Sugar and Spice

Well, today, my number 1 son had his last day of preschool. Next stop (after a summer of some T-ball and pool time and Disney): kindergarten. The big time. The school bus. The cafeteria. The homework (kindergarten is the new first grade, I hear!).
But, before Q left the easy-going ways of preschool, I was invited - along with the other moms in the class - to a Mother's Day Tea the other week. The kids made our lunch and put on a few little skits based on nursery rhymes. (Quinn was fabulous as one of the king's men, despite failing terribly at putting Humpty Dumpty back together again.)
The kids made recipe card holders as their gift to us. Each child had also dictated a favorite recipe to the teachers and added the recipe to the holder. You can see Quinn's here.
I have to admit that I was initially disappointed that he started out by indicating that we buy the cookie dough at our local grocery store....I make my cookies from scratch, thank you very much! At least Q remembered that we add eggs and chocolate chips. Then, when I realized that other kids had written recipes for microwave hot dogs and Kraft Easy Mac, I figured that I came out looking pretty good. Besides, he could've given out my super-secret waffle recipe (open freezer....take out box....walk to toaster....) or my most excellent french toast recipe (see waffles).

On the way home, after such a great morning, I was marveling at how totally wonderful my son is. How sweet and kind. And how smart (for keeping my culinary secrets safe). I was feeling so happy about the day. I was singing along to his favorite tunes.
And then this from the back seat: "Uh, zip it, mom."
OK, I'm never going to be a Broadway star, but I thought telling me to zip it was a little harsh. So I said so: "Quinn, that wasn't very polite."

His response? "Zip it, please."
Ah, yes. He's sweet, kind, smart and polite. Lucky me.

Mom Really Does Know Best

Another mom once asked me if I felt that I was short-changing my son by adopting our daughter. I wasn't really sure what she was asking, and I said so. She seemed to be getting at something along the lines of loving one more than the other, or treating them differently or something. I responded that, no - I love them both the same and that I'm sure Quinn felt as short-changed as any 5 year old with a little sister, no matter where she came from. (This same mom also said that she would consider adopting....maybe....someday....she wasn't "above adopting".....huh? what's that supposed to mean??? But that's for another post....)

Anyway, after declaring that I love them both them same, I thought back to these same types of declarations my mom used to make. Way back when, I used to frequently pester my mom about which of us 4 kids she loved the most. I was alternately convinced it was my brother (the oldest and only boy), little sister #1 (based solely on her cuteness, smallness, and generally quiet disposition), or little sister #2 (youngest...they always get everything, right?!). Anyway, my mother consistently maintained that she loved us all the same. Impossible, I'd say. Surely there would have to be leanings one way or another. Nope, she'd say; all he same.

You know, I don't think my mom ever lied to me, but really, I thought she was just being a little bit nuts here. How could you not have a favorite? I was just glad she was so good at covering it up, because I was pretty sure the fav wasn't me. Just sparing my feelings, I thought.

But now 30 years later I realize she was indeed telling the truth. You can, in fact, love them all the same. You love them all with the same fierce, pure, full-to-overflowing love. The love that makes you cry just looking at their angelic, sleeping faces. The love that makes your heart leap for joy when you get an unsolicited I Love You. The love that wants their lives to be happy, healthy, and lived to their fullest potential. The love for your kids that is purely parental.

And it has nothing to do with who brought them into this world, but who is helping them make their way in this world.

So, thanks mom, for that lesson. It may have taken me a while to really learn it. But I'll never forget.

Gettin' Bossy

Quinn and I have a little running joke going. Sometimes, when he asks why I'm doing this or that, I respond with this: Because moms can do whatever they want. (That's not the joke part!)

Quinn grins and says, "Wellllll.....you're not the boss of the house; daddy is!" Of course, my super clever comeback is, "Oh yeah?"

And so it goes.

But tonight, it got a new twist. And a very nice one, I think.

After telling me that I'm not the boss of the house, he tacked on this: "But you are the boss of the love."

Oh. Well. How sweet is that?!

I guess I am in charge after all.

Of course, he may just be angling for more double-stuf oreos! He knows it only takes a little bit of sweet-talking, since in reality, I want them as much as he does. But either way, I'll take it.

Watch out Springsteen, there's a new boss in town!

Parenting Tips #44 and #45

No, no - you didn't miss my tips #1 to 43, it's just that these little items are so insignificant, they didn't really merit numbers 1 and 2, so I jumped ahead a bit. Besides, it is just an excuse to write a little and post a few more cute pics. Pics which really have nothing to do with the post, but I won't let that stop me.

So, here they are....


Tip #44: Spunky daughter will keep hairbow in for the duration of church - not touching it one.single.bit! - IF you promise a donut afterward (see also this post for more on the Almighty Donut!). Said spunky daughter also fully realizes her promise and the significance of the deal - after a couple hours of leaving the super-cute hairbow alone, she promptly removes it once the donut has been fully consumed. We're are nothing here, if not good to our word.



Tip #45: You can spend lots less at Target if you go with no cart and a 2 year old on the loose! I left there with 2 items (all I could carry while keeping one free hand to avoid unnecessary destruction of aisle end-caps!) and I spent only $3.12. Amazing. Even more amazing: a girl galloping (literally) through Target can illicit smiles from the somber and stickers from the managers.

As the mighty one says, "Kiki happy!"


And there's nothing better than a Happy Kiki.

Except for a Happy Kiki and a Happy Quinn.

Good Day, Sunshine!

It is a little rainy here today, so I'm providing my own sunshine by way of a few pix from Wednesday. Keira's playgroup met at White River State Gardens and the Zoo and we had a great time. Her playgroup consists of 6 girls (which includes a set of twins), all about the same age (Sept - Dec 05 birthdays), all adopted from China within a few months of each other, and all living here in the same ol' suburb. I feel lucky that we somehow found each other, and hopefully the girls will feel as lucky to have each other, too.
We often get together on one of Quinn's off-days from preschool, so he tags along. He makes the most of it and enjoys chasing the little ones sometimes. (A few of the other girls have older siblings, but they are already in school.)
Anyway, here are a few photos from that bright and sunny day (seeing as how Quinn is squinting in more than one photo, me mentioning the sun is probably a bit redundant)........