Pumpkin time

A couple weekends ago we ventured out to the pumpkin patch. Actually, it was more like a fall-themed amusement park. They had a miniature zoo, playground equipment in vehicle shapes, restaurants, a harvest store, pony rides...I could go on here. And it even had the huge parking lot and crowds to match! It was a cool place, but it was WAY too crowded. If I ever return there I've made a note-to-self to only go on a weekday.

Anyways, we joined the ranks of parents who endeavor to get that perfect picture of their child sitting next to pumpkins. It's pretty funny really...we all sound the same..."Mia...Maggie...look over here...smile!...sit next to your sister...stop doing that!...say cheese!" You get the idea. One thing I've figured out is that no matter how hard I try, my kids just aren't going to cooperate (at the same time) for a photo. And trying to get a family photo-- forget about it!!! I'm posting the family shot we took because it's pretty funny. I don't know if you can see but Mia was crying in the background and Maggie was twisting to get out of my arms. ;) The friends we went with got a great family picture. Their daughter is beautiful, photogenic and cooperative! Oh well, what are you going to do!? There are worse problems than this to be sure.

Twinsies

With it getting down into the 40's at night now, I got to break out the fleece PJs the other day. I don't usually put the girls in matching outfits, but when I was buying these fleecies for Mia I just couldn't resist buying the same ones for Maggie. Don't they just look so cute together!? It's times like this...when they're being sweet to one another that really melt my heart. Makes those times when Mia has been harassing Maggie ALL DAY a little more bearable. ;)

Fall delights

Well, fall has arrived and brought with it the cool, crisp days. I'm pretty sure I've rambled on this blog before about how much I love fall...so I won't go off again. Anyways, I got to break out some of Mia's hand-me-down sweaters for Maggie. I just couldn't resist doing a mini photoshoot with Maggie all decked out in her autumn garb...although I have to admit that it took quite a bit of effort to get a picture with her wearing the hat. She takes them off immediately after I put them on her! After reading my friend Carol's blog, I had to "borrow" her hand-me-down photo idea and post a pic of Mia wearing the same outfit. I have to laugh because I remember when I took that picture of Mia (in Arizona) it wasn't even cold enough to need a sweater! I was just dying to put her in some cold weather clothes!

Mia, (almost) 7 months

Maggie, 11 months

A confessional of sorts

So I've been thinking lately about how motherhood is stretching me, making me grow and bring things out in me I didn't expect (some good and some bad). One of the things I've been pondering is how I personalize things that my child does. I had one such experience today that did just that. A friend and her little boy came over for lunch today. While the kids were playing, Mia all of the sudden threw a rather large, clunky toy right at the boy's head. Of course, I had to immediately discipline her and make her say sorry...but I also had the distinct feeling of embarrassment. I was embarrassed that MY child threw a toy. I heard myself say, "she's never done this before". In this case it was actually true, but still, I know how it is to hear other moms say that. And many times I have thought to myself, yeah right. Well now I was one of those moms!

So it made me ponder why we as mothers personalize the things our children do as well as the difficult things we experience as moms that are out of our control. Whether it's not getting to breastfeed your baby (at all or not as long as one hoped), or your birth plan not going according to plan at all, or having your child be aggressive, or dealing with tantrums, and on and on the list could go. We start to feel insecure and wonder if we're a bad mother. Do we personalize simply because we are selfish beings at our core? We want others to think we're a good mom? Maybe it's a good thing, maybe it spurs us on to be a better mom. ?? I suppose that's looking for the positive in a pessimistic way. I'm just wondering if there's a positive side to it all...if we SHOULD personalize such things or if we should always be exerting ourselves not to do so. Regardless, I know it's something I experience and in talking to many other moms I know they experience too. There's much comfort in that at least...