ONE HUNDRED TEN…left on Pride Avenue, Right on Reality Blvd.

I had planned to get back into writing. It makes me feel so good. I gain clarity and peace of mind through writing. I am not claiming to be a true talent or anything, just that it helps maintain my sanity. And when you are surrounded by 3 young kiddos, maintaining sanity is kind of important! It helps me gain perspective!

I am one of those people who believes I can do anything if I put it into my schedule. In other words, I am one of those unrealistically positive individuals…who happens to be stubborn. For the past 2 months, after returning from our two-week hiatus, I have been playing catch up. With 3 weeks left of summer, I am feeling more behind than ever. And recently exhaustion has set in. My exhaustion from trying to fit everything in, has caught up my with stubbornness. Exhaustion is winning.

and on a more general note…

Sometimes I feel and therefore treat Abby as if she is older than she really is. So when she says things like this…

Abby: “How does a baby get its birthday? I mean, I know it’s mother nature who gives it to her but how does she decide?”

…I remember that she is only 7 years old.

Phoebe: (talking about her mentos candy) “I will share with you mommy. you can have the orange ones, but not the pink ones. The pink ones are so good!”

Phoebe never really acknowledges what she’s eating, she just eats what’s in front of her. On this particular day, she really surprised me. Her specificity is impressive and everyday she is turning into a little person…she is growing out of toddlerhood.

Abby

Me: Abby, I am going to give you one of mommy’s favorite baseball caps. I want you to take care of it. Will you take good care of it?

Abby: Yes mommy! Thank you! (this look comes over her face…I am not sure if she is happy or worried. I just go with it).

5 minutes later

Abby: Mommy, If you give me your hat and I wear it, will I get lice?

(that just explained the look she gave me AND not to mention, she is actually hearing me when I tell her things; “don’t try on other people’s hats/headbands because you might get lice”)

Me: No Abby. The only way you will get lice, is if I have lice. Mommy doesn’t have lice. You’ll be fine.

I went in the bathroom and checked my head just to be sure. Good news, my head was lice free!!! Woohoo!!

I picked Abby and her friend up from sailing camp one afternoon. I took her friend home and Abby was sitting in the way back while Phoebe was in the middle. Phoebe was yelling at Abby…

Phoebe: Abby where are you Abby? I can’t see you. I love you Abby. I want to see you! Mommy, I love Abby so much…I can’t see her. Where are you Abby? I love you. Can you show me you?

Phoebe: Mommy I drew a picture of you mommy and I put an ‘X’ on your face because you were mad.

5 minutes later

Phoebe: Mommy, I’m sorry I put an ‘x’ on your face. I drew another picture of us holding hands and swinging together. I love you mommy. Be nice.

Phoebe has an innocence about her and she is honest in her approach to life in general. If you need someone to let you down easy or sugar coat things, Phoebe is not your girl. Usually, when I become agitated or upset with the kids, she say’s things like, “I just want you to be happy mommy” and boom… that’s all I need to hear.

Automatic reset button for  my perspective.

Kids are amazing. When they’re your kids, they are even more amazing. I want to record everything they say and do. Sometimes I miss those early years with each baby. And then I hear Phoebe talking so clearly and coherently about her Mentos candy; Cecilia adds another word to her ever-growing vocabulary or narrows her walking gate; Abby reads 86 pages of a book in 4 days and boom, I am lost on ‘Pride Avenue’! Excuse me, can you tell me which direction to turn in order to get back to ‘Reality Blvd”?

I get lost on Pride Avenue with these little people sometimes, but somehow I find my way back to Reality Blvd.!