Sorry I lied folks. I said I would whine about Topher "tomorrow" but tomorrow was yesterday and yesterday was too busy and I died of tiredness when we got home. Even though it's about the same time now as it was when I died yesterday- I am not tired now. This is due entirely to the fact that I had my VERY FIRST eggnog latte of the year and I was so beyond ecstatic while I was ordering it, that I forgot to ask them to make it a decaf. See? The struggle. Daily. Really.
Anyhow, I have been having a hard time with Topher lately. I am not entirely sure why, but it has a lot to do with my lack of patience for him, and his insane, amazing, yet annoying obsession with ORIGAMI.
Topher's brain is on a level that my little brain will never rise to. It can't. I'm an old dog. I have got no new tricks! Topher's favorite thing to do is to watch YouTube videos on how to make different origami creations. Not just a paper frog, crane, guinea pig (though that would be impressive)- but like crazy things that move to transform from one thing to a different thing, like modular origami transforming ninja stars. Out of Post-It notes. And he watches the video one time, makes the thing, and then just keeps making more and more things.
It's fantastic and insane. We have little scraps of paper EVERYWHERE. And pieces of papers that have been folded, and refolded, and folded over again and again, all over the place. It's maddening. And then when I try to tell my precious son that he needs to put his stuff away, clean up after himself, please don't leave the scissors lying around, he cops this attitude out of nowhere and lays on this strange guilt trip- 'Fine. I'll just throw all my origami creations in the garbage. You hate them all.' What? I just told you to pick up the scissors so your sister doesn't cut her hair off. Even though it looks like his sister has already cut a lot of her hair off...
I don't have an awesome parenting moment that follows Topher's dramatic monologues. I am often at a loss for words and compassion because I have no idea why he says that crap All the Time. I guess for attention (that's the #1 go-to answer for parents, isn't it?) I know I need to try harder. And as I type that, I know that I don't need to try harder- I need to humble myself more often as a parent, and be filled with the Holy Spirit, because only with Him, am I actually, genuinely, able to be loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled.
Ugh. Letting it all soak in. For me. Not for you. Surely you don't struggle with this kind of nonsense...
Anyway before I drown my sorrows in a glass of whine (haha!), I leave you with Topher's third, and most recent draft of his Christmas letter to Santa this year:
"Dear Santa for Christmas I want these 4 objects. can I have looooooooooooooooootts of jumbo packs of origami paper and normal paper (some of it colored paper). "Origami Ooh-la-la" by Jeremy Shafer; "Origami to Astonish and Amuse" also by Jeremy Shafer. Please and Thank you.
Sincerely, Topher."
If anyone actually knows Jeremey Shafer, holla. Topher wants him to come to his birthday party.
Friday, November 6, 2015
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
The struggle is really real. Part 1
Coming back to real life and my first 'mom post' since all my New York posts, I thought I would share with you all the magical things that we've been struggling with over here in our neck of the woods.
Lily: Last week was a ROUGH week for our eldest. For some reason The Indian in the Cupboard was causing us all a lot of strife. This book is her book for the 'Book Club' (reading group) that she is in for her class. We bought the book at Barnes and Noble the day before she was supposed to have it at school, and then it was all down hill from there. Book Club is on Thursdays. They are supposed to read three chapters a week and answer a few questions. Lily took her book to school on Monday. And left it there. But she said she had finished chapter one, so I didn't need to worry.
Then Tuesday happened, and I told her to bring the book to the living room so that we could read it together. She wasn't coming, and when I found her she was sitting at the kitchen table with her school binder open. I looked at her and said "you forgot your book at school again, didn't you?" and then she started to sob. And like the awesome, compassionate mother that I am, I walked away. Cause I knew it wouldn't help to shake her. (See? Compassion!... or something...)
Then Wednesday came, and Chris and I were going out. Which is why I wanted to read with her on Monday and Tuesday! The babysitter came and I told her that Lily had to finish reading up to chapter 3 in order to do ANYTHING that night, besides eating dinner. For some unknown, insane reason, it took her TWO AND A HALF HOURS to read two chapters.
THEN came Thursday. The day of her Book Club. I was so proud of her for finishing her assignment and being ready for Book Club. Until I walked into the dining room at 10am to see The Indian in the frickin Cupboard sitting on the dining room table. I nearly lost my mind. No. I did lose my mind. I e-mailed her teacher and asked if they did Book Club in the morning or afternoon and that I would bring the book straightaway if Lily's group hadn't already met. And of course they already had. But her teacher said she did great and not to worry.
You'd think that would be the end of our trials and tribulations since Book Club already happened and we survived it. But no.
CAUSE THEN FRIDAY happened. And Lily dressed up like the cowboy from this fantastic book that has been terrorizing my life, and she even made an INCREDIBLE pumpkin that had an indian behind some cupboard doors. it was seriously a piece of art. So she had that, and her book, and she showed it off at her literary parade. AND THEN SHE LEFT THE BOOK AT SCHOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!! On the lunch table. Outside. I called the school at 3:30. Janet, the front desk admin, picked up the phone, heard my sob story, looked everywhere, including all the garbage cans outside, and the lost and found, and saw no pumpkin, and no book. For the love people. And then at 6:00pm- on a FRIDAY- Janet, my most favoritest person in the world, called me back. In fact, like a sleuth, had to go through and try to find my phone number on her phone cause she remembered that I called around 3:30, and told me she had found the pumpkin, and the book, and also Lily's watch, which happened to be in the bag with the other two prized possessions. I am going to see who I need to call to nominate Janet for some kind of Nobel Peace Prize. Lily is alive, doing great, and we have enjoyed reading the next three chapters together very much.
Sometimes people say our life looks pretty perfect. It's not! See? The struggle is real.
Lily: Last week was a ROUGH week for our eldest. For some reason The Indian in the Cupboard was causing us all a lot of strife. This book is her book for the 'Book Club' (reading group) that she is in for her class. We bought the book at Barnes and Noble the day before she was supposed to have it at school, and then it was all down hill from there. Book Club is on Thursdays. They are supposed to read three chapters a week and answer a few questions. Lily took her book to school on Monday. And left it there. But she said she had finished chapter one, so I didn't need to worry.
Then Tuesday happened, and I told her to bring the book to the living room so that we could read it together. She wasn't coming, and when I found her she was sitting at the kitchen table with her school binder open. I looked at her and said "you forgot your book at school again, didn't you?" and then she started to sob. And like the awesome, compassionate mother that I am, I walked away. Cause I knew it wouldn't help to shake her. (See? Compassion!... or something...)
Then Wednesday came, and Chris and I were going out. Which is why I wanted to read with her on Monday and Tuesday! The babysitter came and I told her that Lily had to finish reading up to chapter 3 in order to do ANYTHING that night, besides eating dinner. For some unknown, insane reason, it took her TWO AND A HALF HOURS to read two chapters.
THEN came Thursday. The day of her Book Club. I was so proud of her for finishing her assignment and being ready for Book Club. Until I walked into the dining room at 10am to see The Indian in the frickin Cupboard sitting on the dining room table. I nearly lost my mind. No. I did lose my mind. I e-mailed her teacher and asked if they did Book Club in the morning or afternoon and that I would bring the book straightaway if Lily's group hadn't already met. And of course they already had. But her teacher said she did great and not to worry.
You'd think that would be the end of our trials and tribulations since Book Club already happened and we survived it. But no.
CAUSE THEN FRIDAY happened. And Lily dressed up like the cowboy from this fantastic book that has been terrorizing my life, and she even made an INCREDIBLE pumpkin that had an indian behind some cupboard doors. it was seriously a piece of art. So she had that, and her book, and she showed it off at her literary parade. AND THEN SHE LEFT THE BOOK AT SCHOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!! On the lunch table. Outside. I called the school at 3:30. Janet, the front desk admin, picked up the phone, heard my sob story, looked everywhere, including all the garbage cans outside, and the lost and found, and saw no pumpkin, and no book. For the love people. And then at 6:00pm- on a FRIDAY- Janet, my most favoritest person in the world, called me back. In fact, like a sleuth, had to go through and try to find my phone number on her phone cause she remembered that I called around 3:30, and told me she had found the pumpkin, and the book, and also Lily's watch, which happened to be in the bag with the other two prized possessions. I am going to see who I need to call to nominate Janet for some kind of Nobel Peace Prize. Lily is alive, doing great, and we have enjoyed reading the next three chapters together very much.
Sometimes people say our life looks pretty perfect. It's not! See? The struggle is real.
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