Oops!

Ava had her first potty accident in a while this morning. Oops... It was probably avoidable had I paid attention to the way she was standing but I was distracted and then it was too late. She pooped a little bit in her panties at which time she became frantic about getting it removed. I put her on the potty and she finished. I felt bad for her that she looked so miserable when she saw her panties but after she finished she demanded her sucker and things were back to normal.

Still feeling like I let Ava down I decided to take the girls to play with their twin friends at the monkey bar park. The twins had ridden their scooters to the park so all four girls were able to switch off riding them. Wouldn't you know it I turn my head to see what Liv's was doing and I turn back around and Ava had climbed this curvy ladder all the way to the top and then shout, "Mommy I did it. Yea Ava." Oops. After my heart attack I gave her a high five and told her she is too young to climb that particular ladder but she can climb on the smaller one. The park is rated for kids five and over. I really feel that some of the obstacles are too advanced for a 2 year old's dexterity. Obviously I am the only person who feels that way because the little booger ran right back over to it and climbed it again. I've seen kids with broken bones. I NEVER want to see either of my kids with anything more than a broken fingernail. Again I told Ava that she is not allowed to climb this particular ladder and then my friend chimes in with, "you know last week she climbed that like 5 times when you were on the other side of the playground and she did just fine." Ummm, did I ask for your advice? No. I didn't thank you very much. So I replied simply, "Ava is still a baby and she doesn't need to be on this ladder." And she said, "yeah she isn't a baby anymore expect for in YOUR mind." Fine. Two against one. You got me beat.

I know Ava isn't really a baby, but I feel like there are things that Liv can do that Ava is chronologically too young for even if she can really do it. Maybe it's just me wanting to keep from growing up too fast. I want to protect them both for everything and I know it is humanly impossible but the things that I can shield them from I will. Honestly I am quite surprised either one of them has learned to walk let alone climb since I was always so worried about them falling down and skinning their knees. But even with my resistance they learned. It's amazing how much you can worry about your kids. I think about them wanting to leave home one day and go off to college and I worry... How many years away is that? Exactly.

I asked my mom how she let my brother and I leave for college and she said it was rough at first but that's why you have 18 years to instill good values. I guess what was good for my mom is that I stayed close to home, I check in often, and she still usually knows where I am at or where I am going. She's like my best friend. I tell her everything. I hope that I create a bond with my girls that wherever they go to college or whatever they do in life we will still be emotionally close and connected to each other. Wow do they grow up fast.