ladybug

this photo was taken at approximately 7:13am one morning this week. my days are starting to blur together, so i can't pinpoint the exact one, but it was one day in the past five days. ella got up and i got her dressed. we came downstairs and i started making breakfast. then, a few minutes later she disappeared, reentered the room and i heard her say, "i want to be a ladybug today." i turned around to see this. (yesss!) this is just another one of those things that they don't tell you in the parenting books: your child will want to be a ladybug. (or insert other creature/superhero/person here.) she then ran around the house flapping her arms saying, "FWAP, FWAP, FWAP!!!" carrie stared at her when she ran by like she lost her mind...and then started flapping her hands and laughing, too. about 10 minutes later, ella decided to retire the ladybug and she was onto the next ridiculous outfit or make believe scheme. as a teacher (and now a mother), i know how very important it is to support and encourage your children no matter how ridiculous their antics seem. (so i do.) if my kid wants to be a ladybug for a day (or 10 minutes), even if it's not halloween...so be it. just look at her face in the picture...it's quite obvious how happy she was with herself.

so this was one morning...the ladybug bit. another morning this week (again, not sure which one),  i was sitting on the floor changing carrie's diaper and ella came over and put pearls around my neck and a tiara on my head. she clapped her hands and said, "ohhhh mommy! you are such a pretty princess!"(i didn't even brush my teeth yet.) she insisted i leave these on...so about a half hour later, there i was making eggs and bacon, sipping my morning coffee decorated like princess diana. i wasn't even wearing a bra...or shoes, but i was adorned in jewels. (awesome.) as a kid, i was never really into the whole princess paraphanalia. i grew up with a brother that was 2 years younger that me who liked to play in the dirt and break shit. when my other brother came along, he was the same way. therefore, i didn't have much time for dress up. so now that i have a kid of my own that is into this stuff, it is quite an adjustment. however, if it makes her happy to see me make breakfast while dressed like royalty...i'm gonna do it. (her happiness is my happiness.) i wore the tiara until we had to run to target. (hey, i'm fun...but i have my limits.)

today at breakfast, carrie kept pointing and grunting (like a monkey) at ella's pirate hat that she made at school yesterday...so i put it on her and she made this face. this picture makes me laugh every time i look at it. if it didn't make you smile, there is something wrong with you. (seriously.) she continued to eat her pancakes...wearing it the whole time, grinning about her head ornament. ella thought it was pretty awesome as well, clapping her hands and laughing her face off. kids find joy in things that we often overlook. (pirate hats included.) ever see how they react to swings, lightening bugs, gummy bears, crayons, bubbles...life, in general? it's just awesome. i wish i could get that excited about...anything! my children remind me everyday that i need to appreciate the little things. that i should get dressed up for no reason, that i should clap and laugh when something is funny, that i should smile whenever possible. things i tend to forget when life's bullshit boils over and bogs me down.

moreover, i think half of the fun of having kids is seeing how they grow and change each day. it's one crazy and ridiculous thing after another. and it happens so damn fast. as parents, we celebrate each and every accomplishment...and that's how it should be. first steps? yay! first word? right on! first time they drop a deuce in the toilet? we are all about that shit. (literally.) we also share these accomplishments with other people and parents...who understand and share our joy. so there we are...all celebrating a turd floating in the toilet. (yippeee!) one time butch and i high fived about a piece of poop. (it's really nuts if you think about it.) anyway, i know ella's days of dressing up like a ladybug are limited. for this reason, i try to enjoy every ridiculous moment for what it is. i try to take pictures. i try to write stuff down. i know that far too soon she will be dressing up, but in a gown and going to...prom. (i just threw up in my mouth a little bit.) this summer gig is almost over for me...i have two weeks left. it has seriously FLOWN. i've lost my mind no less than 327 times the past 6 weeks, but i've enjoyed (almost) every minute of it. soon i will have to trade in my tiara for my teacher attire. until then, i'll wear it with pride along with my pearls...and possibly a pirate hat as well.