An Open Letter... or perhaps 2

Dear Emma Rose,

Things have been a roller coaster with you lately but we were finally starting to break through and have good days regarding your behavior. Somehow, with Daddy going back to work this week this has all gone down the toilet. I know that we got spoiled with having him around so much with his lay off & him and me fell into him being the disciplinarian role more than me, but this does NOT mean that rules are out the window with him going back to work.

Between the sass and you not sleeping, you literally had me dragging so I could have fallen asleep anywhere today.

So, here's a reminder for you of some things we follow in this house:

1. 3 am is not play time with me! If you don't see the sun up this means you should keep your cute little butt right in your bed and close those eyes! I do not function before the sun rises.
   
2. When you do get up for the day, come straight to me in bed. Do not sneak through our bedroom and downstairs looking for Daddy who has already left for work. You're going to give me a heart attack.
   
3. We are done playing games at nap time, you still need a nap, and you seem to think that you don't need any sleep, but my dear you definitely do for all of our sakes! So, we are done with warnings, if you can not stay in your toddler bed form, then I have no problem putting the crib front back on to keep you in there. You are going to see that this is non-negotiable.
   
4. Saying "please" and talking to someone, instead of demanding and yelling gets you much further in life, it'd just be easier if you learned this now, because I just do not seem to hear you when you talk any other way.
   
5. When someone is talking to you and you don't like what they are telling you, do not sass or yell back. You only end up punishing yourself with an automatic time out.
   
6. I understand that you are curious, but could we please move away from the land of "But why?" a little? I give you reasons and answers and they just seem to go in one ear and out the other without hitting your brain to register. Take a moment and actually listen.
7. For some reason the past couple weeks you have become very non-dependent. Saying "I can't" for many things that you are quite capable of doing. I do not know where this thinking came from, but you are capable of doing many things for yourself, so please start saying "I can" and not "I can't".
   
8. Lastly - You have been daytime potty trained for over two months, in the past two weeks you have started peeing in your pants, or you will go in the bathroom, and stand right in front of the toilet and pee on the floor, and you find this humorous at the time but remorseful after the fact. You are a big girl, so let's stop with this.
   

You are such an amazing intelligent little girl who is greatly loved by many. No matter punishments are a stern talking to that you receive, that fact is never changing.

Love,
Mommy



Dear Hubby,

The other night after you felt the baby kick for the 1st time in the pregnancy I could not fall asleep thinking of how blessed we are and I am to have you in my life.

The past few months have been very trying between you being laid off for almost 4 months, our house on the market and us waiting to move into the new one. But we never let it get us done, we kept our heads up and stood by each others sides throughout it all. I feel like we have finally reached a new level in our marriage.

I also want to thank you for being so helpful with things around here lately. For carrying all of the loads of laundry, making the extra trips to the car to carry in the groceries up a flight of stairs instead of both of us, cleaning without me asking, giving me a break from Emma when I need one. Not only the big things but the little thoughtful things you do all the time. I do notice them even if I do not comment on them all.

I know your are not that ecstatic about the new job location you are at, but we both know that it's a paycheck and I thank you for doing it anyways. I hope that in the coming weeks you begin to like it more.

Lastly, I just want to thank you for being you, for standing by my side these 8+ years. Our love and marriage has grown so much. I am proud to be your wife & best friend.

Love,
Me

Two Open Letters

To the Idiotic SUV drivers @ the Target Shopping Center today -

Perhaps I missed it but I don't recall seeing any special invisible ink on my van saying that if I'm a stop sign waiting my turn to please do not stop and continue on your way.

And when I do go and you almost hit me because you did the slow down @ the stop sign and continue on your way. Don't get mad at me! You are in the wrong. And then to have the nerve to be behind me as I'm waiting my turn @ the 4 way stop sign, do not dare honk at me, b/c the woman across the street waiting to make her left hand turn doesn't know what it means when @ a 4 way stop sign and it's her turn to go and we are all sitting there. I'm not about to endager my family and go not knowing what she is doing, just because you are impatient. Of course I couldn't help myself & a string of explicatives were running through my head and a couple might have slipped out. Not a fun mood to be entering one of my favorite places, Target.

Then as we are leaving the shopping center I get through all of the stop signs and am upon my last one before the light. Sitting there waiting my turn, (yet again), the car goes, I check oncoming traffic and go to go, and the SUV behind the first car pulls half way out in the intersection. Seriously - what kind of hurry is everyone in that we can't even follow simple courtesy's at intersections.

I do know one thing, I'm going to make sure to give my van a good scrubbing and get rid of this "sign" I seem to have following me. It's getting frustrating beyond belief.

Sincerely,
The Van Driver





To all of the People in my Past, Present & Future -

After 23 years of being that push over, you know the person that people take advantage because that person will never say no or go against them. Yep, that was me to a big ole' fat T. Perhaps it's a hard adjustment to the people currently in my life, but as I keep saying "Tought Love, BABY!". I'm done bending over backwards and being unhappy. I'm living for me now. I'm not bending for anyone. I know that this has come as a very hard adjustment to a few close people, & for that I have been called just plain ole' mean and a b*tch. Hey, if that's how you feel. I just know that for once in my life I'm happy to not have these restrictions or worries. And this new me is not going anywhere. I do not want to go back to my meager meek self. I'm turning a new leaf. A new me. A new woman. So get used to it and just love me unconditionally as I do you.

To the people who will enter my life in the future, I'll be holding my head much higher as I will be the person I truely am. No facade or anything. I'm glad that things will be out there. And you'll be accept me for me.

Love,
Your Daughter, Sister, Wife, Mother, Friend & Stranger/Passer-by