Most of my favorite bloggers are my favorites for one reason, because their writing makes me smile. And nobody’s words make me smile so simply and contentedly as Kristen’s from The Preppy Girl in Pink. She writes about life with her two girls in a way that makes me nod all the way through every post thinking, “Yep, that’s exactly how it is and exactly how it should be.” If you don’t yet know Kristen, please read on and then rush over to her place where she captures motherhood so beautifully.
This post here is a perfect reminder to see the world through the eyes of our children and I am so excited to share it with you today.
Oh, and after you’ve read Kristen’s words and visited her, please visit me over at the Kir Corner where I am sharing a proud mommy moment today. Oh how I love blogging friends!
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Hi there! I’m Kristen. I have been on my blog, The Preppy Girl in Pink, for almost a year now and have truly found one of my passions in life. I can’t believe how many friends I have made just by simply putting my words out there in the blogosphere. I was so excited when Tricia invited me to her blog. I love to read her posts because I can feel her emotions as I read them. It can be through warmth, honesty, humor or all of those things.
I hope you all can feel the love behind this post I wrote about my girls and how they have changed my life.
I see a pile of laundry that needs to get taken care of.
My daughters see grass stained shorts from rolling down their favorite hill at their school.
I see leaves and mulch brought in from the outdoors on the carpet.
My daughters see bits and pieces of nature that were used to make furniture in their fairy garden
I see dirty dishes from making cupcakes in the sink.
My daughters see vanilla cupcakes with sprinkles.
I see legos, Littlest Pet Shop, Squinkies and My Little Pony scattered throughout the house.
My daughters see buildings, their favorite little animals and little creatures that come to life with their imaginations.
I see glue and glitter stuck to the table.
My daughters see their pictures they imagined in their heads come to life on piece of paper.
I see everything known to man being used to mark pages in books.
My daughters see that anything can be used as a bookmark as long as it doesn’t hurt the pages.
I see stuffed animals covering dressers and desks.
My daughters see their fluffy friends waiting for them to play.
I see a mess of busted water balloons on the patio.
My daughters see an afternoon of fun staying cool on a hot summer’s day.
I am still growing every day as a parent with my daughters. I teach them but they teach me as well. I once strived for perfection with empty laundry hampers, marks from the vacuum cleaner in the carpet, a clear sink, toys in specified containers, a pristine kitchen table, proper bookmarks, dusted dressers and desks and a picture perfect patio. Now I strive to let go of that perfection and remember the fun behind the messes.
Seeing things through my daughters’ eyes has brought me to a much happier place.
What have you seen differently looking through your children’s eyes? How have they helped you grow as a person?
Pingback: Growing Together – A Guest Post At Raising Humans
August 2, 2012 at 8:23 am
Tricia, Thank you so much for having me. When I sit down at my desk to write sometimes, my mind goes blank. When I begin to think of my girls and our time together as a family, all of the words that had fled come rushing back in. They are my inspiration for so many things in my life…if not all of them. Each day I learn something about myself and about them. I love this theme of Growing Together that you are doing.
Thanks again for wanting my words on your blog. It means a lot!
Kristen
Kristen recently posted..Growing Together – A Guest Post At Raising Humans
August 2, 2012 at 8:53 am
What a beautiful post. I love the end, especially. Stopping by from SITS and so glad I did.
thedoseofreality recently posted..Olympic Fever
August 2, 2012 at 3:08 pm
Thank you for stopping by and for me…the ending of this post just keeps getting better every day.
Kristen recently posted..Social Media Dreams
August 2, 2012 at 9:26 am
No kids here – but you already know that.
I think the people we love and are closest to us teach us how to see the world through a different set of eyes if we open our minds and our hearts to the experience.
And when we do, our lives will never be the same
You have such wonderful children.
Cheers.
Dylan Lin Calista recently posted..But I Feel Sorry For Him…
August 2, 2012 at 3:10 pm
Thank you! It truly is an amazing thing to see things through someone else’s perspective.
Kristen recently posted..Growing Together – A Guest Post At Raising Humans
August 2, 2012 at 10:30 am
Oh, this one gave me goosebumps. I need to take some time to see the world through the eyes of my children. Thank you for your wisdom!
ilene recently posted..Got Friends?
August 2, 2012 at 3:12 pm
Wow! Thanks so much, Ilene. I tend to get a little stressed about how everything has to be just so. I’m just learning that the house can be a little messy. It just means we are having fun and making memories.
Kristen recently posted..Social Media Dreams
August 2, 2012 at 1:29 pm
I just love this. Isn’t it amazing how perfect things can be when you look at it through your kids eyes. This made my day.
Julia recently posted..Simply a Memory
August 2, 2012 at 3:13 pm
Julia, I am so happy to hear that! Hopefully, you let the dishes sit a bit and got some giggles out instead.
Kristen recently posted..Growing Together – A Guest Post At Raising Humans
August 2, 2012 at 3:15 pm
Kristen, this is a great post! I want to take this perspective a lot more. I think doing this helps us grow closer to our children because they feel like we understand them more. Thanks for this inspiration and reminder!
Recovering Supermom recently posted..One of the Scariest Moments of My Life
August 2, 2012 at 11:05 pm
It really hit me one day when I was stressing about how messy the house was and when I looked over and saw my girls just playing together and having fun, I knew I needed to find a new way to see things.
So happy you liked it! Thank you!
Kristen recently posted..Social Media Dreams
August 2, 2012 at 5:17 pm
I love this! Being Type A is tough, but you are so right: we must remember the fun behind the messes. We don’t get extra credit for having a spotless house, that’s for sure!
Wonderful words!
michelle @ this little light recently posted..And Now, The Summer Is Complete
August 2, 2012 at 11:08 pm
You nailed it! Now I am putting my Type A personality into getting extra credit for the fun.
Kristen recently posted..Social Media Dreams
August 2, 2012 at 8:17 pm
Beautiful words, Kristen. And a good reminder to sometimes slow down and take the time to see things from my girls’ perspectives. When we rush through life, it’s easy to get annoyed by all these little things rather than enjoy them.
Katie E recently posted..Smart Is the New Cool
August 2, 2012 at 11:10 pm
Thank you!
How many times do we hear about not sweating the small stuff and yet we still do? It is such a hard thing to let go of certain things but it really does open the day up for so much fun when you do.
Kristen recently posted..Growing Together – A Guest Post At Raising Humans
August 2, 2012 at 9:40 pm
Wow, what a great post! I love the different perspectives. I need to remember this when I am looking at my daughter’s room
Denise recently posted..Calm My Crazy: The Beach
August 2, 2012 at 11:11 pm
Denise, you just made me laugh because I know all about your daughter’s room! Too funny!
Kristen recently posted..Growing Together – A Guest Post At Raising Humans
August 3, 2012 at 8:55 am
What a gorgeous post! I try to keep myself in the perspective of how my boys see me, the things I say, etc. Especially when it’s early, I’m cranky, etc. That said- it’s hard. I love that you have the ability to see what they see on their level and the beauty in all of it. I know I have said it before, but you really are an inspiring mom.
August 3, 2012 at 1:46 pm
You are way too kind! Trust me, I am cranky too! Socks and shoes all over my house does not make me happy but it also shouldn’t make me crazy. For a while, I let it make me crazy. Now, I kick them out of my way and just keep going. I’m FINALLY learning that when I’m easier going so is the rest of my family.
Kristen recently posted..Growing Together – A Guest Post At Raising Humans
August 3, 2012 at 9:04 am
A beautiful post and such a wonderful reminder of how our children see things differently than we do. Often we get so caught up in what *we* want things to look like we forgot about how it looks to the people who matter most in our lives.
Visiting from SITS. Looking forward to following your blog.
BusyMomofTwins recently posted..Today is a new day
August 3, 2012 at 1:49 pm
I am definitely one to get caught up in the craziness of what I consider perfection. Now that I am letting some of it go though, it just makes the mood lighter in our house. There are still days when I lose it over stepping on one too many My Little Ponys while I am carrying the laundry basket and can’t see them but for the most part those days are far and few between anymore.
Thanks for stopping by. I look forward to getting to know you.
Kristen recently posted..Growing Together – A Guest Post At Raising Humans
August 3, 2012 at 6:14 pm
Such a great perspective, Kristen. I also need to look at things through my children’s eyes more often.
Leigh Powell Hines @Hinessightblog recently posted..What this Llama Taught Me About Blogging
August 5, 2012 at 7:56 pm
It is just like getting low with the camera lense to see things the way they do. It has really helped me relax about how I do things in our home.
Kristen recently posted..Growing Together – A Guest Post At Raising Humans
August 3, 2012 at 9:04 pm
This is a beautiful post Kristen! Perspective really is everything, huh? I love seeing the world anew through my kids’ eyes. I need to remind myself to do it more often.
Christine @ Love, Life, Surf recently posted..Friday Round-Up: I almost forgot!
August 5, 2012 at 7:57 pm
I still have to remind myself too. There are days when it is easy to slip back into old habits. I just keep trying though.
Kristen recently posted..Growing Together – A Guest Post At Raising Humans
August 5, 2012 at 1:34 pm
I couldn’t agree more that viewing life through a child’s eye teaches us more than we could ever possibly realize. I love how you described this.
August 5, 2012 at 7:59 pm
Thanks, Liz. This was the fastest I have written a post in a long time. I think since it came straight from my heart…it was easier to get out.
Kristen recently posted..Growing Together – A Guest Post At Raising Humans
August 5, 2012 at 9:53 pm
Once again, a beautiful post!
I am working hard to see more through my children’s eyes. I have given up on trying to have a perfectly clean house. I used to not know how my mom did it, and looking back, now I think she missed out a lot as we grew up. I don’t want to make that same mistake.
OneMommy recently posted..Dear Postal Worker
August 6, 2012 at 11:06 pm
This? Is stunning. I truly have no words – which is rare!
{Again: Stunning.}
Galit Breen recently posted..Big Love, Small Steps