Just Chilling in the Pack and Play

Hannah and Emma love anything that resembles a tent. Their newest obsession is to turn Carter’s pack and play on it’s side and put blankets and sleeping bags on top of it to make it into a tent. Last week they did this and enjoyed some ice cream while “camping out.” Carter joined in the fun when he realized ice cream was involved. Emma graciously shared and fun was had by all!

Please ignore the fact that my children NEVER match their pajama tops to their bottoms. Hannah is in love with this particular pajama top and won’t let me throw it away. It is seriously, too ratty for Goodwill. I think it is high school musical and a size four. She is in an EIGHT! She wears it a lot now that she can’t wear long sleeves over her cast. I can’t imagine wearing something four sizes too small to bed! How uncomfortable! But I have to pick my battles. Who cares if she wears it to bed….at least it’s not to school and no one sees it….well, just you all!

I know that I would like to control every decision the girls’ make. I control what they eat for breakfast, what goes in their lunch box, what clothes they wear to school, what they can have for a snack in the afternoon, what tv shows they are allowed to watch, how much computer time they are allowed to have. As a parent I am responsible for these decisions…the things that impact their health, their spiritual life, their modesty, their intellectual development. But, I have to remember that mismatched pajamas won’t affect the big picture. It is okay to clash in your own house, with your brother and sister and just chill out eating ice cream in the pack and play tent in whatever pjs you choose!

I was reminded tonight of what an awesome mother I have. I was gone tonight and Mom came up up and took the girls to their school for the Book Fair. When I got home it looked like Santa Claus had stopped by! The girls had SOOO many beautiful new books and posters for their room. THEY WERE BEYOND EXCITED TO SHOW ME EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM! What struck me about their huge pile of books was that they were exactly what I knew the girls would pick and exactly not what I would have picked. There were iCarly books, Barbie books, Hannah Montana books, High School Musical books and more. They were fun girly books and MeMaw let them pick exactly what their hearts desired. I would have allowed them one fun book but then I would have picked out the others (or at least suggested several of my “sound children’s literature book” choices for them to pick from.) I would have decided for them. Never mind the fact that I own a business that centers around children’s books and we have shelf after shelf of “my books.” Classic children’s literature fills the shelves of the playroom and their bedroom. It isn’t as if we are lacking in good books in this house. I need to RELAX and let my children make some of their own decisions. For one, Hannah gets disgusted every time I make her read a chapter book. She is reading on such a high level that most books her level are now chapter books. There aren’t too many more picture books out there that have challenging enough text for her. So, if reading a Hannah Montana chapter book excites her about reading, then bring on the Hannah Montana chapter books! MeMaw also let the girls pick some posters for their room. I have let the girls hang posters in their room (behind the door and on the back of the door!) I remembered tonight how my room looked as a middle schooler …mom let me put pictures of New Kids on the Block ALL OVER MY WALL. I had posters and magazine pictures just cut straight out of the magazine and plastered on my montage all over the wall. She must have thought it was hideous, yet she let me be me. So I am going to allow the girls to hang their posters where they want to (even if it is just for a short while.) I do like their room to look neat and proper but, a little fun once in a while won’t hurt anything!

My girls will probably remember tonight for a very long time, because they were given the gift of choice and were allowed to be themselves. Thank you MeMaw for all the beautiful books. Each time we read them, I will remember how special you made tonight for them. They love their new books and they love you so much for letting them be them! Thank you for the reminder. They are little for such a short time. I don’t want to miss out on the special moments that I can let them shine by letting them be themselves..