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This week is Teacher Appreciation Week at Maya’s school. Today is National Teacher Day. Around the country, around Maya’s school, kids are saying “Thank You” to the people who make a giant impact on their lives. Saying “Thank You” to the teachers who help shape and mold them into the adults they will eventually become. Parents are saying “Thank You” to the teachers who care for, educate and help shape their beloved children.
Right inside the doors of Maya’s school there was a table filled with crayons and little paper flowers so that the kids could create a little something for their teachers. As we walked the halls, passed the doors of the other classrooms, we saw dozens of paper flowers taped to the doors. Each flower was brightly colored in the scribbles of 3 and 4 year olds and donned with the name of one of the students in the class. The little flowers a cheerful symbol of how loved each one of the teachers in Maya’s school is.
When I chose Maya’s preschool I knew it was highly rated and confident it would be a good match for Maya and our family. I had no way of knowing just how amazing this school truly is. The teachers are all very highly educated and love, LOVE, their jobs and the school. They are passionate about children, learning and are creative too the core. The school is extremely well run, the administrators just as wonderful as the teacher themselves. The parents are friendly, involved and supportive. Walking the halls of the school every where you look there are children smiling and enjoying every bit of their day at school. The school is everything I could have dreamed of and more. Maya’s teachers are a big part of making that so.
I sent Maya to school today with strawberries and cream muffins for her teachers to say a big “Thanks”. Her teachers, especially Mrs. M, have been absolutely amazing. I couldn’t have asked for a better first teacher for Maya. Mrs. M is outgoing, fun, loving and creative. She brings out the best in Maya. Maya has grown in leaps and bounds this year. She has come out of her shell and isn’t held back by her shyness anymore. I have Mrs. M to thank for that. I don’t know if Maya will remember Mrs. M years from now, but I will be sure to remind her of her truly wonderful first teacher.
Thank You, Mrs. M. Thank You.
I’ve heard before, from several people, that the hardest jump is going from one to two kids. That when you add three, four, seven, or whatever you’ve already made that hurdle from one to two so the rest are a lot easier. I didn’t really, necessarily, believe these people. I figured going from one to two children would be a challenge, but, really how hard could it be.
For nine months now I’ve been the parent of two and it is tough, it is a challenge. But, not in the ways I thought it would be hard. I figured the parenting aspect would be difficult. I figured finding time to spend with both children so they feel special and loved would be hard. I figured the logistics of getting out with two children would be tough. But, truly those things aren’t really that hard. I’ve been able to find time to spend with both kids independently, it isn’t always a lot of time but it has worked. Figuring out the logistics of getting out the door with two children instead of one wasn’t that bad. After a couple of trips I had my system down. The thing I find most challenging is balancing the rest of my daily tasks with my parenting responsibilities.
Before Maya was born I worked full time. Household chores were done on the weekends, or on some rare occasions, after work. Once Maya was born I became a stay-at-home mom and worked out a good routine for the household chores of cleaning, laundry, cooking and running errands. After some trial and error I had a good routine going, the house ran smoothly and our weekends were free to do whatever because almost all the chores were done during the week. It never occurred to me how challenging developing a new routine would be once a second child was added to the mix.
I’ve been at this for nine months now and I can’t find my groove. I can’t find that perfect balance between doing what needs to be done around the house and spending enough quality time with both my girls. While Anna is napping Maya wants my undivided attention because she knows she can’t get it while Anna is awake. And, while Anna is awake I’m on baby duty, nursing her, playing with her, and making sure her now mobile self doesn’t get into any mischief, etc. It is such a challenge to fit into the schedule time to do things like vacuum, or clean bathrooms, or do laundry. I want to spend time with my girls, I don’t necessarily want to vacuum or scrub the toilets so you can imagine which gets dropped to the bottom of the to-do list over and over again.
I need to find a balance. I need to find a good routine that allows me to get to all the household stuff but still feel like I spent good, quality time with my girls at the end of the day. I hate busting my butt cleaning all day only to feel like I neglected my girls all day. There has to be a routine out there that will work, I just haven’t found it yet.
But, truthfully, if, at the end of the day all I got to was hanging out with these two and my house looks like a disaster and my blog is neglected, I don’t really care, because at least I know I got to what is truly important.
We parents often get sucked into playing the compare game. A mother in the waiting room of your pediatrician’s office, holding a little one about the same age your own bundle of joy, strikes up a conversation with you, before long you find yourself comparing milestones. Playing at the park with your child you observe another child about the same age and begin wondering why your child isn’t able to ride a bike like that, climb that rock wall, etc, etc, etc. It is so easy to fall into a pattern of second guessing your child, your parenting, and comparing your child with others. When you have more that one child it can become easy to compare your own children to each other. Baby A hit this milestone at this age, why is Baby B still not doing that. We spend a lot of time comparing ourselves to others so it isn’t any wonder that we fall into the same trap with our children.
The thing about babies is that no two are exactly alike. When a baby learns to sit on their own, when they learn to crawl, when they start to babble, when they start to walk completely depends on the baby and will happen at different times for different babies. Comparing your child to your friends child, or a strange child in the park or the doctor’s office, or comparing your own children to each other, doesn’t do any one any good. Just because that 7 month old you encountered at the doctor’s office is already crawling doesn’t mean your 8 month old should be. Just because that 4 year old at the park can ride a two wheel bike doesn’t mean your 5 year old should be able to.
Obviously, if your child appears to be behind hitting developmental milestones it can be stressful and wondering why other people’s children are hitting milestones before your own can be an easy trap to fall into. The best thing to do, if you are worried or concerned about your child’s development, is to talk with their pediatrician and see if there is cause for concern and what you can do to help your child.
When Maya was a baby I did a pretty good job of avoiding the comparing game. As long as she was hitting her milestones within the normal ranges I didn’t really care if she was doing it faster, better or sooner than other babies her age. Now with Anna I’m taking the same approach.
Each baby will develop at his or her own pace and comparing them to other children isn’t going to make that happen any faster. Just do the best you can to encourage your child and give them the opportunity to learn new skills and they will get there eventually. And remember, if you are worried at all, talk to your child’s doctor.
The other day I was looking at Maya and marveling at how grown up she looks these days. She is rapidly approaching 4 1/2 and is looking every bit a little girl these days. In years gone by when I looked at my growing up too fast big girl I could still glimpse the baby she once was. These days she is all big girl. Her cheeks are no longer round with baby chub, her legs go on forever and ever, her movements so precise, her vocabulary unbelievable.
I was looking back at old pictures today trying to find a shot of Maya in a shirt that Anna is now wearing. I ended up spending a good hour looking through pictures of her as a baby and a toddler.
It blows my mind to see the transformation that has taken place in just 4 short years.
It’s funny how every once in a while I go through this moment of “where does the time go?” “how is my first baby already a big girl.” It’s like the moment you have kids time goes into fast forward.
Tomorrow afternoon Maya starts t-ball! She is so excited. And, you know what, so am I. I can’t wait to watch a group of little 4 and 5 year old kids whacking a ball around the baseball diamond and trying to figure out how a baseball glove works 
I can remember watching my youngest brothers playing t-ball when they were Maya’s age. Really, is there anything cuter than a little kid trying to remember what they are supposed to do after they hit the ball.
A few weeks ago Maya asked for a baseball bat. I was a little surprised because it wasn’t a typical toy department request from my princess and pony obsessed little girl. I was happy to oblige and off to the sporting goods aisle we went. She picked out a red bat and a ball. She was so anxious to try it out. Later that day when Lorne got home from work they headed to the backyard to play.
Admittedly, I hadn’t expected her first at bat to much of a success, but boy did she surprise me. She hit the ball her very first try and went on to hit it at least 50% of the time. I was super impressed. We may have a Little Miss Baseball on our hands. I’m really looking forward to seeing her play t-ball. If she can hit a ball being thrown at her, I’m pretty sure she is going to kick butt at t-ball.