Are you a teenager or an angel????

I posted about Calvin and the milk now I need to post about McKenna my tween. About two weeks ago McKenna and Calvin were arguing as usual or so it seems. Anyways I come out of my room to see what all of the yelling is about (see the yelling I'm passing on). Both of them begin telling me their side of the story at once all the while both crying. I tell them very loudly to "LISTEN (see I do scream that word alot) to me...we need to lower our voices" all the while lowering mine and then ask them to explain one by one. Calvin goes first and to be honest I have no idea what they were evening arguing about now but it was obviously very important because we had a serious melt down. ha

So after hearing what happened I start to tell McKenna that she needs to listen to what I had told her 15 minutes ago and this would have never happened (I told her to get in the shower) and before I could continue my sentence she yells at me, "you NEVER help me out!" and stomps off to her room.

I have to admit I was a little taken back I was still talking and she just talked back to me and walked off while I was still speaking and then shut her door. Had she slammed the door I think we would have had a serious problem in the house because I would have LOST my temper. Normally this would have made me extremely mad, caused yelling and maybe even cursing but for some reason it seemed a bit surreal....a bit funny....and a bit sad all at the same time. My 10 year old was acting like a teenager already.

So I sent Calvin to time out because he did deserve it but she didn't wait for that otherwise I think she would have been satisfied that I was helping her out.

I decided to not do or say anything to her about it until I had more time to evaluate this situation and think of how to best handle it....so I finished the laundry. It was towels and so I took a stack into the bathroom where she was showering and put them away and as I was walking out she said, "Mom?" and I said, "yes", she peeked her head out of the curtain and said, "Mom, I'm really sorry that I yelled at you and stomped away especially since you were still talking to me...I didn't mean what I said, you do help me all of the time and Mom, I'm really sorry." I said, "thank you for apologizing, that means a lot". She then gave me that cute little smile and said, "I'd hug you but I'm wet and in the shower". With tears in my eyes I walked out of the bathroom wondering are you a teenager or an angel? :o)

It was a real eye opener.....ONE - that I might not survive the teenage years but TWO that my baby girl is maturing and much faster than I want her too. I know there is going to be many more of these type of conversations in the future, I just hope that they all end the way this one did and that she still cares enough to ask for forgiveness and to forgive me as this is a learning situation for both of us.

I wish all kids came with detailed instructions for their parents sometimes and I'm sure I'll be wishing that even more as we approach the teen years shortly ahead.

I love you McKenna!

Don't cry or yell over spilt milk........

Ok so first thing this morning Will had already left the house to go show houses. I was reading the new Ensign and really enjoying that while the kids slept in. Calvin got up and came down stairs and decided he was starving, so he proceeded to get himself some cereal...no big deal. So I continue reading about our amazing first presidency and then I hear a huge mess. I jumped up to see what happened and Calvin spilt about a half gallon of milk all over the table, himself, the chair and all over the floor. My first thought was to yell, "what were you thinking...you know you can't pour a full gallon of milk?" but because I had just been reading something spiritually uplifting thought twice. Luckily I didn't say a word because when I looked down....my little Calvin had the biggest alligator tears you've ever seen running down his face. Instead of yelling I found myself trying to stop him from crying. I told him lovingly it's OK, it was an accident don't cry, I'm not mad at you and got a two towels. The tears were streaming down his cute little chubby cheeks of which I'm so thankful he still has, because I just love chubby cheeks and it was me trying to convince him not to cry over the spilt milk. I was proud of myself for not yelling because unfortunately that is something that I tend to do more than I'd like to admit and without hesitation. (I'm working on it) I gave him the other towel and we both cleaned up the milk. He actually spilt so much that he was soaking wet, so he had to go shower before he could even eat poor little boy. I needed to mop the floor anyways right? :o) I should have stopped to think how many times I've spilled milk and especially when I was little. Why sweat the small stuff?