Weekending

It's been a cold blustery weekend in my neck of the woods, both Saturday and today we woke up to snow dusting the rooftops of our neighborhood. When Isabella saw the flakes swirling through the air yesterday, she gleefully proclaimed "Oh, what a lovely scene!" I can tell I have been letting her watch Downton Abbey ;-)

As my girl gets older, she gets more and more hard-headed. She definitely comes by this trait honestly. I'm what they call...payin' for my raisin' 

Most mornings we butt heads on breakfast, hairdos, outfits, choices of footwear etc...which is normal I suppose, but we've developed a sass lately that I am just not accustomed to.

I can't abide a back-talking kid. 

On a normal day, after she has been safely deposited at school, (fed, clothed and groomed despite it all) the arguing has subsided and I'm left in the quiet to reflect upon the start of my day. I sit and scratch my head over how to deal with this...of course that is coupled with a helping of mother's guilt and those acute feelings of utter failure that only a fellow mother could understand. 

I think every mother deals with these feelings. Even on a good day. So I developed for myself a mantra to repeat to myself whenever I'm at my wit's end.

I have a great kid. An intelligent kid. A helpful kid. A sweet, caring kid.

This is a season and tomorrow will be a brand new day.

She needs me and I need her.

Then before I know it, it's afternoon and she's home from school. And we're butting heads on, TV time, video game time, cleaning up after herself, healthy snack choices etc...

I have a great kid. An intelligent kid. A helpful kid. A sweet, caring kid.

This is a season and tomorrow will be a brand new day.

She needs me and I need her.

Feels like the day is on fast-forward...it's evening time. And we're butting heads on her eating her dinner, practicing her school reading, bath time and bed routine, saying her prayers sleeping in her own bed etc...

I have a great kid. An intelligent kid. A helpful kid. A sweet, caring kid.

This is a season and tomorrow will be a brand new day.

She needs me and I need her.

A couple of hours later, after much ado, she is mercifully asleep. Surrounded by pink princess blankets and her favorite stuffed animals...those sweet freckled cheeks flushed in sleep and it's all I can do to not gather her up and snuggle her like there's no tomorrow. 

But I settle for a few lingering kisses on those cheeks I have nuzzled since their very first seconds of life and I go to bed smiling from the inside out because...

I have a great kid. An intelligent kid. A helpful kid. A sweet, caring kid.

This is a season and tomorrow will be a brand new day.

She needs me and I need her.