There are many familiar and epic battles out there. At the circus, I am often subject to reading, watching, and even role playing in such battles over good and evil.
Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker fighting for the future of the galaxy.
Spiderman and Doctor Octopus dueling over the city of New York.
Optimus Prime and the autobots verses Megatron and the decepticons in their fierce battle over the fate of earth.
But none come close to the battle currently being fought at the circus.
One one side we have my son who as a baby was comforted by his pacifier and wants his little brother to find comfort in the same place.
His littlest sister weighs in in the other corner. She’s found great solace in sucking her fingers and takes delight in finding her baby brother doing the same.
On more than one occasion I have seen them trying to convince their brother that their way is the best way. (Yes, that’s right my son will pull the fingers out of a content baby’s mouth in order to stick in the pacifier).
Who will win for the heart and soul of the youngest circus member? Will it be the pacifier or his fingers?
Right now, he’s a bit confused and scared over the choice at hand.
It’s been one of those days… please tell me you know the ones…took the circus crew to the pediatrician’s for my 3 yr old’s check up. One would have thought by the amount of shrieking that took place in the hall that we were attempting to tie her down and give her 30 shots, when really we just wanted her to take her sandals off and stand on the scale. From that humbling spectacle we were off to the grocery store. I am sure your wondering why today of all days I decided to take the whole crew with me for a major stock up. And the truth is, b/c I was desperate. We’ve depleted the supplies… even those ones in the back of the cupboard that stay there month after month… and we have no free evenings in sight for me to divide and conquer, so forward we marched, baby strapped to me in the moby wrap, 3 yr old crying in the top seat of the cart and the other two jumping beans bouncing around the aisles talking a mile a minute at the top of their lungs. Oh what fun!
Finally we emerged with a full cart to unload, load, unload, and put away… and as I did this, taking a break to nurse the baby, and then make lunch for the other 3, I was feeling my patience wearing thin. I was tired. My back hurt. My ears were ringing. I still have food to put away, laundry to put away, toys to pick up, phone calls to make, dinner to prep… you know the list… I sent an SOS (really just a whiny e-mail) to my husband while sticking a can of coke in the freezer to cool off for later.
The baby started to cry in his swing and my son suggested that maybe he needed his diaper changed. Good thought since it had been quite awhile since I’d done that. I went to pick him up and as I bent down he stopped crying.
My son said, “Why are you always the magic trick?”
I told him I used to be his magic trick too. As I walked down the hall to the nursery pondering the impact a mother can have on her kids and on how small a window of time we have to make that impact.
It was then that my son called out from the table, “Ya know mom, when your holding a small person, really your holding a big person, because you have no idea the plans God has for that life.”
Wowzers! Talk about a zinger! And yet so very true. I have no idea the plans God has for their lives. But they are big. And what a humbling privilege it is to be their momma.
As they each rest in separate rooms for their quiet time and I soak in the quiet while sipping on my coke and nibbling on lunch, I am so thankful for the perspective God gave me today out of the mouth of my 6 yr old.
Sometimes you never know the impact a simple baby shower gift can have. Before my oldest was born, my third grade students threw me a “surprise” baby shower. And one of my students gave me a little lamb banky baby that has a head on one end and the tail on the other. 
My son ended up latching on to it and sometime before his sister came along he called the lil lamb, his baby. Baby went with him everywhere… I can even recall driving back to church to get it so he could take his nap one fateful afternoon when we left it behind.
We proceeded to get “babies” for each of our children. Some kids are more attached to their baby than others, but all of them sleep with them pretty much every night. Scott made up stories for the kids starring their babies… Our first born has Sir Lamb a lot. Then we’ve got Snoop Doggy Doggy.
And beary bear.
The three had many adventures on their intergalactic star ship cruiser before retiring and moving into the circus house to serve as protectors of the circus children.
We recently presented our newest circus member with a baby of his own. His identity has yet to be revealed as Daddy still needs to debrief with the other three babies and learn his secret identity. Perhaps it’ll be revealed on our next long car trip.
But, he’s gotten quite attached to it already. I find him stroking the edges and curling up with it in his crib as he falls asleep.
If only I could give such a baby gift that would have such lasting and sentimental value to a family. I am certain that girl has no idea how much her little lamb blanket grew to mean to my family.
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Tonight the kids and I were enjoying a walk at the Naval Academy when we spotted a statue of their mascot, the goat, which prompted a rather comical discussion.
We talked about how the goats are the navy mascot, to which my 3 yr old responded, “But mom, goats aren’t scary.” I then said that the Army is afraid of them b/c when they play each other in sports (not war) then they are against each other and don’t want to lose to them. We then discussed the Army donkeys and how they are afraid of the Navy goats to which my three year old again responded, “But mom, donkeys aren’t scary.”
My 6 yr old then said, “Now, skunks would be scary. If I saw a skunk I’d be real scared and need lots of tomato juice!”
“Yes,” my four year old responded, “and snakes… Snakes are scary too!”
There you have it folks, the circus family has spoken. To the high ranking officials at West Point and the Naval Academy. The circus family proposes you change your mascots from the goat and donkey to something a little more frightening…
snakes and skunks
Looking forward to the next Army/Navy gathering in December. Should be really interesting!
I clearly remember the first baseball game I attended with Scott. A coworker had given him the tickets and since we had no plans, we thought, “Sure, why not?”
As we drove into Baltimore and hit traffic, Scott was in disbelief, “Could this be game traffic?” He asked. “I had no idea this many people liked baseball.”
Yea… clearly, we aren’t big baseball enthusiasts.
But, thanks to my oldest son, my children are. So, we try to get to at least one game a season.
Last week we took the circus crew to Camden Yards. And, truly, it was one of my favorite nights of the summer. 
Sometimes, you try and do nice things for your kids and it ends in whining and fighting, tears, and Mom and Dad wondering “Why in the world did we bother?”
Thankfully, this wasn’t one of those nights.
The kids were singing a rousing rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” the entire way from the parking lot to the ticket office. I couldn’t help but smile at their enthusiasm. They were even greeted with a round of applause from the ticket booth.
We got great seats, but I was mesmerized by my children. I cracked open a gazillion peanut shells and taught my kids when to scream, “Charge!” I loved the way my son, would randomly scream out “Let’s Go O’s!” And the way my 3 yr old would jump up and down and dance to the music. We watched the game and giggled at the vendors and the way they yelled, “Hot Dooog” with their “Balmore” accents. And even though the O’s didn’t pull through with a win, I left feeling like a winner.
Our littlest slugger enjoying his first time at the ball park.
