Spendin' all my time with you,
There's nothin' else I'd rather do.
Lyrics courtesy of Diamond Rio
These four sentences absolutely capture my frame of mind right now.
Garrett has entered a new era of independence where he is putting his negotiation skill set to the test. This has created yet another layer of chaos in our life and is seriously testing my patience. I have found myself saying "Because I said so!" frequently, very frequently.
The nice rhythm we had found that I did not appreciate enough is gone.
I strongly suspect that he & his classmates compare notes and he is using this new found knowledge to challenge everything in our family life. Case in point, G & I have been working on him replying "Yes M'am" to requests I make of him or as a reply to a question. I have not introduced "No M'am" because I would love to remove "No" out of his preschool repertoire. I digress.
This morning I was gently guiding him to "Yes M'am" and he said "Okay. Mama, that is what my friends say. They don't say Yes M'am. We say Okay." I was so stunned that all I could come up with is "Well, your Mommy is teaching you to say "Yes M'am".
Have I mentioned my patience is being tested? Since we spend most of all of our time together I am trying to embrace this new era. He is building his critical thinking skills, harnessing his negotiation power & realizing, sometimes painfully as we have introduced the spanking, there are boundaries and a very fine line between being respectfully assertive and flat out disobedient.
There is truly no other place I would rather be. I don't think it would be motherhood if I wasn't thrown off my feet just as I've caught my balance.
I really do love to watch him grow as a little person no matter how painful it is for me.
I am also loving this song right now by Lady Antebellum. Many of the lines resonate to me as a scrapbooker and will most likely find their way to a layout about Why I Scrap but the hope, the sense of unknown purpose & endless possibility are what I dream of for my son.
Lyrics
You will notice me
I’ll be leaving my mark like initals carved in an old oak tree
You wait and see
Maybe I’ll write like Twain wrote
Maybe I’ll paint like Van Gogh
Cure the common cold
I don’t know but I’m ready start cuz I know in my heart
I wanna do something that matters
Say something different
Something that sets the whole world on its ear
I wanna do something better
With the time I’ve been given
And I wanna try
To touch a few hearts in this life
Leave nothing less
Than something that says “I was here”
I will prove you wrong
If you think I’m all talk, you’re in for a shock
Cuz this dream’s too strong
And before too long
Maybe I’ll compose symphonies,
Maybe I’ll fight for world peace
Cuz I know it’s my destiny
To leave more than a trace of myself in this place
I wanna do something that matters
Say something different
Something that sets the whole world on its ear
I wanna do something better
With the time I’ve been given
And I wanna try
To touch a few hearts in this life
Leave nothing less
Than something that says “I was here”
And I know that I will do more than just pass through this life
I’ll leave nothing less than something that says “I was here”
Loving this post by Karen Grunberg on validation as it relates to posting our layouts in galleries. For me, she is spot on! I recently uploaded a layout to a gallery and have been checking like a mad woman for one person's validation. In fact, I even thought about changing it & reposting!!Craziness.
Sadly, this isn't the first time that lack or abundance of comments have dictated how I feel about a layout. After reading her post I was reaffirmed that I am doing this for me and my family not for the general population. I really need to keep my perspective here.
Speaking of layouts here is another one I did this weekend with my June Studio Calico kit.
Have a wonderful evening! I have my second session with my personal trainer & I'm actually looking forward to it! Woo hoo
lovemon
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2 comments:
I'm right there with you in dealing with the new-found independence of my oldest. He turned five, and about a month later, became rather impossible on most things. It's quite challenging most days, but just like you, there's no place I'd rather be. I think it's because I realize it's so important to correct his behavior now, while he's young, I'm a bit more stressed than normal, but I know we'll get through it.
I love the song you posted, and think the "validation" post is quite interesting. I feel that way about my blog when no one comments-I used to constantly check. Now (most of the time at least), I write for me and my family, and if it strikes a chord with a reader, I hope they comment. Some days, I still really wish for more comments. Thanks for the wonderful post; as you can tell by the length of this, it really resonated with me.
WOW! this is a great layout and I love the journalingin a circle :)
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