2 year old fun

How do you entertain a very energetic and temperamental 2 year old? It's not always easy if you want to have some fun yourself as well. Since I worked at a preschool every day last year, MJ and I didn't have much time alone together until this fall. Good thing I've taken Filling time with a Preschooler, 101.

Here's what I've learned through the years - classes are fun sometimes, but really only if you are having fun with the other moms. Trust me, I've tried them all - I took Mason to his first Gymboree class when he was 7 months old. We've also tried My Gym, The Little Gym, swimming, and various music classes. The most fun I've had in a class is when several girlfriends and I signed our then 2 year olds up for a class at play-2-grow.com. It's not a franchise and it was great!

Even a great class can be a big commitment both financially and in terms of time. For now, I'm trying to reduce the amount of stress in our lives, and so Mary Jane and I have some mornings when we just go to the park or make a game out of grocery shopping. My stand-by for entertainment is to go to the book store, if there is a free story-time going on, even better. And of course, what 2 year old doesn't love feeling like a big girl and getting a vanilla milk with Mommy who is getting, you guessed it, a daily latte.

It's all about...

not me! As a mom, I'm the queen of trying to multi-task and do 5 things at once while trying to remember what I need to remember to get through each day - lunch, backpacks, snacks, teacher notes, etc. It's overwhelming at times. Here's today's latte - remember that it's not all about you. Stop and listen to what others need.

Every day is hectic for one reason or another, and when something throws a wrench in the schedule like a sick child or daddy, car trouble, bad weather - it's all going to be ok. Don't let your first thought be "how does this affect my needs for the day?" First deal with the problem or illness at hand, ask what you can do to help, and then deal with the logistics. I tend to jump into logistics mode first because it's easier to control at times, but sometimes I just need to stop and offer comfort or support. The groceries, laundry, and dishes will be waiting later. And a little treat from Starbuck might help everyone feel better...

Splurge

That's the latte du jour - splurge! Not on everything, but every now and then moms need to splurge on themselves. Ok, so I know that times are tough and I already splurge on coffee almost daily, but there are a couple of other things that are worth a few extra dollars. Here's the big one that I've found having to do with kids - diaper bags.

After about 2 years of motherhood, I realized that a baby and a diaper bag had really become my only accessories. I spent several years trying to deny the need for a really great bag, but as the babies grew and I needed even more "stuff", I accepted the fact that I need a bag that I could take anywhere. Then I just had to find the right bag. For a while I carried a gardening bag from Target. Lots and lots of exterior pockets make it a good bag to have, but it's not just right. Maybe the key is to have a few bags.

For now, I just placed an order from www.amymichellebags.com (it's co-owned by a classmate of my husband's from high school). I'm hoping that sometime in the next month, we will be a diaper-free household, but it's going to be years (if ever) before I am through carrying a bag whose main contents revolve around snacks, water bottles, wipes, tissues, toys, books, etc. I may as well have a bag that has external cup holders, a waterproof interior, and looks more like a purse than anything I've carried since I became a mother. Maybe it's my first step back into the non-baby world!

Sentimental Attire

When Mason curls up in the den to watch TV, he always uses the same quilt. My mother made the quilt over 20 years ago using fabric from mine and my sisters old dresses. When she gave the quilt to me, I thought it was very sweet and more than a little nostalgic to have proof of all of the things we wore in the mid-70's. Now I have a new appreciation for that quilt. As a mother, sometimes it's really hard to let go of a little dress or T-shirt that has so many memories attached to it.

We are finally having beautiful cooler fall weather here so this morning I spent some time packing away some summer clothes. Charlotte's are easy since if they don't fit her next spring, I'll give them to Mary Jane. But what about the clothes that don't fit anyone? Some I'll consign or give away (consignment will be a blog all its own), but some clothes, like the crib, I'm just not ready to let go of. So here's today's latte - pack them away. If you have the space, it's ok to hold onto them for a little while longer. In a year, you might be ready to give them away, make a quilt out of them, or transfer them to a bigger box with a new batch of clothes containing new memories.

Expectations

I feel as though I spend alot of time trying to figure out how to simplify life for my family. Here's a tip that I read somewhere recently which makes a good weekend latte - take a look at your to-do list for the weekend and then cut it in half. You'll spend less time feeling like you should be doing something more productive, and more time having fun. Face it, your kids' main expectation is to spend time with you and running errands may not be a small child's idea of quality time.

Being flexible helps, too. This morning I thought we would try to make it to church, but when Charlotte appeared in a much too small Ohio State cheerleading uniform and tights, I changed my expectations of what we were going to do this morning. I will admit that Rob & I did drag our kids along for a quick trip to Trader Joes, but then they had plain old play time at our house and had a great time making a secret hide-out under the porch. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday afternoon in the fall in Atlanta.

Sisters

Today my mom and I had a girls day with my girls. Charlotte is recovering from being sick, and it was very rainy so a great day for indoor, girl-friendly activities. You guessed it - pedicures, mall, and lunch. We all had a great time, although Charlotte kept talking about wanting to get or save things for Mason. Mom and I even commented on how great it is that the kids are all so close.

For such a great day, it didn't end quite as well. My cousin called to say that my aunt (my mom's sister) is in the hospital. Being a mother of more than one child gives you a new perspective on sibling relationships as you see them develop for your children. I once said that there is a fine line between a hug and a headlock among siblings. My takeaway from today is a simple latte, call your sister, and if she lives nearby, go out for coffee and a pedi!

Guilt

As mothers of small children, we have lots and lots of guilt. Guilt about kids - they are too busy, they're not busy enough, they watch too much tv, they don't eat enough vegetables. Guilt about ourselves as mothers - I don't plan enough for my kids, we don't have the right toys or books, I spend too much time on the computer & too much money on coffee. Ok, so those last 2 might just be me, but you get the point.

Here's my latte on feeling guilty - stop it! relax, breathe, and accept that you and your kids aren't perfect. There are so many things to worry about in the world today that you can make yourself crazy if you try to stress over every little thing that you could feel guilty about. It takes a village to raise a family, and, for me, Elmo, chick-fil-a, and a lot of caffeine are part of the village.

Politics

Not the politics that are in the news right now, this is a mommy blog so I'm talking about mommy politics, more specifically - Preschool Politics. I know that the current followers of this blog have heard more than my 2 cents on the subject, but it is inescapable if you have small children. It's the kind of thing that makes you dread running into some people out at the park because you have to put on a fake smile and be polite even though you've been on opposing sides of some debate or another having to do with the way a school is run.

Here's the good news, preschool doesn't last for very long, relatively speaking. You will be on the PTA at the elementary school in no time dealing with a whole different set of issues. What makes preschool tricky for the moms is that it represents the first steps towards letting go. You no longer have complete control over who influences and plays with your child. Having worked in the office of a preschool with lots of issues, I can tell you that kids are very resilient and fairly unaware of any unrest going on within the school. Parents are the ones who are more easily scarred by what they see. It has taken me several months to get over all of the catty politics that went on last year, but my girls and I actually survived quite well.

What type of tip could I possibly have about all of this? Here's my daily latte about preschools - go with your gut and what is convenient for you. If it doesn't feel like the right place, find a different one. If at all possible, find a place that is close to you house so that your preschooler will meet other neighborhood kids who will go to the same elementary school. I now put my preschoolers in the stroller and walk the 1 1/2 miles to and from their school every day, and it is great. And after I drop them off, I can even go to Starbucks to get My Daily Latte.

Happy Birthday!

I could give lots of tips about birthday parties for children, I've spent lots of time planning them in the last 6 years. I thought about calling this blog something like "birthdays & bandaids", but lets face it, I have many more lattes than I do birthdays. Today I had both because it's my birthday. Here's my latte of the day: Let your kids plan a pseudo surprise party for you, and act very surprised. Rob & the kids had a surprise party for me tonight. I helped Rob plan it, but the kids we so excited because they thought I was completely surprised. It was fun for everyone!

Girlfriends

I know that it has been said over and over again in almost every type of women's and parenting magazine, but the latte of today is so important: You need to spend some time with girlfriends. Whether it is drinking coffee while watching kids play, seeing a good chick flick together, or having some rare time without any kids. I guess the irony of time away from kids is that so much of it is spent talking about the kids, but at least you can order food in a restaurant without worrying about anyone but yourself.

Today I got to get away for a lunch for a baby shower for a good friend. It is a great feeling to dress up a little bit, and share some laughs and a nice meal with friends while daddy entertains the kids at home. I consider myself very lucky to have such an amazing group of women to call my friends!