Love is…
October 12, 2006
Discovering this….
that he has smashed every single one of your clay pots on the driveway …
Love is grabbing your camera instead of listing him on ebay.
Love is chosing to laugh, rather than yell.
Love is remembering that they are just objects that can be replaced, unlike your baby’s spirit.
Love is also teaching him about logical consequences by making him clean up his own mess, which he enjoyed way WAY too much.
(yes, it is Love Thursday again. Visit karen at chookooloonks to add yours)
Posted by Chris @ 8:44 am
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Damn. That IS love. :o)
But you’re right — there’s beauty in everything, isn’t there?
Happy Love Thursday!
K.
October 12th, 2006 at 9:00 amWow… it helps when they’re so little to remember that they have pretty much no clue about the destructive or dangerous nature of that choice of activity (I’ve cut myself on clay pot shards… ouch!). And it helps that they’re cute
If you do a lot of large planters, you might want to keep a bucket of those shards around to use at the bottom of large planters for drainage.
October 12th, 2006 at 9:00 amHe is so sweet! It amazes even me when my own son does something wrong, but it doesn’t bother me because I can see his sweet charm instead. Doesn’t happen that way every single time though, but I’m glad when it does.
October 12th, 2006 at 9:04 amHow do you do it? I only have 2 kids and this would have sent me over the edge. You have 7 and take it in stride. I need to learn from your example.
October 12th, 2006 at 9:12 amOh my. That’s perfect. “Not listing him on ebay.”
Thank you for the reminder that stuff is just stuff.
Happy Love Thursday!
October 12th, 2006 at 9:13 amThat picture of him with that huge broom is too adorable for words. Thanks for the reminder to be patient. Mine haven’t broken anything … yet …. today …. but I’m sure it’s coming.
October 12th, 2006 at 9:18 amSo sweet. I can imagine how much sheer pleasure he derived from throwing each one of those pots.
October 12th, 2006 at 9:19 amI’m extremely jealous of your ability to see the good in a situation like this. I try to restrain myself so the neighbors don’t get the wrong idea about me, but I would have truly lost it if that had happened here. My mother was a yeller, and I’m sorry to say that I inherited that tendency.
October 12th, 2006 at 9:27 amHe probably dropped the first pot on accident and realized what a “lovely” sound clay pots make when they crack…..and he just could not stop….he is too cute! And you, dear Chris, are a good mommy!!
(Keep some of the pieces in a bucket to put in the bottoms of large planters for good drainage.)
October 12th, 2006 at 9:36 amMy 14-month-old son tore a page out of my new book this morning. I had to laugh because he was reading a grown-up book and turning the pages to find the pictures when he accidently tore the page. I can’t get upset with him because I want him to keep on loving books.
Love Thursdays are awesome!
October 12th, 2006 at 9:39 amThank you for the reminder that stuff is just stuff. I would have completely lost my mind.
October 12th, 2006 at 9:43 amYou are one incredibly level-headed human being.
Not getting mad = cool.
Thinking to grab the camera = awesome.
October 12th, 2006 at 9:58 amThanks for the laughter!!
October 12th, 2006 at 9:58 amI can just hear the deep belly laughs that came out of that boy upon the shattering of each pot. Good on ya for grabbing your camera and making it a good memory. I prayed today that I might do the same with my four today.
October 12th, 2006 at 9:59 amIt’s a chant “people over things, people over things”. Hope to someday repeat it less.
Love the idea of going for the camera first, I need to remember that!
It’s lucky he looks so cute the whole time!
October 12th, 2006 at 10:06 amI have to admit, the sound of a clay pot smashing into hundreds of pieces on asphalt is awesome. I could hear it in your pictures.
So, um, guess some nice potted mums are out this fall, huh?
October 12th, 2006 at 10:12 amYour ability not to sell/strangle him is amazing. Good for you. I’m not sure I would have managed such restraint.
October 12th, 2006 at 10:22 amthat broom is bigger than he is! sounds like a good leasson was learned, for mama and baby.
October 12th, 2006 at 10:45 amYou are the most awesome mom! I think I would have yelled quite a bit before remembering the camera. I often say it’s a good thing they’re so cute–it’s what keeps them alive.
Happy Love Thursday!
October 12th, 2006 at 11:07 amWow, that is love! It sure makes good pictures, though.
October 12th, 2006 at 11:22 amGorgeous.
October 12th, 2006 at 11:30 amUm…just wondering…what category would you list a child under on Ebay anyhow?
The broom picture– too adorable
October 12th, 2006 at 11:31 amI did wonder many months ago how you got all the pots to stay on the stoop and not all over the driveway…. maybe I should have said something??
Man, you’re a calm Momma. I would have drop kicked his ass out of the yard…
October 12th, 2006 at 11:34 amThanks for the reminder! stuff is just stuff… I’m with Jennifer G… my mom was a screamer, and I inheirted it. I’m trying very hard to break the cycle in my own house.
PS. Thanks for the reminder that it’s Love Thursday! I’ll be posting mine soon… *S*
October 12th, 2006 at 11:39 amquick the pot on the right is still fine. grab it!
October 12th, 2006 at 11:52 amI think the pot on the right might be plastic. Not as satisfying to drop at all.
I just realized that I’m a little jealous of Miles for the pleasure of dropping all those pots. And kudos to you for not turning his probably innocent pleasure into tears and sadness. Having him clean it up as a consequence will probably help him remember not to drop pots again…..
October 12th, 2006 at 12:44 pmAlso, in that second photo it looks like Miles is doing a little Shakespeare… “Alas poor clay pot, I knew thee well.”
October 12th, 2006 at 1:06 pmYou’ve just pointed out one of the most important lessons in motherhood. The ability to pause, take a breath and remember that the kid is more important than the flowerpot. I think we all need to remember that more often.
October 12th, 2006 at 2:11 pmI pick list him on Ebay…Then call me right away, I want to bid, he is just too cute.
October 12th, 2006 at 2:19 pmIsn’t breaking plates part of Greek tradition? Any Greek heritage lurking around there? What a cutie. I have to admit my jaw just dropped!
October 12th, 2006 at 2:32 pmYou did better than I would have done, although that must have really been a satisfying smash.
October 12th, 2006 at 2:40 pmI wish two things–one, that I could smash some clay pots myself; and two, that I could smoosh my 16 year old back to that size and just cuddle him again!
October 12th, 2006 at 2:45 pmJonothan said what I was going to. You are awesome. And that boy is too cute!
October 12th, 2006 at 3:08 pmOh how fun that must have been. Thank you for making me remember stuff is just stuff. You’re a great mama.
October 12th, 2006 at 3:40 pmHow about grabbing the camera AND listing them on Ebay??
yeah…..
those moments tend to make me laugh too instead of being angry…
what can you do right?
October 12th, 2006 at 3:51 pmHappy love thurs!
That is funny and cute. Have a wonderful day!
October 12th, 2006 at 4:02 pmMy daughter once gave me a surprising Mother’s Day gift - she had stripped herself naked and had colored over every inch of her body (that she could reach) with colored markers. She was all different colors of scribble. I couldn’t decide if I should laugh or cry. So, I got the camera. She is now 11. I found that photo the other day rumaging through a box and laughed until tears came to my eyes. Those days go by so quickly - enjoy them all!
October 12th, 2006 at 5:17 pmWe should all take lessons from you.
What a touching post!
October 12th, 2006 at 5:18 pmBlogging Baby Sleepover for Thursday, October 12…
Filed under: Blogs Here in Northern California it’s still warm enough for shorts, but I noticed that…
October 12th, 2006 at 8:48 pmYou’re awesome!
I’ve only been that calm ONCE when my 18mo. son managed to squeeze a whole can of Redi-Wip onto the carpet while I was nursing my newborn. Little ‘fridge thief, he was! Yep, grabbed the video & camera.
Thanks for the reminder about the lessons we teach & learn!
October 12th, 2006 at 8:51 pmAwww… Now take those pieces of pots and make a mosaic or something with them and let him enjoy them that way! He’s too cute to be too frustrated at for that. I run into the same problem with my 2-year-old daughter!
October 12th, 2006 at 10:01 pmPriceless. I especially love the shot of him with the broom. Teach them young, their families will be better for it.
There is a reason why kids are so cute…
October 12th, 2006 at 10:11 pmThat’s a WHOLE LOTTA LOVE! Wow!
October 12th, 2006 at 10:19 pmI can hear the smashing!! The photos are terrific—he is SO adorable! Chrissy
October 12th, 2006 at 11:01 pmI’ve got about 15 extra clay pots with your name on em. Just come out and get them. Love the pictures.
October 12th, 2006 at 11:24 pmSometimes, grabbing the camera is the only reasonable thing to do!
October 13th, 2006 at 2:35 amYou are a great mom. Thanks for the reminder to laugh instead of yell.
October 13th, 2006 at 3:57 amGood thing it was Love Thursday and not Cranky Friday.
October 13th, 2006 at 5:29 amAaawww, they’re only pots. What fun pictures and very sweet post.
Rotten boy!! (Man, is he cute though
)
October 13th, 2006 at 7:25 amMy son did something similar when he was about 6. He got into the recycling and broke every single glass bottle and jar on the driveway. It was pretty and sparkling and extremely dangerous. Like you, I taught him the error of his ways with a big broom. Lucky he didn’t kill himself, the big dolt!
October 13th, 2006 at 6:33 pmIt made me lose my mind just looking at the pictures. Which is why I sit here, childless.
October 13th, 2006 at 10:47 pmOnly HE could make smashing clay pots look so damned cute! Love the clean up pic of him, hes adorable…
October 13th, 2006 at 11:14 pmOMG!!! When I first looked at the pic, I thought he was picking up leaves…. that’s what I get for reading blogs without my glasses on. lol.
October 16th, 2006 at 10:37 am