Four was…
Our Everyday
Sharing our stories, big and small.
Posts from the “childhood” Category
When I first met you I gasped. You were beautiful.
You didn’t have stranger anxiety, you had “anybody but Mommy” anxiety. Your eyes would follow me around a room like a painting in a haunted house. Always searching for me, never calming until I was near.
Nothing marks the passing of time like children. With each new milestone and achievement comes excitement and sadness. Because as you move forward you always leave something behind.
I can’t slow them down but I can take an hour on a Sunday afternoon and make it last a lifetime.
Oliver’s Self Portrait, April 2014
I am four, almost five. My shoes sparkle and my party dress flatters even when I run. My hair flies free and falls in my face which I sweep away with the back of my hand. My smile reveals my slightly crooked bottom tooth which is correcting with age but I prefer silly faces.
Ten reasons why I hate Facebook:
- Regret my over zealous friend-ing of early Facebook days
- Drive-by socializing can leave you feeling empty
- The driveling comments of gratitude to friends and family. If you feel that strongly why not send them a thank you card? Easier yet, a personal email!
- Inundation of poor quality iPhone photos of kids with chocolate all over their face or something equally “adorable” that garners 80 Likes
“Like” me please!
- Save your love and thanks to Jesus and God for your prayers
- I really don’t care about who you’re cheering for, what the half-time score is, what the final score is and how happy or disappointed you are over your team winning or losing.
- Seeing all the lurkers emerge on their children’s birthdays
- If you love your boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife put the laptop or iPad or iPhone down, get your lazy ass up and go to the next room and tell them
- Relying on Facebook as a form of therapy. Do the 10 word comments really make you feel better? Pick up the phone and talk to one REAL friend and really feel better.
- The feeling of envy that washes over me when I see people doing fabulous things that I wish I were doing
Ten reasons why I like/accept Facebook:
- I am nosy
- Being inspired by the photography, writing and work of my friends
- The “Likes” and amazing comments I occasionally receive that cancel out all the things I hate about Facebook
- Seeing my real friends post photos of their kids with chocolate all over their face or something equally adorable
- Nothing like 100 comments of birthday wishes to make your day special!
- Birthday reminders so you won’t forget to return the love
- Seeing all the lurkers emerge on their children’s birthdays
- TBT
- Seeing all the delicious things friends are eating and drinking and cooking (salivating is a good thing)
- The feeling of envy that will wash over my “friends” as they see all the fabulous things I’m doing
Easter is about spring dresses, bonnets, collared shirts, baskets, colored eggs and the resurrection of Jesus Christ our savior. Easter, like every other holiday and non-holiday (can you believe Halloween isn’t a holiday?) is a reason to have a party.
With the lure of over two hundred eggs hidden the kids suffer our demands for photos and squeeze out the most genuine of smiles.
“Simple creative activities are some of the building blocks of child development”
– PBS
Before children can read or write they create art. They’ll paint, glue, cut, color and sticker many times over before they write their first letter. As adults we create art to convey what we desire while for children their art communicates exactly who they are, no pretense, no manipulation.
Lucas’ attempt to remove an unwanted sticker created a crack in his egg which prompted him to write “I got body pearst”. Creatively done he started nibbling at the crack. Appalled, I told him to stop eating his egg guy.
“You are evidence of your mother’s strength, especially if you are rebellious.”
– Criss Jami
Penny has inherited my tastes, my propensity for cavities and my love of art (I can only hope). She has also inherited a lifelong friendship. She will meet many people and she will make many friends over the upcoming years but to know what a lifelong friendship should look like, should feel like is the best gift I can give my daughter.
Our Everyday 