Lucy Archives - Page 30 of 59

A Desperate Plea

March 18, 2009/4 Comments/in Grumples, Lucy /by Megan

Dear Two and Three Quarters,

How are you feeling today? Tired? I can imagine, as you’ve now decided to get out of your bed twice each night to go potty, then sit on the toilet for 15 minutes laughing about “how the pee pee won’t come out.” Yeah, you know why it won’t come out? Because you don’t actually have to pee. You just wanted an excuse to get out of bed. I’m not Columbo or anything, but that’s not too hard to figure out.

As for the third time out of bed each ~~night~~ morning around 4 a.m., I’m not quite sure what you’re trying to pull. It’s bad enough that you stand two inches from my face, staring at me with crazy “Children of the Corn” eyes, willing me to wake up with your incredibly loud blinking and mouth breathing, but why, oh why do you insist on coming in to my bed? You know I’m too tired to refuse, especially when you snuggle in, informing me three hundred times how much you love me. And really, that part isn’t so bad. But the two hours of kicking and rolling and complaining and randomly getting out of the bed to check on the dog and begging for cartoons? Yes, Two and Three Quarters, I could live without all of that.

Your teachers at school have been informing me lately of your mischievous activities during the day, mostly involving large amounts of pouting and explicit use of the word “no.” They think you might be tired during the day, as it’s not really in your DNA to be a trouble maker. I agree (mostly). You know what might remedy this problem? SLEEP. DURING. THE. NIGHT. You know what won’t fix anything? Climbing out of your carseat while I’m trying to pull out of the school parking lot. All the other parents who stared dumbfounded as I tried to force to writhing body in to the seat are probably going to nominate me for Parent of the Year. Better yet, Parent of the Millennium. I’m that good.

And the lovely lady that stopped when she saw me on the side of the road, pulled over with you sobbing hysterically while sitting in time-out on the curb, she will probably nominate you for an Oscar, your performance was that good. Oh, Two and Three Quarters, you are one Hollywood starlet. I can’t wait for you to be the headlining story on E! News: “Young star admits mother put her in time out on curb, ruined life.”

Oh, and that lovely lady that pulled over on the side of the road? She just wanted to see if I was OK. As I stammered my response (um, she wouldn’t stay in her seat and I didn’t know what else to do and, um, please don’t call Child Protective Services), she just leaned out her car window and said, “Not her, honey, YOU.”

“Um, I’m OK, I think.”

“OK, just thought I’d check. I have three daughters…I understand.”

So, Two and Three Quarters, your Humiliation-of-Mother Quotient has been filled for this month. Let’s try to keep the tears to a minimum until April. And when I say tears, I mean mine.

Yours Truly,
Mommy

P.S. Two and Three Quarters, should you decide to ignore my pleas, I will be forced to ask the dog to eat you. You’ve been warned.

Perfection

March 14, 2009/4 Comments/in Happiness, Lucy /by Megan

– Brunch with Mikayla
– Afternoon nap
– Work on the laptop in bed
– Walk to the park, stop and look at every flower bud on the way
– Kiss a boo boo at the playground
– Watch Lucy make best friends with kids she’s known for two minutes
– Teach Lucy how to ride her tricycle
– Make homecooked spaghetti
– Get in to our jammies, make a giant bowl of popcorn, and stay up past bedtime watching movies

Bliss.

The Triumphant Return of Space Camp Thursday

March 12, 2009/2 Comments/in Lucy, Space Camp /by Megan

Space Camp Recruit

A certain child’s preschool class lesson plan for the week is to learn about space and planets and the universe. And one particular parent is very happy her kid is so interested.

This must be what other parents feel like when their kid is interested in sports!

Growing Up

February 26, 2009/7 Comments/in Happiness, Lucy /by Megan

cialis check my site A few days ago, I was talking to a friend who has just found out she will soon be a mother. Her story is similar to mine; unplanned, unmarried, unsure. Although, she seems to be handling everything much more smoothly and calmly than I was. I belive I immediately went in to shock and then grumped around for nine months about how horrible my life was. She, on the other hand, is taking everything in stride, making plans, but not letting her head explode when they fall through. She is happy. Scared, but happy. For the longest time I was just plain scared. Terrified that I would never be good at this thankless job. That my daughter would end up flawed because of me. That she wouldn’t live up to expectations, but most of all, that I wouldn’t live up to expectations as her mother. That I would melt under the pressure, and take my darling girl with me.

After the phone call from my friend, I sat thinking about how far I’ve come in the last three plus years since the two pink lines on the pregnancy test changed my world forever. As all of my friends have started to get married and have children of their own, I’ve somehow become a sage of parenting wisdom. Granted, my wisdom is usually completely faked and made up during spur-of-the-moment phone calls, but people come to me for advice. Because whether or not they agree with the way I’m raising Lulu, they know I’ve been there before. I’ve sat up nights, wondering if I will ever sleep again. I’ve dropped my kid on her head accidentally. I’ve stood up against mean moms and scary La Leche League advisors. I’ve tried every type of binky on the planet before giving up and letting the kid suck her thumb. I’ve had to say no to old friends because my life is now so different than theirs.

I’ve been there. And while each day changes my perspective completely, I’ve come out of it relatively unscathed. Happy, even. So they continue to call, with questions about swaddling blankets and daycare options and the ever-present mom-guilt. And I listen, trying not to advise, but to tell them my story…what worked for me.

Two weeks ago we moved Lulu from her second hand crib to a brand new “big girl” bed. Going against all expectations, the transistion was completely simple. She didn’t cry, get out of the bed during the night or whine for her crib. She slept peacefully, so excited to be a big kid, and has every night since.

We all make mistakes. No matter if it’s in our own lives, or while trying to shape the lives of others. But despite all of my missteps, I have her. So I must be doing something right.

An Evening Chat With Lulu from Megan on Vimeo.

Mama, I lub him!

February 18, 2009/0 Comments/in Lucy /by Megan

Last Friday, I was one of the lucky chosen moms selected to be a “Room Mother” for Lulu’s preschool Valentine’s Day party. Now, let me prefice this with the statement that I’m pretty awful at this sort of stuff. I’m not a big fan of religious holiday’s being celebrated at school, but at least Valentine’s (though rooted in Christianity) seems to have been watered-down by the powers that be (i.e. Wal-Mart) to just be a big old lovefest, sprinkled with massive amounts of sugar. Best part is, I don’t have to fight with my husband about Jesus and Christianity and all those other things we haven’t quite worked out in our seven plus years together. Sidenote: When it comes to religion, my kid is going to be so confused.

Valentine’s Day is a pretty inclusive holiday, and I look good in red, so I figured this would be the party to sign up for. I joked to my friends that I would have to find myself a velour sweatsuit and some Ugg boots so I could fit in with the other moms at this *ahem* slightly wealthy school. Lulu attends this particular school because it’s right next to my office, but it just so happens that my office park is located directly beside a very fancy housing development. Trent’s aunt and uncle both live in this neighborhood, and they have kitchens bigger than our entire old house. And they have refrigerators inside their drawers! It’s like magic!

I thought my jokes were so funny until I walked into Lu’s class and there I was, jeans and flats, while two women in furry boots stared at me from across the room. Whoops.

All in all, the party was very sweet, and Lu did really well. Some of the other kids were so overwhelmed by their moms being there, the moms had to leave the room to stop the tears. Lu, on the other hand, just stated to each kid in the class that this was “her mommy” and then went about her business. Most of her business included hugging one little boy who she calls her “best friend.” He calls Lu his “girlfriend” and they spent most of the hour hugging and sitting next to each other and sharing treats. The teacher mentioned that they tend to act like brother and sister, fighting one moment and hugging the next.

I was like, wow, that’s so sweet!