Points to Ponder #4- Perfection is not possible, but don't give up trying
Perfection does not exist! Being perfect is not possible. No person on earth is perfect. We all mess-up. We are all full of error. We all make mistakes. Quit beating yourself up for not being someone you aren't. Accept your strengths, your gifts and your blessings. BUT ... you must also accept your limitations. You cannot and should not be able to do it, be it all and then have time to post it all!
It's okay to admit that you don't have the perfect house, marriage, job, kids, etc. No one does. Just because you do not have the perfect life does not mean that you don't have a million things to be thankful for. My points to ponder #4 talks about church in the book. It mentions how church becomes a major source of angst for many families. Children CANNOT sit through an hour of mass being perfect. Heck, my husband can't even make it through mass without cracking an inappropriate joke. Accept it. Live with it. And then try to embrace what it is good.
I'm reading a book in my bible study group called One Thousand Gifts, by Ann Voskamp (www.aholyexperience.com). This author does a wonderful job reminding the reader to appreciate what is around you every moment of every day (even the bad stuff). In her book she is challenged to write 1000 things she is thankful for. I have been working on my list and am on 275. I have to admit, when I am focused on the blessings, I am much more content to not be perfect and to enjoy the imperfections life has to offer that are so wonderful. Sounds twisted, I know. But it is so true. This author has dared me to live fully right where I am at. I not there yet, but I'm not going to give up trying either.
So, give it up. Love your imperfect self. Love your imperfect family. Love your imperfect job. Love your imperfect house. Love it all ... because it's all yours to be thankful for! Don't give up trying to be the best you can be, but embrace your strengths and limitations and find the balance in between them that leaves you feeling content!
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Friday, March 22, 2013
Bad Behavior Is Not Condoned
Points to Ponder #3: Bad Behavior Is Not Condoned
As I have been working on my book and talking with various friends and family, I have been amazed at how many people beat themselves up daily for mistakes they make that truly are okay. With that being said, this journey has given me a motto that I truly love and believe in, but that I realize does not apply to every situation. 'It's Okay' is meant to be a belief that we are all human, full of error and cannot make it through a day with out a mistake. It's meant to help us on those days or in those moments that we feel life is too overwhelming to manage through. But, we do. We make and we realize that things may not have been as bad as we thought. It's NOT, however, meant to be a motto that condones truly negative behavior.
It is NOT okay to abuse drugs and alcohol. It is NOT okay to abuse your children. It is NOT okay to neglect your children's basic needs. These things are NOT okay. We all mess-up. We all have bad days. We all need good coping strategies to realize that life will be challenging and hard, but using the tools we have been blessed with will allow us to make it through difficult times. There IS a difference between messing up and partaking in truly negative and bad behavior.
In my book, I had to address this point because there are things in life that are not okay. There is a support section at the end of my book that gives some basic resources for those who may be struggling with pervasive problem that professional help is needed for. If that is the case, it's okay to ask for help. It's okay to admit that your mistake is one that you cannot handle alone. If you are in need of support beyond what a friend or a good book or a trip to church can handle, don't be afraid to visit one of the websites below or message me and I'd be happy to help you locate a network that can support you in your specific need!
American Academy of Pediatrics, www.aap.org
La Leche League International, www.lalecheleague.org
Postpartum Support International, www.postpartum.net
National Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Information Center, www.addictioncareoptions.com
National Institute of Mental Health, www.nimh.hih.gov
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, www.samhsa.gov
Psychology Today, www.psychologytoday.com
As I have been working on my book and talking with various friends and family, I have been amazed at how many people beat themselves up daily for mistakes they make that truly are okay. With that being said, this journey has given me a motto that I truly love and believe in, but that I realize does not apply to every situation. 'It's Okay' is meant to be a belief that we are all human, full of error and cannot make it through a day with out a mistake. It's meant to help us on those days or in those moments that we feel life is too overwhelming to manage through. But, we do. We make and we realize that things may not have been as bad as we thought. It's NOT, however, meant to be a motto that condones truly negative behavior.
It is NOT okay to abuse drugs and alcohol. It is NOT okay to abuse your children. It is NOT okay to neglect your children's basic needs. These things are NOT okay. We all mess-up. We all have bad days. We all need good coping strategies to realize that life will be challenging and hard, but using the tools we have been blessed with will allow us to make it through difficult times. There IS a difference between messing up and partaking in truly negative and bad behavior.
In my book, I had to address this point because there are things in life that are not okay. There is a support section at the end of my book that gives some basic resources for those who may be struggling with pervasive problem that professional help is needed for. If that is the case, it's okay to ask for help. It's okay to admit that your mistake is one that you cannot handle alone. If you are in need of support beyond what a friend or a good book or a trip to church can handle, don't be afraid to visit one of the websites below or message me and I'd be happy to help you locate a network that can support you in your specific need!
American Academy of Pediatrics, www.aap.org
La Leche League International, www.lalecheleague.org
Postpartum Support International, www.postpartum.net
National Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Information Center, www.addictioncareoptions.com
National Institute of Mental Health, www.nimh.hih.gov
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, www.samhsa.gov
Psychology Today, www.psychologytoday.com
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Don't Judge Me Just Because My Mistakes Are DIfferent Than Yours
Points To Ponder #2: Don't judge me just because my mistakes are different than yours
The second Points To Ponder section addresses judgment. Before sharing the hilarious stories that were submitted by over 40 contributors, I wanted readers to be in the right frame of mind. It took courage and personal strength to share stories of embarrassment, shame and frustration. While my book is intended to be funny, it also has a very deep message. As parents (well even just as human beings), we are constantly looking around at others. We are creating judgments about others or assuming things of others and then judging ourselves.
The judgment needs to stop. God created us each differently. He hand-picked the make-up of who we are. We all have different strengths and things we are good at. But, we also each have limitations and things that we are not, and will never be, good at. It's okay. We don't have to be perfect. We don't have to do it. We don't have to look, act or feel like our friends and neighbors. We get to be us! Just our imperfect little selves.
So, if we are not perfect and we can live with that fact, then maybe we will start to realize that other people can't be perfect either. There are people in the world who will do things that we do not agree with. That's okay. People will do things that we would never do. That's okay, too. The world goes round because of the differences that exist. We are lucky to live in a world where no two people are the same.
The thing about judgment that is crucial to remember: we have no idea what is going on in other people's lives. We cannot effectively judge them because we do not completely know them. It's not fair to assume things about people around you. It's not fair not to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. I know not all people are good- but darn it, most people in the world are doing the best they can with the strengths and limitations they have been blessed with!
Don't judge me just because my mistakes are different than yours.
The second Points To Ponder section addresses judgment. Before sharing the hilarious stories that were submitted by over 40 contributors, I wanted readers to be in the right frame of mind. It took courage and personal strength to share stories of embarrassment, shame and frustration. While my book is intended to be funny, it also has a very deep message. As parents (well even just as human beings), we are constantly looking around at others. We are creating judgments about others or assuming things of others and then judging ourselves.
The judgment needs to stop. God created us each differently. He hand-picked the make-up of who we are. We all have different strengths and things we are good at. But, we also each have limitations and things that we are not, and will never be, good at. It's okay. We don't have to be perfect. We don't have to do it. We don't have to look, act or feel like our friends and neighbors. We get to be us! Just our imperfect little selves.
So, if we are not perfect and we can live with that fact, then maybe we will start to realize that other people can't be perfect either. There are people in the world who will do things that we do not agree with. That's okay. People will do things that we would never do. That's okay, too. The world goes round because of the differences that exist. We are lucky to live in a world where no two people are the same.
The thing about judgment that is crucial to remember: we have no idea what is going on in other people's lives. We cannot effectively judge them because we do not completely know them. It's not fair to assume things about people around you. It's not fair not to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. I know not all people are good- but darn it, most people in the world are doing the best they can with the strengths and limitations they have been blessed with!
Don't judge me just because my mistakes are different than yours.
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Be Thoughtful With Your Words
In an attempt to provide a purpose for my blog, I am going to write a little about each part of my book. It's Okay: Let's Get Real About This Thing We Call Parenting is due to be released in the next couple of weeks. While the book is very humorous in nature, with real stories from real people about all the parenting blunders that occur, there is also a very serious message I hope readers receive from reading it. Before the stories begin, there is a section entitled Points to Ponder. In this section, I hope that readers keep some key points in mind as they are reading about other people's failures, mistakes or mishaps.
Point to Ponder #1: Be Thoughtful With Your Words
So many times in life, people do not think before they speak. While this is true, I do not believe that most people in life intend to be malicious. It's just that sometimes our feet cannot enter our mouths quick enough. Whether you have had an insensitive question asked or an unthoughtful comment made about you, take time to realize that you, too, have probably done this very thing in the past. Hindsight is always 20/20 and we realize as we grow and change that we may have judged someone or a situation without fully understanding what was going on in his/her life or fully understanding the hell he/she may have been going through.
Once we pass various stages in life, it's safe to say that we understand a lot more than we did before. In knowing more than we did, we grow. So, today and maybe even tomorrow, try to be more thoughtful with your words. Try to understand someone else without fully being able to know what they are struggling with. Assume the best intentions of their actions and try to avoid hurting them with your comments or questions. At the same time, if someone asks you an insensitive question or comes at you with a hurtful comment, try not to get defensive. Try to assume that no harm was intended. Try with all your might to share your feelings openly and honestly.
If we could all get 'real' about how we are feeling and what we are thinking, assumptions could be put to rest. Everyone has different struggles. Everyone has different issues. But ... we all have both. None of us are perfect and we could all use the benefit of the doubt every once in a while! It's okay.
Point to Ponder #1: Be Thoughtful With Your Words
So many times in life, people do not think before they speak. While this is true, I do not believe that most people in life intend to be malicious. It's just that sometimes our feet cannot enter our mouths quick enough. Whether you have had an insensitive question asked or an unthoughtful comment made about you, take time to realize that you, too, have probably done this very thing in the past. Hindsight is always 20/20 and we realize as we grow and change that we may have judged someone or a situation without fully understanding what was going on in his/her life or fully understanding the hell he/she may have been going through.
Once we pass various stages in life, it's safe to say that we understand a lot more than we did before. In knowing more than we did, we grow. So, today and maybe even tomorrow, try to be more thoughtful with your words. Try to understand someone else without fully being able to know what they are struggling with. Assume the best intentions of their actions and try to avoid hurting them with your comments or questions. At the same time, if someone asks you an insensitive question or comes at you with a hurtful comment, try not to get defensive. Try to assume that no harm was intended. Try with all your might to share your feelings openly and honestly.
If we could all get 'real' about how we are feeling and what we are thinking, assumptions could be put to rest. Everyone has different struggles. Everyone has different issues. But ... we all have both. None of us are perfect and we could all use the benefit of the doubt every once in a while! It's okay.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
It's Okay to be Frustrated!
After embracing the idea that frustration is a normal part of life, I can begin to deal with feelings more appropriately. You would think after almost 35 years of life that I would have the coping strategies necessary to deal with the challenges that life throws at me daily. I don't even have to any major challenges, which makes me feel even more inadequate.
Why do we do this to ourselves? Beat ourselves up for the very emotions that make us who we are are. I am blessed beyond ways that I could possibly count. I have more goodness in my life than I deserve. With that being said, it is still okay for me to be frustrated. It is still okay for me to lose it occasionally. It is still okay for me to forget to count my blessings in those moments so that I can later be reminded of how many I really have.
The other day I started working out again. I am actually excited about my readiness to embrace 'healthy' again. I can't look back and say that I should have been doing this longer, I just need to be thankful for the fact that I am doing it now. So the following story will hopefully help you let go of some ridiculous frustration you are having at this moment in your life!
I got up and got my four children ready. I sent two of them off to school and then headed to the local YMCA. I was going to go to my first exercise class, so the two little ones would be in daycare for an hour. This was a little difficult (I had to get over the fact that it was okay to be staying at home, but still use daycare so that I could be healthy), but I knew it was time to get myself back in shape.
After a gloriously difficult workout I went to pick up my two little ones. I am leaving out the fact that my one-year-old threw the fit of her life when I left her, because she hasn't been away from me much. I picked the kids up still alive and doing well. I had to stop at the front desk to get new ID cards. They did great until the moment we were about to leave.
It was then that I started regretting the decision to workout. My four-year-old hit her sister. I calmly let her know that she lost part of her allowance (this is our newest parenting strategy) and the little girl lost it. She wouldn't follow me out and stood just outside of the door. I didn't want to deal with her so I just kept walking. This was apparently NOT what she wanted, so she ran full speed and pushed me with all her might. I tripped a little, but was bound and determined to get to the car. Getting in the car was a struggle and having her buckle-up was even more challenging. So ... I started to drive. The police station was a block away. I let her know I would be stopping. Seriously???? What was I going to do at the police station? Long story short, she got buckled after we were parked at the station for about three minutes. We made it home only to have the fit continue. After room time and a major adult temper tantrum, it ended.
Throughout this time, I was beating myself up for working out. My frustration was beyond what I can express. It took me many hours to see that I had created a major positive change for myself by choosing to workout, but that I hadn't given my children a chance to catch up with the change I was making. While I am trying to get into a routine, I also need to allow my kids a chance to establish what this routine is going to look like. I should workout. I can be frustrated. But ... it's okay that things didn't go perfect on the first day.
Why do we do this to ourselves? Beat ourselves up for the very emotions that make us who we are are. I am blessed beyond ways that I could possibly count. I have more goodness in my life than I deserve. With that being said, it is still okay for me to be frustrated. It is still okay for me to lose it occasionally. It is still okay for me to forget to count my blessings in those moments so that I can later be reminded of how many I really have.
The other day I started working out again. I am actually excited about my readiness to embrace 'healthy' again. I can't look back and say that I should have been doing this longer, I just need to be thankful for the fact that I am doing it now. So the following story will hopefully help you let go of some ridiculous frustration you are having at this moment in your life!
I got up and got my four children ready. I sent two of them off to school and then headed to the local YMCA. I was going to go to my first exercise class, so the two little ones would be in daycare for an hour. This was a little difficult (I had to get over the fact that it was okay to be staying at home, but still use daycare so that I could be healthy), but I knew it was time to get myself back in shape.
After a gloriously difficult workout I went to pick up my two little ones. I am leaving out the fact that my one-year-old threw the fit of her life when I left her, because she hasn't been away from me much. I picked the kids up still alive and doing well. I had to stop at the front desk to get new ID cards. They did great until the moment we were about to leave.
It was then that I started regretting the decision to workout. My four-year-old hit her sister. I calmly let her know that she lost part of her allowance (this is our newest parenting strategy) and the little girl lost it. She wouldn't follow me out and stood just outside of the door. I didn't want to deal with her so I just kept walking. This was apparently NOT what she wanted, so she ran full speed and pushed me with all her might. I tripped a little, but was bound and determined to get to the car. Getting in the car was a struggle and having her buckle-up was even more challenging. So ... I started to drive. The police station was a block away. I let her know I would be stopping. Seriously???? What was I going to do at the police station? Long story short, she got buckled after we were parked at the station for about three minutes. We made it home only to have the fit continue. After room time and a major adult temper tantrum, it ended.
Throughout this time, I was beating myself up for working out. My frustration was beyond what I can express. It took me many hours to see that I had created a major positive change for myself by choosing to workout, but that I hadn't given my children a chance to catch up with the change I was making. While I am trying to get into a routine, I also need to allow my kids a chance to establish what this routine is going to look like. I should workout. I can be frustrated. But ... it's okay that things didn't go perfect on the first day.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
What's it all about?
As I'm preparing to publish my book, It's Okay: Let's Get Real About This Thing We Call Parenting, I am constantly asking myself what defines the life I am living. While I am incredibly excited to get my book out to the public and to share the message I so passionately believe in, I still struggle with what defines me. The whole premise of the book is that life is hard. That we will mess-up. That we will question what in life we are doing that is worth something. Why aren't we ever satisfied?
In the book, I talk about how one thing cannot and should not define who we are. There is a section that talks about what 'good days' are and how my good days might look very different than your good days. Why am I on top of the world some days and overwhelmed by the very idea of completing life other days? Why can't I appreciate what I have and who I am consistently on a daily basis?
My goal for this blog once the book is published is to write weekly about 'real' things that are happening in my life. It's hard to admit when we feel like we have failed. It's hard to admit that we are not living up to the standard that we set for ourselves. But, where does this standard come from? It definitely cannot be from what we see others accomplishing around us. It has to be what we decide for ourselves. What we want to be within our capabilities. While we are blessed with many gifts and talents, we are also confined to our limitations. We cannot be what others are ... we have to be happy with who we are and what we are able to do.
I hope that someone out there is questioning her day. I hope that she can read this and realize that if she is doing the best she can, that is enough. She does not have to be it all, have it all and do it all. She can be content to just live her life, to enjoy the blessings she has been given (limitations and all), and be proud of what she has accomplished in her life. Bad days will happen.
It's okay to struggle. It's okay to be overwhelmed. It's okay to take a break. It's okay to know you are doing the best you can do. It's okay to not be perfect.
It's okay!
In the book, I talk about how one thing cannot and should not define who we are. There is a section that talks about what 'good days' are and how my good days might look very different than your good days. Why am I on top of the world some days and overwhelmed by the very idea of completing life other days? Why can't I appreciate what I have and who I am consistently on a daily basis?
My goal for this blog once the book is published is to write weekly about 'real' things that are happening in my life. It's hard to admit when we feel like we have failed. It's hard to admit that we are not living up to the standard that we set for ourselves. But, where does this standard come from? It definitely cannot be from what we see others accomplishing around us. It has to be what we decide for ourselves. What we want to be within our capabilities. While we are blessed with many gifts and talents, we are also confined to our limitations. We cannot be what others are ... we have to be happy with who we are and what we are able to do.
I hope that someone out there is questioning her day. I hope that she can read this and realize that if she is doing the best she can, that is enough. She does not have to be it all, have it all and do it all. She can be content to just live her life, to enjoy the blessings she has been given (limitations and all), and be proud of what she has accomplished in her life. Bad days will happen.
It's okay to struggle. It's okay to be overwhelmed. It's okay to take a break. It's okay to know you are doing the best you can do. It's okay to not be perfect.
It's okay!
Monday, February 18, 2013
It REALLY is Okay!
Well, there's another story that can't go untold! It all started on this beautiful Monday morning that my husband didn't have to go to work. We had decided that we would use this Monday off to venture to the zoo. Because we had afternoon obligations, it would have been ideal to be out the door by 9:30am so that we could arrive at the zoo right when it opened at 10:00. I unfortunately let the stress of being on time sour our morning. I'll recount the disastrous day the best I can!
So, I got up with the dog at 7:15 and found three of the children had just got up to enjoy cartoons. I thought it would be nice to let my husband sleep in a little, but was somewhat frustrated that there was a lot to be done before our adventure to the zoo...most important besides a nice breakfast, an enjoyable morning home together and a lunch packing venture, was for me to take a shower. This was needed since the days prior there had not been a decent opportunity!
My daughter reminded me that I promised pancakes. Perfect. Oh wait, we were out of eggs and oil. Two necessary ingredients. I tried to convince her that we could do pancakes the following morning, but then realized that I was out of creamer for my coffee. So, at 8:00, I ran upstairs and let my husband know I was running to get the eggs and oil, thinking he would jump out of bed. Wrong. I would find my children still supervising themselves when I reentered the house a short time later. Oh, and of course, while in my pj's at Walgreens, I found out they were out of creamer. The kind cashier let me take 5 of the mini-creamers intended for coffee buyers so that I could at least enjoy a cup of coffee or two.
So, at home, I was rather irritated. Although, there was not a good reason to be. It was a nice morning and my husband deserves a morning in bed. I shouldn't have been frustrated. But, alas, I slaved over breakfast and gave as many huffs and dirty looks as I could. I insisted there was no time for me to even sit down because I had to make lunches and get ready for our day...remember, I needed that shower.
After many requests for me to sit down, I reluctantly joined the family for breakfast. Trying to enjoy this moment we rarely get of a nicely cooked breakfast and no where we really needed to be. But, for some reason, the zoo time had etched itself in my brain and I could not let it go. So, I told my husband I just wouldn't shower. His irritation was growing from my terrible attitude. After we got the kids all ready, the table cleared, the lunches made, etc, I decided to go get ready. It was at that moment that I realized I was destroying our wonderful morning. So, I thought that maybe it wasn't that big of deal that we didn't get to the zoo RIGHT at 10. I went upstairs to shower.
I hurried the getting ready process along so that we would only miss our deadline by a few minutes. My husband had got everyone in their coats. Their shoes were on, the dog was put away and we were ready to make it out the door. It was 9:50. Perfect. We'd make it by a little after 10. My one-year-old then walked over to me as I had my hands full heading out the door. She had her hand out and there was definitely something all over it. I wasn't sure what it could be until I examined it closer. Oh, dear GOD. It was POOP. All over her hand. I didn't know what to do. She had stuck her hand down the backside of her diaper and had it ALL OVER. My husband grabbed the wipes...as if that would help with awful situation.
I took her up, somehow got her clothes off of her and then wiped her down the best I could. I stuck her in the bath and started the wash off. Finally, she was clean, she was dressed and we tried to exit the house yet again. This time it was a success. We made it to the zoo by 10:30...not too shabby and enjoyed a wonderful morning, minus the snow storm that had started while we drove there and the 50 mile an hour wind that had presented itself. We stuck to the indoor activities and headed to the IMax at 12:15 to enjoy our lunch while we watched an awesome movie on butterflies.
I thought the day had made a remarkable turn-around. That is until we picked up one of my daughter's friends to drop off at a girlscout event. I grabbed my one-year-old out of the car to walk the two girls in and realized that she was SOAKING wet. Geez. I wrapped her coat around her and figured we wouldn't be in there long and I could handle this second diaper disaster of the day. So we walked in and my older daughter decided it would be funny to announce the morning happenings...poop hand and all! The mom's got a good laugh, but the joke was on me.
I got out to the car and wrangled the wet one-year-old into the car seat with her coat still wrapped around her. It was then that I noticed her hand and her face. She was covered in cheese. We had eaten cheese popcorn as part of our lunch and her fingers and face were stained orange. I am sure all the mothers in there were so disgusted, thinking that the hand was still stained or covered in the poo from the morning disaster. I was mortified!
So, I got up with the dog at 7:15 and found three of the children had just got up to enjoy cartoons. I thought it would be nice to let my husband sleep in a little, but was somewhat frustrated that there was a lot to be done before our adventure to the zoo...most important besides a nice breakfast, an enjoyable morning home together and a lunch packing venture, was for me to take a shower. This was needed since the days prior there had not been a decent opportunity!
My daughter reminded me that I promised pancakes. Perfect. Oh wait, we were out of eggs and oil. Two necessary ingredients. I tried to convince her that we could do pancakes the following morning, but then realized that I was out of creamer for my coffee. So, at 8:00, I ran upstairs and let my husband know I was running to get the eggs and oil, thinking he would jump out of bed. Wrong. I would find my children still supervising themselves when I reentered the house a short time later. Oh, and of course, while in my pj's at Walgreens, I found out they were out of creamer. The kind cashier let me take 5 of the mini-creamers intended for coffee buyers so that I could at least enjoy a cup of coffee or two.
So, at home, I was rather irritated. Although, there was not a good reason to be. It was a nice morning and my husband deserves a morning in bed. I shouldn't have been frustrated. But, alas, I slaved over breakfast and gave as many huffs and dirty looks as I could. I insisted there was no time for me to even sit down because I had to make lunches and get ready for our day...remember, I needed that shower.
After many requests for me to sit down, I reluctantly joined the family for breakfast. Trying to enjoy this moment we rarely get of a nicely cooked breakfast and no where we really needed to be. But, for some reason, the zoo time had etched itself in my brain and I could not let it go. So, I told my husband I just wouldn't shower. His irritation was growing from my terrible attitude. After we got the kids all ready, the table cleared, the lunches made, etc, I decided to go get ready. It was at that moment that I realized I was destroying our wonderful morning. So, I thought that maybe it wasn't that big of deal that we didn't get to the zoo RIGHT at 10. I went upstairs to shower.
I hurried the getting ready process along so that we would only miss our deadline by a few minutes. My husband had got everyone in their coats. Their shoes were on, the dog was put away and we were ready to make it out the door. It was 9:50. Perfect. We'd make it by a little after 10. My one-year-old then walked over to me as I had my hands full heading out the door. She had her hand out and there was definitely something all over it. I wasn't sure what it could be until I examined it closer. Oh, dear GOD. It was POOP. All over her hand. I didn't know what to do. She had stuck her hand down the backside of her diaper and had it ALL OVER. My husband grabbed the wipes...as if that would help with awful situation.
I took her up, somehow got her clothes off of her and then wiped her down the best I could. I stuck her in the bath and started the wash off. Finally, she was clean, she was dressed and we tried to exit the house yet again. This time it was a success. We made it to the zoo by 10:30...not too shabby and enjoyed a wonderful morning, minus the snow storm that had started while we drove there and the 50 mile an hour wind that had presented itself. We stuck to the indoor activities and headed to the IMax at 12:15 to enjoy our lunch while we watched an awesome movie on butterflies.
I thought the day had made a remarkable turn-around. That is until we picked up one of my daughter's friends to drop off at a girlscout event. I grabbed my one-year-old out of the car to walk the two girls in and realized that she was SOAKING wet. Geez. I wrapped her coat around her and figured we wouldn't be in there long and I could handle this second diaper disaster of the day. So we walked in and my older daughter decided it would be funny to announce the morning happenings...poop hand and all! The mom's got a good laugh, but the joke was on me.
I got out to the car and wrangled the wet one-year-old into the car seat with her coat still wrapped around her. It was then that I noticed her hand and her face. She was covered in cheese. We had eaten cheese popcorn as part of our lunch and her fingers and face were stained orange. I am sure all the mothers in there were so disgusted, thinking that the hand was still stained or covered in the poo from the morning disaster. I was mortified!
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