Basket-Head Jackson

Behold...he is not trying to scare you...he is just...

BASKET-HEAD JACKSON!

On Children

On Children

 Kahlil Gibran

Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them,
but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children
as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might
that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
so He loves also the bow that is stable.

I read this poem recently after an acupuncture treatment and the words were so meaningful...so meaningful that I just sat and re-read...stunned.  It is so easy to let your own mindset take over, or someone-else's for that matter.  Hence, how another parent wants me to react when my kid takes the train from their kids hand at the train table at Barnes and Noble, and then tells their kid to come and play on the other side away from him....  This puts it all in perspective.  I can guide and model good and loving behavior, but I can not and will not CONTROL my child.  I can remove him from a situation if necessary and/or take a break with him if need be, but not scream and yell at him and force him to apologize.  It just isn't in me anymore....and when the last little bits of it seep out....that feeling of "need to control" I am ashamed and I re-evaluate.  I realize that re-evaluation may be a life long process and some days it comes easier than others, but when I look into my child's eyes I am doing the best that I can to be the best mom I can be.    He seems happy enough anyway...

Big Boy Bed

For quite a long time (I won't say how long) Frank and I have been tossing around the idea that we should take the front off of Jack's crib and convert into the next step, ie, toddler bed.  Maybe it was because of this... or maybe it was because, as all things seem to happen in our house, it was just time. 

There was limited adjustment to his "big boy bed" (which we still all refer to as his crib..and probably will until he is 15).  There was only minimal crying when he saw Daddy take the front away and when he realized that the fun of climbing was no more (at least in and out - he climbs up on the side to turn the light on and off now...he won't be stopped!)  At nap time we followed our normal routine (reading 26780870989873408 books) and...

He was OUT!  And, he loves his new crib bed!

 Sleep tight little guy...and stop growing up so fast!

End of Summer, A New Beginning

The last day of summer vacation is a hard reality.   Tomorrow brings uncertainty, unknown... I will remind myself to look at it as a new adventure.  I am saddened that I will not be returning to direct the middle school choir this year, but I am excited (and nervous) to direct the high school choral program.  Big changes, big responsibility....  I am drawing on the positive and I know it will be a good year.

Just as so many changes are occurring, I take comfort in the familiar.  Jackson will be returning to Bebe's, to see old friends and, as he said "eat yummy lunches, like Arthur Loops".  (His favorite organic spaghetti O's).  I will enjoy seeing and having coffee (or my dreaded green tea - blah) with amazing co-workers each morning (THANK GOD that's not changing yet)!

Although I am not ready for summer to end, I look forward to a new school year.  New possibilities, new students, new challenges, new adventure.  As we all take a few weeks to adjust, I must remind myself of the amazing family, job and life that I have!


Goodbye Summer....