Wednesday, October 19, 2011

The Chase...


Ah, nothing like a good ol’ tantrum from a 3 year old in the middle of a crowded mall.
You might hate me but I have been pretty darn lucky in this department never having dealt with a public tantrum before this moment. One minute my darling sweetie is holding my hand and skipping along being so darn good I could squeeze her. The next minute she bolts through the department store leaving her exhausted and pregnant mom chasing her with embarrassment.
When I finally reach her I am winded and she is not. I grab her arm and scold her while all the customers look at me judging. I feel their eyes burning through my head determining what kind of a job I am doing disciplining my kid in the mall. Once I am done scolding her she proceeds to lay on the floor of the dirty carpet in macy’s and not get up. I pull her arm but she is dead weight and she is smart because she KNOWS that I cannot lift her. Or shouldn’t…..
After about 30 seconds of tugging and pleading with her I fly off the handle. Mighty mom takes over and I literally throw the child over my shoulder pregnant and all and carry her cackling with laughter out the store. When we reach the exit I am about to cry (hormones). I put her down and am steaming with anger. I scold her again and the pointer finger is out. I tell her “ You don’t even know what a spanking is and mommy doesn’t believe in them but you are headed in that direction my friend. You are gonna get a spanking if you don’t watch out.”
I never imagined these words coming out of my mouth. My mom spanked me once and I remember it like it was yesterday! (I was about 4). Instead I got dial soap on my toothbrush and scraped on the bottom of my teeth. That sucked but it worked! Now that is probably frowned upon these days too… I don’t know because I have never gotten to this point with my child before!
We get in the car and the whole way home she keeps asking me if she is gonna get a spanking. I keep wondering if she knows what that is?
Later at dinner, before I even had the chance to tell hubs the story she says “Daddy, I am gonna get a spanking.”
Do you think she is off at school telling her friends/teachers that she is gonna get spanked! I am not entirely sure how to handle this though a week later she did ask me what it was and I explained it to her delicately. I told her mommy doesn’t believe in that but that she really upset me and I hope she never gets to that point again because…. Santa is watching.
GOOD OL’ SANTA! Bringing him out early. This seems to have worked because 2 weeks later she hasn’t mentioned it again. Let’s see if it lasts.
Here is a personal favorite of mine from YouTube of an adorable toddler teaching others how to throw a proper tantrum.


Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Great Quote....

Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever… it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything. - Aaron Siskind www.thinkexsist.com

I just love this quote. Never stop taking photos even if you think you suck. One of my most fond memories of being a kid was sorting through boxes and boxes of photos my mom took of me growing up. I would look at my baby photos for hours! It always made me feel so loved. So keep clicking everyone! And if you want a professional in the tri-state area check out my website
www.AudreyBlakePhotography.com

Monday, October 10, 2011

Classroom Birthdays!

Do you remember when your birthday fell on a school day? Oh how exciting it was knowing you were going to serve your friends cupcakes and perhaps give out goodie bags too!
Some kids came to school with hand painted and elaborate cupcakes hand made in the wee hours of the night by their doting mothers. Others came with ornately decorated cookies from scratch! As I devoured these delicious cupcakes I would visualize their mom's covered in flour and sweat smiling while they mixed and baked for their precious darlings.

My mother was a little more unorthodox. She took me to Entenmman's bakery to buy 6 boxes of assorted cupcakes (vanilla, strawberry and chocolate iced vanilla cupcakes which they sadly no longer make). We then would go home and place each cupcake on a plate from home and wrap them in foil so they "looked" homemade. Since they were delicious I didn't mind, I was just grateful she had the good sense to make it looked like she was just like all the other moms.
Most of what I know about parenting I have learned from having been a kid and having the two parents I was given (obviously right?). If the Entenmman's bakery still sold those cupcakes I would probably go that route too but I do the in-between and buy the good ol' Betty Crocker mix and go to town. Don't worry Mom, I don't judge you for buying boxed cupcakes. I turned out alright ;)

Well evidently A was so excited about her birthday while at school that she didn't nap a wink. I came and hubs surprised her too and we brought cupcakes for all the little pre-k class who will do anything for sweets of ANY kind. We decided to take our 3 year old Miniature Golfing after that since it was 80 degrees and October. She did as well as could be expected (running after the balls we shot and placing them into the hole's for us).

Happy Birthday to my baby girl. I just can't believe you are 3! The past 3 years have been challenging, rewarding and overall a TON of fun. Thank you for being YOU.