The thrill of defeat

A picture to grab your attention.

I've been feeling defeated lately. I guess it's the challenges of trying to balance work & family, finances, keeping the house clean-ish, me time, me and dave time. Anyway, sometimes I feel like it's hard to do everything and do everything successfully. I do know that it's all relative and that plenty of people have things a lot harder. But as Leah reminds me, "it doesn't matter if other people have it harder...that doesn't make your situation any less difficult for you." (or something to that effect)

I do think I'm pretty good at Mommying though (toot toot). So in an effort to feel like my knowledge about (at least) parenting might benefit someone other than Dave, Sawyer and Eliza, I will include in this post some of my tips / ideas / tricks of the trade.

1. The most valuable word you can teach your baby is "more". If they can say "Mama" they can say "more". It doesn't have to be totally clear either. But it's a heck of a lot better than grunting and pointing to get something. And once they see that it works, they're hooked.

2. Put spinach leaves in a smoothie. Your kid won't taste them and you can add a veggie to their daily intake.

3. Make your own playdough. It's much better than store-bought. Use a ton of food coloring.

4. Smooch your newborn baby on the lips. It's just the best thing in the world.

5. Hang your child's artwork on the wall right next to your "real" art.

6. Teething babies like to chew on toothbrushes.

7. Cinnamon toast cut into triangles are donkey ears and they are yummy.

8. If there is a puddle your child has a God-given right and responsibility to splash in it. Do not deny them this. Just be prepared to have a wet child.

9. The best way to get rid of monsters is to say "Abra Cadabra Hokus Pokus...Monsters GET OUT OF THIS ROOM!" I'm telling you, it really does work.

10. Be patient...most of the time, fair...some of the time, serious...when you really mean it, and silly...when you just have to!

Thanks, loyal readers.

Joyeux Halloween

A kid in my class asked me "How many more days of Halloween are there?" I told him "8...like Hanukkah." Yes, the season of giving (and ingesting) is upon us. Time to stock up on toothpaste and whole grains...whatever you can do to counteract the massive amounts of sugar intake that is to come.

Yesterday we celebrated Halloween here in the Cherry-Montgomery household. Sawyer came up with his own costume. Originally he wanted to be a tick (truly scary). Then he wanted to be a race car. Not a race car driver, mind you, but an actual race car. So I got my hands on a cardboard box and a kitchen knife. Then it became a tick DRIVING a race car! So add a pair of wiggly antennae and it's a go. We like to work with whatever the kid has to offer.

Eliza, at the last minute, was a lovely little gypsy! We went to U-Mall, then to Boulder Lane where Sawyer and Eliza trick-or-treated with Uncle Nick and Mamilene. And Mommy remembered the 9 or so years I trick-or-treated on that very street (though with different residents) Good times.

My query for this Halloween: Why do candy bars taste SO much better when they're 2 inches long?