Pumpkin Patch Meltdown

Countdown to meltdown in T-Minus 10-9-8-7…You get the idea. This year’s pumpkin patch outing ended up a pumpkin patch odium. The drive there featured several red flags, Lailah was already tired, and clearly stated that she didn’t want to go – when Lailah says she doesn’t want to go, you don’t go, because if you do, you will wish you hadn’t. Red Flag number one. Red flag number two, all the streets were blocked to get where we were going. What should have taken approximately 5 minutes, took about 15. Red Flag number 3, my ornery husband of a passenger barking instead of talking to me. As I slowly feel myself drooping in my seat and wishing for a pair of earplugs, the biggest red flag of all blaring in my ears, that voice inside screaming at me to turn around and go home. I didn’t listen, and what would ensue still leaves me a tad bit scarred, and takes the cake as worst day ever in a long time.

Once we got there, and were out of the car it started off well enough. Lailah saw the pumpkins and put her ‘I wanna go home’ attitude aside and started scouring the field for her prize pumpkin. A few adorable moments of pumpkin love were had, along with a few moments of me thinking to myself ‘oh here we go’, but nothing I couldn’t handle or keep quietly to myself at least. And then, progressively things went from I can handle this she’s a kid, to oh lord the rest of this day is going to be hell on earth. And, it was. The results of which can be further found in my ‘A mother never runs away’ post. That being said, aside from the not-so-fun parts of the day, there were also fun parts, the following pictures of which will so demonstrate.

A mother never runs away

You can’t run away from being a mom - even when it means having your hair pulled and being told “I don’t like you”, or having books thrown in your face, or trying to hold on to a screaming wet noodle of a child in the bathtub to keep them from hurting themselves, or being smacked in the face by a tiny hand and told “you can’t cry” when you have lost all patience and know of nothing other to do than break down.

That was my Sunday. It started off all right, and then went to shit at the speed of Mach 10. At the end of the day I could do nothing else than think to myself, where did I go wrong, what am I not doing right, where is she learning this behavior? Certainly it must be my fault that there is such a large storm brewing in such a small teacup.

The fact of the matter is – it could have everything to do with anything. There will never be an answer to the almighty question of “why is my two year old acting like a demon?” - It could have something to do with the copious amounts of sugar she was provided even when I said no, a growth spurt, a misfiring synapses, a tooth, or it could just be that she is hell bent on sending me into to the loony bin, but I like to think not.

It was a rough day to the say the least, and touch and go today, everything makes me want to cry; seeing her made me want to cry, saying goodbye to her made me want to cry, writing this makes me want to cry, the thought of having to put on my thinking cap and work makes me want to cry, everything is making me want to run away…but alas, a mother never runs away. I’ll just hope for a better day and take whatever - come what may.

Summer Ending

Lailah and I headed up to Cascade Springs this past Friday, and it's official, summer is over, fall has begun. And although awe inspired by the beauty of the foliage I'm saddened to know that snow is around the bend. Lailah loved the bright leaves and had fun gathering the myriad of colors the trees had to offer. More than anything though, she loves the water at Cascade Springs. She was enchanted with the waterfalls and enamored by the clear liquid pools; if I hadn't kept a close rein on her, I'm sure she would have gladly jumped in. Can't say I blame her.

La La La, whoa, what's that? (A HUGE bird flew from a nearby tree. It could have picked Lailah up and carried her far away. It was a 'Whoa' moment for sure.)

 Right after she was walking through the grass, we saw a giant snake slithering into the area, needless to say, more more walking through the grass.

 Treasures. Treasures. Treasures.

 Shortly before she fell off and scraped her hand. =(

 Just can't get close enough.

 Interesting moves.

 She wanted to kneel here and 'read' this plaque FOREVER.

 Ha Ha.

Coca Cola

Andy brought home an old Coke Cooler a couple weekends ago so we had some fun taking pictures with Lailah.

Listening to the storm...

A while back a storm rolled through, and I perched Lailah up on her window sill to watch and listen. She's not very fond of thunder, but she's been trying really hard lately to be brave with the things she doesn't care for. She kept saying in a tiny voice "I love the rain", and with all the bravery she could muster "I love the thunder." Her eyes got distant and I wished I could climb into her head to hear her thoughts.

The Change Starts 9/2/12

Of all the canyons close by, I have to say American Fork by far takes the cake for beauty. A week or so ago I headed up for a hike up the Lower Mill Trail. It was tranquil, it was quiet, it was serene, it was...beauty. It was also challenging, and my shoes are still paying the price. The rain from the previous day made the trail quite muddy and the creeks to cross were a little higher than normal. Some of the trail is inherently steep and required some panache to get up without sliding. Needless to say I have some scrubbing to do to my shoes.

The leaves were starting to make the change, they've since taken a dramatic turn. At golden hour the mountainside near our home looks a-flame from the bright red and gold leaves that now adorn the branches of which they will soon shed. Starved of light and water for photosynthesis as the days grow shorter and shorter.

It is indeed turning to fall.