This has been a really difficult, frustrating week. One that I have mostly spent running from one mess to another, breaking up one fight after another. Suppressing rage at a certain co-parent that just doesn't seem to give a ... It's been one of those weeks where one person doesn't seem like near enough.
And then there is the issue of a certain toddler that wants to see how many bumps and bruises one head can possibly hold and how high can she
really climb and what's going to happen to this glass when I throw it on the floor? Oh, well, let's try another... still broken. And the lamp. Doesn't this picture make such a nice sound when I rip it in half? Yeah, a lot of that this week.
Now, at this point you're probably thinking, 'Well, Julie, why the heck aren't you watching your kid?' I do, I am. Right now, I'm watching her coloring right beside of me, knowing that in a blink of an eye she could set her sights on something I'm not anticipating and she's off! Or, you know, I've gotta make dinner and she's there but all it really takes is two seconds and she's done it again!
She's a toddler, I get that. But, I have had two other children. She's nothing like them. And there's no stopping her. And I think she's giving me grays. And why in the world did I not see that she was growing to throw that cup full of colored pencils in the floor right now? I should have seen that one coming.
I've banned the use of stickers, at least for today. Do you know, I walked outside two days ago and must have picked three dozen heart stickers off of plants, fence posts, windows, the side of the house? And I'm still finding them. Kaiya said there would be a sticker hunt. I don't think I fully understood what that entailed.
I'm glad the weekend is here. Truly, as a stay-at-home, single mom, there's really not a lot of difference between weekday and weekend. But it's a state of mind, right? And the girls' dad comes and they spend their days with him (whenever he decides to show) and that's a nice break.
And I could certainly use the break. Next week will be better. They usually are. I'm going to spend the weekend resting, putting off the work I had planned to do til next week so I can get a little rejuvenated. Mama just can't run on empty, you know?
How are you spending your weekend?
P.S. Tomorrow the winner will be drawn
to win this gorgeous bag. Have you entered yet?
A cashier at the grocery store today mentioned I didn't have babies anymore. No, no babies here. I can deny it no more, River is a toddler. Besides just being a handful, she's also incredibly strong willed. What do you mean, 'No', mommy? I don't know this word. If she wants to do something, she will do it, plain and simple.
Yesterday was my mama's birthday and the older two girls and I worked on a little story book for her. Zoe painted the cover, I bound it into a little booklet and wrote while Kaiya told me the story and then drew the pictures in. Well, you just know there is no way that we are bringing out paints without River getting to paint as well. No, this has gone on too long and she will have those paints! I underestimated her, I'll be the first to admit. I thought of my older girls at 18 months and they just weren't ready to wield paint brushes then. Finger paints, yes, but I thought we'd wait on the watercolors. I thought wrong. I underestimate her no more.
She is constantly surprising me with what she is capable of. By now, I should know there is no way I can expect her to be like her sisters were. I talk a lot about what a handful she is, how messy and frustrating she is. How she breaks everything and stays out of nothing. But... she's so much more than that.
She's so smart and so capable. And so full of character and personality and sweetness. She gives the biggest hugs and loves to stroke your face. Her legs are very muscular (for 1.5) from all that climbing she does. She's obsessed with shoes and wants to put them on from the moment she wakes up. She is beginning to 'read' books and wanting to be read to. She still baa's with the sheep and loves to tote her kitty around. She understands so much of what I say and takes direction really well. She amazes me.
And I say all of this because... well, because I need the reminded when she's making me nuts, which is daily. And because one day very soon, even my toddler will be gone.
