Some Oddities At My House.
Max has stopped bathing. I don’t know why, but suddenly he has refused to take a bath. I recognize that an almost 3 yr old likes to feel as if he is in control and I do what I can to help him create this illusion. I have allowed him to not bathe, but it has been a week. Do you know what an almost 3 year old little boy looks like after a week of no bathing? Well, let me enlighten you. He has food on his face. I don’t know what it is or what it was but it is there and it will not be removed with a baby wipe or a “spit and polish”. He has ink on his arms. Not from coloring, but from taking my “good job” rubber stamps from my school bag and stamping himself. His fingernails are long, dirty and well, I won’t gross you out with the details. His “parts” smell, his hair is a mess, and his ears – ugh. So tonight, I threw down the mommy gauntlet and dragged that little toot, kicking and screaming into the tub. He splashed me, he threw toys, he cried until snot streamed down his face and loosened the food around his mouth. I even washed his hair (I was feeling particularly saucy). I cleaned his ears, trimmed his nails, put clean pajamas on him and even made him wash his pacifier. He hates me. I know he does. I know he is sitting right now, with watermelon smelling hair and resenting me. I have violated his control, his life, his space. What he doesn’t realize is that this is really revenge for all of those times that he’s eaten my food, pulled my hair, grabbed my boobs in public, kicked me and otherwise violated MY space. I hate to break it to you buddy but mommy always wins. I ALWAYS win.
Sharing The Love
I want to take a moment to feature a fellow blogger. I’ve been reading “Code Yellow Mom” for about three months now and well, I’m amazed. This darling, wonderful woman has packed up her entire household (including her two small boys) and moved to Kiev, Ukraine with her husband. I find it challenging enough to navigate Dallas with my kids, I can’t imagine acclimating to an entirely different culture. However, she seems to be doing it with grace and humor. Reading her stories of adjustment are not only amazing, but make me appreciate the life we have here in the states. I really encourage you to stop by her blog and read of her adventures.
Dreams Do Come True.
I received my first advertising check today. This is sort of a momentous occasion in the blogging world because it means that enough people have come to my site to warrant them actually cutting me a check. It also means that for the first time in my life somebody has paid me for something I have written. Now granted, this isn’t “REAL” publishing where I actually have to be a good writer, but it is probably as close as I will ever get.
When I was in 5th grade I wrote a book of stories featuring a squirrel and I pledged that I would grow up one day and become a “writer”. I graduated with a bachelors degree in Creative Writing and upon completion realized that I was a dreadful writer. Perhaps it is because I haven’t experienced enough true hardship, or perhaps it is because I’m just not that interesting. I don’t know, but writing a novel is not in my future. I have lots of ideas for screenplays and perhaps someday I will actually get around to writing them (my current idea is a modern retelling of Northanger Abbey).
In the meantime, I’m relegated to hiding out in the blogosphere and like a minstrel, standing on my box and spinning my tales. I think I’ll take my earnings and go take the kids to McDonalds.
