Tag: Parenting
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Haters Gunna Hate. A story about decaf and pacifiers.
I remember back when I was a perfect parent. It was around the same time I thought that parachute pants were an excellent fashion choice. It was also when I was going to save the last dance with Sean Patrick Lewis and have his perfect babies. Did I mention I was not yet a mother? No one…
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What do Stay at Home Moms DO all day?
While usually we are being quaint and adorable like a live Norman Rockwell painting, there are a few other things that get us from WHYGODWHY in the morning to Netflix-O’clock at night. We clean things so they can be destroyed right exactly before you drop by. I don’t mean to brag, but my kids are capable of making my…
wonderoak
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Dear Mama, In case you forgot the magic…
This weekend I got to experience magic. One of my best friends invited me and a few others to be there for the birth of her first baby. I’ve never seen birth – except my own. It was magic. Birth is magic. It is terrible, it is messy, and it is brilliant. After 24 hours of hard…
wonderoak
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Confessions: Things I Accidentally Taught my Kids
Sometimes I teach my kids things that I did not intend to teach them. Sometimes this is an extra bonus, like when I accidentally taught my oldest child to be extremely bossy. I pretend to hate this, but really it’s like getting a third parent for free. I’m half-heartedly retraining him to be a child. It is…
wonderoak
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To My Daughter Starting Kindergarten
Yesterday we took Oaklee to her first day of Kindergarten. I had been thinking for weeks about that day. I had been thinking about her zest for life, her joy, and her silliness. I had been thinking about her incredibly pure and kind heart. She is such a treasure, as all kids are.
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Thank You Mom (What your kids meant to say)
Maybe you’re sitting on a stool in your kitchen right now, surveying the damage from breakfast. You look in bewilderment at what appears to be the remnants of a crumb monsoon. You stare at your cup of coffee, looking for the answers to life’s questions. About that time, your kids run past you. They tear around the living…
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Dear Kids, The world is still beautiful.
To My Kids, Some people will say that the world is a scary, scary place. Some people will say that there’s no hope and that the future is dark and bleak. It is scary sometimes, but my dear ones, always remember, there are things that are awful, and terrible, and sad, but there is also always HOPE…
wonderoak
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Summertime Instructions (for the kids)
Dear Kids, It is the beginning of our much anticipated summer together. I have reviewed last years happenings and I have decided to resign from several positions. The positions are as follows: Toilet-Flusher, Sock-Finder, Snack-Maker, and someone to explain (every.single.night.) why the sun is still up at bedtime. Please submit your applications accordingly. Also, from…
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Loving My Body (This one’s for my girls)
A couple days ago, my precious one looked deep into my eyes, placed her chubby little hand on my cheek and said, “Mom, you don’t have a young face, because you have those lines on it.” That came only a week after she’d watched me get out of the shower and lovingly mentioned my “chubby butt”.…
wonderoak
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Dear First Born, It’s not you, it’s me.
Dear First Born, I remember the day I first held you in my arms. You became, and I also became. I’d thought about motherhood for a long time, about how I’d be and how you’d be. But I was still so unprepared. Heaven and Earth kissed for a moment and I’d never felt so sure and so…
wonderoak