There are 3 huge things I've learned in my journey through Motherhood. The main thing I've learned (or in my case accomplished) is how to have patience. I was never a patient person growing up. Children love to test your patience. And they know exactly which buttons to push in order to drive your patience to the next level. In the early stages of motherhood, I had to have patience with the lack of sleep, and also with things like having to plan on being at least a half hour late during the first few months of being a mother (since you must learn to master the act of packing up a diaper bag, carseat and carrier, 2 bottles, breast pump, toys, binki's, at least 3 change of clothes...for myself and the baby, I had a spitter!, wiper warmer, spit rags, my own purse, oh and the BABY). In the next stage of motherhood you have to learn patience with your child as they themselves try to master the act of feeding themselves, dressing themselves, and doing everything BY THEMSELF! My mom is so funny, she calls Ava her little "do it myself grand-daughter". Ava has to do everything (and I mean everything) by herself, which is hard for me because I am pretty much a control freak (Gee, I wonder where she gets it from then)!. I have to say I am quite proud of becoming a pretty patient person these past couple of years with Ava. I am not perfect though, sometimes I have to go and scream into my pillow so that I do not demonstrate my lack of patience in front of a 2 year old who absorbs every action and word I say and do into her ever evolving brain. Children are like little sponges, which can be pretty scary if you don't watch what you say or do in their presence...
The next thing I've learned is how to master the art of a good routine. Children love routines. And they hate when you throw them off of their normal one. Ava has to wake up every morning and lay in our bed for a couple minutes before going downstairs. She also has to watch a Sesame Street almost immediately after waking up (I know some of you out there probably do not let their children watch TV, but I've made an exception for Sesame Street since it teaches them some great stuff....and keeps them occupied for at least 20 mintues). Plus, she is obsessed with Elmo. We have a million other routines throughout the day, but there is no way I could fit them into one post. One thing we have to say to her everynight before she goes to bed now is "Jesus loves you, I love you, see you in the morning." My mom used to always say this to me before I went to bed everything, and I've subconciously said it to Ava everynight since she was a newborn. Isn't it strange how that happens?
The final thing I've learned is how to come up with a million answers to the same question over and over. I read somewhere than women say somewhere around 500,000 words a day, or some crazy number like that. Men only say half of what women do during a day (although I beg to differ during fantasy football season when my husband is constantly on the phone for hours on end with other guys in his league). Anyways, back to my point......I think 2 year olds probably come close to saying 500,ooo words a day as well. Ava can sit there and ask me questions to anything and everything, and unless I come up with an answer, will sit there constantly asking me over and over until I respond. Case in point, here is a conversation between us tonight after my husband left for softball:
Me: Ouch! (stubbed my toe on the island)
Ava: Wha happen mommy?
Me: Ouch!
Ava: Mommy, wha happen, mommy wha happen toe mommy?
Me: I stubbed my toe Ava, mommy is in pain
Ava: Oh no mommy, Ava kiss toe mommy?
Me: No Ava that's okay, finish your dinner
Ava: Why mommy? Wha happened?
Me: Ava, mommy's okay, eat your dinner
Ava: Mommy, no you sad mommy? Want bandaid mommy?
Me: No, mommy feels better now, please eat 2 more bites
Ava: Mommy, what doing, mommy?
Me: (about ready to scream from the pain and from all of the questions) I'm cleaning up honey
Ava: Mommy, where daddy go?
Me: He's playing softball sweet-heart
Ava: Why mommy?
Me: I don't know Ava, because it's Monday and that's what he does on Monday's
Ava: Why mommy?
Me: Let's go brush your teeth and read a book
Ava: But mommy, I want posicle. I have posicle mommy?
Me: No, it's too late, we need to brush your teeth and get ready for bed
Ava: Why mommy?
Me: Because if I give you a popsicle now, and don't brush your teeth, you will not fall asleep for at least another hour, your teeth will eventually rot out of your head, and mommy will not get the house clean because I will be so tired, and I will be late for work tomorrow because I cannot leave for the day with the house a mess
Ava: Mommy, look at mess mommy! (she had dumped spaghetti all over her head while I was answering all of her questions and trying to ice my toe).
And the beat goes on....
Last blog, but the beginning of a new one
15 years ago
1 comment:
I loved that post. I decided to read it in its entirety as my little one is WAILING in the other room, as some serious separation anxiety has set in. Thanks for giving me something fun to think about, instead of my child who thinks her mommy has fallen off the face of the earth :-)
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