feeling less than groovy

You already know I'm reading "The Girlfriends' Guide to Getting Your Groove Back," and I'm ready to act of some of Vickyy's advice (it's impossible to think of her as Mrs. Iovine after reading her writing). Then along comes that virus that has been making its way through the city and it lays me flat. I'm pretty sure that, from 6 p.m. Tuesday through 6 a.m. Thursday, I was conscious about four hours. Long enough to take Daniel to daycare, take care of some prepwork so someone else could do my job for the day, and dose and redose with Theraflu. Of course, my husband got it the same day. Why not? Fortunately, young Daniel has the constitution of a horse and has shown no signs of the misery we went through. And bless his little independent spirit, he spent yesterday afternoon and evening playing happily in the greenhouse with the dog. He calls it his rock room, because the floor is gravel. Just means I have to double-check all his pockets before doing laundry!
--Misty

male priorities

So we're watching "Jurrasic Park" the other night, and Daniel fixes, of course, on the cars. Yeah, dinosaurs are cool, but he's a wheels guy. So I shouldn't have been surprised when, as the Tyrannosaurus Rex attacks the jeep with the kids in it, my boy cries out "oh no, the car!" Shouldn't have been surprised, but I was. But then, this is the offspring of the man who refuses to watch the scene in "Double Jeopardy" where Ashley Judd drops Tommy Lee Jones' 1964 Galaxie into the Puget Sound.
--Misty

Getting my groove back

For some time now, my physical fitness has been measured not by what size jeans I wear, but by whether I can keep up with my life. Can I mow the front yard without collapsing? Can I chase the dog and the kid without getting winded? And the big one - can I go all day at an amusement park without needing "a break?" And since the answer has been yes, I haven't worried about the rest of it. But I'm in the middle of a funny, frank book by Vicki Iovine, called "The Girlfriends' Guide to Getting Your Groove Back." Iovine helped me before, with "The Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy" and "The Gilrfriends' Guide to Surviving the First Year." She'll tell you like it is, and make you laugh while she's doing it. I mean, "What to Expect While You're Expecting" is OK, but don't you feel like it left some pretty big things out? Ditto with the Guide to the First Year and the Guide to the Toddler Years. Better than "What to Expect," but still pretty basic. But here's what Iovine kicked my butt for this morning:
"Getting some pounds off doesn't do a thing for giving you any more agility than the rusty Tin Woodsman, nore does it provide the weight-bearing exercises that have been proven to ward off osteoporosis or give you enough stamina to hold your own in a three-legged race with your seven-year-old. That's where some kind of fitness program comes in. ... This is a very important part of getting your groove back, Girlfriends: Since there are very few moments in a day carved out for pure enjoyment, we've all decided to pick an activity that tones up our bodies while we're distracted by the fun we're having...." And she goes on, but that's for another posting.
So I'm shopping for an exercise I don't hate, and since I used to love my bellydancing class and still have the tapes, I think I'm going to dust off my bells and check out the classes offered here in Warner Robins. We'll see how it goes.
--Misty

Staying out of trouble

One of my side hobbies is cake decorating. Not so much slap a little icing on a cake with those multicolored sprinkles and call it decorated as the kind of cake decorating you see in "Brides" magazine. So when I get in the kitchen, it's often serious business.
Of course, Daniel wants to help. And being his father's son, he wants to taste and touch and eat some more.
This week, I've been putting my new kitchen to the test by making cake to feed 200 - Daniel's great-great-grandmother turns 90 tomorrow. To help keep little fingers out of trouble, when I baked the first of seven cakes, I set some batter aside and made cupcakes. As I was icing and ddecorating, Daniel got to play with (and eat) those cupcakes. Like all kids, he learned fast to lick the icing off, get his sugar high, and abandon the cupcake for the dog. So it's been a fun week.
--Misty

When Daniel sleeps in

Since we moved into the house, I haven't set the alarm once. Daniel has been quite faithful about getting me up by seven. In fact, I had to get curtains up in his room fast, because he was up with the sun - even on Saturday! Then he threw me. Tuesday, he didn't get up until ten to eight! So much for getting to work by eight... But more important, what did we do different Monday to get him to sleep in?!?!
--Misty

"I like being us"

During our weekly mother and daughter night, my little Faith said
something profound.
"I like being us," she said as we were finishing up supper after her
daddy left to go to his weekly Bible study.
Once again, her simple thought grabbed me in a powerful way. Because I work nights, our time together is precious.The most difficult part of my job is only being able to see her at breakfast and dinner. Just the night before,she told me how much fun it would be if I could sit with her by the bathtub and "just talk." My, how grown up my girl is, I thought. As we cleared off the supper table, I told her it was time for her bath. Although she protested and groaned at first, I told her I wanted to sit with her and talk.
"All right," she exclaimed and scampered off to the tub.
I hope she'll always want to come clean with her mother.
- Liz

a prayer for moms of seniors

I have a couple of coworkers whose daughters or granddaughters are high school Seniors this year, and I'm watching these ladies help their girls pick out prom dresses. It's a careful negotiation, matching mom's taste (and budget) with the kids' ideas of what's fashionable. I remember the negotiations over my own prom: our school system did after-prom lock-ins at the YMCA. The after party was actually cooler than the dance event: they gave away everything from mini-fridges (useful in dorm rooms) to a car (not a new one by any means). Then, of course, breakfast at the IHOP before returning home. Thet's when all my careful negotiations fell apart: while my friends went home and curled up in their beds, I wound up mowing and raking the yard. "Hoot with the owls, scream with the eagles" was dad's reply to my protests. So I worked, but I was really cranky about it. Bless the moms of Middle Georgia as they go through this rite of passage. Last spring break, last high school dance, last awards ceremony, all in preparation for the biggest day of all: graduation. Time flies when you're having fun, stock up on film and camera batteries now.
--Misty

Making rainbows with Daniel

As much as Daniel loves his new house and his new room, he's happiest when both mom and dad are there with him. He keeps track of the dog, and the cat, and when dad gets home from work there's always a little celebration. But when I went out with a friend last night, he was a little sad. So we spent time playing "Daniel games" when we got home: Spin the boy, chase the dog, swing like a hammock, and "catch me!" But the most fun is the bedtime wind-down, drawing with chalk on his easel. He's in a rainbow phase, and while he's proud of the rainbow he drew on the driveway, he wants to fall asleep looking at one mom or dad drew. Sweet dreams, little man.
--Misty

Tip of the day

$19 eyeglasses.com
Without this site, I think I would have blown a gasket the first (and second) time Daniel broke his glasses. Yes, I got the cool titanium, bendable frames. But I also got two spare pairs, from the Internet. Was I skeptical? You bet. Did I take them to the eye doctor with us for fitting and confirming the Rx? You bet. But now that everything has checked out, I'll be buying all our replacements there. The optometrist agreed, after seeing what Daniel did to the "good" frames. Then he offered the kid a job as a tester for future "indestructable" products. Ha!
--Misty

MOPS consignment sale

Coming to the Rumford Center at the Methodist Children's Home: The semi-annual Mothers of Preschoolers consignment sale. March 24-25, of course sellers come by March 21-22 and get to takew part in the pre-sale March 23. This sale has been amazing in the past, but they are always looking to grow. Some hard to find items: older kids' clothes - they'd love to see sellers with sizes 4T to 14. High-quality, very good prices. Sellers contact Christy at 477-6420.
--Misty

Summer camp?

It's time to start thinking about what the kiddies are going to do all summer. What age is best to start summer camp? It depends. Certainly, if your kids have been Vacation Bible Schooling since birth, any time is good to start a short day camp. With Daniel turning 4 this summer, he's headed for swimming lessons, but not a camp. Day camps are good experiences for most children, and is seems around here there's one for every interest. Sports, computers, art, you name it. Overnight camps might be better for older kids, depending on the individual child's level of self-control. If your kid is doing his chores without prompting, cleans up after herself, and generally takes direction well, it's probably time for overnight camp. Your best bet: gather a bunch of brochures from the camps YOU approve and let your child pick the "final" two or three options.
--Misty

Mr. Clingy

As excited about his new house as Daniel is, and as much as he loves his new red bed, the move has left him a little insecure. He winds up in bed with us at some point during the night, and clings to me when I drop him off at day care. Bless his little heart.
To try to ease his concern, I have unpacked his room first. And oh, how happy he was when I broke open that first box of toys! Hopefully, having all his familliar things and keeping to our daily routine will get him back on track in a hurry.
--Misty

Present problems

My little girl has become quite generous of late. She uses scraps of wrapping paper to adorn her gifts of artwork and spare toys. Perhaps she's emulating mommy who spends days wrapping Christmas presents each year. No matter what's wrapped inside - and sometimes it's something that already belongs to me - I make sure I thank her and let her know I appreciate her kindness. But when presenting presents to youngsters, it can be tricky.
While visiting her pre-kindergarten class, I noticed one of Faith's little dolls positioned on top of another girl's cubicle. Faith had been praying for that little girl, who had been out sick. I thought maybe Faith misplaced her "sleeping buddy" for the day, but instead, she had placed the doll there as a gift for her friend's return.
During dinner conversation a night or two later, I asked Faith if her friend was better, and if she liked the doll. The girl had returned to class, Faith said, but she threw the doll away. I was crushed. Granted, it was only a little $1 doll that Faith picked out while "shopping" at the dollar store, but because my only-child was giving freely and sharing her things, I thought it was priceless. My husband and I praised our daughter's generosity and explained the gracious way to accept gifts.If you don't like it, don't say so! It's a skill Faith had already practiced her last birthday when she opened a present she already had without letting on. I hope she realizes it's still better to give, even when you receive rejection in return.
- Liz

Tip of the day

Rechargeable batteries. 'nuff said.
--Misty

Lost in the shuffle

I know Daniel is feeling a little less than front-and-center these days. Mom and dad are focused on matters of Real Estate and, let's face it, the stack of boxes is twice times higher than he is.
But when he started acting up at day care, I knew that early-morning snuggles and evening puzzle and coloring time just wasn't cutting it any more.
So On our morning drives from Macon to Warner Robins this week, I have turned off the radio, turned off the front passenger side air bag, and spent the 45 minutes talking to my son. And dear, God, he has a lot to say. Here are some of the things I've learned:
He likes his blue "backup pair" glasses better than his good ones.
If there's a fire truck or a backhoe in operation, we have to stop and watch it.
He wants to be sure the dog and cat are moving to the new house.
He likes to talk on the phone, especially to daddy and to grandma in Virginia.
He thinks any juice that comes in a can is soda and any dark bits in cereal (raisins, blueberries) must be chocolate.
He likes his teacher and his new best friend's name is Josh.

So I'm thinking, whether your kid is three or thirteen, put him in the front seat on occasion. Turn off the radio, the DVD, and let them talk. If you're quiet, they will fill the silence.
--Misty

More news from the day care

We've achieved happiness.
I got the call earlier this week that Daniel was misbehaving at day care again, and would someone please come pick him up? It was very close to the end of the work day, so off I went. The next day, I spoke with the director and we went over the incident. When she told Daniel she was going to call his mother, he was delighted, telling her to "call my mama." I told her about what had happened with the last day care, where they would call us to come every time he misbehaved, and he learned that misbehavior meant mom and dad's undivided attention. And at this point, he's looking for even negative attention - but that's a whole 'nother issue. So - bless her heart - the director said the next time he was bad, Daniel would be disciplined, but not sent home. Hallelujah! She gets it!
P.S. For those of you who have asked, he's at the Children's Friend on Corder Road. Not all Children's Friend centers are the same. I am not endorsing one program over any other. Disclaimers and all that.
--Misty