Wordless Wednesday

[Photo by Heather Beauchamp]

School is Cruel?

Mimi loves to make fun of me do imitations of me.  She will put on my glasses and start talking like me.  It's quite hilarious and is really justified payback for the years of making fun of doing imitations of my own mother. 

Well there is one way my daughter is nothing like me.  All who know me is aware that I am an avid reader.  Mimi, however, acts like she's being subjected to cruel acts of torture when it is time to read her chapter for the night.  I'm talking thrown herself on the floor, stomping feet, tears streaming and shouts of "IT'S NOT FAIR!" 

 

Seriously... have you ever seen someone look that miserable while reading? 

Sleeping giant

Max fell asleep on the couch this evening while I was in Mimi's room. When I found him there, I carefully picked him up and carried him to bed. It's what any parent would do, right?

Wrong.

Little dude had a nuclear level meltdown asking - no, demanding - that I put him back where I found him.

I was so taken aback by his commanding tone that I actually did as I was told, and fast.... So the important thing is he is asleep, right?

Right!

The Power of YES!

Last night I spoke to Max (who is with his father this week) and right as we're about to hang up he asks "Mama, can you bring me my bowling pin water bottle?"  

Did he need it?  No.

Was he going to see me (and the water bottle) the following night when he is with me?  Yes.

Could this have waited one night?  Yes.

Why did I say yes?

Because when Max asked me to bring what he has no attachment to or immediate need for what he was really saying is "I miss you, Mommy. I need to see you." 

How can I say no to that?

It is important to go beyond the words and actions of a child to discover the true meaning of what they are trying to say.


My children will never be an inconvenience and seeing the bright smiles on both my kid's faces as they ran to my car where we shared hugs and kisses in a profound and mutual expression of love is always going to be worth my time.

Lucky Number Seven

Max just celebrated his 7th birthday.  Before we begin you all need to know that he and his sister are being raised by a woman who never ever ever had a birthday party.  Not even a Sweet Sixteen.  *le sigh*  Soooooo to compensate for the childhood trauma their mother *coughs*me*coughs* experienced, she throws fabulous birthday parties for her children.  MTV should really come document these events.  No, but seriously... they should.  

I kid... I kid...

These parties are simply about making fun memories and being sure that no matter what they're eventually in therapy for they will never be able to blame me for not throwing them birthday parties.  So a party we had.  This year: BOWLING!

Max's beloved friend Dagny was in attendance.  I always contact her mother before finalizing any plans to be sure she can come because a party isn't a party if his sweet friend isn't there celebrating with him. 

Look at those smiles.  That's genuine 1,000 watts of happiness right there.  Oh and the outfit my kid is wearing?  He chose the entire thing himself.  I know... It was inevitable he be that cool with me as his mother. *grins*

Back to the party.... So who knew Max could actually bowl?  I didn't. 

This year's theme was Spongebob Squarepants.

Unfortunately Max didn't get to enjoy any birthday cake because he got sick at the bowling alley.  He did recover enough to be able to fully enjoy everyone singing to him before he blew out his candles.

Then we went home where Max was genuinely overwhelmed by all the presents his friends gifted him with.  It was clear that they know him well as he received all his favorite things:

He was a very happy birthday boy.

Our story so far....

Long long ago I began a blog to chronicle the journey my (now ex-) husband and I took with starting our family through adoption.  We brought home our son Max on May 14, 2006.  He was eight months old:

For a short time I kept a blog for everyone to keep up on the expansion our family with the arrival of our daughter Mimi.  She came home on July 19, 2008 at the age of 6.  Her story picked up with her little brother's on the main family blog.

I stopped blogging when life took a turn down SNAFU Road but I have been finding my voice again and enjoying my children (now ages 10 and 7) in ways I never thought imaginable. I always found blogging to be an incredible tool to enable friends and family to stay connected.  So I'm back.

Here are my kids today:

And then there's me:

Single mom working full time and trying to find my place in the world after spending years of it lost.  I have a blog (that needs to be updated!) which is a fun place for my "alter-ego" Spank to wax poetic about the things that really matter in the world: Hot guys, great movies, pop culture, current events and my favorite books.

It's Magically Delicious!

This evening Max asked me if magic was real. I decided honesty was the best policy and so I responded with what I believed to be true when I said no.

Max shook his head and spoke in a very matter of fact tone, saying "Yes it is. I can even make popcorn come out of your ear."

Max then placed his hand next to my ear and voila:

POPCORN!

I stand corrected.  Magic is VERY real.