A preschool Christmas

Over the summer when we decided that it was time to send the girls to preschool a few days a week I was so excited.  Despite the fact they hated it at first, they are loving it now.  Over this first semester they have learned to read words, master coloring skills, arts and crafts, and so much more. 

I was so excited to hear that they were doing a Christmas program.  I mean really what is better then little kids dressed up and singing.  I was told a few days ahead of time that the prior year it was standing room only.  This is a great tip to get as a parent who has never been to such a production.  Let's just say that Stacey was less then thrilled to hear that I wanted him there an hour and a half in advance of the start to save the seats for us and the nana's and papas.  We ended up arriving at 5:30 for a 6:30 performance to ensure we would have great seats for watching our little stars. 

There is a special place in heaven for the Duncan Academy staff who did an amazing job with the little stars.  The patience they must have had to teach is nothing short of amazing.  As the lights went down and the program began the kids all danced to Christmas songs dressed in special outfits.  Some danced, some stood there looking scared, and some just cried for their parents.  All the while, parents were clapping and laughing and enjoying the best preschool performers ever. 

Watch out the Smith Girls might just become stars!

The kick line

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

The Guilt Trip

Family comes first for me, it always has and always will.  I have never missed anything important for the girls due to work, and I don't plan on it.  All that being said, there is a four year old girl at home who knows how to make her mommy feel bad for working late. 

My job has crazy hours and it is pretty common for me to work at 12 hour day at least once a week.  Sure some weeks I am home every night and other weeks I have two or three late nights.  And don't even get me started about my hours during a school election.  Despite all of that, I love my job! 

When Stacey and I started talking about having kids I made it clear that I was going to be a working mom.  I think that you can do both successfully and don't have to give anything up to be good at both.  Once the girls were born I made adjustments to my schedule to spend more time at home.  Gone were the days of going to almost any Fort Osage School program.  Gone were the days of working two and three nights a week.  Gone were the days of leaving the house at 6:15 and coming home about 6.  Welcome to the world of working at home after the kids go to bed and learning to delegate. 

Now don't get me wrong, the girls loving being home with daddy and having special dinners with him (usually they get to choose to eat what they want and they love that).  They have heard from me since they were young that mommy helps kids and schools and sometimes that means being at work until they are in bed.  Most of the time it works out...not tonight.  I made my usual call home to see how there day was.  Ella was all talks about what was taking place at the minute and what they had for lunch (heck she is my kid and the day is all about what you eat).  Grace gets on the phone and sounds so sad.  When I asked her what was wrong she said, "I just miss you so much."  Now Grace is my drama queen and she really was fine as soon as I hung up the phone (at least that is what I am going to tell myself).  However, it still makes you feel bad when you can't be there to snuggle before bed or read the story or even tuck them into bed. 

Well miss Grace you will get over it and we can have the same talk next week when I am gone Monday night, but for tonight.....  Mommy loves you!  Sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite!  Snuggle in and mommy will give you hugs and kisses when I get home!

Hard Conversations

Not that long ago we found out the our dog, Diamond, has an aggressive form of cancer and was given 3 to 6 months to live.  As hard as it was for us to receive this news, we had no idea what to tell the girls.  After keeping it from them for about a month, we decided on Sunday that we needed to tell them.  I mean really how to do explain that to a child without scaring them.

Grace has always tolerated the dog, but it was Ella who loves Diamond.  Maybe it is because she can boss the dog around and for the most part, the dog does what Ella wants.  Maybe it is because Ella likes taking care of people and she can take care of Diamond pretty well by her self.  Whatever the reason, we had no idea what we were going to tell them, especially Ella.   

We decided to have the conversation over breakfast so that I had all day to answer questions and see how they took it.  Grace got a little teary and Ella asked, "so the day she dies can we get a new dog?"  Keeping in mind that Diamond was my first baby, I was a little taken back.  Really kid, you are all about this dog and you are ready to just get a new one?  As the day went on she talked more and more about Diamond and would we know when she did not feel good and could we take care of her.  This made me feel a little better.  Grace actually took some time to snuggle by Diamond (that is about as good as it gets with her).  So telling them turned out not to be so bad.  But, lesson learned, they girls would have been fine had the day Diamond passed we just told them and moved on.  

Marketing Scheme

Now I would like to think that I give my girls a nice balance of what they want and what they need.  I want to teach them that you don't get everything you want, but as their mom I want to give them so much.  I am not always talking about material things, but in this case yes. 

Thanksgiving was great and we settled down that night to snuggle on the sofa, our evening routine.  The first Christmas shows of the season were on and we were all excited.  We watched Elf on the Shelf and thought it was pretty cute.  I should have hit delete on the DVR.  Over the course of the next three days the girls and I engaged in our Thanksgiving tradition....shopping Black Friday with Stacey, Christmas decorations getting put up, and lots of jammie time just hanging out playing games and watching movies.  After watching Elf on the Shelve for perhaps the 20th time, I got asked the question of the weekend, "Mom can Santa send us an Elf on the Shelf?"  I explained, like most parents, that you can ask Santa for whatever you want, but he has lots of girls and boys to make toys for and you may not get everything you ask for.  To which my way to smart children responded, "But Santa is sending them to all the boys and girls."  What is a mom to do?  You try to explain that everything you see on TV is not real, but when it comes to Santa I am not giving that up yet. 

As we wrote our email to Santa (yes we email Santa instead of mail...come on now with all the technology why write?  I am really wanting for Santa's Facebook and then we can just post our list), and they both asked for Elf on the Shelf I began to see the genius in the cartoon developer.  Make a show the kids love and they will ask their parents for the item.  I am sure this Elf has great qualities and a base of Christmas tradition, but let's get real. 

So this time the girls win and for $29.95 our Elf will be "Santa delivered" by mail this week and the Smith household will be the next proud owners of Elf on the Shelf.  Truth be told he is a cute little guy and the idea behind it all is pretty neat.  That being said...Marking scheme 1 mom 0. 

Girls Night

Friday night mom and I took the girls on a girls night out.  They had been looking foward to this all week.  Not only were they going to see nana, but princess Belle as well.  Friday morning I reminded them that today was the day and Grace asked if her papa could come to which Ella promply yelled at her that papa was a boy and it was girls night.  At this point I was thinking maybe this was going to be a long night. 

After work I got the girls and asked them what they wanted to eat for dinner.  Taco Bell they yelled!  Really, mom and nana will take you out to eat and you want Taco Bell.  Not that I mind Taco Bell, it is actually one of my favorite fast food places to eat.  I was just thinking of a little something nicer.  After grabbing nana we headed to Hobby Lobby to take a look around and waste a little time before heading to eat.  I actually got the girls to agree on a Mexican place that did not serve food on a tray. 

The hightlight of the evening was taking the girls to the theatere to see Beauty and the Beast.  Well ok it was technically a theatere, but the performers were Fort Osage High School Students.  In my mind this production was going to be about an hour and a half, but I was told Friday morning that it was more like two and a half hours.  The girls were so excited to enter the theatre.  We had talked about how you needed to act and what would happen, but the looks on their faces were priceless. 

 Ella before the show

 Grace before the show.

They were great the entire performance.  I would look over at Grace and she would have the biggest smile on her face.  A few times I thought Ella would fall alseep, but they both stayed awake the whole show.  The Fort Osage High School students did an amazing job and the production was excellent. 

After the show the girls got to "meet" the cast in the lobby.  Grace could not wait to see Belle and get her picture taken with her.  The girl who played Belle was so good to the little kids and really made them feel special.  The girls talked non stop about the show on the way home and wanted to know when they could take nana back to see another show. 

All and all a successful girls night out!

The girls with princess Belle.



Reflection

Stacey and I have long been experiencing the man in the mirror.  Take two four year olds and you can see and hear exactly what you do and say.  I can hear Ella tell her baby that she is so proud of her and I can see Grace check her reflection in every mirror she walks by.  Both of these the girls get from me.  I can hear Ella yell "damn dog" and know that every morning Grace just needs a few minutes to herself and then she will be ready for the day and know with confidence that comes from Stacey. 


Aside from the fact they act like you, they will tell you when you do something wrong.  A few weeks again I called a driver dumb for the way they drove, and Ella and Grace quickly reminded me that we don't use the word stupid that is not nice.  This weekend it was a hoot to hear Ella correct nana.  While driving down Quivira with nana, she ran a yellow light (yes yellow not red).  Ella quietly from the back seat said nana why did you not stop?  Nana said it was yellow not red and Ella said, "nana yellow means stop."  Nana explained that we had been stoped by about 3 red lights and she did not feel like stopping.  Ella quickly told her that you need to slow down and stop when the light turns yellow.  Nana was less then impressed with the knowledge and being told how to drive from a 4 year old in the back seat, but I was beaming.  I know that she pays attention and is trying to keep us all safe. 

Next time nana will know that when Ella is in the car she needs to obey all traffic laws and watch what she says and does. 

For those who wonder, Grace decided to stay home with Papa rather then go shopping.  Just more proof that I am raising a papa's girl.  She would rather hang at home with him then go shopping with the girls. 

Also for those who might wonder, nana was less then thrilled that I posted the story to facbebook and I am sure she is loving this post.   

Where does the time go?

Looking back on things I am not really sure what Stacey and I did with all our free time before we had the girls.  These days it seems like there is little time to sleep let alone anything else.  What did I do Monday nights before I had to take the girls to dance?  Where did we go before we had to make plans weeks in advance to secure a babysitter?  I think the days just must be getting shorter :)

Seriously, these days I don't think that I work any more then I used too, in face I know that I put in less nights at the office since the girls were born.  Yet it took me an hour last night just to get some things put away and in order.  Part of the problem is that the girls have way to many toys.  20 baby dolls is more then enough for two little girls (Just so you know Stacey and I will put out a hit on anyone who dares to buy a baby doll for the girls birthday or Christmas this year....think we are kidding, just try us.  And no I don't really care that the girls keep saying they just want a baby doll).  I did what any good mom would do after spending an hour cleaning up, I sat and read the girls a book, put them to bed, and had a glass of wine!  Go ahead and laugh, but I have given in to my OCD and am learning to accept the fact that my house will never be the spotless envy of my friends.  I have two kids, and well let's face it a husband, and so my house will be clean, but not spotless.  If you come over you may have to move a toy or two around.  I don't have to run the vacuum everyday and the beds may or may not get made. 

Instead I will use my time having fun with family and friends.  Just to prove my point the girls will enjoy an evening with Nana and Papa and Stacey and I will have a date night.  The two dishes in the sink can wait until tomorrow and our closets are full of clothes so the mountain of laundry (ok maybe I am exaggerating a little there) can wait until Saturday. 

Since I can't add hours to the day, I will just have to enjoy the ones I have.  After all someone will clean it all up after I am gone :).