The Things They Say...

Write it down! Today's latte is to write it down. What is "it"? The hilarious and profound things your kids say. Trust me when I tell you, as someone who once remembered everything (like what I wore the 1st day of 9th grade), it all starts to run together at some point when you have kids. I know that there are entire books and blogs devoted to the witty things that children say. You may choose to use old-fashioned methods such as journals or scrapbooks, or you can go high tech and record your memories on Facebook or a blog.

Since I have the attention of my mom, sisters, and three other readers, I'll go ahead and recount what Charlotte said today. She and Mason were playing Candyland - Mason won a new game at Chick-fil-a yesterday. Anyway, Charlotte got very upset and said that she could not land on the square with a peanut on it because she is allergic to peanuts. I had to laugh before telling her that I'm glad she is avoiding peanuts, but I didn't think she would have a bad reaction to the one on the game board.

I realize that with 3 small kids, I could sit here and write a book of amazing things they have said over the years. Mason once asked why we have a heart inside of us, why isn't it a triangle or a star? He also made me a decaf, carmel mocha in the play kitchen when I was pregnant with Mary Jane, and Charlotte once exclaimed loudly at Starbucks, "Oh my gosh, I forgot to put on any lip gloss this morning!" The woman next to us almost spilled her daily latte on her laptop she was laughing so hard. As frustrating as kids can be, if you remember some of the funny things they say and do, it might be a little easier to forget some of the not so funny things. So write it down!

Thankful for Chaos

I'm still full. I had three full turkey, dressing, green bean, etc meals in two days. That's not counting the leftovers today. I'm spending Thanksgiving week living every cliche - we've all eaten too much, our Christmas tree is up, and I fought the crowds at the mall and Toys R Us on this, the busiest shopping day of the year. My latte today, as I relax and think I'm going to have to exercise sometime, is to realize the fine line between chaos and stress, and stay away from the stress side of the line.

As the mother of small children, the holidays are a busy, crazy, and potentially stressful time of year. Right now, Mary Jane is getting a cold, Charlotte thinks that Santa is actually going to bring everything she sees advertised on Nick Jr., and Mason has no idea that Bakugans are harder to find than a rare lost bunny

I've somehow learned to expect the unexpected and just move on. In the next month, I'm guessing that I might need more than one latte to get through some days, but it's my favorite time of year and, for me, the chaos is part of what I love. Embrace the chaos and enjoy the holidays!

This old house

Our house was built in 1954. We bought it in 2005 from the original owner. By mid-2008 we started to like it. Yes, it is a typical ranch, fixer-upper, money-pit; but it's home. When we bought the house, Charlotte & Mason were 1 and 3 and Mary Jane was on the way. I was frustrated that it wasn't our "dream house." My mother told me that most people don't buy their dream houses, they buy a house and live into it. There is some wisdom in that, maybe even a latte.

Dream houses belong to adults, not their small children. This has become Mason's dream house because he has a huge tree-fort in the backyard thanks to Uncle Lou. The girls love the fact that my bathroom has a pink toilet, tub, and sink to match the tile on the walls. For better or worse, I've actually come to like the fact that I don't need a baby monitor to hear my kids in the middle of the night. I like knowing that there is huge potential for our basement to one day be the playroom where all of our kids want to entertain friends. We still have some kinks to work out, the whole house smells like a campfire today thanks to an attempt at a nice fire yesterday that didn't work out and we're not sure why. There will always be plenty of projects around here, some big and some small.

My latte is this, when you're thinking about your dream home, think about your dreams. My dream is to have a beautiful space for a Christmas tree and plenty of room for all of my family to enjoy each other and their toys, a kitchen that can be a gathering place, and a cozy room to sit and watch TV. When I look past the clutter and dust, it looks like I just might be living my dream.

Decorating

If you've been to my house, you are probably thinking that decorating is not my strong-point, and, yet, you feel compelled to keep reading just out of curiosity. Here's what I've learned, you might spend lots of time, money, and nesting-energy creating the perfect nursery for your newborn. Everything is in its place, and it looks like it could be in a Pottery Barn Kids catalog. Then the baby comes along. I don't think that anything in my house, or life, has been in its place since!

My latte about decorating is, like with many things about kids, be flexible. Swings and exersaucers are soon replaced by dolls, dress-ups, legos, and bakugans. New toys and obsessions may require new storage and playspace. We recently brought Mason's old train table up from the basement to use as a doll house table in the space left available by the removal of Mary Jane's crib from her room. One easy and inexpensive decorating idea is to stencil something on a wall. Mason & I had a great time making his room into a pirate room. Another idea is to take some good art pieces that your child brings home and put them in a frame instead of on the refrigerator or in a folder.

Just know that needs and preferences may soon change, and so new decor will become necessary. Even Starbucks redecorates every now and then!

It's Potty Time!

After yesterday's latte about goals, I realized that I actually had quite a few goals that I had already achieved. In fact, most of parenting is about accomplishing goals or at least providing our children with an environment in which to do things like learn to walk, talk, be creative (or messy), and how to succeed on their own.

An important skill in surviving in the world is mastering the art of going potty. Today, for the first time since July 9, 2002, I did not change a diaper! I have survived teaching 3 people how to use the potty, and my latte today is that you can do it, too. I have to say, I am pretty proud of myself, and my kids didn't do such a bad job either. My kids are 3 very different people, and this is just one more thing that they all did very differently, but they all did it and we all survived the mess and chaos that came with the process. I might just treat myself to an extra latte with our diaper savings!

Goals

My husband passed the test for an important certification tonight! I'm very proud of him, and I'm looking forward to having him get back to the long list of to-do's that I've accumulated while he's been studying. It's a big deal both personally and professionally. My goals are not always quite as lofty - finish a load of laundry, write a new post for my blog, unload the dishwasher. Sound familiar?

As parents, it is not only important for us to have goals in order to get through our daily tasks, but it is also important for us to have goals so that our kids can learn what it means to complete the task we set out to accomplish. Mason asked me the other day why I always have to go clean up, and I told him that it just never seems to be done. I'm thinking that a goal of mine should be to get organized to the point that I can stop cleaning for a little while. At least until the next box of cheerios is dumped on the kitchen floor. I would like to set a good example of setting a goal and completing it so that my kids will learn how to set and achieve their own realistic goals. Maybe one of them will have a goal of opening a great coffee shop called Amy's Daily Latte.

Keep it clean...

16 pillows - In this house we have 4 beds for 5 people and 16 standard size pillows. That number doesn't include the numerous smaller decorative pillows on every bed. My goal in life right now is to simplify and get organized. How can I do that when I am chasing 3 kids and making beds with 16 pillows?

I spend a fair portion of every day sweeping, folding laundry, and dusting (and going out for coffee and playing on the computer). Last week my girls helped me clean the inside of their dollhouse. There are lots of places for dust to collect inside a giant piece of plastic. Today, while changing sheets on all 4 beds, I made the executive decision to get rid of some pillows. There is still dust under my bed and laundry in the basket on the floor, but now there are two less pillows in the house. Maybe I'm on my way to simplifying and getting rid of some of the clutter.

The latte from today's rambling is just to take a small step. I really do feel good about getting rid of some old pillows that were past their prime. Today pillows, maybe tomorrow some toys. I'll think it over while I drink my latte.

Muppets

Today, my latte is to have fun! It sounds so simple, but as the mother of young kids it is very easy to spend all of your time and energy planning fun things for the family that you never really enjoy yourself because you are too busy worrying about everyone else. Or am I the only one who does that? At any rate, this morning we did something that was so much fun for all of us. We went to the Muppet exhibit at The Atlanta History Center (http://www.atlhist.org/). It was very nostalgic for me because I have great memories of watching The Muppet Show before bed when I was 4 or 5. Charlotte was amazed when she saw Miss Piggy for the first time today. "She's so fancy," she said. All of the kids laughed hysterically at the screening of musical selections from the show.

Don't get me wrong, I actually do have fun doing lots of things with the kids. Today just seemed a little different because we all got to share something that I loved as a child. Trust me when I say that the Muppets are actually more funny if you watch the show as an adult. Less educational than Dora the Explorer, but much more entertaining . Now I'm off to do more fun things with my family. As Kermit sang in The Muppet Movie, "Life's like a movie, write your own ending, keep believing, keep pretending..."

This one's for you, F.

Alone Time

I know what you're thinking, that based on the title, I'm going to say something profound about finding alone time in the corner of a little coffee shop with no kids. Not quite. Realistically, there are probably about 8 daytime hours a week when I'm not with at least one of my kids, but that's a good thing. Here's what I've realized though, just like I need a break from them at times, they also need a break from each other. So, as nice as it is to sneak out for a latte alone, it makes a huge difference in the happiness-level in this house if I take someone with me when I sneak out.

Mary Jane got extra attention last weekend because she was sick and everyone noticed. After Mason & I went to the playground alone for 15 minutes on Saturday afternoon, he was in a much better mood, and that is all it took. Charlotte and I made breadsticks for her snack at school this week on Monday afternoon while Mason & Mary Jane made a fort. It really doesn't take much to make a child feel special, and 15 minutes of one on one time with Mommy or Daddy goes a long way. Maybe you'll get some Mommy alone time when they're teenagers.

Birthday Parties - RSVP

When Mason was about 4 1/2, we received an invitation to a birthday party. It was for a little girl who had been in his class the previous year, and he had lots of fun with her. I replied to the party that we would be there. I didn't consult Mason on this decision because I made all of the social decisions and arrangements for him up to that point. On the day of the party, he told me that he wasn't going. I won't go into all of the details, but on that day, I realized that he was going to have a say in what he did going forward.

I have lots to say about kids' birthdays, and I won't put it all into one latte. I will say this, it is no fun to take a child to a party that he or she does not want to attend. Having hosted quite a few parties in the last several years, I will also tell you that, while the birthday child would love for you to attend, it's ok to say no to an invitation. You don't even have to give a reason, just "Sorry, we can't make it." Go to the parties that you think your kids will really enjoy, but don't feel obligated to say yes to all of them. Between my three kids, they were invited to more than 20 parties last winter alone. The good news for me this year is that most of Mason's parties will be drop off, and I have no qualms about dropping-off after we hosted a drop-off for 20 kids this summer.

There it is, by request, my latte on birthday parties, it is ok to say no and just go to the ones that really excite your kids. I wonder if I could convince any of my kids to have a party at Starbucks next year?

Holiday Traditions

I know, it's not even Thanksgiving, yet, and we still have some Halloween decor on our front porch, but the Holidays seem to have arrived. Christmas decorations are everywhere, and we'll have ours out soon. Now, if you are one of the 4 or 5 people who read my lattes regularly, you know that I'm not big on Halloween, but Christmas is a different story. Having kids has added a new dimension to my take on the Holidays, and it has added to the chaos exponentially, but it is all worth it.

My latte today is to make sure that you have one or two traditions for whatever holidays you are celebrating. Something simple that the kids will enjoy now. Traditions can evolve as children grow. I've learned that some things, like a candle light Christmas eve church service, are not meant for small children, so that tradition might have to wait.

For right now, one of the things that the kids and I love to do is ride the Pink Pig (www.macys.com/campaign/pinkpig/index.jsp) at a mall nearby. I know that the time is coming soon when Mason will be too cool for something so pink, and so I always try to get in several trips to Lenox before it gets too crazy. As an added bonus today, Santa was already at the mall. How can you help but love a tradition that lets a 4 year old spend 5 full minutes sitting on Santa's lap talking about all of the Barbie & the Diamond Castle items she would like? Get out and enjoy the Holiday season, it gets longer and longer every year. I for one can't wait to put up my tree and enjoy an eggnog latte!

Sick Little Ones

It's that time of year. Mason & Charlotte have both been sick at least once this fall, Mary Jane was due. A sick child will stop plans that you might have faster than any tantrum. We were out this morning with some of Mary Jane's new friends from school and with their moms who are becoming some of my new friends. I hope that we're all still friends even if we brought germs along on the playdate!

It might take a few lattes to get through a few sick days with a child because the sick days often come with sleepless nights. Relax, I've found that Mommy's lap is usually the bests (and sometimes only) medicine that will make a little one feel better. Mary Jane stays busy most of the time, and while I hate that she's sick, I actually enjoyed how cuddly she was today. I was able to slow down and let her sit in my lap while we watched The Little Mermaid. Soon enough she'll be up and running around again ready to go out with her friends. Maybe we can all meet for a latte.

A new lovey

$77. $77 is the price I paid for a new Bunny lovey for my 2 1/2 year old. I'll have to forgo a couple of lattes to cover the cost, but Mary Jane seems relieved. She knows that it is different, but she told her Grandjill that now she could sleep. So the Bunny saga has now ended 9 days after it started. Was it all worth it?

That's my latte of the day, yes, it is all worth it. The good, bad and ugly - sometimes motherhood doesn't make any sense, but we do what we need to do to keep the peace and keep our sanity. That could mean threatening no more TV ever, giving in to a request for a marshmellow in the middle of the day, or spending $77 for an $8 lovey. Not everything we do for our kids has to be reasonable, sometimes we just know in our hearts that it needs to be done. I will sleep better knowing that my baby has her baby back.

Love & Marriage

Yesterday was our 8th wedding anniversary. We got takeout and watched the election returns after the kids went to bed. Not a super-exciting evening, but it was actually somewhat fitting since for most of our honeymoon in Key West, coverage of the 2000 election (the year of the hanging-chad) was on in every restaurant or bar we visited for the entire week. Of course, I love to have a fancy, romantic night out as much as the next person, but the next person might be a mom like me who feels that sometimes it's too much work. Mason didn't have school yesterday so we all had a great afternoon at the Botanical Gardens. At the end of the day, like my kids, I was worn out. I was happy to put on my pajamas when the kids did, and it would have taken a whole lot of effort for me to take a shower and get dressed to go out.

Here's my latte from the events of my anniversary, or "birthday of my wedding" as I said to the kids, do what works for you. Yes, you and your spouse should absolutely spend some quality time away from the kids, but it doesn't have to be a fancy night out on a Tuesday. Sometimes we have great date nights when we rent a new movie and get take-out from Outback. We've had breakfast dates on a morning when the kids were all in school. Before we know it, the kids will have better things to do than spend time with us, and we're not in a hurry for that to happen. For this year, it's enough to tell Rob that his anniversary present is a $77 Bunny replacement from eBay, and a promise not to spend any more on auctions. Lattes, on the other hand, are still a line item in our budget!

Find a Passion

Don't worry, this is still a mommy blog. Despite that fact that Rob likes to refer to it as "Sex in the City for Moms" it's not that racy. Today's latte is simply to find a passion. Not just a hobby, but a true passion. I've found that by having something that invigorates my days besides being a mom, I just might have a little more energy for my kids. Of course, family is my first passion. Family is the reason that we moved from Denver back to Atlanta.

Passions are all around us this week with the election coming tomorrow. Watching CNN has become a mild obsession of mine, but it is not my passion. What I have actually realized is that I have a passion for writing. I now look at each part of my day in a different light as I try to figure out if there is a latte to share at the end of the day. Hopefully, some of you are enjoying my new-found passion. And if writing this blog doesn't work out for me, I always have my passion for drinking a daily latte.

Small Town Life

If you know me, you might be confused by the title of this post since I live right in town in Atlanta which is NOT a small town. I've always had a somewhat romantic idea about small towns and what a great place they would be for raising a family, but I also love all that a big city has to offer - museums, zoos, plays, malls, and direct flights places just to name a few. I've never actually lived in a small town so my idea of one may be way off base, but today I realized that Atlanta , or any city or suburb, can feel like a small town if you embrace your neighborhood.

It was a beautiful day here today, and Rob & I walked with the kids to a nearby park for an annual neighborhood gathering sponsored by the Civic Association. We saw people that we know from the preschool, the elementary school, and even an old friend of my sister's who was in town visiting her parents. Our girls are close in age, and they had a great time dancing with the percussion band that was there. The whole afternoon had the great neighborhood feel of living in a small town.

These days, I live most of my life within about a three mile radius. For all of my talk about Starbucks, I often end up instead in a small independent coffee shop (Method) where I now know the owner and manager fairly well. Since it's not practical for many of us to uproot and move to a small town, the latte of the day is to enjoy your small town with your family whether you're actually in a small town or in a big city. Get out in the neighborhood even if it's just to try the neighborhood coffee spot for you daily latte.

Halloween Humbug

I have a confession to make, I don't really like Halloween. It's unfortunate because with a 2, 4, and 6 year old, Halloween is a really big deal. As a child, I remember it being a stressful time of year trying to decide on just the right costume. I don't remember ever just loving what I had except for the time in 8th grade when my older sister let me wear one of her cheerleading uniforms to a Halloween party. Anyway, I have to put all of my own Halloween issues aside so that my kids can have a great one.

Luckily, my kids are easily amused and they seemed to have a great time without alot of fuss. Mason wanted to make his own costume by mixing the body from his old Power Ranger costume with his Spider Man mask to be "Spider Ranger" Mary Jane was a ballerina and I even got a jacket on her. Charlotte was a fairy princess (I put wings from one costume on her Cinderella dress). I'm sure that I will be eating candy that I don't need for a month, and right after Christmas they will probably start tossing around ideas for costumes for next year. But here it is, my latte from Halloween - make it fun for the kids and you don't have to buy new costumes every year if they'll get excited about something you already have. Save your money for replacement loveys on eBay.