My Jenn-eration

Today that bright ball of warmth that I vaguely remember as the sun finally popped out and the temperature threatened to break 50 degrees. In this seemingly never ending winter, this felt like bathing suit weather. My intentions were to be outside with the children as much as possible before the temps fell and the rain and gray returned. So this morning was our outside time and I wanted us outside on our bikes. The kids have new bikes that we bought last year, pre assembled at a large big chain store that did a poor job of assembling them. So they never ride them. They wobble and spin in place. It’s like a toddler spin session. Also, now that I’m not pregnant, I desperately wanted a bike for myself so that we could go on bike rides together. This is something I’ve talked about doing for so long but with no action. Today was the day. Warmth = action. I packed up their bikes and headed to Bloomfield Bike where I was greeted with knowledge, a huge selection, and a reminder of why you sh...

I am the best mother in the world. Seriously, I am. I am the best mother in the world for my kids. And I’m going to tell you another little tidbit. You out there? Well you’re the best mother in the world for yours. I know what mine need. Intuitively, I get this. Just as you instinctively understand what your children need from you. I know mine need 2 gummy vitamins at breakfast, extra time to walk to the bus stop, extra bubbles in the tub, at least 2 arguments over the Spiderman plate, and extra snuggles before bed at night.   I know that they need me; that is, the best version I can give them of me on any one day. Sometimes I look rumpled on the outside but feel high spirited on the inside. Some days I look put together and high spirited, but feel rumpled on the inside. I understand how to calibrate the different versions of me to still get them what they need. Which makes me the best mother in the world for my kids. And you are for your kids too. Which is why I was s...

This morning I watched Ruby at war with her socks. They were inside out and she was battling to flip them right side and get them on herself. I gently offered some help. Immediately she snapped back a response I was all too familiar with: “No! I can do it myself!” They say in parenthood you get back whatever you gave your own parents as a kid. As her words ring in my ears and our shared frustration rises (her with the socks, me with my inability to help her with her socks) it occurs to me how annoying this trait must have been to my own parents when I was Ruby’s age. How annoying it actually still is to function this way as an adult. To walk around like robo-mom with a pasted on smile telling anyone who will buy what I’m selling including my family, friends, husband and myself that I do not need help. I got this. I can do this on my own. I can make the bus on time and feed the baby all night long and pack the lunches and make the homemade dinners and do fun projects with the kid...