For example:

 She didn’t want her brother to hold her.

She didn’t want to wear the butterfly costume.

She didn’t want to have her picture taken. Again.

 She didn’t want to walk in this field.

Cinderella didn’t wave back at her.

* * * * *

To be fair, however, I had a tough time finding shots of her crying, mostly because she really was a truly happy, sunny baby and toddler. AND because as she got older, she caught on to my game and now makes me delete the photos I take of her in the middle of a strop.  If I DID have pictures of those, they would be titled along the lines of:

• She didn’t like the way her socks fit.
• Her t-shirt covered up too much of her skirt.
• When she tucks in her t-shirt, her skirt covers up half of the wording/picture on the shirt.
• She got mad because I wouldn’t stay in the room while she yelled at me.
• She got mad because her brother interrupted.

Thankfully, I suppose, I don’t have those pictures.

Thankfully, what I do have is about 2,000 pictures along the lines of this:

She was sitting up!

She got to hang out with her Daddy.

She had her favorite blankie, fairy wings, pacifier and tutu.

She first met her good friend “Noodles.”

She had her favorite socks.

She played lacrosse with her older cousins.

She was a superhero.

*SHE* thought she told a great joke.

I suppose I could have taken my own twist on the theme and just gone with the smiling pictures, but she is a complex little creature….(and we’ve had a rough week of tantrums, she and I, so maybe I was feeling a wee bit vengeful.)

I’m grateful, really, for this prompt as in looking back through all her photos, seeing that sunny laugh, the cheeky grin, the shy smile…it all served to remind me what a joy she is, and can be.

Except, maybe, when her socks aren’t *quite right*.

The post Reasons My Daughter Is Crying appeared first on Momma On The Rocks.

I mean, heck, in my New Year’s post, I specified the things I would do *this year*.)

Um. Yeah. To date, I’ve kept zero.

ZERO.

I don’t know if I’m more disgusted with myself over my neglect of the blog (*brushes off cobwebs*), or of myself (*brushes off cookie crumbs*). Although I suspect they are related… but that is another post. Tomorrow, perhaps.

And there is the slight niggle that absolutely none of the clothes I did manage to pack for warmer weather fit comfortably.

Oh, and the 5k I have to run in June is fast approaching. So is swimsuit season, and a lot of the mommies around here are fitness freaks, which means bikinis. For them. Not me. I need a cover-up, or an actual cabana. Yes, I’m digressing.

Whatever it is, I need to find motivation, and fast.
I need direction.

I need a plan.

Plus, since I’ve been back, I’ve made zero progress with the doctors on finding the source of this wretched “no, really, I don’t have the plague” cough that I’ve been suffering with for THREE YEARS.  It’s not the asthma, I’m told. It MAY be silent reflux, but so far none of the four medications they’ve put me on have worked.

So.

Last week, I made a vow. Time to change what I eat, and see if I get any respite there.

Today, on the first of May, I would COMMIT. (Maybe that should have been “be committed”…)

For the month of May, I am going gluten-free. Dairy free. Exercising daily (and dog walks no longer count as exercise unless we are both running the Couch-to-5K program.)  I will write daily – journal, blog, whatever.  I will listen to my Slimpod, Fitpod and Stresspod daily. I’m going to ease up on processed sugars.

I will count to ten and breathe when my spawn children get so mouthy/whiny I want to scream at them. Or I’ll go into my bedroom and scream into my pillow, and THEN deal with the attitude thing.

Oh, but I’m not giving up caffeine or alcohol. I wouldn’t want to be around me if I had to go cold turkey on everything, particularly iced tea now that I can actually find it.

Not that my coffee is going to be great without cream in it – but at least that will keep me out of Dunkin’ Donuts.

It’s not going to be easy. I’m a somewhat limited veggie eater. But…

31 days sounds manageable. It’s not like I’ll never eat another Oreo again, or have a chocolate digestive with my afternoon tea.

Right?

Um, yeah. After today’s run/jog/stagger, I’ll get back to you on that…

The post Starting Over. Again. (Or, I’m going gluten/dairy free.) appeared first on Momma On The Rocks.

To my wonderful son,

See that gray hair on my head? Yes, child, YOU gave that to me, likely during our last round of math homework. You are so used to things coming easily to you that when something is a struggle, or confuses you, you get FRUSTRATED. Really, really frustrated. With yourself, and with me, who is seemingly incapable of explaining this new method of math EXACTLY like your teacher can (which is understandable, as I have no idea what in the heck you are learning.)

And, in the course of this not understanding me, or the work, you get mad. I get frustrated. We YELL at each other. And then we each take a time out.

But I love that you really want to “get it”. And in the end, with perseverance (and some counting to “ten”) I KNOW you will get there.

Today, on your birthday, you were given a unique gift. Today was your third grade conference with your teacher, in which, as she put it, she got to embarrass you with a glowing report. She commented that in your review, you were hard on yourself, giving yourself “7s” where she would have given you “10s”, being hard on yourself since your expectations are so high. (The “9″ you gave yourself on handwriting is questionable, particularly since your lovely teacher had to turn the report to you and ask what you wrote, but I appreciate the self-confidence you showed there.) She thinks you are a pretty great kid, and I have to agree.

She also told us how amazed she has been with how well you’ve adapted to your new class, new learning methods, and how quickly you’ve made new friends.

Moreover, I can see a newfound confidence that I didn’t see in the UK. You are stepping out of your comfort zone, playing sports at recess that you haven’t had much exposure to, and instead of getting frustrated when you lose, you are shrugging it off with a “well, I’ve only been playing it for a few weeks, I shouldn’t be good.”

Which is a brilliant attitude.

You are a thoughtful boy, in both what you say and do, and in your observations of others. You surprise us at times with how deep you can be at such a young age. You are kind and sensitive (until it comes to your little sister, but even then you do surprise me at times). I know how much you miss your friends, and how hard you try to hide it. You are a pretty complex little creature, serious and sensible at times, and a total goofball at others. You have a wicked laugh that is completely contagious.

My darling boy, you are growing up too fast. Almost reaching my chin, shying away from hugs or any other public display of affection –  you are still happy to have me come along on school field trips and not too big to snuggle at bedtime or when you can’t sleep after a bad dream. I guess I’ll cling to that as long as I can get it.

And you still have your killer frankendoo. That hasn’t changed since you were a wee babe.

Yowza.

(That, my lovely, you did NOT get from me. You can thank your dad for that.)

What you will get from me…is all my love, endless hugs (even though they embarrass you), and my never-ending support. I think you can do ANYTHING you set your mind out to do.

Happy birthday, Boo.

We love you to the moon, and back.

The post A Letter to my Son on his 9th Birthday appeared first on Momma On The Rocks.

My beautiful, charming, infuriating, lovely daughter:

At church this morning, I saw a 3-year-old that reminded me of you when you were little: stripey tights, frilly dress, cowboy boots, hair in pigtails, and a smile poking out from behind her binkie. She impishly peered over her dad’s shoulder from the communion rail. A little bit later she was having a bit of a fit as they left….

Yes, just like you.

Where did that little girl go?

At yesterday’s birthday party I watched as your lovely new friends shouted out words – words to be inscribed on a birthday plate you would receive, words that describe you. My eyes welled up as I heard “happy“, “beautiful“, “funny“, “fun“, “kind” and “best friend” among the voices fighting to be heard. It was lovely to watch you giggle with your new friends, knowing how difficult it was to leave your old ones behind in the UK just a few short months earlier.

I watched as you curled up with a new toy and a new notebook, lost in your writing. (I know the joy of having a brand new untouched notebook.) It’s been amazing to watch your creativity soar as you create your “books”, writing stories and drawing pictures to illustrate them. You have such a lovely imagination and it is a joy to share your creations.

This morning, I saw a girl who reminded me of the girl you once were.

But right now?  I see a complicated little girl.

One who feels deeply, who loves her friends (and loves to show them through her hugs).

I see a little girl who has a hard time making up her mind some days (be it socks, tights, or which dress to wear), and one who is quick to apologize for any shouting or difficulty that might have occurred in the decision-making process.

I see a confident little girl with her gap-toothed grin, brave in the face of big change, inquisitive in mind and loving in spirit. In the past few months we’ve taken you away from your friends, the place that is most familiar to you, and returned you to “home”, where little is familiar save a few special friends you’ve kept in touch with. You have a new school, new routines, and a lot of homework…and you’ve taken it all on far better than I ever expected, with enthusiasm and focus.

You are growing up so fast, little one. Those short little legs you had for so long have turned into long lanky limbs; the neatly plaited hair, replete with bows and clips is seldom seen, and it its place is a wild, tangled mane.

But…

…you are still not to big to curl up in your momma’s lap for a cuddle, or to choke your daddy with a “squeezy” hug that leaves him gasping for breath. Please don’t grow up too fast.

We love you just the way you are.

I’m a little late posting your letter this year, but only because we were having so much fun on your big day, and I didn’t want to waste a minute of it.

Happy birthday, my sweet girl. I love you…most.

The post A (Belated) Letter To My Daughter on Her 7th Birthday appeared first on Momma On The Rocks.

It’s no secret that I’m a bit obsessive, and more so lately as I make the adjustment back to American life and find myself a bit rudderless; I seem to be fixating on whatever turns out to be the project of the day. It’s been crazy, and busy, with sick kids, house moves, more sick kids, a big weekend with Solemn Communion and my mother-in-law visiting, and yesterday’s snow day.

Today I should have been catching up on a backlog of laundry, cleaning house, and other truly exciting stuff. *snore*

Instead, my obsessive self became wrapped up in learning “The Cup Song” (You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone) – which was one of this week’s prompts in Mama Kat’s almost award-winning Vlogging Workshop.

Apparently, it has gone viral on You Tube, which I would have known if I’d actually been near my laptop anytime recently.  Now, I have a (very) small (minute, actually) amount of rhythm, so I nailed down the cup bit after a few hours of trying 300 attempts a lot of effort and I could belt out the song pretty well mostly in tune loudly, but to put them both together?

Bwahahahahah.

Anywho, in that way that nothing ever goes as planned, it figures that one of my earliest takes was actually the best in terms of walking and chewing gum.  That is the closest I will come to an apology for what is my return to blogging and vlogging.

The Cup Song Challenge from Jenn Belden on Vimeo.

I assure you, I won’t ever try this again. Or if I do, I’ll take a note from Mullet Girl, and not actually sing.

* * * * *

If you want to see a truly amazing version of The Cup Song, I think my favorite is this cover by Amyspants on You Tube:

I’m not the only one who struggled with this challenge, but hey, we tried. Go check out the rest of the efforts at Mama Kat’s Vlogging Workshop. Really. We worked hard. Go give them some love.

The post The Cup Song. Kind of. But not really. appeared first on Momma On The Rocks.

New country.

New schools.

New minivan (on the other side of the road.)

There has been lots of change for us thus far in 2013. The kids are adjusting to new teachers, a different curriculum, much, much more homework, making new friends….

…but one of the toughest “new” aspects is found within the temporary living quarters that we have a the moment: sharing a bedroom.

I shared a bedroom with my sister for years, and I know how tough it can be, so I can’t imagine having to share a room with a big brother (or from Boo’s perspective, with his little sister).

Despite all the petty battles, too-late-because-he/she-is-talking-bedtimes, bickering and poking, they are finding ways to co-exist.

Tractors and tiaras. Princess pink and John Deere green. Finding a balance.

Maybe new isn’t all that bad.

* * * * *

This post is for week 126 of The Gallery: New

The post The Gallery: New appeared first on Momma On The Rocks.

My first impression was one of surprise. The rich golden shift dress wasn’t one I had seen in the look-book, which was full of deep pinks, mocha and sage green fabrics, and it had a lovely weight to it that I haven’t really seen in children’s wear – it was obviously high quality fabric. I was interested to see what Pea would say, as I’ve been trying to break her away from the pink-purple palette she has long favored.

She. Loved. It.

I think it looks very sophisticated and sweet at the same time.

Even she thought she looked beautiful.

 ValMax is an Italian label that has been designing luxury children’s wear for 52 years, and that experience shows in the construction of this dress.  The first thing I noticed was that this dress was fully lined! (I think I only have a few fully lined dresses in my own closet.)   The detailing is spectacular – look at the collar.

 It took a few minutes of Pea spinning around before I even realized that all the pleats – along with the collar – are lined in a gorgeous deep red satin. Wow!  I was interested to learn that Valmax uses local artisans and all seams are hand-bound.

Pea turns 7 in March, and this dress is an 8, for reference. What I really like, as well, is that while she definitely has room to grow – she’ll be wearing this dress for more than a year – is that it is so beautifully cut that it doesn’t look big on her.

I’m really wowed by the dress, and both my UK and US peeps will be pleased to hear that the ValMax line is available on BOTH sides of the pond.

* * * * *

*Disclosure: dress provided by ValMax, but all opinions are my own.

The post Isn’t It Lovely? (A Review of ValMax Children’s Wear) appeared first on Momma On The Rocks.

I suck at keeping New Year’s resolutions. (Including, obviously, the one I make every year to quit swearing.)

This year, I’m not going to resolve to lose weight (despite the fact that I am really, REALLY looking forward to joining a big, impersonal fitness center just as soon as the kids go back to school next week.)

I’m not going to resolve to be online less. As. If. (Although, I will not be online between school pickup and the kids’ bedtimes.)

I’m not going to resolve to try a new recipe every week, or get that photo album caught up, or anything else that is going to make me feel like a failure. (I know damn well that my daughter is going to be organizing that photo album herself. In about 10 years time…)

This year, I’m going to find joy.

This year, I’m taking time for ME.

Rediscover my love of writing and write for the sake of writing, and not for getting out x blog posts a week.

That said, this year I’m going to really commit myself to my blog. And writing. And photography.

I’m going to make a greater effort to BE in the moment with my kids. I plan too much, and worry too much, and miss too much of the RIGHT NOW. I’m not resolving to worry less – heck, worry is somewhere in my DNA between talking with my hands and stammering when I am nervous (ok, so maybe the latter is in my head and not my DNA, but I’m not worrying about it, ‘kay?). But I’m going to try to be in the moment more.

I will not stress about living in this tiny town house. I will not drive by my OWN house 5 times a day, wishing I was living there instead. (On the upside, having only ONE bathroom to clean means more free time for me!)  I will not freak out about having to back out onto the very busy street we are living on (although I may find myself parking around the corner and walking here during the day.)

This year, I rediscover myself.

And if I can lose 10 20 pounds in the process, bully for me!

The post Resolution Schmezolution appeared first on Momma On The Rocks.

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Today is the day.

Today, we leave. Possibly, as you read this, we are far overhead already.

Today is a tough day.

This post is for all my lovely, wonderful friends here in the UK.

Thank you.

Thank you for taking us into your homes, into your hearts. You are well part of ours.

There are no words to express how I feel right now, not really. And I can’t say goodbye, because this is not goodbye.

We have been blessed. Blessed to have this experience. Blessed to have had so many adventures, blessed to have made such lovely friends. So today, I wilJl not be sad. Today, I will celebrate all that we have done, and seen, all those we have met.

This truly has been our great adventure.

https://vimeo.com/55765631

Our Great UK Adventure from Jenn Belden on Vimeo.

The post I’m Leaving On A Jet Plane…and I’m Looking Back appeared first on Momma On The Rocks.