Monkey see, Monkey do

Yesterday Brady was getting ready for his nap and he asked if he could have some fruit snacks. I said, "No...but you can have some if you sleep at naptime." ~side note~ I am totally into bribery. I apologize if this offends any parents, but there are days when I am practically begging him to sleep...and promising him chocolate as soon as he gets up. Good parenting...I know. Coach will be so disappointed when he reads this. Okay so I then said..."Do you know what I will give you though? Hugs and Kisses!" So he says to me..."Do you know what I will give YOU?" I shrugged my shoulders and he said this..."I am not having this conversation with you right now." Then he turned and walked back to his room, laid down, and went to sleep. I just stood there. Where did he hear that? Hmmmm...

Brett~Do I have to wear a coat today?
Me~ I am not having this conversation with you child. Put on your coat.

Tanner~Mom, Brett won't share the basketball with me...MOM...MOM...MOM
Me~ I am not having this conversation with you Tanner. Work it out.

Brady~I am not going to take a nap. I am not tired.
Me~ I am not having this conversation with you Brady...go to sleep!

Oh...right. He heard it from me. From birth, Brady has been a mimic. He repeats everything we say. Oh and you already know that is both good and bad. There are many many times I am jumping over people to get my hand to cover his mouth as the words..."My Mom said..." come out of his mouth. I smile and gracefully walk the other way...hand over mouth. All the while, his little words just keep coming. Lovely.

He is so intrigued by my actions and my words. He watches me clean. He watches me on the computer. He watches me eat. He watches everything I do. He hears everything I say. We went for a walk earlier and I was trying to keep up the pace in place of my evening walk/jog. He leaned back and said..."Mom? Why you do this? (load blowing noise)" That would be me trying to get my breath after pushing him up a hill. (Nice) He does everything I do.

Monkeys...I mean kids are like that. They learn from us. And I want to be the best teacher I can possibly be for them.

I read something on facebook the other day that kind of stung a bit.

Actions speak louder than words.

Not that that this is a new saying or anything, but it is so true. Actions speak louder than words. I hope you all know that these are not just words you are reading. They are actions in the making. I try so hard everyday to be the person that writes this blog. I try so hard to be the daughter that Christ can be proud of. Don't think for a second that I don't slip up from time to time. We are all human and it is hard to change after you do the same thing for so long. But I am finding myself stopping...thinking...changing the way I say, think and do things. And when I react without thinking with a Christ like heart...I find myself feeling that sting instantly. The 'your actions don't match your words' sting. Ugh. I am challenging myself to be responsible for the choices I make. I have a lot of repair work to do in my life...but that does not at all mean that I am not on the right path. And knowing I have three monkeys watching these moves...really makes me want to be the Mom that I say that I am. And not just the Mom...but the person that God created. I am HIS. I am imperfect. I am forgiven. I am changing...and I am loving it.

1 Samuel 2:3

Boast no more so very proudly, Do not let arrogance come out of your mouth;For the Lord is a God of knowledge, And with Him actions are weighed.


Have a great day!
Amy