I want ALL of the stuff!

   Being a parent is hard, y'all.  I honestly had no idea how hard.    I mean, before I had kids, I was chock full of advice for all of my parent friends.  I knew EVERYTHING about what was required to be a good parent.  And I had no problem doling out said wisdom to most any of them that would listen. Like, a lot.  YIKES.   (And YES, I have since apologized to my them multiple times.  Lucky for me, they are pretty forgiving.) 
   And then I had my son.  And 17 months later, my daughter.  Seriously the greatest thing I have EVER done.  Like most parents, I had no idea I could love these tiny people so freaking much!  It still astounds me. 
   You know what happened?  All that glorious parenting knowledge went right out the damn window!  Oh, how different parenting is when you are in the trenches.  Everything I was certain that I would or would NEVER do?  Yeah, whatever.  I mean, caring for them when they were little babies was exhausting, but didn't require as much skill, IMHO, as when they start to become little people...with their own little personalities...which are usually GLORIOUS manifestations of ALL of your bad habits. I will write a looong blog post one day about that shit.   Egads! 
   Some days, I feel like I am totally nailing the Mom gig.  Knocking it out of the park.  My kids say things like, "You are my best Mom" and  "I am so glad God picked you to be my Mommy!"  (I know, right???)   I am overflowing with wise words, hugs, laundry and lunches.  Other days?  I am pretty sure that I am the WORST mother that ever lived.  Like, EVER.  On those days I get "You are the WORST Mom!" and "I wish so-and so's Mom was MY Mom."  (Ugh, right?)  
   On those days, I usually cry...and lean on my husband. I feel frustrated.  And totally overwhelmed with failure.  I pray.  I read www.handsfreemama.com or momastery.com/blog a lot.  (You must check these ladies out.  Rachel and Glennon are both amazeballs!)  And then I try to remember that I am doing my best.  That I am imperfect, and that's ok.  That my kids know that I love them with ALL my heart.  And that forgiveness and grace are a beautiful thing. 
  On the days that I'm nailing it... (or at least I THINK I am)...My kids make me laugh.  So much.  The Littles are both smart little whipper-snappers and they come up with some pretty funny stuff.   Today was no exception.
   I picked up the monkey from his BFFs house today after work.   These boys are thick as thieves and I absolutely adore his family.  They are good people to the core and are incredibly kind to us.  They are also fairly well off.   Now, we are not poor by ANY stretch of the imagination.  If I had to take a shot, I'd say we are solid middle class folks.  We ain't rolling in dough, but we don't really want for much.  And I am totally fine with that.
    I am trying, in my middle age years, to remind myself to appreciate what we DO have and not fret so much about what we don't have.  And I am really trying to teach our children to do the same.  It is easier said than done, but I believe that gratitude for your blessings will carry you a long way.  And I say this to my kids on what feels like a daily basis.  And yet, at 4 & 6 & 16....they all still pretty much just want what they want when they want it.  Which brings me to today's little anecdote. 
   The boy and I were talking about his day and he was majorly lamenting that his best friend gets a fairly substantial new toy every time he has a "green day" at school.  Now, we JUST started doing Dave Ramsey.  And I don't ever want to saddle my kids with the whole, "we can't afford that" line.  So we tell them that we have to budget for everything, especially the "extras".   I already know that I have spoiled them more than I should.  But I am trying to teach them (and myself) new habits.
   So we are driving and  my 6 year old son is doing a pretty good job of wailing and complaining that his friend gets everything and he gets NOTHING...he even had the nerve to say we are bad parents because we don't give them everything they want.   (Have I mentioned that my kids are dramatic?  NO CLUE where they get that from!) I was trying to explain to him that there will always be kids who have more than we do and kids that have less and we need to be grateful for what we have instead of being mad about what we don't have.  (Sound familiar?)
   I told him that  being a good parent was about giving your kids love and time....food and shelter...and teaching them how to be good people.  I went on.  And on.  See, when I think I am NAILING the Mom gig, I tend to ramble quite a bit, spewing at my kids all sorts of wonderfully wise words, most of which, I think, go right over their sweet little heads.   Just ask my hubs...he will confirm the fact that I probably speak to them for 10-15 minutes sometimes and I most certainly lose them somewhere around minute 2.  Le sigh. 
  So I am laying down my wisdom for my precious son.  I conclude my little life lesson with this GEM. 
"Son, what really matters in life is how much we love each other.  It's memories and moments..playing games and taking trips.  At the end of the day?  Stuff is JUST STUFF."  BOOM!

  He instantly answered me with a very heartfelt, "But I LOVE stuff!" Followed by a more emphatic, "I WANT ALL OF THE STUFF!!!!" 
  
  I think I am getting through to them.