Lessons from PB&J

We are, and have been for a while, in the midst of the, "I do it Mommy." stage . The frustration when I wont let her do something that she doesn't need to do yet (cut things with scissors or use markers without complete supervision) and the frustration on my part in my head when I let her do something somewhat menial that takes me 2 minutes to do that takes her 30. But she's got to learn to do it and she can't learn to do it if I don't teach her and I can't learn from her if I don't let her just do it on her own.

Today it was our every other day PB&J.

I keep the PB on a shelf in the fridge that she can get to because it's in a plastic container. We use the PB from Trader Joes because the ingredients are: Peanuts and salt and after you stir it and put it in the fridge it actually stays a thicker consistency, I'm not impressed with the natural stuff from Kroger because it is always in liquid form, even after you mix it.  I get out the jelly because it's in a glass jar and Mari isn't one for paying attention much yet and we've lost a couple jars of jelly in the process. 

I mean she is only 2 1/2. It's not like I expect her to write a thesis on PB&J.

We bust out the butter knife and get goin:

Smudgetastic. Ignore the counter.

"I mixin it Mommy!"

This whole process up to this point took about 15 minutes because this started happening a lot:

I told her that we needed to make it into a sandwich and she said, "Ok Mommy! I do it!"
"Ok."

Perfect. At least thats what I'm telling myself in my head. Do I believe it? I'm trying to. You can't expect perfection, you can't expect anything really, except that in the end that it will taste like the best PB&J in the world just the way that it is. And I think thats a good portion of being a Mom. Giving up the expectations that things are going to go on your schedule and the way you want it to. And it's amazing how much a 2 1/2 year old and a 7 month old can knock you to your knees and not realize thats what they are doing. 

You have to let go of complete control. Not that I'm saying that life goes as planned otherwise, but even moreso as a Momma.  It's been a big test of my faith at times, especially with an over active energy hyped toddler wondering if I'm ever getting to her on the days where it feels like all we are both doing is crying because she REALLY wants things to go her way.  And then I have to step back and realize that shes teaching me the same lesson with her PB&J.  Just because I'm an adult doesn't mean I get to get away with her attitude.  Not that I'm saying that she gets to either, but being a parent means being consistent. And how am I consistent teaching her that she doesn't get to do everything she wants when I turn around and get upset about the same things. 

Let go of the selfish. Just let it go. Give it to God. Just give it to Him. *deep sigh*

Back to the sandwich: She says, "Mommy, I made a mwess! I clean!"

So she did. It took another 10 minutes, and I did help because at one point she started licking the counter.

And then she climbed up into her high chair, asked me to cut her sandwich into "twiangles."

"How is it baby?"
"Its super dewishious. I made it Mommy!"
*high five*




Where was brother during all this? Sleepin :)  He's awake now that Mari is taking a nap, but that's pretty much par for the course.
If nothing else, parenting has taught me to not expect to sleep :)