Friday, January 31, 2014

My Little Mirror

My day did not go according to my plan.

It really frustrated me.

Then I stopped and looked at my daughter. 

Zoe was sitting on the couch mad at her sock for being twisted, mad at her cracker because the corner was broken, mad at the blanket because it was touching her, and whining about it all.  I knew then that I owed my daughter an apology.

 I sat down next to her and told her I was sorry.  I explained to her that when Mommy got mad at her blanket this morning because it ripped in the dryer and got yucky fuzzies on everything else Mommy was wrong to get mad.  I told her that when Mommy couldn't find her gym card it was wrong for Mommy to let that make her mad.  I told her that when we dropped the plate and it broke and got glass everywhere Mommy shouldn't have gotten mad about that either.  I told her that when we got to the grocery store and Mommy's card wasn't working Mommy let that make her mad but that was wrong too.  It was about this time Zoe looked up at me with her innocent little eyes and said, "Mommy's not mad anymore."  I hugged her and said, "No Sweetheart, I'm not." 

Zoe does a fantastic job of mirroring so much of what she sees in me.  It's more than just the words I say and the things I do.  She mirrors my emotions. When I allow the circumstances in any given day the run my emotions I am teaching my daughter to do the same. 

After Zoe and I had our little chat on the couch we ate some chocolate and talked about things that make us mad and how we can handle them better.  The rest of our day had just as many things that went completely wrong.  We spilled a brand new carton of milk, Zoe lost her purple rock, the garage door isn't working, Z got a fat lip, and I left my phone at the grocery store.   We did however handle them much better. 

Thank you Zoe for being a little mirror for Mommy to see areas where we can improve.  I love you!

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Lessons Learned

Earlier this week Jake and I took Zoe Bug to Chuck E. Cheese.  She is not a fan of the giant mouse but loves all the button pushing, flashing lights, gold coins, and ticket collecting.  In fact when it was time to feed her tickets back into the machine to get a grand total she chose to keep some of her tickets to take home.  Silly girl.  Anyhow we spent $10 on tokens and let her play for over an hour.  She had a blast. 
When it was time to choose her prize there were several other children waiting to claim their prizes as well.  We talked with Zoe and pointed to a couple different choices she had with the amount of tickets she had collected.  She decided on one of the little pink and silver bracelets. More children were at the counter now claiming their prizes as well and still Zoe is waiting. She stands there looking longingly into the glass case of toys at the bracelet she has chosen.  About this time a manager steps behind the counter.  He pauses to talk with Zoe.  After just a minute he reaches behind him and pulls out a silver and pink crown along with the bracelet that Zoe has chosen, candy, and stickers.  He handed them all to my sweet little Zoe.
Zoe had nowhere near the points required to earn the prizes given to her but she learned an important lesson.  It is not always easy to be patient and use good manners but there are times that it will have a great reward.
I learned an important lesson too.  There is a lot of hard work that goes into teaching a 2yr old good manners but the outcome is more than worth the effort.

Friday, January 17, 2014

What We Say Matters

I have a quick story for you that will lead to my thought for the evening. 

For Christmas Zoe received a bath time tea set complete with bubble bath, fizzing cupcakes, and frosting that turns to soap.  Needless to say she loves it! Well done Auntie Anne.  Anyhow, earlier this week as I was giving Z her bath.  We're playing and having a grand time.  We have the plates floating on the water, the tea pot filled, and our little tea cups at the ready. Zoe pours me some tea and then she very plainly says to me, "Just pretend, don't actually drink the water."  It took me a minute and then I realized yes, my 2 year old just used the word "actually" in a sentence.  After another minute of thought I wasn't surprised at all because that was the exact phrase I had told her the night before. 

Now my thought for the evening: What we say matters.

It's in these moments that I realize just how important the things that we say to our children are. They are hungry for our attention. The communication that we have with them is precious.  When you are talking they are listening.  Trust me, I know there are times that you are sure your little ones are not hearing a single word you are saying but that's simply not the case.  They hear more than we think.  They hear the things we mumble to ourselves when we're frustrated and they hear the songs that we sing along to on the radio.  They hear the way we complain about things that don't go our way and they hear the stories that we read to them.  They hear the conversations we have with other adults and they hear the prayers we say when we tuck them in at night. 

This week was a good reminder for me to be very mindful of the words that come from my mouth.  Zoe is listening and I want her to hear me building others up.  To hear words of encouragement, and to hear positive statements about herself and the people in her life.  I am so proud of her and the way she is learning to express herself and tell me the things she is thinking.  Now, it is my job to be an example for her.   

Saturday, January 4, 2014

Little Tricks Every Girl Can Use

1. Add sprite to the water in your vase of fresh cut flowers.  They will live longer and the water won't get stinky as fast.

2. Use plastic wrap in the same vase to give it a cool crushed ice look.

3. Always bake your brownies in a glass pan for 2 to 3 minutes less than what the box recommends, then cut them with a plastic knife.

4. Pour store bought punch or lemonade into a glass pitcher and add a squirt of lemon juice.  Everyone will think it's homemade.

5. If your recipe calls for room temperature or softened butter make sure your eggs are room temp as well.

6. When taking a passing dish to a large potluck the dollar store has great plastic serving dishes.  That way you don't have to worry about keeping track of yours or getting it back home.

7. Keep a small package of baby wipes in your glove box.  They work well for cleaning so much more than just babies.

8. Store drinking glasses right side up.  The rims will stay smooth and chip free much longer.

9. Switch up which brand of shampoo you use every couple of months.  Your hair will thank you.

10.  Let your washing machine get at least half full of soapy water before you put the clothes in. 

11. Always read the entire recipe before you start cooking.

12. Don't put meat straight from the fridge into the oven.  Let it sit out for 15 to 30 minutes to get rid of the chill. Same goes for the grill.

13. Then let it sit on the counter and rest again after it's cooked before you slice it.  (Against the grain of course)

14. Read the care label on clothes before you buy them and then follow the label.  If it says lay flat to dry it probably means it.

15. Know your oven.  Be aware that it may not be the exact temp is says it is and many ovens also have hot spots that get worse over time.

16. Put a thermometer in the fridge and another in the freezer.  Fridge should be 40 or below and freezer should be 0.

17. Splurge on a satin pillowcase.  It will help prevent wrinkles on your skin and also avoid hair breakage.

18. Put your pillows in the dryer with a couple of tennis balls.  You need to use a high heat cycle to kill the germs.

19. Put a couple of big marshmallows in your container of brown sugar to keep it soft.

20.  Use wax paper on your faucets to make them shine and remove water spots, and also on your metal closet rod to help your hangers side smoothly.

21. Use a dryer sheet to dust baseboards. 

22. Before you go to the beach fill a couple of milk jugs with water and place them in your trunk.  When it's time to go home you will have nice warm water to rinse sand off with.

23. Wash new jeans twice before getting them hemmed.  New jeans always shrink in length.

24. When it's time to thin down your closet the key is to ask yourself, "If I were shopping right now would I buy this?"  If the answer is no, it's time to get rid of it.

25. Don't wash your swimsuit in the washing machine.  Rinse it very well in the sink after each wear.  Do not twist it to wring it out.  At the end of summer wash it in the washing machine on a gentle cycle with a mild soap. Your suit will last for years.