Lake Effect Snow and Poopy Diapers...

Make for a wonderful Monday.
Last night, the weather report was the highlight of the news.Lake effect snow warning posted for our region.For those of you that don't know, that's like the mother load of snow.Its like the 75% going out of business sale of all sales.Its responsible for snow days,black outs ,limited visibility, power outages, and a butt load of snow.I really look forward to the possibility of a snow day, or an essential personnel only on the road days.A two hour day isn't that bad either.If I am lucky I get to sleep in an hour later.So this time, we were let down miserably.We got some hail, and we may have gotten a small band of lake effect that lasted for 5 min if that.Other than that , we got no real snow.I know I am asking for it now...sort of like a little kid asking for medicine.Because when it finally comes, its gonna come, be nasty and not stop.
The winters here are like that.As the season approaches it teases you.We get cold summers, compared.I remember being happy it got in the 70's this summer.We got a couple of really hot days, but that's it.So isn't it like the North Country to wait til October to snow.Right before Halloween.poor kids....butterflies in winter coats.Ever seen a devil wear a winter coat?....lol.Now we are in November, and I don't know what to expect.We got really nice days last week.I always use to pick on the winter/ the coast is clear flip flop wearers. You don't know who those people are?...........Those are people, usually in the North Country, that break out the summer clothes at the sight of the sun, and Lord help them if the temps reach 60 degrees.Its time to go to the beach.Well I became one of them last week.It was sooo nice.I had on Capri's, and flip flops....in WALMART.I became a winter/ the coast is clear for a min flip flop wearer.You know you live in an unpredictable climate when in the summer you don't pack away the winter clothes and in the winter you don't pack away the summer clothes.Its like leaving the ham and cheese out, as you eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Communication
As I am doing my duties as the resident poopy diaper regulator.I am also mastering(involuntarily) the art of deciphering the underdeveloped human language.That is the spoken words according to those under 4 years of age.If you had ANY interaction with Shan, then you know she communicates well, quite well.So much so, she has even ventured and mastered the words and tone of a little old lady that lives in a shoe...who has soo many children she doesn't know what to do.She is the littlest person in the house armed with an extensive vocabulary, and an attitude!
Then there's "Baby Sarah". Encouraging the big girl stage, I also call her Lizzy or Pepperment Patty.She looks just like her...lol.Sarah , has gone from communicating with one words, to using two to three word sentences.Now I didn't say it was clear.And Lord help us all is she is having her an emotional break down, nothing is clear.For the most part, if you listen reeaaaaaaal hard, you can get what she is saying.Sometimes you get one word, sometime you get a full sentence.Depends on how she feels at that moment.She is still at the stage where her emotions get the best of her, so that maybe all you get from her...emotion.heeeey...she's 2 ...work with her here! Sarah also mimics.What a "fun " stage....NOT.When they get to this stage, nothing is theirs, everything is repeated.She doesn't have the cognitive development to say, hey, there's no need to repeat everything mommy says.yeah even THAT word.
Ahhhh which leads us to Alyssa.The tiniest 1 year old I know.She may be tiny, but she is also armed with and attitude and a readiness to "protect" herself.Now Alyssa says nothing legible, but says alot.Not just says it, but says it FULL of emotion.I mean her little head rolls, hands going, and she is rolling"words" off her tongue so fast that she has spit coming flying out her mouth.When she is fussing, she looks like an old lady who took her teeth out , fussing at the kids on her lawn.It is so hilarious.We don't take her serious, and sometimes, if you "provoke " her by asking her questions like,"and what happened" or " what's up" ....that gets her going, I think mainly because she communicating as she knows how, as ineffective as it is.The fact that we are responding, encourages her to "talk more".The funny thing is, as she grows older, and develops her language, she may become an effective communicator if she couples it with the enthusiasm.
Vannell's communication is maturing, but at the drop of a dime he definitely knows how to become the very broken English speaking little person.He at times, doesn't add a c, and replaces it with a t.Or adds d's where t's go.that kind of thing.The thing is when you have alot of that, it makes for an interesting conversation.....huh Rick?Then again,I have heard him switch to big boy mode.I am not sure, but I don't think he does it on purpose, I think it is when he is not thinking about it, and just talks.It may still have missed placed letters, but its not jumbled and hesitant.The funniest thing is how he communicates when he does not want to be bothered.Those of you that know me, know that I am a person of many words, but when I don't feel like talking, I don't.Its like a chore to me to have to talk if I don't want to.Its aggrivating....lol.I am like, oh gosh.....go ask someone else.Don't you know pronouncing any words right now will exert too much energy.Well Vannell has taken that trait from his mom.So when he does not feel like talking, he whispers. Like really,really,really low.Its hilarious, because clearly what he is saying is,"leave me alone, I really don't feel like talking."So it goes like this, "hey Vannell, what's going on?Where are you going?"...his reply , while he is still walking past you, "sweee sweee swee..he, heeeto da heyrje."And you're like...what?I know this lil dude did not just keep walking, or sometime he will stand there , clearly aggravated, like uh....ok...here is your answer!(it takes everything in me not to laugh at that moment...sometimes I do)So Vannell is our mass communicator.Communicating many ways, but it only works for him.
So how do you communicate?Are you clear in your intent, your tone,and does your body language compliment your communication, or contridict it?Are you the Shantelle kind of communicator?Taking conversation, by storm.Commanding a response from life.Or are you like Sarah, full of emotions, using very limited words clearly, but they are often filtered by emotions.Parroting what others say, as if you you have not developed or understand the importance of your thoughts , opinions, and convictions.Do people see emotions, and can't get to the message.....its to be expected from her at 2, but not at fortynineteenthirty years of age! Are you like Vannell, communicating in various ways, based on your needs?If a moment of maturity is needed, you find the words,but yet still not clear.Or do you allow yourself to go into "helpless" mode?Because its what you know.It kind of just rolls off your tongue before you know it, and when someone slows you down, you may just get clear!Lastly, are you like Alyssa, saying so much, and no one understands you.Rambling on, and provoking others.Picking.....seeing yourself as the smallest in the bunch...emotionally, physically, or spiritually, so in turn, you attack.Attack to keep people away, or to call them near.
These are four illustrations of some problems we may face as we navigate through life,and try to communicate to others though our body language, our tone, vocabulary,and emotional state.I encourage you to become an effective communicator.Not through words, but through deeds, body language and emotional health.Nothing is more draining than to speak to someone that does not understand you.It is frustrating no matter if the barrier is from their lack of understanding, their emotional state,or the fact that they speak another language.(you ever try to explain something complicated to a child, and get the why factor?Fun right?.......not!
The Bible says we should come to God like a child and have child like faith.A child sees no limits.That's why they are free.That's why kids say the darnest things...no inhibitions.We know as adults that is irresponsible, so developing this child like faith and spirit, is achieved through balance.Balance is the beauty of maturing.Maturing is the beauty of accepting who you are.Accepting who you are is the beauty of communication......Communication is the beauty of getting to know God and YOURSELF!