Weekend in Review...what I learned.

Another whirlwind weekend here at the Nelson House.  Complete and total whirlwind.  My wishes of being together as a family were not exactly granted, but all in all, it was a success.

Friday night, we attended the first home MHS basketball game.  That was a good time.  Little was quite interested in the game (which is different from years past) so he watched a lot more than I thought he would.  However...we had a few moments of complete and total meltdowns when it was time for us to leave.  He is four.  And thank goodness he is a small four year old.  Because I can still grab him up in my arms and carry him out bawling when things don't go exactly as I had planned.  He was trying to tell me something which I assumed to be that he wasn't ready to go yet...but I wouldn't listen.  I was bound and determined to get out of the school and to the van with some dignity.  (very little I might add)  Turns out, what he was trying to tell me was that his bright red sucker had fallen and was attached to the shoe laces of his brand new Converse tennis shoes.  So his adorable black shoes with white laces...were now RED.  I got him buckled in his seat and pulled the sucker off of his laces...and he calmed down. 

I learned that if I would just STOP for a minute to see what was wrong instead of assuming I knew...we might have prevented the whole fiasco by taking the sucker off inside the building.  (This friends is what we refer to as a "rookie" mistake.  Apparently with any child after the 2nd, you forget the mistakes you learned with the first.)  So I did what any loving parent would do and I apologized by buying him a box of Candy Canes and his very own Santa Hat.

Saturday, Little and I had the entire day to be together as Coach took Big and Middle to the Big 12 National Championship game in Dallas.  So we did breakfast with friends, practice for our church Christmas Program (which I decided later would have been the perfect time to share that you don't pick your nose on stage), Shopped, made Christmas Candy with Nana, went and saw Santa downtown and attended the movie Tangled with friends.  We had an extremely busy day...full of adventure.  What I learned on Saturday, is that even though Santa is sitting RIGHT THERE...their behavior stays the same.  The excitement of seeing him simply overshadows the fact that if you are naughty, you won't get any toys.  AND you always have your 3-D glasses out and ready when the movie theatre goes dark.  Because the glasses are black.  And next to IMPOSSIBLE to find once the movie starts.  Geez...

Sunday...Little spent some time with his Grandpa and I made our family's famous Candy Cane Cookies.  Every year for as long as I can remember, we've had these wonderful cookies.  And a few years back when Granny decided it was too much for her to make them all, we (as in Sister, Cousins and myself) stepped in to make them.  Granny makes the dough and we roll them out for her.  She then bakes them and sprinkles the candy cane sugar on top.  It is and has been one of my favortite Christmas traditions since I have been an adult and am so happy to be a part of it.  It also gave me about 2 hours away from Little...and we needed a bit of a break. 

Let's fast forward to the Christmas program.  Remember when I said taking the time during rehearsal would have been perfect to share that you shouldn't pick your nose on stage?  Well...he did.  Through an entire song.  It was horrific.  The entire congregation was laughing.  I mean...I have laughed at "that kid" before too.  But this year...I was the proud owner of that little gem.  Little was a sheep.  Big and Middle have been sheep before too, but this was Little's first year.  He had been Baby Jesus for the past few years and last year when he stood up in the manger, I believe he was demoted.  So in his little sheep hood and his cotton covered costume...he proudly gave me the thumbs up that he was ready.  He had long black socks on his hands and feet...yet somehow he managed to pull his sheep hood back and take one hand out of the black socks.  Through an entire song.  I was video taping, but laughing so hard that I had to just shut it off because the screen was bouncing all over the place.  I wasn't laughing because it was funny though.  I was laughing because that is what I do when I get nervous.  I laugh and then I cry.  My makeup was running down my face.  People kept looking over and laughing...it felt a little like slow motion.  Oh good grief...that is my kid.

So as the true meaning of Christmas played out in front of me, I was planning our escape in my head.  How could we get out where no one would see us?  No such luck.  We had to go through the mobs of people trying to get cookies...and had to stop and laugh about six times with others who thought Little's performance was...in a nutshell...classic.  Awwwww...the memories.  So, we bolted through the kitchen and Little cried all the way to the van because he didn't get a cookie.  (Sorry buddy, but no one wanted you touching the cookies)  All through Dillons, we talked as we shopped about why you don't pick your nose.  He listened intently with tears in his eyes...and said..."I'm sorry I picked my nose". 

And I learned another very valuable lesson.

I love him even more.  I love him because in his own childlike way, he didn't realize what he was doing was not only humiliating, but completely disgusting as well.  Bless his heart...and shame on me for not getting him a cookie. 

So when we got home, Little got two cookies.  And I had three...because I am a nervous eater and it made me feel tons better. 

And there you have it.  Our weekend in review.

Why am I still learning so much each day?  I am 33 years old.  I have three kids!   You'd think I'd have some of this figured out by now?  I am starting to think that I may never get it all down. 

BUT...

I love my God...I love my Family...and I am getting used to learning through my mistakes.  Have a Blessed Day!
Referee of 3