A Mom of Two

Several weeks ago I was the mother of two for the weekend. My niece Jenny came Thursday morning and stayed through Sunday morning. It is exhausting to be the mother of two.

I didn't know six-year-olds were so smart. We went to our church library on Thursday and borrowed some books and videos. Jenny chose her tried-and-true favorites, The Berenstein Bears. One of the books taught her a new word when the little poem in the front that tells the moral of the tale used the word compromise. It was a new word and a new concept for Jenny, but after my explanation, she seemed to understand. The rest of the weekend, she probably found five or six situations that she correctly pointed out to me as some form of compromise.

I didn't know six-year-olds liked such healthy food. Her favorite snacks were plums, cherry tomatoes, and carrot sticks. She didn't turn down M&M's and ice cream although the cinnamon rolls were a little too sweet for her. She did refuse to try the zucchini and seemed to have a secret fear that I wouldn't make my food the same as her mother. She ate heartily for such a little thing, but strangely seemed to drink hardly any water. I hope she does not have a predisposition to kidney stones like her two aunts.

I didn't know six-year-olds could be so sweet. Saturday afternoon she was bored, and I was busy. Then I heard these tiny sad sounds coming from the bedroom. When I went to investigate, there she was curled up under her fuzzy blanket with such a woebegone little face. I gave her a hug, and she said, "I don't know why I'm crying; I just feel like it." Later she let me know that she was missing her little snugly blanket that she had forgotten at home. After describing it to me and refusing to borrow one of Blaine's, she cheered up and joined us for supper.

I didn't know six-year-olds found kissing so embarrassing. Phil and I have a tradition. After we pray over our food, we kiss. Jenny would hide her eyes every time and didn't see any humor in the tradition. We laughed when we noticed, but she refused to discuss it so I have no idea what was going on in her brain. I did ask her if she had ever seen her parents kiss which she had, so I guess it was just because it was us, and she wasn't used to it.

I didn't know six-year-olds were such theologians. Once she asked me, "Do you ever wear pants?" (For those of you non-Mennonites out there, pants are the ultimate clothing evil for a conservative Mennonite woman.) "Yes," I answered. "Well, you still look like a lady, so you are still obeying the Bible," she announced. I was impressed that she put all that together in her head rather than condemning me in her mind for not practicing a scriptural principle the way her family does. It has always been my challenge to mentor my nieces and nephews in their walk with the Lord. In the process, I have determined to do my best to never undermine their parent's values even if I personally do not apply them the same. It makes for interesting honest conversations.

Sorry so long between postings. I'm going to try to get into posting at least once a week. My schedule has been in flux but is settling down again. As I told one of my friends who questioned my silence, "Blogging thrives on a busy husband and an isolated mom." I have been out and about, Phil has been home more, and my correspondence reflects those facts.

Being a mom has taught me: I still love building dams across rivers or creeks. (Phil and I took Jenny and Blaine swimming in the Calapooia the Saturday Jenny was here.)

Blaine's newest skill: Making noise--dropping his toys on the floor over and over again when in his exersaucer or high chair, holding two toys and banging them together, and babbling at the top of his lungs whether at home or in church.

Question for the day: Why is Blaine scared of the big pink plastic ball I bought for a dollar at Shop N Kart?