Motherhood (1000 word challenge)

Fear like you have never experienced. Overwhelming worry. The understanding that you are in complete control of a situation that is unlike any other. You are fully responsible for either breaking or making a difference. Motherhood.

Lack of sleep, overloaded emotions, stressing about every little thing, including stress, debating to do or not do this and that, making choices with outcomes that may remain unknown, doing what you think is best, only to doubt your judgement and second guess the doubt.

Organic, vaccines, discipline, sunscreen, bullies, milk, sleeping arrangements, pacifiers, disposable diapers, earrings, and a million other things that keep your head spinning.

And yes, for some unknown reason you find yourself wanting to do it all over again. And again. And again.

What will they think of me when they start thinking like me. Will I make a difference, will they strive to be the best person they can be, will they be loving and love each other, will they be strong, will they be smart, will they understand and have compassion, will I be able to give them everything they need, and will they be able to get whatever I don't give them? Will they eventually understand me, will they always be my friend, and always love me, and call me, and be there for me when I am old and need them?

Or, will I be too pushy, too overbearing, too smothering, too hard, too strict?

Do they know how much I love them, how I spend time thinking about them each day, trying to find something for them to do, something to keep them busy, to teach them. Do they realize how much I worry about them, how much I want them to enjoy life and be safe. Do they know the need I have to protect them and keep them safe. Do they understand how much I worry about the little things they do?

Like playing at the park where anything is possible. Someone could grab one of them, they could fall and get hurt, they could get bit by a dog, they could eat something on the ground and get sick, they could get coughed or sneezed on and catch something, they could find a sharp object and get cut, and get infected, they could fall, they could get hit by another kid and get their feelings hurt, or they could hit another kid and hurt his or her feelings.

I take full responsibility for them, if something should happen it is my fault, I am on duty all the time, I am the one that has to keep them safe, I am the one that has to make life altering decisions for them, I am the one that has to watch them all the time, to know what they are doing, to anticipate what they are thinking, to hope that they are going to be ok.

Why?

I can't explain the love a mother has for her child, each child is so different and so unique, and the love somehow overpowers all of the stress and the worry and the fear. Love is a superpower, love can heal, love can protect. A mother's love is a powerful thing, unimaginable, and very real. I can only say that I have never known a love so strong in a way that is as protective. Once I became a mother I knew that my job was to help these little girls become. I don't have any idea what they are going to become and I don't know how much I can help but I do know that I am fully responsible for doing everything I can to give them what they deserve.

And I enjoy them. They make me so happy. I love to watch them think, and learn, and play, and smile. I love to give them hugs, and breath them, and kiss them, and snuggle with them, and tickle them. I love when they love me, when they kiss me and hug me. I love to look into their eyes and see them looking back into mine.

To think that they exist because of me, somehow, they are a part of me. They don't look just like me but they have a piece of me in them. It is amazing to look at them and see some of me. After my body dies and I am no more I will know that pieces of me continue to live in this world.

All I want are for them to be happy. Happiness cannot be defined – only experienced. I don't know what is going to make them happy, it may not be the same things that make me happy or that make each of them happy, so whatever it is I want them to know I will love them and accept them and help them however I can, and I will try not to judge them.

In return I want them to love me forever, to live with me until they are at least 25, unless under the right circumstances and we are all in agreement, then and only then can they leave sooner, like maybe 23. I want them to give me grandchildren, oh and I want them to become wealthy and independent, and live in a nice house, or a modest home, whatever makes them (and me) happy. I want them to be smart, get a collage degree or two, or get a good job without even needing college. I want them to become famous, a dancer, a singer, a scientist, a painter, a doctor, a teacher, or just a normal person living a normal life who lives with their mother, or mother in law if she needs them more.

I just hope they grow up loving life like I do, I hope they have the ability to handle the situations that life hands them. I want them to be happy. I hope they stay best friends and live around each other and stay in each others lives. I hope I can be there for them as long as possible to give them whatever they need or want, like money or someone to talk to.  Or maybe just a hug :o)

Grassy Girls

We went to home depot the other day to get a new dishwasher and ended up buying a nice fake green piece of grass!  I honestly miss all of our grass, but at least this grass will stay green forever, unless the sun fades it or something.  I have really been slacking on taking their photos, maybe I have been too busy?  Likely excuse...

18 Months Pepper

Pepper had her 18 month well check appointment today, and she is doing very well.  This was probably the fastest appointment ever, we were in at 9:45 (15 minutes before the appointment) and out by 10:05 (the appointment was for 10:00).  No shots either!

Pepper is 28 pounds and 33.25 inches.
Summer was 28 pounds at 33.25 inches at 18 months too.

This is Summer at 18 months (first picture) and the second picture is Pepper (with the hat) at 18 months.  I don't think they look anything alike!  Maybe they have the same nose?

Here are a few more pictures of Pepper from last week.

Puke

On Thursday night Summer had her piano recital.  When we got home (around 8:00 pm) everything seemed very normal, Pepper was happy to see us and was running around like crazy.  She read a few books and I gave her the pacifier, rocked her for a second and put her in her crib.  Before I could even walk out of her room and shut the door I heard her puke.  It was gross, and everywhere.  We cleaned her up, cleaned up the crib, I rocked her back to sleep and put her down again (about 8:45 by now) and she puked again.  At first I thought maybe she just had a full tummy but after the second time I suspected something was wrong.  We cleaned her up again and changed her crib, and put her back to sleep.  She puked again, and again, and again, stopping finally sometime around 1:00 am.  Luckily the last three pukes were mostly nothing since she had nothing left to puke.  Around 10:00 pm (during Pepper's puking) Summer cried out from her bed.  I went in there and she was asleep but she was making eating sounds.  I should have woken her up and taken her to the bathroom, I had time, but I didn't, and she puked and puked all over herself and her bed.  We put her on our bathroom floor in a sleeping bag so she wouldn't puke on the carpet.  Between 10:00 pm and 7:00 am (when we finally got up to start Friday) she had puked so much we lost count.  Basically every hour.  She woke up each time she had to puke, in pain, and puked in Pepper's potty so at least we didn't have to clean up puke all night.  She continued to puke the rest of the morning.  She would drink water, and puke.  She slept most of the day and finally quit puking around 2:00 that afternoon.  She finally seemed better, and Pepper seemed to be completely cured and full of endless energy.  Both girls went to bed and all seemed back to normal until 3:00 am on Saturday, when we heard Pepper puke.  After cleaning her and putting her back to bed, she puked again.  After cleaning her the second time and putting her back to bed - we have had no puke since.

Sick and sleeping Friday morning

What the heck?  Was it a stomach bug, the flu, a fluke?  We all ate the same thing and we have all had puke around us, yet none of us adults seem to be sick.  Whatever it is, or was, hopefully it is gone.  I don't want to wake up again at 3:00 am and clean more puke, I have seen enough puke to last for quite a few years.

Summer also had to miss her piano recital on Friday night, she was still so weak from puking and sleeping all day.  She had pictures this morning for dance but we made that, today she seems mostly back to normal.  I suppose if I put her on the scale she might be down a few pounds, but she will get it back in due time.  As for Pepper, she also seems completely back to normal but she seemed normal yesterday too so I hope we are done with puke.  Since Summer missed her piano recital she put on her own little concert for us tonight at home, it was cute and she had fun.

Dance Photos

No more piano, only two weeks left of choir, and a little over a month left in dance.  Then the summer, and my Summer, are going to have nothing to do, well maybe swimming, of course it might be to hot to swim during the day.  We will have to find something to keep us busy and I bet we will.  

And Pepper turned 18 months yesterday.  This photo is not from yesterday, it was from two days ago, I did not get any photos yesterday :o(

Copy Cat

What you can see is this cute little girl standing against the wall, what you can't see is her dad behind me (and the camera) making her copy his every move, and she did a great job too!

Swimming in April (and March)

The girls have been swimming and swimming and swimming.  Both of them love the pool and the water.  Maybe they are half fish, or maybe it is normal to love swimming so much when you are a child.  With the solar covers, the liquid that keeps the pool warmer and from evaporating, and the solar heater on the roof, they have been able to swim already.  The water temperate has been around 82, which isn't really that bad (I did get in once and I was not cold).  

Summer hasn't relearned how to swim again yet but she will.  Pepper is probably going to learn how to swim this year.  That baby loves the water and hates being constrained, I think she would prefer to drown, or she might just surprise us and start swimming.  She loves to jump in, go underwater, and try to get away from you.  Thank goodness for the solid gate around the pool.  

It is suppose to be 90 today and at 9:00 am this morning the water is already 78.  I have a feeling we will be swimming again today.  I shaved my legs just incase.

T

Summer Shines Some

Getting this child to pose for a picture is just ... grrrr lol, she would just rather be doing what everyone else is doing, or making sure Pepper isn't having all the fun.  Summer is a great older sister but she doesn't enjoy being left out of anything.

We only have 5+ weeks left of homeschooling and we are both glad.  We would both rather play, or do other things :o) but I think Summer has really learned a lot this year (somehow).  Her reading amazes me some days.  Yesterday we headed to choir and she brought a book along and sat in the back seat reading it to me, spelling the words she didn't know.  I have no doubt that she would be able to read even more had I spent more time with her, which is why we will not be doing homeschool next year.  Plus she misses being around friends her age and while she really enjoys playing with Pepper, I bet some time away from her will make it even better.

Summer hates having her hair brushed.  If you can't tell from the photos, the hair was not brushed today.  I will be glad when she can start brushing it herself and actually does a good enough job to get the tangles out.  Summer loves spending time with anyone that pays attention to her.  Imagine that!  She really loves her choir class and singing, though I don't know that she can sing at that well, yet?  She enjoys her piano class and her dance class but her choir is her favorite.  I really should look into some sort of group sport and see how she does.

She is the most thoughtful little thing, loves to share, loves to hug but only wants kisses on the cheek (maybe its my breath?).  She loves taking care of her sister, feeding her and helping her get dressed, brushing their teeth together.  She wants to help change diapers but not the poopie ones.  She has no real issues sharing toys (amazingly) and has learned how to trick Pepper into giving her something she wants by trading her something.  I guess the girls get along very well considering.

She is getting so big, she is going to be 6 soon and in school all day next year.