Want your toddler to be a star?

Or at least a mini-star....or at least have their name in a published book? Or at least have something for the scrapbook?

As some of you know I'm hard at work - ok, I'm at work - on my next book, coming out in late summer, called "Toddlers Gone Wild."

I'm just joking. I mean, I'm joking about the "work" part.

I'm actually really hard at work on it. So hard at work that I haven't been able to blog...or find time to eat (so, yes, dear readers, I've been living on apple juice boxes and animal crackers. You know how it is.)

Without giving too much away, I'm writing essays - some short and sweet, perfect reading before bed, or when you find ten minutes of alone time while raising your toddlers. Other essays will be longer. But you'll all be able to relate with the collection. And laugh along with me (and sometimes "at" me.)

However, I thought it would be even more fun to include my mommy blogger readers/friends.

The So Early Phone Call

It's the funniest thing....

I've always been a walker. I love to walk. People are always, "Why can't we just jump in a cab?" And I'll be like, "But it's only a 20 minute walk!"

Part of the problem is that I'm a really fast walker. And I mean really fast.

But, anyway...

I was walking The Dictator to school everymorning and enjoying it...(Although the looks from strangers, when I was walking back home with her empty stroller, with only a Starbucks cup in the seat, as opposed to an actual toddler or baby, somewhat made me feel a little crazy...)

The weather turned cold. I had to start to drive her to school. Because that wind tunnel at Bloor and Ave is miserable.

And, I tell you, I'm back at home by 8:30 a.m. thanks to this quick drive.

By the time I'm home, I've already gotten three messages on my cell phone.

These, of course, are from my other mommy friends, who have just dropped their kids off from school.

I don't know what it is about these early morning phone calls. But I love them. I had no idea I had it in me to be so gossipy before 9 a.m.

But I do have it in me. And I love these phone calls. You can't really talk to your mother friends in the evenings, once they are with their kids. Or when I'm with mine.

Because mostly my conversations with friends go like this, "Oh she just spilled her juice. I got to go wipe it up....oh now she wants a bandaid....oh now she doesn't like her mushy grape....oh now she has just taken off all her clothes...I think I should just go. Call me tomorrow at 8:35 a.m.!"

Some of my best conversations now happen before 9 a.m.

Oh, wait....my phone is ringing...It's my best friend who just dropped off her kids....It's 9 a.m.

Watching TV

It has been years since I actually sat down to watch any Soap Operas. Back then, when I actually watched them, I could barely go a day without plopping in front of the TV to catch all of the latest on The Bold and the Beautiful, The Young and the Restless, Days of Our Lives and Passions.

They all started to become really cheesy to me. I think I stopped watching Days of Our Lives when the “aliens” were found by Belle and whoever her boyfriend was at the time, Hope’s oldest.

Well someone has left the TV set to the channel Days of Our Lives comes on and I see that Stefano has come back from the dead again. I am beginning to think he is part feline since he seems to have so many lives!

Now I understand why I stopped watching this one.

Finding Balance

Last week my two year old ran fever, my husband and I were sick and we still had to deal with our two month old waking up several times a night. It wore me down. I still feel a little wore down.

And today it ocurred to me - Balance isn’t about always keeping the different balls in the air. It isn’t about being supermom or getting it all done all of the time.

It’s not about perfection. Balance is about learning when it’s okay to let some of the balls drop and being comfortable with which ones you let go.

So today, I was exhausted. At one point I could have sworn I had fever. It was 80 outside, I had no central air and inside it was muggy and warm yet I was shivering and covering up with a blanket because of the chills. I didn’t accomplish much. But I kept my family fed - reasonably well.

I got on the floor and played dinosaurs with my two year old. I read bedtime stories to my children. The dishes aren’t done yet and the laundry didn’t get done for the day.

But - I figure when my children look back, their favorite moments won’t be watching me wash the dishes or mopping the floor, but of me reading the story twice or growling like a T-Rex and pretending to be the mountain for their toy cars.

So, if I find some days I just can’t get it all done, I have to examine my priorities and if it’s not tops - then it’s not on my list. And I don’t do it.

And finally coming to that point where it’s okay and releasing the feelings of failure if it doesn’t get done has brought tremendous relief for me. And I realize that in this balancing act, I am successful even when 'it' doesn’t get 'all done'.