Addy Talks…. Winning.
With Addy doing competition gymnastics, I have always stressed the importance of doing your best and having fun. It’s not always about winning.
(We have a problem with competitiveness with our little red head.)
Since my half marathons always give medals at the finish line, it was a legitimate question for her to ask if I was going to receive a medal after completing my Tri.
I told her I didn’t know if I would. She informed me that if I didn’t get a medal, she would give me one of hers, because “she didn’t need them all.”
On Saturday morning, we were headed to the race, and she told me this little gem:
“Mommy. I don’t care if you lose. All that is important is that you have fun.”
Right. I guess she WAS listening to all of my pep talks about it.
After I crossed the finish line, she walked with me back to the transition area to get all my stuff and started a conversation that went like this:
“Mommy. Why didn’t you get a medal?”
Me: “Well, they didn’t give finisher medals.”
“Well, THOSE people got them!”
Me: “Yes, they placed in their age group so they got a medal.”
“What does that mean?”
Me: “Well, it means they did their very best so they got a medal. Like what you do in gymnastics. If you didn’t do your best, then you wouldn’t get a medal.” (Very satisfied with my answer.)
“Mommy? Did you not do YOUR very best?” (touche, kid)
Me: “Well…. yes. But their best was better than my best.”
“But WHY didn’t you get a medal?! If you did your best, you should get a medal!”
I feel certain that conversation could have gone round and round for hours, luckily we were interrupted by someone.
I may butt heads with this kid all day long, but man, I love her sassiness!
Motherhood at it’s finest.
I had imagined having little girls required lots of dress up, tea parties, and princesses. And I am mostly right. But I wasn’t prepared for the downside of girls. Drama, frienemies, drama, back talking, oh, and did I mention drama?!
I hadn’t decided how I wanted to handle these types of things, but I am learning that sometimes, parenting is flying by the seat of your pants.
Like, how the other day, I needed to run into a store with both girls (which, frankly, scares the living daylights out of me.). So, I prep them, “this is a quick trip.We’ll be in and out. And then we can go get Chick-fil-A for lunch!” So, they agreed. It’s not that they are bad in stores, but I am out numbered and they like to wander and browse and throw tantrums for things they see and don’t get.
So, as soon as we enter the door, there is a very helpful sales lady asking us if we needed help finding anything. I tell her no, but thanks. Maybe I should mention here that she is in a wheel chair? Anyway, we get half way to the back of the store, and the same helpful sales lady asks if the girls can have suckers. I’m not gonna lie. This kind of stuff freaks me out and it’s almost lunch time. I politely decline telling her that we are about to go get lunch. Addison, my loving 5 year old, turns to me and very loudly asks, “MAMA! WHERE ARE THAT LADY’S LEGS?!?!?!?!” I thought I was going to die, right then and there.
Then, we make our way to the check out counter, and there is a nice lady who sounds like she is from Russia checking us out. Addison turns to me, once again, and asks, “MAMA! WHY IS THAT LADY SPEAKING SPANISH?” Geez Louise, kid.
Once we got home, I explained that if she saw something in a store and had questions about it, that maybe it would be best if she waited until we got into the car.
Then, last week, I am talking my sweet and charming Claire to the ENT doctor. We walk through the hospital doors, and there sits an older lady who appears to have just had eye surgery and is waiting on her loved ones to pick her up. Claire, looks at her, and then looks at me and exclaims, all while pointing her little finger, “LOOK! It’s a PIRATE!!!!” She was so proud of herself for spotting one of Captain Hook’s friends. I, could have crawled under the building and died.
But then, they do sweet little things like this, and how can you not love them?
In case you can’t understand what she’s saying- she is singing Taylor Swift’s new song “Ours”.
“Don’t you worry your pretty little mind
people throw rocks at things that shine
and life makes love look hard.
The stakes are high
the water’s rough
This love is Ours”
So sweet.. and for those that will ask about her chin- she fell out of her seat while coloring and hit it on the table. Poor kiddo. 
Say Whaatt?!
