Snow Day

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Snow Day

Friday Night

Friday night I set the scene.  Mike was running a tad late, yet the house was clean and Christmasy.  I opened a bottle of wine, arranged a colorful vegetable platter, turned on jazzy Christmas music, lit a mistletoe candle, touched up my make-up, had Ross at a friends’ house, while the girls were fed and happy watching Frosty the Snowman on NBC. 

I envisioned Mike walking in the door to tell me how nice the house looked and smelled, how desirable I was and we would enjoy a date night together at home laughing and having deep conversations about how we would save the world; or something like that.

This is actually what happened.   

Mike walked in the house.  Molly ran up and jumped on him while Maisie began bawling that she needed to pee and was scared of bad guys.  Mike then exclaimed that he needed to change his clothes immediately as his work shirt reeked of b.o. and would need to be boiled.  I asked what happened and he said a guy at work gave him some free deodorant and it didn’t have ‘antiperspirant’ in it. 
 

I began boiling water.

God, I love this man.

Aunt Heathers Hair

Ever since squirrel hunt weekend, Molly's been obsessed with Aunt Heathers hair.  Each time I straighten my hair a little more than normal or use a barrette, she responds, "You look like Aunt Heather!" Molly tells me each morning, "Make your hair like Aunt Heather."  Last night she told me how beautiful my hair looked... just like Aunt Heather.  This morning she asked If I'd do her hair like Aunt Heather.    I did my best and she felt gorgeous... just like her Aunt Heather. 

 

Here's to you Aunt Heather!

Time Does Not Stand Still

When the forecast for the week showed a drastic cold snap settling in, I decided I’d better get Molly to Whistle Stop Park once more before the season came to a close.  Tuesday was the day.  We didn’t have much time before Ross and Maisie would be coming home from school, yet it was important we made the effort.  Of course there were other kids playing when we arrived and Molly instantly became shy and mute.  During the ordeal, her puppy dog eyes pleaded with me to run across the bridge with her, climb the ladders, cargo net, and they even convinced me to go down the twisty slide with her sitting on my lap.  Needless to say, the twisty slide was not my finest moment and one of those moments that’ll make any mom feel like a giant amazon woman with no place to put her knees.  But those eyes are my weakness and time does not stand still.

After a while, the other kids left and it was just her and I.  She became comfortable with the place and was soon going the down twisty slide over and over again, by herself.   This got me wondering whether she’d go down the twisty slide on her own in the spring or if she’d need me go down with her.  That’s when it dawned on me that next spring, my baby… the last to leave my womb… will be 3 ½.  Why does that sound so old to me?  Why do I feel the urge to freeze time so my baby can keep going up and down the twisty slide with twinkles in her eyes and giggles coming directly from her heart? 

 

Time does not stand still.
 

As the cold air sets in, it once again becomes evident time will not stand still.   When the kids were much younger, this fact was a blessing.  I recall nights Mike had to travel with such dread.  The minutes seemed like hours and the nights felt like years.  All I could think of was putting the kids to bed to get the night over with. 

 

Time does not stand still.
 

Mike was gone again last night.  We played Operation, Outburst, MASH, listened to Ross and Maisie read books, made wishes on magic-wish-paper and closed the evening by turning off the lights and having a candle passing.  So ‘AGD’, I know, but I couldn’t resist.  It was one of those nights I couldn’t have planned, but am so glad happened. 

 

Time does not stand still. 
 

I know the day will come when Ross will be at basketball practice, Maisie will have a dress rehearsal and Molly will be babysitting. 

 

Time does not stand still.
 

My only wish is they remember these days with the same amount of tenderness and joy that I will. 

 

 

A game of MASH on the kitchen counter. 

 

Meanwhile, each time Molly see's this ad, she swears it's Daddy and Kratt.  

 

Were going with it.

Sisters

These are my girls.  They're sisters.  One big and one little. 

 So alike, yet so different.  Each unique in their own way.

 Maisie dances with such drama...as though she truly feels the music.   Molly just pats the top of her head.

 

 The moment I found out Molly was a girl, I was excited for Maisie.  She would forever have a playmate and best friend.  I was also excited for Molly.  She would also forever have a playmate and best friend. 

 

 It will be such fun to watch them grow-up together. 

 May they never forget the days of dancing on Grandma's fireplace hearth.

 

Don't ask how I got the bottom picture to do this.  I couldn't do it again if I tried.

A Little Show

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Thanksgiving Performance

Gratitude

School let out the Tuesday before Thanksgiving this year.  Let’s just say the kids couldn’t have been more thankful for the extra day off.  First on the agenda, well-child check-ups for Ross and Molly.  I haven’t taken 3 kids to the doctor by myself for quite a while and must have forgotten.  Forgotten they would fight over who got to lay on the exam table, that they would pull the stirrups out from under the exam table thinking they were phones, that they would dig through the drawers in the exam room, that they would leave the room in order to run up and down the hall spying on other patients, that someone would need to poop and that Ross would be shoving Maisie off the exam table just as the doctor made her entrance.   During the exam, Maisie found it hilarious when the doctor checked Ross and Molly’s privates and wouldn’t let it go.  When Maisie wouldn’t quit trying to climb on the exam table, I actually hauled her out to the hallway for timeout and shut the door.  Molly decided to join her and almost slammed her fingers in the door.  The doctor asked Molly to stay in the exam room where she completely fell apart, crying hysterically for the remainder of the appointment.  The good news… everyone’s growing normally, everyone received the flu mist, and I had a bottle of wine waiting for me at home.

 

I obviously felt the urge to be challenged Wednesday morning because I hauled the kids to Fareway.  Yes, I realize it’s the day before Thanksgiving, but I just couldn’t resist.  Plus, we wanted needed mint pudding.  Ross carried Molly around on his shoulders while Maisie straddled the cart basket.  Lots of stares, giggles and eye-rolls from customers only encouraged the giggly and crazy behavior.  As we rounded the corner by the hamburger buns, I spied our pastor.  Great, I look like a negligent parent whose kids skipped their meds this week.  He said ‘hello’ and smiled at the girls at about the same time Ross became visible from where he was laying perpendicular across the bottom of the cart (where you put cases of pop and dog food).  The pastor hollered, ‘Oh, hello down there Ross.’  Ross just waved at him while almost kicking a Goldfish Cracker display over with his foot. 

God save me.

Just as I was accepting the fact that I was going to hell, the Pastor caught up with me by the Hostess end-cap.  As he passed me, he looked over his shoulder to say, “Heidi, you’re a model for all of us.  You are full of poise and a true model to what being a good mom is.”

 

Of course I think I’m a good mom… of course I believe my parents, my in-laws and close friends think I’m a good mom.  But there something about hearing it from someone who doesn’t have to say it.  Someone who sees you in a true moment of hard-core parenting and appreciates your style and effort. 

A year ago, I gave thanks for all the good in my life.  At the time, I had no idea the upcoming year would bring the trials that came with it.  Yet, looking back I’m confident God needed me to experience Divine Goodness in the sense I was supposed to experience it.  And for that, words cannot express my gratitude.

 

I may not have gone were I intended to go, but I think I’ve ended up where I needed to be.   

Douglas Adams

 

Ross with his cat carrier...

Sweet Maisie with Blue Blankie...

Molly with her tongue...

And our Kratt.

 

From our family to yours, Happy Turkey Day!