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  • Motherhood: Keeping it Real

    Motherhood: Keeping it Real

    *This post is an entry into Mompact’s REAL Moms Giveaway*


    When I saw Mompact talking about Real Moms, I though to myself – Every Mom is a Real Mom. We’re just all different in how we approach things. What do they mean REAL Moms?  So I started giving it some thought, and came up with this fun little picture. 
    I think MOST Mom’s can relate to the above experience. Kids find something they shouldn’t, get into it, make a mess in 2 seconds flat. How in the world did we as Mom let this happen?! Weren’t we watching them? Don’t we spend every waking moment right next to them, playing, teaching, crafting, and having fun?  
    The truth is we don’t. That’s not to say I go off and eat bonbons while my kids run a muck  No. No. This flour (yes friends, that is about 5 lbs of flour!) incident happened when I took 5 minutes to go put clothes on. I wasn’t getting a shower that morning (don’t be offended, but I don’t get a shower most days), I wasn’t playing on facebook. I wasn’t even blogging on this particular morning. 
    What did happen? Let me recount.  I had gotten up that morning, ready to tackle the day. I fed the kids, and got them dressed.  One even made it all the way to dress up clothes! While they were harmlessly playing with their toys, I ran down to our room to wake up Mark and get myself dressed. As most mornings go, I skipped a shower, waiting for a time when Mark could watch the kids, and I didn’t have things that needed doing. So I’m dressed and headed back up for a fun filled day, when I walk into this. 
    My first reaction was wanting to cry. Something must have gone right that morning though, and I took the moment to capture the utter joy on my kids faces. This – this is where mothering will show it’s true colors.  I could have been angry and yelled. I could have thrown our couch out instead of cleaning it.  
    Instead – I laughed. I took some photos to remember. It’s surprising actually how often I find myself searching for this photo – just to laugh. I then shook off the kids clothes, pulled out the vacuum  and did some major cleaning of floor and couch. 
    A few weeks (maybe even just days), my kids showed up in the kitchen like this
    I don’t even remember what I was doing this time.  Probably eating bon bons while cooking something like Macaroni and Cheese for lunch.
    I try to be honest with you. My life is not perfect, my house is not clean all the time, but I do the best I can. Right now, in this crazy ride called Motherhood, I find it to be most real when my kids are smiling and laughing. I can ignore the messes, forget the burnt dinner from the night before, and just enjoy the moments. 
    Clean or messy, pinterest perfect or FAIL funny, if the kids are feeling loved – that is what matters

    This is REAL Motherhood. 

  • 5 minutes alone, what will your children do?

    5 minutes alone, what will your children do?

    This morning started out pretty nice. Princess V woke me up and then went to read stories to Princess R in her crib. It was really cute. We had a relaxing breakfast and let Mark and Chloe sleep some more. Once Chloe was up and fed, I headed back downstairs to wake up Mark and get dressed. I checked on the Princess’ first to make sure they were playing nice, and not into anything they shouldn’t be. Then down I went. It really doesn’t take that long for me to get dressed, and I talked briefly with Mark before heading back upstairs. I was shocked, awed, and horrified to what I came up to.

    Yes, friends, that is flour. About 3lbs worth of it too, I’m guessing. That was not fun to clean up. I pulled out the vacuum, but of course, the Princess’ also love to play with the attachments, so I had no attachment to get this stuff out. I got as much up as I could, and then remembered my sewing machine attachment. It’s the same attachments for a regular vacuum, but on mini scale. They worked thank goodness, it just took double the time!  I finished up the cleaning, wiping the whole couch down with a damp towel. I really hope it got it all!
    The next question is, what is the consequence? I know Princess V instigated this adventure, since she has tried it before (just caught a lot sooner). And I know she knows she’s not supposed to touch the flour! So what’s a parent to do?
    We emptied her room. Every last toy is out of there! We threw it in garbage bags and hauled them downstairs. She now has to prove to us that she can obey rules, and slowly will she get her toys back. Now don’t think we’re unfair parents. Princess V had had warnings before. Princess C on the other hand, was more a joiner, so her consequence this time, was to sit in her room until the mess was cleaned, and Princess V’s room was emptied.  Princess R is too small to understand fully, so her consequence was being blocked from the “fun room” while mommy was “having fun” cleaning it. She hates being blocked from a room.