Friday, June 25, 2010

The Joys of Parenting - Part 1

Okay - so I figured I'd blog more now that summer's here and I'm "off work." However, as it is slowly slipping away, I wanted to just make sure I had some memories written down (even if they're not-so-good memories).

Shots - I'm not mad, people, but WHY didn't someone tell me?! I was doing my best to stay composed for my little guy, but he was screaming his head off, and they were stabbing, and I had to hold him down, and he said "this is mean," and it was TERRIBLE. Just...terrible. I will never forget those moments. (Sorry for the run-on.)

Choking - I knew it was coming...my friend Kim is always worried b/c one of her children is a choker. But that moment...when Dillon was sticking his hand down his throat with panic in his eyes...It was a thinly sliced pickle, for goodness sake. But I went into Emergency Mode and we got it out, but for a few seconds there, I thought we were going to have to call 911. That was horrible. Aaron saw the whole thing happening from a parking lot and raced over just in time for D to catch his breath...but he had his phone out. I am so thankful that I had dealt with choking children before.

"Mommy, you play wif me?" - Each time he says this, it makes me stop and realize what's REALLY important is not having the counters cleaned off or the floors saved from potato chips. It's the imaginary conversations that Woody has with Buzz, and seeing how high we can build a tower. It's moving dirt from one spot in the yard to another with his uber-cool dump trucks and watching him run through the sprinkler. These are the memories that will forever be etched in his little brain nodules, and will always bring him a smile. I pray that I can be more mindful of this.

"I want a baby brudder like Caleb, Momma." - My friend, Belle, is having a baby very soon, and we have seen her several times since April. She has a 3 year old who is buddies with little D. This last time we went to stay, he just won't stop saying this. He informed Daddy, and is now helping us pray for a baby "brudder." We've been wanting a baby for a year and a half, but God has other plans. Dillon probably would have never come to our home if we had had a baby when we wanted to. And now, we are all 3 ready, and we're thinking that this 4 year old, to which all this "God stuff" is new, might have his prayers heard. Wouldn't THAT be fun?!

The mocking/mimicking - I have been a PreK teacher for 4 years, but worked with kids since I was...12?! I know all about this...that they do what they see, say what they hear. It's almost scary. But those moments when someone takes a toy from him, I see growth. What we're doing DOES matter. In the past, he would whine, cry, hit, etc. Now he says "That's mine, give it back." or "That was not nice. Don't do that again." He's showing a thankful attitude, especially when we pray, which helps us to know what our prayers sound like. He LOVES going to church, just as much as his Momma and Da-Da.

I just am...in awe. Being a parent is so very hard, so very draining. And yet, in these glimpses of God's goodness, I am so thankful...for the good moments and the tough ones. For the job at hand is so very rewarding...I never dreamed it would be THIS rewarding.

PS - I labeled this Part 1 b/c I figure there will be more of these as I learn...