Early Christmas Present

This year we got two early Christmas presents. One from the sky and the other from Grandpa and Grandma Ritchie. Cecilia loves both, as you can see.

Helping daddy "shovel."


Snow Angel, I know it is hard to see. But look closely.


Here I Cecilia opening her Christmas present and riding it around. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!

A Parenting First

Cecilia has been going to Nursery for a few weeks now. For whatever reason Shaun has always been the one to take her and usually beats me to pick her up (since I have to wait for all the parents to come pick up their kids from my class). But I hear rave reviews of how well she did and how she never cries and always helps pick up the toys. Well yesterday I told Shaun that I would take her since the primary room is right across the hall. I think there was a little voice in both of our heads that said that wasn't a good idea but neither of us listened. So I pick her up and away we go. I thought she was an old pro now with nursery and when I got there all the kids were sitting in chairs in a circle listening to the teacher. I go to plop her in the empty chair and her legs do the splits in that way only spica kids can do, which means I DON'T WANT TO BE PUT DOWN!, screams "NO!" and starts wailing. I was shocked! This kids loves nursery, what is wrong? Then I remembered the warning bell in my head and pick her up to go find Shaun. I have heard several parents say they have to have the dads take the kids to nursery because they are less attached to them and won't cry when they leave. So I take her in the hall bawling and Shaun "happens" to be there and I look at him like "what is wrong?" He looks at me and says "you did it all wrong!" This is where the title of the post comes in. This is the first time I can remember where Shaun had a handle on some parenting skill that I obviously didn't. Not only that but I thought I did. I felt like a complete outsider even though my daughter was clinging to me with both hands and feet and crying on my shoulder. Shaun said "First you don't carry her in there, she needs to walk in on her own. Then you shove her in and close the door behind you." I was surprised! What do you mean you walk out and close the door behind you? I've only heard about how well she did and how she loves nursery. I assumed that meant she didn't have problems from the beginning. I thought I knew Cecilia well enough that if all the other kids are sitting in chairs, then she would want to sit in a chair too. How wrong I am! Shaun knows her better than I do because he had this figured out from the first try. What an odd feeling it is to think you understand the situation and then all of a sudden realize you are completely in the dark and someone else actually knows what is going on and is taking care of it.
After my mess up it was a feat to get her to go with Shaun and then as I'm sitting in primary I hear a distinct "NO!" and crying in the hall that only a parent knows. Shaun is trying to get her to go to nursery but I ruined it and he is having a harder time. I felt both guilty and confused at the same time. But at least I had the good sense to know that if I went to help I would just make it worse. After church I ask Shaun how it went and he said she was fine after I got her in there. I guess this is a job for daddy from now on since he does it right and mommy doesn't.