Just try

There are times in every parent's life that their own words come back to them in the form of a child's voice. Sometimes it's great. Sometimes it forces you to do something you do not want to do.

Yesterday I experienced the latter.

I took the kiddos outside to play after lunch. Eva planned to ride her tricycle, but wanted to get in the wagon with Eli. After pulling them around and around and around... in circles in the driveway, Eva requested a longer trip. Well, that wouldn't have been such a terrible idea, except for the fact that we live on a pretty steep hill. We are the second house on the street and the hill continues to run downward for another 5 houses. (It was a fun place to try to sled during our Christmas winter wonderland, though!) Aside from the fact that we live on a steep hill, have I mentioned that I'm 28 weeks pregnant? Because I am.

Have I also mentioned that Eva weighs 35 lbs and Eli weighs 25 lbs? Because they do.

Let's do the math:

1 wagon= 15-20 lbs

1 one yr old= 25 lbs

1 four yr old= 35 lbs

1 pregnant mama carrying an extra 18ish lbs

This all adds up to close to an extra 100 lbs to pull up hill.

I casually told Eva that I just wasn't sure if I would be able to pull them back up the hill.

Then I heard my words come back to bite me!

"Mommy, you won't know if you can do something unless you try!"

Point well taken. Down the hill we went.

And back up again. Then mommy had to sit down to recover. Mama's heart was a pounding! But the kiddos had much fun, so it was worth it!

While I recovered, Eva pulled Eli around in circles in the driveway telling me that she could pull Eli farther than me. (Maybe we should work on some humility lessons.) Then the little guy started waving and telling me "Hi!" and blowing me kisses. Melted his mama's heart to pieces.

The wagon soon became old news and there was sidewalk chalk to be played with (or eaten). There was dirt to dig in and a certain 14 month old kept trying to eat the acorns he found on the ground. After fishing a few of those out, I gave up and took the troops inside. Both kids were so dirty that they got a mid-day bath.

Such a fun afternoon!