You can do it. We can help.

 

On the first Saturday of the month, Home Depot has fun projects for little kids. A few weeks ago while picking up some stuff for our garden, the sweet little worker, Nora, who loves Jack and his eyelashes, insisted we come. I asked dear Nora if the project would be something I would be able to do with both my babies by myself. (Considering I would be the one putting them together and if you know me, you know how handy I am!) She assured me I could handle it. Jack didn't want to let her down. So, we went.

The project this month was a birdfeeder.

 

Afton helped me open the package and somehow... tore the instructions. Panic Attack #1 - I began to hyperventilate a little. "Ahhhhhhh. They are going to want to help and look, and look - the directions are torn." Next, I began feeling inadequate in my "handy man" skills. Plus, I knew I would be anxious about them. "What if they get hurt or do it wrong or something TERRIBLE, something CATASTOPHIC happens?"... but then a break through occurred.

I stopped freaking out. I realized I am being STUPID!!!! (A naughty word in our house.) My babies were here to have fun and they were going to be fine. Plus I can read. I can follow these simple, torn (who cares) instructions. So we began.

Jack loved using the hammer. He was pretty good. His hand eye coordination is quite impressive.

 

Afton, however, got her finger, on her first try. But she was determined to "be a builder." And she did great. She even was looking at the directions to see what the next steps were.

"Mommy, I can't read the words, but the pictures really help."

 

They did it! They did it without any major injury. Without me totally freaking out. Without anyone crying. They did it! But... now it was time for paint.
Panic Attack #2 - Instantly I'm thinking... "Don't get in on your clothes. Don't ruin your fun cute new fancy Home Depot apron. Don't get it in your hair. Don't... Don't... Don't"

So, I took a deep breath and said, "What colors do you want to paint your birdfeeders?"

 They got a little dirty, but nothing too bad. I was quite impressed as to how easy it washed off.

 

Jack decided he would rather take a picture with his hammer instead of his finished birdfeeder.

He painted his blue, red, orange, and pink.

 Afton chose pretty blue and pink, with some touches of red.

 

We ran into Nora later on in the store, as we were paying for our bird seed. Jack was quick to show her his finished birdfeeder and tell her about his hammer. He explained that he was pretty upset about having to leave it there for others to use. She told him, "With those eyelashes, you can have any hammer you want in the store!" He didn't quite understand the compliment, as he took it literally, then was upset again about not having HIS hammer.

 

All in all, it was a fun day. I survived. They survived. We all survived.

 

 

You CAN do it. We CAN help.

 

It's true.

 

We DID do it! They DID help!