I heart faces photo challenge | summer fun

Doug and I traveled to Downtown Cincinnati this summer to take our kiddos to Sawyer Point. We had forgotten completely that a new park had opened up and there was a kid-friendly water attraction there. We weren't prepared: no suit, no towels and no camera (I feel ashamed!).

At first, this momma wasn't going to let her biggest-little go splashing in the fountain. I mean--can you imagine the mess in the car?! THEN, I brought myself back to when I was kid--part of the fun of summer is to do things you aren't really supposed to do--like get soaking wet in your clothes. Spontaneity is the motto of Summer--as I reminded myself of this I hollered at our little man and told him to go nuts! He had an absolute blast and guess what, his clothes dried and there was no mess to deal with in the car.

Since I didn't have my camera, I had to rely on i-phone! Excuse the lower quality, but for iphoneography, I was pretty proud of the way it turned out. I heart faces is doing a photo challenge titled "Summer Fun" and well, to me, this photo defines it.

Make sure that you join in on the fun! Click the button to the left and find out how you too and define what your summer was like!

Have a happy day!

I Heart Faces | Enjoying Life

This month's challenge over at the I Heart Faces blog is right up my alley: enjoying life. This is my motto! I believe that enjoying life comes in two forms: the every day and the extraordinary. Being able to "enjoy life" is quite easy--you open yourself up to all that life has to offer. This makes enjoying the every day, spectacular; and the extraordinary, monumental.

The photo I chose to submit is of my sister and her family when they welcomed their second child into the world. It was amazing to be able to photograph my nephew as he met his baby sister, but even more amazing to see the overwhelming, extraordinary joy my sister had during this moment...

As the guest photographer, Kelle Hampton, says on her blog: you have to suck the marrow out of life and I believe my twin has done just that!

Home with a sick kiddo

My oldest decided to get a freak fever before bed last night so that pretty much dictated how our day would be. After juggling schedules, my hubby and I were able to work out a plan for who would watch the little guy.

I was able to get the afternoon shift and am currently watching him lounge on the couch, sucking on saltine crackers and drinking gaterade.

Having a child under the weather is never fun, and I certainly don't get enjoyment out of it, but what I do enjoy is that I have the opportunity to take care of him...

Some of the best childhood memories I have of my mom is when I was home from school. crackers, cola, and best of all--I got to snuggle up in my parent's bed. My mom would check on me, caress my hair, rub my back and totally placed my needs above all else. Even though I felt like completely poo, I always felt safe and comfortable knowing that my mom was there to take care of me.

I just hope I am that for Deacon. I hope he'll look back years from now and remember these times--even though being sick stinks--but it is a special time that I love having with him--to show him how much I truly love him.

I heart faces photo challenge | hugs and kisses

This week's photo challenge over at I heart faces is hugs and kisses. A very dear friend of mine got married not too long ago and even though I didn't photograph her wedding, I did bring my camera (it's kind of difficult to tell a photographer NOT to bring their camera!) This is one of the moments I was able to capture for them:

Want to part take in this fun photo challege? head on over to iheartfaces.com and enter before 9 pm tonight!

A Beard and a Mustache

Sometimes I just want to sit inside a child’s brain so that I can try to understand why they do the silly things they do. More specifically, I want to sit inside my four-year-old’s brain to understand why he does what he does.

99% of the time, my son does is amazing, cute, wonderful, creative, funny and even witty things. But then there is the 1%. I can guess that most parents agree that is the percentage that leaves us scratching our heads. Most will agree that the 1% causes the most unpredictable, outrageous, hilarious (although we can’t let them think that) and puzzling concoctions our little ones come up with.

Here are some examples of the 1% that most of us have experienced:

• Crayons on walls

• Flushing items down the toilet

• Painting walls with things other than paint

• Sticking things up their nose

• Swallowing foreign objects

• Jumping from the couch and other furniture

• Dumping cupfuls of water out of the tub

• Cutting the telephone cord while talking on the phone

• Using your feet to scrub the tub with soft scrub instead of a sponge (true story, lived by my twin, my friend and me).

All of the above can do one of two things to parents. If your child does this on a day you have lots of patience, you just laugh it off and educate them on the “dangers of fill in the blank” and move on. Kids however have the uncanny ability to time their 1% in with the most hectic of days and when we, the parents, have the least amount of patience. Unfortunately, my child likes to experiment with the fragility of life in conjunction with my fragile patience. This is when the 1% throws us parents over the edge. This is when we go crazy, Broadway style.

Last night was no different. Doug, aka: the fun parent was on nap duty while I was out shopping. Because our 5-month-old has an unpredictable nap schedule, he told Deacon that he’d have to lay down by himself. Reason being, no one in the house would nap if Cohen cried the whole time. Doug assumed that Deacon would just fall a sleep on his own.

Once I came home, I quickly realized Deacon hadn’t fallen asleep. I went upstairs to lay down with him as a last ditch effort to get him to take a snooze. It was a rainy day so the room was especially dark, which made it difficult for me to see him. I lay down next to him, gave him a big hug and asked if he wanted to snuggle. He said yes, but immediately said, “Mommy, don’t turn on the light, okay?” I chuckled and replied, “I won’t honey.” Then I paused, got suspicious and said, “Deacon, why don’t you want me to turn the light on.” He stammered through is reply, “I don’t want you to see what I did to my face.” I obviously turned on the lights to see what he did. Deacon decided he was going to color on himself—with a permanent marker. I have no clue how he even found the marker or why he even thought it was a good idea to color on him, but apparently he knew what he did was a bad idea. I can imagine him finding the marker and thinking that it would be a lot of fun to color on himself, but then afterwards the guilt set in (we’ve all been there, yes?!) so he totally ratted himself out, no interrogation needed!

The worse part is that when I was trying to talk to Deacon about why Doug and I were upset, he kept making this hilarious face that was even funnier because of the marker! I busted out laughing, so I knew I was in trouble because once you laugh, it’s all over—the kid is on to you. After I laughed, Deacon laughed and I kept telling him it wasn’t funny and he looked at me and said, “Yes, mommy it is very funny.” I folded and agreed that it was pretty silly. In an effort to save a parenting, life lesson moment, I told him that I wasn’t upset that he colored on himself, but I was more upset that he disobeyed us and did that instead of napping. I also took it one step further and said he had to send photos of him to Santa so he could assess the damage. That’s when Deacon got really upset. He looked at me and asked what Santa would do and I said that I didn’t know. Then in the most pitiful voice and innocent look (chin down, eyes up) he said, “Mommy, I just wanted a beard and a mustache like daddy.”

UGH! I totally played the Santa card, and it completely backfired on me! I said, “You wanted a beard like daddy?!” He replied, “Yes-I want to be just like my daddy.” I start to back pedal and reminded him that we when we are told to do something (take a nap) we need to do it and not do anything else (color on self). I did say that if he wanted to color a beard on him, he could have asked us and we would have totally gotten the markers out (washable) and he could have went to town, because I’d like to think that Doug and I are cool parents.

After the dust settled, we made Deacon soak in the tub to fade the marker away. We also discovered that baby wipes take the marker right off! By the way, baby wipes magically remove just about anything-yet they are supposed to be baby safe—haven’t figured that one out yet!

So, what is my point to all this? The 1% will happen to you. It is supposed to happen because kids will be kids. I know the silly stuff kids do that fit into the 1% occur at the least desirable times, but try to laugh it off anyway (except for when it is super serious!) T

he 1% is part of growing up, and even though it is such a small percentage, I like to think that the lessons learned are far greater than 1%!

I Heart Faces Photo Challenge | Autumn Splendor

This is the first time I have entered a photo in the I Heart Faces Photo Challenge! As soon as I read the category, I KNEW the perfect picture I would use for the contest! Want to add your own photo to the challenge? You better hurry--the contest closes at 9pm tonight!

Soccer

So after a year of Doug and I asking Deacon if he wanted to play soccer, he finally said yes!  I was super excited that he wanted to try my favorite sport. Plus, fall is not fall unless you get to watch or play a soccer game. Some people have memories of huddling under blankets watching football under the Friday night lights, but I hold all of my fall memories on the pitch. Nothing beats stepping out onto the field with a chill in the air, sweet dew sticking to your cleats and the sound the soccer ball makes as it races across the field. Deacon, should he want to continue playing, will hopefully experience many happy memories with such an amazing sport like I do :)

Deacon is playing through NKYA, an awesome, volunteer driven organization that strives to teach kids to love the game, learn the basics and have fun.  The organization hosts teams from U4 to U18 and every game is at the same park between the hours of 9 and 12 (Thank you!!!!)

So a typical Saturday during the soccer season involves Deacon getting decked out in his mini soccer gear:
shirt, shorts, cute little cleats and shin guards (why does he have to look that stinkin' adorable in his uniform?!) Then he has to have a yogurt to make his body strong (Did I mention that this kid is so persuasive he could sell an Eskimo an ice cube?) and off we go in my soccer mom wagon to the field.

Doug has to work Saturdays so it is just me and the kiddos--which is a sport in of itself! We fight for a parking spot, then I have to juggle getting the stroller out for Cohen, the soccer bag for Deacon, the diaper bag for Cohen, a chair for me, etc. etc. that's before the kids are even out of the car!!!  Next I have to give Deacon specific instructions on getting out of the car and standing right by me while I get Cohen.  I nestle Cohen's pumpkin seat in the stroller and what feels like we've been preparing for the decent down the hill for an hour, we finally make some headway.

Deacon grabs his water bottle and heads to the field to get a quick practice in with his team before the game. This is when I get to sit and watch :)

Not only do I get to watch my little soccer star, but the parents, and the droves of kids, tumbling down the hill to their game.  It is like a battle field of Saturday tradition.  Moms, dad's, grandparents and whoever is crazy enough to come to a game will pile on the junk to trek down the hill to their final destination.  Mom's fumbling with their camping seats, coolers, snacks for after the game, camera, video camera, themed t-shirts with their kids names on it; no doubt did they earn the "soccer mom" title.  The kids racing down the hill to the fields while the mom or dad or whoever else screams, "you're going to fa...." too late.  little Jack fell down, skinned his knee, which threatens his ability to play the game.  After a short pep talk, little Jack is ready to play.

I hear the whistle of the ref so I turn my head away from the train wreck of families colliding down the hillside, and focus on my sweet little boy as he gets ready to kick off.

The best part about U6 soccer is the sheer cluelessness most of the children have for the sport. It is entertaining to watch the litter of kids run with the ball. At that age the mere object of the game is to get the ball.  That means even if your team mate has the ball YOU have to get it.  There is no passing, no shooting, no strategic thought--in fact, it is a major cluster--but good glory it is hilarious! Some kids sit and pick at the grass, others try to get in the game and then there are those children (mine included) who anticipate the game so much that they tug on the pants leg of their poor, unsuspecting coach ask them when they get to play or kick or throw the ball. My son's coach deserves the medal of honor for his patience (and bravery), the kids really enjoy him!

There is one position that kids DO NOT want to play: goalie. They'd rather be in the action and kicking the ball (remember they are 4 and 5, the word team doesn't exist with them yet--and as a goalie, you have to think of your team).  Anyway, my son begs to play goalie.  I'm not kidding. One game, the coach gave in and let him be the keeper. My heart stopped and my stomach was in my throat. Why? well, I played goalie, as did my brother--and I guess I inserted my fears, anxiety and excitement into what I thought Deacon might have been feeling but quickly realized that his desire to be goalie wasn't to catch the ball, but to play with the soccer net.  Oh geesh!  "Deacon, keep an eye on the ball, be ready" I yelled.  Then my brain told me to pull back the crazy.  So I just sat silenced, stomach in throat, hoping to God he'd catch the ball if it came his way.  A kid came barreling down the field (Can a 5 year old barrel?!  I don't know but it makes for a dramatic effect to the story!) and tapped the ball towards the goal.  I shut my eyes, wincing, the opened. And to my surprise, Deacon caught the ball!  He threw it to the right player and the game continued.  I was relieved!  2 minutes later, his luck ran out because the team scored on him.  I quickly said, "it's okay bud, thumbs up!" He smiled and gave me a thumbs up--still as proud as we was when he caught the ball!  The coach somberly walked to him and asked if he wanted a break.  Deacon shook his head no and told the coach, "I still want to play goalie!!!" So, he let him!  It was so sweet!

Within a couple minutes, the game was over--the snacks were passed out, the drinks were grabbed up by the kids, the gear was packed and we headed for home.  Just like that--as quick as we trekked down the hill, we climbed the hill to go home.  Saturday ritual was over for the day and so the day continued like any other Saturday.  I left the goals scored (from both teams) on that field, it didn't matter who won because all I cared about was that my son had a blast. I left the critique there to.  Deacon doesn't need to know how he could have been better--because as far as I'm concerned--he played like a real pro (for a 4-year old!) But there was one thing I did take: the memories, the smiles, laughs and the pride that my son had for playing a sport. I will remember these soccer Saturday's for the rest of my life and I only hope that we have many more soccer Saturday's to come. I hope that Deacon can continue to learn, grow and excel in the sport--if he chooses to do so, but most importantly, I just want him to have fun!

As I drove away from the field, I looked back at Deacon and he asked, "Mommy, aren't you so proud of me?!" and I said, "You have no idea how proud I am of you!" He flashed the biggest, yet sheepish smile I've ever seen.

I hope he does know how proud I am of him.  I hope he also knows, what great lessons he teaches me, even at his young age. Life isn't about being perfect or keeping score--it's about having fun, letting go, and being in the moment.