My Treasure

 

I do a lot of gushing about this little girl on this blog, but the truth of the matter is that not everything is butterflies and rainbows in the Chapman household with a 2 1/2 year old roaming around.  It must be hard to be a two year old, all those emotions and frustrations running rampant in that little body.  I have my own fair share of meltdowns, and I'm a (mostly) mature adult, so I get it, I really do.  But we're at this stage where she's tall enough and strong enough to do just about anything.  The only thing she can't currently do is unlock our deadbolts, but that's just a matter of time.  Which completely terrifies me.

Most days really are pretty peachy, but when she's naughty, she's really, really naughty.  Those days tend to consist of climbing on counters to raid the chocolate stash, pouring water (or worse) on the floor, throwing balls at TVs, pulling little sister's hair, screaming when I say to be quiet, and doing whatever fifty times more when I say to stop.  And lots and lots of time outs.

On those days when we finally make it to bedtime it feels like I'm dragging myself across some kind of torturous finish line.  After we say our prayers, give our hugs and kisses and turn out the lights, I always have such mixed emotions of relief and regret.  Relief to have a quiet second to myself and regret for the times I lost my patience or yelled that day.  And I frequently wonder if I'm doing any of this right.

Motherhood is so hard at times, especially right now with a strong-willed girl who has lots of opinions on what she wants and doesn't, and is willing to fight for it.  It's hard to put so much time and effort into comforting them, kissing boo boos and making everything alright, and then have to enforce rules, deliver consequences and just all around be the bad guy.  It's hard to make your precious baby cry when all you really want to do is love on them (and for them to behave.  Like, ever.).  

I know that those tears are more for the drama of it than anything and that I'm not actually traumatizing her like I feel like I am.  I also know that disciplining really is loving them because it's the only way for them to learn consequences, how to make good decisions, and to respect their authorities - and just all around not be an a-hole.  But knowing all of that just doesn't make it any easier.  Especially when those hard days start to pile up and you think back to the good ol' baby days filled with laughter and kisses and cuddles, and all you want to do is go back to those carefree times.  Those times before your child would throw a soccer ball at your big screen TV and then look at you, as if to say "Well?  What are you going to do about it?!"

But then, in between all those hard days, you have a day where you pick your little 2 year old up from Sunday school and the teacher reports that when asked who her treasure was, she said "Mom".  (The right answer was Jesus.  We're working on that.)  :)  And then even with the fits and the shouts and the tears and the time outs and the never ending messes, it's all 100 million % worth it.

And now, here I am, back to gushing about that little sweetheart.  ;)

- K

Crawling Games

Miss Everly is getting closer and closer to crawling, playing all the little games they do before they're official crawlers.  She's a dedicated little yogi with all the planking and downward-dogging she's doing.  After her stretching and core work, she gets up on all fours and rocks before finally belly flopping and army crawling. 

Oh yeah, and she's saying "mama".  Six months old is the best.  :)

- K

Family Pics and Aunt Jo's Visit

Auntie Jo came out to visit in early August to help with the girls while I worked and I'm pretty sure it was her favorite trip ever.  Most days looked a lot like this:

6AM: Wake up with L & E, let Jo sleep more.
7AM: Let's not disturb Jo, we don't need to get her up too early...
7:45AM: JO, GET OUT OF BED AND TAKE MY KIDS TO MCDONALDS NOOOOW!!!

No, really that happened.  And I even forgot to give her money, so she also had to buy them breakfast.

On top of that I made her take more family pictures, as usual.  In real life I'm pretty much in zero pictures.  I'm always the one with the camera, and if I do get a picture it's always so posed, never the cute candid ones I love.  So when Jo comes to town I always make her bring her camera and pretty much force her to be our paparazzi.  Here's some of the family photos she took while she was here.  She's so good.

Thanks for all the help, Auntie Jo!  I promise not to kick you out of the house in your pajamas before 8am next time around.  xoxo

- K

A Half Birthday for Everly

Today is Everly's half birthday, which also marks the fastest 6 months of my entire life.  Evie sis just keeps getting better, she's rolling and sitting and scooting, and so so close to crawling.  She's eating solids like a pro, and has the rolls to prove it.  Her little eyes just dance when she smiles, and she has this hearty little giggle that's mostly reserved for her big sis' wild antics.  When she's not giggling at Lyla, she's just staring with pure amazement.  She can't get enough of her big sis or her furry brothers.  She has one little tooth, with another on the way and will pretty much chew on anything.  She's the happiest baby with the fiercest little temper, which I kind of love.  She also loves her mama just as much as Lyla ever did, and I could die every time she sends a giggle my way.

I love watching these girls and their personalities unfold.  I love their similarities and differences and just every little thing about them.  Being a mom is the best.  :)

- K

Not-So-Terrible Twos

We are in the middle of a great "nakey butt" stage for Lyla, especially with the start of a (much more successful!) potty training session.  Pretty much every time she goes outside she ends up getting wet somehow, and then demands that "Lyla be nakey butt".  It's pretty cute, but it also means that I don't really have any recent photos to share of her that I feel like I could or should share on the internet.  Luckily I have all the newborn/family photos my sister took, so I'll take the opportunity to inundate you with those now.  :)

Also, I just have to say that for all the hype around the 2 year stage, I seriously love it.  Yes, we have our tantrums, sour attitudes, crying, plenty of the word "NO!", and pretty much a constant path of destruction, but the more her little personality comes out, the more I fall in love with our little Lyla.  She is the most lovely, loving, polite, sweet-hearted little girl.  If you let out the slightest "ouch" she's the first to kiss your boo-boo and say "Sorry, mama, you have boo-boo".  She's so fun and energetic and carefree, and still so confident and fearless.  And she's growing up each and every day.  Suddenly "choc-choc" has become "chocwate", and the "mamas" and "dadas" are few and far between, with "mom" and "dad" taking their place.  But her snuggles are still as good as ever, and I'm soaking up every single one I can.

- K