Thursday, December 22, 2011

How I know I'm a Mum

I adore Mama Kat.....I think I secretly want to be Mama Kat.....I may start to stalk Mama Kat......she's funny, she's talented, she's fearless....I pale in comparison to her.......

Her writing workshop has snapped me out of my "I'm not writing anymore!" funk....thanks Mama Kat!!! I heart you!!!!

So without further ado, I give you prompt #1 as inspired by Mama Kat's Pretty Much World Famous Writer's Workshop....

You know you're a mother when...
You can't remember the last time you ate a "hot" meal
You can't find your wallet but when your child asks you where her little baby tiger (which is smaller than my wallet and not as important) she was playing with last week is, you know just where she left it
You find the empty silly putty egg but don't get upset
You find the silly putty a week later stuck to a blanket on the couch in the basement and still don't get upset
You find more silly putty stuck to your back which was stuck to the chair but you still don't get upset
You replace said silly putty with more
You find rocks and acorns and little toy figurines in your dryer

You know you're a mother when.....
You arrive at work only to discover that you have spit up/boogers/milk/your child's breakfast somewhere on your shirt/pants/hair and or purse
You find random bits of food, toys, stickers and crayons in your purse, pockets, desk drawer and sometimes your hair...stickers in your hair.....how does that happen?
You listen to the soundtrack from Yo Gabba Gabba when you are without your child...as a matter of fact, you are at work...and singing along.....and have your co-workers singing the songs as well
You rock out to Yo Gabba Gabba in the car...with the windows down...on purpose

You know you're a mother when...
Bodily functions and fluids no longer freak you out/gross you out/phase you at all
In a crises situation, you are the calmest person in the room....but after the fact, you lose your shit
You don't think twice about wiping away boogers from a child's nose with your sleeve...even if the child is not your own
You hear a child cry out and like a St Bernard, you seek out and save said child...even if that child is not yours
You walk into a room and automatically scan for potential hazards...like plates teetering on the edge of a counter, a tray of cheese with a knife on a coffee table, a brick hearth, or potential weapons

You know you're a mother when....
You wear a macaroni necklace as if its the Hope Diamond
Your most prized possession is a seashell found on the beach and decorated with stickers for you
You hang her artwork on your walls as if they were original Monets
You treasure every moment you have with her, but look forward to time alone with your husband
You think she is the smartest wittiest kid in the world...second only to yourself when you were that age
You think she is the most beautiful child in the world...even though she is covered in green paint, has dirty knees, sand in her shoes and boogers running down her face
You watch her while she sleeps and want nothing more to stay and snuggle with her despite the laundry that needs to be done, the floor that needs to be washed, the toys that need to be picked up and the bathrooms that need to be cleaned

You know you're a mother when...
You dread the day she leaves home....and she's only 2
You worry about the other kids in the third grade liking her....and she's only 2
You worry about her being picked on or being the picker on....and she's only 2
You worry about her passing chemistry and algebra...and she's only 2
You hope she gets into the college she really wants to go to.,..and she's only 2
You worry about losing weight for her wedding....and she's only 2
You worry about her moving away from you once she's married ..and she's only 2
You worry about her having to take care of you when you're old and gray and know that she will...but she's only 2

You know you're a mother when that little person looks at you and says Mama, I love you! and your heart melts and tears fill your eyes as you hug her with all your might and she giggles into your neck and you hope this feeling never ends

You know you're a mother when that little person looks at you and says Mama, you make me so happy! and that feels better than anything ever has and you hope this feeling never ends

You know you're a mother when that little person looks at you and smiles....and says not a word but somehow, you are complete......and as happy and blessed as you will ever be ...and you know this feeling will never end

Maria the Mum

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

He wrote back!

A couple weeks ago, Lucy wrote a letter to Santa. Well, this morning, when we awoke and went searching for Peter (her Elf on a Shelf), we discovered that he returned from the North Pole with something from Santa.....it seemed Santa had written back to Lucy!!!!

Lucy climbed up into her chair and we pulled out of the envelope a two page handwritten letter from Santa himself! It read like this:

Lucy,

What a nice surprise to receive your letter! And I’m so glad I got to see you on the Polar Express…I understand you really enjoyed your hot chocolate. Are you taking good care of your bell?

I wanted to let you know that I’ve been talking to Peter and he tells me you’ve been a pretty good girl. Growing up is hard and I know that sometimes you forget to use your words….and sometimes, it is hard to do what Mummy and Daddy ask but we’re very pleased that you are trying so hard. Your Mum and Dad are very proud of you as well; I hope you never forget how much they love you and what joy you bring to their lives. 
Now, about your letter……I understand you would like some animals for Christmas…..I believe you asked for a tiger and a lion? Hmm, a tiger and a lion. It’s been a long time since a little girl has asked me for those things…..

I love that you love animals so much. I myself am quite fond of polar bears though Mrs Claus keeps telling me I can’t bring anymore to the North Pole to live with us as they are getting too big for the house! But I ask her where else will they go? They like the snow and the cold and that’s what we have here in the North Pole!
So…..a tiger for Lucy and a lion for Baby Jesus….. We’ll have to see what Santa can do….I may have to work some magic.

Lucy, I hope all your wishes and dreams come true. In the meantime, mind your manners, love your Mum and Dad as they love you and don’t forget to Believe!
God Bless you Lucy Ellen Sykes and Merry Christmas

Love Santa

She couldn't even believe it! A handwritten letter from Santa delivered by Peter.....all she could do was grin.....and then demand to be let out of her chair....with a kick of her donkey legs and a whine...and then a yell.....oh well, it was beautiful for the moment it lasted.....
Maria the Mum

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Dear Santa

As inspired by Mama Kat: Write an open letter to Santa

Dear Santa,

I know I'm a bit late in getting this to you but I hope you will honor my requests

I don't want diamonds or jewels
I don't want a new car, a new house or even new clothes
I don't fancy anything gold or silver or platinum

Instead, here is what I want for Christmas:

I want Lucy to always believe...in you, in me, in her Dad and in Faith, Hope and Love
I want Lucy to know I am proud of her
I want Lucy to have as much joy in her life as she has brought to mine
I want Lucy to know that at the end of the day, no matter what, her Mum and Dad will always be there for her
I want Lucy to know that everything her Dad and I do, we do for her.
I want Lucy to grow up knowing we will not always give her what she wants but we will always make sure she has what she needs
I want Lucy to know that what she needs more than anything is our love - and she has more of it today than she did yesterday but not as much as she'll have tomorrow
And lastly, I want Lucy to know that her dreams will always come true even if only in her heart

I know that's a pretty long list Santa but I have just a couple more things:

I want Sean to know I love and appreciate him more than I sometimes remember to say
I want Sean to know that I am proud of him
I want Sean to know that I support him - no matter what I may sometimes think, do or say, he will forever and always have my support
I want Sean to know he makes me happy - and I am eternally grateful for that

And finally Santa, my last request is not for me, but for you:

I want you to know Santa that I will always appreciate the happiness you have brought into my life....you have made me happy for as long as I can remember

We may not speak throughout the year and for a couple years, we may have lost touch but you have always come back to see me no matter where I am...and now you are there for Lucy....what better gift could I ask for?

I know that the Advent is a time of preparation for the coming of the Baby Jesus
And I know Christmas marks the birth of Baby Jesus...it is all about Baby Jesus becoming a part of our lives....and us becoming a part of His.....and I love that Jesus is a part of my life - but I love you too Santa! I love what you bring to the Christmas season!

I love that you can make little kids smile with a crinkle of your nose and a wink of your eye
I love the sound of your sleigh bells and the clomping of the reindeer's hooves
I love that kids believe in you so fiercely that they take time to write you letters and clamor to sit upon your lap
I love that you dare to wear a big red velvet coat trimmed with white fur and somehow, you pull it off!
I love that you embrace your "curves" and work hard to keep your belly just like a bowl full of jelly so we know its really you
I love that the mere mention of your name makes kids giggle and laugh and jump up and down giddy with anticipation

Just as Jesus is Christmas, so are you......for what is Christmas without my belief in Jesus and you?

So my last wish Santa is that you know how much I believe in you...
And how much Lucy believes in you......
And that you will promise to come back year after year...........
And I promise to look for you year after year........and leave you a plate full of snickerdoodles, Swedish butter cookies and a handful of M&Ms.

Thanks again for all the love and joy

Merry Christmas and Godspeed Santa -

Love
Maria the Mum

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

I OK Mama

When Lucy first moved into her bed, we put a gate up at her door - more to keep her from stumbling down the stairs in a sleepy stupor than to keep her in her room. About a month or so ago, I was putting Lucy to bed and went to put the gate in place. She was sitting in her bed, surrounded by Plex, Muno, Brobee, Foofa, Toodee and at least two puppy dogs and Wilbur the whale when she says to me in her most demure tone:

Mama....please don't put the gate up....it make me cry (it has never once made Lucy cry)
What do you mean honey? What do you mean the gate makes you cry?
The gate makes me sad Mama......please don't put it up...it make Lucy sad.......
She tilts her head to the side and hugs Wilbur to her chest...
.....please Mama???
OK Lucy, no gate, I don't want you to be sad....but you have to stay in your bed okay?
Okay Mama!

And to her credit, that night, she did stay in her bed....and she did for the next few nights....then she started to sneak into our room...
Sometimes she comes to our room at 1 in the morning, sometimes at 4 in the morning and sometimes she never comes in - but we have never put the gate back up.....

So a couple weeks ago, Lucy was sick. She had a terrible cough and was full of mucus. We hate it when she gets these deep wet coughs; there's nothing we can really do for her and, we have that kid who when she cries or coughs really hard (while sick), she throws up.

I had been up with her for three nights so on this particular evening, when she went down as early as she did, I too went to bed early. Sean retreated downstairs to do some work and I fell asleep almost the moment my head hit the pillow.

Around 10pm, I sort of remember hearing Lucy start to cough and then cry out. Then I heard a whole bunch of commotion...coughing, crying, Sean calling out, running up the stairs....... but I still had not moved...I think I thought I was dreaming.

All of a sudden, I hear Lucy wailing really loudly and my eyes open to see Lucy standing next to me crying.
Tears are running down her face and her whole body is heaving with sobs.
Her nose is running right into her open mouth and she is just wailing to save her life.
Before I can shake off the cobwebs, Lucy vaults into a coughing fit which makes her cry harder....
..................and then next thing I know, she leans over me in the bed and throws up on my face.......

And then informs me

I OK Mama. I snuggle with you?

Maria the Mum

Ghosts, Turkeys, Santa and Baby Jesus

Not sure where I have been the last few weeks - we've been terribly busy at work and are in a constant state of rush once we get home. Sean has been working EVERY night on a new side project and who knows what the hell I'm wandering around doing....laundry, lunches, clean up, a bit of office work...

Our weekends seem to go in slow motion and by Sunday, we wonder where the weekend went and why we did not get anything done.

Truthfully, we need a vacation. We've not taken a proper vacation this year and I think it will do us a world of good....so we're trying to hang on until the week of Christmas...we both have that week off and I am looking forward to it more than you know

Halloween came and went - and we had a blast.
We made ghosts and pumpkins and hung them from the ceiling in the kitchen and living room.
The ghosts and pumpkins were decorated with stickers, glitter, buttons and pom poms......all carefully and lovingly placed by Lucy.

We carved pumpkins and again, Lucy's favorite part was cleaning out the pumpkin guts.....and teasing (read terrorizing) her Dad with them because Sean HATES pumpkin guts....pumpkin guts gross him out as much as throw up grosses him out...actually, he deals better with throw up than he does with pumpkin guts.....

Lucy and I then proceeded to have a food fight with said pumpkin guts....
By the time we were done, we were both covered in stringy orange goo and pumpkin seeds...and so was the table, the chairs, the floor, the walls....there were even a couple splashes on the ceiling.
It took me 20 minutes to get it all out of Lucy's hair but her screeches of laughter and joy were totally worth it


Sean busted out a pumpkin with Lighting McQueen on it for Lucy and she was ever so impressed - told everyone who stopped by and admired it that it was "My pumpkin...Daddy made it for ME (emphasized with a tilt of her head, eyes upward to the sky and her thumb pointed to her chest)"

Lucy was an elephant for Halloween.....I told everyone she was a Republican but very few people got that joke....

The weekend after Halloween, we did our Thanksgiving decorations. We decided to leave the pumpkins up we had made for Halloween and made some turkeys and leaves to go with them. We put stickers on some of the turkeys and glued feathers on others and hung up the leaves and turkeys from the ceiling with the pumpkins.

Cousins De and Brad came for breakfast that Sunday and Brady decided he would flip on the ceiling fan thinking it would be cool to see the turkeys blowing in the breeze...and it would have been except one of the turkeys was pretty close to the fan and it end up ripping the turkey off the ceiling and sending it across the room. Poor Brad looked like he was going to pass out - Lucy just yelled out:

Oh! My turkey! My turkey!

To this day, if we mention Cousin Brad, Lucy says Cousin Brad who broke my turkey?

Thanksgiving was a quiet affair. We worked Wednesday and I had to work Friday. So for the first time ever, we had a Sykes Family Thanksgiving...just the three of us. We got up, made turkey cupcakes (we frosted chocolate cupcakes, piped on a head, used Mike and Ike's for the tail, white and black gel and chocolate chips for the eyes and candy corn for the beak....looked awesome).
We watched the Macy’s Day Parade (Lucy loved it but was annoyed with the number of commercials), and the Dog Show. We made dinner, ate dinner, played outside, took a drive...forgot to eat dessert and ended the day watching Charlie Brown's Halloween special.

We're now gearing up for Christmas.

Lucy begins each morning by flying down over the stairs to find her Elf on a Shelf she lovingly named Peter. And as soon as she finds him, she yells and points:

There's Peter! Peter's back! He went to see Santa! In the North Pole!

She'll ask Peter how his trip was, how Santa is, when did he get back...Peter never answers...not that we can hear anyway
 
We went up to Rockport a couple weekends ago and watched Santa arrive by boat at Motif Number One. Lucy could not even believe she was standing so close to Santa - and when they made eye contact and he waved at her, the smile on her face was worth more than I'll ever be able to put into words.

This past weekend, we ventured up to Portland and went for a ride to the North Pole on the Polar Express. Lucy could not have been more excited -  the week preceding our adventure, she told anyone and everyone she was going on the Polar Express to see Santa.

We did see Santa and to Lucy's credit, she totally kept her cool....she did not freak out and cry or go all Buddy the Elf on us. Instead, she eyed Santa the way one would eye a celebrity standing in line behind them at the grocery store...sort of did a double take and gave a slight nod to acknowledge Yeah, I know who you are, what about it.....

However, when she was handed her bell (which is part of the story) she totally dorked out!

A bell! A bell! I got a bell!

We drove home with the bell in her clutches, she went to sleep that night with the bell in her clutches...she woke us up Sunday morning with the bell in her clutches....

We have made the rounds in the neighborhood showing people her bell....she was gagging to take it to school but we convinced her that would not be such a great idea as we did not want it to get lost.....but we had to take a picture of her holding said bell so she could show Ali and Rika!

Lucy also wrote her letter to Santa (and by that I mean of course she dictated it to me)

It read like this:

Dear Santa

My name is Lucy Ellen Sykes...did you already know my name?

I was wondering if you could bring me some animals for Christmas.

I just want a tiger. I love tigers 'cause tigers is orange and orange is my color.

Could you also bring a lion for Baby Jesus? It his birthday and he likes lions.

We're having cake for Baby Jesus, chocolate cake......you want some Santa?

Thanks Santa, have a good trip, be careful!

I love you
Lucy

PS thanks for Peter!

She is totally into the Santa thing but also totally gets its Baby Jesus’ birthday and she has been quite sweet about it. We've planned a party for Baby J on Christmas Eve: cake, balloons and maybe, Lucy says, he'll get a lion like Lucy asked.....!!!!

I’m sure he will Lucy, I'm sure he will............

Maria the Mum