Category Archives: parenting

Um. Houston. We have a Problem. (Aven is biased about ‘pretty’). HELP.

UM.

Zoiks?

What happened? I was just trying to introduce Aven to ya’ll!


After this video revealed Aven’s kinda ‘shallow’ thoughts on “be pretty to be loved”…


I whipped out a few episodes of “Toddlers & Tiaras” and we had a good ol’ “Momma – Daughter Pow-Wow” about WHAT makes a person truly beautiful and lovable.

Yes, initially, Aven was enamored with the “huge tiara’s” on the show…heck…so was I when I first saw the show! *smile*

[if you are not familiar with the show, it is a documentary of sorts of families…mostly Moms & Daughters…who are competing in little girl beauty pageants…and the show captures the pretty icky moments between the families…can we say “Stage Mom”!]


But….then Aven saw the tantrums, the rude words, the disrespect coming out of the mouths of little girls her age and even older.


Girls all “glammed” up … but ACTING “ugly”.


It was a good teachable moment about what REALLY makes a person beautiful and what we should appreciate in other people…not anything near just how they ‘look’.


Phew. I didn’t know all that was rollin’ around in that 4 yr old head of hers. This whole “video blogging” may bring ALL kinds of stuff out!


Maybe Jim and I are feeding the perceptions in her head a bit. 

We do “make over her alot” [she’s the only girl..I mean…really…it didn’t ‘seem’ off-base] …. 

…..but I think we will take a more well-rounded approach to how she, our precious daughter, is beautiful…not just her outward appearance but also how her ‘insides’ look …. 


oH VeY!


Andrea

THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE FUN IF Ya’LL DON’T PLAY ALONG!! 
So here’s YOUR question:

DO you think westernized toddlers are made to ‘grow up’ to fast…IE nail polish, ‘pretend makeup’, ‘dress up dresses’ everywhere, Disney Princesses as icons of our society…thoughts?
 
Just figured out that the ‘input’ volume level on my computer was set to ‘low’. So, videos, from now on, should be easier to hear 🙂 Cuz I know you were all OH SO worried about that.

"Well, Mom I figured out what was in the box."

No he DID’nut!!!!!!!


Trey William James Cockrum!!





 OH MY GOODNESS.





This is the SAME Cockrum Cookie who, a few years ago, stood at the end of our bed, early one Christmas morning and woke us up by saying…


 “Mom and Dad!  WE HAVE A PROBLEM! I sorted the piles under the tree and they are NOT even! Zane has the most!”


This is the SAME boy who can drop alligator tears at the slightest mention of “Math”  (even though he’s gifted at it) ….





THIS BOY…UGH.


This same boy saw a box delivered to our porch yesterday.  He saw his Dad quickly swipe the box and put it in away in the office, “logo” facing against the wall so no snoping eyes could see where the box was from.


Apparently, thanks to a few well-developed consciouses that walk around here, I now know that Trey snuck into the office, saw the “logo” on the box and then took note of the WEIGHT of the box.





You see, the box came from “AirSplat” which is the company Trey and Chase buy their “airsoft guns” from.





Trey had asked for a few airsoft gun accessories, and a gun or two were on his Christmas wishlist.


So, with all of these facts…DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS BOY DID??????





He used the WEIGHT stated (27 lbs) on the box, got online at airsplat.com, pulled up his wishlist, and calculated which guns and/or accessories would equal 27 lbs!!!!!!


He figured two to four “configurations of gifts” that the box could contain!!!!!!!!!





I SWEAR! 


However, I mentioned those well-developed consciouses that walk around here…thankfully one of them is Trey’s  (smile).


He “confessed” his “crime” to Zane, who also possesses a well-developed conscious (smile).





Zane “talked” Trey into telling me so he would feel better…apparently Trey was feeling some remorse and guilt 🙂


My singular response (other than mentally noting to NEVER give in to Trey’s alligator tears over Math assignments again) was….


 “Well, Trey, I am sorry you have ruined some of the fun you would have had on your Christmas morning.  And, you have stolen some of the joy Mom and Dad get by watching you enjoy your surprises.  


No one’s mad at you but you might want to reconsider ruining surprises from now on because it is not only you that it affects.”





Thankfully, my words penetrated and wormed their way into Trey’s heart, conscious, and spirit because I received a very heartfelt apology about two hours later 🙂


BUT – Can You Believe That?!?!!!


The boys used the WEIGHT of the BOX to figure out the possible CONFIGURATION of TOYS inside!





Egads!!!


Andrea