My Very Own Bright Star!

I am warning you know that this post is a big brag fest. So if you don't want to hear me go on and on about how gifted my child is, stop reading now! ;-)

Against my wishes and better judgment my husband frequently watches rather grown-up movies with my daughter. He enjoys fantasy-type books and movies, and likes to share them with her. Two of his better (yet mature) selections have been the "Narnia" series movies and "A Wrinkle in Time", both by Disney. Although I am convinced that these movies are slightly above her understanding and likely a little scary for a four and half year old, I do have to admit that she is taking something away from them.

While riding in the car today she explained to me how "A Wrinkle in Time" reminded her of the "Narnia" movies because the people in them get trapped in a different world. She continued to tell me that in both movies the different world started out very nice and special, then turned bad and scary, but in the end everyone is happy and safe. When I asked for more details she told me about the war and fighting in Narnia and compared that to the dark, scary place the characters travel to in "A Wrinkle in Time". All of her comparisons were of course simple and in her own four-year-old language, but they were concise, accurate and sometimes quite clever.

(Here comes the bragging part.) I was sort of blown away. As a student teacher and supply teacher I know that there is an ongoing effort to encourage children of all ages to make connections between texts, a variety of media sources, and real-life experiences. I also know that teaching children to relate, compare and contrast stories and experiences can be a challenge at all grade levels. And here was my four-year-old prattling on about these two movies and how they were the same. So after giving my husband grief about letting our little girl watch movies that I deemed to be inappropriate I am wondering if they have actually helped her little brain to stretch and grow. Amazing to watch these bright little stars that are our children get brighter! Can't wait to see what conversations tomorrow brings. (Bragging over.)

Comedy of Errors.

Today's parenting adventure began at about 5pm. In our steaming un-air conditioned house I started to make dinner. I was barbecuing hamburgers since it was much too hot to use the oven or stove. So around in circles I was going between feeding the baby snacks, prepping burger toppings in the kitchen, flipping burgers outside and chatting with my oldest daughter while she shadowed my every move. Thankfully my husband arrived home at 5:30 to add an extra set of hands, but as habit would dictate he came in the front door and LOCKED it. (See where this is going?) Amidst the chaos my daughter asked if we could eat outside and I easily agreed in order to catch a little bit of the breeze. So out we trekked with the rest of the food, dishware and condiments...and don't forget the highchair too. We had a pleasant meal, but as per usual our four-year-old was up and about, in and out of the house, and chatting incessantly. Dinner finished, a quick play outside and now time to clean up before baths and bed. Or a least we thought!

My husband was first to gather a stack of dishes and head for the back door. "Hey, why is this locked? How did it get locked?" As we puzzled through the mystery of how a door that can ONLY be locked from the inside came to be locked with ALL of us outside we realized our oldest was the last one in. Well, more like in and out, in and out, in and out. With all her coming and going, plus us nagging her to do one or the other and be quick about it, she must have knocked the locking lever and when she slammed it shut it fell into the locked position.

Oh well, no big deal right? We will just go in the front - locked by husband. Garage? Locked. Windows? Can't reach them because the ladder is locked in the garage. So a quick trip to the neighbours, a little call to my sister and within twenty minutes she arrives with the keys.

Really no big deal, but between being hot, tired and generally irritated by our oldest daughter's dinner time antics patience were running thin. It was one of those parenting moments where my quick reaction was to be angry and punishing, but thanks to the unexpected hot weather I knew I needed to take a breath. When my oldest quickly reminded me she wanted blueberries now that we could get in the house I reminded her that we still needed to tidy dinner, and that because it was her silliness that locked us out she needed to be extra patient. Her response with head cocked to the side and hand on her hip, "Urgh, it was an accident Mom!" Followed be another request for blueberries! Sigh...sometimes I wonder why I have a sixteen-year-old trapped in a four-year-old's body. Then I remember: the apple doesn't fall far from the tree! So this evening's comedy of errors provides yet another ironic parenting moment.

I scream, you scream, we all scream for...

...ice cream! Bring on the beautiful weather, tank tops, shorts and ice cream! What? Ice cream?

Yes, one of my biggest weaknesses is a walk in the park with an ice cream cone in hand. The weather has been lovely and old habits die hard. So, I find myself not only up the the 2 lbs I had lost, but another 2 lbs on top of that. It doesn't look like I will make my 10 lb birthday goal which is admittedly embarrassing since I put it out there for the world to read. However, lessons learned and try, try again....I guess. Trying not to let my own failings get me down. Putting on shorts and a tank top has been a huge motivator, and I have been walking a bit this week so I am slowly adding exercise back into my routine. Time to revise the goal - down any amount of weight by my birthday and hopefully hit the 10 lb mark by the end of July. Only time and my own willpower/motivation will tell. Another challenge is trying to figure out how to include child friendly exercise time in my life without paying for a sitter. Hmmm????