My Oh My!

My child is officially in to everything!  Don't get me wrong...he is a sweet, cuddly, generally well-mannered and behaved little boy.  But he is getting way too tall and way too curious.  He is also way too smart.

If there is one thing on this little boy's mind other than trucks, cows and more trucks, it is food, food and more food.  Each morning when he gets up he tells me "downstairs" and starts for the stairs.  Now that I have little guy number 2 to take care of it takes me a little longer to get downstairs in the morning.  Often he is downstairs and then back upstairs before I make it down the first time!

Last week I was trying to get myself into a semi-conscious state and he comes upstairs saying "cheereeros" over and over.  He has pulled a box from the pantry and brought it upstairs.  Clearly I wasn't fast enough because he managed to get downstairs and back upstairs again with a second unopened box.

Later that day while I am nursing the baby (of course) I hear a noise from the kitchen and I realize that he has someone grabbed an open box from the counter and has emptied the contents onto the floor.

I've really been praying lately that God would help me respond with grace to the Little Guy right now.  I'm really really tired and that makes me grumpy.  It makes me more likely to get upset at him and I know that isn't fair!

So here is how we dealt with the mess...

which I was congratulating myself on until it turned in...

OH my!!  Little brother seems alarmed at what is going on,,,

Honestly though, I didn't get mad.  Even though I had to clean up the mess and I'm still finding stray cheereros in the house it doesn't seem to matter.  We had fun and instead of responding in anger I was able to make the situation into something I can look back and laugh on.

I certainly don't get this right everyday.  And I might have been a little more upset if it had been chocolate syrup.  But I know life is better for me and my babies when I can respond in love.

1 John 3:18 “Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth.”

Proverbs 11:16-17 “A kindhearted woman gains respect, but ruthless men gain only wealth. A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings trouble on himself.”