Disapointment

Let me start by saying the title is not what it may seem. Yes there is some disapointment involved here, but its the way my husband helped my daughter through it which I would like to share.

Yesterday evening my daughter A, my older daughter, was slated to receive a poetry award. She is an avid writer and poetry is one of the means she expresses herself. She always lays all of her feelings and emotions on the line, each line, every line. Her poetry moves me beyond just being her mom. She has a real talent.

So, needless to say when we learned she had won an award, we were very excited!  We all piled in the car. Now, my mommies and daddies out there know what this means. Getting the baby ready, the middle daughter, and making sure the teenager looks perfect. Can you picture it? Are you with me? Ok good. We headed off to the auditorium to await the wonderful event. About a half hour in, you know after they thank everyone and there mother, give awards to teachers and continue to thank everyone, we finally begin. It started with the 6th grade awards. I noticed 51 kids stand up, but only 10 got awards. Then 7th grade and the same thing happened. Well I knew then A was very disapointed. It seems her poem will only be printed in an anthology book. She did not win anything. She was not only devestated but very disapointed.

Back in the car we went, plus one very large black cloud. Again are you feeling me parents? She is a teenager. The black cloud only grows and gets heavier. The trick is to make it rain before you whind up with a tornado. Thank all the calming spirits I have my wonderful husband. He diffused this situation very well.  He began by asking A what she thought of the other students poems. (They read the winners poems) She said they were ok. He then began to tell her how simple he felt the poetry was. He noted none of the writers exposed themselves, as if just writing for the teacher not themselves. The poems were all happy and optimistic. While being happy and optimistic is not bad, poetry needs to strip the author and reader down. Expose the truth and enlighten. My A's poetry does just this. No, her writing is not happy and fru fru, but you will learn something about yourself. My husband opened my daughter's eyes to a very cruel and honest truth in life. Sometimes when we put ourselves out there, we risk being disapointed.

Does this mean she should quit and not try. Absolutly not! I want her try even harder. Her voice is important and she recognized this. She understood that while someone else holds a piece of paper, an award, her work is not to be discounted. Her work is to be counted! The paper and recognition is very nice, but not always given. A true artist defies the moment and persues her dreams. My husband did this. He taught her this. Now, there are times when the man can drive me crazy, but not this night. This night he amazed me. Needless to say my A did not stay disapointed long.

It's moments like this which teach me how to hope, love, forgive, and learn. Just a simple act of support for our daughter. It will help her be a stronger woman and know how important she is. My kids they are a gift. My husband a gift for me. So, I hope my small story helps to inspire you or help you through a small situation in your life. Teach our kids the reality of life. No, not everyone makes the team, we don't always win, and life hurts sometimes. But it is how we deal with life which determines our fate. Be better, be stronger, be determined, and live in the moment. Defeat the tuff moments, cherrish the special moments and learn to recognize how important to this life all of our moments are.

Sleep Deprivation Can Make A Mom ....

Last night or should I say this morning at about 2:30 am when my baby son is looking at me with those big brown eyes, all I could do was giggle. Am I a saint no way! I am just a little delusional and crazy mixed up into one woman. You see, not only do I have to be coherent for my son but for my daughters too. They both get up at 6:15 am and I have to be awake and responsive as well.

I ask you? How could I not giggle. Laughing histerically is an option but one that might land me in the looney bin for mothers who crack under pressure. As we all know, this is not an option for the perfect mom of todays society. The mom who can do it all. Juggle a house, kids, husband, pets, chores, family and everything else with a smile. Right?

Of course, my son is now of the age where he is whining. He is starting to kick and whine when he needs are not immediatly met. I, being the no nonsense mom I am, just look at him.  What else can you do to a five month old.  My thoughts are, " no response is the best response." My baby is still in the Pavlov stage of life. If you reward the behavior then there is no reason to change the behavior. Again not a Saint! And I even do not do this all the time. I don't like to hear him get upset and getting him milk a little quicker doesn't hurt.

In the midst of all this wonderful life, I have been on Jenny Craig for a month. I have lost 10 pounds and 8 inches. I am trying to be everything to everyone and that includes myself. Having a baby is a wonderful experience, in part, but some of the leftovers not so much. Really all JC is teaching me is eat 1200 calories a day and excercise and the weight comes off. Now, this is not so easy. I still make dinner every night for my family. My son doesn't always take naps and my energy level sucks sometimes. Diversifying a work out routine is hard and the food just sucks sometimes. A lot to have working against you.

My solution to some of these problems: Take baby with you on walks. He sleeps and you burn more calories pushing the baby carriage. Be more active. I mean get up to fold clothes, dance when you clean, and take the garbage out yourself. Clean your cars to cool off and have fun. Walk with kids and ask them how there day went. Have a strict rule of no TV until afterdark. Play with baby. Lift him/her up for play time. I guess just keep moving. Movement is the key to life. In my former life treating patients, my patients who always suprised me where the 90 yr olds who ran marathons. Movement people! Fountain of youth!

Food taste on JC, well somethngs can be helped and some can't. The food that is processed and stuck in a package, not there best. I usually skip this meal and opt for a great salad. Now don't think I do not crave sweets and fun stuff. I love all of the "BAD" stuff. Pizza, ice cream, donuts, hamburgers, tacos I love it all. I just make a choice not to eat it. I don't mean to trivialize the decision, but truly this is all I do. I believe everything in moderation is ok, but if you can't eat just one then don't eat any. I repeat not a Saint! I have my moments of weakness, but they are few and far between now.

As with anything, be honest! Look yourself in the face and know your truth. Are you happy? If you are then wonderful. Embrace it and live! If you are not then only you know the solution. If it is weight be honest about how much you eat. Write it down. Every drink, bite, morsal you put in your body. How much do you move? Is it just to get the remote or move the mouse. We have to start living people! Our machines need movement and movement is your fountain of youth.

My little guy is waking up, so no more preaching. I hope whoever finds this and reads it gets a little inspired to move and live.

Ready, Set, Here We Go!

Well, today is the first day of my blogging career. I am a new mommy (again), and this time I am hoping to share some of the crazy mommyisims we all have. You know the mommy flubs, mommy "moments", and definetly the mommy thoughts, which just might drive me crazy!

I have currently a teenage daughter, a ten yr old daughter and a wonderful little baby boy. My eldest daughter is beautiful, articulate, intelligent, and she KNOWS it. My ten yr old daughter is also beautiful, athetlic, intelligent and the best mommies little helper around (Thank God for creative girls). Now my son, well he is 5months and perfect. What else can they be at that age? Oh I don't count the lack of sleep, spit up happens, or sneezing in my face with a mouth full of food as anything but perfect!

My husband well, he takes us all in stride. Of course, before baby J, he only had the cat for testosterone in the house. So you could say he is pretty happy to have had a man-cub. He loves us unconditionally and we all know this comes in handy around the beginning of each month. One could say we get a little mello-dramatic in this house! My daughter F( the 10 yr/old) should be joining this grand party very soon. Yay! for us!!! Because my eldest A and me where worried about not having enough hormones to share.

So this is mylife right about now.  Not perfect, but mine nonetheless. Everyday I learn something new about myself, about life, and about how small and perfect this world really is. No not in the let me solve life mysteries kind of way, but in the smallest happiness of my babies laugh kind of way. He laughed and tooted all at the same time and all I can do is smile.

I begin my journey with one foot infront of the other, with two hands to hold the ones I love , and with hope in my heart somewhere for someone my words and thoughts might inspire, teach, or just make you laugh.