On Tuesday night Micah and I had a delightful, fancy, expensive dinner courtesy of some old gift cards we had for a Great Falls restaurant. We talked about our kids for a long time. He asked me if I could see into the future and catch a glimpse of our kids would it change how I parented them now? That question has made me really think. I am an intense parent... I feel the need to teach, train, and pour into my kids EVERYTHING today as if it is the last day they have! Why? I can argue I do it because I want the BEST for them, but maybe I do this to quiet that nagging, lying voice in the back of my head that I really don't have what it takes to be a "good" mom? Or because I really care what others' think about us -- and want them to think we are doing okay? It is so interesting when you stop and ask yourself, WHY? Micah has always been good at making me think... he helps me see how I'm seeking worth and approval in things other than in God.
What do we want our kids to learn? We talked about this for a long time... how do we teach them the things we want them to know? For us it always comes back to how we have to build these things into ourselves SO they will be "caught" by our kids...
One thing I took away from our time is my need to relax in my parenting. I may look like a "fun" mom, and I admit we do have a lot of fun, but it is done through careful planning and directed steps. I wish I was carefree - a "go-with-it" parent, but I'm not. I want to change directions with my kids -- completely change directions in my HEAD. In the next year before Ethan starts school... I want to play with him. I don't want to teach him, or instruct him with facts... I want to learn while we play. The steps we take may not change at all, but I think it has changed in my head...
Here is some pictures from our calculated play times...
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| We made an Air Dart gun... this experiment was to show how vibrations can blow out a candle... we didn't get the candle blown out, but we did get it to flicker! |
Ethan is stuck on science this week (seriously it is something NEW every single week!)... We have talked a lot about the scientific process: coming up with a question, forming a hypothesis (I just love hearing him come up with his hypothesis!) and then the fun part: experimenting!
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| The good old "string phones" |
This week we learned about vibrations... we did several experiments... It is amazing how much I am learning. Not sure where I was during my "educational" years, but I realize how little I truly understood or maybe better said -- how much I FORGOT...
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| Practicing his name... |
My big dude has been super sick the past few days... we have been laying low and trying to recover! He is precious when he is lethargic! So snuggly -- I am loving all the snuggles!
(Today he is feeling better, but he sounds super funny all stuffed up!)
In moments of sickness - the hidden/rotating toys make their appearance. My kids think it is Christmas all over again... and it helps keep them distracted for a little bit!
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| "Learning" to sew |
I love Eden's profile... especially when she is absorbed in something fun!
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| Quick Cinnamon Buns... |
Here is the recipe out of my American Test Kitchen cookbook:
Dough:
2 1/2 flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda and salt
1 1/4 cup buttermilk
6 Tablespoons melted butter (only add 2 T to the dough)
Mix together until blended -- then turn out on the counter and knead until smooth (about a minute) Then pat out into a 9 x 13 rectangle, brush with melted butter. Then sprinkle with topping.
Topping (blend together until lit looks like wet sand):
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup regular sugar (I left this out... seemed like too much sugar)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cloves (I didn't have any so I used nutmeg... I love nutmeg!)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon melted butter
Roll up... cut into 8 equal slices, place in a greased pan, bake at 425 for 20-25 minutes. Then Glaze... I used a little bit of milk, vanilla and powdered sugar... they had this recipe:
3 Tablespoons cream cheese + 3 tablespoons buttermilk + 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
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| Ethan's Craft time... |
Ethan knows where the craft books are at in the library. Each week he disappears only to reappear with piles of books under his arms. I never know what we are going to get into... This week it was beaded creatures.
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| A boy for Ethan and a girl for Eden... |
It was almost comical as we made these. Eden grabbed handfuls of beads and dropped them all over the carpet... trust me I was TWITCHING by the end of this project. I told Ethan his "craft" projects are going to be censored from now on... They need to be kid craft friendly -- aka Ethan can do the project almost all by himself! ... I like crafts, but it is not enjoyable while controlling absolute beading chaos!
Ethan was "okay" with just a boy creature... but he still wants to make the octopus, the seahorse, the cat, the dog, the camel... oh dear!
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| 1st time dressing herself! |
We are back online... I love being able to share what we are learning and how we are growing.
I leave you with a VERY HAPPY moment in my day... Eden dressed herself -- I was looking forward to this day! She picked out this classy outfit by herself and put it on by herself... she smiled and said, "I find Daddy!" She knows he will tell her she is beautiful no matter what... she found him... he told her she was beautiful... too much fun! Her outfit kills me... it is freezing out and she has a temp of 101 degrees... I guess she keeps it real!
1 comments:
I used to be the same way when I had just Austin...and even with him and Carson. So focused, our days planned out, not much of a "go with the flow" type of mom. I feel like I've become more relaxed and within the learning that I want for them, to definitely let them be kids while they can and just have fun too! It's good to stop and ask those "why" questions...definitely keeps us learning and growing! It does for me, that's for sure!!
And I agree--Eden does look beautiful! Nice outfit girl!!
Let's chat again soon my friend....hugs! :)
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