Month: January 2017

Something about this picture gives me peace. Tatum is so immersed in adding to the pile of sand in the bucket, it makes me appreciate her focus and tenacity  about something so insignificant as a bucket of sand. Or is it? She does fill my bucket!

Well, it inspired me and so I decided to draw it.  Tall order for someone who has never ever ever ever drawn a person. Tot (faceless here) was a good place to start since I did not have to focus so much on her adorable features.

I started out just trying to get an outline of the deal and the relative proportions. Man, this took forever!

Well, I picked up it almost weekly for just a few minutes while Tot was playing. I just could not get the sand to look like sand and the shadows just right. Then there was her hat, the her foot, her face! Never ending difficulty. I have a long way to go, but here it is!

Now, where would it go? How about under Mickey, Tot?

OK!

Thank goodness only Tatum has to see it. I’ll keep trying!

I think Coti is next.

When we get older, the silliness can easily be extinguished. Why? Maybe it’s because time is flying so fast as we age that we don’t take the time to just stop and be silly! Well, this little light of mine makes me hoot. Honestly, she is a kick in the pants.

Case in point…my old clothes and shoes. She steals my boots then dances like crazy with them on. Her legs have vanished in these things!

A little later she comes sporting Bella in her pouch. An old bathing suit does the trick. 

Then maybe it’s time to be a super hero in my old sparkly shoes.

Whatever it is, she makes it fun. And you know? This is such a great analogy for life. Make the most of each moment and squeeze out all the laughter you can. Life is meant to be lived and a little silliness can go a long way to enjoying life, right Tot?

Resilience. When you get low you bounce back even higher! This has been the week.

Tatum complained of a headache for a few days, and I honestly had no idea how to handle it. When there are no other symptoms, you tend to worry that there could be something that is undetectable by a regular physician. However, after three days, I called to make an appointment. Then, she did develop a fever the night before we went in. The doctor said it is just the liquid in her ears but no infection. The fever was just a virus trying to wiggle its way into her body!

Today, she actually felt much better and there is much rejoicing. Bella was the benefactor this morning with a new crib (some refrigerator containers) and some lullabies. Bella needed to be held after laying in the plastic box. (!)

I told her I would take her to get a bagel at Einstein’s and we’d hang out today. Again, there was much rejoicing.

While we were there, we chatted with  two older women (sisters), Bertha and Cookie. They had never had children, so they were fascinated by Tatum. Tatum charmed them, of course, and we had a good time just being spontaneous and chill.

We headed home to do some letters and crafts. Tatum is on the “R” at school next week, so we worked on PQR and mazes with phonemic awareness. That means knowing her sounds.

This led back to the bagels. She wanted to make some of her own.

There was much rejoicing because I hit the jackpot with five delicious warm soft tasty bagels.

Then we beaded.

She was the winner of that creation (around her neck) as she continues to play with the beads. Well, actually it became “popcorn,” and it went everywhere.

Then the beads turned into a swing for Bella.

Bella was not rejoicing.

Bouncing back is always the best part of being sick. We need to appreciate our HEALTHY days just for having health in the first place. What a blessing.

I love you, Tot. I love every little morsel about you.

The last week of Tatum’s 2-week winter break, I enrolled her in Sportball camp! This was the first time I would be away from her everyday from 9-12. It was to be a risk but I figured she’d enjoy the coaches and kids.

On Monday, Coach Ryan greeted us and told me there’d be roughly 7-11 kids per day. They’d play two sports per day with snack in the middle. Friday would be a free for all!

So, I showed up early each day so I could watch. She was having a blast!

Climbing with Coach Bridget as a warm up..

Volleyball fun!

 

Golf swingin’

They took a break from the sports to swing and not to fall into the alligator pit.

Finally a little hockey magic

They do such  great job at Sportball.

Thank you for a fun week and see you Tuesday in class!

As has been documented, Tatum’s friends happen to be mostly boys. And ALL of her playdates have been at others’ homes with BOYS! However, she does have many girlfriends! At school, she is making more and more friends, and some of them are yes, GIRLS!

Olivia is one such girl. Her mom is my age, and this makes it so much fun to spend time together.

Tatum had never had a little friend over to play with her toys, so I offered Olivia a playdate. Tatum was so excited to have a guest!

Tatum had a plan of what they would play with. Olivia had a different plan.

This was part of learning to play with a friend.

At one point, she enlisted Uli to play superhero.

Then Olivia joined in.

Watching those two was fun as they figured out each others’ likes.

We learned that when you have a guest, you allow them to go through your stuff and join in their likes. It was good for Tot to share her toys as well.

Fun times!

Blowing my mind lately!
I see now why I was so rigid and strict with her bedtime/rituals for four years. The fruit is now producing.

By 7pm, I’m ready for her to go to bed for me, not for her. Therefore, I attempted to test an idea.

I cannot control when she is tired and for me to say, “You must go to bed at 7pm,” well, that is not fair if she is just not tired. It also is a way for her to stay up a bit later without me being in the room involved with her.

We go through our bedtime rituals starting at about 6pm. Playing with Coti has to begin the fun, and then upon this whiz bang fun, we wind down with about five books. (sometimes more sometimes less). Then we pray, brush, pull-ups, and hug kiss goodnight.  She always wants me to tuck her in.

Then then then, I say, “OK honey, you may get out of bed and play if you’re not tired, but you MUST stay in your room. I’m not coming back in so this is your time and yours alone; I trust you!”

Guess what? It works like charm and is a win-win. I am “off the clock” by 7pm, she sleeps in a bit, and she also has a bit of fun with boundaries.

Tonight, she came to the doorway and said she was going to read. This is often what she does when she is in her room as I usually find over twenty books down by her bed.

Note:

So, she told me she was going to read her fairytale books. I hear her in her bed reading with such song in her voice. It’s music to my ears.

Her yelling, “I love you mommy! See you in the morning!” makes my heart sing. When she is finished, she’ll often say, “Mommy, I’m tired,” and she’ll turn off her light and go right to sleep. Disciplined.

Wow, I’m raising a little adult.

 

2017 has arrived. Every time a new year begins, we tend to reflect on lessons from the past, but more importantly, what hopes we can embrace and positive attitudes we can adopt.

It was quite timely that January 1st, Cinderella puppet show was playing.



Tatum, Mama and I decided to go. The show made me ponder some ideas for the new year.

1. Be true to yourself

I want Tatum to be all that God made her to be. Cinderella knew she was not a princess in title, but she knew deep down that she was worth more than what her step-family had made her to be. To be true to oneself means that you continue to check in with your motives and your heart and make sure they are aligned. As Tatum gets to know herself, she will be faced with opportunities to go outside of how God made her (perhaps temptations to be outside of God’s plan). It will be a that time that I pray she’ll look into her heart and see the princess that she truly is and make the right choices.

2.  Persevere with positive behavior when faced with negative circumstances

It wasn’t easy being ordered around with absolutely no grace or love from Cinderella’s step family. How did she act? She never wavered with her kindness. She obeyed. We are all faced with difficulties in life, and it is easy to complain and even disobey. However, what we can see from this story is that God always saw the injustice of it all. He saw that she remained true and honorable despite being treated with such disregard. This gives all of us hope as we know to stay the course and run the race God has designed for us even when it is so hard and life seems unfair. The story is not finished yet, and we have to have faith.

3. Love will find its way

Now, I’m not too concerned about Tatum finding her true love right now. However, in Cinderella, she never expected to find her destiny in the midst of such difficulties. We never know what is right around the corner. I have no idea what is in store for Tatum and her life, but I do know one thing: God is in control (not me). Love has found me and I was not at all looking or expecting. All I did was be me and be God’s child in my behavior and beliefs. I liken it to raising Tatum; I just do the best I can with God’s help, not expecting or doing it for a reward, but because it is right. What will come? Love? Blessings? I have no idea what it will look like, but if God’s in charge, it will be just perfect for Tatum.

Thank you Cinderella for teaching us some fine lessons for 2017

Also, the mice may come along, and what can we do? We rejoice in our sufferings too.

 

And even can be thankful for them because flowers always follow rain.

2017, we welcome you and we are ready to blast off!