One thing I absolutely cannot stand is a selfish person. I think I have such a limited group of really good friends because a friendship, much like a relationship, takes effort. And why put in effort for someone who isn't worth your time or doesn't show any interest in you?
I have had the same best friend my whole life - literally; all (nearly) 23 years of it. And my other close friends I have known since our early teen years. What makes our friendships flourish is our effort to stay in each others lives, and also, to show an interest. If a friend has been sick, I want to make sure they are feeling better. If they enter a new relationship or end an old one, I want all the details. And what's better is that I know the questions will be returned. These friends contact me regularly about my daughter, marriage, pregnancy, you name it. And sure, these are all facts they can gather on their own with the wonderful world of the social media, and my tell-all approach to it, so it's comforting that they make the extra phone call or visit to catch up on things I'm sure they've read about.
I've recently noticed how many people had been in my life because I was the only one making the effort. I made the plans, I asked the questions, I held the friendship together. So, after our wedding, I put some serious thought into not only who I care enough about to keep in our new lives, but who cared enough about us to be in them. Needless to say, I've lost contact with several people who I thought I needed, and have felt no change whatsoever. My small group of friends still remains strong, and all I need.
I'm a ridiculously friendly person; always saying hi, always showing an interest in others lives, always smiling - so when I go about my norm, and don't even get an "and how are you?" in return, I just realize how much of my energy I just wasted on pretending I was interested in what this person has been up to. I guess because of how friendly I am, I don't understand how someone can sit there and talk about themselves for quite some time, and never even give the other person the time of day. Who doesn't love to talk about themselves? Most people, especially girls, do. But it takes a back-n-forth conversation to sustain a true friendship.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Friday, May 11, 2012
Breaks My Heart
Lately, out of no where, Lyla has often been asking about her father. She'll say things like "Eric is my step daddy, but where's my daddy?" Although I reply with a very nonchalant "Your daddy is just at work", it makes me more sad than you know.
May 17th will be one year since Lyla has seen her dad, and I can't help but think of how unfortunate that is - mainly for him. Think of all he has missed. Sometimes when I go to the gym for an hour, Eric will have taught her something new while I was gone and I am sad to have missed that, let alone a whole year of learning, development, and love. I also feel sad for Lyla that someone can up and walk out of her life like that. I'm just glad it happened when she was so young. However, because Ben and I still currently have shared legal custody, he has the ability to walk back in at any ol' time. Because of this, I feel that it is my job to not shut out the idea of "daddy" completely.
He's still in her baby books, which for months I debated on whether or not to remove them. We've gone through them in the past few months in preparation for baby Hannah, so I can show Lyla how little she used to be, and how much she's grown. But for now, I left pictures of Ben inside so that if he does decide to come walking back in, she has some idea of what he looks like, who he is, and that he used to be around. It doesn't seem to bother her, though, because when she comes across his picture, she'll just happily state "and that's my daddy" and move on to naming other people and things inside the book. Lyla was shy of 2 when she last saw him, and lucky for that, she has no real understanding of what his absence really means. Even though it doesn't make her sad, it really breaks my heart to hear her ask about him, and just know that he exists and doesn't see her. I feel even more guilty now because he recently lost his job, so now when I tell Lyla he's at work, I'm lying.
It's not my job to take out my anger with him on the subject with Lyla. It's my job as her mother to protect her, and that doesn't involve making negative remarks about her father infront of her. I never carry on a conversation about him, but when he is brought up, I just handle it calmly and change the subject. Everyone asks us if we have her call Eric "daddy", and we don't. I've always said that it is her decision; Eric is not her biological father, but he is her dad in the sense that he lives with us, helps raise her, and loves her as if she were his own blood. Even if Ben never comes back in, Lyla will never be without a father figure. And if she decides to join the band wagon after Hannah arrives and call Eric "daddy", then it's her choice. If she calls him Eric for the rest of her life, than that's okay too.
As any mother would say, I just want what's best for my little girl. I want her to be raised well, knowing right from wrong, protect her from what I can, and give her endless amounts of love. Knowing someone can walk out on someone so precious is a painful thought, but it only makes me thrive to be the best mother I can be, knowing (or feeling like) I have some void in her to fill on my own.
May 17th will be one year since Lyla has seen her dad, and I can't help but think of how unfortunate that is - mainly for him. Think of all he has missed. Sometimes when I go to the gym for an hour, Eric will have taught her something new while I was gone and I am sad to have missed that, let alone a whole year of learning, development, and love. I also feel sad for Lyla that someone can up and walk out of her life like that. I'm just glad it happened when she was so young. However, because Ben and I still currently have shared legal custody, he has the ability to walk back in at any ol' time. Because of this, I feel that it is my job to not shut out the idea of "daddy" completely.
He's still in her baby books, which for months I debated on whether or not to remove them. We've gone through them in the past few months in preparation for baby Hannah, so I can show Lyla how little she used to be, and how much she's grown. But for now, I left pictures of Ben inside so that if he does decide to come walking back in, she has some idea of what he looks like, who he is, and that he used to be around. It doesn't seem to bother her, though, because when she comes across his picture, she'll just happily state "and that's my daddy" and move on to naming other people and things inside the book. Lyla was shy of 2 when she last saw him, and lucky for that, she has no real understanding of what his absence really means. Even though it doesn't make her sad, it really breaks my heart to hear her ask about him, and just know that he exists and doesn't see her. I feel even more guilty now because he recently lost his job, so now when I tell Lyla he's at work, I'm lying.
It's not my job to take out my anger with him on the subject with Lyla. It's my job as her mother to protect her, and that doesn't involve making negative remarks about her father infront of her. I never carry on a conversation about him, but when he is brought up, I just handle it calmly and change the subject. Everyone asks us if we have her call Eric "daddy", and we don't. I've always said that it is her decision; Eric is not her biological father, but he is her dad in the sense that he lives with us, helps raise her, and loves her as if she were his own blood. Even if Ben never comes back in, Lyla will never be without a father figure. And if she decides to join the band wagon after Hannah arrives and call Eric "daddy", then it's her choice. If she calls him Eric for the rest of her life, than that's okay too.
As any mother would say, I just want what's best for my little girl. I want her to be raised well, knowing right from wrong, protect her from what I can, and give her endless amounts of love. Knowing someone can walk out on someone so precious is a painful thought, but it only makes me thrive to be the best mother I can be, knowing (or feeling like) I have some void in her to fill on my own.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Establishing "us" time before baby
Recently, I've realized how little I feel like I see my husband. He gets home from work, I (sometimes) go to the gym, one of us makes dinner while the other entertains Lyla, we juggle bath, story, and bedtime, and by the time our big girl is asleep, we turn into blobs on the couch. Sure, we'd have a few hours together after Lyla's bed time...if we could stay awake. "What an old married couple we are" we always joke. Although our routine works, and allows us to spend shared time with Lyla, I began to realize just how much more tired we'll be after the arrival of our baby girl, and how much less time we'll have together. I wanted to put an end to this as much as possible so we can get into a better routine of togetherness before these 5 weeks until d-day fly by.
The thing we do daily is catch up with each other's day over dinner. Lyla shares her favorite part of her day with Eric who has been at work, and Eric shares his work out and work day with me. I'll ramble about the crafts Lyla and I did that day, or something funny/frustrating that occurred. It's the one time we're all sitting together, with no distractions, and can connect as a family. I always grew up having family dinners, and it's something I plan to make a staple in our household, too.
Dinner time has always been our time together, but we needed more. With us both being so exhausted at nighttime - with Eric waking at 4am for the gym and me being nearly 9 months pregnant & chasing my toddler around all day - it's difficult for us to not want to snuggle under a fuzzy blanket with the DVR and fall asleep by 9pm. But I miss my husband! So we agreed that at least once a week, we would have a game night (talk about old married couple!) We also agreed that at least once a month we would have a kids-free date night, where we would go out to dinner, go bowling, sit at the bar with a few drinks...something just the two of us. We're lucky to have so many willing friends and family to babysit - hopefully that sticks once we add a newborn to the mix ;)
I love our marriage because we have the ability to talk about & through anything. Now more than ever I am looking forward to the arrival of our baby girl, especially knowing that Eric and I will be making a genuine effort to spend more time together, on top of juggling our busy schedules. It's not going to be easy, but it's a life we signed up for and, most importantly, a life we love.
The thing we do daily is catch up with each other's day over dinner. Lyla shares her favorite part of her day with Eric who has been at work, and Eric shares his work out and work day with me. I'll ramble about the crafts Lyla and I did that day, or something funny/frustrating that occurred. It's the one time we're all sitting together, with no distractions, and can connect as a family. I always grew up having family dinners, and it's something I plan to make a staple in our household, too.
Dinner time has always been our time together, but we needed more. With us both being so exhausted at nighttime - with Eric waking at 4am for the gym and me being nearly 9 months pregnant & chasing my toddler around all day - it's difficult for us to not want to snuggle under a fuzzy blanket with the DVR and fall asleep by 9pm. But I miss my husband! So we agreed that at least once a week, we would have a game night (talk about old married couple!) We also agreed that at least once a month we would have a kids-free date night, where we would go out to dinner, go bowling, sit at the bar with a few drinks...something just the two of us. We're lucky to have so many willing friends and family to babysit - hopefully that sticks once we add a newborn to the mix ;)
I love our marriage because we have the ability to talk about & through anything. Now more than ever I am looking forward to the arrival of our baby girl, especially knowing that Eric and I will be making a genuine effort to spend more time together, on top of juggling our busy schedules. It's not going to be easy, but it's a life we signed up for and, most importantly, a life we love.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
You Look Foolish
Every chapter that I read in "I do, Now what?" by Giuliana & Bill Rancic has not only been inspiring, but reassuring to my own marriage. One Chapter in particular stuck out yesterday, because it was something I couldn't agree more with, but also something that I see often in relationships, not just marriage: You should never publicly put down or talk poorly about your partner.
The chapter discusses some solid points about what happens when you share negative things about your significant other with friends, family, or the worst, in my opinon - the social networking systems. When you blast your guy or gal for the public to read, not only does it build negative thoughts on this person for your friends and family, but it also makes you look foolish for choosing to be with them. No one wants to see someone they care about get hurt, let down, or be disrespected, so it can be difficult for loved ones to read such posts and sympathize staying in the relationship when you're making it so obvious that you deserve better. Not to mention, most of these social outbursts are posted on impulse, and are likely resolved before your friends and family even have time to react. Then, the next day you're tweeting or posting on their walls about how much you love them. Heart heart, kiss kiss. I can't tell you how many times I've seen a relationship quarrel through the social network, get loads of "back up" from their friends, and then act as if the whole thing never happened with new posts of kissy-face pictures and updates soon after.
In my opinion, it's immature. A phone call to your mother or close friend to help talk through a tough situation is one thing, but putting something so personal on something so public, just says "attention seeking" to me. No couple is perfect, but you'd never see me trashing my husband for the world to see just because we had an argument. Marriage is sacred, for better or worse, and when we took our vows on September 10th, we vowed to work through things together, no matter how big, small, or difficult. I don't need people I talk to once every few months chiming in on my Facebook page to tell their opinions, or that they're on my side. The only person I want to talk to about my marriage is the person I'm married to - it's no one else's business. I think this should apply to those just dating, too. What is working through an argument or problem via the social networking systems really going to solve? Nothing, but making you look foolish, giving your friends and family the wrong impression of the offender, and lots of confused faces when you flip the switch the next day.
The chapter discusses some solid points about what happens when you share negative things about your significant other with friends, family, or the worst, in my opinon - the social networking systems. When you blast your guy or gal for the public to read, not only does it build negative thoughts on this person for your friends and family, but it also makes you look foolish for choosing to be with them. No one wants to see someone they care about get hurt, let down, or be disrespected, so it can be difficult for loved ones to read such posts and sympathize staying in the relationship when you're making it so obvious that you deserve better. Not to mention, most of these social outbursts are posted on impulse, and are likely resolved before your friends and family even have time to react. Then, the next day you're tweeting or posting on their walls about how much you love them. Heart heart, kiss kiss. I can't tell you how many times I've seen a relationship quarrel through the social network, get loads of "back up" from their friends, and then act as if the whole thing never happened with new posts of kissy-face pictures and updates soon after.
In my opinion, it's immature. A phone call to your mother or close friend to help talk through a tough situation is one thing, but putting something so personal on something so public, just says "attention seeking" to me. No couple is perfect, but you'd never see me trashing my husband for the world to see just because we had an argument. Marriage is sacred, for better or worse, and when we took our vows on September 10th, we vowed to work through things together, no matter how big, small, or difficult. I don't need people I talk to once every few months chiming in on my Facebook page to tell their opinions, or that they're on my side. The only person I want to talk to about my marriage is the person I'm married to - it's no one else's business. I think this should apply to those just dating, too. What is working through an argument or problem via the social networking systems really going to solve? Nothing, but making you look foolish, giving your friends and family the wrong impression of the offender, and lots of confused faces when you flip the switch the next day.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Having an Advantage
My previous post about relationship comparison sparked a conversation between Eric and I about different life styles, which lead to discussing parenthood and the advantage we may have over other couples.
Eric came into my life when Lyla was 11 months old, and quite obviously because of this, he has always known me as a mother. He had the advantage of seeing how I parent, and also see my availability (or at times, lack there of) to him on top of caring for my baby. I also had an advantage in this situation: I got to see Eric in action with Lyla. As our relationship grew and we became engaged, Eric's role with Lyla went from playful pal to respectable father figure. This was such an attractive quality because I was a package deal; I could have dated the perfect man for me, but if he wasn't good with my daughter he was getting the boot. Not to mention, the 10 month span where Eric and I were engaged & Eric became more of a disciplinary in Lyla's life, it served as a window into out lives together: could he really handle being thrown into the life of a husband and father figure all at once? From the very beginning of our relationship, we were forced to find time together after putting Lyla first. This may sound like a burden, but I truly do consider it an advantage.
Tonight, we were discussing how different our lives would have been without Lyla: I'd be working full time, we'd be going out more often, on dates more often, and not be shuffling whose turn it is for bath time. This may sound ideal, but I disagree. Having had Lyla, we built our relationship around parenthood - one of the most important aspects to any relationship in want of children. We were able to surpass the "shock factor". We didn't have to make the life style change from going out to staying in, sleeping in to up all night. I didn't have to watch my husband go from energetic and caring to exhausted and short tempered. He didn't have to watch me go from out-all-night to nursing all night. There was no arguing about how things "used to be" before baby. These were all things we were both immediately aware of given our situation, and allowed us to build our relationship and marriage on this knowledge. Eric was made aware of my parenting preferences, and although we don't always agree, he helps me raise Lyla with the same understanding and expectations that I have. This diffuses any arguments couples may have over differnt parenting methods, and paves the way for raising our future child.
Although Eric wasn't around for the newborn stage with Lyla, at least we have the advantage of the fact that one of us has gone through it. I've spent this pregnancy sharing stories of when Lyla was first born, as well as the hardships of her first several months. And even though each child will be different, I'm hoping that the fact that we, together, have been parental figures from the get-go will only help us with the arrival of our baby girl. It'll still be a shock for us both, going from one to two; from an easy going toddler to a needy newborn, but with the experience we have and the support from one another, I'm confident in us.
Eric came into my life when Lyla was 11 months old, and quite obviously because of this, he has always known me as a mother. He had the advantage of seeing how I parent, and also see my availability (or at times, lack there of) to him on top of caring for my baby. I also had an advantage in this situation: I got to see Eric in action with Lyla. As our relationship grew and we became engaged, Eric's role with Lyla went from playful pal to respectable father figure. This was such an attractive quality because I was a package deal; I could have dated the perfect man for me, but if he wasn't good with my daughter he was getting the boot. Not to mention, the 10 month span where Eric and I were engaged & Eric became more of a disciplinary in Lyla's life, it served as a window into out lives together: could he really handle being thrown into the life of a husband and father figure all at once? From the very beginning of our relationship, we were forced to find time together after putting Lyla first. This may sound like a burden, but I truly do consider it an advantage.
Tonight, we were discussing how different our lives would have been without Lyla: I'd be working full time, we'd be going out more often, on dates more often, and not be shuffling whose turn it is for bath time. This may sound ideal, but I disagree. Having had Lyla, we built our relationship around parenthood - one of the most important aspects to any relationship in want of children. We were able to surpass the "shock factor". We didn't have to make the life style change from going out to staying in, sleeping in to up all night. I didn't have to watch my husband go from energetic and caring to exhausted and short tempered. He didn't have to watch me go from out-all-night to nursing all night. There was no arguing about how things "used to be" before baby. These were all things we were both immediately aware of given our situation, and allowed us to build our relationship and marriage on this knowledge. Eric was made aware of my parenting preferences, and although we don't always agree, he helps me raise Lyla with the same understanding and expectations that I have. This diffuses any arguments couples may have over differnt parenting methods, and paves the way for raising our future child.
Although Eric wasn't around for the newborn stage with Lyla, at least we have the advantage of the fact that one of us has gone through it. I've spent this pregnancy sharing stories of when Lyla was first born, as well as the hardships of her first several months. And even though each child will be different, I'm hoping that the fact that we, together, have been parental figures from the get-go will only help us with the arrival of our baby girl. It'll still be a shock for us both, going from one to two; from an easy going toddler to a needy newborn, but with the experience we have and the support from one another, I'm confident in us.
Relationship Comparisons
Admittedly, one of my newest and most favorite reality TV shows is Guiliana & Bill - a show that follows the life of a famous married couple through hardships of work, infertility, pregnancy loss, breast cancer, and true love. This couple is always leaving me in amazement of their ability to work through things, and treat each other with the love and respect that a marriage deserves. People have called them "the perfect couple" and it's not hard to see why after watching their show. I've even begun reading their book: I do, Now What? - loaded with advice on how to keep things fresh after vows are exchanged. And, being a newly wed, this is all of great interest to me. However, watching their show and reading their book has made me realize some hard facts that I think more couples need to open their eyes to.
You are you, and your spouse is your spouse. Plain and simple. I feel so lucky to be able to watch such a role model couple grow on national television, and know that I share a lot of that same amazement within my own marriage - but at times it can make me wish, too. I find myself thinking things like "I wish I could react that calmly" or "I wish Eric would do that" but these thoughts are not fair. The husband, Bill, on the show seems like the most cool, calm & collected man on this planet - never raising his voice or getting overworked. My husband on the other hand has enough testosterone to make up for the fact that he will soon be out numbered 3 to 1 in this house with the arrival of baby Hannah in June. And because of this, he may overreact to things I wish he didn't, or respond in a way that is not favorable. But that's who he is, and being his wife, it is my job to not only accept him for who HE is, but to talk to him about it. And the wife, Guiliana, is constantly putting herself aside for her hubby, no matter how hard she worked that day or how tired she is, he always comes first. This is something I find myself struggling with being 8 months pregnant and chasing a 2 1/2 year old around all day. When Eric gets home from work, I have to remind myself that he, too, is tired and in need of a break. And yet if I ever find him relaxing, I resent him for it. "How dare he sit down when I've yet to be able to?" When realistically, I got to nap when Lyla did, got to sit down while we read books together, and lay down while Dr. Lyla fixed my "broken weg". These are times I love to reflect on the show and book for support. It's helpful to have such a strong couple to look at for advice when I find myself if a moment of weakness. It gives me the ability to think before reacting, and in turn, allows me to be a better wife.
It's also helped to tell myself that things like the laundry, dishes, cleaning, and caring for (soon to be) 2 children is MY job - just like Eric goes to work everyday, so do I. So, when Eric gets home and empties his lunch box into the sink that I had JUST cleaned, I can resent him a little less, knowing that it's more or less my job to take care of those little things, so he can have some down time after work. It's also a good feeling to know that my husband is coming home to a clean house, with his laundry folded and put away, a meal plan ready to go for dinner, and a wife who cares about him more than anything. A stay at home mom's job is to take care of the family, and being able to to that with a clear head is the best feeling. I'm not Guiliana and Eric is not Bill, but it doesn't hurt to look to them and their healthy marriage for guidance when we are both so exhausted that all we can think of is ourselves, instead of each other. And yes, I know it's a reality tv show and that no couple is perfect, but if it helps me be a more supportive wife then why not have marriage role models in my life? Eric and I both come from divorced families (not only our parents, but siblings, aunts, cousins...you name it) so seeing those who make it work is definitely something I look up to and help build a foundation for a better marriage.
This foundation has to be a marriage for us, however, and not based on the blue print of someone else's life. Like I had previously stated, Eric and I are our own people, with different personalities, different tendencies, and different approached and beliefs than any other couple out there. It would be unfair to live our lives based on someone else's. I'm sure those personal chefs, paid vacations, and abundance of money certainly helps take some of the stress off of a marriage ;) So, we do what's best for us, with a little guidance along the way, and even though we're only 8 months in, our marriage has only grown in those 8 months, and I cannot wait to watch it unfold over the years.
You are you, and your spouse is your spouse. Plain and simple. I feel so lucky to be able to watch such a role model couple grow on national television, and know that I share a lot of that same amazement within my own marriage - but at times it can make me wish, too. I find myself thinking things like "I wish I could react that calmly" or "I wish Eric would do that" but these thoughts are not fair. The husband, Bill, on the show seems like the most cool, calm & collected man on this planet - never raising his voice or getting overworked. My husband on the other hand has enough testosterone to make up for the fact that he will soon be out numbered 3 to 1 in this house with the arrival of baby Hannah in June. And because of this, he may overreact to things I wish he didn't, or respond in a way that is not favorable. But that's who he is, and being his wife, it is my job to not only accept him for who HE is, but to talk to him about it. And the wife, Guiliana, is constantly putting herself aside for her hubby, no matter how hard she worked that day or how tired she is, he always comes first. This is something I find myself struggling with being 8 months pregnant and chasing a 2 1/2 year old around all day. When Eric gets home from work, I have to remind myself that he, too, is tired and in need of a break. And yet if I ever find him relaxing, I resent him for it. "How dare he sit down when I've yet to be able to?" When realistically, I got to nap when Lyla did, got to sit down while we read books together, and lay down while Dr. Lyla fixed my "broken weg". These are times I love to reflect on the show and book for support. It's helpful to have such a strong couple to look at for advice when I find myself if a moment of weakness. It gives me the ability to think before reacting, and in turn, allows me to be a better wife.
It's also helped to tell myself that things like the laundry, dishes, cleaning, and caring for (soon to be) 2 children is MY job - just like Eric goes to work everyday, so do I. So, when Eric gets home and empties his lunch box into the sink that I had JUST cleaned, I can resent him a little less, knowing that it's more or less my job to take care of those little things, so he can have some down time after work. It's also a good feeling to know that my husband is coming home to a clean house, with his laundry folded and put away, a meal plan ready to go for dinner, and a wife who cares about him more than anything. A stay at home mom's job is to take care of the family, and being able to to that with a clear head is the best feeling. I'm not Guiliana and Eric is not Bill, but it doesn't hurt to look to them and their healthy marriage for guidance when we are both so exhausted that all we can think of is ourselves, instead of each other. And yes, I know it's a reality tv show and that no couple is perfect, but if it helps me be a more supportive wife then why not have marriage role models in my life? Eric and I both come from divorced families (not only our parents, but siblings, aunts, cousins...you name it) so seeing those who make it work is definitely something I look up to and help build a foundation for a better marriage.
This foundation has to be a marriage for us, however, and not based on the blue print of someone else's life. Like I had previously stated, Eric and I are our own people, with different personalities, different tendencies, and different approached and beliefs than any other couple out there. It would be unfair to live our lives based on someone else's. I'm sure those personal chefs, paid vacations, and abundance of money certainly helps take some of the stress off of a marriage ;) So, we do what's best for us, with a little guidance along the way, and even though we're only 8 months in, our marriage has only grown in those 8 months, and I cannot wait to watch it unfold over the years.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Lyla @ 2 1/2
Lyla is at such a fun age; I couldn't have asked for a better time to be bringing a new baby into this family. She loves her mommy/Eric time but is also very good at entertaining herself. And the things she comes up with lately are hilarious.
Her latest thing is blaming inanimate objects for her getting hurt. For example: she falls, and yells "no floor, don't hurt me!" Or, bumps her head on the sink and stands there trying to push it away so it won't bump into her again. She also tries to scold the dog by threatening things like "Petey, stop barking or you can't watch a movie later!"
The one "bad word" I slip on a lot is saying "Jesus" when I drop things, trip over the dog, etc, and Lyla has picked up on this lovely habit. Eric and I explained to her that it's not a nice thing to say, and that sometimes adults say it by accident when they're upset. So now, Lyla walks around saying "I'm not saying Jesus anymore!" but she'll repeat it over and over to say the "bad word" without really saying it. We tell her it doesn't make her sound like a very nice girl, and then she'll continue to ask "why can't we say Jesus? Mommy, I'm not saying Jesus anymore!"
She has to be the most sensitive child I've ever met; the smallest thing can create tears, especially when you tell her "no". And she always starts these crying fits by saying "No don't make me sad!!" Easy to see how parents can spoil their children; how heart breaking is that?? Sorry, Ly, you still need to eat your dinner BEFORE dessert. She usually then says something like "Mommy, don't say that, it doesn't make you sound like a nice girl"
Her little sense of humor is coming to life and it's hysterical to watch. She'll catch herself calling Eric "mommy" and then stop and say "oh man, I just called you mommmmmmyyyyy!" and crack herself up. Or, when we tell her to use the potty, she'll go in every room in the house saying "is this the bathroom? nooooo" and giggle her way to the next room until she eventually makes it to the bathroom.
My favorite thing has to be the way she talks about being a big sister. She'll accomplish something new on the playground, and immediately state how Hannah will be too little to do that, but that she's the big sister and will teach Hannah to do it when she's a "big girl like me".
Can't wait to continue to watch my big girl grow :) So in love with being her mommy
Her latest thing is blaming inanimate objects for her getting hurt. For example: she falls, and yells "no floor, don't hurt me!" Or, bumps her head on the sink and stands there trying to push it away so it won't bump into her again. She also tries to scold the dog by threatening things like "Petey, stop barking or you can't watch a movie later!"
The one "bad word" I slip on a lot is saying "Jesus" when I drop things, trip over the dog, etc, and Lyla has picked up on this lovely habit. Eric and I explained to her that it's not a nice thing to say, and that sometimes adults say it by accident when they're upset. So now, Lyla walks around saying "I'm not saying Jesus anymore!" but she'll repeat it over and over to say the "bad word" without really saying it. We tell her it doesn't make her sound like a very nice girl, and then she'll continue to ask "why can't we say Jesus? Mommy, I'm not saying Jesus anymore!"
She has to be the most sensitive child I've ever met; the smallest thing can create tears, especially when you tell her "no". And she always starts these crying fits by saying "No don't make me sad!!" Easy to see how parents can spoil their children; how heart breaking is that?? Sorry, Ly, you still need to eat your dinner BEFORE dessert. She usually then says something like "Mommy, don't say that, it doesn't make you sound like a nice girl"
Her little sense of humor is coming to life and it's hysterical to watch. She'll catch herself calling Eric "mommy" and then stop and say "oh man, I just called you mommmmmmyyyyy!" and crack herself up. Or, when we tell her to use the potty, she'll go in every room in the house saying "is this the bathroom? nooooo" and giggle her way to the next room until she eventually makes it to the bathroom.
My favorite thing has to be the way she talks about being a big sister. She'll accomplish something new on the playground, and immediately state how Hannah will be too little to do that, but that she's the big sister and will teach Hannah to do it when she's a "big girl like me".
Can't wait to continue to watch my big girl grow :) So in love with being her mommy
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)