This is a republish to a post I wrote several months ago before anyone ever read Mommy Monologues (besides me that is 🙂
I think that babies are soooo cute when they are around 9 months old. I think that Wolverine is the cutest baby in the world at 9 months old. I also feel my heart breaking every time I hear something go CRASH in my house! He is into everything. I usually feel like I have everything put high up & away. And it amazes me everytime he reaches something that I didn’t think that he could. Sometimes, it can also be so depressing.
When Phatness & I got engaged in December of 2006, my future father-in-law gave me a beautiful Waterford Crystal vase as an engagment/Christmas present. It was gorgeous! I loved it! I loved it so much that it has been in my kitchen either full of flowers or even empty in full view for everyone to see it.
Wolverine has started crawling & pulling himself up to stand. He grabs everything & then pulls it down. He has broken 2 cups, destroyed several books, torn down my alphabetically organized dvd bookshelf, & today he added the most expensive item to the list: MY WATERFORD CRYSTAL VASE!
He wandered into a part of the kitchen where he usually doesn’t play. He’s never discovered that part of the kitchen. I didn’t even think that he would go over there, let alone find a place where he could balance well enough to pull himself up–(I don’t know why I was so totally naive that he wouldn’t eventually find where I kept that vase & not try & pull it down.) I heard him messing with something he wasn’t supposed to, so I went over to him & before I could get there….CRASH! There went the vase and it shattered into a thousand pieces.
This vase probably weighed about 5 lbs, praise God it didn’t land on him, & praise God it didn’t cut him. And once I figured out that he was okay, I let out a small, tiny, kinda loud, but definitely sad scream. The vase also left a dime sized hole in one of the floor tiles (and my heart…I know , I know I’m so dramatic!)
I kept telling myself, “It’s only a thing. It’s only a thing. It’s only a thing.” I quickly realized that I had learned this phrase from my mother. She said this everytime we broke something of value (monetary or sentimental) of hers. One time one of our neighborhood friends broke a porcelin angel that my mother had been given by her grandmother (who had helped raised her no less.) One time she had a camera that she had bought before she had kids, a nice camera, a professional camera, & it went CRASH like my vase. One time, my little sister, broke an entire collection of crystal belonging to my great aunt. This woman had spent her entire adult lifetime collecting this crystal glass collection & little sis destroyed it with one fatal swoop of her hand.
Generations of parents have had valuable things broken. And I know this won’t be the last. But I feel like it started with my car, now it’s the vase. I wonder what’s next? My lesson has been learned: I cleaned the entire area (b/c there is more valuable & sentimental stuff there.) It has all been put away, very high!
I think children teach you amazing lessons. They teach to love someone so totally undcontionally that you would trade all of their pain & sickness & take it for yourself. Your heart fills up with so much joy you think it could burst everytime you see them smile or laugh or do something new. Or your heart aches with pain when you see them sick or hurt or with big crocodile tears running down their face. You want to give them all the happiness in the world & shield them from all of the sadness. But another lesson that I think a child can teach a parent is how to not care so much about personal possessions. I mean yes, I will always want nice things. But I also don’t place the value of that dumb waterford vase over the well-being of my son.
I am so grateful that he didn’t get hurt or that I didn’t have to rush him to the emergency room with a dime sized hole in his head to get stitches. I’m glad that the only thing I was sad about today was that vase being broken. I can replace a vase (maybe not today or tomorrow, but someday.) I only have one Wolverine, I can’t replace him–I wouldn’t change the outcome of today for a vase–not today, not ever.
Have you ever had anything broken by your precious little?!
i learned this to after kids…
they are only walls…sofas…diamond necklaces that they drop down the drain and neglect to tell you…
yes ma'am your letter is great!!
Great outlook on life Kate! I have learned to put things of value up high and on very steady furniture that cannot be shaken very well or locked cabinets. 🙂
Laura: A diamond necklace?!! I hope you got it back!!! My grandfather gave us all diamond rings when we were born & we lost them all, much to my disappointment now that I am older. Thanks for the compliment, especially from you! Means a lot!
Thanks Hannah! I try to stay as positive as possible, it's the only thing that will keep me surviving this crazy ride that is motherhood, that is a lesson I learned from you!
Oh nooooo!!!! I would be so sad. Upset. Everything all wrapped into one. But, what can you do? Obviously it was an accident….but of course it would be something you absolutely love. Why does it always work out that way?
I will be entering this phase soon. Davis is becoming more mobile. Lord help us 🙂
i have no wee ones as of yet, but my weiner dog has destroyed many pairs of underwear, including those of guests. try explaining that one to a house guest. he has also chewed up a bible, earning himself the nickname "demonseed" or "devil dog" from my former roommates. i think he is preparing me for children.
Oh my goodness! I can't imagine! Kids are fast and so inquisitive…I can hardly look away for a second before Gillian Grace is into something.
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They are rascals! But, whew that it didn't land on him. One time I was moving my piano, and it buckled and fell on top of my 3rd son…who was 14 months old at the time. There is a God, because absolutely nothing was wrong with him in the end. But it puts things into perspective.
I remember my mom always saying, "Can't we have ANYTHING nice?" I am waiting for my kids to get a little older before I start buying my nice things.
Will be following along!!
Jessica: GOOD LUCK!!! It's really not that bad & it's a very cute age! But there is a lot of havoc reaked! lol
Becca: My dog did/does the exact same thing!!! He went to town all my underwear & socks! And some nice pants too! He def got me ready for lil dude!
Shannon: They are inquisitive! And just when I think I've outsmarted him, he gets the best of me! lol
Thanks Stef! Oh my gosh! I would have died from sheer terror! My mom used to say that all the time, her youngest is almost 17, she has a lot of nice things now!
LOL great post. First thing that came to my mind was our Christmas tree when my son was almost a year old…it was decorated half way. Because he just love picking at the ornaments. I didn't had anything that came crashing because we pretty much cleared the house when the little monkey started crawling. The only thing that was 'tortured' was our dog, an old pug who was the object of my son's fascinations.
Btw, I'm following you back. Thank you for stopping by my blog and following! 😀
Ha! The Christmas Tree will be interesting this coming year! He will be about 19 months old-He's going to want to get into everything!!! Yes our dog is the object of his fascination right now, though the dog has nothing to do with lil man unless he's eating! lol Thanks for following back and for stopping by! I appreciate it!
Hi Kate,
As the mother of four, I've had many things broken, torn, and scratched. When we bought our new van, I was tempted to ask the kiddos to just squirt the interior with juice boxes and scratch the side with the handlebars of their bikes to get it over with. But, sweet kids that they are, they broke it in without me even needing to ask. My over-achiever even threw up in it.
Your Wolverine is so adorable. It's great that you've learned early in your reign as mommy what's really important.
I love your blog. I'll visit often when I need a laugh. And I became a follower without bribery, blackmail, or payment. The fun of stopping by is payment enough. And thanks for visiting my blog and for taking the time to comment! I love making new bloggy friends.
Blessings,
Kathie
Thank you Kathie! And thank you for following! I am the oldest of 5! My mother's youngest is 17 & she is about to get her first non-mommy mobile & I know that she is thrilled! Her first car that won't have, like you said, juice boxes, handle bar scratches, basketball dents, etc all over it! And it won't be the size of a bus either! Thank for you stopping by, I look forward to keeping in touch through our blogs!
My daughter is almost 9 months, and I have a sneaking suspicion that I needed to hear this lesson, for just a little bit down the road when something like this happens to me. 🙂 Thanks!
Hey kate. Love the repost! Yes, I feel your pain in the breaking of special treasures. I've had a necklace broken, a frame, but I agree with your points, that in spite of all the hazards, you just love your kids so much it don't matter.
Kate, Your blogs give me goosebumps! It makes me anxious to be a mommy one day. Your son is so beautiful and you make me miss the whole byrd family!
Here’s what really spkaes to me tonight from Psalm 139: When I awake I am still with you. Have you ever awakened in the middle of the night still in prayer? I’m excited when that happens and usually can’t sleep after that. I want that blessing to keep going. 예, He is still with me But then, even the darkness will not be dark to you. I wish I would have known that a few years ago. And that’s where dreary poems come from. 예, I’m forgiven, but who really REALLY forgets? Moments play like video tapes in my head. Not alot, but enough to remind me. I see a Christian counselor on a regular basis. Maybe we need to work on that! : )It was nice to open my Bible to a warm and wonderful reminder that I really am loved. Happy Birthday to me! Thanks and hugs : )