Being a Mom

There are times when it's easier to be a mom than when it's not. The easy times are for playing FishVille, movie nights, watching episodes of Phineas and Ferb, and giving baths. The hard times are piano practicing, dinner times when you can't convince Asa to eat anything, endless repetition of the same episode of "Boots," Xandri telling you that she didn't do her math, or that she needs to read a book, or that she has lost her home reading book, all after the magic number of 8 pm when she's in her jammies and supposed to be in bed...

Of course these always happen on my Adventures in Mothering nights. These rarely happen on the nights when John is home. Magically, when John is home, the children behave like angels. Jack and Max retire to their room (where Jack seems to magically confine Max to his bed, I think). There isn't sound proofing in the floor, so I know he doesn't hog-tie him, and there's no seat belt... Max does seem to quickly drop off to sleep. Now, in Asa and Xandri's room, it takes much, much longer for sleep to happen, which means it never happens anywhere near 8pm.

All in all, I must say that if there were awards for mothering, I won't be getting any. However, I think I should be going to rewards for piano playing, room cleaning, dinner-eating, and homework-performing. I think I'd get somewhere. I was investigating what was in the bottom of my closet this morning looking for my shoes (to  match my clothes, you know), and I found a red cowboy hat that I thought would look ideal on Asa's head, and some Tinker Bell  stickers that I thought Xandri might like... Bribery I think might work. I might go looking for what else I have stashed in the closet. I think there's another book in there for Xan and I remember buying Cars stickers for Asa. 7 days of piano lessons for both of them a week...

Alyxandria Pyper

Once Upon A Time... there was a princess who turned 7 and had 7 little girls over for a party and that's all she asked for as a present. They watched Barbie's Thumbelina, made bracelets (where there weren't enough letters to spell everyone's name properly), and put frosting on cupcakes. They got frosting all over themselves, wiped it off with baby wipes, and used lots of cup cake sprinkles.

Things a mama learns at a party:
1. All 7 year old girls are not alike.
2. Some little girls like parrots. That is a universal mystery to all mothers.
3. Some little girls like to make necklaces instead of bracelets.
4. Some little girls want to make necklaces and bracelets.
5. Some little girls want to make neither bracelets nor necklaces.
6. Little girls scream. A lot.
7. Little girls ask you if you think they are the teacher if you call them "Miss Cambri." They also think you are silly.
8. Little girls like to chase each other and play tag at least as much as little boys.
9. Little girls are just as mean as little boys, perhaps more so.
10. My little girl is easily embarrassed, and very silly. She reminds me a lot of me.

Her favorite gift was the MAKE UP that the mom from up the street gave her. Remind me to tell the mom she's a gem. ;o)

It was a lovely party, and Xandri was thrilled that we actually bought her a present, too. Max tried to poke his fingers into her cinnamon rolls and he tried to touch the flames on her candles and blow them out before she got a chance at that. He's so much fun at two that I've decided he should stop being two now and move along to three. I'm done with the terribles, now.

Happy Birthday, Xanadu! She's no longer Xandria-Popper-Thippen!! She's all grown up! She's taking her favorite Little Debbie pink Valentine snack-cakes to school for her sharing treat. Having a birthday during the school year means you get to celebrate it for several days in a row. We're having the family over for Family Home Evening cake and ice cream. Let them all eat cake!