Experience, lessons, life...

It's all about preparation:

Make sure everything is in order...

Pretend you know what you're doing and always see if someone is watching...

Never hesitate to get approval from Mom and Dad...

Even if you don't get what the teacher says, do something...

Try, Try, Try again...success just may surprise you...

And after every task, congratulate yourself by saying, "I did it!"...

My little boy is so hard on himself that he can't finish a drawing if it doesn't look right.

My little girl is so stubborn she wouldn't cuddle with me for this picture...

Despite all the frustration...I smile...

One morning, they got up together and didn't even come wake me.

(Waking me or coming to find me is usually the first thing they do.)

As I slowly came to, I overheard a few things:

"Abbra Cadabbra!  Make Gabby Sleeping Beauty!"

I stayed in the warmth of my bed...a bit later, I hear:

"Mom, Gabby's digging in your purse...she found...candy canes!"

Then I was jolted a bit more awake when I heard a clunk on the bathroom floor:

"Mom, I painted myself!" 

Sleeping Beauty with purple feet?

Gabby's stubbornness is spilling over into other areas.

You see, Owen is a pleaser so he gets frustrated when he does not do the right thing.

This little girl, on the other hand, doesn't give a rip...

at least, I don't think she cares much.

She has successfully been going potty, but when she doesn't want to, she won't.

No cajoling, no encouragement, no reward, no threat has worked...

Admiring...

Any suggestions?  

She does find humor in it all.  She has told me on a number of occasions, 

"I need a new butt!"

If this tells you anything about her personality,

I also overheard her "talking" to Daddy on the her "phone,"

saying, "I don't care, daddy!"

Oh baby...3 going on 13!  Yikes! 

Yep, that's a moth!

 I got a call a few weeks ago from Owen's teacher.

She had overheard him with his friends, playing with some money.

She thought the money was fake at first.

And then she realized he had a $100 bill!

What is a 5-year old doing with that???

And, another kid was trying to tell Owen he'd give him $20 for the $100.

Believe me, since then, Owen and I have had quite a few talks about money!

But, before this even happened, I had overheard Gabby and Owen playing "McDonald's."

 He was charging her $99.99 for a happy meal.

If a happy meal is ever even $10 in my lifetime, I will croak from the thought!

After a few horrible night's sleep 

and frustrating "discussions" with a 3 and 5 year old (almost 6),

I needed this post.  

To remember and smile and lower my expectations.

They are so young and innocent. Naive. 

I should go...Gabby is trying to jump off the TV stand as I write this.

Good thing she's sturdy!