One of THOSE Moms...

Yes, I'll admit it, I'm one of THOSE Moms....you know, the ones the uber-on-top-of-it-Moms sort of shake theirs heads at while exchanging knowing glances. I'm the Mom who shows up to a play date without bringing snacks or drinks (I did feed her en route to said play date, but failed to plan ahead for what she'd be like after an hour of running around in 90 degree heat). I'm the Mom who heads out to the local park with the family and totally fails to have a change of clothes available when the kiddo has an episode of diarrhea on top of the climbing equipment (not a pretty scene driving home, let me assure you). I'm the Mom who forgets to pay the correct amount for daycare (the fee was reduced months ago, when Em aged up) and so is carrying a balance, much to the Director's dismay. I'm the Mom who's kid is covered in scars, because she can't figure out a way to get her to stop picking her scabs. I'm the Mom who lets her kid watch too many movies because sometimes, I just need some peace. It's days like these that I can really beat myself up for not planning ahead more, being better organized, or having more energy for being creative with the kid. When I really want to throw a guilt-trip party, I start adding up the hours she spends in daycare each week....oh, Lordy, it's really hard to go there.

Overall though, Emerson doesn't seem the least bit affected by my mothering gaffes. She's happy, energetic, creative, and lovable. She tells me I'm a "good Mama" and pats my shoulder affectionately. She laughs at my silly jokes, asks me to sing her night-night songs, and draws me lovely family portraits. She holds my hand regularly, whispers secrets in my ear and snuggles close on the couch. She's my kitchen helper, my morning walk partner and tells me I have cute underwear when I'm getting dressed. She cracks me up, breaks my heart and thoroughly amazes me in the span of a few short seconds.

I'll have to come to peace with occasionally dropping the ball big-time, but it's nice to know I have an automatic "pass" from the one person who matters the most.

What We've Been Up To...

Recent Stuff

There's a lot of talk around here about princesses & Cinderella. I found a beat up Cinderella dress (see above) at a kid's consignment sale for $2. Brought it home, repaired the ripped out seams, and it's now on my child daily. We checked out the Disney Cinderella DVD from the library over the weekend, and I've seen it about 5 times in 2 days. I'm just about Cinderella'd out. Little does Em know that she'll be eating breakfast with Cindy at her castle in Florida on her 4th birthday. She is aware that we're going to the big "D" but hasn't a clue what's there. Should be buckets of fun. I'll be sure to charge my camera battery the night before!!

Em has been working hard on her letters, and writing her name. Here's a sample from this weekend. She was on a card-making kick, and we mailed off 3 cards on Saturday to various relatives. One of my coworkers gave us 3 big bags of art supplies today (cleared out just days after her own daughter left for college...how's that for efficiency??). I have a feeling we'll have many creative moments around here with all that cool stuff!

L&L's

Loves:

--That my bestie, Jen, flew down for a (too short) Girl's Visit recently. Very fun to hang with her, and I wish she lived closer so we could do it more often.

--Em finished her swimming lessons this morning. After 5-10 minutes of persuasion, she got into the pool and loved it.

--Seeing Eat, Pray, Love with an old college buddy tonight.

--Em is starting dance classes in early September...she is thrilled.

--Going as a family to see The Wiggles tomorrow afternoon in Raleigh. Em doesn't know what we're doing yet, only that we're going on a "field trip".

--Slowly getting organized around here...reframing photos, etc.

--Got my proposal approved and will present at the national PA Educators Association conference in Baltimore in October. Co-presenting another with a coworker.

--making a point to run each Saturday & Sunday morning for the past 4-6 weeks. Feeling better, but not there yet

--making a batch of strawberries & cream ice cream today!

Loathes:

--being overwhelmed with the amount of "stuff" that needs done at home & work. Feel like taking a couple days off work to address the home stuff, but it's a really busy time @ work, and would be hard to do that

--flea bites, especially since the cats haven't stepped foot outdoors for 2 summers now!

--looking for another clinic assignment for 1 day/week, and not having much luck

--the extra 15 lbs I'm carrying around

--how darn hot it's been all summer (although it's only about 80 right now!)

Blueberries

Em and I went to a blueberry farm in Hillsborough weekend before last. The previous weekend was my initial choice to go picking, but it thunderstormed when the day arrived. So, last weekend was 100 degrees, and insane mama loaded up her kiddo and headed out. Lordy, it was hot & we were soaked with sweat within 5 minutes of arrival. I managed to snap some photos of Em before she was totally sweaty & miserable. I picked 4 lbs, and we hit a gas station on the way home to get a Popsicle.

Emmy-isms

The other day, Keith was on the floor of the living room shirtless, doing sit-ups. As he's aged, let's just say he's become a bit hairier on the chest & abdomen (and elsewhere, but we won't talk about that today). Emmy hopped down off the couch and crouched beside him, commenting, "Daddy has a moustache on his belly!".

Progress!

Emmy has finished 3 weeks of swimming lessons at the Sportsplex in Hillsborough. Week 1 was a disaster, as she cried hysterically and refused to get into the pool. She finally agreed to do it at the very end of the lesson...once. When she got out, she grabbed my leg and pointed to the instructor (a very nice, but very loud & large man) and said, "I don't like him!". She had her heart set on a "girl" instructor, and really didn't want anything to do with a male instructor. The next lesson, she was able to hook up with a nice, high school aged female instructor, and got into the pool after about 15 minutes of crying and saying she didn't want to go into the water. Keith threatened to just GO HOME, and she decided the water wasn't so bad. She did an okay job, but frequently came running over to us for reassurance. The 3rd lesson was this past Saturday. We arrived to find out that Miss Maureen was working with another group of kids, and Em's instructor would be Mr. Tyler...uh-oh, another new face and a BOY! The tears started flowing immediately, but the instructor was great...he was already in the pool, and in an effort to win Em over began tossing a pink ball back & forth with her. He inched her closer to the edge of the pool, and then asked her to sit down, practice her kicks & splash him in the face. Music to a 3 year old's ears! After that, she was hooked. It was like someone flipped a switch on this kid! She didn't come over to us at all, in fact, barely even looked at us for the entire lesson. She was totally focused, anticipating her next turn, watching the other kids. She did a fantastic job this week! Here's a little video Keith caught of her first solo swim!