Sunday: Weekly Wrap-It-Up #16

Posted by Sarahbear on June 28, 2010

It has been a busy weekend for me. We threw a party for E on Saturday. I spent Friday picking up food, gifts and last minute decorations for the Super Mario theme. Friday night I baked cupcakes and decorated them to look like the red and green mushrooms from the video game. I try, very hard, to do special things for my kids. To make their memories better than the ones I have from my childhood. This year was the first year that E was genuinely grateful for the things I did. He told me I was the coolest mom ever. He also didn’t cover his ears and start crying when everyone sang him Happy Birthday. He thanked everyone for the gifts he got and acted pleased upon opening them.

These are all things I have been working with him on for his entire life. I got him a power wheels motorcycle for his second or third birthday and he couldn’t have cared less about it. Every Christmas and birthday I spent so much time picking out things I thought he would appreciate, only to have him shrug it off or not show any emotion. I would cry in the bathroom because it hurt to not be appreciated. Last year was the worst. There were a few presents he opened, in front of the givers, and said something rude about them once he saw what they were. I told him that rude little boys didn’t get presents at all.

One of the best things about parenting, the most rewarding things, are the times when you can see the difference you have made in your child’s life. When you continue molding and shaping their character, despite previous failures, and you see that shape finally take hold. I would feel like a failure as a parent if my children grew up to be ungrateful brats. It’s one of the few things I won’t tolerate.

I got a little bit of a sunburn during the party. We swam with the kids. T and K swam with arm floaties on, a first for them both. D took his off and was so proud of himself. We came home and pretty much crashed. We were wiped out. Sunday morning we got up late. Chad and I got groceries after lunch. My sister and I made a delicious dinner. We watched Brothers and The Lovely Bones before heading to bed. Well… after a bit of a spat on twitter. Chad helped me wind down with some much needed sex, cuddling and talking. Though I’m in a better mood, I’m wide awake. For some reason, orgasms do that to me. Hopefully I can get to sleep soon.