Things I Learn From My Kids
Wednesday, January 28, 2004
Monday is Shadow Day, when kids get to go to work with their parents and “shadow” them. I remember last Shadow Day very well. My oldest, Emma went to the office with me. About 10:00 am, I got a telephone call informing me that there was a bomb threat at our post office. Because of the location of the post office, any street that went anywhere was closed. I was going to take Emma to the dining facility for lunch, but we couldn’t get to either dining facility. We couldn’t get to the food court either. We spent the day in my office, just the two of us. I worked on the computer and she colored some pictures. At the end of the day she asked me if my job was always that boring. I wonder if she wants to try it again this year. My office is being renovated, so I just spend my days here and there since I don’t really have anywhere to go. Maybe I should shadow her, and go to 3rd grade.
Tuesday, January 27, 2004
Saturday, January 24, 2004
My PeeWee basketball team had their second game last night. It was my husband’s team, but amazingly, he always has to work on nights they have practice, so I took it over. We lost again, but I didn’t feel too bad about it. They have improved so much since their first game. Also, we played a pretty aggressive team. They would practically dog pile the kid with the ball. I told the parents that we would probably lose every game this season, because I will not teach our kids to do that. I won’t encourage them to slap it out of someone’s hands or pry it out of their arms. The parents agreed with me, so I appreciated that. And I know the kids won’t care if they lose every game. All that is important to them is that they get to put on a uniform, run around in the gym for an hour, and then have snacks.
Wednesday, January 21, 2004
We are trying to potty train our son RJ who will be two in February. This morning, he did very well. He went about 4-5 times, no problem. Then he came up to me as I was working at the computer and showed me that he had pooped, and it had fallen out of his underwear onto the floor. Nice. But that was only the beginning. With RJ, when he is tired of sitting on the pot, I need to just listen. When he gets tired of the potty training, he will dig a diaper out of the diaper drawer and bring it to me. Today, I blew him off. And I paid for it. I put a clean pair of underwear on him, and since Dad was on his way home, I even put clothes on RJ. I thought that maybe pants would also offer an incentive to use the potty. Nope. RJ can pee in pants just like he can pee in underwear. So now we are up to the third pair. He peed them too, just to spite me because he went just a few minutes after I set him on the potty. Now he just has on a shirt. I was rocking Hattie (the baby) while RJ stood next to my chair showing me pictures in a magazine. Suddenly, I felt something splattering on my foot. HE PEED ON THE CHAIR!!! Just like it was the thing to do. He didn't even stop chattering while he did it. Tomorrow I am spreading news papers on the floor.
Tuesday, January 20, 2004
My husband has a blog, so I guess I need one too. I have been able to spend a lot of time with my kids lately, and have enjoyed it so much. Today as I drove my second oldest (Jamie) to basketball practice, I realized how much I could learn from them, if I paid enough attention to what they say. Jamie said, I wish I could just be, like, 21. I told her that she will grow up fast enough and she needs to enjoy being a little girl while she can. I told her, look at me, I am almost 30 and haven't really done anything. She said, well, you rock the babies, and change diapers. She is right. I have done things, great things. I have four beautiful, smart, healthy children. If I do nothing else but raise them right so they grow up to be good people, than I have done something wonderful.
