When you’re sick AND you’re a mom

1. The sick mommy. To explain my lack of posts in the past week or so, look to the title of this one 🤧. Tonight will mark my one-week cold-iversary of being a sick mommy. I once read that colds can have a ten-day lifespan, so I’m optimistically thinking that mine is about to see its crusty end. I caught this doozy from K, who has now been sniffly and mucus-y since last weekend, my pauvre bebe. And now I’ve been in the better-but-still gross phase for like five days — going through no less than six boxes of tissues. I had no voice on Mother’s Day, which was… a new perspective! And still, two days later, I’m hoarse as crow (is that an expression?). It’s funny because I’m the one who, hard as I try, CAN NOT speak quietly, so whispering all the time is taking my loved ones by surprise. I’m more aware of how often I want to raise my voice, and I’m trying different approaches to disciplining my kids. Oddly, being lazy, tired and blasé instead of annoyed and p’d-off may have a positive effect on R, who has been mostly well-behaved since Sunday.
2. Mom’s Day. Despite my frail vocal abilities, we enjoyed Mother’s Day. I didn’t give the day’s magic too much credence in the early morning hours, since my family proceeded with daily routines and demands as usual. But then we made a group decision to head northwest to the glorious Jemez Mountains. We scratched indoor brunch and, to borrow the newly famous hashtag, decided to #optoutside. My favorite walk-hike (or “wike,” if you will) is one that I’ve traveled many times. It always delivers beauty and tranquility, so it made a perfect Mother’s Day destination. We trekked along the water, through the green meadows, and beneath the towering and magnificent rocks. The wike is 2 miles in and out, and R was a champion the whole way in. She lagged and complained a bit as we started back, but guessing games and gummy bears reenergized her.  Mother’s Day also included these trinkets: a couple incredible drawings, a necklace and bookmark from R, and a lovely silver initial necklace — I’ll wear it daily — from Mr. T. 
3. Art for Kids Hub. A couple of weeks ago, I discovered the best YouTube channel. See, R is a YouTube enthusiast, grinning and giggling maniacally when she gets the green light to indulge, so I’m all for finding programs on YouTube that don’t melt away her brain. She just loves watching kids open toys, mundane family life vlogs and some decent crafting stuff. But Art for Kids Hub is YouTube gold! It’s like Bob Ross for littles, and I could not be more supportive of this particular brand of screen time. To offer some perspective, back in January R suggested that we sit in bed and watch Bob Ross paint his happy little trees all day on my bday. Alas, such a day is impossible at present, but what a day it would be! My kid knows me well. And now she’s creating amazing drawings — completely by hand — thanks to this new channel. The channel offers drawing tutorials for kids (R seems pretty young for some of the subjects, so I’d say 5+ is the age range). The videos range in length from about 5-20 minutes and their subjects vary in difficulty, but all are doable. R chooses between dozens of popular characters or common scenes to draw and color. The YouTuber breaks down the drawing into shapes and quick gestures in a step-by-step process to make it easy and approachable. He usually draws alongside one of his kids, so R can see that the grown up version might be different than the kid version, and that’s ok. She’s usually quite proud of herself — I think it’s a huge confidence booster in the art arena. While I continue to encourage her abstract creativity and imagination — to paint and draw and glue and cut whatever her heart or mind desires — she really enjoys following instructions sometimes. Plus, she’s into every contemporary tv or movie character, so it’s awesome for her to gain the power to realistically represent them at the age of five. Thank you Art for Kids Hub!!!  I’m one proud artymommy and here are a few of my favorites (the only thing I ever help with is coloring certain areas): 

So there ya have it! A few updates from my sniffly week. Oh, and R has one week left of preschool! Thank goodness for summer camp, or I’d need six more boxes of tissues to get me through the realization that she’s on her way to kindergarten. See you soon!