be fine. If this had happened with Giant when he was this age, I would have been at the pediatrician’s office ASAP!”

*Germflow: Adjective
The faster-than-a-speeding-train way that germs take in passing from one child to the next, especially in families.

“Wow! I had no sooner gotten Elf home from the doctor than Giant had pink eye, too! Two trips and two co-pays to the pediatrician all in one day.”

*JR’s creative spark at work

Parenthood is tough, rocky and a gift to those fortunate enough to live it. May you find love, laughter and goodness in the coming week. Enjoy the gift and then remember to pass it on to others.

Chris