August 2013 - Forever In Mom Genes

I Judged Harshly and I Am Ashamed

Aug 29 2013

The “Mommy Wars” are ridiculous. Get a life ladies. Don’t judge, just parent. That said, I judged my head off the other day and I feel like a jerk. I was grocery shopping with my daughter when she stopped in her tracks and announced, “I gotta go!” “Just a sec, mummy just needs to grab a few more things.” I said absentmindedly. I continued shopping. I only had a dozen items on my list — all healthy things because this is what we’re doing now. This week anyway. I spotted a larger woman and her bedraggled husband in the aisle ahead of me and I was shocked at what they had in their cart — the junkiest food you can imagine. I made a snap judgement about them; based on their size, the way they were dressed and what they were buying. I made assumptions about their intelligence and I’m ashamed to even admit what else I thought. “Mummy, I have to go!” my daughter pleaded again. Whenever we shop at this particular grocery store she always has to go. I’m certain it’s because the toilet is on the second level and we need to[…]

Aug 20 2013

She did it and she couldn’t be more proud. And I couldn’t be more proud of her. And my niece too. I have been blessed with two strong little girls to love. Strong as in, determined and strong as in they could easily take me down in an arm wrestling competition without breaking a sweat. My niece is a competitive gymnast. An amazing one. My daughter looks up to her and mimics everything she does. From the way she wears her hair to the clothes she chooses, to the sport she dreams of doing one day. In fact, Avery keeps a photo of her cousin leaping across a balance beam on her dresser. “I do that too, right mummy?” she’ll say as she points to the picture. A few weeks ago when we were visiting my niece and family, Avery got her chance. She wore a leo that her cousin gave her under her clothes all day, waiting excitedly for 3:30 when we would be heading the the gym. Avery sat in the viewing room and watched as her cousin and her teammates finished their practice. Four hours a day, four days a week they train. I sat with[…]

Aug 19 2013

It’s not a board game. And it’s certainly not a video game or a motorized thing-a-ma-jig. You won’t it find in any store. It often comes in pairs and your children will treasure this endlessly stimulating source of joy and laughter for hopefully many years to come. If your children are lucky enough to have grandparents (or a special aunt or uncle) in their lives, you know how special it is. My kids light up whenever we tell them we’re heading over to see them. How lucky we are to have both sets near by — these people who are genetically programed to love my children; to look out for them and after them. Ahem, built in babysitters *parental fist pump* Not everyone is as fortunate. We know this and we appreciate having our parents in our lives every day. My kids don’t quite understand how blessed they are, but they sure enjoy spending time with and learning from their grandparents. So my number one pick for the toy that is sure to bring a smile to a child’s face is a loving grandparent — the kind that gets down on the floor to play and enjoys spending time with[…]

Aug 12 2013

Our son is fully aware that his little sister is different. He knows about her chromosomal disorder and her cognitive and medical challenges. He understands the implications of the R-Word and he’s aware of the range of physical disabilities that exist for so many people. He has been aptly schooled. We’ve shared Avery’s diagnosis and prognosis with him little by little. It’s like sex education that way — you want to provide enough information to prepare your child for what lies ahead, but you don’t want to bombard them with too much, too soon. He is basically up to speed when it comes to his sibling’s cognitive and physical challenges, or so we thought. I honestly assumed he already knew about her pinky fingers. Avery has a genetic condition called Clinodactyly. Clinodactyly is the sideways bending of a finger joint. It is often caused by an abnormally shaped bone within the finger. The pinky finger is most commonly affected. This condition is usually heredity, but in our daughter’s case it’s a result of her genetic abnormality. My best friend actually noticed Avery’s “shorter than average” pinky fingers before I did. That’s a story in itself which I’ll share another time. […]

Archive - August 2013

I Judged Harshly and I Am Ashamed

Gymnastics Gold

The Post Where I Reveal The Absolute Best Toy Ever

Clinodactyly