Do I look like a teenager?

Our family was at the mall the other day and while Bruce and I were busy, Kimber and Troy decided to go for a walk. A few minutes later they came back and Kimber said, "Mom, can I get me ears pierced?" I told her that was ok with me, but I was surprised because she's been too scared to have it done up to that point. Troy said they were walking around and he asked her if she wanted her ears pierced and at first she said no but then she thought for a minute and said, "Ok." She wanted to surprise me but Troy was smart enough to know that he should check with me first.

I told her that Bruce and I weren't quite done yet but that if she wanted to, Troy could take her to have it done. So off they went! About 30 minutes later they came back and she had beautiful garnet earrings in her ears. I asked her all the usual questions..."Can I see?', "Did it hurt?", "Are you ok?" She looked a little pale so I took her to a bench to sit down. She said, "You know how when you look at a light for a long time and you get spots in your eyes and feel a little dizzy?" I said, "Yes." She said, "That's how I feel right now." So we sat there for a minute until she felt better and heard all about her big event! She didn't even hold her dad's hand and dad let her pick the garnet earrings because they are her birthstone. (She got much nicer earrings with her dad than she would have gotten with me!) Two ladies pierced her ears at the same time and it didn't even hurt. It just felt like getting a shot in her ear, that's all! After sharing all of the details with me and Bruce, she turned to me and said, "Do I look like a teenager now?" I said, "Well, you do look a little older." She smiled and said, "Yeah, like a small teenager at least."

On the way home she called everyone, and I do mean everyone, to tell her good news! I don't know if anyone could understand what she was saying, but she was content having made her announcement to the world! I always imagined that when Kimber got her ears pierced, she and I would make a day of it. But I'm so glad that it worked out so her dad could take her. I decided that I will get to do lots of things with Kimber....girly things. Her dad deserved to lay claim to one big event in her life!! It's funny how getting your ears pierced is such a huge milestone in a girl's life!

I'm a chef!!!

Kimber was watching the Food Network with me and as the chefs were cooking she said, "Mom, do you know that I am a chef?" I said,"Oh, you want to be a chef when you grow up?" She looked at me kind of puzzled and said, "No, I already am a chef!" Why would I think that she wants to become something she already is?????

Kimber's Playdate???

Every morning when we wake up, the first thing Kimber does is plan a play date with all of her friends. She'll tell me who she is going to invite, what we are going to do, and what time that day it is going to happen. Most of her friends are in preschool so planning a spur of the moment play date is not always possible. Not to mention trying to adjust my schedule to meet her demands. Everyday should be a social party as far as Kimber is concerned. If she has not had a day full of social FUN, she'll say, "I didn't even have any fun today!" The poor girl got the wrong mom! A social get together once a year is too much for me. Pray that Kimber will survive me!

Field Day!

Today was Bruce's Field Day at school. I was really nervous about him being out in the sun and about having to watch him while sitting out in the sun. (Our skin and the sun DO NOT mix well!) It was a sunny day, but there was also a really cool breeze so we survived! The kids all had fun competing in the various races, but it bothered me, like it always does, that not everyone gets a ribbon. I don't understand why there has to be 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place! Can't they just give everyone a ribbon at the end for doing their best, no matter what that was? I am not a fan of competition.......SO unmotivating to me!!!

Not to be left out....

Kimber is not about to let Bruce dig in the dirt without her. So there she was, in her pink and white dress with her church shoes on, because they make a tapping noise, digging like crazy for worms. She found a "baby worm" and gave it a kiss. When we came inside, she had filled her coat pockets with worms and grass for them to eat. That's how she planned on getting them in the house. She doesn't understand that the worms have to stay in the dirt to survive. I am so happy that she and Bruce will take an interest in what the other is doing and enjoy it with them. They are such good friends!

Bruce and Dirt...same thing!

Bruce has always loved to dig in the dirt. He has a dirt hole in our front yard and one in our back yard. He even asked Santa Clause for dirt for Christmas one year. We have a creek that run behind our house and his newest thing is to did down by the creek. That usually involves mud though. He learned that there are some boundaries with mud when he threw it all over the house and had to spend the next day scrubbing it off. My biggest complaint is that he always comes in the house FILTHY! I get so tired of using half a bottle of Spray 'n Wash on his jeans. I have told him very clearly that the amount of dirt on his body has got to stop or he will be banned from the dirt holes. So tonight after I mowed the lawn I was sitting in the back yard watching Bruce and Kimber dig holes by the creek and my mind was opened. As I watched Bruce digging with great purpose and intent, I could see that he was so engrossed in what he was doing that he truly did not realize that how dirty he is getting. He waded into the creek to get some cat tails to camouflage his fox hole with and it just never occurred to him that he was walking ankle deep in mud. So the Spirit decided to teach me a mothering lesson. Sometimes we have to take time to watch our kids do what they love to do and we will gain a greater understanding of what makes them unique. I loved watching Bruce do something he loves. For the first time, I didn't care that he was covered in mud (including the mud he had painted on his face to camouflage himself). I think I'll just get him some rain boots and set aside some "mud clothes". He can get lost in his mud world and I can just hose him down. It's a winning situation for everyone.

Kimber: A future Mom!

Tonight I told Kimber that I miss having her be a baby so I could rock her and hold her. She said, "I know! I am going to have 12 boys and 12 girls but that will be too many for me to take care of so I will come to your house and give some of them to you! I'll just give them to you!!"
Lucky me!!!