A New Low

Just because I’m a stay-at-home mom, write for this blog, etc. doesn’t mean I’m super mom.  Trust me.  There are lots of ugly moments.  We have our good days too.  But yesterday was not one of them.

I decided yesterday to take a few hours off.  I put my phone on the charger and headed upstairs to clean up a few major messes that have been staring at me all through VBS and vacations.  The kids were resting with their dad.  It was nice.  It was quiet.  And then I realized it was too quiet.

Upon a trip back downstairs I heard my phone go off and I stopped to check my messages.  It was then I realized that my boys had missed a friend’s birthday party.

Mother & Son

Image via freedigitalphotos.net by David Castillo Dominici

Mom of the year.  This is what happens when I try to take a few minutes off of my phone and check out!  I immediately called the boy’s mother to explain that we had forgotten. And then I had to break the news to the boys.

They were not happy.  One cried.

What are you going to do in situations like this?  Well, first of all, I apologized.  It had been a very busy weekend with our town celebrations.  And I was looking forward to a day of resting and relaxing at home.  So I just didn’t check the calendar.  Super mom, I am not.

And then I tried to make things better.  We are spending the day with said neglected birthday boy in the hopes that our fun day will make up for the loss of the birthday party.

Oh, and the Mr. also took them golfing.  So all was forgotten very quickly.

And that’s the great thing about kids.  They are quick to forgive and forget.  Even when mom makes mistakes.  Wouldn’t it be nice if we all were so willing to let the hurts of today go so quickly?

So just incase you are having a day like mine.  Remember that being a mom means things like this happen.  The Halloween costume gets forgotten for school.  Your child goes to picture day wearing a ratty old t-shirt.  You’re 30 minutes late for pick up at practice. That’s life for most of us moms at some point or another.

Thank goodness for grace.

#parenting

Family Pictures- Part III

Here is an example of what to wear to family pictures.  Let’s say you’re taking pictures by the lake and want a nautical theme, which is so cute and popular right now.

This is for a family of six and clearly the more members of your family, the harder it is to coordinate.  But you don’t have to stick to one color.  This is really a blue and white theme. You could add yellow or coral or hot pink to this color arrangement besides any other neutral.

Keep in mind that while mom and dad are wearing solids, they may be holding one of the other family members, so those patterns will break up their solid blue.

Cheers to you brave, hopefully smiling, family photo takers!

Family Pictures by stylefromthesticks featuring white flat shoes

VILA dress $34 – vila.com

White flat shoes lollicouture.com

Scotch & Soda Linen shirt with roll-up sleeves scotch-soda.com

AEO Slim Straight Khaki ae.com

Carters Baby Girl Anchor Dress sndkids.com

Stretchies Tee Bodysuit baby bonds.com.au

Ralph Lauren Childrenswear Lightweight Chino Pants neimanmarcus.com

Boy’s fine jersey T-shirt with silkscreen print $29 – petit-bateau.co.uk

Circo Boys’ Short-Sleeve Shirt Assorted target.com

#fashion #style #familypictures #VILA #RalphLauren #polyvore #AmericanEagleOutfitters #Carters #Circo #ScotchampSoda

Family Pictures- Part II

So this recent opportunity…

My family posed for some stock pictures for our local hospital.  These will be pictures they can use in their advertising.

Hospital Photo

We arrived color coordinated as a family for our pictures in the morning.  The kids were forewarned that not only were these pictures but they may have to do a little acting in them.  Not all of us visit the ER or the doctor with big smiles on our faces.

While you can reason to some regard with my two oldest, it is hard to prepare a four year old to what is about to happen.

And the shooting begins.  Kid one does well.  Perhaps not the best acting skills I’ve seen, but for the first time on the “set” we’ll give it a B.

Kid two is up next.  Let’s just say that I won’t be dragging any of my kids out to Hollywood just yet.

And then we come to kid number three.  Oh dear.  Things start off slow.  Number three wonders just why should she smile at said nurse that she doesn’t know.  Was there something funny to smile about?  Mom has to stand behind the nurse to even get her to look in that direction.

But things get worse.  A family shot is taken but they want to finish with number three and a doctor alone, after having the sheltering of the family all around.  The doctor is a very gentle and sweet guy but number three wants nothing to do with him.

Begin mommy sweats.  I have come completely unprepared to bribe number three.  And I’m not even sure what kind of bribery this undertaking would require.  Ice cream? Lollipops?  A trip to Disney?  What could entice my youngest to just even look at the poor doctor?

Number Three

Nothing.

Enter mommy and daddy frustration.  What should be a simple task is just not to a child. While the shoot wraps up for our family, I was left feeling all sorts of emotions- frustration, anger, embarrassment.  But also grace.  There is only so much you can expect out of one too young to understand.

So after we were home and dressed in our uncoordinated clothes, number one and two went off to celebrate their acting debuts.  And I was left to explain as best I could why number three did not get to join.

I think she ultimately got the message.  But so did I.  We both apologized and I figured I had to just let it go.  And that is what forgiveness, even for four year olds, is all about.

Meanwhile, I’m not going to be scheduling family pictures anytime soon…

#familypictures