Grumpy and Happy

Photo courtesy of Rachel Hammond!

Compared to our last two weekends, our Memorial Day weekend was so nice and relaxed. On Friday, we were excited because Rachel, Madi and Parker Hammond came down to visit us! It's so fun, interesting and a little unnerving to see how your kids are going to get along with your friends' kids - you know? Madi and Grace have played together before, but I doubt it if Grace remembers it - it was last summer and she wasn't even 2 years old then. Especially these days of the Terrible Twos, I get very nervous about how Grace will react in situations - will she obey? will she share? will she push and bite, etc...But they played so well together! They were holding hands and running all over the house in no time. Rach and I had fun cramming three of our kiddos in the wagon, putting Annie is the lightest stroller I've ever pushed and walking down to Scidmore Park to play on the playground. The petting zoo was closed so we settled for feeding the ducks and chickens through the fence. We were at the park for about an hour and - back up to the house for a busy lunch of pizza, pears and Pringles and some Play-doh before everyone had to part so we could take our naps! I loved it - it was so good to see Rach and her kiddos. Sometimes I can't even believe that we are all grown up and have families! It's seems so middle-aged and yet here we are - arranging playdates...Never mind that I went to college 13 years ago!

That was just the start to a wonderful relaxing weekend - we haven't just been home in a LONG time. Nothing is ever relaxing for the Young family you know? Activities seem to just double up on each other - especially house showings - it's inevitable - if we have something out of the ordinary going on - we'll have someone want to come see the house.

Anyway - Clint finished putting up the swingset and sandbox for Grace and she just loves it. Luuuuh-ves it. She doesn't want to do anything but "play in the backyard." Hence the tantrums whenever "playing in the backyard" doesn't really fit into the schedule. Like Sunday mornings -

"I don't wanna go to church. Wanna play in the backyard. Momm-yy!"

"Don't wanna visit Gramma and Ranpa. Wanna play in the backyard. Mommm-yyyy!"


"Don't wanna eat dinner. Wanna play in the backyard. MOMMMMMM-YYYYYY!"

On and on like that- the girl is all about the backyard now. It's a good thing we had a weekend to do nothing but play in the backyard, but good grief - we can't be out there 24/7 and we aren't in a safe enough neighborhood to just let her play outside by herself. Maybe if our kitchen had a window looking out on the backyard, but it doesn't. Trouble is, Grace has this little Bostonian thing going on when she pronounces her "r"s - I can't even type it the way it sounds, but I will never forget it - it's hilarious. Everytime she tells me she wants to go in the backyard, I giggle. Pretty soon she's gonna get mad at me for laughing at her so much.

Meleia and Andrew came for dinner on Monday - we grilled shish-ka-billy-bobs (term from childhood) and were they tasty! Mmm. By this time in the weekend Grace was absolutely exhausted because of all the backyard play and late nights, etc..So 'Lia and Andrew were definitely able to see a toddler in rare form. Yeah, that's right - my darling Cinderella screeching, throwing food on the floor, whining and crying about not being in her beloved backyard - a whole bunch of things that could definitely turn anybody off from parenthood.

I realized this weekend how hard it is for me to let go and let my daughter be her own person. Whether it means trying to please Mommy and Daddy and Jesus or whether it means throwing a fit and being grumpy. Grace is entitled to be herself and it is my job to provide guidance. I want her to behave a certain way and be the good, sweet little girl I know she is when she's not exhausted - she on the other hand could care less what Meleia and Andrew or Rachel, Madi and Parker or all the people at church think of her. (Oh the freedom of caring less!) Her tantrums, grumpiness and stubborness just puts my people pleasing nature into knots! I have to keep reminding myself that as long as she is not being naughty I need to let her be herself. Hard lesson for us parents to learn, I'm sure I'm not the only in the world with ginormous expectations for their kiddos.

Annie update: This weekend was the first time I made Annie laugh! Played with her mouth a little bit, making the humming noise, etc...She is so adorable - she's laughed a couple other times since then! I am so curious to see how her personality develops - she seems a pretty happy and contented little bug so far!

My Cinderellas were on complete opposite sides of the fence this weekend. They could have been 2 of the 7 Dwarfs this weekend: Happy and Grumpy. Throw me with my allergies in and you've got one more - Sneezy!

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