Love/Strongly dislike relationship

Peniel and Rafe Joy...sisters, friends, playmates, and on occasion: Arch enemies!  Deep down they love each other and would do anything for a much beloved sister, unless that much beloved sister tries to take a toy from the other or wrestle her to the ground to vent frustration...its these moments that inspire the "dislike" in their relationship.  Today, after countless power struggles over toys, junk mail, dried up markers, and of course lip gloss, the sisters' "dislike" moment was epitomized when Peniel put a long string of beads around her little sisters neck.  Rafe was overjoyed and let out a bubbling chuckle.  She looked at her big sister with eyes that seemed to say, "all sins against me have been absolved my child... these beads fix everything!"  Peniel looked at Rafe, her 3 year old smile curving mischievously as if to say, "now I got you right where I want you."  Two seconds later, Peniel's intentions where made very clear as to why she wanted her sister to wear the beads...in a blink of an eye, Peniel picked up the slack in the beads and began to lead her sister around like a puppy who wasn't leash trained.  The sweet, loving expression that was on Rafe's face a mere two seconds prior was now mutated into the face of an experienced street fighter.  Don't be mistaken, Rafe was not getting hurt in this exchange with her sister...she was getting MAD, and when Rafe gets mad, there are no holds barred!  If Rafe had the power to turn green, she would be the HULK in her moments of outrage.  Peniel knew she was losing the advantage from her initial surprise attack so she pulled and pushed her sister more quickly toward her destination: the bathroom.  I starred with my mouth agape, I am sure I had a puzzled, blank look on my face, how could I not!...All the while I was thinking, "I should say something," but I was overcome with curiosity as to how this epic struggle was going to end.  Peniel made it to the bathroom with her little sister thrashing like a hooked Marlin at the end of the bead leash.  With great effort, Peniel put the leash on one of the cupboard nobs and backed away quickly...her mission accomplished.  She had the timeless look of satisfaction on her face.  Rafe broke free unscathed, but red faced and screaming like an 80's rocker. 
Rafe became wiser today... she will not forget the wrong that was done to her by her much loved/disliked sister...she will have her revenge...maybe tomorrow, maybe on the next full moon...the element of surprise now rests in the mind of a very small child who has inherited her mother's dark gift for mischief.

Kid Moments

How does one go half a day without noticing that her child has colored her entire face with a yellow marker?  Three kids ago, I wouldn’t have imagined this possible...but now, all things are possible for those who parent children!  I can’t believe how much motherhood has changed from the days when I just had one child to today when I have three...the things you notice, worry about, care about, think about morphs into something more realistic when you begin the journey of adding more children. 

I used to care about Peniel being fashionable, wearing cute clothes that had no stains, and always looking like she could model for Baby Gap.  She never had a scraped knee or dirt under her finger nails, she always looked pristine, but that was when she was the only child.  Then came Rafe Joy and pregnancy...Peniel's hair was less than done on most days due to the exhaustion of family expansion and body expansion.  Her clothes a little more stained due to the baby on my hip and the baby in my tummy.  She got a little more dirt in her hair and rocks in her boots when playing outside, got a few more scrapes too...but what would  childhood be if you couldn't wear mismatched socks, a skirt over your dress, an entire tube of chapstick on your lips and shoes on the wrong feet? 

I believe in having memories, and some of the best memories I have of my kids are when they have done or gotten themselves into something that they weren't supposed to do or get into.  I will always remember this day when my Peniel colored her face yellow and I was completely oblivious to how obvious it was!  Even though it took multiple wet wipes to clean her up while two other kids were screaming for my attention, it was worth it for the sake of adding another special Peniel moment to my memory.

Next time something goes awry in your parenting, take a snap shot, enjoy the mishap for half a second before you get upset at the extra work on your part to fix the mess because it is the imperfect moments in life that mean the most!

I'll CHAI if I want to...

every morning I make a Chai Tea Latte while Peniel, my very vocally expressive 3 year old, is watching a cartoon...and every morning she covers her ears, gives me the stink eye and yells, "TOO LOUDER MOMMY!"  and every morning I pretend i dont see or hear her protests and keep steaming.  She is too young to understand that the entire day hinges on this precisely steamed (to 170 degrees), perfectly foamed cup of pipping hot euphoria.  I actually think that the opposition to my making it, makes it tastes better...so keep screaming kid #1, keep screaming!  In my estimation, and my estimations are always correct, I have earned my Chai...when I wake up every morning looking like the bride of Frankenstein with bags under my eyes the size of Rhode Island, and all that i own smells heavily of kid...If 2 mins during a cartoon rerun (that my oldest has seen 100 times) is the only time I can make my Chai, come hell or high water I will have my Chai even if it kills me!  Every Chai is a precious gift to a very tired mom, I dont believe in wasting precious gifts not any day of the week!