Some one-on-one time with my Mimi Me Mady!

One of my irrational fears as a parent is making sure everyone is loved equally. I hate favorites and I never want to be that parent that is more fond over one vs. the other. Some days one child is a bear and the other is sweet as pie, other days it's opposite. Some days one child is sick and demands attention and other days someone may have a big accomplishment that deserves recognition. I understand that the attention will be delivered where it should, I just never want anyone to not be getting enough of me as they need. I think I have become even more sensitive to this as Annabelle is getting older, and more sick. Now with the diagnosis, it seems Annabelle is all anyone ever talks about. I confess, I spend entirely too much time researching Annabelle's condition and completely overlooked the fact that Mady is nearly blind as a bat! Would I have caught that had I not been so focused on Annabelle? I don't know, I try not to focus on things like that, I'm carrying enough guilt as it is. That being said - to avoid my own guilt and ensure all my babies are getting everything they need, I try to stay EXTREMELY conscious of the time I give them.

Last weekend the girls and I had a day out to ourselves. AK was in Prince George cutting down trees with his dad. I needed to take Mady to find glasses. She apparently has a teeny little face which makes this shopping quite frustrating, and very limited in expensive choices. We settled on a pair of hot pink frames to knock $179 out of daddy's checking account. We next moved to Short Pump Mall to have lunch. This was the first time I was alone with both girls, and Mady needed to eat. I didn't really know what to do, but I knew I needed to entertain Annabelle and still ensure Mady has lunch. I too was hungry, but that takes zero presedence. We ended up going to the dreaded food court and I ordered Mady Chick-Fil-A, as she was eating, I took Annabelle to the play center for her very first time and she LOVED IT! The smiles and silly toddler running with duck feet was enough to melt anyone. She was so proud of herself when she learned she could climb the tallest structure. She loved waiving at the kids and then running away. When Mady was finished she ran in and they both played for about an hour. In a big way, it was a great relief that I have kids at an age they can do the same things together.. no more of one being too much a baby and can't go play without my constant help. It was a great afternoon.

That evening after AK got home, Annabelle needed a bath and I researched the movie list. Mady hasn't seen a movie since a couple weeks before she became a big sister. I found a showtime for The Croods for 7:25 and knew we had just enough time to sprint out the door, have dinner and make the movie. We went to Lonestar and ordered cheese fries, she was beside herself over all the cheese and her own ranch to dip :) I ordered us both Shirley Temples with extra cheeries and she sat close beside me and kept rubbing my hand saying "I love you mommy, you're my best friend in the whole world."

After dinner we checked the time, chased each other in the parking lot to run to the car to "hurry! hurry!" It was 7:10p and we had a big surprise! Standing in line to get our tickets Mady started coughing. She's had this terrible cough for a while but this time it sounded deep and persistent. I asked if she was alright and she kept trying to push thru saying "I am ok mommy! Let's have our surprise! I am ok!" Her coughing then turned into a gag and I knew we needed to make a break outside and away from the million people around us. That's when she started throwing up, nice pureed cheese fries and staining cheeries from a Shirley Temple, ALL. OVER. US! I kid you not. Her and I were both DRENCHED in vomit. Drenched is an understatement. She was so upset, and to be honest, so was I. I felt like throwing a towel because it's just typical of my life lately. I try to do so much and nothing ever seems to work out, Im so tired of disappointment. About a mile on our drive home, I looked in the rear-view mirror and saw a little girl with her dropped head. My heart sank. She didn't do anything wrong but she knew she was cause for ruining our surprise and the big night. I called AK and said "Find me another showtime at the nearest theatre, were coming home to change! Pull out Mady a change of clothes, we're making this fast!" I couldn't make this about me being upset, I didn't want her to see that, and I didn't want to finish our night on that note. It wasn't her fault at all she wasn't feeling well and she DESERVES a good night out with mommy. We ended up FLYING to Commonwealth Theatre, grabbed ourselves popcorn and the kids pack and made it in to the 7:55pm movie with one preview left to show and the movie began. She was quite sleep and spent the second half the movie in my lap but we laughed our hiney's off the entire time. To be honest, I loved the movie and can't wait for it to come out. We got home super late and were both asleep as soon as heads hit the pillow. Mady had a wonderful time, and I enjoyed the break up of the routine too. I love any time I ever get with Mady one-on-one, the kid is a riot and hilarious! She deserves that undivided attention.

She is so eager to help you, please you, make you proud of her. She wants to know if she's being brave during times that are scary. She wants to make you proud when she makes her bed in the mornings. She loves when you recognize her hard work when she draws you a beautiful, extremely detailed picture.