Ack! I'm Becoming My Mother!

It's bound to happen eventually-but NEVER during craft time! I've never suffered with perfectionism (sometimes I wish I did) so Sophia's creative expression's something I've loved about being her mom

Does Not Share Well with Others? The awful truth dawned this morning when I realized I'd taken-over Sophia's sticker project! Eventually the poor thing resorted to coloring a napkin b/c mommy was obsessively arranging her African village without letting her play. Well you have to get the perspective right?! You know, so that the large people & objects are near the front to maintain proper realism!?!?!?

Now I could NEVER manage to color inside the lines as a child. Still can't for that matter. I've never been symmetrical and so everything I've touch always has what I lovingly call "flair." This of course drove my own mother nuts! And however well intentioned, many projects in my childhood were confiscated in the name of proper realism.

In my defense, my daughter and I have a strange symbiotic relationship that all toddlers acquire with their hosts (i mean parents.) One is never fully conscious of what one consumes, creates, or completes.

For example, this Sunday I found myself taking communion at the back of our little church, while simultaneously entertaining a wiggly 21-month old. When directed to 'Take and eat in remembrance of Him,' I discovered Sophia had ALREADY devoured my representation of the body of Christ while I'd been attempting to create a fantastic coat of many colors for Joseph!Thankfully animal crackers were a handy alternative and went down easily with my prayer for forgiveness.

So you see, happy-chaos is a common occurrence in our home. Even though I swore I would never try to correct my daughter's art! Who cares if in our African village the chief has a donkey sitting on his head? Or that the cattle are larger than the men?

Sigh--one more hard-earned lessen in maternal grace:To give is to receive.