More confessions....

I have this thing. This belief. This conviction. As a wife, a mom, a woman, an employee, the world expects me to have it together. But I don't think it's the world that puts that expectation on me. I think it's me applying the pressure. I worry that if I don't have it all together, other women will judge me or won't like me. So, we hide our imperfections. And this perpetuates the image that we have it all together.

So here's my thing. Us women ROCK. We rock because of our imperfections. We rock because we are the glue that holds it all together. But sometimes, we aren't perfect. AND THAT IS OK. My thing is we should be open about our imprefections. And then they won't be imperfections anymore. They will simply be normal-ness-es. And maybe there won't be so much mompetition and the Mommy Mafia will need to find new things to attack and judge. I mean seriously, we all have confessions. If you say you don't, we know you are lying.

So here are some things I have to confess, to get off my chest:

* I don't always understand what my kids say. Sometimes I just smile and nod and say, "Later." Also, we prayed so hard for Zach to talk and I don't really want to "shush" him. But after hearing the same thing a hundred times, I kinda lose my patience.

* When other people are playing with my kids and enjoying them, I feel guilty. I feel bad because I don't always enjoy them.

* I am afraid to ask for babysitters because I think my children are so difficult to babysit. Sometimes, I don't even want to "babysit" them.

* When my kids are at Challenger Baseball, I don't care if they spend the entire game in the dug-out or looking for Four-Leaf Clovers in the outfield. Other parents get all worked up if their child isn't up to bat. That doesn't matter to me... I'm just happy they are outside playing.

* I rarely vacuum under my furniture.

* I don't have patience for the children who cry over tiny injuries. And I don't sympathize with the parents that freak out over a little cut. I have a friend who's son is a mild hemophiliac. They should freak out about little things... but they don't. So I don't get the people who do.

* I am counting the minutes until I'm done with my 8th graders. I actually like the kids. I just don't like teaching the kids. If we could just hang out and not do anything academic, it would be fine. The minute I try to impart knowledge or start a discussion... well it goes downhill fast!

* My five year old is not potty trained and I haven't given it a full effort. I've tried, half-heartedly, but until I get my 8 year old fully there, I'm not ready to take on another project.

* My underwear is getting a bit ratty looking, but I'm too cheap to replace it all.

* I gained 1.6 lbs last week. I guess eating non-stop doesn't work when trying to lose weight.

I know there's more to confess, I will just need to gather them for the next week or so... So let's hear your confessions! Leave me a comment!

A grassroots effort...

[Blogger's note: I'm grumpy today. It has to do with the achille's tendon. Today's victim is cupid... I know there is no correlation between cupid and a runner's injury, but this is my blog and I can make any crazy connection that I want...]

I want to start a grassroots effort to end the Valentine's Day madness. I have never liked Valentine's Day and this holds true whether I've had a "valentine" or not. It's an overrated Hallmark holiday. I have felt this way since high school. My mom is fantastic, she always gave us little gifts, but never went "over-board." My husband would also get me stuff - if I would let him. In fact, one year, he showed up at my work and brought me a thermos full of M & M's and there were earrings in thei bottom of the thermos. It was very sweet and my students loved the M & M's.   This year, being the true romantic that he is, I got a can of pepper spray for my early morning runs.

So why do I want to eliminate this holiday? Because of the mompetition! Everything changed when my kids entered school. No longer is a little card sufficient. Oh no, now you have to have a little present to go with it. A piece of candy taped to the card is not sufficient either. It has to be a little bag of candy in a cute little heart bag tied with ribbon. Or it has to be a little beach pail with a cute card that says, "Valentine, I dig you..." or Bubbles that say, "Valentine you blow me away..." I can't do it !!! (Although I will admit that the bubbles was something I did a few years ago) I'm not creative, I'm cheap, and I have to do the work. I have enough stress in my life - I don't need the additional stress of coming up with gifts for my kids' classmates! (Halloween costumes fall in this category too)

For example, last night, I wimped out and attached candy to a cheesy little card for Ryan's class. With Zach, I made him write his name on the cards and taped M & M's too it. I should have just signed his name because you have no idea what effort it takes to get Zach to write his name. NO IDEA!!! (Sorry Amanda, I'm one of those mom's who would sign the kids name GLADLY!!) I mean come on people - there are bigger issues out there to deal with - and more important things to do with my time, like Facebook, blogging and selling things on Ebay (just kidding, well - sorta).

But I rest in this knowledge, when the moms of Zach and Ryan's classmates open the backpacks and find the Valentine's loot, they will feel much better about themselves. I will be the loser in this mompetition because all I did was tape candy to a cheesy little card... I should also be happy that someone got my kids something - because I didn't.

Oh, and what about the parents that buy their children expensive jewelry for Valentine's Day? They are totally setting them up for major disappointment and heartache down the road! I'm all for low-maintenance children that don't expect big things for little holidays. Or even big things for big holidays... I mean seriously folks, diamond earrings for a 13 year old??

Also, thank God for Grandma - she always sends things to my kids for the holidays. Some one has to look out for the little Hallmark holidays... I could go on about how her presents make up the majority of what my kids get for birthdays and Christmas. (But that would be another blog for another time - topics that would include taking advantage of my children's developmental delays and cheapness...)

Anyway, I want to end the over-doing-it-ness of Valentines Day. I'm all for love and appreciation. I'm not for the craziness of parties and little gifts for classmates.