#EvieHasNoFear

This child.......she is seriously fearless.  She gets herself into trouble all of the time and simply doesn't let anything stop her.  She is amazing and I LOVE her fearlessness.

Well I both love and fear it.  Helping her understand her limits and being sure I give her all the tools I can to help her make good decisions has been priority #1 lately.  This is why, when I had the opportunity to put her in an intense 2 week swim safety course, I literally threw her in as fast as I could.  This kiddo.  She has got to learn how to swim.

Aunt Charity (my cousin) teaches these swim classes with another teacher and they are FANTASTIC.  Charity warned me though that kids normally scream and cry the first day.  Why?  Well they remove Mom from the equation and literally shove them underwater introducing them to the outlandish possibility that water might just not be safe.  They put a little fear in.  Thank heavens.  Evie could use a little fear.  This picture below says it all.  Mr. K and Evie were the youngest in the class and spent the entire first day screaming their little heads off at the bars between dunkings.  I was only partially sad.  Baby's gotta learn how to swim!

By day 3 Evie was all smiles.  She quickly took to the water and learned to kick big, hold a bubble in her mouth, get the side and choo choo on home.  She also learned how to dive down and get rings and treasures.  She picked the diving thing up so much that she dives in near 7 feet of water to retrieve stuff.  "Evie go unda wata!"

Lily and I got to sit on the sidelines for two weeks watching Evie and waiting excitedly every day for "Showtime!" where Evie would show us what she learned.  Such a proud time.

After the two weeks of swimming our little Bee graduated her class by being thrown in fully clothed. She rescued herself by getting to the side and choo chooing to the stairs.  Such a big girl.  She is a fish, just like big sissy.

My Evie has no fear, but that is what makes her strong and determined.  Now she has a little more skill and a little more respect.

The Days are Long.....

....but the years are short.

I repeat this mantra over and over again somedays.  There are so many days that are just long.  So very long.  Ones where 10AM rolls around and I am ready to send everyone (including myself) back to bed. Seriously guys, we just woke up!

Our home is filled with screaming, hitting, biting, screaming, "No!!"s, more screaming, fighting, pulling and all things sibling.  It is also filled with love, snuggles, kisses, hugs, "I'm sorry's", "I Love You's," and "lets play togethers." My girls.....they are intense.  
 

....just like me.  Evie is completely 2.  She has a will of iron and an independent spirit that desperately wants to fly.........in all the wrong directions.  Evie has picked up the word "stupid."  Every day I am called "Stupid Mommy!" and many times its on repeat.  Yes she has been spanked, but Evie has an iron will.  My reaction including the spankings fuel her.  She is strong.  Knowing she has taken away my power fuels her.  When I get angry I loose the battle.  I know it, she knows it.  The days when I let her little potty mouth get to me are the days where I truly am "Stupid Mommy."  I know better.  So Lily and I are learning to ignore her.  Little booger.

The girls have become true compadres in trouble these days.  Silence is not golden in my house.  It's without doubt proof of mess and or chaos.  These pictures?  Exhibit A.  They wanted to paint.  They had paper.  I left them alone for 3 minutes.........

My Lily Lu.  She is growing up so much these days.  I see this young woman beginning to emerge while I see the little girl enjoying her innocence.  I love it.  I nurture it.  That is why, upon discovering my paint covered children I grabbed my camera instead of my anger.  The days are long........but these years are short.  Lily is going to be going to school in less than 2 weeks.  Full time.......she's growing up.

Today has been one of those long days.  One of those days where I have been yelled at, called Stupid, hit, yelled at again and am ready for it to be over.  It's hard to see the forest through the trees on days like this and you are kind of left wondering whether you truly can fail as a parent.

I probably can....but I won't.  I love these little mini me's too much.  They are strong, mighty women.  Just like I prayed for.  So I will embrace my long days with joy knowing they are supposed to be long because the years are far too short.