I told my kids tonight at dinner that I want a birthday cake made entirely of buttercream frosting this year. Do you think any bakery could/would do that? It's my dream.
I feel like I have been on a parenting roll, so I'm probably due for a huge, guilt-inducing scream fest soon. But lately I've been handling little annoyances with humor and gentleness and I'm going to ride that self-esteem train for a while. For example, E left a trail of her crap all over the main floor of our house and when she was done with her homework, I said pointedly, "Your Highness, please pick up your belongings that are strewn all over. Your maid is busy cooking dinner" and she laughed and picked up her stuff and referred to herself as "Her Majesty" for the next ten minutes. I tend towards quick anger and snappishness, so whenever I accomplish my goal without shaming or yelling at my kid, I give myself extra good mom points. (Yes, the bar is low.)
This morning, I dropped C off a bit early with our preschool carpool partner and went to a useless work inservice on yet one more meaningless thing I have to chart. Oh, I'm sorry. Did my poor attitude come through? I came home and worked on an online tutorial about another work thing, this time an upgraded piece of equipment. I have to watch ten different tutorials, take two incredibly specific 25 question quizzes (passing with 85% or better), and turn my certificate of completion in to my manager. It is expected to take three hours. I am used to shift work and am so bitter when I have to do work stuff after I've punched out.
C was dropped off and we ate lunch and went to ballet. I read this book recommended by Swistle. It's not my usual thing (WHEN are they going to do it?! Oh wait. This isn't a trashy romance?), but I'm enjoying it.
I made my MIL's meatloaf for dinner and I always think meatloaf sounds disgusting - a loaf of meat? - and I'm a carnivore, so I can imagine a vegetarian wrinkling her nose. But meatloaf is delicious. A worked late (like we don't have THREE episodes of Downton Abbey to watch before they're gone next week!) and my children had to put up with my poor theatrical reading of the next chapter of Harry Potter. A has different voices for everyone and sometimes he reads standing up, acting out certain parts. I love listening to him. I, on the other hand, do not do voices and read sitting down on a bed. It's quite disappointing to the children, I think, but they are kind enough not to disparage me.
One year I asked A to get me a cake with "extra frosting" and he had our sweet neighborhood bakery fill a pint-sized container with extra frosting. He put it on the table beside the cake, with a spoon so I could dollop on as much as I wanted. Love.
Posted by: caro | March 01, 2012 at 09:20 AM
Love this.
Posted by: liz | March 01, 2012 at 10:22 AM
I am totally a frosting kind of girl too. And it must be buttercream. None of that nasty whipped cream stuff, thank you very much.
I love your comment about setting the parenting bar low so you can celebrate more successes. I'm all about that myself.
Posted by: Tommie | March 01, 2012 at 03:27 PM