Things that made me smile.

A few weeks ago I was so frustrated with Hayes and my lack of parenting skills. He was throwing tantrums over everything and I was being way too impatient. After one very frustrating day I remembered the talk by Elder Ballard about motherhood and remembering the shining moments. So the next day I decided I was not going to do anything "extra" just hang out with Hayes and Kamri and enjoy them. No rush to get Hayes dressed or taking them somewhere where he has to sit still. No trying to get Hayes distracted by something while I worked on getting something else finished. It wasn't like it was this spectacularly perfect day, Hayes still threw a fit when I forgot to let him screw on his sippy cup lid and did it myself. I still got a little annoyed when he cried about the fact I wouldn't let him watch two movies in a row. but the day made me realize that if I stay calm while he's throwing a fit and let him know I understand what he's throwing the fit about. He'll stop crying and then I can usually talk to him about why he can't get his way. I thought that the day of just spending all my time paying attention to him and Kamri would be for them but it ended up helping me! After that day I felt like I might be able to become a patient person again!

I know I can't always have days where I ignore all the housework and errands but the day helped me realize I still need to slow and down and enjoy my little kids. I want to remember the little funny things that Hayes and Kamri do that make me smile...and even some of them that didn't make me smile but were funny afterwards. So I've been writing a few down the past few weeks. (for those that are sick of "ohh my baby is so cute stories" you can stop reading :))

Hayes has a fascination with the mole on my face. He pointed to it so I explained that it was mommy's mole. He pointed to his own face and I told him he didn't have a mole. He pointed to Bracken and Kamri so I explained that they didn't have moles on their faces either. I was just different in our family. So now he always climbs up in my lap, points to my mole and says Mole! and then points to himself or Kamri and sadly says "No Mole." So every day now I get a reminder that I have a mole on my face.... someday he'll realize that it's a GOOD thing not to have one.

Hayes will steal the toy Kamri is playing with if it looks fun to him so it was really funny to me when he was playing with his train tracks and Kamri was laying next to him. Kamri rolled over and grabbed the train out of his hand. He looked up at me like I should do something (i of course acted like I wasn't watching) so Hayes said "No, No, No" and that didn't work so he started rolling her away. Then that night we were reading bedtime stories and Kamri grabbed the corner of the book. Hayes pushed her arm out of the way and was all perturbed that the corner was bent. Ahhh an annoying little sister already ;)

Hayes found his sunglasses in the car on the way to church and insisted on wearing them. I already have a hard time getting Hayes to sit still and quiet in church so I knew this was just one of those times I had to pick my battles. He ended up running up to the front and going up on the stand to see Bracken (he is the ward clerk so he sits on the stand until after the sacrament) wearing upside down sunglasses and carrying a granola bar. One of the counselors in the bishopric starting laughing out loud. He proceeded to sit down and face the congregation...upside down sunglasses and all. Maybe a bit irreverent but better then him screaming right?

Hayes trying to throw his binkie up on the counter and when it hit the floor instead he was like "Oh! Miss!"

There was a smashed mosquito on our ceiling and it had been there for a few days before Hayes noticed it. We were sitting on the couch when he noticed it and pointed up, "Spide?" (Spider) and of course it has been up there for a few days for a reason...i'm too lazy to get up there and wipe it off. So I told him it was too high for me to reach. He instantly ran for the kitchen and came dragging the stool in. Apparently I didn't have a good enough excuse.

A few days later I checked out a book called "The Diary of a Spider" for Hayes and now whenever we read it he points to the ceiling where the "spider" used to be.

We were going to a family party and Hayes had just woken up from his nap. I had to hurry and give him a bath and get him dressed in new clothes because he had been playing in the dirt before his nap. Earlier he had on a lightning mcqueen and mater shirt and he saw it while I was getting him dressed. He started throwing a fit because he wanted to wear that. It got to the point that he was just holding it screaming and wouldn't listen or let me touch him. Then it was like seriously a light bulb above the head moment. I told him he had to wear a clean shirt because his mater shirt was dirty but he could hold the mater shirt while we drove. After that he stopped crying, let me get him dressed, and the whole ride into town he held onto that shirt and kept on saying "mater, dirty...mater, dirty."

Kamri woke up at 5am today so I got up and brought her in bed with me. I started to fall back asleep and I looked over at her and she was just staring at me and smiling. She starting jabbering and smiling so I stayed awake and just watched her. It was just one of those times that you realize just how much you love your kids....even when they don't realize that you are not a morning person and it is way too early to be awake!