Smarter than I

"Hayden, you can either help pick this up or you can go in time out. Which would you prefer?"
"Time Out."

For Later Years

I suppose I should preface this post. A year or two ago I came across a section in the family edition of Real Simple magazine. The section was letters written by people to their children to be read at various times in the kid's lives: first heart break, first time you wrecked the family car, wedding day etc. I really liked this idea and decided to do it. Because I plan on printing my blog into a blog book it made sense to put such things here. Yes, I realize it may be a little weird to write a letter like this to a 2 and 1 yr. old, but that's how I roll...a little on the weird side.

Dearest Children o' Mine:

I just want you to know that eventually your heart will break and your insides will hurt with a pain you never knew could come from a non-physical feeling. You will tell me about the heart breakage and I will most likely cuss and offer unkind names for the individual (I am not a lady when my children's feelings are on the line--and probably not a model parent either). When we both calm down--a few days later--I will do my best to offer some sage advice. It might not be good, but here's a sampling of what I've learned from heart breaks:

1. Time does heal all wounds. The length of time depends of the depth of the wound.

2. You will learn a LOT about yourself during this time.

3. You didn't necessarily do anything to deserve this heart break (and if you did we'll talk about that later), sometimes people just don't work out as a couple.

4. Dating is kind of like trying on clothes in the sense that you should date a variety of people and perosnalities. Don't think you are stuck with the first thing you seeor "try-on".

5. Just because it didn't work out with this individual doesn't mean there is anything wrong with you.

6. Everybody, even the bold and the beautiful, have had their heart broken at some point or another.

7. You will one day be (if you haven't been already) the heart breaker. Remember to be kind.

8. Feel free to eat that gallon of ice cream or punch a (read: ONE) hole in the wall tonight, but for tomorrow it would be best to find a healthier outlet for your pain and frustration.

9. Refrain from spreading rumors or information that might be harmful to you heart-breaker to friends and associates. That can, and will, come back to bite you.

10. Remember that I love you, your father loves you, your grandparents love you and that can be enough for now. Just for now. Don't worry, you won't be an old-maid or old-bachelor.

With that said, I offer one more word of advice: Scout, be careful what you tell your father. The man has guns you know.

Love you both,

Mom

Notes:

Dear Mom,

I'm going to be honest here. I'm pretty sure that over the years you will see more notes like this. As my kids grow I will have the opportunity to experience all of the little things I did to you that were so very annoying, and I will then have the opportunity to ask forgiveness for them.

Listed below are a couple of things I feel I must apologize for now. Though, in my defense, I was unaware how completely obnoxious I was being at the time. With that said, I am so very sorry that I ever:

* hung around outside the bathroom door while you were in there calling your name or sticking my fingers under the door so as to get your attention.

* stood silently at your bedside in the middle of the night until you woke up. That's really creepy. Hayden does it all the time (only he's not completely silent--he sniffs until I wake up).

That is all for now.

Love always,
Julia
(as myself)

This is one of the newest members of the family. "Why chickens?" you ask. "Eggs," I say.

This is B-rent looking a bit scruffy and a bit contemplative. He's still a nice guy.

This is me hiding because whenever my sister Alison gets the camera I end up looking crappy in pictures

This is Scout and I. I was trying to take a self portrait of us. Fail. But her smile is cute.

Changed my title

i changed my blog title. had too. kept running into other blogs with "random" in the title and i wanted to be more original than that. i'm not saying this one will stick. i'm am saying this is all i could come up with right now.

Mr. H

This is the kid who sings along with the Wicked soundtrack in the car (and he knows most of the words). This is the kid who hasn't slept through the night in a month. This is the kid who, when I ask him to do something says, "Of course I will, mom." This is the kid who requests to watch Bob the Builder's Christmas to Remember 80 times a day. This is the kid who grabs his boots and coat the minute his dad comes home so they can go outside to work. This is the kid who grabs your face to give you a kiss at any given moment  earning himself the nickname "The Kissing Bandit". This is the kid who still refuses to go potty on the potty: "No I don't have to go potty, mom." This is the kid who's so skinny his pants fall down, even when they're rolled over once at the waist. This is the kid who wants to be just like his dad. This is the kid who'll follow me around the house asking to read stories. This is Hayden.