Parents Say The Darndest Things

Five things I never imagined in my wildest dreams I would be saying:

1. "You can cut the paper with your scissors if you promise not to put them up your nose again."

2. "Did you bite on this glowstick?"

3. "Please, only spit on people who want to be spit on." (Side note: supposedly there are people who want to be spit on.)


4. "Don't spit when you're angry. Spitting during the spitting game is one thing, but spitting because you're angry is not okay."

5. "Please, don't stick your head in the wheel well."

What's your craziest sentence?

Bully

We went to a splash park today with some friends. For a while we were the only ones there. The kids had fun running in the fountains and in the little streams. When I had decided we had about a half-hour left, some more mothers and their children came, mostly little girls in bright pink swimsuits. 

I was sitting at a table while my friend pushed her sons in some swings. We were chatting back and forth. I looked over now and then to watch Madie running with another little girl through an arch that shot water into it's center. They seemed to be having fun, and I was very pleased that Madie was playing with someone she didn't really know--that's rare at best. 

After they had been playing together for ten minutes or so, I looked over to see the little girl (who was quite a bit smaller than Madie--she looked about two) give her a good shove and yell at her. Madie stood there for a minute, probably trying to understand what happened. The little girl came up and pushed her again. She yelled at her and pushed her until Madie finally turned tail and ran to me. I heard the girl's mother say her name, but that was about all that happened: she wasn't called over for a discussion, she wasn't asked to say sorry, she wasn't even scolded. She just kept playing in the arch. 

Madie was, understandably, upset. Here was our conversation:

"Mumma, she pushed me."

"I know, I saw. I'm sorry, honey. You know what you should do when kids push you?"

She shook her head.

"You should look at them and say, 'Don't push me. I don't like it.' Can you say it to me? Let's practice."

We practiced that a couple of times. Finally she felt better and headed back to the arch. Honestly, this surprised me. She's usually so shy that if anything at all embarrassing or even just surprising happens, she doesn't go near it. But as she got close to the arch, the little girl turned on her again and ran at her with a horrible face, screaming at the top of her lungs. Madie turned and ran back to me. Again, the little girl received no reprimand. This time I didn't even hear her mother call her name! What was this woman doing?! 

I eventually convinced Madie to go back with me this time, promising her the little girl wouldn't do anything to her while I was present. I was right--the little girl laughed and played even close to us without ever turning on Madie. Madie was, of course, still wary, but she did have fun playing with me the last five minutes. 

Mike and I don't want Madie to be so shy it keeps her from doing things she likes to do. And we'd like her to learn to stand up for herself without needing one of us there all the time. This was her first bullying incident, so obviously I wasn't expecting her to go in with guns blazing this time around. And what the little girl did, albeit unacceptable behavior, isn't even what bothers me the most, it was the mother! If the bully and victim were switched, and I had seen it (like she obviously did), I'd have Madie away from that splash park so fast she wouldn't know what hit her. And I'd have her apologize. The first time. And if it happened a second time we'd be gone. (Hey, I'm all about giving second chances. Just not third.)

My Mother's Day

As I type this Mike is brainwashing Madie into using her new water wings the next time we go swimming. She likes them, but she has a tendency to suddenly change her minds about things when it would really be convenient for her NOT to, so she's sitting with him watching youtube video after youtube video of children with water wings.

This morning, I awoke to Madie calling out from her room because she was uncovered, and as I jolted awake--totally oblivious of date or time--Mike just about attacked me back onto the bed.

"Stay down!" he said.

I cluelessly obeyed--he's always welcome to get up with Madie--and five minutes later it occurred to me why he reacted so violently: Mother's Day.

He came in afterwards and slipped on his socks and shoes. He had told me the night before he was going to go early to his garden plot (at his work) and water the plants. He brought me back a handful of HUGE roses and irises. They're sitting in a vase Madie and I painted together a few months ago.  Madie just found out what a rose is (rather than just flowers in general) and she was very excited to see three enormous ones sitting on the table.

While he was out, I got up and worked on my lesson for Relief Society, which, I am happy to say, seemed to go well. I was assigned to give kind of an introduction/overview/informal training on the new visiting teaching standards. What I didn't want was to give a lecture, and hope I achieved that.

After Mike got back, he set to work making breakfast and I went in to get Madie up. I lifted her up and took her back to my bed with my amazing pregnancy pillow and we snuggled until she woke. Then we came out to find popovers just finishing up in the oven. I even allowed myself to eat one with strawberry jam. I haven't had anything like strawberry jam for months and months. We went for a good long walk when we were finished (after I got home, my hips told me it was really too long--I was sore for the rest of the day) and my blood sugar reading was fine. In fact, it's been fine all day, which I guess was God's gift to me today. Really, I couldn't have asked for a better one. It was great to be able to enjoy a sliver of cheesecake at the end of church and not worry too much about a spiked reading.

For dinner, Mike grilled some salmon and cooked up some roasted red potatoes with rosemary and some sautéed asparagus. Oh, it was delightful. Almost as delightful as the happy game of hide-and-seek we played after. (Video to come--but probably on Facebook.)

I love being a mum, and I am grateful to have had the mother I did. We haven't always seen eye-to-eye, but she's been a good example to me of what I hope to be and how to get there. I'm also thankful for my mother-in-law. She always makes sure to get me a gift--this year it's a cookbook from her ward, and I'm excited to try some things out!--but really, it's hard to beat the gift that is Mike. He's the kindest, and by far the most thoughtful person I have ever known, and a sense of humor to boot! So, thanks, Karen!

And thanks to all the women in my life who have stepped in as mothers (legally and informally) throughout my 25 years. You've all made differences--big and small--in my life.

First Timers

Today has been good. It was beautiful out--a little hot around dinner time but not atrocious once I sat down under the fan. Madie never took her nap, but she did have her quiet time (I require an hour, so she just plays in her room if she won't sleep), and after she came out we read some books she got with Mike at the library yesterday. It was nice to spend some time with just Madie while Kaleb slept. We usually only get a few minutes before she goes down or he wakes up, but today we had an hour or so.

It was a good day for trying new things: for supper I made a pineapple quinoa salad. I really liked it, even though it didn't have a ton of time to chill so it was still a little warm. I think if it was cold it would be the perfect summer dish, but warm pineapple is also delectable, so I'm really not complaining.

After dinner while Mike was making granola (oh the heavenly smell!!), I made my first batch of soap! It's a simple hand soap recipe I found on Pinterest--I'm trying to get away from excess packaging and chemicals around the house without going entirely broke. I found all-natural Tom's of Maine bar soap on sale at Target: 2 for $3.25. To make a gallon of soap it only takes one bar, a gallon of water, and a tablespoon of glycerin. HELLO! That is some cheap handsoap. Anyway, my part is done. Now I just let it sit overnight until it's the consistency of handsoap and pour it into a bottle. And speaking of heavenly smells, just a quick FYI: Tom's of Maine Olive Oil and Vitamin E bar soap smells incredible. I opened it and thought, "O, holy soap! Where hast thou been all my life?!" Just sayin'...

While Mike finished up his granola making (and vacuumed the floor--sweet man), Madie and I went out to the playground for some before-bedtime energy release. She climbed the biggest ladder entirely by herself for the first time, and the second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth time. On our way back we broke out her new sidewalk chalk and colored on the top steps leading to our apartment. She thought that was pretty awesome. We finished up with a bubble bath and a wet kiss. 

Sleepless

I made my first blanket a few days ago. You see, Madie had recently received and become very much attached to a faux fleece blanket given her by my mum. Thanks, Grammy!

The fleece blanket (henceforth to be known as Soft Blanket) could keep a Chinese crested dog warm in Antarctica. It was great for winter, but now that it's not hitting freezing at night, Madie was waking up over and over again in the night, swamped in pools of sweat. 

Thanks, Grammy.

After getting up with her being too hot three or four times a night for a week, Mike and I had had it. 

"We need to get her a different blanket," was Mike's plea.

We tried wrapping her up in an afghan from her Great-Grammy Haskins, but it is now too small and would often come up off her feet at night. After waking up twice a night for a week with Madie's feet freezing cold, Mike and I had had it--again.

"What we need is a blanket that is light and big. You need to make it," was Mike's instruction.

So I took Madie to Joanne's--Kaleb tagged along, of course, wreaking havoc on the store and my nerves--to pick out some fabric. I think we're happy with the results.

Pink with white birds and black cages on one side, brightly-colored circles on the other. Both Madie's choices--the girl's got taste.

It's actually a duvet cover, so one end is open with a flap that folds over. In the winter we'll slip a thicker blanket inside and she can stay nice and snug all season long.

For now, we're enjoying full nights of sleep.

Let Me Whine Just A Minute

So I was lucky to land the easiest babysitting job in the world about a month ago. A divorced man was looking for someone to watch his kids 2 or 3 times a week for just a few hours in the morning and then drop the kids off at their preschool. The preschool was right down the street from me, so I didn't even have to drive. I made a decent amount--not spectacular, but decent--for basically doing my own housework in the morning while they slept and then played with Madie and Kaleb (the other child I watch). I had to get up at 5:30 for it, but that was only an extra half-hour earlier than I normally do anyway. The kids had a habit of tattling a bit, and the boy for some reason struggled to learn Madie and Kaleb's names (which, for some reason, really bothered me--I kept saying, "Don't call them 'babies.' I've told you their names." Probably mostly my problem, I know.) Other than that though, these kids were about as easy as they come, and Madie loved having kids she could talk with, etc., over on a regular basis.

Then, a couple of weeks ago, we had some bad bouts of rain early in the morning. Their father and I had already discussed this possibility in our initial meeting: if it was raining, I would just keep them at my apartment or walk them over at the first break. He was even the one who suggested this. Yet on these mornings I woke two days in a row to find a text telling me he was "concerned about me walking in the rain."

I'm rolling my eyes even as I type.

The next week, with a clear forecast ahead, I woke three days to find texts saying, "The kids are throwing a fit about coming to your house. I think I spoiled them a little last week. I'll just drop them off today and we'll try again tomorrow." (In my mind I'm thinking, So, you spoiled them last week, and your best idea is to keep doing the same thing?) This week, Monday morning the kids, of course, threw fits--why would they not when they know it'll keep their dad home longer in the mornings? This time, I never got a text. He just didn't show up. Finally, he left a message later in the afternoon, saying he would bring them by on Wednesday afternoon so they could get used to me again.

He brought them by yesterday and they were perfectly fine. (I was a little miffed, at him, but the kids were fine.) We talked about how he didn't need to worry about me walking myself, my 2-year-old daughter, and three other young children through the POURING RAIN. We also talked about how he didn't have to worry about me handling the kids crying. They've cried before after he's left and it lasts all of five minutes. Not a big deal. He said he'd bring them the next morning to be dropped off and we thought things were going along fine.

This morning, I was up at 5:30, getting ready for the kids, when finally, at 6 am I decided they were, again, not coming. Again, I got no text or phone call until much later in the day. He said exactly what I was hoping for: "I think I'll just need to find another sitter. Thanks for all you've done!" Hallelujah.

I'm still a little put out by it all and missing out on the extra money is kind of lame, but at least I know I won't have to get up for nothing at 5:30 am a few times a week. I'm also glad I won't have to listen to how "concerned" my client is for me. And besides, the goodbyes in the mornings were extravagant and noisy; lots and lots of kissing noises, and all from Daddy.

Camping with Giants

First camping trip of the year, and the weather couldn't have been better for it! We had a bit of a heat spell this weekend, and decided to head to the redwoods for some cool air. It took FOREVER to get there with traffic, and the fact that Little Basin is just not convenient to drive too. Mal even said commented on how secluded this place was, and that's coming from a Mainer! Luckily we made it while there was still light out. We did have an interesting thing happen when we put Madie to bed. One of our neighbors was really friendly and gave us a couple of glow sticks for the girls. We put Madie to bed with it, thinking it would be something fun for her. About 20 minutes later, I hear Madie start to say "Dadda, my tongue hurts." I went in to check on her and, just as I had suspected, she had bit the tip of the glow stick. The stick was leaking out and he said her tongue hurt. I couldn't remember what was in the glow stick, so at 10:30 pm I ran to the rangers office to call poison control (no cell phone service), and get the assurance that it's not a big deal and just dilute with water. PHEW! That was a worry! It was odd, because Madie has never been a kid to taste or bite things, she just isn't into that. I guess the glow stick just looked that good.

Mal cooking some fajitas.

We were glad Blair, Shelley, and Kara came with.

Madie and Kara had fun running around.

Kara must have had a dirty hand at some point...

Madie had a really hard time keeping her eyes open for the camera's flash.

We found some newts near a little brook.

We went for a little hike in Big Basin.

And headed to Natural Bridges for some beach time. It was such a nice day in Santa Cruz!

I almost couldn't keep track of Madie. She was having so much fun running around the water, playing with her bucket. She was galloping around everywhere. I wish she had liked the beach more when we were in Saipan where the water was actually warm!