Ladybug, Ladybug!

That is not just a ladybug in her hands. Beneath the ladybug, past the dirt under her nails and snuggled in the cracks of her skin is the future. The future is just like a tiny winged thing. It can not be grasped, manipulated or pinned down. It must rest in cupped palms, free to fly away.

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Kindergarten Survival

Thank you for all your amazing two cents. Hopefully, with all your advice Princess will look more relaxed in next year's school picture! Many of you have asked about her teacher. Her and her teacher have not clicked. I do not think that the teacher is rude or improper. However, she is stressed. Here in Hawaii they just cut over two weeks of class time from the school schedule to balance the budget. Teachers are scrambling to make up for the lost class time and still reach their goals. Here in Hawaii kindergarten is the new first grade. By the end of this semester Princess is expected to be able to start reading, identify her letters, several words and numbers. The tricky part is they determine her knowledge with a test. It is not enough that she knows it or demonstrates proficiency in class. She must be able to regurgitate the answers within a set time limit on command. It is additional stress for the students and the teachers. Time that used to be devoted to bonding, playing and nurturing a love of knowledge is now filled with letter drills and worksheets. My main fear is that she loses her love of learning. She used to sit for book after book. She devoured literature and science. Like most children her life was an endless question. All the worksheets in the world are not a substitute for play. A passion for learning is spun from laughter and adventure. I am struggling to help my imaginative fairy princess thrive in an environment that has little room left for magic.

If you are struggling with the same issue or what the whole scoop please stalk my comment box on This Post . It is full of wonderful advice from some of my favorite bloggy friends. Feel free to link up and ask for some two cents of your very own or share some.

Today is the day for...

Candy Detox

Whisker smudged and Candy smeared

We're coming off a sugar induced candy high. I hope your Halloween was full of laughter and sweetness.

Two Cents Tuesday is headed your way? Are you ready to dish out all the good advice no one has the good sense to ask you for? If you want to join in and for a complete list of details and FAQ on Two Cents just Click Here

This time I will be begging for advice instead of dishing it out.

Maybe this week we can help each other solve our personal problems. Let's tackle world peace NEXT month.

A little help here..

It's time for Two Cents Tuesday. This is the day you can dish out all that great advice no one has the good sense to ask you for. Bring it on! Need some advice? Ask and you shall receive.

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Princess has started school and each day she is increasingly afraid. She has always been an old soul but school has pushed her from calm to withdrawn. Princess rarely gets in trouble but is so worried about making her teacher angry that she comes home in tears. At the conference her teacher showed a general interest and concern. I was optimistic. We talked about ways to ease her anxiety in school. Then she insinuated Princess might need medical help to manage her anxiety. She is five. She shouldn't have anxiety. It is kindergarten not a war zone. Why is my five year old experiencing post traumatic stress syndrome? The more I think about it the more concerned I am. Is this normal? Now that kindergarten is increasingly intense are kids crumbling under pressure before their first tooth fairy visit? Princess isn't the only one. Another little girl in her class was so stressed that she was throwing up in the bushes before school. What happened to singing songs, flicking boogers and eating paste? What would you I do?

Haunted by Feminine Hygiene

Oh well! Our ghosts smell feminine fresh.

This is the kind of creative mayhem that ensues anytime I shave my ankles, read a post or try to potty solo. My daughters are so proud and the neighborhood is officially spooked. No one has been by to peddle cookies or newspapers this week. I wonder why?

Have a great day! I'm off to buy a motion sensor for the bathroom drawer.

Want to snag some bloggy inspiration? Visit Mama Kat's

Her writing prompts fall somewhere between being touched by a muse and whacked with a cattle prod. With lots of choices one is bound to inspire you.

Do you see me?

I love her unedited.

Sleep crusted and tear smudged.

You'll find me

beneath her curling lashes,

reflected in her pupil.

Hiding in my daughter's eyes.

I never thought I would be satisfied being seen through someone else's eyes. But there I am pajama covered, camera ready and content being nothing more than a reflection in my daughter's eyes.

My taught tummy has given way to a cavernous belly button they store cheetos in. They use my old poems as confetti and Big Sister digs out the lace thongs buried under my cotton undies and fashions them into sling shots.

Maximazing the distance a thong can shoot a cheerio is my latest passion.

My too small breasts were an all you can eat buffet for two. My too small hips were the gateway to life and my daughters map my freckles like a star chart. They play connect the dots, freckle to freckle. They trace me beautiful and for the first time I am just right.

That is how motherhood has changed me.

Mama Kat's writer's workshop is exploring motherhood. She's asking all kinds of probing questions, "Who are you?", "What's your passion" and "How has motherhood changed you?" just to name a few.

Daddy's Replacement

Princess has decided the world would be a much better place without boys. I tried to reason with her. After all, no boys would mean no Daddy. What would we do without him? Her response, "We'll just get us a big lady".

Note to self: Score cute magnification pic BEFORE mud fight.