My Feisty Girl (T-R-O-U-B-L-E)

I have to tell you my 7 year old daughter gives me a run for my money...daily! She is chock full of stubbornness, feistiness and pure gumption. In other words, piss and vinegar. There I said it. Funny thing is she's also sweet, loving, kind and empathetic (though not in this time). She can be as sweet as an angel or as evil as the devil. She drives me crazy at times (honestly, both my kids do) but I wouldn't have it any other way. The traits that push me to the brink of sanity now will be her saving grace when she gets older. She's in the process of learning how to use them properly and if she uses them for good instead of evil she will go a long way in life. I have faith that she will.


All that being said I just have to share some interesting tidbits that have come out of her cute little mouth the last week or so.

First off...remember that prehistoric bug I posted a picture of here? If so then you remember her reaction to it after grandpa swatted it off the tarp. She took a stick to that disgusting thing. When she was done bits and pieces of it were mashed into the grass. Ick! Ironic that she loves most bugs (see my post here). I was partly proud and partly grossed out. She took glee in smashing it. A bit twisted I think. She was proud that she smooshed it. Good thing I know that is not her overall personality. I was like, "It's dead honey, you can stop now.". I believe she liked the fact that she wasn't creeped out by it and I was. It was the thing nightmares are made of. I think the "boy" in her came to the surface at that point. My husband swears that there are times she acts more like a boy than our son. No knocks on him but as I said, she's feisty. She stands up for herself and what she believes in. She is rough and tumble when needed and defends herself well. It's a little misguided at times but we try hard to keep her on track. Thinking back I do laugh out loud. You have to picture this pretty, tiny little girl who barely weighs 37 lbs wet beating this little insect with a stick. It's too much.

We were all sitting around the table Sunday afternoon during lunch and she's telling her Daddy about it. She's like, "Daddy, bugs don't scare me. If I see them I'll punch them in the face and smoosh their brains.". Oh my god, I think his eyes popped out of his head. I think he was stunned and proud of her funny candor all at once. She just went on and on because we all busted out laughing.

It all started because there was a fly in the house and it was annoying her. She told him (daddy) not to worry that she would just punch it in the head so it would stop. I'm sure to some this seems a bit psychotic but you need to hear and see to understand. She's really playing to her audience. When we laugh, snicker or give her that "what is wrong with you" look she just embellishes more. She is a character. She definitely takes after daddy with her warped sense of humor. Dancer girl (my stepdaughter) was just laughing her pants off. I tell you the girls are just like daddy. They like to get people to laugh and will find the way that works best for their audience.

I'm telling you this girl is going to be a handful. Um, well she kinds already is but I'm in denial. Well maybe not since I just admitted to it. She's got the looks and the personality. She is already trying out the bat your eyes at a boy trick. She tries it with daddy and sometimes it works. She claims it works on her boy friends at school. She is precocious and sweet. She's tough as nails. I pity any boy she sets her sights on or any boy that sets his sights on her. Poor thing is going to be in for the ride of his life...I sure hope it's a good one.

I'm going to change her name to T-R-O-U-B-L-E!!

Hang on tight it's going to get wild around here!! Be afraid, be very afraid because I sure am.

My Birthday Boy's Birth Story

I sit here thinking back to 9 years ago when my oldest was born. It was such an amazing day. I was both nervous and scared to be bring a new life into the world. I hoped and prayed I would be a good mom. I was terrified of the unknown from birth on. I was so scared about going into labor. The only thing that overrode my fears was the fact that I could not wait to meet the amazing child I had growing inside my body.

I'm still amazed I even willingly got pregnant. I swore I would never have a baby. Not because I didn't like children but because I was terrified of pain, needles and the thought of pushing a baby out of my va-jayjay. I liked kids well enough. I babysat A LOT from the time I was 11 until 16. I figured one day, far down the road I would probably adopt. My husband changed my mind easily. I was eager to create a new life that was part of both of us. I sucked it up and got through all the tests, the needles, the poking, the prodding and exposing myself monthly (then weekly) to doctors. Somehow, even after everything, I'm still modest and hate being check out "down there". Funny I know but that's just me.

I suffered all day morning sickness from the very moment I realized I was pregnant. I got violently ill right before Thanksgiving and I just knew. My husband had to work Thanksgiving morning so I ran to the local CVS to buy a pregnancy test and a card that read Congratulations You're a Father! Thanksgiving dinner was just the two of us because we had no family nearby at the time. It was a disaster because my (first ever) turkey wouldn't cook. So we just ate sides for dinner. I ducked into the bathroom before dessert and took the test. I didn't realize at the time that they work best first thing in the morning but that didn't seem to matter. It showed I was indeed Pregnant!! So, when I came out I served dessert and while we were snuggling on the couch I gave him the card. The shock and joy that crossed his face in those first few seconds said it all. I was nervous and excited. What did I know about being a mom?! Well, there was no looking back.  It was time to look forward and plan to welcome  new life into the world in nine short months.

Some how I survived morning sickness...lots of wheat thins, triscuts, grapes and baby carrots. I had that damn nausea all day long from the beginning until about a month before he was born. Too bad that isn't the good news it sounds like. Once the morning sickness ended I THEN had constant acid reflux 24/7 until 24 hours AFTER he was born. I still remember begging the labor nurse to tell me that once he was born that it would end and she told me yes. She LIED!! I was so upset at the time I almost cried. I just wanted to eat real food and enjoy it for once in a long time.

On the evening of July 22nd my first contraction hit. He was due on July 24th but if I didn't go into labor by the afternoon of the 23rd my doctor was going to induce me. I had been S-L-O-W-L-Y dilating since the end of June and my cervix was about 90% effaced the week before. My first contraction hit at 10:30 p.m. while I was on the phone talking to my dad and giving him directions to our new place. We had moved an hour away from where we had lived when I had first gotten pregnant.  He was driving up the next day...it would be a six hour drive for him.  My mom had been staying with us and helping me out for the last three weeks.  I am so grateful she was there for me.  Five minutes after the first contraction hit the second followed. I quickly hung up the phone, ran to the bathroom and puked my late night dinner.I still remember we were watching that baseball movie with Freddie Prinz Jr and Jessica Beil.  Some details are so clear.
After that I called the doctor and we left immediately for the hospital. My mom had a history of quick labors as did her mom. I had forewarned my OB so we were in agreement that I should head out. Since I refused to change doctors after moving we had an hour drive ahead of us.  It was my first child and I wanted to go through labor with the doctor I trusted.  I was tempting fate.  That drive during the daytime could have easily taken two hours or more during rush hour.  That route is extremely.  I thank God that I went into labor in the late evening hours.  I fear I would've made the news otherwise by giving birth in the car on the freeway.

We made it to the hospital by 11:45. My normally calm husband was a bit tense because my contractions were strong, steady and getting closer together. I'd say he was a bit freaked out. I had sworn I wouldn't ask for a wheelchair when I got the hospital but man did those contractions change my mind really quick. There was no way I was going to be able to walk to the elevator or anything!  Wheelchair it was!

My doctor took FOREVER to get there.  Meanwhile I was settled into a birthing room.  The doctor on duty finally came in to check me around  12:20/12:30.  At that point she announced I was 9 1/2 centimeters dilated and (her words) bulging!  The only thing keeping him is was the fact that somehow my water had yet to break.  All I know is I had been fighting the urge to push for a while.  Not knowing, I just thought I had to poop.  I kept worrying I was going to poop on the table. Seriously.  Now I understand that the feeling was actually the urge to push the baby out of my body.  The doctor said not to push.  HA!  I tried to be accommodating while thinking she was nuts.  I agreed to try.  What was I thinking?!  I guess my mouse side was showing and I didn't want to call attention to myself.  Crazy me.  Pregnant women in the middle of hard labor are pretty attention getting. 

My mom was there holding my hand as the contractions kept coming.  I was so glad she could be there for my first child.  My husband and her really helped.  I knew my husband wanted to watch the birth so I counted on my mom's support up by my head.  He is so fascinated by the whole process.  He told me he was glued to it when his first daughter was born.  Amazingly he was able to multitask and comfort me while watching the show.  He held my other hand, reassuring me with each contraction while taking glimpses of my body giving birth.  I'm so glad he got to experience the whole thing again.  I didn't want to deny him of that miracle.

Good thing I hadn't opted for drugs of any kind because there wouldn't have been any time.  Honestly, the decision to labor drug free was once again my fear of needles.  I hate pain but I hate needles more.  Go figure.  I was worried they would come in to administer the epidural and I'd puke or flinch.  Yep, wasn't going to chance it. Not less than two minutes after the doctor left I came to the conclusion (with my mom's help) that the baby was coming and there was no waiting.  I needed to push.  My body refused to take no for an answer.  My mom is not the outspoken type yet she opened that door and demanded the doctor come back because our baby was coming whether she liked it or not.

The doctor listened thank goodness.  She rechecked me and broke my water.  My doctor made it minutes after that.   She barely had time to scrub up and get into position.  My son was born two pushes later.  It should have been one push but he had a huge head (90th percentile).  We welcomed Goalieboy into the world at 12:51 a.m. July 23rd, 2002.  He was 7 lbs. 1.8 oz, 20 1/2 inches long.  His head was 13 1/4 inches and it ripped me when I pushed him out.  It was over so quickly.  I felt every stitch of that episiotomy and the shot with the numbing meds was extremely painful on that sensitive swollen area.  It hurt almost more than those pushes.  Seriously!

Looking back I remember all the feelings rushing at me.  I was overwhelmed, happy and terrified scared.  I was so nervous about being responsible for this tiny human being. Somehow, I pushed past it all.  From the moment of his conception I have loved him.  He is my world and I would do anything for him.  He may drive me insane more often than not and I may question myself as a parent at times.  But that's part of parenting.  Parenting has no instruction manual.  We learn as we go, by trial and error.  I've learned to trust my maternal instinct as they are usually right. 

I love my boy.  He will always be my baby (even as the oldest).  I have no regrets.  I don't always make the right decisions and neither does he but we are in it together.  I wouldn't change a thing.

Men need a Good Woman and Women need good Friends

A recent study by the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences in Toronto shows that married men live longer than single men. It stated that men who were married or in a common-law relationship were less likely to die from heart attack or stroke and to live longer.  They were also more likely to regularly see their physician.  Hmmm.... are  you really surprised?  Come on now, be honest.  Nah, I didn't think you were surprised at this finding either.  I actually snickered when I heard about this on the news.  Seriously, single men don't take care of themselves like the wives of  married men do.   Not being mean, just brutally honest.  Hate to say it but this was good money wasted.  Seriously, those funds could have been spent supporting education or researching cures for diseases.

Fact is women tend to live longer than men.  Married men longer than single men.  And widowers who remarry within a few years of their wife's death live longer than widowers who never remarry.  Why you may ask?  I believe the answer is as simple as the woman behind the man.  Let's face it, men don't take care of themselves properly.  The don't eat right and they don't like to go to the doctor.  They don't emotionally unburden themselves often enough.  Yes, I'm generalizing but it's true that the majority of men just don't think about their personal, mental and emotional needs like a woman does.

Woman are caregivers by nature.  We are nurturers.  It's in our genetic make-up to make sure everyone is healthy, happy and productive.  If you don't take care of yourself either we'll do it or nag you to death until you do it for yourself.  Sound familiar?  I hate to admit it but the truth is I'm a nagger.  I wasn't before I got married and I hate that I've become one.  I have to be in my household of stubborn big and little people.  I always ask first and if you don't act quick enough I'll keep it up until you finally do it just to shut me up.  I try to use my nagging powers for good and not evil, though I know it slips in there from time to time.

For example, back in October I suggested several times that my husband go to the doctor when he continuously complained about his allergies.  His head was stuffed, his ears were clogged, his throat hurt, he coughed, he sneezed, his eyes were red and then his lips started getting tingly.  When that last symptom showed up he finally listened.  After a battery of tests it was determined that he has severe outdoor allergies and a few indoor.  He had what is called a "mast" reaction.  Thank goodness with a heavy dose of steroids (including a shot) he was able to get it under control.  The doctor said it could have been much worse if he had continued to ignore it.  I would like to believe it is with my help and support that he continues to be healthy and happy. 

What keeps me going is my family and friends.  I think this is true for most women.  We build a strong network of woman we can turn to in a time of need.  We have different networks to meet different needs.  I truly believe this is why woman live longer.  We always have someone we can talk to during emotional times.  We have a group of friends who listen willingly and offer advice or just a shoulder when needed.  We don't bottle our feelings up as much and are freer with our emotion.  Also, we keep ourselves healthy because we are the emotional cornerstone of our families.  We worry about what would happen if we weren't there to take care of them.

I have a few close trusted friends that I share everything.  I rely on them for emotional support.  Obviously, I rely on my husband too but there are times when he has so much on his overflowing plate that I don't want to burden him.  These ladies I can trust to keep my confidences.  My circle widens out to include other types of friendships.  I have some that I turn to for "mom" questions, others for educational help and others who are fun just to hang out with and chat the time away.  These circles overlap and change with time and situation.  As I grow older I've become more mature in picking my friends.  I pick and chose my close friends more wisely.  Unfortunately, woman are dramatic by nature and some more than others.  I try to avoid those that need to be the center of attention and will do anything to attain it.  I've been there done that too often and the emotional upheaval I've had to deal with in the aftermath is so not worth it. 

As I come closer to 40 I know who my true friends are.  I cherish them and what they add to my life.  I appreciate what I have and feel honored to have such good friends who are there for me.  I have the best IRL (in real life) and online friends who keep me grounded.  I am honored to have each and every one of them in my life.  I am a better person because of my friends.

Remember to let your friends know how much they mean to you!

And for my male friends, Remember...

~Behind every good man is a woman ready to smack him into place if he doesn't toe the line.~ 

These Things Happen

The day started off with a horrid sight . This "thing" was literally clinging to the side of the tarp covering our kiddie pool. Man did I freak out! I was think what the hell is this scary looking prehistoric insect?! I wanted to run screaming the other way. I have to admit I was screaming, "What the f*ck is that!!" inside my head. I couldn't freak out and scare the kids though. I've never seen an insect so hideous and there are many out there, but not on this level of scary. It was off the freaking charts! I calmly asked Little Bee to go get Grandpa. He told me it was a cicada, like I should know what the heck that is.

Ironically, my daughter had no fear. She's a bug loving freak! My dad knocked it off the tarp because there was no way I was doing it. He announced it was dead. Thank the Lord! I just wanted it gone from sight. Little Bee took a stick and wacked the crap out of it. It was indeed deceased. I fear she enjoyed it a little too much. She was like, "It's dead mommy. I smooshed it." Eeewwwww!!!!! Good thing you're my little girl or I may have had to reconsidered a few things. Ironic that it freaked my son out too. As much as we drive each other nuts, we are too peas in a pod.

The rest of the morning and afternoon went fine. The kids swam and had a great time playing together. We ended the day at the ice rink. Perfect at the end of a scorching, humid day. The night however was a kicker. We got home from the rink at 9:30 only to find the power out all over town. I found out later that whatever happened effected several towns and over 3,500 homes.

The house was already warm and humid because I had turned the air conditioners off when we left at 4:30. I used my cell phone's flashlight app (a life saver!) to walk through the house gathering up flashlights, candles and such. I placed a few candles around the living room, two in my bedroom and two more in the bathroom. Goalieboy wanted to sleep in Little Bee's bottom bunk, so that helped the sleeping situation. Daddy was out of town on business and I really didn't want them crowding me in our bed.

They each have hard hats equipped with a strong light and battery powered lanterns. I was so grateful for them! I set Little Bee's hard hat on her dresser with the light pointing upwards. It really lit up the room. I used one of the flashlights for getting around. I decided to save the others for later to use in the bathroom and my room if I had to blow out the candles. No sense in wasting batteries.




The beacon of light...not the perfect picture because all I had was my cell phone. 



Thankfully Little Bee fell asleep by 10:45 and Goalieboy was out by 11:15. I had just given up and blown out the candles when the lights came back on a little after midnight. I went through the house checking what was on and what was off. I reset clocks, including alarms. Made sure night lights and air conditioners were on. I finally crawled into bed at 12:40.

Too bad that wasn't the end of everything. I woke up with a stiff neck and tension headache from the restless night. Then to top it off I blew out the rear passenger tire on my van. Thank goodness it wasn't bad. Poor Little Bee never made it to gymnastics. What a morning.

The bright side of it all is....AAA came and put the spare tire on, no one was hurt and the rest of the day went great. I could have easily focused on the negatives but what good would that have done? By leading by example my kids got through it all with no whinning or complaining. I didn't let it get me down. I kept moving forward and made the most of it.

The important thing is to remember these things are going to happen. No one is immune. We all have these days. Always try to move past the bad or you'll be miserable. I did allow myself to wallow for just a bit but didn't cling to it. It made for a much better day. Tomorrow is going to be even better. I have faith that it will.

Cuddles and Snuggles

The guys are gone for the weekend.  They left with friends yesterday to drive to New Hampshire for the Nascar race; leaving Little Bee and I home alone.  While I miss them, it's been a wonderful girls weekend I will cherish.  Little Bee enjoyed having a friend sleep over last night.  The girls had a dance party, giggled, played baby dolls and so much more.  After a breakfast of blueberry pancakes and some more play time her friend went home for a bit.  She returned later for a few hours of outdoor fun in the pool.

Little Bee and I spent the afternoon together snuggled up watching The Sound of Music.  I love that movie and all the songs in it.  This was the second time we've watched it together.  I cherished the time we had together, munching popcorn and enjoying each other's company.  I wouldn't trade it for the world. 

This evening we ate spaghetti (Little Bee's dinner of choice) while watching the second half of the movie.  I'm amazed that at seven, she is enthralled with it too.  It is a long movie, after all.  We then watched Disney together and celebrated National Ice Cream Day with some yummy ice cream.  I am filing away every minuet detail, as we rarely get this kind of precious one on one time together.

We ended the evening with story time.  She read a Katie Woo book to me and her new Koala.  She is becoming a good reader.  Her confidence level is increasing.  However, I could tell she was getting tired though she'll never admit it because she was starting to have trouble with some easy words.  I pulled her into my lap and she snuggled in while she finished the book.  It was precious. 

The only sad thing about the night, besides it ending, is that I have a hard time snuggling with her in bed.  See, last month she got a bunk bed for her birthday.  (Reminds me...I still need to blog about that whole experience!) Since she is now sleeping on the top bunk it's nearly impossible for me to get up there with her, let alone lay down.  I don't feel the slats can hold all the weight without bowing.  I'm sure they would really be fine but I'm not up to testing out that theory.  I'm going to get a board cut out to fit over the slats and then I'll feel more comfortable being up there.  I don't like heights, but I'll suck it up to be with my Boogie Boo.

I climbed up the ladder after her and carefully perched my butt on the mattress.  She cuddled up into my hip while I sang to her like I did pre-bunk bed.  I always sing You Are My Sunshine because my kids are the light of my life.  No matter what's going on they are what keeps me going.  Then we sang Rain Drops on Roses together.  It's always a favorite.  I always shorten it up because I forget a few lines.  Watching the movie again brought those lines to the forefront so I sang it again with them included.  Little Bee snuggled up close to me, with my arm around her.  My heart melted then, as it melts now in remembrance.  I wish every night could be like this.  I tucked her into bed and gave her many kisses and hugs before slowly making my way back down to the ground.

Tomorrow will probably find our household back into crazy bedtime chaos but that's ok.  It's just the way it is here most of the time.  Both kids vying for attention at the same time and being unable to split myself in two.  I'll always have tonight to remember and cherish.

It Hurts Me Too

Did your parents ever tell you that punishing you was going to hurt them more than it did you?  Yep, I heard that line at least a time or too growing up.  I thought it was a line of bull.  Ironic how I sit here now thinking that very same thing.  Not the bull part, but that my parents were right to an extent.  I didn't utter it tonight but I sure as heck wanted to.  Dang, that line runs through my head quite often now that I have children of my own.

To be honest, I don't know if punishing my kids hurts me more than it does them but it does hurt.  A lot sometimes.  I take little pleasure in punishment.  Most of the time it makes my heart break after the initial aftermath is over.  Granted, in the midst of the chaos I'm running on adrenaline trying to work through whatever the situation is, trying to keep my head above water.  Being a parent makes you think fast on your feet. 

There are times I have to access, judge, and dole out punishment in the blink of an eye.  My two kids are sweet, little hellions and don't think twice before finger pointing at their sibling.  It's always fun to play who's fault was it really.  No matter what, the outcome, for me it always feels the same.  I'm the mean mommy.  I hate it.  Hate, hate, hate it!  No one told me that being a parent was going to be so hard.  Yes, I knew it wasn't going to be easy but it's really a lot like managing your own business and the kids are your hooligan employees.  Shhhhh....don't tell them I said that.  My children are really great kids but they know how to go from angel to devil in 3 seconds flat when no one but me is looking.  Heaven save me from those moments!

I've come to some decisive parenting decisions that I try to rely on when faced with punishment.  First, the one that retaliates is more at fault.  Yes, this does suck but I'm trying to teach them to resolve conflicts better.  Retaliation is not the answer, especially when you get older.  Neither is tattling all the time but I'd rather have a tattler than a retaliator.  If your sister hits you and you hit back you get extra time in time out (or whatever the punishment may be).  You have a choice on how to react, choose wisely.

I do not put up with anything physical.  You hit someone game over.  There's no coming back.  I will not allow that in my house or with my children.  I still struggle with matching up the appropriate punishment to fit the crime.  I go over board a lot and have to reign myself in.  I worry about coming across as a softy that will be walked over.  I've gotten better with it (the overboard part that is).  Time outs are their ages.  If there's an argument over a toy the toy goes in time out for a specified amount of time.  It use to be all day because I was so frustrated from having to repeatedly tell them to stop.  However, I've learned that sometimes that hinders the learning process because it's been so long they forget why it was taken away.  If they do something wrong when we are away from the house I do not wait and dole out punishment when we get home.  That's too long.  I hand it out then, even if it's something they have to complete once we are home.  They need to know the consequences of their actions immediately.  I also stand strong in my decisions, if you waive once it will be an ongoing battle in the future.  Stick to your guns.  Also, it's very important that if you make a mistake in punishment that you admit to it immediately.  You expect that from them so you need to do the same.  It shows them that everyone makes mistakes.

The one thing I do know, when all is said in done is that I love my children.  I'm doing my best to bring them up to be good, law abiding adults that contribute in a positive way to our society.  I want them to be honest and let their conscious be their guide.  That is why I am hard on them at times.  That is why my expectations are high.  I love them and I want them to be all they can be.  On nights like this when they are up in bed a bit early because of something they fought over just before bedtime I want to cry.  I want to be snuggled up there with them, holding them tight, telling them how much I love them.  I put them to bed and we're all upset over the situation.  I'm frustrated and I remind them again that if they would just listen and work together they wouldn't be where they are now.  It's a pet peeve of mine.  It's easy....listen to me, do as I ask and we'll all get along perfectly.  But this isn't a perfect world and they are kids.  Even if I tell them something a million times, they're going to need to hear it another million and one times a million to maybe get it. The learning process is never ending but eventually it clicks and the next lesson starts. I have to remind myself that they're not adults and this is not a business. 

I tuck them into their beds, kiss them good night and tell them I love them.  I always tell them I love them.  From time to time I will point out that I may not like what they did but I will always, always love them.  I go downstairs.  In the quiet of the night I straighten out my thoughts.  I give myself a time out.  Ten minutes later I peek into their rooms.  I creep in and lay down with each of them.  Tonight they are not crying and upset about getting sent to bed early any longer.  Now, they are sleepy.  They were overtired just as I thought.  Silly them fighting over the bathroom and being inconsiderate to one another.  9:00 o'clock was the perfect bedtime this time.  I tell them each that I love them and tomorrow will be a good day full of fun.  I tell them I'm sorry that I got upset with them.  I'm not sorry that I held them accountable for their actions though and I'm clear about that.  Appropriate punishment for the "crime".

I think what gets me most is I can clearly remember some of those nights where I lay in bed crying myself to sleep because I felt my parents had been mean and unfair.  The thought of my children crying themselves to sleep breaks my heart in two.  I will stay strong though.  They need boundaries and accountability.  I know one day they'll understand and will come to the realization that I cried along with them even if I was in another room.

Why Parents Should GIve Their Children Permission to Fail

Let's all welcome  Deaunna Evans a Super Moms coach and mentor!  Her goal is to help moms eliminate the dreadful 3 D's from their children-defiant, disobedient and disrespectful behavior.  Today she gives us an insight on how to get out of parenting purgatory.  If you're anything like me, and I'm sure you are, you've been there before

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Why Parents Should Give Their Child Permission to Fail


The following conversation is one that every parent should eavesdrop in on, that is if they want to raise rebellion free children and avoid potentially living years in *parenting purgatory. The following is what the proverbial fly on the wall would have overheard in our home the other night.

My husband and I were having a friendly conversation with our 15 year old son when he brought up the topic of a set of gaming headphones he intended to buy. He began describing their awesome features and enthusiastically exclaimed they could be cranked up to insane decibels levels! My husband counseled him to keep the volume at a safe human level, to which he gave the typical teenager response, “Well X, Y & Z friends all have these head phones and their parents …bla….bla…bla…if you have a child you can easily fill in the blanks here. To our credit, we resisted the urge to warp into a parent-child throw-down like our parents did when we were teenagers such as, “Well if X, Y & Z were to jump off a bridge, would you follow?” Instead the conversation went like this:

“Okay son, you can certainly go ahead and blow out your ear drums if you want to. It’s your body and you can treat it as you please. You’ll spend a few hours enjoying the insanely loud blasts and bombs, however, just so you know, you’ll need to be ready to live the next, oh say, 70 years half deaf. Let’s get in a little practice of what your life will be like, shall we? Okay first you’ll need to lean forward, then you’ll need to get this really puzzled- deer in the headlights- look on your face. Next you will mutter this word a couple of times… Huh?…Huh? You’ll probably want to go ahead and learn how to not take it personal when people get frustrated as heck with you when you are constantly saying “Huh” “Huh” over and over in the course of a 2 minute conversation.” By this time he was smiling and had a look of resignation in his eyes. We all had a good laugh and changed the subject.

How awesome was that! This conversation was humorous but more importantly it was void of the power struggle parents often unintentionally instigate. Neither parent nor teen was backed into a corner or forced to openly admit (save face) they were wrong. The outcome of this conversation reaffirms my notion that a parent should never ever, ever try and tell a tween/teenager that they CANNOT do something. Doing so just throws up a veritable irresistible challenge and serves only to give purpose to a teen’s life i.e. a chance to prove their parents wrong; you know, that’s what they live for;-)

By the time a child reaches the ripe old age of tweenager they can sense a parent throw-down like a toddler instinctively knows to start screaming for attention when mommy picks up a telephone. Simply put, wise parents will not issue throw-down’s. Even in the most extreme situations like, “I guess I’ll just pack my bags and leave,” a parent will calmly and without emotion say something like, “yeah…that is an option” and with an empathetic voice, assure the child that he will be missed. The child would then effectively talk himself out of it with “what about food or what about that” questions. (‘That’s an option’ ‘one liner’ example is suggested by the professionals at Love and Logic- a great parenting site.)

Long story short, the gift of agency (freedom to choose) and make decisions about one’s own life rests at the core of human rights, i.e. life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. By giving your teen permission to self destruct or not, you effectively dismantle the teenage time bomb before it gets wired up much less starts ticking. If parents are not laying down the law and telling their child they cannot do something, there is no ‘cause’ to fight for or against, therefore no rebellious uprising. It really is a beautiful thing!

A parent’s responsibility is to not only teach their children, but model great values and principles, and help their child understand consequences associated with their choices. The tricky part is letting go and understanding that the child always has the last say in how he will pursue happiness and therefore own their own consequences.

It’s easy for me to go on record, because I have experienced this over and over with my children, to say that using the principle of agency wisely is the most effective tool in a parent’s toolbox for raising rebellion free children.

Oh, by the way, next time you catch yourself leaning over, with a “deer in the headlights” look on your face, repeating the word ‘huh’ over and over….remember this article and this powerful parenting tip! (lol) Happy Parenting!

*Parenting Purgatory (PP) –n-noun- a place of immense suffering where parents feel trapped, helpless, hopeless and even fearful in some instances. PP is brought about by children who are defiant, disobedient and disrespectful. Please Note: Parents who were once living in PP have been liberated with the help of Super Moms Coaching! Contact Deaunna Evans, The Super Moms Coach Mentor to get a FREE “Get Out of Jail PP FREE Card” Click Here to claim your complimentary parent strategizing session, From Lil’ Monster to Angels- or call 1-800-269-0283 or email info@supermomscoaching.net  http://www.supermomscoaching.net/

**********

You can also find Deuanna on Twitter @SuperMomsCoach. She is a wonderful and insightful lady.

The murder of Leiby Kletzky....hold your children a little closer today

Yesterday, I heard the tragic news of Leiby Kletzky's murder.  For any of you who haven't heard the story...8 year old Leiby was reported missing Monday.  He was walking home alone from day camp for the first time and was supposed to meet his mother seven blocks away.  Apparently he got lost and asked a stranger for help.  What happened next is sad, scary, tragic, heart wrenching.
The stranger was Levi Aron, 35, who spent 12 hours with him (including taking him to a wedding) before smothering and dismembering him.  Pieces of his body were found inside Levi's home early Wednesday morning.

Investigators were able to track him with the help of a surveillance video that showed him approaching the boy.  The video showed him walking with the boy to a local dentist office.  Police were able to identify Aron using records from the office. 

According to Aron's statement to police the following happened...Leiby asked Aron for a ride to a local bookstore then lost interest.  Aron then invited him to go to a wedding in Monsey, NJ and ,allegedly, Leiby agreed.  They returned to Aron's place after 11pm where they watched television and then went to bed.  He says he was going to return Leiby home the next day.  However, after seeing posters up of the missing boy Aron panicked and killed the him.


My heart aches for his parents.  They said that Leiby had begged to be allowed to walk home from camp.  Many mothers of the Orthodox Jewish neighborhood of Borough Park said they felt their neighborhood was safe for a child Leiby's age to walk home alone.  It is known as one of NYC's safest neighborhoods.

I had heard about the boy's disappearance and was praying for his safe return.  As I listened to the details come out on the news I was horrified.  I sat there in stunned silence staring at the television screen.  Tears rolling down my cheeks.  How can people do such horrific things to anyone, let alone a child?!.  A child for God's sake!  There is no reason to butcher a child.  You panicked?!  Well you should have never had the child in your possession.  He was not your child to take.  He was lost and asked  you for help.  How dare you take advantage of a scared, helpless child.  I don't care that he supposedly agreed to go with you anywhere.  You had no right!  As an adult this child was trusting to help him, you should have done just that.  You should have walked him to where his mother was waiting for him.

His parents will forever blame themselves for allowing him an ounce of independence.  They should not be mourning the death of their son.  They did nothing wrong but try to give him a bit of independence.  I will not judge them for that.

Sadly, I do not trust people in general.  I learned from an early age that their is darkness and evil outside in the world and you have to be on your guard.  It doesn't matter how safe your neighborhood or community is or who your family and friends are, there is always that one person out there ready to betray your trust.  It's sad, but true.  I err on the side of caution with my children.  I am definitely overprotective when it comes to certain things.  Our school is two and a half blocks away.  My son (almost 9) wants to walk to school by himself.  I have told him no way and my husband is in agreement.  I told him I would not embarrass him by making him walk with me and his sister but he must walk in front of me where I can see him.  I would rather be overly cautious and know he is coming home tonight.  I have heard too many horror stories, including those of children being snatched from their door step.  My parents live on the other side of our two family house.  My kids know they are to go through the back doors.  They re only allowed to use the front doors if an adult is with them or watching them.  I am ever vigilante.  Some may say I go too far, but I say that is my choice.  I will give them small doses of controlled independence.  I will not smother them but I will teach them safety in a cruel world.

I am glad my children have not seen or heard about this tragedy.  My son is extremely sensitive when it comes to this sort of news and would have nightmares for a long time.  I teach them safety and caution but I can not bear for them to hear this news.  I do not want to emotionally scarred.  They know about reality but I do not believe they need to hear the gruesome details played out in technicolor on the news.

May God watch over this boys parents and family.  May he help them find some kind of comfort and peace.  I pray that Leiby is resting in peace.  I pray his suffering was minimal.  I can't stop crying over this tragic loss.

Once again, we are reminded to hold our children closer, be more patient and show them more how much we love them.  Please, go give your child(ren) a hug and tell them you will always love them.

Fun kids craft

I got this for my daughter, from A.C. Moore, for Christmas.  A friend of hers has it and she played it there during a sleepover.  It was  huge hit so I had to buy it for her.  I knew it would provide hours of fun for her and our son (if she chose to share).

 

It comes with 2 bead packages, 5 peg boards, special paper to iron on, jewels and string.

My daughter decided to use the circle board and create an umbrella.

Her completed craft.

Works in progress.  My daughter's  dolphin and son's bear.

More....

                                                

Easy to do...carefully place pegs onto board.  Cover with special ironing paper.



Gently iron for about 30 seconds on one side and another 15 on other side.



Finished projects.

I highly recommend this as activity for children five and over. Parents will need to do the ironing, unless your child is closer to10 and then I would suggest standing by to make sure they don't burn themselves. I love that my kids can be creative with colors and also think outside the box when creating with this kit.

***This post is my own opinion and not compensated in any way by A.C. Moore or the creators of FunFusion.

Garden....6 weeks later

In the beginning...

My small starter garden.  I wanted to make sure everything would take before I went crazy with plants and money.

My son's Lima bean plant looks beautiful.  We started it from seeds and it grew quickly. 

                                                   

It's flowering here.

Now it's riddled with holes.

This tomato plant seems to be thriving.



See the nice green tomatoes?  Bad news...they've been like this for about 2 weeks.  They're not getting any bigger or redder.  They're not cherry tomatoes.

Look at all the leaves...full of holes. I'm so sad. I can't seem to get rid of whatever is eating it. I even invested in an organic pest spray. It seems to have slowed them down but I think it's too late now. Nothing seems to be flowering anymore.

 

Our cucumber plant.  It's had several beautiful yellow blossoms but something keeps eating them off.

Pepper plant.  Nothing is flowering and the leaves have small holes and tears in them.

One teeny, tiny bean on one of our pathetic bean plants.



Ironic that the last garden I planted three years ago at our old house flourished and overflowed.  I couldn't keep up with the wealth.  Silly me figured that the soil would be similar since we're less than a mile from our old place.  I don't know if I should try again next year or not.  I purposely put the one bean plant in a container on the deck to see if it would fair better.  It's not doing much better. 

The only thing that seems to be growing is my container of basil.  I'm glad it's doing good but it's the only thing.

My flowers are not doing so well either.  A lot of my flowers have disappeared and the leaves are non-existent.

No leaves on this flower.



Ironic that the only thing that seems to grow unharmed is the ivy and hostas the old owners planted.  It was everywhere.  I don't know what to do anymore.  So, I guess I'm going to let nature take it's course and hope something good comes of all my hard work.

Journal Posts brought to you by Little Bee

My kids are journaling almost every day.  Here are some of the entries Little Bee wrote last week.  Not bad for a first grader. I added the parts in (parenthesis).  The only rules I have is that they have at least 4 sentences and there's some sort of conclusion.  We also working on adding details to writing.  I'm very proud that she writes without complaint and enjoys it.

6/27/11

We went to the rail trail with J.  I swam in the pool.  Me and my brother had Popsicles.  He had a green and I had a blue.  We went to the library.  We got magazines.  I spent a lot of time with my cat.  I spent a lot of time with my W(ebkin).  I had a great day.
P.S. I did not spend a lot of time with my brother.

6/28/11

I went to the rail trail with J. again.  I swam in the pool with my brother.  I slept over my grandparents.  I had a great time.  We went to get (Goalieboy's) hearing aides.

6/29/11

I went to my friend R's.  We went in the pool.  I loved it.  We went in her house and played with her toys.  We played with her cats.  They are cute.  We played with her horses.  I listened to my storybook (on CD).  I love my day.

6/30/11

I went on the rail trail.  We dropped of my brother's old hearing aid.  We signed me up for gymnastics.  We picked up K (my sister).  We went to Friendly's.  I had a great day.

Here's an email she wrote her teacher.  I typed most of it since she is still getting use to where the letters are on the keyboard.

7/1/11
Dear Ms. N,                                                                            

You are the best teacher ever.  I am going to miss you.  Are you coming to visit us?  What are you doing for the summer?
I swam in my pool this week.  I've been writing in my journal every night about my day.  I also wrote about my cats too.  I walked on the rail trail every day.  I am reading the book called Mrs. Patty is Batty.  My favorite part so far is they get to wear costumes at school for Halloween.
I hope you are having a good summer.
Love,
(Little Bee)

Kindness and Generosity

I have been so privileged lately to see the kindness and generosity of others around me. It really erases those annoying moments of the me, me, me generation.

My family has been on the receiving end of many of these generous actions. I'm so grateful. We're going through tough financial times and it makes my heart ache (in a good way) when others go out of their way to lend a helping hand.

My son's hearing impaired teacher has been amazing. Not only is she supportive but has gone out of her way to get him equipment he needs. She also researched and pursued financial options in getting Goalieboy new hearing aids. Without her he would not be where he is today.

Another amazing person is a lady named Mary. She owns a hearing aid business with her husband. They volunteer their services to the local Lions Club. She personally helped us secure funds when it was determined our household income was too much to qualify for free aides. I'm blown away by her.

My daughter's first grade teacher, who is amazing! She gives 110% every day. She is going to another school in our district next year and will be truly missed. She took all the kids pictures and made them each year books. She gave my daughter her email and home address so they can keep in touch. She is generous with her time, praise and attention.

Little Bee's first skating teacher who moved to Virginia in January. She writes her and even made a trip up to see her first skating competition a few months ago. She is here this week visiting and made special plans to see her. We went out for ice cream today. It was wonderful seeing them chatting about everything that's happened since they last saw each other. She also brought her a birthday present. How sweet is that?! Most 22 year olds are not like that.

Two of my good friends planned a special barbecue for my birthday last Saturday. They made me a cute cake and gave me wonderful (and unnecessary) gifts. They also got gifts for my son (birthday is July 23rd) and stepdaughter (her birthday was the following day). How thoughtful is that?

I am truly blessed with the wonderful people surrounding me and my family. When things get tough I try really hard to take a deep breath and be thankful for what I have.

****Remember to sit back, breathe and count your blessings when life gets overwhelming.

Jugglling Act...Called LIFE! Community Forum

Come join me on blogfrog.... Jugglling Act...Called LIFE! Community Forum

This site is a great place to find lots of great blogs to read and meet lots of people.  I'm new and would love to chat with you there.  Check it out!

Dear Frickin' Insomnia,

Blogging from bed via phone app on this beautiful morning at 5 freaking o'clock. Been wide awake since 4 a.m.

Why you may ask? Frickin' INSOMNIA that's why. I'm so done with it! It's been a pain in my booty since school ended for the kids.

Dear Insomnia,
Hello...I don't want you here. Go away! You've been visiting here every few days and you're not welcome. You never were.

You're like an unwanted house guest. Didn't you get the memo that we are not accepting visitors at this time? In you're case the invitation got lost in the mail. As in, it was never actually sent. Sorry to hurt your feelings with my harsh words. Um, yeah, not really but I was trying my best to be polite.

I'm mean you say? Sorry but I'm just trying to be honest with you. You're like a tick that can't be removed. Head lice that are tenacious. A headache that just won't stop pounding.

Go the hell away and don't come back! I need my sleep. I have two very active kids. They wake up by 7 a.m. and rarely run out of fuel until I enforce their 9:30 bedtime. I don't have time for this crap. I stay awake for my husband who comes home at 10:30 after working two jobs. I'm often awoken by said husband as he gets ready for work at 3:30/4:00 a.m. I don't get freaking naps as much as I would kill for one. So get lost. Go haunt some other poor sucker.

Would it help if I said pretty please with sugar on top? Dang, I should've said that first. Now, I'm so screwed.

Sincerely,
Me

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Warning! Drinking and fixing bikes does not mix!

Newton's Third Law of Physics...Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

Originally I had a lovely post planned today to commemorate my birthday weekend and the Fourth of July.  I'm putting that on hold so I can vent and address something that happened last night.  I think it's very important for everyone to remember Newton's Third Law of Physics.  You actions have consequences.  Sometimes there is a wonderful reaction (hugs, kisses, praise, etc), sometimes no noticeable reaction, and sometimes a negative reaction.

We had a family barbecue yesterday.  Simple and easy.  Just my family and my parents.  For anyone who doesn't know, we own a two family house and my parents live on one side.  Some days this causes me MAJOR regrets.  It started off normal enough.  My dad went and fiddled with the grill some because we had problems with it working properly.  My husband came home from work early (2 pm), showered and took a short nap (he wakes up at 3:30 a.m.).  All was good.  We grilled, the kids played, we ate, we talked.  Everything was "normal".  I should know that never lasts around here.  I swear my family (all encompassing) draws drama like bees to honey.

My dad is diabetic.  He has type 2 diabetes.  He is not supposed to drink alcohol as it turns to sugar when the body breaks it down.  He bought my husband a 6 pack of beer for the barbecue.  Something my husband would normally never drink.  My dad then decided he wanted to try one.  Fine.  He's a grown man and one should be ok.  That was when he was starting to barbecue around 4:30.  At 6 he says he's having a glass of wine.  Red wine is good for me, he says.  Ok.  Going to keep my mouth shut. 

He then offered to switch out the tire on my daughter's bike.  The tube was flat and he said he could switch it out with the one on my son's old bike.  I said ok.  It would save us a few dollars if it worked.  I've seen him switch out tubes and tires before so I figured it was no big deal.

Holy heck was I wrong!  I didn't realize that he had been spiking his diet soda with red wine the whole afternoon.  I didn't see the signs.  I want to smack myself in the head.  I should know better.  I've seen it before.  He rarely drinks anymore but when he does it's rarely one or two.  Ugh!! 

My daughter asked to watch him make the switch. He didn't mind so I said ok.  He said it would take about 20 minutes.  I figured he would switch it out, she would take it for a short spin and then it would be time to shower and get ready to watch the fireworks on television.  Boy, was I wrong.  After 30 minutes of watching him in the basement she told me wanted to wait and try it later.  That's when I started to hear him cursing.  Yep, time to go inside for the night. The yelling and cursing got louder.  My mom told me today she could hear him throwing things around in the basement.  Not cool.

He called me later while we were watching the fireworks.  I told him that it wasn't a good time to talk and he got mad at me.  Sigh...since when is our family time less important than him yelling at me that the bike is stupid.  I don't get it.  My brain doesn't work that way.  What good comes of getting mad because something isn't working the way you want it to?  Upset I can see, but you move past it.  I swear he's a little boy trapped in a man's body.  I now realize where my son gets his attitude of whatever is wrong is everyone and everything else's fault.  A light bulb clicked this morning that my dad is the same way.  I'm having a tough time getting my son to be accountable for his actions.  It's hard when he hears his grandfather doing the same thing.  I'm going to have to nix some of their unsupervised time together.  I hate to do it but it's got to be done.

To make matters worse, I wake up this morning to see her bike outside by the curb with the trash.  What the heck?  What gives him the right to toss it out like it's garbage.  It's a year old and looks almost brand new.  Just because of a flat tire he couldn't fix?  I picked it up and brought it to the backyard.  There was no way it was being tossed. I was so upset at him.

I find out later that he went out at some point and bought her another bike.  Why???   Take her bike to the bike shop and have them fix it.  It would cost a lot less.  Now I'm scared that it was the bike he was throwing around.  Maybe he bent the frame and I didn't notice it.  I could cry.  How could you like your temper get the best of you when it comes to something special of your grandchild's?!

My father had asked us if he could take both of the kids on a trip to see my brother in August.  It's a nine hour drive.  We've been debating back and forth about it.  He's taken Goalieboy before but never Little Bee.  We questioned whether two kids would be one too many.  Also, my dad gets road rage and even though it's gotten better we were still leery.  It's a six hour drive.  A lot can upset him in that amount of time.  We really wanted them to be able to spend special time together bonding and making memories. However, after this last display of maturity my husband and I are 100% on board the NOT GOING TO EVER HAPPEN train.  My heart aches because I really wanted to trust him and I have to admit I can't.  They're 7 and (almost) 9, I can't expose them to that.  I can't trust how he'll act when he's away with them.  What if he has 3 or 4 drinks and then something happens.  I would have sworn before that he wouldn't drive drunk.  Now I don't know.  I can't believe he was 100% sober when he went out to buy that bike.

I'm so sad.  I ache for what my kids are losing with not being able to go on this trip.  I ache for the way my dad acts.  I ache for the way my father talks to me when he disagrees.  I ache for the loss of it all.  Sure, things will go back to "normal" but it won't be normal.  Not really.

***I just found out he went out at 5 a.m. to purchase it, so I guess he was sober by that point and realized the result of his actions.  He said he messed up the break when he was switching tires.  I'm still going to see if the bike shop can fix it and for how much.  The bike he got is a 20" which is too big.

So, in the end, it's important to remember that every action has an equal and opposite reaction.  Drinking = Rage = Broken Bike = Money for new bike = Ruined vacation for grandparent/grandchildren bonding.   It's all so sad.  Think and weigh the consequences when making decisions with questionable outcomes.  Especially if previous results have not been positive.

Keeping kids active during the summer

This summer one of my goals for my kids, as well as myself, is to stay active. There are many different ways to stay active during the summer. My plan is to keep my kids both physically and mentally active.  This post is about how I'm keeping them physically active.

We started walking our local "rail trail" almost every morning. It's a 3 mile walk one way, 6 miles round trip. I call up a friend or two with kids and we do it together. It helps to have company and I find my kids are distracted by the other kid(s) and I get a mentally relaxing walk with my friend(s).  It's a win/win.

Goalieboy showing the wide open space around us.

Little Bee...always striking a pose.

I also like going with friends because realistically it's safer than a lone woman with two children.  I took them last Friday afternoon after their last day of school.  The weather was a bit overcast and in my mind I though it would be perfect to go when there wasn't too many people out too.  Big mistake going alone.  The first half of the trail is covered with a canopy of trees on either side.  One side is fenced and the other has a wooded incline.  It was really dark.  I started to feel creeped out.  We made it to the quarter mile marker and then I just had to turn around.  I just didn't feel safe.  I think I would've felt better if the sun had been shining and the trail bustling.  Go figure, my logic was half ass backwards.  I learned a lesson from that.

Right now we walk to the mile marker before turning around and heading back.  I think 2 miles at 10 a.m. is perfect.  I don't want the kids to be too tired before the days even half over. Plus, they're scootering while we walk.  Gets out a lot of their morning energy without making them exhausted. We're going to slowly work our way up and hopefully get to the two mile mark in the next week or two.

I love the way these trees shade the first half of the trail.  It keeps the sun off and it's nice and cool.

I've learned a few other surprising lessons.  Unfortunately, they're not good ones.  First, my daughter will scoot her way across the street without an adult if she is racing her brother.  You should have seen the utter shock on my face as I saw her do this.  My son wasn't even actually racing her which almost makes it worse.  We have had many talks about stopping at roads, looking both ways and waiting for mommy/daddy to say it's ok to cross.  I was stunned and upset.  We hollered for her to stop.  When we caught up she didn't even know why I was upset with her.  My heart was in my throat.  She claims she stopped and looked both ways before going.  Honestly, I can't even recall.  We had a long chat right there.  I also told her she was lucky were weren't near the car or I would've blistered her butt for not following rules and scarring me to death.  I would never lay a hand on her like that but I think it got my point across.  The other lesson I learned is we have to establish the boundaries of how far they can scooter ahead before turning around to check on us.  I thought we were clear the first time but I guess we were too abstract.  Now they know and they always turn around to check and then they can continue on if we're close, wait there or turn around and head back towards us.  I think we're now solid on the rules of the trail though I now revisit them every single morning before we start out.

The river running on one side of the trail...down a steep incline.

Besides walking/scooting we have been to friend's houses to run around and play.  They've gotten some swimming in too.  Next week Little Bee starts gymnastics.  We signed Goalieboy up for a two day goalie clinic at a new rink (an hour away, ugh!).  We also plan to have him participate on a weekly 3 on 3 clinic at the same rink.  We're waiting for more information on it. 

Keeping them active and fit is so important.  Goalieboy is my carb kid and though he's by no means fat, he is solid.  Since his last game at the beginning of June, I've noticed a slow down in his energy.  He was tired after his first walk and complaining.  Now, he's getting up to speed.  As his parent, it is my job to help keep him healthy.  So far, so good.

Bugs, slugs and Ughs!

My daughter, the princess, likes bugs.  Yep, you read that right ugly, creepy, crawly B-U-G-S.  Ick!  I guess I can't say much, because when I was her age I didn't mind bugs either. But still, I swear she is the Queen of Bugs.  I have to laugh though because she's can be a totally girly-girl one moment and a total tomboy the next.  The nice thing about this is she fits easily into both worlds.  I don't have to worry about her being anyone other than who she is.  She has a variety of different "types" of friends because of this and doesn't seem to be judged.  I'm so glad.  I love that she's an individual and doesn't cower (for the most part, yet) to fitting into any types of stereotypes.  She is definitely swayed at times by popular opinion but can hold her own when she chooses to disagree and stand up for what she believes.


My son isn't nearly as into bugs as her.  Sometimes I want to die laughing when she shows him something she's dug up and he's like..."Ewww!  What is that?  Get that thing away from me.  Moooommmm!!!"  I have to laugh because it's such a girlie response.  He kills me. 

Here's a Rolly Poly bug she captured that my son is holding.



She has gotten him intrigued from time to time.  As with the Rolly Poly's.  She has them named.  Seriously, named them.  They are (and I quote) Mr. Snuggles.  Yes, you read that right. She will cup it in her and gently, hold it up to her cheek and rock it as if it's a baby.  They are her pets.  She cries when they roll off her hand and disappear to the ground below.  

Here her and Goalieboy made a rolly poly colony.  They captured about 6 of the disgusting poor things.  Unfortunately, they left it out uncovered one night and it rained.  I'm sure all the rolly polys drowned.

She did find a few slugs.  Thankfully she is not fond of those and threw them back where she found them.  She even smooshed one.  She said, "They're gross and disgusting.".  Hmmm...pot calling kettle black much little miss?  It think it's just a bit gross and disgusting to be digging around for creepy crawlies.  She kills me.

At one point she hunted for worms (we have a ton in our back yard).  She and Goalieboy added them to their bug emporium with the rolly pollys.

This makes me want to puke.  Worm pie is what it looks like.

I've decided I'm keeping these pictures for prosperity sake and going to pull them out and show them to her when she's older.  Heck, I'm going to share them with the boyfriends, husband and grandchildren too.