Weekly Photo Challenge: Lost in the Details (of the beach)
My daughter loves getting lost in her own little world in the sand at the beach near our house. She will sit for a long, long time running the sand through her fingers and examining everything she finds.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Forward
For this week’s photo challenge (“Forward“) I chose this picture of my son, taken at our favorite beach a few months ago. We are looking forward a lot lately because we just registered him for kindergarten.
When he starts school, it will mark over 5.5 years that I have been at home with him full-time. Other than a few mornings a week of preschool this year and a few days at a babysitter in the early months after his sister was born, he and I have been joined at the hip since his birth.
It’s funny how as a parent, sometimes you just know. You know when it’s time for something. You know when it’s not time for something.
Had we stayed in Alberta, my son could have been in kindergarten this year because of different birthday cut-off dates. He was so, so not ready for it last September. Suddenly now, in February, he is ready with full force. So am I and I say that with no shame. 🙂
I’m delighted that he paces the halls now, asking, “But what are we DOING today, Momma? Where are we GOING?” Many, many days I’m ready to climb the walls because of his incessant talking, questioning and antagonizing his little sister. On the flip side, it’s so rewarding to see his tangible readiness staring me in the face. Two short years ago he was the clingy, shy little guy peeking around my leg at playgroups. Now he is (almost) ready to run into that school with all he’s got.
I’m glad we still have six months before it begins. He is too. We have a few mornings a week where we don’t have to rush anywhere. We can dump out the Lego box, pile the stuffed animals on the bed and laugh at the antics of my 20 month old daughter.
I don’t get people who say full-time mommas are “giving so much up” to stay home with their children. Five and a half years is a blip in my life. A beautiful, messy, loud, snuggly, sleep-deprived blip. I’ll milk it for all it’s worth.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Kiss
I am very grateful to be close to my parents (in location and in relationship). When my dear daughter was about six months old, my dad came down to give us a hand with the kiddies for a few days. We were out traipsing around the island one morning and I snapped pics with my iPhone (as usual). This was the result: a happy baby with her “Bubba.”
Related articles
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Kisses (bellaremyphotography.com)
Weekly Photo Challenge: Home
I love my home. I live in a temperate rainforest. This pic was taken with my Nikon D60 in mid-autumn last year. Being outside is where I am at peace. If the kids are running wild inside and my patience is waning, all I need to do is open the door. The whole situation changes. The ocean air hits our senses and suddenly whatever everyone was upset about doesn’t matter. Sibling rivalry ceases, there is room to run and yell and all is well.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Unique
My memories of this day are hazy. My daughter was a few months old, not sleeping very well at night and my son was three and a half and restless.
The equilibrium of his family and all that was normal to him was rocked by the arrival of his long-awaited baby sister. He thrived on any time spent alone with me, even though I was so sleep-deprived all I wanted to do was curl up and “sleep when the baby sleeps.” (Ha! What a joke that is when you have an older child who has outgrown his nap!)
It was a beautiful early fall day and our baby was finally sleeping. We cracked open the door to throw out the recycling and my boy spotted the empty diaper box; a box of great potential. We threw it on the grass, inspected it and headed in to get tape and scissors. An airplane was born.
One of the traits I appreciate so much in children is their creativity. All they need is a little time, some tape, scissors and (sometimes) a parent’s hand to bring their ideas to life. We are so busy scheduling playdates & lessons and making sure we choose the right schools, the right playgroups, the right friends. More important than all of those things is our time, even when we’d rather be curled up under warm blankets in blissful sleep.
I refuse to join Pinterest because I’m sure there are perfect airplanes on there that parents have designed for their children, not with them. I’d rather be my son’s hero-with-a-diaper-box than feel inferior because some supermom recreated the Wright brothers‘ plane and posted the pictures online. 🙂
You may be interested in: http://www.carlhonore.com/books/under-pressure/
If you like my posts and pics, check out this Top 25 list at Circle of Moms. Click the link above, scroll down to Murphy Must Have Had Kids and vote each day until February 13th. Thanks!
Weekly Photo Challenge: Love (A boy and his dog)
I took this picture of my son with his stuffie a few years ago and it remains one of my very favorites. Rather than explain the relationship between a boy and his dog, I will re-post what I wrote about it last year:
B got Dogga for Valentine’s Day when he was 14 months old. It was love at first sight. Dogga became B’s “lovey“. Dogga came on the airplane, into the bathroom, to the park, to the beach, to playgroups, in the car and in the stroller. Dogga saw every first and many lasts. I’m a bit of a wild driver and once when B was barely two I had to slam on the brakes. B yelled, “hold on, Dogga!” from the backseat. I’m surprised he doesn’t have his own car seat.
Dogga has the power to heal cuts, dry tears, scare away monsters and cure loneliness. Dogga is magic. Dogga is practically alive.
Once we realized how important Dogga was we started looking for an extra, just in case. Fast forward a few years and now there are six. The original Dogga had his nose chewed off so “went to keep Grandpa’s dog company” on the farm. Now we’ve got Present Dogga (he appeared under the Christmas tree with a red bow), Girl Dog, Daddy Dog, Mad Dog (the way the fur goes over his eyes makes him look mad, according to B), Scottie Dog and Other Dog.
I’ve noticed the dogs are sometimes left behind now. They always come out for morning snuggles and quiet time. They always go outside for trampolining. They come on long car trips. They don’t come to the store anymore. They don’t come to the beach in the bike basket. They didn’t go to daycamp.
A year from now, B will be heading off to full-day kindergarten and the long, crazy days with two tiny ones at home will be over. Now that a change is approaching I understand what the kind grandmas in the grocery store mean when they say, “Treasure the moments. This is the best time in your life.” Even though some days are like a long, uphill (whining, screaming, chaotic) marathon, this time is fleeting. The tough parts fade away and what is left is beautiful.
Another blogger was kind enough to nominate me for a Top 25 list at Circle of Moms. If you’d like, click the link below, scroll down to Murphy Must Have Had Kids and vote each day until February 13th. 🙂
Weekly Photo Challenge: Beyond
My daughter, navigating her rickety wooden ship into the wintery waters of the Pacific.
Weekly Photo Challenge: My 2012 in one picture
As a full-time momma of an 18 month old and an almost-5 year old, my 2012 revolved around cuddling, chasing, refereeing and laughing with my children. This picture captured a moment in mid-2012 when the chaos paused, the crying ceased and the whining quieted. I was reminded of why I do this…why I wanted two, why I feel so blessed to have both a boy and a girl. I’ve got thousands of pictures I could have chosen but this one seemed to sum it all up.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Delicate
My heart is aching for the families affected by the shooting in Connecticut this week. I find myself slowing down and just loving my children, breathing them in, if you will…taking time to embrace them. My image of “delicate” is this picture of my daughter, her tiny fingers exploring the lights and her tiny face lit up with happiness.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Changing Seasons
Do you remember the very first time someone threw an armful of leaves on your head? My daughter thought it was the funniest thing ever.
