Mommy Dearest

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There is nothing more important to me than raising good kids.  I am sure we all feel like this, but all go about it in our different ways.  My way may not be the right way for everyone, and I've fore sure taken missteps here and there, but I am very intentional about my choices.

When I first became a mother many of my mom friends were recommending parenting books right and left to me.  Nothing sounded more tedious to me than reading a parenting book.  My way has always been to go with my gut.  To be strong in my religion and then just follow my heart.

My heart told me I wanted curious kids.  Since Emry was old enough to walk we spent our days at the park.  I was the first one there and the last to leave.   She would climb and eat sand.  Slide and run around for hours.  When I was pregnant with Lila I remember being so sick just laying on the grass watching Emry play, hoping and praying she wouldn't ask me to push her on the swing.  She always did.  But in the end all that mattered was my child was in the fresh air having fun and entertaining herself with nature.

After Lila was born and we moved to Temecula we spent our mornings at the pool.  We arrived at pretty much 9am every single morning, most of the time we would be the only ones there.  I would hold baby Lila and push Emry back & forth to the pool steps for hours.  Emry swam on her own at 2 1/2.  People were always amazed  when they saw her, but if they only knew we were there 3 hours every day it wouldn't have seemed so miraculous.

Ethan was born and .................... you get the picture.  That's it.  That's what I did.  I explored and ran, read and played, laughed and colored.  At times playing barbies made my eyes roll in the back of my head, but I did it.  I considered it my job.  The most important one.  I loved it then and I still do.

For sure I had my moments when I threw on 'Cinderella', but those moments were few and far between.  As much work as it is to parent sans T.V. and video games, nothing made me happier than seeing my kids at the end of the day with a million books fanned out around them in bed.  Their bedtime was always early because I then had a million Lego & puzzle pieces to put away, science experiments to wash off counters and floors, and forts to dismantle.

I have regrets for sure.  I am hoping my kids won't remember the times I seethed with anger, lost my cool and had expectations that were extremely inappropriate for their age. But I've learned patience is a must, and you gotta just go with the flow of their crazy antics or else you'll wind up in the looney bin.

Every day I tell them I love them.  Every day we pray as a family.  Every day we do homework together.  Every day I expect them to help each other and me.  Every day we are silly.  Every day we have at least one treat along with all the healthy stuff.

These kids are my heart.  Preparing them to lead a rich and wondrous life, to always be curious, to lose themselves in learning, to figure out solutions, to love adventure and good food, to be open to trying new things, to put faith ahead of fear, to truly love others and believe in themselves enough to fall down and get right back up is my greatest wish, hope, dream and goal.