Thankful Thursday: Bizarre Parenting Fun

...that no one thought to warn you about!

This week, as I was doing this...

...I was thinking, you know, there are so many things I've said and done as a parent that I just couldn't have anticipated.  And a lot of them are so bizarre, and no one thought to tell me. Like it would have been nice to have a heads up that I'd be dismembering baby dolls so they could dry properly. This was after the baby doll was covered head to toe in lipgloss.

So I decided to *start* compiling a few of my favorite random parenting moments in no particular order.

1. The poopsplosions!

Kora, on a roadtrip, she was about 2 months old. What were we thinking???

2. The inexplicable fits, that you'll want desperately to laugh about, but will HAVE to keep a straight face.

Kees frantic because Christmas does not come in November.  Darn advent calendar, no matter how many times I explained it, he never quite understood.  Should have hid it till December. :)

3. The fashion choices, nay, demands!

Yep, this week Kora insisted on this!  I couldn't help but laugh because one of my favorite stories about when my dad was a kid was when his mom put him in socks and sandals and he sat in the back of his class hiding his feet...mortified.  Apparently we have no shame!

4. The mysterious hold they have on grandparents.  I don't remember ever having power over anyone when I was a kid, but these kids have serious sway with the grandparents!

5. Correcting your child for a behavior, only to realize 3 seconds later, they TOTALLY got that from you.

Okay, this one's just a joke.  I was trying to get the kids to smile for a picture, and pushed my nose up like a pig.  Kora just mimicked me.  FAIL!

6.  And how many times you'll have to remind your child now is NOT the appropriate time to disrobe.

At least we were at Gramee's house and not in public...this time.

7.  Oh, and one of my favorites, how 'bout you wait till you get a spoon and we pay for that yogurt.

8.  Kids really can sleep anywhere as long as they are tired enough, easier for some than others.

9.  P.S. You gave up ALL privacy and free time as soon as you had a kid.

10.  The various "you did what???" moments:

But the hardest part about parenting, that I'm still not prepared for, is how much you can love another human.  How ridiculously fast the time goes! And how your kids can drive you nuts all day, and then as soon as they fall asleep you miss them and look at their pictures and seriously consider waking them up.  If that's not crazy, I don't know what is.  And one of the best unexpected joys, is how they give you that extra reason to keep trying and move forward.  They may not have any idea, but their smiles, laugh, and snuggles will get you through the roughest of days!

Last year, July 15th, in the process of packing up and leaving Thailand.  Lots of bible reading, prayer, and family got me through.