Some Days are Diamonds

Some Days are Stones

Nov 13, 2023

**Embarrassing edit: I may have written about John Denver’s song while I was singing Tom Petty’s Walls. In my defense, they are practically the same line, though very different tunes. LESSON LEARNED: read the entire lyric line, and LISTEN to the song BEFORE publishing your post. Facepalm.**

That John Denver lyric meant nothing to me until I became a parent. Now, it is an anthem of sorts. Also, wow John Denver and that hair/glasses combo, that deserves a slow clap.

You know how it goes with kids, right? Everything is a phase. With my first, I tracked their development on the Wonder Weeks app, which tells you that when they are clingy and fussy they are going through a mental leap of learning. So they are being extra because they are growing, becoming more aware, and it is a “good thing.” Eventually, I stopped tracking on the app, and the concept became a bit of a joke. Every time I was feeling overwhelmed, touched out, talked out, or tired, I would say it must be a wonder week; as in “I wonder why this is happening to me.”

Some days are stones, and you are in it, thigh-deep in chaos and laugh-screaming, thinking “HOW IS IT POSSIBLE I WILL EVER SURVIVE THIS?” Then, just when you hit your limit and are considering your (bleak) options, a flip is switched, and the baby devils you swore were going to be your end will transform into these cherubic, adorable, perfect little children. Your days are all diamonds! Your life will seem, for a brief interlude, like a Norman Rockwell painting. (Unsure if this is a decent reference or not, but too tired to deep dive into the nuances of the internet to unearth the darker secrets of his life). The children will lull you into a sense of security, of calm, of complete bliss. You will begin to feel like a competent and successful parent. You are DOING THIS! You are WINNING!! You have kind, thoughtful, funny, and intelligent kids who are great at problem-solving and sharing!! They play so well together!! Congratulations to you!!!

And then a flip is switched again. Release the Kraken. The monsters have returned to wreak havoc, scream at you because you gave them what they wanted, and then poke one another in the eyes. “Ah,” you say, “it must be another wonder week. I think they are learning.”

And the crazy part is that they probably are. So, next time you are waist-deep in banana mush and crayon bits, and everyone (including you) is in tears, chin up! You are still (probably…I mean, overall…maybe not at this moment but in the big picture of life) winning! So go ahead and sing yourself a little John Denver (or in my case, sing some Tom Petty and attribute it to John Denver) and try to hold tight to the diamond days. And don’t forget: it is just a phase.

LIT TIP:

Read kid books that you like to read! If you are excited about what you are reading, you will read with a more active voice, with more animation and your engagement will be infectious. Your kids are bound to be curious about what you are doing if it looks and sounds like fun.

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Five winning books this week!

WILD HORSE WINTER by Tetsuya Honda

Follow a herd of wild horses and one pony through an adventurous winter migration. I love it when non-fiction reads like fiction, and this beautifully illustrated tale of a herd of Japanese wild horses does not disappoint. The prose is as soft as the illustrations, as the young pony survives their first winter and trek across the wild terrain to the shoreline. For horse lovers, and those who like a good survival story.

CANNONBALL by Sacha Cotter Illustrated by Josh Morgan

A young child is trying to find their best cannonball technique. Though the premise may seem light, this book packs a lot of punch. It is about tradition, family, pride, and finding your own power by connecting with your true self! Wow, what an important lesson to learn. Published by Huia Publishers, a Māori owned independent publisher from New Zealand. This book makes a big splash! (You are welcome for that pun).

ANXIOUS CHARLIE TO THE RESCUE by Terry Milne

Charlie the dog might be a bit OCD, but when a catastrophic event causes his day to go haywire, he learns that maybe great things can happen even if not everything goes as planned. Is there anything cuter than a worried dog? Though this may downplay the very real struggles of OCD, the general concept is cute, and the message that good things can happen despite plans going awry is an added bonus. Plus, it is impossible not to love little anxious Charlie.

DEER DANCER by Mary Lyn Ray Illustrated by Lauren Stringer

A young ballerina practices her dance in nature and is visited by a deer, who helps her unleash the spirit and dance she can never quite find in her ballet class. This book holds its story like a sweet secret and inspires both those who love to dance and love to commune with nature. So, maybe everybody in their heart of hearts. Also, I just googled the author and feel we might be best friend material. TBD…

LEAVE ME ALONE by Vera Brosgol

A little old lady lives in a very small house with a very big family. She has some knitting to do but cannot seem to get it done anywhere because, as the title suggests, nobody will LEAVE her ALONE. Relatable. We all laughed as the places the lady attempted to knit got more and more preposterous. And, in the end, she got her work done and returned to home-sweet-home to gift her knitted sweaters to the family she left, so all is well in the great circle of crafting. With humor, love and colorful fun pictures, this book is highly recommended!

My diamond moment this week was probably watching and reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone with my two Harry Potters (I am sometimes Hermoine, sometimes Hagrid - accurate). My stone is that instead of playing sweetly like they were two weeks ago, they are constantly pestring one another and I feel I should be wearing a dang referee outfit complete with whistle and red card capabilities. Exhuasting.

What are your diamond moments from this week? What about your stones?

Happy reading! See y’all next week.