Getting the Swing of Things~

It's been a bit over five years since I have taken on the role of Mom.   I think I am finally getting the hang of it.  Now when I  hear "Hey Mom," I actually turn my head and respond.  Maybe five years seems like a long time, but I never said I was bright, just good looking.

When I made the decision to quit my job as a Marketing and PR Goddess and take on the role of SAHM, I had no clue what I was getting into.  The decision, which is obviously a biggie, was not thought out one bit.  

It was a Friday and I was stuck in traffic on my way home from work.  I called my Hubby and said, "Would you be cool with me not going back to work on Monday?"  It took him by surprise, but he said if that's what I really wanted then go for it.  And the decision was made.  I know it was a totally unprofessional way to quit a job, but the company I was working for had been treating me unprofessionally ever since I returned from my Maternity leave.  Call it Karma if you will, but they deserved my no-notice quit and the nasty email I sent to my boss.

Lots of you know I had a hard time at first.  I never saw myself as a SAHM and trading in the suits for the sweat pants was a tough transition for me.  But I am so thankful that things worked out the way they did.  

So now that my oldest is going to be entering Kindergarten and my youngest is going into Preschool, and I wonder where the time has gone.  It is so cliche to say, but they really do grow up fast.  

WHEN DID 4 BECOME THE NEW 14?~

Me & G @ Browns training camp, 2007, when I was still #1

Today has been a bit of a blur.  Usually I like busy and productive days, but for some reason, this day has been rubbing me wrong.  Let me re-phrase... not this day, but this evening.  In particular, an hour of my life from approximately 6 - 7pm.  

The kids and I had arrived home from some fun x-mas shopping, and it truly was fun.  We marched through Target like we owned the place, and even stopped for pizza on the way out.  As soon as we pulled up to the house, Grace switched from her usual sweet-talking, lovin' self into some type of, dare I say, teenager?  She was bitchy, rude and mean to me.  So after some time I became, what I feel was, mean right back to her.  Yeah, nice move Mom.  Treat a 4-year-old how she is treating you.  Good, intelligent parenting at it's best.

I am sitting here writing this, trying to vent a bit, and my eyes are filling with tears because I don't ever want to lose my little girl, and I don't ever want to be any type of mean to her.  Maybe I am just a bit worn down and I lost my cool so I'm being extra sensitive.  That's it I'm sure, and tomorrow will be a better day, filled with rainbows, perfect parenting and my children loving me every second of the day.

LESSON LEARNED~

The other day I dragged the kids through Marc's to get a "few" things, which always ends up turning into a cart full of things.

Anyway, my bribe to them was "if you guys are good, we will get a slushy on the way out."

So my kids behaved like angels the entire hour we were in the store.  

After we paid for our stuff, we all happily walked to the snack counter to place our order.

I thought they would have the classic flavors like cherry, grape, etc.

Instead all they had was Mountain Dew Code Red.

I knew I couldn't go back on the deal I had already made, and there were really no other options.  So I reluctantly ordered two small Code Red slushies.

Once we got home, the kids got crahazzy!  Jumping, running, screaming. 

 Grace literally ran into the glass slider and bounced back about 20 feet.  

Both kids were foaming at the mouth while their eyes rolled back into their heads.

I now know what crazy is, I looked it in the face and I was terrified.

Somehow, someway, I survived.  I AM a survivor.

JUST WHEN YOU START TO THINK YOU AREN'T SCREWING THEM UP TOO MUCH

I am sitting here working on 1,000 words for "Best Ways to Educate Your Child."

Out comes Grace in a purple skirted bathing suit, high heels and jewelry. She struts her stuff through the kitchen saying, "I am soooo sexy."

I threw my article in the trash bin b/c I am pretty sure listening to Justine Timberlake on repeat play last year isn't the best way to educate your child. Which is really the only way she can know "sexy." I threw that word out of my vocab when the first stretch mark appeared five years ago. Why that word sticks in her mind rather than all the other wonderful words that I actually taught her, I will never know. I do know that I am choosing a new topic for my article. Maybe something I know a bit more about.