Case of the Mondayzzzz

Johnson Child Labor Laws

Toddlers doing chores. It is adorable and funny, but mostly for their own entertainment and far from being helpful. It's still good practice. I remember when Lyla was 18 months old and mimicked me as I cleaned our glass table. She was so proud about it too. It's interesting how a simple task like cleaning a table would never be described as cute on an adult, but if a a one year old is performing the task it is the most incredible thing ever. I think that's most of parenting actually, praising our children for functioning like a civilized human being. It all starts from the beginning --- we praise them for clapping, crawling, walking, pooping, using a spoon, and eventually wiping a table with a paper towel. We are all love struck idiots.

Well. Now Lyla is three. Basically three and a half. And she keeps talking about turning four. It needs to stop. However, with all this growing up business, she is well aware that our house doesn't become clean by way of magic. She's been pitching in at home with daily tasks and it's actually been time saving for me. I've been pleasantly surprised. She switches loads of laundry, helps unload the dishwasher, arranges my couch pillows, gets Max dressed from head to toe, and she can almost make her bed all by herself. She also likes to clean toilets, vacuum, and mop the floors --- but those chores still require a lot of supervision and are less than helpful to me at this point. 

With her being so eager to help out all the time, Kirk and I talked about sneaking in an early lesson about earning money as well. I never realized how many harsh opinions were out there about rewarding children with money until I turned to my good friend, Google. Yikes! Apparently we should also be taxing at 30% and requiring a 10% donation to charity. Good grief. It's all good and fine if any parent chooses to do this, but there's no way we're getting that intense in preparing our three year old for the real world. And while I don't really see the point in rewarding kids for picking up after themselves, I do think it's beneficial for them to earn money for some of the other stuff. As long as the money earning chore is age appropriate, then I think we will be just fine. I wouldn't reward money to Lyla for putting her own Barbies away, just as I wouldn't pay her for taking out the garbage when she is a teenager --- at least I hope I would never become that desperate! I'm not doubting any parenting curveballs anymore. Lol.

Lyla has earned $9.00 over the past few weeks and has become very protective over her wallet. If she were wiser, she would talk to her parents about a consistent wage rate. At this point, she will earn a dollar one week and a quarter the next for the same task. It always just depends on the situation and/or how much cash either of us has on hand. I'm sure as time goes on we will develop a more consistent system, especially once Max comprehends the value of a dollar. He remains Lyla's constant shadow when it comes to chores, but the earning money concept is still way over his head.

Lyla's materialistic desires are centered around Barbies, so we stopped in at ToysRus to get an idea of what kind of Barbie she wants to save for. Lyla picked out the babysitter barbie set with a price tag of $49.99. She is clearly my daughter with that champagne taste and beer budget. I was hoping she would pick something more in the $20.00 price range so she could pick up on this money-saving-lesson a little sooner, but maybe this will turn into a lesson in self-discipline instead. I will encourage her to hold out for what she really wants, but if she is anything like me, patience will not come easily. Regardless, I really enjoy this new little game we've started. Her concept of personal responsibility is expanding and her wheels are turning. That's all that matters to me.

Disclaimer: I don't want to paint a picture that Lyla is an obedient little angel or anything. She's a sweetie pie, but she is also reluctant to pick up her toys just as often as she is willing. In that case, I typically threaten to clean them up on my own by throwing them in the garbage. It's terribly mean, but works like a charm every time. I did have to follow through with that threat once when it came to play dough. And I'm still happy about it because I despise that stuff. 

Oh, and she was not pleased when she learned the purpose of our ToysRus trip was for browsing only. I guess she thought I was joking when I warned her beforehand? As you can imagine, she was devastated when she had to return Barbie to the shelf.

Barbie will be waiting, Lyla girl. Only $41.00 left to go. [mom will cover the tax when you are three.]

Happy Belated Father's Day

Here's a little Father's Day recap for blog purposes...

Lyla was eager to wake up Kirk first thing in the morning to deliver his gift in bed. I forced her to let him sleep in, as she waited impatiently in the living room. She was basically walking in circles. And if she could tell time, she definitely would have been staring at the clock. Kirk is developing an internal alarm clock of an old man and his slumber only lasted until about 8:30. Poor fella.

We spent a lovely day together as a family doing what Kirk enjoys the most --- relaxing. Then we managed to get off our butts for Kirk's second favorite thing --- Mexican food & Margaritas! Lyla and I put together a photo book for Kirk with every single photo including him and the kids since the beginning of time. It was an extensive process going through the several folders of photos on my computer, but totally worth it. I know it was fun for Lyla to look at her newborn pictures, especially those first moments with her daddy. Those two had a special bond since day one. I'm so grateful to have Kirk by my side through this journey called parenthood. He is patient and level-headed. He keeps me sane. I know Kirk credits a lot of his greatness to his own father, who is a loyal husband, dedicated father, and an incredibly hard worker. 

I'm also grateful for my own Dad. I've been his favorite daughter my entire life and he's always been my numero uno. My tendency to think fast and act even faster comes from my him, along with his sarcastic and lighthearted attitude towards life. I have a handful of grandpas that have influenced my life more than they probably know. And shout out to all the other Dads out there choosing to not hide under a rock. You guys are awesome! 

I learned a few years back that Kirk is capable of braiding hair. I guess having four sisters will do that to you. Regardless, he earned some brownie points in my book. 

Photo Reel

I frequently request for my children to stand in front of the house to allow me to take their picture. I'm pretty sure I will do this for the rest of their lives and I'm pretty sure they will hate me for it. I don't really care because I will forever smother their hate with love. 

I don't know why I insist on trying my best to stage the perfect photo. They usually don't listen and end up doing their own thing, which turns out even more cute and/or hilarious anyhow. They have seriously been so adorable together lately. They get each other laughing so hard. I'm talking about some hardcore giggles and sometimes I don't even understand what is so funny. It's like they already have inside jokes or something. They are, without a doubt, meant for each other.  It becomes more obvious every single day. My eyes pee just thinking about it. 

Speaking of smothering someone with love... it's what little brothers do best!
The middle photo is my favorite because of Lyla's facial expression. LOL.

Best Friends Forever [Hopefully]

There was once upon a time when it took so much effort to entertain Lyla and Maxwell throughout the day. If I wasn't keeping their little minds stimulated, they would be biting at my ankles crying about life and what not. It seems those times are changing. We are entering a new stage of life where these two little creatures will actually entertain themselves, and dare I even say it....play together. I've waited so long for this moment, so it's baffling that I now feel guilty when I look at the clock and realize they've kept to themselves long enough for me to check several items off my boring adult list. The days of never using the restroom in solitude were seriously not that long ago. I still love playing pretend with them and I will always try to prioritize it, but it's nice feeling like I'm actually accomplishing more than just Barbie duty all day. 

They still fight as often as they play. I break up wrestling matches several times a day, but I assume that behavior will last forever. I know it's still going strong between me and my little brother, who I love dearly. Max can be a little on the aggressive side. However, as you can imagine, Lyla is quite bossy when it comes to playing with Max, so it all evens out. He usually complies, willingly, to her commands and I've even caught his superheros waiting patiently at the doll house door for Barbie or Elsa or whoever else to answer. She makes him clean up his mess in her room too. Ha! They are the cutest. 

In related news, all this together time is paying off. Lyla and I are now bilingual members of the household. Max kept repeating "yum non yum" the other night to Kirk, who tried his best to interpret but failed to do so. Lyla and I walked into the room when Kirk asked us to figure out what Max was saying. Almost simultaneously we said, "Wonder Woman!" It was a "duh dad" moment. 

This is unrelated to the blog post overall, but I just remembered it as I was thinking about Max's growing vocabulary. I was making dinner this week when I heard Max proudly announce the words "hot dog." He was rummaging through the fridge as I was gathering ingredients and I thought to myself, "Wow! He is saying that word really well. That is so neat. I wonder if he wants a hot dog for dinner." Then my eyes wandered across the kitchen and stopped at the dog in the hall way. The dog eating a hot dog. Nice play, Max.

I've neglected to take any photos while spying on these cuties playing together, so here is a photo of them doing the exact opposite in the community bed. 

The Summer Mom Lost Her Marbles

Hi!

In an attempt to save myself from sounding like a lunatic, I would like to clarify my intentions described in my previous post. It's fine if you've already made up your mind regarding my mental state. I just keep thinking about how everyone talks all the time about "living in the moment" --- how many people actually live in the moment? I think it's challenging for everyone to detach themselves from daily distractions. I know I would be lying to myself if I said I live in the moment every day. And even when I try, it seems I can't help but think about tomorrow, or even what will happen an hour from now. I think about dinner while I'm eating lunch. It's in my nature to plan plan plan. I enjoy the feeling of being constantly busy, but I often wonder if I get so caught up in thinking about the future that I overlook the present. The present moment is the only thing guaranteed to me, so shouldn't it be first priority? 

I need to channel this grief into something worthwhile. So this summer I'm going to try my hardest break away from our norm. This does not mean we are going completely rogue. I still have to keep our household running at a somewhat functional level. We will still very much enjoy things like nap time. In fact, Lyla has returned to the land of naps ever since we got home from Idaho. She must have forgot that she was on a stretch of rejecting them. I appreciate the return of that lovely gift, however, I don't depend on nap time to regain my sanity as much as I used to. It's not until the end of the day when I'm ready to tap out and therefor, we will also still follow a flexible bed time schedule because Kirk and I would probably cry without the sweet sound of silence to end our night. 

We are simply going to seek more adventure. For example --->

1. We will wear superhero costumes at 7:00 a.m. Yep, that happened. It's impossible to match their energy level at that hour. 

2. If Lyla asks if she can put her swimsuit back on after nap time, I will say heck yes! Yep, that also happened. That was a tough one since I had already cleaned up the pre-nap swim mess, but still totally worth it. 

3. This also means I will have to try hard to let go of the guilt I sometimes feel while we are having fun and Kirk is working a 10+ hour shift. We love you, Kirk!

4. And we will eat ice cream out of the carton because we can. 

Summer Vibes: Part 2

This post was supposed to be combined with the last one, but the words started flowing about the soccer situation and I got a little carried away. This blog is self-serving like that. So I went ahead and separated this post from the crazy vent session.

Anyway, this Texas heat makes it undeniable that summer is here at last! I considered gearing up for a weekly summer routine, but I think we could all use a break from a structured schedule for awhile. I made a commitment to let go of our schedule this summer and just go with the flow instead. I'm a little hesitant to do so because I do enjoy planning out our activities on a weekly basis. As I'm tucking Lyla in for the night, she always asks our plans for the following day and I'm always quick to respond with an exact play by play from morning to night. This summer I want to take it day by day, moment by moment. I'm going to step outside of my comfort zone and see where life takes us. My new response to Lyla's nightly question is, "we are going to do whatever we want." 

Lyla and Max aren't babies anymore. And as much as I miss them being those brand new beautiful creatures, I'm honestly enjoying them now more than ever. I love watching their personalities blossom. I love seeing their bond grow. It's really easy going being a parent right now. We are all best buddies and I think I'll enjoy it while it lasts. Lyla is a big story teller nowadays, she uses "actually" as a filler word in her sentences and it's hilarious. She likes to ask me to tell her stories about myself from when I was three-ish. I tend to make up details now and then, but overall I enjoy reminiscing with her by my side. Max is in a do-it-myself phase, which proves to be equally as hilarious as Lyla's vocabulary. He is also so affectionate and I'm grateful for his loving energy. He literally forces me to sit down on the couch and snuggle him --- not that it requires a lot of convincing to cuddle him, but you know what I mean. 

I've been reminded far too often lately of how quickly life can be taken away from us. Life is short, too short for some. It's been eye opening for me. Grief is powerful. I need a change of direction this summer. I need more spontaneity. I'm not going to wait around for memories to happen --- I'm going to make those happy memories right now! My new philosophy is to do more and worry less. I want to say "yes" more. There will be no regrets and no holding back. I want to prioritize what we want over what we need, even if that means just for the summer. I'm so fortunate for this time I have with my kiddos and I'm going to make the most out of every minute.  

This little summer experiment may cause life to fall a little too far to the chaos side of the spectrum. I'm not sure if peaceful chaos can exist for me, but I'm determined to find out. We can always make change for balance in our lives when nature is ready for another seasonal shift. 

Summer Vibes

There is something in the air recently, I do believe it is called summer! Kirk's birthday has marked the kick off to summer for me for several years in a row. However, now we get an even earlier start to the summertime fun with Max's birthday falling only a week before Kirk's. The back to back birthday madness is slightly exhausting, but I anticipate many more years ahead of celebrating for an entire week. It will eventually flow more naturally.  

As summer begins, we say a bittersweet goodbye to our normal routine. We are finished with our weekly music class, visit to the library for story time, and soccer. Speaking of soccer, I think Lyla is happy for it to be over with as well. She loved playing soccer initially, but instead of using that excitement to improve her skills, she allowed it to transform into a state of panic. And once that seed was planted, there was no convincing her otherwise. It was too much pressure. That string of emotions has to be genetic and I know she got it from me. There are countless moments from my childhood of feeling overwhelmed with anxiety anytime the focus was centered around me. I was intimidated of strangers and shy to the extreme. I even refused to attend daycare, and I mean physically refused to go to daycare. I know my parents tried desperately.

I felt the urge to pressure Lyla to step outside of her comfort zone, only because I know how many fun activities I missed out on when I was younger because I let my nerves get the best of me. I knew she would have fun if she just got out there, but it didn't feel right to force her. I reminded myself that although it's my job as a parent to guide her, it is still her own journey and she has to work through those struggles on her own. It seemed ridiculous to continue going just for us to sit there and bake in the sun, but I wanted her to finish what she started, especially since soccer was her idea in the first place! That was really the only thing that irritated me. Yes, I know she is three. Yes, I know a three year old is still experiencing things for the first time and can't be expected to know what they really want. I don't even think the lesson of being a team player is comprehensible at that age. Ha. Oh well. The only explanation she could ever provide for not wanting to join her teammates was, "I'm just scared of all the people..." It is heartbreaking for me because I totally understand that. And although people tend to annoy me more than intimidate me at this point in my life --- I still feel shy from time to time!

Kirk, on the other hand, was frustrated because he was an athlete who thrived on having the spotlight. He assumed Lyla was intentionally being difficult, as she sometimes is, and it didn't occur to him that she might actually be feeling nervous. He was actually quite confused when I explained it to him. He thought, "Why would she be nervous about playing soccer? Soccer is fun."  I elaborated on some of my own traumatic memories from childhood when I was pressured to do things I didn't want to do. I recall hiding out in the bathroom at my own 6th grade track meet simply because, just like Lyla, I was scared of all the people. It seems so silly now. Kirk made an attempt to laugh at the situation, as he saw all his hopes and dreams of having an athlete for a daughter float away into the distance. I want to feel empathetic for Kirk, but I'm struggling to do so because team sports were never my thing. I think team sports can be very valuable in teaching life lessons and of course I want both of my kids to explore their own interests, but I was never one to understand the thrill of having a crowd watch me compete. Yuck. 

I giggled as Lyla brought up the idea of signing up for ballet immediately after finishing the soccer season. We explained to her that she will have an audience performing ballet as well. Kirk is hesitant to jump right into ballet, as am I. However, I think it's important she is given more opportunities to spread her wings and build her confidence. She will never conquer her fears if she doesn't have a chance to face them. Plus, she is only three. She still has a long road of emotional development ahead of her and maybe she will grow out of that terrified-nervous-I-want-to-puke phase long before her momma did. Although we were surprised by her jitters over soccer, a lot of spunk remains in that little body and I predict she will still be a leader among her peers. 

I've obviously done a lot of reflecting on that topic. Kirk gave me the most puzzling look when I brought up the subject again several days later. Men just don't dwell on things like women, at least in my experience. I applaud Kirk for calming my frazzled thought process. We will chat again about ballet this Fall. 

These photos represent the beginning and the end of soccer. She enjoyed practice just fine, it was game day that was unacceptable. The bottom photo is terrible quality, yet necessary to understand this complex situation. She is still the most adorable [non] soccer player ever. Oy vey...

. 

Maxwell: 2 Year Old Check-Up

Weight: 28 pounds, 50th percentile

Height: 34 1/2 inches, 70th percentile

Head: 19 inches, 70th percentile

Max had his two year old check up today. He was very sweet and cooperative, even when it came to getting poked with the needle. The doctor said he is a healthy little boy and passing all of his milestones at normal pace. I find it funny how last appointment I was all bent out of shape about him growing three inches, but not gaining any weight and this time he gained four pounds, but only grew one inch in length. His body is clearly is balancing out growth spurts at its own pace. However, even when I tell myself it's unnecessary to worry, I tend to do it anyway.

Lyla held Max's hand and gave him praise for not crying during his shot. She is so funny. She also made a comment about the doctor being  old --- creating an awkward/laughable moment. I guess life is all about stating the obvious when you are three! 

We were in such a vigorous cycle for so long with visiting the doctor every three months that it seems crazy that both kiddos are finished with their immunizations until they reach age four. Lyla and Max also had their second dentist appointment this week. It went very well and they are both cavity free!

Maxwell's previous stats can be found by clicking ----> here!

Also, I just read my blog post from Lyla's two year old check up and about died of laughter. That little girl is full of so much sass. Her attitude still frightens me from time to time. I sure do love her though! 

Birthday for a Superhero

We had a birthday party yesterday to celebrate the one and only Maxwell. Although a majority of the guests were adults, I always have fun creating a festive atmosphere at the house for the little kids. I think I would still decorate regardless of an actual party or not. It's my favorite thing. It will likely only be enjoyable for me for a short time  ---  fast forward a few more years and the kids will start making their own demands for their birthday. I admit, I suspect I will feel slightly disappointed when Chuck E. Cheese makes it to the birthday party request list. That disappointment will remain silent, of course, and I will pretend that Chuck E. Cheese is the most awesome place ever! I suppose it probably is when you are nine. Yes, I am hoping to avoid Chuck E. Cheese until someone turns nine. And until that time comes, I will be in charge of the party!!! Umm control freak cough cough cough....Ha.  :)

Alright. The weather forecast predicted rain all weekend, so we made the decision to cancel the water slide we reserved for the party. There has been some major flash flooding going down lately and we didn't want to risk it. Well. It turns out the weather report was wrong, big surprise there. <- Not. The water slide would have been really fun, but everyone had a good time anyway. And most importantly, Max never knew the difference about the lack of water slide at his birthday. I mean...he is only two...his expectations are very low. We have several more birthday parties in years to come to possibly incorporate a water slide. Kirk had to bring out some good ol' logic to convince me that cancelling the water slide would be alright. 

Max opened his gifts from us first thing after waking up in the morning. I'm still questioning who was more excited about the present opening --- the birthday boy himself or his big sister. Spoiler alert: Lyla was the one bursting with excitement. Max received additional gifts from our family and friends. Olivia made him an awesome superhero blanket. He got a new Rockets hat, several toy cars, a giant batman, a bubble machine, and a sweet lego set. However, it was obvious that his most favorite gift came from his aunt and uncle --- a new bike! They even included a super tough looking helmet. Max is obsessed and has already tested out his new bike in the streets. It's a little bigger than the bike he was previously riding around, but I know it won't take him long to improve his skills and master this bike as well. 

We had cake and ice cream...duh. I only mention this because Max blew out his candles while we were still singing. He gets a free pass for being an inexperienced candle-blower-outer, but I still lit them again at the end of the song because I'm a freak like that. Then, I'm unsure if anyone else even realized what he was doing, but he started singing again to himself before blowing out the candles for the second time. I love his little singing voice. He is adorable. 

Overall, I think Max had a wonderful day, surrounded by so many people who love him. There was non-stop playing and adventure going on until 8:00 p.m. And when I finally put him down for bed, he fell asleep in under one minute. He was exhausted in the very best way. I stared at him for a few minutes to let it sink in that he really is two years old now. I simply can't believe it. I do my best to soak in every moment with my babies, their body language, facial expressions, the sweet sound of their voices, and touch of their skin --- but it all seems to happen too fast no matter how hard I try to slow things down. 

Maxwell, I am blessed beyond measure to have you. Thank you for choosing me to be your Mom. I love you!