29 Days of Thankful, 1 Day of Miracles

November 1st arrived and my Facebook exploded with a daily list of thanks.  Maybe I just have awesome friends but I appreciate the sincerity; some were funny, some were heartwarming, but all meant what they said and all were positive.

We are doing 30 Days of Thankful in our own quiet way here. Every morning over a spread of cheerios and cafecito, I ask June Bug what's he's thankful for and everyday he says "elefantes".  I did get a few "baby Lady Bugs" and once, just once I got "mama". I'll take it, 1/30 days is good enough for me--assuming tomorrow we're still thankful for elefantes and only elefantes.

This year more than ever, I have a lot to be thankful for and I could easily have filled 300 days just being grateful for the many ways my family and friends complete my life. But I took 29 days of November and made sure to write them down. Why 29?  Because there was 1 day that I dedicated my thanks to one single thing. A day where I was so thankful I actually cried with joy.
A day where this happened:

The toddler nap.    This day was dedicated to giving thanks for sleep.
I haven't seen this in at least 8 weeks, maybe even 12 weeks. I was so stunned I risked waking him up so I could document it. Stupid, I know. But Daddy Bug wouldn't have believed it otherwise. As a result I had one happy, fun and AGREEABLE toddler for the rest of the day; a day where terrible two's was a myth.
It was beautiful.

::facepalm::

From 70 to 28....degrees; a small piece of the California girl in me curled up and died this morning. June Bug is somewhat confused by this need to put on multiple layers before departing and frequently reminds me "it's soooooo cold, mama."

What we wear when we leave the house:

It's change and we'll adapt, but I do feel some sympathy for my little bugs (more so June Bug) as they make this major weather adjustment...

Well, I did. Until approximately 1pm on Monday where a quiet nap hour was shattered by a wailing June Bug:   MAAAAAMA!! I soooooooo COOOOOLD!!

What I see when I open his door:  A naked June Bug. Yep, stripped down to nothing but socks.  Oh little dude, it's gonna be a long cold winter if you don't learn to keep your damn clothes on.

Perspective of a 2 year old

Recently a mom friend shared this very fun article.  I'm so guilty of underestimating June Bug's comprehension that I thought this would prove interesting.  The mind of a toddler is an anomaly, but it was a reminder that toddlers really do live in the moment; something I could and should do much better for sure.  His answers, verbatim:

1. What is something Mommy always says to you? no push [Lady Bug] (true story)

2. What makes you happy? Read books

3. What makes you sad? Feet are sad

4. What makes you laugh? Dada and mommy

5. How old are you?  Two

6. How old is Mommy?  Two (I wish I had the skin of a 2 year old)

7. How old is Daddy? Two

June Bug getting a hug from his bestie :)

8. What is your favorite thing to do?
Go to the dentist (he'd like any place that gave him 20 toys at each visit)

9. Who is your best friend? Little D!
(This one melted my heart. June Bug did say his actual name, but he happens to be the son of one of my bestest friends and most favorite people of over 20 years. I'm glad our kids get to be buddies too!!)

10. What do you want to be when you grow up?
Be Max, king of the monsters (yes, really. word-for-word)

11. What are you really good at?
Monster books and max books

12. What are you not very good at? 
::shakes head no:: (aka nothing, obviously mom)

13. What did you do today?
Play in the park (ummm it's 30 degrees we did not go to the park today, but you did beg to go)

14. What is your favorite food?
Pooh Toast (toast and honey, which he was eating when I asked him)

15. What is your favorite song?
Elmo song (I don't think he even took a breath before answering)

16. What do you want for your birthday this year?  Panqueques (pancakes)

17. What is your favorite animal?  giraffes (a toy giraffe was on the table at time)

18. What is love? Amen!!! (shouted, at the top of his lungs. It was only lacking a finger snap and strut)

19. What does Daddy do for work? Daddy work choo-choo (Well he takes one to get there, so almost?)

20. Where do you live?  Daddy's car (no, he really doesn't. I swear)

21. Where is your favorite place to go? The kitchen (too bad he can't cook yet)

Happy Halloween!! Love, Lady Bug

Halloween, it's all about the fear factor. I've always thought the "scariest" things were rooted in sounds:  the shrieks and screams of a haunted house, the soundtrack to a horror film, the creeks and groans of an empty home, the suspect silence of a toddler...

Lady Bug, an apparently huge Halloween lover, has been diligently practicing her scariest pitch for over 3 months. When I say diligently, I mean relentlessly. For hours. Seriously, hours, I wish it were a typo. I think it's suffice to say she's ready for all those trick or treaters.

Frankly, I think this sound should be illegal and am desperately hoping she opts for Christmas carols come November 1st.

Wild Child

I've been relatively lucky that June Bug-- albeit "very two"-- is for the most part well behaved. Until today.  He might as well have chanted "liar liar pants on fire" while he raced around Old Navy. I mean raced. Full speed around tables of clothing and garment racks cackling like this was the best game ever; only egged on by his sister who laughed at his every defiant move, undermining every parenting tactic I tried. I was that parent today.  The one you look at and shake your head sadly wondering why this mom can't control her child.

Figures that June Bug's Halloween costume would be "King of the Wild Things" or Max, from my most favorite childhood book ever, Where the Wild Things Are. We read it at least 4 times a day, though in Spanish because some how I do not own the book in English. But I have made sure to teach him the best line ever written in a children's book. His costume is still in progress. So you get a video narrated by June Bug and a visual of Lady Bug in a most appropriately wonderful hand-me-down. Now if only my little wild thing would learn how to tame his own behavior...

(I'll eat you up, I love you so)

Bedtime Roulette

By 5pm last night I had two very exhausted kids. As I watched June Bug's head bob at the dinner table I pondered putting him to bed at 5:30.  Several people have texted and facebooked to see if it backfired on me. Yes, yes it did.  And frankly, I think it's because he should have gone to bed at 5. Seriously.

By 5:55pm all was perfectly quiet and two kids were sleeping...stupid, stupid me.

6:15pm would commence with an overtired June Bug wailing about how he was tired while I begged him to "please cry quietly so you don't wake Lady Bug".  By all means laugh.  It might be the most unrealistic and ridiculous thing I've ever asked of my toddler.

6:40pm all is quiet again.

3:45am Wailing June Bug because "piggy [piglet] is scary" only to be soothed by snuggles, aka holding mom in a headlock.

Luckily Lady Bug had the courtesy to wait until 4am to wake up. June Bug whined a little upon my departure, but apparently found something else to snuggle with, his underwear. Obviously, I mean who doesn't love a good snuggle with their Sesame Street intimates? Why the he!! 8 pairs of underwear were in bed with him to begin with is beyond me. How I failed to notice until 7am is another story...

::sobs::

You know those parenting days that make you want to throw in the towel and run screaming...without your 35lb double jogging stroller?  If you're a parent, I know you've had them, more than once. Or you're Angelina Jolie and have 2:1 nanny-kid ratio and a private jet to the Caribbean when you need it.  Yesterday was particularly tough and I'm sure I cried at least 4 times.
And then this happened, completely unprompted:

And I cried again. I don't even remember why it was a bad day.  ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤