Math Schmath
I just overheard this conversation.
Mesa: “Olivia, you’ve peed like 60 times today!”
Olivia: “If peed 60 times a day, 7 days a week, I would pee 420 times a week!”
How’s that for an always unschooled 9 year old? 
My Pledge
I am taking the Mamas on the Compact pledge. So here is my pledge, please hold me accountable to it!
1. I am pledging to not buy anything new for a period of 2 months. I am starting with 2, but hope to continue longer than that.
2. I am joining the compact because really, we have so much *stuff*. And we just don’t need so much *stuff*. I want to be kinder to the world and make less garbage and so much new stuff comes with so much other *stuff*- packaging, etc.
3. My plan for maintaining the compact is simple really. Just keep living and being mindful. When the situation arises, I will turn to one of those awesome second hand stores we have here first.
4. Exemptions. Of course we have some exemptions. First of all, I am the only one that is in the compact. It does not include my children or husband. It does not include the new mattress we are buying this month- my well being depends on being able to get a good night’s sleep and that is not currently happening.
I can do this. I am doing this.
Disney
We just spent two wonderful days at Disney with my sister and parents. Our parents are celebrating their 35th wedding anniversary! 
We drove up Sunday afternoon and spent the evening in the pool- it was an awesome zero entry with a volleyball net over one side. We swam and played ball. Levi practiced swimming underwater and we just hung out.
Monday we went to Epcot and looked at all the beautiful flowers and gardens they have out for their flower festival. It was beautiful! We rode Test Track with Levi for the first time- he’s finally tall enough! He loved it. Of course, he loves cars. We rode the Universe of Energy for the first time for all of us. I was pleasantly surprised that the use the Big Bang as the beginning of the Earth. I know there were plenty of people in there who were not pleased at all. One of the gardens was set up as Neverland. We spent a good bit of time in there. It was really neat.
Today we spent the day at Magic Kingdom. We started and ended the day on the train. The girls rode Space Mountain for the first time while Levi and my dad watched the race cars. The girls immediately wanted to ride it again. I was worried that they wouldn’t like it. We rode our other standards- Buzz Lightyear, The Blue Line, and Pirates. We also did the Philhar-magic show. The kids all love to try to catch things during the 4D show.
A really cool thing happened at lunch today- well, 2 really. When we went to eat, they noticed Olivia’s birthday pin and and happy birthday to her and then gave her an ice cream bar plus 2 for her brother and sister. They started to eat them while we ordered food. When the food was at the table, they were still eating their ice cream and at one point Levi hands his to me and says “I’m done. I want to eat my dinner now.” There was still at least a third left. I set it down and he ate his quesadilla and grapes. It was nice that it happened like that with my parents with us because I know that they don’t understand the fact that we don’t have limitations on food. He chose grapes and cheese over ice cream!
I’m hoping to upload some pictures tonight and hopefully my sister will too! She took a ton!
Lessons learned from last night’s sleepover
It wasn’t horrible. Really. But here are some things I learned that might help the next mom of a 9 year old…
- 1. Even when best friends are concerned, three really can be a crowd.
- 2. Four is an even bigger crowd.
- 3. There is always going to be one or two people that feel left out.
- 4. Three pizzas is not enough. In fact, 10 might not be enough either.
- 5. Cake is a big no-no after 7pm.
- 6. No matter how many times you ask, they will not be able to keep all their things together all night.
- 7. Someone is going to end up on the floor at some point.
- 8. The missing items will aways be found after the guests are picked up.
It was fun. I’m exhausted. The kids are wiped out. I’m hoping for a nap.
I love this life!
One of those moments that I’m so glad that I stop and listen instead of doing what conventional parenting has drilled into me.
The girls were getting in bed last night and they just could not agree on anything- music or no music, tv or no tv, top bunk or bottom bunk. It started as a discussion but it was getting louder. I was nursing Levi in the living room and he was *almost* asleep. Every time I thought he was out enough for me to get up, he would nurse harder and push me down (remember he’s 3!). So I ended up waiting a bit longer than I really wanted to go in and help out. It started to really escalate and I was able to get them to come in to the living room.
I asked Mesa to get a drink so that I could talk to Olivia. She was upset because she felt that Mesa didn’t care about her birthday. Then I had Olivia go make sure my bed was ready for Levi. (I wish I could remember where I read about talking to them separate without making either one feel like they were in “trouble”- it’s been one of the most useful things that I’ve read.) Mesa told me that she was upset because she felt that Olivia treated all her ideas like they were stupid. We talked some more about it and when Olivia came back in, they voluntarily shared what they had told me with each other. Mesa immediately gave Olivia a hug and wished her happy birthday.
Levi finally was done nursing and climbed off of me to make his “bed” under the recliner and I went with the girls to their room. They were talking about how cool they thought it would be if the other were just like them. I had to laugh- how boring would life be!
I asked Olivia who would give her fashion ideas if Mesa was just like her. She stopped to think about it. I asked Mesa who would introduce her to new music if Olivia just didn’t care like her.
The light bulbs went off! It was almost blinding! I am so glad that I got to be there and a part of it.
If I had followed what I was ingrained to do via conventional parenting, I would have made them go to bed with no music or tv in separate beds. They would have been angry and I wouldn’t have felt so great either.
Of course, when I fell asleep at 2 they were still both up and discussing birthday fashions and listening to my “vintage” Green Day CD.
I love this life!
