reality

If I had to pick a work to use tonight, it would be reality. It seems like everywhere I turn I get a burst of it! Sunday morning I got a tearful "lecture" from Charli about how I never spend "any" time with her. I am always with Harper, playing with Harper, and never-ever do anything with Charli, every day - all day. While this is partially true, because Harper demands more attention now, there is no explaining that to a crying 4-year old who thinks her mother has all but abandoned her for her smaller, younger, blue-eyed baby brother. There is no excuse for that, but it is our reality. Chad and I often end up tag teaming the kids because their age spread is not ideal right now. A few months ago they could play together great, and in a few months from now they will again. But, right now they are both territorial of their things, and their mom. This is not to say it is always like this, by any means...but when you are 4 time is not exactly something which can be perceived with great accuracy! Either way, Charli and I (along with Grandma Jody) spend a few hours of girl time watching Toy Story 3 which was full of laughs and smiles...and just what the dr ordered for a little pip-squeak who giggled so loudly and covered her face in fear minutes later! We followed this up by going to a birthday party where she could wrestle her same-aged cousin who never has to fight for his parents attention!!

This is our reality, and while it is not a walk in the park on most days...it is the walk we have been given. And, I have come to learn that without those bumps in the road, the sunny stretches would just not seem as wonderful! It always seems like a victory when we can look back at those "less than great" moments and see that they weren't so bad after all, and how much we all learned!! Have a great Thanksgiving week ya'll. I am thankful you care enough about our family to still be here checking in on us! I would LOVE to hear from those of you who are still here!!

Charli has never been a great eater. We perpetuated the situation once we found out she had cancer, and eating became a priority. Even at 8 months, she knew what that meant to us, and it has been a hot button ever since. Now, the struggle with her to eat is less about "is she sick" and more of a power struggle. We probably have to ask her to sit nicely and eat 5 out of 7 nights a week. REALITY: Chad told her that if she didn't sit and eat nicely, he would tape her to the chair and make her eat. FOLLOW THROUGH: Chad tapped her to the chair -- she ate :-) Before this ends up on some child abuse site, please notice that she voluntarily tore the tape as Chad was doing this with masking tape - and the large grin on her face from the extra attention she was getting because of her behavior! Ahhh, parenting moments at our finest.

Chad was very excited to show the kids his deer. He generally doesn't' care if he gets a deer or not. But, this year he wanted to bring one home to show Charli. He got one Sunday morning and brought it home to show Charli Monday morning before going to daycare. She was pretty excited for him. REALITY: every parent and child need to have that "one thing" that can make them both truly happy.

this is Chad wrapping Charli up to go see the deer, because neither of them could wait to put real clothes on! She went out, fresh out of bed, in her jammies! REALITY: sometimes we don't need to follow all the rules, life is more fun when we break them from time to time...makes those moments feel special!! OTHER REALITY: having rules, makes breaking them the fun part! no rules just means chaos!!

REALITY: these kids love each other. Set aside the fighting for moms attention, Harper playing with Charli's guitar, Charli helping Harper "too much", and all that little brothers grow to do to their big sisters...they love each other. There are few things that bring me more joy, than the realization of what these two will do and mean to each other in their years to come. When I am gone, they will still have each other, and the love they foster now.