Category: Laverne

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Risk

I never wrote a New Years post.  I never shared my vision for what I hoped this year would be for me.  I never wrote that I didn’t really want to change or work on something I lacked.  Why should I have to always change something, can’t I simply be enough just the way I am?  I never wrote that I wanted to own who I was and embrace it.  I never wrote how I wanted to take all of the things that were wonderful about me, own them, make them even more awesome and then shout them out to the world.   But this unwritten post brewed inside me for weeks…unwritten.  It sat and it brewed and it swirled until it fueled an unignorable desire to put myself out there, to leap off the cliff of the unknown, to try something new and extremely and absolutely totally uncomfortable in … suddenly I the deep need to be a risk taker.

My first risk came in January.  I quietly submitted a story  to Listen To Your Mother.  I waited and hoped and tried not to get my hopes up, but really wanted to be part of that amazing group of people.  Also, standing on stage, reading my piece, the real me out there… total,make me almost puke risk! I was not selected.  My heart hurt terribly.  My Facebook stream filled with other who had been selected. I was happy for them but deep inside I hurt really bad.  I had put myself out there.  I had taken a huge risk.  Where was my reward… F@*k you risk!!!

I submitted a proposal to speak at the Illinois ICE Conference.  Encouraged by a wonderful friend to share what I was doing in the classroom I decided to value what I was doing, channel my creativity and I wrote the proposal. Me sharing my vision of making the classroom portable for students… allowing students to take lessosn home with them through technology, in front of my peers at the largest technology conference in Illinois… Thank you for your submission. You have made it to our waiting list for speakers…. Blah blah blah. F^#k you Risk!!!

In February I decided to create a public blog.  A blog for my, Laverne the teacher me. PUBLIC… For everyone to see!!! PUBLIC!!!  I would share about my experiences in the classroom.  Share what I was trying, ideas I have and journies I was on.  I would shout out all the awesomeness going on in our classroom and make it a hub of resources for my student to access anytime.  Aside from starting akaLaverne, it was the best thing I have ever done!!!  If you are even remotely familiar with what blogging in this space has done for me…blogging as a teacher has done that equally for me as an educator!!!  Make me tear up…. I LOVE you Risk!!!.. and then I {hold you breath} told others about my classroom blog.  I told my principal, my administrator, colleagues and I started  {hold your chair}  I tweeting about it.  Connecting with other educators and the feedback I was getting was beyond words.  It all just added to the giddily rewarding feeling I was already feeling.

Suddenly RISK might not be all bad!??

So I took some more…

Last month, when the annual email came asking for teacher who wanted to teach a summer tech session came to my inbox I tucked away my feeling of fear and potential disappointment.  My burns from taking risks had healed. So I took a deep breath and I submitted TWO proposals.  Now I wait!

A couple weeks ago BlogHer posted their announcement that their annual call for Voices of the Year was open. I daydreamed that someone would be enter one of my posts. I’m not gonna lie.  How cool would that be and who doesn’t love that kind of love.  And what blogger wouldn’t love to stand in front of their peers reading their work, sharing their heart or even just have their work recognized like that…. complete awesome amazingness.  Then I thought, why someone else?  Why not me?! An article popped up in my stream… submit your own.  A post went up on google+  about being an advocate of you. What was I waiting for?  There will be so many submissions to BlogHer mine probably wouldn’t even get noticed.  Remember LTYM. That hurt bad.  Your heart ached in disappointment.  So I said F#%k  you fear!  I looked though my old posts from the last year.  I looked for one I though would have the biggest impact and bring the most meaning to others.  I couldn’t settle on one.

Then I heard a whisper.

It was my heart.

“Pick me,” it said.

“Remember how you felt in this moment.  Remember what it meant to you. Remember how deeply you were moved. This is about you and what it means to you.”

So I took a deep breath… and I submitted my story.  Now I wait.

I wait, but this time I will not wait in fear.  You see each time I jump of the cliff of the unknown I have no idea if  I will fall or soar.

I do know this.

Even though falling hurts really bad, I’ll get up again, I’ll rub the sore spots and maybe even cry but I will do it.   I will do it because I know that if I don’t take that step I would never know how incredible soaring is!

ERQuote

 AND

fear

Authors Note… I apologize in advance for all the swearing.  It really is not like me…well yeah it really is, but in real life and not on my blog but I just could not come up with a word that had the same pow as …you know the F word.  Also,  I could not decide which image to use.  Cute, simple, classic chalk board with lovely Eleanor Roosevelt quote or in your face say it like it is phrase so… I am went with both!  

 

 Your still here??

Well what the heck are you waiting for?!

 Won’t you please head over to BlogHer and show me love…

 Go already!

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Introducing Olivia’s World

“Mommy I left something for you on your bed, ” Olivia tells me.

“Ooooohhhh OK,” I reply rinsing the dishes.

After washing the dishes, putting a load of laundry in the washer,  folding a couple of baskets, making lunch…well you know how it goes. I finally made my way upstairs to read this mysterious “note”.  When I got to my bedroom I saw her journal lying on my bed.

“Hhhmmmmm I thought.  I found the page marker and open it to this…

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The “note” was a not surprising to me.  I have known for a while that the social part of school has not been Olivia’s strength.  She lives by her own beat, has a quarky fantastical imagination, is stubborn, shy and has kind of a take me for who I am or leave it attitude.  It is the perfect combination of a blessing and a curse.  So while the note did not surprise me it did make me sad.  I realize that I am her mom, but I have for a very long time thought that Olivia has the most fantastic imagination and an incredible talent for using her drawings and words to bring her imagination to life.

“OOOOLLLLIIVVVAAAAAA come here!” I yelled to her from my room.

“COMING MOMMY!”

“Hummmfff she came without arguing,” I thought. “That’s nothing short of a miracle.”

“Yes Mommy.”

I took her straight in the eye, forcing her to look back at me.

“Do you know how amazing you are?  Do you know what a fantastic writer and drawer you are?  What you write… it is something very special!.  Do you know this sweetie.  You are VERY talented!”

I pause and we just gaze at each other.  Then like the light bulb appearing above the cartoon characters head, I knew what I had to do.

“Olivia I want you to start writing with me on Mommy’s blog.  You are an amazing writer and I want you to see that your words are important and special!”

“Really Mommy!!!!”

“Yes really!!!”

. . . . . . .

I hope that you will stop back tomorrow when Olivia and

I share her first post.  I am one excited momma!

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Meet My Muses and Fred too

“Mommy come color with me,” Francine asks after dinner.

“I’m sorry sweetie mommy has tons of chores I need to do.  You can color and I’ll come when I am done.”

I turn to see an understandably frowny, disappointed face.  My hands reach for the sponge and the next plate that needs to be washed.  The kitchen is suddenly silent.

“Mommy what can I do to help you finish your chores faster?” Francine inquires

After lifting myself off the floor in shock…

I turn to Francine and smile, “Really, you want to help Mommy?!”

“Yes, Mommy,” she smiles and says in the sweetest and most sincere five year old voice.

“OOOOOkaaaay.  You can start by helping make the lunches.”

As I rinse the last dishes, move on to the load of laundry that needs to be washed and the other one that needs to be folded Francine puts pretzels into sandwich bags.  I send out reminders of what to do next from the laundry room.  I pick up my pace, working faster to get these chores done so I could sit and color with her.

With time left to spare and a couple of chores left for later, because seriously how can I possibly let down a little girl down who is willing to help Mommy with chores.  It was time to color!

I still never know what is going to happen when I craft or color with my girls.  I am constantly inspired by them and blown away by their imaginations.  This night at the table was no different.  After taping together and coloring two cardboard toilet paper rolls and a paper towel roll (don’t ask… she’s five… it’s her vision. I don’t ask)  we did some free drawing.  After doodling a bit the pink crayon called for me.  My mind took me back to a note I had made for myself months ago.  My hand faught me.  I had never been any good at drawing with crayons.  Before I know it the crayon is in hand, obeying my movement and Fred was born.Fred1

 Fred has dreams…big pink accessorized, leotard and legwarmer dreams.  Dreams of toes pointed, tutus and twirls and pirouettes…

FredDancesBallet

. . . . .

My daughters inspiration does not end here…

I seriously can not tell you how incredibly..oozing with excited I am for the coming weeks.  My daughters… Olivia 7 and Francine 6 are going to start joining me here!   They are going to take their picture, drawings, stories and life experiences and start to share their words here too!

I can hardly stand the wait… the wait for Olivia to share her words with you.  Her  illustrations will take  you to fantastically magical worlds that intertwine her life’s experiences with creatures, superheros and magical worlds of her imagination.

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You can even follow all things Olivia on
Twitter by following the hashtag #OliviasWorld

Francine is also excited to share.   A little of this, a lot of that and who knows what else?!   She loves to help me cook and bake, but dislikes almost everything she helps me make. She can even show you which exact tooth is her sweet tooth.  She is colorful, crafty and is always looking for the next thing to make out of anything she can find.  I really never know what fantastically crafty, imaginative creation she will cook up.

Francine
You can follow Francine on
Twitter by following the hashtag #FrancineCooks

Creativity is oozzing!  We have so much more to share!

 

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Learning The Steps

Walking to the birthday party from our car Olivia shared with me how excited she was to go to a Hip Hop dance Birthday Party.

“I’ve always wanted to try Hip Hop mommy!” She smiled and skipped as we walked into the building where the party was being held.

“Quick quick Olivia. We don’t want to miss too much.”  I urged her.

Walking down the stairs to the dance room I could feel her happiness to be with one of her very best friends on her special day.

The party had started. We were late.Ten seven year olds sat in a circle doing their predance stretching.

“Go ahead Olivia. Go find a spot.”

“No mommy,” she said taking my hand.

“It’s ok Olivia. There’s a spot right ….”

There wasn’t an open spot for her to just jump right in.  I scanned the room trying to make eye contact with one of the girls that Olivia would know.  She knew no one. Just the birthday girl.

“Go ahead Olivia. It’s time to stretch.”

The dance instructor got the group up and began to have them do steps to loosen them up.

“No mommmmmy. I want to go!” she urged.

Tears began to stream from her eyes.  She grabbed me tight and buried her head in my side.

My plan was to I was to just drop her at the party and then go to the local Starbucks to write.  I wanted these two hours.   Suddenly my wants became secondary.   It wasn’t going to happen.

“I want to leave mommy.”

I knew that instant we, I had to stay.

“What if we just sit here and watch.” I encouraged her.

“Ok.” she answered.

I scanned the room again for someone from the party that could come over and welcome her in.   The birthday girls mom came in the room.  I sighed in relief.

“Ohhhh she could help,” I thought easing my stress.

A quick break in the action happened and Olivia’s friend came running over to her asking her to come dance. Olivia buried her head in my arm and just could not do it.

“What was I going to do?  Was she going to sit with me the whole party?  What would this mean for other parties?” I worried and wondered.

Suddenly I felt a calm come over me.  We came late.  She only knows one or two girls.  How many adults could walk into a room of strangers and just join in dancing in front of strangers?  I couldn’t.  How could I expect Olivia to.  So we sat.  We watched and I softly spoke to her about what I saw.

“Look at those girls dancing.  Not all of them are doing it perfectly, are they?” I whispered. “Looks like everyone is just trying their best, dancing to the music.” whispered some more.

Slowly Olivia’s tears began to dry and her grip of my arm lessened.   She watched.   She smiled.  We clapped to the music and she began to enjoy being there.

“Water break!” the dance instructor shouted.

Like magic Olivia’s friend (the birthday girl) and another old friend from preschool appeared.

“Come dance with us Olivia!” they said to her.

Olivia looked at me.

“It’s her birthday Olivia.  Do it for her,” I whispered gently.

With her eyes locked on me she smiled and nodded.

“Ok!” she said holding her friends hand and walking onto the dance floor.

The birthday girls mother sat next to me.

“Did you do that?” I asked.

“Yes” she smiled.

“Thank you so much.”

Olivia walked onto the dance floor.   The dance instructor smiled at her, came to her and warmly welcomed her giving her a high five.  Olivia was front and center, in minutes,  learning the dance moves to the big dance number.    I sat there I soaking in my momma pride.  I hadn’t pushed.  I didn’t yell, get firm or try to hard.   I took a step back and tuned into where Olivia was at.  I respected her and her feelings.  I gently made sure she learned that she could feel this way and still be brave enough join in. Finally, after many, many moments of stepping on each others toes, missed steps and disastrous numbers Olivia and I had finally gotten all the steps right. What a beautiful number we danced…together.  You should have seen her dance!!

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Donning My Shield

My phone’s screen illuminated… Alex Iwashyna has shared with you on Google+ It said, “Love this….”

“hummmm…that interesting. Maybe I’ll read it,” I thought. “Nahhhh, I’m too tired.”

A little voice whispered to me… go ahead and read it.

I clicked on the link.

“What the heck is this?!” I grumbled to myself. “What is Alex sharing?!”

Then I began to read and suddenly I felt like I was meant to have seen the article.

Golda Poretsky, the author, shared her “deep spiritual practice of Not Giving a Sh*t.” This has to be a joke, I thought. She wasn’t joking, she was quite serious! She went on to share her struggles with others who judge her by the way she looks instead of getting to know what she can do.

“Well… I am not over weight so how is not giving a shit about what others think of my weight going to help me? What the heck did Alex get from this?”

Then Golda wrote, “If you notice that you’re holding yourself back from doing something you want to do because of other people’s opinions, it’s time to get on board with this spiritual practice.”

…suddenly my heart became heavy.

For weeks I have been owning others words. Taking them, holding on to them, letting them weigh me down, letting them define me, feeling captured and trapped by them, thinking that it was me that needed to change so their words would change. My efforts to improve my listening skills (really listening to others…not just hearing others) and trying to learn from what they communicated to me left this huge giagantic painful weight that I just could not shake.

After reading the post I realized (and Golda speaks to this too) I don’t want to not care what others think or not listen to others. I need to be selective in what I let in.

Golda closed her post with three techniques for starting my own practice of Not Giving a Shit… 1) Just say it…”I don’t give a shit!” 2) Energy Bounce visualizing the negative energy bouncing off of you 3) Feel Love And Gratitude For Those That Support You recognizing and feeling the gratitude and love that is in your life.

So while I know learning to balance caring with not giving a shit and relearning to own all the goodness in my life will not be an easy task, I feel like a gigantic weight has been lifted from my heart. I am now armed with a new tool that will empower me to decide how much I am going let others opinions or negative feelings decide how I feel about myself.

Sheild

I’ve got my Shield and I’m going to learn how to use it!

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I’m Cheating on My Blog and It’s Your Fault

Three weeks ago EVERYTHING changed.

EVERYTHING changed and it is all your fault!

You see when I first started blogging I was terrified.  I knew I wanted to be part of this space, but I was terrified.  I was terrified to share to much about myself.  Terrified of what others would think.  Terrified I might mess up and post something really stupid.  I was terrified, but I did it anyway… I wrote.

Then you came along.

You came.

You read.

You shared.

You commented.

and suddenly this world that was terrifying and unknown became fantastically beautiful.   The fear I’d had about sharing too much and revealing my identity was replaced by confidence.  Now this world is full of amazing new friends, a fantastic community of woman I have come to adore and only wonderfully fantastic experiences.  Slowly everything I feared disappeared and this space has become a heck awesome place share, create, write and have fun!

So three weeks ago I did it…

After months of creating and designing it was ready.

The words flowed from my hands, easier and freer then I have ever experienced.  The passion and expertise I had for my craft did not let me down.  Before I knew it words filled my page.

I hit publish.

For the first time Carrie, Special Education teacher shared her voice as the deeply passionate Special Education teacher.

and I just want to say  THANK YOU!

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I am very excited to share this new adventure with all of you.  It is because of what you all have done for me that I even felt brave enough to share my voice on this new space.  While I know most of you do not come here to read about special education,  education or teaching tools, from time to time I will share with you here my affair with my other blog.  Quite frankly,  it is a part of me I am deeply passionate about, I am giddy to be writing there and it is something I am very proud of!

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I Had A Bad Dream

February was not my favorite month this time around. Life brought me experiences that made me angry, doubt things and just plan old sad. It gave me tales that I so desperately wanted to write about but couldn’t because they went against my blogging rules…don’t write when your emotional, don’t write anything you wouldn’t say to someone in person and don’t write about others very personal experiences unless they are your own.

So I struggled.

I needed to write. I needed to share but I hated the words that needed a space and I wasn’t happy. I was ashamed and mad. I was ashamed that I didn’t have answers and mad that sometimes we make mistakes that cant be fixed quickly. I was ashamed I was not finding the good in all of this and I was mad I couldn’t find a way to share it here so you could be here for me.

Then one night this happened…

As I slept a green picturesque hillside was decorated with red and white checkered picnic blankets. My friends giggled and talked as they soaked up the sun of this picture perfect spring day. Sips of the perfect red wine and nibbles of creamy cheese filled their stomachs. I smiled in all the joy that surrounded me. A blonde haired man approached our day. His hair sleeked back. His peach suit perfectly polyester, unexpectedly fashionable and oddly handsome. He whispered to us and coaxed us. His words made us want to come with him, follow him, trust him and we did. Then as instantly as we had trusted him, his eyes became crimson and his teeth transformed into fangs. Our happiness was instantly replaced by terrifying fear as our naive necks were plunged into. Our picturesque hillside was suddenly filled with fear. By body shook in fear and I began to cry… Nnnnoooooooo!!!! I screamed then suddenly awoken from my sleep.

I didn’t go back to sleep that morning.

I knew all the moments that had made me mad and frustrated and just plan pissed in February but I could not wrap myself around why I was so unhappy.

As the warm shower water flowed over my body that morning my mind searched to make sense of it all. Then as clearly and vividly as my dream had come to me the answers appeared too.

I wasn’t happy with things… duh right!! But what would I do next? Stay unhappy. Let what is, be? Well if you visited here enough you know that answer… hell no. Instead I would be patient with myself. Give myself some slack and reflect. Reflect on what had happened this month. Learn from what had happened, try to work on me and take time to understand others better.

So here I am working on me… imperfect, mistake maker, willing to change, still learning.

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WTHHLB (Where The Heck Has Laverne Been) #2

Creativity has been oooozing for me and so have my opportunities for design. This time I got to work with teacher and it has been (has been because I am not quite done with one, but I’ll let you have a peek). Anytime I get a cance to work with woman and help them set up and create their spaces it is moving. Blogging and finding my voice has been life changing for me. So have the friend I have made. Each time I help another design their space I warmly smile because I know the same possibilities await them on their adventure.

This first blog I designed for a friend and fellow teacher who is a … Of all the designs I have created this one came the fastest to me. Channeling my inner Jen I was easily able to create a space that fit her personality,who she is as an educator and what she wants her blog to stand for. And to top it all off her tag line (I’m a tag line creating freak. Get out the thesaurus and weave words together in creative and fun ways! My kind on fun)… We hit it out of the ball park!!!

EDimageThe second design I worked on…errr…am working on…errr I finally finished!  It was also for another fellow educator.  This one has been a labor of love. Tweeks and updates and changes and more changes and thinking it worked and then realizing it wasn’t just right.  Unlike Jen’s, this design, has not come so simply (and after Jen’s I was kind of disappointed). Randee’s vision was very different then Jen’s.  She wanted to start a community for fellow teachers to share and talk. S he had a vision, but is also very ambitious about what she wants to offer fellow teachers. She is eager to inspire, connect and bring out the best in fellow teachers.  I wanted to create the perfect space for that.

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It has been a fantastic journey and wonderful chance to work and connect with teachers.

So while I may not be here…

I am always busy creating!!

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Talking to Strangers: Linking Up Again

TalkingToStrangersIt has been too long since I have talked to strangers.  As a matter of fact I realized the other day that I have now been blogging for over two and a half years now…wow…two…and…a half…years.   I suppose that means I missed my anniversary six months ago…huh?!

I can’t believe it.

During these last two and a half years amazing things have happened for me…

I was a contributor for Just Be Enough.  My best friend and I shared a blog.

I’ve been to two bloggy luncheons (Girls Lunch Out).

I have shared my voice at the Kir Corner, Wednesday’s Woman and Great Expectations

I have co-written several mad crazy fun posts with Abby.

I taught my self graphic design and fell in love with the creative outlet it gave me.

I rediscovered a long lost talent and started to draw again.

I discovered within myself a woman who loves words, loves the pictures they paint and smiles at the experiences it shares.

I have been dragged in from my corner outside of the blogosphere huddled in lock down tight security fearful of sharing too much and discovered a world of in the blogosphere that is phenomenally, fantastic, beautiful, supportive and just plain amazing woman who encourage and make me feel like I am safe to try new things and put myself out there.  A group of woman I now proudly call friends.

My creations are seen, my words are read (by someone other then me…),  they were shared,  heard and I thought….

I thought all of this was enough.  I have thought that it was enough for a long time now. Continue reading “Talking to Strangers: Linking Up Again”

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6 Seconds of Fun

Friday night twitter introduced me to a whole new wonderful social media medium.

6 seconds of magically looping infinite addicting fun!

…and I am IN LOVE!!!

It is called Vine.

Vine is an iOS mobile service app that lets you create and share beautiful, short looping videos. It’s life in  6 seconds of looping motion.  To me it is a fun and whole new way to share life with video and I can not wait to see where it goes!  Here are a few of the ones I have made so far…

Saturday Night beverage

  Continue reading “6 Seconds of Fun”

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Bad Word, Bad Word, Bad Word

My daughters and I had just finished a shopping trip to Target.  Items were bought and not too much money was spent.  Sooo hard to walk out of there without a super cute had to have it it was on sale shirt, jewelery and shoes… aka $50-75 later.  The girls each bought something from the fabulous dollar section with their allowance and I had a new pair of earrings.  Coats we zipped, mittens and hats on… we were ready to brave the freeze and head out to our car.

“Hands please,” safety first ya know.

A quick walk across one lane of the parking lot and we were at our car.

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“Girls lets be quick getting in it’s cold out here,” I urge them… cause seriously it was brrrrr. Continue reading “Bad Word, Bad Word, Bad Word”

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Saying Good Bye to The Whining Monster

Around these parts Saturday morning means two cups of coffee, a couple of lazy hours on the couch, tweeting with a back ground of Phineas and Ferb and …. cleaning.  When 10:30 rolls around the iPhone gets put down, the Leapsters get put away and the TV gets turned off.

As quickly as my thumb clicks the power button on the remote the sighs, the awwwww moms and the Oscar winning whining begins.   Now I have to give the girl credit… well me credit and Olivia (7 years old) too… just last month we finally had a break through in cleaning.  Break through as in cleaning without her driving me crazy with insistent whining and discovering ways she can delay having to actually clean and seeing how long can she can keep it up before she gets enough of  toys taken away to stop…let me tell you it is exhausting.  She exhausts me!

This particular Saturday the girls had only one chore to do.  They needed to clean the toy room (control you laughing… only chore + cleaning toy room= cleaning a room that looks like a tornado has struck leaving a path of toys covering every space of carpeting).  I told them I would help them today, because it was a big job (and because it was easier then running up and down the stairs as a 7 year old and a 5 year old cleaned a toy room together trying to refrain from complaints, whining and tattling).

We walked up stairs, our spirits high as we giggled and talked about how we were totally going to rock this toy room clean up. We bet on how long we thought it we could get the room cleaned.  We excitedly told each other what we were going to do after we were done cleaning.

The three of us stopped in our tracks at the doorway to the toy room.

“Ugggggg!” I thought,  “That’s a lot of freckin toys!”

“I’ll clean up the food mommy!!!” (aka plastic toy kitchen food) Francine sang as she jumped right in to clean.

“Ohhhhh moooommmm thatttssssss tooo mmmuuchhh to cleannnn!” Olivia whined.

“Olivia we have been through this before…. {insert mommy lecture}… You were so good last week.  Lets work together and get this done!”

“Ok mommy!”

{mini-mommy happy dance in my mind} “Go Me!” I say to myself in disbelief.

After several minutes of whine-less, blissful cleaning (Did I just say blissful cleaning… I really need to raise my standards!)

I hear, “Ohhhhhhhh mmmooommmm thhissss issss tooo muchhhh.  I just cannn’t dooo it anymoreeee!”

I take a breath and pause to contemplate my next course of action.  Suddenly, I catch Olivia studying me.  As I open my mouth to lay out the law and give my usual if you don’t do this you will loose this line, the corner of Olivia’s lip curls into a smile.  Gears turn in my head.  The world slows to a flashing halt.  Visions flash through my head reminding me of all the things Olivia has done lately that I thought she couldn’t do.  The fog has lifted and fireworks go off in a blaze of sparking aahhhhh haaaaaa.

I close my mouth, stand up and walk over to Olivia.

In my firm mommy voice and a n extra stern mommy face Isay, “Stand up!”

With a what the heck is she going to do, how much trouble am I in this time look she stands and worriedly looks up at me.  I make a fist with my hand and bring my imaginary bugle to my mouth. I begin to loudly hum Taps.

“daaa daaa daaaaaaa daa daa daaaaa daaaaa da daaaaa da da daaaa da da…”

Army

I put down my imaginary bugle and place my right hand over my heart.  I look down at the floor and hang my head with a frown in imaginary sadness.

I say, “Today we put to rest the Whining Monster.”

Olivia looks at me studying my face.

“After years of fake whining, award winning acting and scamming mommy, today we bury the Whining monster.

Laughter fills the room as Olivia and her sister comprehend what I am doing. Her hands cover her face as she grins and belly laughs in disbelief and surprise.

“We are sad today to put it to rest.” I continue, “We will miss the Whining Monster.  You  brought us insane amounts of whining, drove mommy crazy and tried to avoid cleaning.  Today I declare Olivia is a big girl.  A big girl that can do way more then she lets on to mommy.  No more scamming, no more whining for today we know what she can really do!  We will not miss you! Good-bye Whining Monster Monster.”

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As her belly laughs slow into giggles, I look at Olivia to watch her reaction and we smile at each other.

As I begin to walk back to the spot I was cleaning I see Olivia slowly drop her head.  Her lips make a frown and I hear her mumble,  “Awwwwww man!  Now I am going to have to actually clean!”

 

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