The Joy of Parenthood

 

So when you are pregnant everyone tells you how awesome parenthood is, what a blessing children are, how there is nothing that will bring you more JOY...those people forgot to mention that these "joy's" also go through a little stage known as the "Terrible Two's"! They also didn't tell you how to deal with the embarrassing moments they will bring to you when having what I like to call "a two moment".

I'm sure you are wondering what spawned this, right? Well, let me just share a little story with you....a horrifying story...

Last night I had the opportunity to go sing at a baptism. I was really excited, because I haven't had a whole lot of opportunities to sing lately and I really miss it. Well, Taylor has finals this week and so he wasn't going to be able to come to the baptism to help me with the kids. Most people would have said no, but not me. I thought, "oh, I can do it. I will just have someone hold Rosie and I will have Cruz bribed with any snack, candy, or toy that will please him." BIG MISTAKE!

We practiced for about a hour prior to the actual meeting and so I figured Cruz could get some of those wiggles out (obviously not all of them). Then we hurried down to the meeting just a few minutes before it began. We were on the program to sing at the beginning, but there was a mix up and they accidentally skipped us and we were moved to the end of the meeting (the perfect storm). By the time it was our turn, Cruz was getting very tired and antsy!

Well, we got up to sing and there was NO WAY this two year old was going to let me go up and leave him by himself on his chair with his toys and cookies and gum and candy and everything else I was using to occupy him! So, I took him up with me. I figured he could stand there and hold my leg while I sang "How Great Thou Art" for a few minutes, right? WRONG!

Needless to say, moments into the song he is having a major meltdown! He is asking for daddy, crying for mommy, opening the doors behind me, and THEN trying to flash everyone by lifting up my skirt! I tried ignoring him, I tried picking him up (he wanted down) I tried setting him down (he wanted up), and on and on and on.

Luckily, I was able to pretty much hold it together despite be mortified in front of the crowd of 60 or so! I kept thinking, someone in the crowd would come to my rescue and take this monster out...but no one did. As soon as the song was over I scooped him up like he was a football and exited oh so gracefully and speedily as I could!!!

OH THE JOY'S of motherhood!

I came home in tears wondering where in the world I have gone wrong as a parent that my child cannot sit through a 2 hour meeting quietly like all the other children. I felt like I was a failure! I was completely embarrassed and knowing that I felt like a bad parent I figured everyone else in the room had the same opinion! When we sat down to explain to Taylor why his wife was having a complete and total melt down we looked to Cruz for an explanation and he says, with his hands on his face, in the oh no position...

"Daddy, I a BAD boy!"

I guess maybe he learned something, right? I hope so anyway. I know I did. FHE will be much stricter and we are going to teach this kid to sit still somehow!!! Right? HAHAHA I know...good luck!

Thank goodness we can laugh!

I LOVE being a mom!

Love,
Josie