I Ate Vegetables at Lunch

There are a lot of things I do as a mom that I would never do as Shauna. Take this afternoon, for instance. I would be perfectly happy eating three minute ramen noodles and frozen egg rolls for lunch,but since Natalia is eating this same meal, I made some veggies to go with it. And just so she won't think I'm a total poser - I ate the vegetables with her. When she was a toddler I could get away with making her eat the veggies while I pigged out on the carbs. Now she will totally call me out on it.

Ice skating and water parks are another mommy vs. Shauna thing. Ice skating is cold and scary. The thought of falling and hitting my delicate rear end on some unrelenting ice does not sound fun, EVER! The water park thing stems from me being a nose holder when my face goes under water. Almost as embarrassing as my pasty body in a bathing suit - almost. Last time we went to the water park I even braved the very tall slide. The one that is a straight shot with no pool to land in. Natalia was only five and braved it. I told her I was scared, so she does what all good little children do - she takes the parenting advice that I make her live her life by and totally turned it on me. "Being brave doesn't mean that you aren't scared. It means you are scared, but do it anyway". Doesn't that sound like such good advice? Before you think very highly of me just know that I made this up on the fly outside the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland. I really wanted us to ride it as a family and Natalia finally met the height requirements.


All this is to say that being a mom makes me a better person. I don't recycle because I am trying to save the planet. I recycle because we all went to the movies to see Walle, and Natalia was adamant that we recycle to save our species from a never ending obesity cruise. I put on an elaborate charity lemonade stand because Natalia has such a wonderful and compassionate heart and was worried about the people of Haiti. I eat vegetables with lunch and sneak pureed vegetables into dinner because I want her to be healthy. 


Natalia's favorite song for me to sing her is "Daughter's Eyes" by Martina McBride. I am a total sap, so even though I am not a fan of country music, I love this song. I like the first verses of the song best: "In my daughter's eyes, I am a hero. I am strong and wise, and I know no fear. But the truth is plain to see, she was sent to rescue me. I see who I want to be in my daughter's eyes."