Things I've had to forgive my mother for since becoming a parent..

First of all, I have to thank Cecily from Uppercase Woman for thinking of this blog idea.
I read her list, and I'm in love with it. Out loud and while reading her's I said, "BRILLIANT! This is so brilliant!" I maybe even shouted it.

Here is my list..

1. Yelling "shut up!" to my kids.
I feel horrible when I'm done with yelling it, but when they are both bickering and screaming after 2 straight hours and I've exhausted all resources, I bring out the big guns. It's truly handy when your 3 year old whines uncontrollably about anything and everything for constant (what feels like hours) minutes on end.
I forgive you Mom.

2. Spelling out words so the kids don't know what I'm really saying when they're around.
"Honey (to my husband) do you think we should give them l-o-l-l-i-p-o-p-s if they take a nap?" God forbid I don't spell it and they hear..ohdeargod the insanity.
James I can shake off and he'll understand why he can't have one yet, but Natalie ..oh man that's a different story. She doesn't fully grasp the concept yet of "you have to wait until later".

3. I forgive you Mom for not letting us get into the pantry and refrigerator anytime we wished and had to ask first.
If I let James go into either of those he spends quite a few minutes ransacking them and still not picking what he wants. Sometimes he might make it quick with the fridge, but usually he doesn't and then he'll just leave the door hanging open with Natalie climbing inside of it and playing with the yogurt containers. I now tell them both, ask us first and then we'll see.

4. I forgive you Mom for time out's standing in the corner while facing the wall.
Oh I really do forgive you.
We haven't tried this exact technique with James yet..or even Natalie because both are still too little. But James is coming up close with this because there's nothing like a preschool-aged kid staring at you while he's pissed off and upset (and also using that fake whining while doing something weird with this lower jaw..it looks funny) while being put in time out. I don't really like the evil (and scary) stares and it scares me. So, James, get ready for something new.

5. Lastly, Mom I forgive you for freaking out over messy rooms playing areas, and sticky messes.
I swear, if I step on one more Hot Wheels car or Little People with my bare feet I'm going to take all of them and ship them back to China! And with sticky messes made by 7 kids I don't know how you dealt with it without firing shooting out of your ears! Because there is just nothing compared to walking into the kitchen, socks on, and walking into a huge juice spot with a sippy cup still laying there.