TibKat's Insight's

What a glorious time I had yesterday! I got to go get my bangs trimmed and almost by myself. I put my son Xander down for a nap and told my husband I was going to finally get our grocery shopping done. It was a week late. Once I had our baby in her car seat and me in my driver’s seat, I started the car. Only when I glanced in the rear view mirror I thought, “Really? I’m going out in public like this?” My bangs hung nearly half way down the bridge of my nose … at least it felt that way. In reality, they were just far enough into my eyes to start driving me slowly insane.

Now that I’m a mother, I feel so lucky and blessed each day, yet I still have my moments. I just turned 40. I have a nearly three year old boy and a 10 month baby girl. As mothers we are pulled so many different directions. When I had a career, I taught high school and middle school theater, and held down another part time job in finance. I thought that life was stressful.

I never knew what true stress felt like until I experienced rearing my own children (I also never knew true innocent love either). Yet, it was the bangs that seemed to be taking me over the edge that day. So with a puff of air to blow them out of my eyes, I thought, let’s just drive by a Super Cuts and see if I could get in.

Within minutes I was there. The parking lot looked fairly empty, “Score!” I parked the car, grabbed the baby and in we went. No one was waiting. In fact there were just the two hair dressers gabbing. “What the freak!” I thought, “I’ll get an all around trim.” I sat in the chair and asked for a dry cut; no time for the whole treatment. I still had to get to the grocery store. Rory sat in her car seat happy as a clam, playing with her rattle while mom gave herself a treat. Within twenty five minutes I was done and it was a decent trim, I might add.

As I got in my car, I glanced back in the mirror, There you are, I thought. Smiling, I pulled out of the parking lot and headed to the grocery store. I was back at the house within an hour and a half. It’s these little moments that help me to reflect; I love my life. I may have my own hairdresser upset with me a bit, but I have my sanity and no more bang issue and can conquer another day. I’m a happy mom!

I recently joined SLC Mommies, a networking mothers group. I found myself slowly going insane and Jim had suggested I find some friends. ;) As most of you know, I am the mother to two adorable children; an almost three year old boy, Xander and a 10 month old baby girl, Rory, who in all actuality looks 6 months. I sometimes have to remind myself that they are adorable and this day was another one of those days.

We just recently experienced our first official SLCM “playdate” to be fully honest our first and only “playdate” so far. Sure we have gotten together with kids, a friend from high school, my sisters and there kids, but this was our first official one and it started out, well let’s just say, there must be a full moon approaching.

A few weeks back I met some of the mothers’ right after I joined the slcm’ers for coffee one night. I was a bit apprehensive to meet new people but it was as if we were all breathing the same air, the mom air ~ we all seemed to relate and listen to each other. I felt a connection with these women and as I left that night my steps felt a bit lighter and a smile encompassed my face. I was looking forward to our next get together when I could bridge the gap and bring the kids.

The Park. Growing up in SL I am fairly confident with how to get to different places across the valley but had never heard of Willow Pond Park and therefore entrusted the new GPS system my husband installed on my phone. He raved about this new system, “It’s so much better then the Sprint’s version”, he exclaimed. So running late, I quickly got back on line and found the address and entered it in my phone. Fourteen miles, be there in 15 minutes it said. Excited I put the kids in the car explaining to Xander we were off to the park to meet some new kids. I do have to give it points; it got us to a park, just not Willow Pond. After making a few circles of the dog park it brought us to and driving down a few different roads, I decided to stop to ask for directions. Within a half an hour of leaving we made it to our right destination.

Finally we were at the park, out of the car he flew. He didn’t care which park we were at he just wanted to go to the park, so off he “shuffled off to buffalo”. My son Xander looks like those women who use to power walk around the malls when he runs or walks fast, elbows up moving his arms back and forth, he was on the ground and gone. I with my stroller, baby in car seat hooked in and large bag of everything, made my way to our lovely group organizer that had so nicely placed her self under a tree with plenty room for more. A bit flustered I rambled on about being lost; I grabbed Rory in the car seat from the stroller and placed her in the direct sun. I had placed myself so nicely in the shade, all the while continuing my rant. I soon set out our blanket and then realized I was baking the baby. I moved her to the shade. Relaxing, I grabbed my soda, took the lid off and squeezed my lemon directly into my eye, no kidding. I tried to act cool, thinking I could take the pain, I continued to squeeze the lemon, the inside of my eye began to burn and then once again the juice shot directly into my eye. I couldn’t help but think this had to be a Comedy of Errors!!!

All seemed to be going well, the sky was blue, kids were playing, more moms had shown up and light talk had begun. The day seemed to be progressing nicely; the worst thing that happened since the lemon incident was Rory had a few power spit ups. I just changed her formula to an off brand and it’s not sitting well with her but I am bound and determined to get through the canister; a little on the blanket, in my crotch, (why always the crotch I ask???) and some on the grass. She was tired. We missed her morning nap to make our park date and so the fussing began.

The sun was at its high point in the day and Xander too. He soon came over and wanted to get in the water, off his shirt went, but of course, he just “skimmed” the edge of the water area and never actually got in. He then “shuffled off” right back to the park and slides. I called after him to put his shirt on but he would have none of that. Xander has hit his “terrible two’s” at almost three, oh, joy, oh rapture. My goals these days have been to run him ragged, so ragged that he has no energy left to act out. This was not the case today. He played for another 20 minutes or so and I began to feel the heat on my back and knew I would have to get his shirt back on him. When he made his next pass I grabbed him and the dance began. He didn’t want his shirt on. I did. I tried to calmly tell him to settle down as he flailed himself about. I held tight and won, of course, but he was in a tizzy regardless and when one is the other one soon follows. I knew it was about time to leave, they all know it was time to leave but I waited it out a bit longer giving Xander a bit more time to enjoy and play with the new kids, free of any grasp.

From the outside we may have looked a mess, or we may not have. We may have just looked like any of you on any other day. It was our first playdate impression, trying to reason with a 2 plus year old to calm down or we will leave, trying to avoid the piercing scream the adorable baby was continually on the verge of by placing another bottle of the cheaper “you will finish this canister” formula in her mouth, that she then spit up as we strolled away to our car, is all in a days work. I love being a mom and I love finding a group of women with whom I may commiserate.