This week was Spirit week at JNES with today being "Career Day." Kaisa and Clara were discussing what they wanted to be when they grew up. At first I could hear them saying, "I'm gonna be like my Nona Marie," and "I'm gonna be like my mom and be a NANA worker."
"What we gonna wear then? Our mom's glasses?"
Then they wanted to figure something that they could actually dress up as, so they decided on Nurses.
And since I'm THAT parent, I made them both a set of their own Nurse Scrubs. Pants and all. Complete with pockets trimmed in butterflies, stuffed with Telfa non-stick pads and IV tape.
Every year, Kaisa and Clara get new Cheerleading outfits, trimmed in blue and gold, full of spirit.
I'm That parent.
For Valentine's Day, we made Chocolate Covered Strawberries and delivered them to friends, parents and siblings. She handmade her Valentine's cards and wrote a personal sentiment on each one. "You are smart." "I like you." "You have nice hair!" She thought long and hard about each of her classmates before making them a perfect color and design.
For and "end-of-school" gift one year, Dean and her made Eskimo fishing sticks, "Jiggers," and strung 50lb. test line on them with a swivel at the end and burned each of her classmates Eskimo names in them. Because at the end of school, we are still ice fishing, and I'm that parent.
For birthday parties, I usually make gifts if I have time. Aprons with baking cups attached, leather and rabbit mittens, Mukluks, etc. I like to sew, but I'm that parent.
My daughter has been able to sing the National Anthem since she was just about two and a half, and has done so in front of crowds, and family. She always makes sure she has her hand over her heart and is LOOKING directly at the Flag. Scoldings ensue if she plays around during that time. I'm that parent.
My husband is an avid hunter, and by "avid" I'm using the tightest form of the word. He hunts just about every day. But, when you live in Northern Alaska, you CAN hunt every day. We don't bait, or feed our game, we just let it roam the wilderness. You want an adventure, come up north, no tree stands, no whispering, no feed boxes, or alphalpha fields. Just plain adventure. Like Dean, he loves adventure. And when his parky cover got all bloody from a year's worth of animal kills. I made him a new one in just under an hour and a half. Cause I'm that wife.
At Christmas, Kaisa didn't have a dress from JC Penny, like she usually does, so I just made her one. And her and Clara wanted to dress as Elves...so I made them costumes too. Cause I'm that parent.
Both my children went to the Inupiaq Immersion School here, where Wednesday's were Atikluk days. (Eskimo shirt) And some days, I just didn't feel like doing laundry, so I just made them one on Wednesdays. I think my son had just about 18 when he finally moved to the "big school." Yes, I'm that parent.
And when my daughter's teacher said that Kaisa needed to read and memorize the title's and author's of this years First grade Battle of the Books, we didn't hesitate to read ONLY those books for a couple of weeks straight. Do you know any other 6 year old who can say, "Esphyr Slobdkina?" or "Else Homelund Minarik?" Like ice cream rolling off their tongues! And, it pays off, because they won the JNES battle with 100% correct and are going on to the District Battles next week. I'm that coach.
I don't think I'm one-upping anyone, I just LOVE to sew, and read, and play. And bake, and all things crafty. If I can make something for less than I can purchase it, then why not make it?
My child loves to read, so we don't force her to do anything and its almost a "prize" in her eyes that she gets to read for an HOUR rather than a half hour at night. She likes to dress up and it doesn't take me long to sew anything, so why not?
So, I think I like being THAT parent. It suits me, and my kids, nieces, nephews, and kids friends like it, so I just don't think I'll change.
Anyone want to learn how to sew? We sew just about every night.
12 comments:
How I wish that I lived a tad closer, because I would so take you up on your sewing offer. A few yrs ago Santa brought me a sewing machine, but it sits under my daughters bed as I swear it growls at me if I even look at it. In jr high when I had to take home ec I was the girl that the teacher did all the sewing projects for. I swear she did them for me just because she couldnt stand the thought of possibly having me in her class again the following yr.
I love your hubby's cover suit. Mine isn't nearly as nice... :(
AND she's HUMBLE too!! Bwahahaha ptthhppthpppthhh!
Seriously man. I had someone tell me that I "do too much and make other parent's look bad."
I had to justify it! :)
You know, I just looked up "Atikluk" on Etsy, and no one was offering them. Business opportunity for your busy sewing machine!
That's so cool you're THAT mom and THAT wife - so many lazy self-absorbed people these days - I had to laugh when you got to the part about laundry vs. making a new one instead - You are hard-core! You're kids and hubby are lucky (I'm posting my hunny's dollhouse he's making for our 3yo girl - she's a lucky girl - she's got THAT daddy)
Good for you to note these things!! All to often moms just brush off the work they do and never take the time to be proud of the huge tasks they do everyday.
Would you be MY MOM??? I always wanted "THAT" parent :-(
Just for the record, I adore you. :) Give the rest of us poor philistines some sewing outlines/guidelines for what you're making tho, please?! (You will note here that I don't use the word pattern... like I never ask for a recipe anymore, it's an ingredients approximations list!).
Keep it up woman!
I think it's great that you're "that Mom"; obviously you have the skills for it. If I ever find myself in your neck of the woods, I would love to have you teach me to sew.
I am not a mom, but if I was I like to think I would be "that" parent - but I know I wouldn't be as much "that" as you! Good for you - make no apologies, just keep on doing! I agree with Heather - you should definitely sell some of your garments on etsy. I personally would LOVE to own an apron like the one in the picture!! Keep up the great work!!
some of us dont thikn you do to much to make anyone look bad..thats sad they are so narrow minded.. some of us do jsut as much, just dont publish it.
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