i kind of get it
Every summer camp within a 30 mile radius was either closed or full this past week. This meant that I couldn’t pay anyone anything to take Maya on. This meant that I had to actually spend time with her.
One on one.
I uncharacteristically felt up for the challenge and so…
We went to the park. We gave Barbie highlights in her new at-home salon. We happily sat in traffic because it was something to do. We went to my parents house and I let Maya vacuum my mom’s ugly rug for fun.
Don't worry, my mom thinks her rug is ugly too.
We bought a new lamp and a new desk and hit Trader Joe’s 10 times. We practiced our spelling and organized cupboards and grew crystal trees.
Thank you Aunt Maie for helping to entertain Maya. And me.
And just when I thought I would go completely mad I turned on House Hunters, grabbed Maya and her Hello Kitty blanket, and settled in for an episode. Or three.
You know what? Aside from Maya’s incessant talking over the show and constant questions about why someone would want to relocate to Nicaragua, our bonding time was actually – dare I say it – fun.
Finally. I kind of get why people have kids.
While I'm not going to win Mother/Wife of the Year Award anytime soon, I haven't killed anyone yet or shot myself in the head. And that, my friends, is how I calculate success these days. 
FANCY THAT FANCY THIS 
I think as Maya gets older you will have more and more fun together… hopefully :D.
She really is a doll, and you don’t give yourself the credit you deserve, you are a great mom!
*kisses* HH
Thank you HH. *kisses* to you too.
Don’t hate me, but I still dont get why.
One day I will….thats my hope.
It’s okay Eden! It took me 6 + years…you take your time.
I see my future through your posts.
I think, judging from the way you two seem to interact now, as Maya becomes a teenager (heaven forbid, I know), you guys are going to have a fantastic relationship. Something I wish I could go back and work on with my mom. Oh well… you win some, ya lose some. :p
I hope the future holds good things for us because I hear the teenage years are scary.
phewwwwwwwww you got it in the end then 🙂 good going he he he he
Have fun and all the best 🙂 its fun with kids
I know what you mean. It is fun to spend time with our kids & I love it. It’s just personally, I couldn’t do it 24/7 though. I know my own limit 🙂
Just an idea maybe you & Maya can go shopping together or gang up on Ali about moving to NY City.
Off the topic, those crystal trees look kind of scary… Have a great weekend!
Thank you for the additional ideas! We will gang up on Ali tonight for sure.
i love when peoples kids clean for ‘fun’ haha
I recall doing the same thing and now I wonder why I was rushing to do something I now hate?
Where DID you mama get that rug from? Kids play an important role in this system – one day you will kind of work that out too – let hope.
Mama got it from Pakistan. I have no idea why.
Yet again, another instance in which I find myself agreeing with Maya…Why would anyone want to relocate to Nicaragua?
I can’t decide if I love the fact that you gave Barbie highlights or grew crystal trees more…such different ends of the spectrum and yet so fantastic. I will let you know when the jury reconvenes.
The crystal trees were pretty fun – I must say.
Well what a good mama you are. My new hero (because I clearly need one). (School just can’t come fast enough).
5 more days Jennie! I hope you have a similar (or lesser) wait time!
Theres nothing like a mother and daughter bond!! Enjoy this time -Next thing you know she will be a bratty teenager demanding louis vuitton purses when shes in 9th grade
I received my first LV when I got married. Maya has at least that long to wait…
Awww how fun! And I really think my kid’s incessant questions are going to get to me – need to start on that whole patience thing starting NOW!
No worries Parita…I am still a work in progress when it comes to patience – as you already know I’m sure!
Ha! Love that you entertained Maya by getting her to vacuum!
She begged me! I swear.
Aw sweetness! My past just raced by me here, but I figure you know already what the future holds! Ans soon we’ll need a magic flying carpet!
I love how kids find the simplest things fun activities. Like, sure, vacuuming is so much fun!! Loved reading about your relationship with Maya. Had me awwwing 🙂
Thank you for “awwwing” Liz. I’m sure it doesn’t happen too often when it comes to my blog. 🙂
How cool. It’s great when someone has something ugly in their house and they KNOW it. It makes life so much easier. I LOVE the crystal trees!
I’m glad my mom acknowledges the rug is ugly, I just wish she’d get RID of it!
You’ve actually for almost a full second made me think I might want to have kids. However my sanity has restored and I shall continue my kid-less life until otherwise prompted by my maternal instincts.
You take your time Jessica! Because as you probably already know, there is plenty of bad to go with thew few nice moments!
You are enjoying now when Maya has grown enough to vacuum. Dare I say that? 😀 Haha!
On the other note, Eid Mubarak to you, Ali and Maya *hugs
Thank you Kiran, for the Eid Mubarak. And yes, Maya being at an age she can vacuum does relate to my finally appreciating her. 🙂
Glad you enjoyed Maya. You are good at entertaining her when push comes to shove. I LOVE House Hunters BTW!!! I’m addicted. Hubby and I used to watch it together until he got tired of it.
Ali watches iHouse Hunters and likes it. Even though he pretends he’s totally above it!
I hope when I have a kid he/she will be down for bonding time over House Hunters. I just don’t get tired of that show. Not yet, anyway.
The thing is that kids will watch ANYTHING that is on. They just want to be in front of the TV regardless. So I think your child will love it too!
This was such a sweet post 🙂 Looks like the Eid spirit is still lingering around. So today I went shopping for my uncle and his wife’s baby on the way and I spent hours looking at all the adorable little clothes and trinkets and thought…okay it might not be so bad one day to have a little one to buy this stuff for
Buying stuff for kids is fun…it’s everything else that makes me think 1000 times about having another.
It’s so great to hear that you enjoyed spending good quality time with Maya, Ameena. I know you and I would both agree that they grow up so fast and every moment we spend with them now is so precious.
Loving those crystal trees! I need to check those out and maybe try those with my kiddies, they would love that! Thanks for sharing those. Hope you and your beautiful family have a wonderful weekend!
Lakeshore Learning makes the trees LeQuan…definitely check them out. Maya and I were both mesmerized!
Bravo for the one-on-one time! It’s really not the time spent that wears a parent out, it is the non-stop questions and talking; talking to which you have to respond intelligently so no zoning out allowed.
I’m guilty of zoning out MC…which is why Maya keeps asking me questions. It’s a vicious circle.
I’m still horrified o having kids. I can relate so much, but I’m you’ve kind of enjoyed it!
Sometimes I’m horrified I have a kid too. You are not alone. 🙂
… happy …
Sorry, major tiredness over here. 😉
Spending time with children is the absolute most tiring thing. Maya sound like Lila, a total chatterbox. Spending so much time with our children is why we love them so much. When you serve – you love. And we all know that with kids you pretty much spend all your time serving them in one way or another.
I just finished telling my mom that I feel like I am constantly doing something for someone all day long. And I only have 1 child! I can’t imagine how you must feel Marie.
You don’t fool me Lady.
You are a totally dedicated Mom and honest to boot!
I am glad you had a great time with Maya.
those crystal tree things look fun.
xo
have a great weekend
You have a great weekend too Cindy, and thanks for having so much faith in me!
I’m kinda looking forward to growing crystal trees. And you already know I love me a good run to Trader Joe’s 🙂
You must buy the crystal trees Azmina! Even if you won’t use them for about 5 years from now. 🙂
—Ameena,
Maya will NEVER forget that quality time with her Mama 🙂 xx HOW FUN.
I try to repeat these exact words when I’m really not interested in spending quality time. It works. Most of the time!
Love the crystal trees and would Maya mind stopping by my house, my floors could use a vacuuming. I love it when I have those moments with my kids where I am like, “hey, you guys are actually kind of cool and fun”. It helps offset the times when I am thinking, “hey, you guys are kind of a pain in the ass.” Glad you had a great week.
Love the honesty Heather! So glad someone feels the same way.
Those crystal trees look pretty cool. I think my problem is that most of the time I spend with my kids I also have a million other things I want to get done, too, so I’m not really playing with them so much as trying to get them to entertain themselves without destroying the house. But yeah, my patience does run out for those random, endless questions. My son’s fine, but my daughter – oy! It just doesn’t end.
Giving my undivided attention to Maya is really SO difficult. I totally understand where you are coming from!
how long did it take you to get to that realization? 😉
6.5 long, long years. 🙂
Ummm . . . that all sounds really awesome. Can I spend a week like that with you too? 🙂
Oh my gosh that image of her cleaning the rug hahahaha
When she gets older you’ll be 50000X happier that you had a kid! The mother daughter relationship is priceless. 🙂
I’m already happier than I was when Maya was a baby so I think you are right!
Hah! Summer camp being over meant lots of phone calls asking me to nanny. But at this point in the summer, kids are so worn out by camp they’re not exactly fun to be around… Glad you and Maya had a good time! 🙂
So I’m not the only mom at the end of her rope I guess?
I know someone already said it before but you don’t give yourself enough credit. I think you’re a great mom! 🙂 I’m already starting to get ideas on how I am going to get some household chores out of the way by convincing my little one that cleaning is ‘fun’!
Well thank you Sam!
aww that was a sweet post 😀 … *gives chocs for maya* 😀
Thank you Eddie!
Questions scare me and the ones coming from kids, even more. I am not looking forward to that aspect of being a mother (whenever that happens).
Questions still scare me! The fact that they are endless are even scarier. But I think you will be completely fine Priyanka…because if I can do it, anybody can.
Those trees are pretty damn cool!
Sounds like you had a very nice week with Maya. As other people noted, you’ll probably enjoy more one-on-one time with her. Until she turns 12 or 13, that is!
Have a great weekend!
I am very scared of the teenage years but I still think they will be 100 times easier than the infant years!
“Finally. I kind of get why people have kids.” basically just warmed my heart. this was a momentous day for you and maya! so sweet.
Thank you Daisy!
Oh huh. Crystal trees. I remember those.such good fun. And dang, you sound like THE BEST MOM EVER. 🙂
Anna – you may be the only person to ever actually say that so I am going to print your comment out and refer to it in the future. 🙂
Taking notes…crystal trees, House Hunters, vacuum, purchase ugly rug. Got it. 😉
Perhaps I could sell you my mom’s ugly rug? You can check one thing off your list!
I love the picture of Maya. One day she will be your best friend. 🙂
I hope so. I really do.
oh me and my mom like to bond over HGTV too. Yall can carry on that tradition forever 🙂
Forever and ever!
Wow, sounds like you had some success in Maya entertaining. I saw the Nicaragua episode too and had a similar thought. So funny you let her vacuum the rug for fun. She could have come here and vacuumed my dog (the fur is insane!).
I can just imagine how many questions Maya would have if asked to vacuum your dog!
That’s funny. I’m glad you had a good time together. I like that, too, as long as there are breaks from it!
I love when you can convince kids that cleaning is fun somehow…can she come to my place? I’ll pay! That is adorable that she watched House Hunters with you!!
I know it won’t last long so I’m going to utilize the free labor as long as I can. 🙂
I LOVE House Hunters, especially House Hunters International!!! B and I plot our adventures for when we move abroad (life dream). We DVR all the episodes and then watch 4 or so every weekend! 🙂
Ali and I are obsessed with it too…although he doesn’t really want to admit it!
Hahaha, just wait until she’s a bit older, you two will be the bestest friends ever 🙂 Having kids seems like a lot of work!
Crystal trees…I might be interested in this 🙂
xxoo
If only the trees grew diamonds…right?
crystal trees are so cute…i definitely would want one:P
and my sis says the same…her daughter is only three and she is beginning to enjoy her company:)
Tell your sister it gets even better at six!
I’m with Maya – why would anyone move to Nicaragua!? Some of those shows baffle me.
I love that you gave Barbie highlights. I am having flashbacks from my own childhood salon where I gave my favorite doll the Demi Moore “Ghost” haircut. It did not turn out well. It seems like a good idea after I got the haircut (from a real Salon don’t worry.) Looking back, probably both salon experiences should have been swapped for the crystal trees. That looks so cool!
I hear once you have a child it is impossible not to love them… but liking them is a whole different story. I have no doubt Maya is totally likable! 🙂
You put it so well Kristen….it’s easy to love children but not necessarily like them!
Ohhhh it seems like you had a great time 🙂 I think the older she gets you guys will get closer and closer 😉 I think it’s that age that drives us nuts – question after question…constant attention – UGH !!! And they don’t like the just yea OK…or mmhmmmm they want striaght on answers/convo 😉
Crystal trees? What the heck? You win at this mom thing for sure. I just flip the T.V on.
Kidding kidding. I find that my husband is more of the “bonding” type. I’m not into hotwheels and bugs and dirt. Maybe one day…or not.
I do think that it’s easier to bond over HGTV than Hotwheels. And to think I wanted a boy so badly! I have no idea what I would have done with him.
Hi Ameena 🙂 I haven’t commented in a looong time because of my bloggie-M.I.A, but I see that I have a lot of amazing posts to catch up on!!
Sounds like such a lovely weekend (how many days do you have in your weekend by the way, you managed to do a lot!) – you’re a wonderful ma… and I think Maya is going to be your partner in crime when she grows up 🙂
Thank you Elin and it’s nice to see you back in the blogging world again!
I know so many young kids who like to vacuum “for fun”. I wonder why that is!
I once had a guy friend tell me he wanted a kid so he’d have someone to play with. Ha!
This post was adorable. It sounds like you two had a blast!
Oh, and count yourself lucky that your kid will tolerate watching House Hunters.
Glad you enjoyed your bonding time…little people can be fun sometimes 🙂
Awwwww……
You crack me up. I see the two of you being best friends when she’s an adult. ANd sigh. Trader Joe’s. The closest one from here is about two hours away – crossing a US border that is. When we go, Shaune and I act like we won one of those grocery store sweepstakes where you get ten minutes to fill up your cart. Love.It.
at least you got to (kinda) enjoy the shows! She’s growing!
haha, I love this -glad she had fun cleaning! I’m sure your mom enjoyed it too!
I recently was complaining about having to return to a store since what I picked up was exactly what Mom asked me to pick up, but not what she actually wanted. Somehow I was supposed to divine her intent separate from her written instructions. Anyway, an older (wiser?) woman behind me quips, “Always have children so there’s someone convenient to blame…”
Lolz
I detest returning things…I detest it! I always feel like the sales clerk thinks I stole the item, used it, and am now trying to get a refund. But I think this is something I can assign to Maya when she gets older!
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