5 Things I Have Learned

5. Children know how to manipulate, and can do it well! David knows exactly what to say, and when to say it, to get what he wants. And when he gets into trouble, he knows precisely what to say to make me feel terrible for yelling at him. Spencer is very quick to admit he did something wrong, apologize and start crying so he won't get into trouble. My children know me very well and have learned, way too young, how to push my buttons.

4. Children are excellent listeners...and sometimes not so excellent repeaters. David is listening to EVERY word I say. He will butt in with his opinion to things I am saying on the phone, or correct stories I am telling to someone else. (when I think he is off somewhere playing!) He will come out of nowhere with things that I said months ago. I really have to be careful around him. He has also been known to tell people things that he has heard. (or his version of what he has heard) In preschool, after missing a day of school, I took him to sign in. His teacher asked why he had been absent and he said, "because my mom has crabs". LUCKILY I was standing right there and was able to correct him. I had CRAMPS. (if you know me, you know this is a common occurrence) I shudder to think if he would have waited till I was gone to say something like that. And how many times I haven't been around when he has said something! AAHH! Spencer is getting to that age where he will be doing the same things soon enough.

3. Tough love might just be harder on the parents than the child. We are having a problem with Spencer coming into our bed every night. Honestly, it has to stop! We had the same problem with David when he was younger, and we had to get "tough". We locked our bedroom door so he couldn't get in. Now, I don't know if this is the correct approach to this problem, but it is what we did, and eventually it worked. Anyway, when he came to the door and couldn't get in, he started knocking and asking us to open the door. Knocking turned into banging and eventually crying, and crying hard! He would put his tiny little hands under the door and say, "I am sorry mommy." He thought he was being punished and that is why he couldn't sleep with us. On our side of the door, I honestly was crying harder than he was. Of course we reassured him that he did nothing wrong and that he had to sleep in his own bed, but he was heart broken. And in turn, so was I. Chad thought I was hilarious for crying, but it was so hard to do this to my baby. So I am dreading the "tough love" with Spencer. I don't think I can handle that again!

2. When someone tells you, other than family, how well behaved and wonderful your children are, it is better than chocolate! There has been several times when we have gone out to eat, that a complete stranger has come up to me and complimented me on how well behaved my children are. I am shocked every time!! I am always worried that they are bothering everyone! Apparently not!! I have been told by teachers and people from church how great my kids are. I can't even begin to tell you how good it feels when someone says, "whatever you are doing, you are doing it right."! It also makes me look at my children through someone else's eyes. It makes me a very proud mommy!!

1. Being a mommy is the best job in the whole wide world! I never realized how amazing it would feel to be someones mommy. Let alone two someones mommy! I have two wonderful little guys that look to me for almost everything. They think I know everything and that I have special healing powers. They love my cooking and my singing. (even though I am not a great singer by any means) They love my hugs and kisses and want me to spend all my time with them. They never grow tired of me! In their little eyes, I can do no wrong. I know that it won't always be this way, so I am going to hang on to every moment I have. I am so thankful that I am their mommy and am so thankful for their fabulous daddy. I wouldn't trade the job of David and Spencer's mommy for anything in the world.