Genoa is standing next to me while I sit on the couch typing this and every few minutes, I hand her a fresh strawberries with the stem removed. She keeps sticking them onto her pointer finger and enthusiastically exclaiming, "LOOK MOMMY!" as if strawberry fingers are the funniest thing EVER, so yeah, my bad mood is pretty much gone.
Alex also managed to redeem himself today by not only participating fairly well in the last day "program" of poetry and songs at the community preschool he's been attending, but by being awarded an honorary preschool badge declaring him the DYNAMIC LEADER of the class. Each kid was given a specific title ranging from "The good friend" to the "Good listener" to the "Most enthusiastic". After the little ceremony was over, I joked with the teacher that I recognize a lot of myself in Alex and that his badge might just as well have said "Most Bossy." His teacher is sweet, but she told me that he's really not all that bossy. That even when he's not telling the other kids what to do, they want to follow him anyway. That made me feel a lot better about how I've been seeing him lately.
Afterwards, we headed to Wal-Mart for a Big Fat Shopping Trip and both kids were relatively well behaved for a change in spite of the fact that given the lack of decent naps and the fact that I went during the witching hour, it should've been a nightmare. I made dinner when we got home and the kids got underfoot a lot much to my annoyance, but I think I'm coming to the somewhat obvious, no-duh realization that instead of looking to them to explain their misbehavior, I need look no further than the mirror. When I'm cranky, they are. When I pay attention to them, they pay attention right back. It's not rocket science.
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« An airing of the grievances | Main | Gray hairs, laundry, garden »
June 18, 2008
In which I offer myself an attitude adjustment
Posted by Amanda P. Westmont on June 18, 2008 | Permalink
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"When I'm cranky, they are. When I pay attention to them, they pay attention right back. It's not rocket science."
Words of wisdom!!!
Posted by: Ali | June 19, 2008 at 10:06 AM
I found you again. I used to read your blog while I was still working, and I guess I lost track of your blog through the transition to stay-at-home-mom. You're kids have grown up a bit since I've last seen pictures. I'll be adding you to my bookmarks!
Posted by: Robyn | June 19, 2008 at 12:10 PM
While I'm sure that's true - that they're cranky when you are - you have to cut yourself some slack on the days when you're suffering from major intestinal ailments (as you mentioned in your last post).
P.S. About the sidebar: I want the recipe for white lasagna with chicken. Pretty please? It sounds like something I could actually get my husband to eat.
Posted by: cindy w | June 19, 2008 at 01:44 PM