The Second Decade. . .Again

family portrait.  he says I'm the little one in the bottom right corner.  photo by Ava

If this seems repetitive, let me say that I cling to this idea of the Second Decade of Parenting every. single. day.  Sometimes hour!  Over at Like Mother, Like Daughter, Leila is discussing what holds a family together (and vice versa I suppose) and in the process, she again has this lovely quote about perspective on the parenting journey:

So my plea, as we go into this discussion (and it will take a while, so settle in), has two parts: That you aim for that paradoxical state of mind with your young family that consists

1.) in setting standards and expecting them to be met

and simultaneously, without any relaxation of your glorious vision,

2.) that you not despair over meltdowns, naughtiness, wiggling, squabbling, and general chaos.

So, today.  Can you guess what I experienced today?  Meltdowns, naughtiness, wiggling, squabbling, and general chaos?  And can you guess what I spent a fair bit of my day doing?  Yep, despairing.  (It's totally a word.) 

This is what happens when you eat a piece of paper with a marker drawing on it.

But really, over what?  Meltdowns?  He's only three.  Squabbling?  They play peacefully much more often than they fight.  Wiggling?  That's what babies do, especially during diaper changes.  Chaos that threatens to crush me some days?  Eh, forgetaboutit.

I will keep my eyes in the distance and my arms around the present.  All three of my presents.