Judge Mommy

I think we're all judges in municipal courts.  We walk around with our critical eyes and find something that we feel, is seeking a verdict.  When you're a mother, it's like that right has tripled.  You now have even more of a reason to cast stones and proclaim decrees.  While, that's not really the case, it doesn't stop anyone.

I try my hardest not to be a judgmental mother, not to be Mother Perfect, the one who thinks she is so much better than everyone, that she can tell each and every mother what they're doing wrong, or at least think it (and you probably have known a Mother Perfect too).  I've never really been a laid back person before, and even though I thought motherhood would make be even more high-strung than I was already, it's actually made me the opposite, at least a little.  And trust me, I needed it.  (I'm sure someone out there disagrees against the idea that I'm more laid back, but bite me.)

This does have a point though. 

At times, I do find myself mentally scolding mothers who let their children pick out whatever and how much candy they want, just to witness the mouths of cavities these poor children have, or the excessive amount of silver fillings.   I give myself a mental smack as I think about them, because while my stomach can churn as much as it wants, cavities can happen to anyone.  Aside from that, I really rarely ever think about what other mothers are doing in a judgmental manner because in all my naivete (which my husband continuously makes fun of me for) I really have myself convinced that we're all trying our hardest. 

But Mother Perfect started becoming me last night as I witnessed this mother last night at our local shopping center.  She had quite a few children, all running in different places, and the youngest one, a baby around 14 months, she let him roam about, assuming at least one of the other children were watching him.  Meanwhile, he was running (yes, running) with an ink pen he took from a shelf and the mother saying she had no intention to pay for it.  His diaper was so full that it was half off in his little shorts (yes, shorts) and I mean, REALLY full, his face dirty (although, when is Bailey's face not dirty?), his feet were barefoot, and the other children were bickering about what they were buying.  And as hard as I tried, I couldn't get past the fact that this toddler was roaming around by himself freely with an ink pen and an incredibly soiled diaper and nobody said a word.  The mother was more concerned to make sure that no one's stuff was being bought with HER gift cards, yet with their own.  And this may be a concern, but it was an over twenty minute concern of hers while the youngster continued to run around.  Did I mention that this was around midnight?

It's not my place to judge because actions have consequences, but I had myself wondering how long it took for his diaper to be changed, and if the ink pen ever found its rightful place.  I wondered how many places he made it to while the rest of his family argued about who was buying what.  He probably had enough time to drink tea in China and walk across the Golden Gate Bridge, if he could find it.

Just so you know, I really don't think I'm Mother Perfect.  I just try really hard to be as good as I am for Bailey and while I spend some hours agonizing over how I feel certain people criticize me at times, I try to get over it best I can because I know I'm not totally screwing up.  No one is Mother Perfect, and there's no point in trying, but toddlers probably shouldn't run unattended with an ink pen and I probably shouldn't think anymore about it.  Case dismissed.

Open Captioning

November's folder of pictures on Bailey's site finally has captions.  It took me long enough, eh?

The Fainting Goat

We have recently acquired one of those fainting goats within the past month.  You've heard of them right?  Those funny little critters that just fall over due to excitement or from being startled, or just because maybe they want a drink, who knows.  Nature's mystery has become our own marvel.  So, anyway, we have this fainting goat and her name is Bailey.  She has this fascinating ability to just fall over at any moment, forwards, backwards, sideways, it doesn't matter.  Our fainting goat makes it look easy too.  One smooth plop, and there, the goat's fallen over onto the floor, the ground, linoleum, carpet, dirt; it's all the same.

Those fainting goats sure are entertaining.  You should get one too.

Busy Christmas, but still merry

Christmas has come in long episodes for us, but it's been truly merry and bright the entire time.  I think Bailey's finally completely unraveled every package under our tree, and maybe even a couple not intended for her.  Santa brought her the best of things, but what has her most curious, how did he get them here?

I haven't even loaded photos from the holiday onto the computer, so it may be  a while.  But to apease you, I do finally have those snowman pictures for your viewing pleasure (even though no one requested them).

 

Oh, and you're welcome.

Dinotopia Discovered and Finally Shared

On December 7, we took a much-needed family day together.  We've been trying to take these periodically. The one before that we took B to a movie, Flushed Away.  This time, we were much more creative.  First, we took B to the North Pole, to which she was only amused once she left Santa's sight and climbed a tree instead.  Then, in that same day, we found Dinotopia. 

Dinotopia is actually a restaurant named, T-Rex, but I think Dinotopia is quite fitting too.  As you can see by the photos, it was definitely awesome and Bailey enjoyed it tremendously.

A Christmas List?

I know a few of you may have had funny glances when looking at Bailey's wish list on her website.  I had fun creating it.  As for an actual Christmas list article, I still never made it to that, obviously.  I'll try to write up something today, mostly for fun, since the shopping season is almost over.  It never really mattered anyway, because that child loves anything, and I do mean anything.

The one thing I can tel you she really loves-- shoes.  She's definitely a female.  She loves shoes, shoes, shoes.  She's in a size 6 or 6.5, so size 7s are what we're buying.

Please continue to be patient with me as I finally update B's site for the holidays.  It's been a long time coming, but I've faked it well.  I also have lots more pictures to share, as well as here.

Knock, Knock

Sometime last week--

Bailey:  Knock Knock

Mommy: Who's there?

Bailey: Knock Knock

 

Wednesday--

Bailey: Knock Knock

Mommy: Who's there?

Bailey: Boo

Mommy: Boo who?

Bailey: Knock Knock

Mommy: Who's there?

Bailey: Skeletor

Mommy: Skeletor who?

Bailey: Knock Knock

Mommy: Who's there?

Bailey: Pumpkin

Mommy: Pumpkin who?

Bailey: Knock Knock

and repeat...

 

Bailey has started telling knock knock jokes, although we think she's forgotten the "joke" part.  She is quite good at the rest of it, but lacking a punch line, as if you couldn't tell.  Perhaps the punchline is Mommy expecting there to be one.  Could be.

A fortunate nap, without the fortune

Bailey convinced Mommy that she wanted to take a nap on Wednesday afternoon.  Mommy was eternally grateful for this notion because she too was extremely tired, especially with her sinus troubles.  A nap sounded absolutely wonderful.  Bailey suggested Mommy's bed, so they went to lie down together.  Mommy awoke less than thirty minutes later to Bailey nudging her from the bedside mentioning something about a cookie.

Out of the corner of her eyes, Mommy could see that there was something different about Bailey.  She seemed much more colorful than usual, which was odd, considering the lack of clothing.  Mommy scooped Bailey up and put her in the bathroom and shut the door knowing something had gone terribly wrong.  Mommy had been tricked into a nap, and Bailey had not napped at all.  No, Bailey instead had put a chair to the kitchen counter and found something absolutely dreadful.  She had found food coloring and the food coloring had found Bailey's skin.  This wasn't just any food coloring either, this was neon colored food coloring and Bailey was now brighter than a neon sign.  Apparently she can also open the bathroom door quite easily, and came to find Mommy while Mommy searched the premises, evaluating the damage, which was mostly just Bailey's skin.  Her nose may be fuchsia forever but I've never seen bath water so beautiful.

Daddy put the blame on Bailey's favorite book, I Ain't Gonna Paint No More.

How appropriate that tomorrow she is scheduled to visit Ol' St. Nick.  Do blue hands go on the naughty list or the nice list?  I've long since forgotten.

The day that almost wasn't, and then wasn't anyway...

Mommy awoke on Tuesday morning to a vibrant Bailey who knew that today was now tomorrow and that meant Wonderscope, the Children's Museum, was indeed on the agenda.  Little did they know, Daddy took Mommy's keys because he could not find his own.

Bailey did not understand that they needed a particular set of keys to drive to Wonderscope, she thought any keys would do.  After enough times searching, and Bailey asking just enough, and thinking there were no other places to look, Daddy called Mommy and together they retraced Daddy's awkward steps and discovered the keys to be in their outside trash can, safely on top of a garbage sack.  Mommy had definitely not looked there, but good thing she had.

Wonderscope was back on the agenda and the two of them ate a very late lunch with Daddy and headed out and Mommy remembered she left the camera in Daddy's car and they had to go back to get it.  Bailey was okay with that as they continued to discuss all of the wonderful things they would do once they finally made it to Wonderscope.  And finally, they really did end up there, anxiously getting out of the car only to discover a sign on the door stating Wonderscope had closed by 1:30 due to a lack of water in the building.  Bailey had no idea what to think.  mommy had no idea what to think.  This had not been on the agenda.

Mommy's first idea was to go to the Pet Stop off Neiman Road, and Bailey liked that idea, but still thinking Wonderscope was part of the plan as well.  She refused to let a locked set of doors and a sign ruin her plans for the day.  A call to Daddy provided an outlet, and Bailey told Daddy about the locked doors and how they couldn't get in, and Daddy asked Bailey about the pet store and the kangaroo that lives there, and finally, Bailey was intrigued enough to leave.  "Let's go, Mommy, let's go see the kangaroo."  That was enough incentive for the Mommy.

Now what do you do when a kangaroo no longer lives in the little pet store on Neiman Road?  Well, luckily, you see a monkey instead, and quite fortunately, Bailey loves monkeys even more.  Did you know a Bailey could watch a monkey play in his habitat for almost an hour?  That also didn't count the time she walked around and admired the other creatures, especially her other favorites, the scorpions and the tarantulas.  Mommy thought Bailey would never want to leave, but the idea of building a snowman sounded just too good to be true.

Together, the Mommy and the Bailey made a snowman with a sombrero, at Bailey's request.  He also had eyeballs, lips, and green buttons, all Bailey's ideas.  He's a happy snowman with his leafy hair and acorn pupils and long, long stick arms.  And of course the Mommy took pictures she'll share someday.

 

So when a day doesn't always go the way it's planned, and then continues to not go according to plan, it doesn't mean it's ruined, it just means it has to reinvent itself, especially if snow and monkeys are involved.