Starting off the Blogging Lunacy.....

I've taken a challenge to post daily through September. I have lots of blog posts in my head, but no one can read them there, and given my memory issues, I lose them when they stay in there, too.

So to kick off this blog marathon, here's a very good cause - Ryan from  The Panic Room (check out his photos of his wife's pregnancy - he's a fabulous photographer and a pretty good guy) has organized an awesome kid's album which debuted at #1 on iTunes Kids Tunes! His darling stepson (Little Buddy) has been diagnosed with
Smith-Magenis Syndrome, which is a little-known disorder that wasn't even identified until 1982. The album raises funds and awareness for this disorder to help more kids like Little Buddy. All the artists donated their time and talent to the album, so all proceeds will go to research. Go check it out. They even made up a widget that will let you listen to the songs:



If y'all have a blog and want to post the widget, just use the "Share this Widget" link in the lower right hand corner of the monster's sign and you'll get the code. I'm sure Ryan would appreciate it.

The Honeymoon's Over

Today was a day I've been waiting for. I've saved up all those little pieces of paper that say, "I love Mama," and "Mama is the best mama in the world," for this day. This is the day that A. realized I was a complete fraud.

"You're a bad parent!" he yells. "You won't let me get ice cream, you won't buy me electronics, you never play with us! And Dad always makes us eat healthy food before we get ice cream and he never takes us anywhere fun!"  Somewhere in this diatribe was the information that Dad told him that the reason I take long naps is because I really need my beauty sleep. Talk about adding insult to injury.

"You buy Ben more things than me! You never buy me toys! You make my life miserable!" This was in the grocery checkout lane

"Yeah, that's my job," I answer.

"Well, you're doing a good job of it!"

Later, after reading to him, I reminded him that sometimes we get mad at each other, but we don't hate each other. He assured me that he liked me sometimes, but he didn't love me anymore.

I have no problem with him being mad that we don't buy him things. I'm OK that he doesn't like us pushing healthy food on him. That's our job.

What cuts to the quick is the claim, "You don't play with us!" because he's right. I don't play with them. I hate playing with them. I'll play a board or card game now and then, and I'll listen for hours to their stories, their ideas and their inventions. I'll take them all over the place - the water park, the science museum, the tide pools. But if they build a fort, I don't climb in except under duress. I'll ask them about it while I'm folding laundry, I'll admire the construction in between the dishes, but I don't want to take the time to just sit and pretend. Sometimes I'll do Legos. But most of the time their play is something to keep them busy while I get other things done. He's right.

Today I took them to the playground, and realized when I got there that I'd forgotten my iPhone. Crap. The one time I get some time to read the headlines, and I forgot it. So I followed them around the playground. I didn't have any fabulous insights. I didn't realize this was so much more awesome than sitting on the bench reading my news feeds. But, I did relax a little bit. I pushed Benjamin on the swing, and I decided I needed to slow down, and pay more attention to how they wanted to spend time with me, not how I wanted to spend time with them.