My Husband - Everything a Daddy Should Be…
Happy Father’s Day to the most amazing man I know…..
He is a snuggling, kissing, nap-with-you, toss-a-football, teach-you-to-pitch-and swing, wipe-your-tears, make-a-crazy-silly-face, tickle-you-until-you-cry, rub-your-legs-in-the-middle-of-the-night, save-you-from-monsters, read-you-the-same-book-twelve-times, keep-you-safe, teach-you-to-protect-each-other, let-you-stay-up-late-to-watch-the-Cardinals, believe-in-Fairy-Godmothers, dress-up-like-a-penguin-for-Halloween, help-you-with-homework, catch-you-when-you-fall, hold-your-hand, cookies-and-milk, take-you-to-Disney-World, celebrate-you-learning-to-ride-a-bike, coach-your-teams, sing-at-the-top-of-his-lungs, get-down-on-his-knees-and-play, love-your-mommy, tell-you-he’s-proud-of-you, say-prayers-with-you-before-bedtime - KIND OF DADDY.
The small people are Lucky Ducks - no doubt about it.
And, I am one lucky wife and mother.
What Matters Most
I had a moment today when I was mad. Quite mad.
But then I realized. It doesn’t matter.
But this does.
Today, Coop and I went exploring.
We found rocks. Lots of them. Small and tiny. White and Brown. Speckled and plain.
When he said prayers tonight - the only thing he said ‘thank you’ for: ’going exploring with Mommy’.
That Matters.
It matters that he cooked dinner with me.
And.
That he tipped that chin up at me, waited a beat until he knew in his little 3 year old heart that he had my full attention and then he whispered, “Mommy, is it ok with you if I stay three forever?”
Yes, Coop, you can.
And that is what matters.
Most.
I left my heart (or some of it) in Vancouver
Six days.
144 hours.
That is the extent of my official Olympic experience…but the love and lessons will stay with me so much longer.
If you’ve been following any of my Olympic coverage, you know I owe the experience to Procter & Gamble. They asked me to come to Vancouver to share, in my own words, the Olympic experience, as well as the beauty and gratitude that surround the P&G Family Home.
It may sound cliche to call this the opportunity of a life-time, but that really is just how it felt.
I could rattle on for hours about my thoughts on the Olympics Games, the 50 degree temperatures, the Canadian Pride, the aura surrounding an actual Olympic event (I went to Ice Dancing and Curling), the jolt I got from visiting the Getty Images crew, the Olympic Flame, those darn-cute Olympic mascots (my kids adore Muk-Muk), or the flashbacks to my Canadian Childhood (Canadian bacon, brown sugar and toast with butter and jam, anyone?)
But I promise to keep this shorter than that.
I have always loved the Olympics - even as a little girl I was mesmerized by the drama - the punch in the gut of a fall, the pride stretched across the faces and chests of the athletes wearing their country’s colors, the tears and sacrifice that combine for a win….a bronze, a silver, a gold.
I loved walking the streets of Vancouver…..the maple leaf decorated hats, store windows, cars and, of course, mittens. The volume would increase as Canada’s stakes in the medal count continued to climb. When Jon Montgomery won gold for skeleton, strangers high-fived in the dark, yelling, “did you hear?” And when Joannie Rochette’s mother passed away the Saturday before she was slated to compete…..Canada wasn’t the only nation crying for her. To say nothing of the fact that Joannie put her skates on and competed…..she skated for her mom - that was evident. And, wow….what a proud mom she must have right now.
Which brings me to Moms….and the true reason I spent time at the Olympic Games. You saw the P&G commercials, right? I stubbornly wiped my eyes every time I saw them….knowing my husband was preparing to tease me for over-active ‘mommy emotions’. But you know what? I can feel those commercials. They are right on when they say, ‘to their moms, they’ll always be kids’. That’s how I feel now and my small people are…well….small.
Every mom I met in the P&G Family Home.….every athlete I talked to recognized that bond. These moms stand in the rain for 10 hours to watch their kids ski down a mountain. They get up at 4am to get them to an early practice before school. They travel weeks out of the year, witnessing growth and setbacks from the sidelines. They feel the joy of a win and the pain of defeat.
And for all of that….this was a chance to say Thank You, Mom.
I now understand that willingness to sacrifice.
Given the opportunity, I’d do it too….my kids are my world.
A few Olympic highlights for me if you haven’t had a chance to see them:
Chatting with Bronze Medalist Shannon Bahrke and her brother (and fellow Olympian) Scotty.
Julie Chu - Silver Medalist for Women’s Hockey.
Speed Skater, Allison Baver.
Chad Hedrick and family after he won the Bronze Medal for Speed Skating.
Putting the spotlight on the Thank you, Mom Campaign.
Today - A small miracle
Ok - maybe Miracle is a strong word….but you know, sometimes a small step forward for your child can feel like you have donned a cape and danced over the buildings of disrespectful and non-listening children?
That’s what happened this morning.
My sweet girl did something she has never done before.
After getting herself dressed….she went downstairs (all by herself mind you - no prodding), packed her lunch, packed her backpack and put on her socks and shoes.
I know you might be thinking - ‘big flippin’ deal, Danielle’. But it is. It is huge. It is monumental.
She came back upstairs and said, “Mommy, I have something to tell you…I’m all packed and ready for school. All I have left to do it put on my coat.”
I paused.
This caliber of news deserves a pause, I tell you.
I glanced down and tilted my head - trying to see if she looked as different as she suddenly felt to me. Except for the grin splitting her little face? Nope - same Delaney.
She was so proud. I was so proud.
And I promise you, she is going to know how proud I am - every single minute I am with her today.
This is a child who normally needs to be told 6-7 times, “please put your shoes on.” And she has NEVER, I repeat, NEVER packed her own lunch and backpack - at least without tremendous prompting.
It is only Monday, and yet:
Mommy - 1, World - 0.
Olympic Main Press Center - Chatting with Getty Images
If you would like to see the VERY BEST Getty Images from each day of the Olympic Games, click here.
(This is a special site not typically used by the general public)
Living Olympic Core Values - Gold Medalist, Vonetta Flowers
She learned the National Anthem as she pictured herself winning a Gold Medal at the Olympics.
It was during a wonderful conversation the other night with former Olympian, Vonetta Flowers that I began to see the woman behind the record setting Gold Medal for bobsledding. It was so much fun to chat with someone who has accomplished something I have only dreamed of….
9 year old Vonetta Flowers could run faster than most boys she knew. With a track coach who saw something special as he watched her run, and a mother who believed she could do or be anything she wished, this young girl grew up grasping for gold.
In 2000, after what felt like a lifetime of training and competing in track and field and singing that National Anthem, Vonetta’s husband noticed a flyer advertising tryouts for a newly forming bobsled team, “The only thing I knew about bobsledding was what I had seen in the movie, Cool Runnings. Trying out was like a joke at first, but God had been preparing me - without the years of track and field training, I wouldn’t have been successful.”
Since I am clearly not a bobsledder, Vonetta was kind enough to explain the traits needed to excel: Bobsledders need speed and power, two things Flowers possessed in excess. So the ‘push’ was what she had to learn - and after 18 months of training in Germany, she had it mastered.
In 2002, at the Salt Lake City Winter Games, Vonetta hit one milestone after another. (Can you believe she told me she doesn’t get nervous?? Just anxious because she had to wait until close to the end of the Olympic Games to compete) It was her first Olympic Games as a bobsledder and it was the first Olympic Games for the Woman’s bobsledding team at all. They won Gold - in their inaugural year, giving Flowers yet another distinction - the first African American woman to win gold at a Winter Olympics.
Like me, Vonetta is now a mom - she has 7 year old twins and a 7 month old baby. But the busy lifestyle at home hasn’t slowed her down a bit. In fact, she has turned some of her attention to helping women look and feel their best. She is working on behalf of the Procter and Gamble brands that make her life easier, “My travel and training schedules can make life pretty hectic so I’m glad I can find products like Pantene, Secret and COVERGIRL at the local drugstore wherever I may be.”
She confided to me, “I’m never pampered anymore, so products like these are great. Secret lasts - I can put it on, even at night and still be fresh in the morning.”
And she is singing the praises of Pantene, “I constantly battle dry hair and need products that are easy and accessible. Pantene Relaxed & Natural Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner for women of color that helps keep my hair from breaking during styling and leaves it smooth and moisturized.”
Vonetta credits much of who she is today to her own mother, “She is my best friend. She has been through it all. I wouldn’t be here without her.”
Like so many of us, Vonetta recognizes the importance of moms in our lives. Procter and Gamble is taking an extra special step to honor those special women - the moms who live Olympic Core Values: Excellence, Respect and Friendship.
Head to ThankYouMom.com to nominate a mom you know who is living those Core Values - the winner, and the mom she nominates will win a trip to the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London to cheer on Team USA.
If you haven’t seen the P&G Commercials for the ThankYouMom campaign - I will warn you - they might make you cry. ( I did.)
I am extremely proud to be heading to the Olympic Games in just a matter of days to represent Procter and Gamble and to give you an up close look at their Family Home and the many athletes and families they are supporting. The ThankYouMom Campaign is magical.
(Here’s a teaser for you - I chatted with Gold Medal Speedskater (and dad) Chad Hedrick and Skeleton World Cup Champion (and mom) Noelle Pikus-Pace today - those interviews will be up tomorrow)
Joining me on this tremendously exciting experience - three other fantastic bloggers:
Nicole Feliciano of MomTrends is in Vancouver right now.
After me, Isabel Kallman of Alpha Mom, and April Hussar of Betty Confidential will make their way to the Olympic Games.
I hope you will follow along.
On Blissdom….In the beginning…
In the beginning, there was Little Me.
Little Me had a small website and a tiny blog. And no clue what to do with it.
Enter Twitter. Grand Entrance Blissdom.
Witness the community circle, pet her hair, compliment (despite an utter lack of worthiness) and offer to help.
Help? What’s that?
Advice, Friendship, community, passion and understanding.
And that was last year.
This year? Trumped all that.
Why?
Not because it was bigger - though it was.
Not because it was fancier - though it was.
Not because I knew people - though I did.
Not because I understand more - though I do.
But because this is now my world. I belong here - and it is these women, the women I first met last year, the ones I talk to on Twitter and skype and text…..the ones I JUST met this weekend….it is THEM. The ones who still wrap me in the snuggie version of community and hug me until I realize I am not the only hugger in the world. They share until I can say SEO and know what it means…until I understand WHY I need to make changes to my blog…until I welcome every smile, every everything.
Over the course of the next week, I will share more about this experience. It deserves more than one post….it deserves video, writing and screens with links to people you should visit.
Because that is BLISS to me.
