Memoirs of a Moorings

A Total Bust

TV Turn Off week was a bust. Well, by mid-week it was. We started off good. Getting home and listening to music while I cooked and Rhyan kept himself busy with toys, books. But then morning, afternoon and evening sickness kicked in. This baby has me nauseous just about all day long. So I ended up most evenings lounging on the couch. But I must say the two days without the TV was nice and quiet and was not missed at all by my little one.

All Sunday, he's kept himself busy by tending to a small potted daisy that he and daddy planted over the weekend. He lost it Sunday on a trip out with Daddy. Oh, how sad he was because he was so looking forward to watching it grow. I'm not sure what its chances would have been considering that it never saw a lick of sunlight since he carried it around the house everywhere he went. Looks like we'll be heading out to get our little green thumber a new plant to watch.

So Long Sweet Coffee

"Given enough coffee, I could rule the world."  ~Author Unknown

This is my coffee cup. My beloved coffee cup. I'm going to have to start filling it up with something other than a delicious brew of joe. Now that I'm with child, I'm going to have to cut my two-cup consumption down...way down. My initial due date is December 26, 2007. Of course, this could change after my first ultra sound. I'm just a month pregnant. Boy--that's a long time to go without my coffee. But I did it before and I can do it again. I've gotten down to a small tea cup every morning. Soon Rhyan is going to notice I don't have my cup as we head out the door. Believe it or not, just about every morning he'll ask, "You got your coffee mommy?"

In his own three-year-old way, he's grasped the concept that there's a baby in mommy's belly. But I'm not so sure he'll understand that mommy's coffee cup disappeared because of the baby. He's already bringing up the baby daily. He'll say, "Mommy, there's a little baby in there," as he points to my stomach. And then he'll go on about his business. And he's already put in a request for a boy so he can have someone to play with. I've got a feeling this kid is going to be one great big brother!

Unexpected Breaking News

“Being pregnant is an occupational hazard of being a wife.” ~Queen Victoria

Banning the Box-Revisited

"Television has proved that people will look at anything rather than each other." ~ Ann Landers (1918 - 2002)

My mini TV fast was such a productive time that I've been incorporating more time in the house with the TV off. And I'm better for it. That's not that constant whirring in my head of conversations and images. There's a quiet, lulling calm. A sweet running brook of my own thoughts and God's Word.

It was my delight to run across a blog challenge at Unplug Your Kids for National TV turnoff week which runs next week April 23-29. I'm thoroughly convinced that, while TV is a good thing, too much of it stifles creativity and imagination. I mean...I find myself watching people do creative things wishing I could do the same thing. Well, I could be doing the same thing if I wasn't sitting in front of the television wishing. So I'm excited about the prospect of a whole week without TV. Of course, I know it won't be easy because I know how easy it is to get sucked back into old habits. How that couch and remote can sing your name so beautifully. So I'm going to start looking for some fun non-TV related activities for me and my little guy--my big guy too! Won't you join me? Even if it's only for a day.

Burlap and Gold Thread

"Some people weave burlap into the fabric of our lives, and some weave gold thread. Both contribute to make the whole picture beautiful and unique."  ~Anonymous

As I child I remember spending hours looking through family photos asking my questions the pictures..who the people where...where it was taken....why wsn't I in the picture. Looking at every single detail in the photo. I get a kick out of Rhyan doing the same thing.

I'm hoping that when he's older and he looks back on old family pictures that a fondness and great sense of love builds up in his heart.

Today, I was listening to a podcast of Homeword with Jim Burns, one of my favorite radio shows. The show was titled, What Real Manhood Means and featured author John Eldredge. Good Stuff. One of the things that struck me was when he said that boys-when they are young-need to hear from their fathers that they are beloved sons. Wow. Now wouldn't that heal a lot of hurt in grown men? If they'd only heard their daddy's say, 'yes, son I adore you and you are my beloved son.'

I am very aware that my husband and I are helping to build a little life here. May the burlap and the gold thread turn into a gorgeous picture for our little guy! And may the memories that we build today take him through his tomorrows.

Slow Down...See the Beauty

“When you t ake a flower in your hand and really look at it, it's your world for the moment. I want to give that world to someone else. Most people in the city rush around so, they have no time to look at a flower. I want them to see it whether they want to or not.” ~Georgia O'Keeffe

Lately I've been having to remind myself to slow down. I can easily work myself into a frenzy trying to get everything done at the same time. Again, that's not the kind of life I want to live. So when I stumbled across this Washington Post article Pearls Before Breakfast, I got back in my take it easy groove. Turns out this has been the most emailed article for the week and rightly so. It's a long read but worth it.....about how the Post did their own experiment. They planted a world-class violinist  Josh Bell in a Metro station at the height of the morning rush hour and had him play some of the best classical music pieces ever written to see what effect he had on people. Did he draw a crowd? Did anyone slow down. Read on. Really--take a quiet moment to read.

One part of the article that particularly struck me was this line: "Every single time a child walked past, he or she tried to stop and watch. And every single time, a parent scooted the kid away."

Wow! How many times have I been guilty of rushing Rhyan past the simple pleasure of watching a spider weave a intricate web or replied with an empty "uh huh" when he asks another why question.

Lord, help me to slow down and see the beauty in my everyday life and hear the melody of Your Word humming gently in my heart.

My Mommy Break

How is it that a few hours away from your child bring a whole new pep to your step? I just returned from my book club meeting and returned home to see my little one running out the front door saying, "I don't want Mommy to go." Turns out he enjoyed the break from mommy too. Plus, he was getting the chance to go with Daddy in the big boy truck.

No bother though because I'd just enjoyed 80 minutes of pure bliss. Our book club met at the spa today and I enjoyed every single second of a hot stone massage. During the treatment, the masseuse asked me if I lifted weights. Does a three year old count I asked? Turns out I had knots all in my back on the side where I carry Rhyan. Why am I still carrying a three-year-old? That's the question I still need to figure out. Probably because my baby has grown up right before my eyes. And when I see him heading out the door without so much as a wave, in some small way it breaks my mommy heart. So when he asks to be picked up, it confirms for me that he will always be my favorite little guy.

So when the knots kick up again in my back, I'll just have another excuse to be pampered by those beautiful stones!

Gotta Find A New Trick

Great. Just when I find something that gets Rhyan all excited about brushing his teeth, the product gets recalled. Listerine's Cool Agent Blue Rinse is being pulled from the shelves. It has been determined that the preservatives in this alcohol free product are not adequate enough to prevent the growth of certain microrganisms. Just passing the word along in case you have kids and use the product.

The Hot Spot

Apparently this is the best spot to watch television in our house. I won't be trying this one any time soon.

Raising This Kid

"Raising kids is part joy and part guerilla warfare." ~Ed Asner

Why does it tear me up everytime Rhyan does not get a perfect day report? Is this going to last until he graduates from high school?

Last week, a teacher on the playground told him not to take another kid's toy away. His response: "Don't tell me that." His "back talk" landed him a stint on the bench. And it was folllowed by lots of crying, snotting and near-vomiting antics according to the teacher who I really adore so I know she wasn't exaggerating. I made him go apologize to her once I got the report. The next day's report: he was disruptive during praise and worship and after nap time he was generally irritable and snatched a paper towel from another boy in the restroom. As I made my way over to Rhyan, one of the little boys asked, "are you going to spank him?" How can I be a disciplinarian when I wanted to bust up laughing? Perhaps Rhyan felt this vibe because my attempts to get him to apologize were met with lots of crying and hyper-ventilating.

Now the behavior is really nothing to be alarmed about...I mean he's three years old for goodness sake! But I still feel like it's an indictment against my parenting. And sometimes I feel like a downright fraud when I'm trying to discipline him. I mean, half the time I don't even feel qualified to parent.

Last month, I requested a parent-teacher conference with the school directors and Rhyan's teachers because all of a sudden he was getting into trouble every day. Not that I think my kid is perfect--but it was very uncharacteristic. Boy, I was nervous wreck going into that meeting. I felt like an elementary school kid on the way to the principal's office..all shaky and stomach topsy turvy--not that I know that feeling at all! *wink* Who the heck am I to be going to a parent-teacher meeting? In the end it all worked out and his behavior has taken an upswing thanks to some advice from the director for the teachers to take a different approach to what she called my "very smart and strong-willed child."

Sometimes you have to put on the big adult parenting hat--even when you don't feel like it and last week was definitely one of those Calgon-take-me-away weeks.

On a much sweeter note. Rhyan met his newly-born cousin Ian on Easter. He was so gentle and very interested in the baby. But I think he confused the baby's wide eyes for wonderment over his Mavis train. A cute sight to behold!

Side-note: This blog is now accessible via its own domain name at www.nonsuperwomanchronicles.com :-)