Good Morning World!

Glad we got outside to play on Friday, because the word of the day is SNOW... and Cold.  The high for today is 10°F and the low -9°F!  Right now we are a crisp 7°F.  The extremes of South Dakota living, we were 30°F yesterday.  So, yes we did drop 20 degrees in one day, probably more, since we were high 30s yesterday.  AND we get a wind chill as icing on our chilly cake.  When I say our blood is thicker, that is exactly what it is, physiologically.

My oldest in Spring 2012 on a wonderful family vacation!  We all got to swim with and kiss dolphins.

Week Highlight:

My little girl is growing up, or so she reminds me everyday.  And as she grows older her tastes become more refined: pink is out, flowers, hearts and princesses are passe and, as per usual, her bedtime is far too early.  Add to this the other ways I am limiting her maturity: for instance she will be quick to tell you I don't let her watch cable TV or play online.  She is experimenting with asserting a fledgling identity, which often seems to directly contrast my wishes, desires and pre-established house rules.  I am sure Freud has opinions on this, but thankfully he is dead. 

I am learning to adjust to my daughter while also struggling to formulate an identity as a mother of a preteen.  I am learning how to react without being dismissive, to have patience I am not sure I possess, have empathy when frustration feels more close to the surface and assert, and reassert constantly, boundaries and house rules.  I have to remind myself that I am a good mother for going against the peer pressure caused by the, sometimes, more permissive parenting styles of her friends - even if it feels horrible.  Of course, I know, now better than ever, as my oldest daughter and I enter into the fog of her adolescence, neither of us know which way to go and how to get her out intact.  We are in it together, and I hope she knows that, I hope we manage to only strengthen our bond as mother and daughter... I know that is hoping for a lot.

There are moments I still get to see my little girl surface.  Rare as the moments are I truly cherish them.  This week, though I will keep the details off the Internet, my daughter had a moment of pure joy.  By pure I simply mean it was such a good and consuming moment for her she forgot who she was supposed to be, who she is striving to become and instead just was who she has always been.  She found a moment so humorous she laughed with her nose crinkled, grabbing her belly, her mouth open, her eyes squinted shut and simply giggled, and giggled totally unaware of herself and became completely present in the moment.  It was magical to watch her exist without worries for a brief couple minutes.  And I could see, only the way a mother can, the toddler from years before rolling on the ground laughing.

I guess it is one of those moments you think you might never see, like a 40°F day in the middle of January South Dakota winter. 

Happy Sunday Morning!