Parents, if you want wonderful pictures of your children, never teach them to say "cheese"! Please learn from my mistake or you will have thousands of photos just like mine - squinted eyes, scrunched up noses, clenched teeth, and an image that just screams "say cheez!!!". Join me while I search for that one perfect shot that doesn't conjure up images of dairy products. Oh, and unless you like that *messy* look, you'll probably want to clean their faces before you snap away. I never seem to remember myself.

An imporant sidenote is to make sure you document your life! Recording the little details of the who, what, where, when, & why makes for wonderful stories and captures your life for years to come. Because if you are like me, you'll forget it all 5 minutes later!

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Mommy Notes

Hi Kiddos,

Mommy here. I feel the need to apologize to you publicly. I've spent much time pondering my parenting of late {being the new year and hope for new improvements and all that jazz} and can't say I'm quite pleased with myself. Heck, I'm downright disappointed {in me, not you}. I've been cranky, inconsistent and surly. I'm heartbroken to realize that overwhelmed and impatient is my par for the course these days. I know it has been a very difficult year for our family and I'm supposed to protect and shelter my little ones from the nastiness of life, without bringing my own nastiness into the mix. I'm so very sorry.

Let me just put it out there that I'm not perfect nor do I believe in perfection. But I do believe in doing your absolute best at any given moment. That is where I feel I have failed you and where I want to improve. Significantly. So, I will begin to listen more, breathe deeper, reflect before I respond, and show more understanding. I won't sweat the small stuff {but I do have to say that picking up your room or not complaining about dinner or doing a helpful act without me asking you to do it 15 times or using a respectful tone when you answer me once in a while would go a long way to helping me on my journey}.

My sarcasm? That one will take a bit more work.

The fact is that you babes are my lifeline. You are my soul and my heart and my spirit. Your giggles and smiles and the twinkles in your eyes is everything to me. I love you from here to the moon and back. From here to Saturn's rings and back. From here to Pluto {or whatever it is now called...will always be Pluto to me} and back. Arms wide open, heart on my sleeve, dreams come alive - you are my loves.

So I resolve to work on me, work on my parenting, and find my way back to my inner zen.

I love you truly and forever and unconditionally.
Mommy

PS. A little patience with me would be appreciated, as well as a little photo cooperation now and then. In my reflections, I have also realized how much a beautiful photograph of my angels means to me. A lovely photo of all of you now and then would certainly help my mommy skills {hint, hint}.

PPS. Note that no such photo is part of my open letter to you. I don't have one. No sarcasm here, just letting you know.

PPPS. Little A let me get a few snaps of him today so we should have a good evening together. Especially if you don't give me crap silliness about doing your homework. See, I'm already improving my communication skills! <3

Photobucket

3 comments:

Ken Pereyra said...

Ditto

Unknown said...

I am sending you good thoughts. And perhaps a bottle of wine...would the wine help? Maybe something stronger...Scotch? Love you all very much. April

Jill said...

You've had a dramatically life changing year, and it's totally understandable if you were a somewhat less than 'perfect mom' as a result of all the worries and stresses. I wish I could go back in time and fix all the bad mommy moments that I had, (and you know there were a LOT) but we have to learn to forgive ourselves. Your kids adore you, just the way you are!