I wrote last week about my mission to become more content in my role as mother and homemaker. Almost as soon as I decided this, my kids came down with a virus. Fevers, rashes, mouth blisters...not fun! A visit to the pediatrician brought a diagnoses of hand, foot and mouth disease. What followed was three days of no eating, no drinking, screaming fits, no sleep, round after round of advil and tylenol, and holding my 2 year old down in order to force feed him liquids. It wasn't fun.
I'm actually happy that, if we had to have this illness permeate our home, it came right after I decided to become more content. My first instinct was to get frustrated. (And believe me, it wasn't always easy to push that frustration down!) But for the most part, I managed to remember that my kids didn't feel well. They needed me. Yes I missed out on several fun mommy gatherings and a Halloween party for the kids. But the important thing was to take care of my children. To nurture them, to comfort them, to let other things fall by the wayside.
I realized that in order to do this, to put them first without being resentful, I needed to refocus my thoughts. I'm constantly telling Stephanie, my 3 year old, to be more mindful. To pay attention to her body so she doesn't run into things. To slow down and listen to what i'm telling her so that she doesn't end up in the bathroom with the dinner plate that she was supposed to be bringing to the sink. (This really happens in our house. Frequently. Her head is often in the clouds.) I needed to do the same thing. To slow down and catch myself exhibiting signs of discontent. Just the simple act of being aware of my huffs and sighs and frustrated feelings helped me to turn them around and not be as aggravated. It's amazing how really slowing down and acknowledging my feelings helped.
Happily, our family is now back to normal. The kids are almost completely healed and I'm going back to my original project of enjoying the ins and outs of everyday life. Stay tuned, next up is how i'm learning to enjoy early mornings.
Showing posts with label parenting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label parenting. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Becoming Content
I've spent the past few months doing a lot of thinking.
In general, I know that i'm a happy person. I know I have many blessings in my life, and i'm very grateful for those blessings. I have a loving family, a supportive husband, two healthy children, a beautiful home, and most of all I get to live my dream by staying home and raising my kids.
But I find myself acting unhappy. I snap at my children and husband too often. I sigh through my household chores. I find myself looking at the clock waiting for bedtime. Too often I think "I seriously have to prepare another meal for these kids?" And I don't like feeling like this.
In an effort to start acting happier, I re-read Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project. I love that book. I've also been reading blogs by other stay-at-home mom's. And I've come to the conclusion that, while i'm happy, i'm not content. And I want to be!
A big part of becoming content is changing my attitude and the way I think about and approach the job that I am here to do. I've been working hard (and I have a lot more work ahead of me!) to start being content, and I hope to share these things with you. Over the next few weeks I'll be writing about:
Training Myself Not To Yell
Developing A Daily Routine
Streamlining My Meal Plan and Grocery Shopping
Saying No To Outside Obligations
Living In The Moment
And more. I have a lot of ideas, a lot of plans, and I'm excited to start implementing them. I hope you'll follow along on my journey, and feel free to share any of the ways that you've found to be content and happy with the everyday aspects of your life.
In general, I know that i'm a happy person. I know I have many blessings in my life, and i'm very grateful for those blessings. I have a loving family, a supportive husband, two healthy children, a beautiful home, and most of all I get to live my dream by staying home and raising my kids.
But I find myself acting unhappy. I snap at my children and husband too often. I sigh through my household chores. I find myself looking at the clock waiting for bedtime. Too often I think "I seriously have to prepare another meal for these kids?" And I don't like feeling like this.
In an effort to start acting happier, I re-read Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project. I love that book. I've also been reading blogs by other stay-at-home mom's. And I've come to the conclusion that, while i'm happy, i'm not content. And I want to be!
A big part of becoming content is changing my attitude and the way I think about and approach the job that I am here to do. I've been working hard (and I have a lot more work ahead of me!) to start being content, and I hope to share these things with you. Over the next few weeks I'll be writing about:
Training Myself Not To Yell
Developing A Daily Routine
Streamlining My Meal Plan and Grocery Shopping
Saying No To Outside Obligations
Living In The Moment
And more. I have a lot of ideas, a lot of plans, and I'm excited to start implementing them. I hope you'll follow along on my journey, and feel free to share any of the ways that you've found to be content and happy with the everyday aspects of your life.
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Thankful Thursday
It's been a long (long) time since I've written a Thankful Thursday post. I've missed it. I have so much to be thankful for each and every day, and having this space to write down those things help me focus on them. Recalling the good things in life help make the not-so-good things more manageable. So this week I'm thankful for:
~My healthy babies. My heart broke for blogger Diana Stone when I read that her two week old son didn't pull through. If you aren't familiar with her story, the very short version is that she lost her twins early in her pregnancy last year. (Maybe 20ish weeks.) Her water broke, but she managed to keep them in longer than anyone expected. Eventually she gave birth to them, and lost them. When she got pregnant again with her son, I was thrilled for her. Then he was born, and they discovered he had a heart condition. I sobbed reading the news that he wasn't going to make it. It made me hug my own little ones extra tight.
~Our house. With Dan in the middle of extensive training, we haven't seen him much at all. When I start to get irritated about not seeing him, and the kids are cranky and whiny, and I have to do everything alone, I remind myself that it's all for a good cause. His job is the reason we have our house at all. And the alternative would be living back on the college campus, something I definitely wouldn't want to go back to.
~My 3 week nannying stint. My friend Julie asked me earlier this year to watch her 3 year old daughter for the last three weeks of the summer. I watched her for a year back when our girls were babies, and it was nice to get the opportunity to do it again. It's been a good distraction for the kids, to have something each day to look forward to and to keep busy. It takes their mind off the fact that they haven't seen their Daddy for more than a few hours over the course of two weeks.
~Our very, very limited budget. Ok this one is a stretch. Trying to spin this into a positive isn't easy. But since buying our house we've had to cut many non-essentials. I'm living on a shoe-string, and there are days when I get frustrated because the kids need fall wardrobes, our fridge is bare, and there's no money left in the monthly budget. But, I remind myself that things will get better, and this is a good lesson in being frugal. It's teaching me the difference between wants and needs, something I thought I already knew. But it turns out that a lot of our needs aren't really so necessary and it's amazing the things you can cut out and still lead a happy life.
I hope you all have a happy weekend, and remember to look for the good when times are tough. It's not always easy, but there's usually a silver lining if you look hard enough. What are you thankful for this week?
~My healthy babies. My heart broke for blogger Diana Stone when I read that her two week old son didn't pull through. If you aren't familiar with her story, the very short version is that she lost her twins early in her pregnancy last year. (Maybe 20ish weeks.) Her water broke, but she managed to keep them in longer than anyone expected. Eventually she gave birth to them, and lost them. When she got pregnant again with her son, I was thrilled for her. Then he was born, and they discovered he had a heart condition. I sobbed reading the news that he wasn't going to make it. It made me hug my own little ones extra tight.
~Our house. With Dan in the middle of extensive training, we haven't seen him much at all. When I start to get irritated about not seeing him, and the kids are cranky and whiny, and I have to do everything alone, I remind myself that it's all for a good cause. His job is the reason we have our house at all. And the alternative would be living back on the college campus, something I definitely wouldn't want to go back to.
~My 3 week nannying stint. My friend Julie asked me earlier this year to watch her 3 year old daughter for the last three weeks of the summer. I watched her for a year back when our girls were babies, and it was nice to get the opportunity to do it again. It's been a good distraction for the kids, to have something each day to look forward to and to keep busy. It takes their mind off the fact that they haven't seen their Daddy for more than a few hours over the course of two weeks.
~Our very, very limited budget. Ok this one is a stretch. Trying to spin this into a positive isn't easy. But since buying our house we've had to cut many non-essentials. I'm living on a shoe-string, and there are days when I get frustrated because the kids need fall wardrobes, our fridge is bare, and there's no money left in the monthly budget. But, I remind myself that things will get better, and this is a good lesson in being frugal. It's teaching me the difference between wants and needs, something I thought I already knew. But it turns out that a lot of our needs aren't really so necessary and it's amazing the things you can cut out and still lead a happy life.
I hope you all have a happy weekend, and remember to look for the good when times are tough. It's not always easy, but there's usually a silver lining if you look hard enough. What are you thankful for this week?
Sunday, June 30, 2013
BabyGanics Pure Mineral Sunscreen Review!
By now most of you know how much I LOVE Babyganics. They are a fantastic company, and I look to them for so many of my baby, toddler and household needs. I love knowing that I can feel good about using their products on my children because they are all completely non-toxic and free of any "yucky" stuff. (PABAs, Parabens, Sulfates, Phthalates, Nano-Particles and fragrances.)
I was thrilled when I was sent a bottle of their Cover Up Baby Pure Mineral Moisturizing lotion, SPF 30. This mineral lotion is awesome because, not only does it provide broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection, but it moisturizes at the same time! This is a huge selling point for me because we all have dry, sensitive skin that typically gets worse with sunscreen use. This one left our skin smooth and hydrated. I love that it's water resistant, maintains it's SPF for up to 80 minutes, and the active ingredients are Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. (I always prefer our sunscreens to have those as the main ingredients, as opposed to the various chemical combinations out there.)
I loved the feel of this sunscreen (I used it on myself as well as my kids) and loved that once it was blended in you didn't feel like you were wearing a thick layer of goop. It took a little extra time to blend in, but I feel like that is a small sacrifice for all the other great qualities that this sunscreen has.
It's also worth mentioning that it boasts a "Tear Free!" claim on the bottle. I can attest to the fact that this is true because my daughter loves to help apply her sunscreen and she got in on her eyelids and never once whined or complained that it stung. That's a major win in my book!
If you're looking for a safe, natural, and most of all effective sunscreen for your kids this summer, than I highly recommend BabyGanics Cover-Up Baby Pure Mineral Sunscreen. You can find it at Babies R Us, Buy Buy Baby, babiesrus.com and Diapers.com. It retails for 10.99 and is available in a 4oz tube. Definitely check it out!
*Disclaimer: I was provided product for this review. All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
The Winter Doldrums
Has anyone else been suffering from the winter doldrums? I definitely have, and I'm sick of it!
I've been feeling cranky, un-motivated, tired and really just blah. The worst part is that I truly have no reason for these feelings. Oh sure I could attribute it to many things. The cold weather, the fact that we've been cooped up, the nagging cold I've been fighting for two weeks, the letdown of the holidays ending, etc. But I feel like none of that is worthy enough for me to be feeling this way, so then I feel guilty on top of it because really, why have I been so cranky?
Finally I had enough and decided that it's not worth figuring out why I feel this way, I just do. Instead of wasting my energy looking for reasons I need to snap myself out of it. And I have been, slowly but surely.
My first step was to acknowledge that I have these feelings to others. I told Dan i'm cranky and I don't know why. I told some of my close friends how i'm feeling. Just saying it out loud seemed to lift a load from my shoulders. (Thank you to those who let me vent!)
Secondly, I've stepped up my healthy eating and water drinking habits. I feel better physically when I eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and when I drink more water. Feeling better physically leads to better emotional and mental health.
Then I cut myself a break. I've been feeling guilty about all the things I haven't been doing because my computer was broken. I haven't been blogging, I haven't been able to read and comment on other blogs, I've let some opportunity's slip away that I was really hoping to participate in. All of this was very disappointing, and making me feel overwhelmed and like I would never catch up. So, I decided not to bother. Everything that I haven't gotten to do is in the past. Now i'm going to move forward and do all the blogging related things I want to do, without rushing around to get to the things I've missed.
And lastly I upped my social interactions. I took the kids to a playdate on Friday, which was great for them but even better for me. I chatted with my mom friend whom I haven't spent any real time with in months. It was refreshing to catch up with her and to get out of the house for something other than school drop off or errands.
Then I had time out with my family. We went to lunch yesterday, just the four of us, and it was so nice to be together out of the house.
And this morning I went for a coffee date with three of my dearest friends. We've known each other for years, and always have a blast catching up with each other. We've decided to make our coffee/brunch ritual a once-a-month habit, and knowing that I have that to look forward to just makes me smile. There's nothing quite like talking with people who know you almost as well as you know yourself.
I know the winter can be tough, especially when you have young children that you're trying to keep occupied. I'm glad I was able to start pulling myself out of these doldrums, and even though I know there's still many weeks of winter i'm hoping I'll continue to feel better going forward.
How has this winter been for you so far? Feel free to share any tips you have for getting rid of bad moods that hang on for weeks!
I've been feeling cranky, un-motivated, tired and really just blah. The worst part is that I truly have no reason for these feelings. Oh sure I could attribute it to many things. The cold weather, the fact that we've been cooped up, the nagging cold I've been fighting for two weeks, the letdown of the holidays ending, etc. But I feel like none of that is worthy enough for me to be feeling this way, so then I feel guilty on top of it because really, why have I been so cranky?
Finally I had enough and decided that it's not worth figuring out why I feel this way, I just do. Instead of wasting my energy looking for reasons I need to snap myself out of it. And I have been, slowly but surely.
My first step was to acknowledge that I have these feelings to others. I told Dan i'm cranky and I don't know why. I told some of my close friends how i'm feeling. Just saying it out loud seemed to lift a load from my shoulders. (Thank you to those who let me vent!)
Secondly, I've stepped up my healthy eating and water drinking habits. I feel better physically when I eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and when I drink more water. Feeling better physically leads to better emotional and mental health.
Then I cut myself a break. I've been feeling guilty about all the things I haven't been doing because my computer was broken. I haven't been blogging, I haven't been able to read and comment on other blogs, I've let some opportunity's slip away that I was really hoping to participate in. All of this was very disappointing, and making me feel overwhelmed and like I would never catch up. So, I decided not to bother. Everything that I haven't gotten to do is in the past. Now i'm going to move forward and do all the blogging related things I want to do, without rushing around to get to the things I've missed.
And lastly I upped my social interactions. I took the kids to a playdate on Friday, which was great for them but even better for me. I chatted with my mom friend whom I haven't spent any real time with in months. It was refreshing to catch up with her and to get out of the house for something other than school drop off or errands.
Then I had time out with my family. We went to lunch yesterday, just the four of us, and it was so nice to be together out of the house.
And this morning I went for a coffee date with three of my dearest friends. We've known each other for years, and always have a blast catching up with each other. We've decided to make our coffee/brunch ritual a once-a-month habit, and knowing that I have that to look forward to just makes me smile. There's nothing quite like talking with people who know you almost as well as you know yourself.
I know the winter can be tough, especially when you have young children that you're trying to keep occupied. I'm glad I was able to start pulling myself out of these doldrums, and even though I know there's still many weeks of winter i'm hoping I'll continue to feel better going forward.
How has this winter been for you so far? Feel free to share any tips you have for getting rid of bad moods that hang on for weeks!
Friday, September 7, 2012
Highlights Hello...A Magazine For Babies!
Do you remember reading Highlights magazine as a kid? I do! (In fact, I think my mom might still have some of our Highlights lying around her house.) I loved the magazine, and Dan and I have talked before about how we can't wait until our children are old enough to read it.
When I went to BlogHer12 last month, I was invited to a Highlights breakfast launch for their BRAND NEW magazine, Highlights Hello. I was ecstatic, and couldn't wait to find out more about their newest addition. And what I found out is fantastic!
Highlights Hello is a magazine for babies ages 0-2, and they generously gifted me with an advance copy, which I couldn't wait to bring home to share with Joseph!
As you can see, he absolutely loved it.
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| MOM! I get my very own magazine?? |
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| Hmmmm, lets see what this thing is all about |
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| Ooooh, I love it so much that I must chew it! |
One of the things I love best about Highlights Hello is that it's printed with non-toxic ink containing soy and/or vegetable oils, on durable, washable paper with rounded corners. Seriously, Joseph has chewed this thing like crazy and it hasn't disintegrated and he has never bit a piece off. Even board books can't claim this!
Most of you know how much I love books and reading, and how important I think it is to start a love of literacy very young. Highlights Hello provides an opportunity for age-appropriate reading, and I love their mission for this new magazine, which is to:
*Strengthen the parent/child bond by encouraging parents to talk, laugh, play, sing and read with their babies and toddlers
*Encourage parents to observe & build upon their babies' inherent abilities
*Support babies' language development
*Inspire the discovery & rediscovery of the joy of loving and caring for their babies
Want to Purchase Highlights Hello?
The first issue will be the January 2013 issue, which will ship in December. Pre-ordering is available on their website, http://www.highlights.com/highlights-hello-magazine-for-kids. (You can rest assured that your magazine will arrive clean, because Highlights ships it in an envelope!)
You can subscribe to Highlights Hello for 1, 2, or 3 years. (There is a discount if you choose the 2 or 3 year options. A 1 year subscription costs $34.44.) Also, (and I think this is a fantastic option!) you can change your order at any time to Highlights High Five (for ages 2-6) if your child outgrows Highlights Hello before your subscription ends! I love that!
WIN A Subscription!
Highlights is generously offering one lucky A Baby Makes Four reader the chance to win a 1 year subscription. And while Highlights Hello is the perfect choice for us because Joseph is still little, some of you might have older children who would benefit from one of the other fabulous Highlights magazines. (Highlights High Five for ages 2-6 or Highlights for ages 6-12.)
I've decided to make entering this giveaway as SIMPLE as possible. That means that the only thing you have to do is leave me a blog comment below. Let me know which magazine you'd like to win, and who you would like to win it for. The giveaway runs through September 16th, and I will randomly choose a winner the morning of the 17th. (Which happens to be my birthday, so consider this my birthday gift...to you!) I will announce the winner on the A Baby Makes Four facebook page and on Twitter.
I'll leave you with this final picture of me, spending quality time with my precious little ones, reading Highlights Hello. :) Good luck to everyone, I can't wait to see who the lucky winner will be!
*Highlights provided me with an advance copy of Highlights Hello for review purposes. All opinions are my own. Giveaway open to US residents only. When the winner is announced, he/she will have 48 hours to contact me back. If I haven't heard from the winner by that point, I will choose someone else.
*If you've enjoyed reading this blog post, I'd love for you to consider following my blog on Facebook, subscribing by email and/or following via GFC! Thank you, and I appreciate all of your support. :)
Monday, August 27, 2012
Chicken Pot Pie-Toddle Along Tuesday
I was so excited to see that this week's Toddle Along Tuesday over at Growing up Geeky is all about quick and simple meals.
My number one go-to simple meal is chicken pot pie. It's a family favorite, and rotates through our dinner repertoire several times a month.
Before I share the recipe I need to share the back story of how this recipe came to us. After all, don't all good meals have a story?
For those of you who don't know, we live on a college campus. My husband runs several residence halls and manages a staff of resident assistants. When Stephanie was born, one of those RAs, J, brought us a pot pie. When Dan told me she was making it, I said "I'm not a fan of pot-pie but I'm desperate for a hot meal, and it was so sweet of her to make for us!" And then I ate it, and realized what I had been missing all these years. The fact that J made this for us and shared her recipe with me ensures that she will always top my list of awesome people who made those first weeks of new motherhood more bearable!
It might not be the healthiest meal, but it's hearty, can be put together in less than 10 minutes, and is a "fix it and forget it" type of meal. I've since passed the recipe along to my sister, my mom and my best friend, all of whom make it frequently now. Stephanie gobbles it up, and it's a great way to get extra veggies into her. After Joseph was born, my sister made one and brought it to us, sealing it as our family "when a baby is born you bring it" meal. It was also the first meal I made for us when Dan went back to work after his 6 weeks of family leave.
The best part of this meal is that I can put it together at nap time, or even the night before. Then I just throw it in the oven an hour and fifteen minutes before we want to eat. So simple!
Ok, I've sung the pot-pie praises enough, now to the actual recipe!
Ingredients
- 1 or 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- .5 of a 1lb package of mixed vegetables
- 1 can of diced potatoes
- 2 cans of Campbells cream of chicken soup (I use the 98% fat free kind)
- 1 refrigerated pie crust
Directions
*Mix soup, vegetables and potatoes together in a pie plate
*Dice the chicken into small pieces. Add to the soup mixture.
*Roll out the pie crust, spread on top of the pie plate, and cut a few slits in top for the steam to escape
*Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for one hour. Take the pie out to cool for about 15 minutes. Dig in and enjoy!
*Tip: I bake my pie on a cookie sheet lined with foil. Sometimes it leaks, and this prevents a mess in the oven.
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| This is what's left after the 3 of us attack our meal on pot-pie night. (It's just as good leftover, and makes a perfect lunch!) |
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Sibling Love
*I'm linking up over at Two in Diapers today! Come on over and check out all the stories of Motherhood in this week's edition of the Mommy-Brain Mixer!
My eyes didn't want to open but I forced them to. I could see the early morning light shining behind the closed blinds. The fan was whirring, and the white noise from the kids' room was coming through the monitor. I didn't hear crying though. What woke me up?
Then I heard it again. A soft whisper, barely audible through the baby monitor.
"Joseph! Wake up Joseph!"
Then again, a little louder this time. Next was rustling, and a quiet baby squeal. Then bouncing crib springs, and full on baby giggles followed by toddler squeals.
I laid in bed and just listened to them. They laughed and jumped and chatted. Nobody cried, nobody called out for me. They entertained each other.
As I stretched out and woke up gradually, I found myself smiling from ear to ear. The love that the two of them have for each other is sweet, simple and beautiful. She is his hero, he is her baby. They share an unbreakable bond, and as Joseph grows it gets stronger and stronger.
I see it throughout the day too, in the little moments. The times she cheers for him as he takes steps. The hugs and kisses she bestows on him for no reason. The way he follows her around, crawling as fast as he can to try and catch up. The way his face lights up and he grins ear-to-ear when she enters the room.
They are my babies, but they have a relationship separate from me. This relationship will grow and alter as the years go on. They might not always worship each other the way they do now, but for as long as it lasts, I will relish it.
Some people told me I didn't know what I was getting into by having the two of them so close together. They warned me about the challeneges two under two and two in diapers would bring. But nobody mentioned the amazing and positive aspects of having them so close. The fact that they'll never know a life without each other in it. They will grow up together, protecting each other and always having someone to play with and argue with.
I get to watch them as their relationship changes and grows, and that warms my heart and makes me feel like the luckiest mommy in the world. Are they close in age? Yes. Are the day-to-day aspects of that a challenge? Often, yes. Would I change their age difference if I could? Not in a million years!
I get to watch them as their relationship changes and grows, and that warms my heart and makes me feel like the luckiest mommy in the world. Are they close in age? Yes. Are the day-to-day aspects of that a challenge? Often, yes. Would I change their age difference if I could? Not in a million years!
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Mommy Brain: I have it
I have to apologize for taking a few days off from blogging. It wasn't intentional, but goes along with the theme of this post. I just simply kept forgetting what day it was and the fact that I needed to blog.
Seriously, I have a bad case of mommy brain. Please tell me i'm not the only one who gets afflicted by this! Back when Joseph was born, I would see this ailment cropping up, and I attributed it to the lack of sleep and adjusting to life with two children. Now, I have no idea what my problem is, except for the fact that I have a lot on my plate and my brain seems to be going in a million directions.
Here is a small sampling of the things I've done lately that just make me shake my head:
1. I took the kids to Panera for lunch over the weekend. I ordered our food (a half salad/sandwich combo for me) and handed the woman my rewards card. She told me I had a credit for $2 off a full salad that expired that day. I thought "OH I don't want to lose that coupon. It will save me money!" So I told her to add another salad onto the order and I'd take it to go. On the way home I realized I actually spent more money instead of saving, since I tacked an extra salad onto the order. I could have just changed my order to a full salad. (I still have half of that extra salad in my fridge. So much for saving money. Sigh.)
2. I jumped out of the car the other day and shut the door. The seat belt was stuck, so the door didn't shut. I spent an embarrassing amount of time trying to shut the door over and over again before I realized it made more sense to remove the seat belt and then try to shut the door.
3. A week or so ago I had made plans to take the kids to the beach with some friends for dinner. That day came and went, and I got a Facebook message from my friend saying "We missed you guys last night!" I stared at the computer for a few minutes, completely baffled as to why she missed us. It took me a long time to realize that I had forgotten to meet them at the beach.
4. As I pulled into my driveway a few nights ago, I scraped the side of my car along our fence post. This is the same driveway that I've pulled into every day for four years. The fence hasn't moved position in that time, and yet...I totally hit it. (Stephanie yelled "WHAT WAS THAT MAMA!" at me and I honestly didn't know until I got out and looked at the car.) Luckily it wasn't hard enough to make a dent, and only left some paint from the fence post along the side of the car.
As i'm writing this I'm thinking "I know there were more examples that I wanted to share." But of course I can't remember them. Just rest assured that I am indeed suffering from Mommy Brain. I don't know what's going on with me at the moment, but if you need me for something...if i'm supposed to return a phone call, a text, an email, a tweet, etc., please don't hesitate to remind me. I'm not ignoring you on purpose, I promise! And if you have an remedy's for getting my regular brain back...please share! (I have a nagging feeling that I may be plagued by this until the kids grow up and move out...)
Seriously, I have a bad case of mommy brain. Please tell me i'm not the only one who gets afflicted by this! Back when Joseph was born, I would see this ailment cropping up, and I attributed it to the lack of sleep and adjusting to life with two children. Now, I have no idea what my problem is, except for the fact that I have a lot on my plate and my brain seems to be going in a million directions.
Here is a small sampling of the things I've done lately that just make me shake my head:
1. I took the kids to Panera for lunch over the weekend. I ordered our food (a half salad/sandwich combo for me) and handed the woman my rewards card. She told me I had a credit for $2 off a full salad that expired that day. I thought "OH I don't want to lose that coupon. It will save me money!" So I told her to add another salad onto the order and I'd take it to go. On the way home I realized I actually spent more money instead of saving, since I tacked an extra salad onto the order. I could have just changed my order to a full salad. (I still have half of that extra salad in my fridge. So much for saving money. Sigh.)
2. I jumped out of the car the other day and shut the door. The seat belt was stuck, so the door didn't shut. I spent an embarrassing amount of time trying to shut the door over and over again before I realized it made more sense to remove the seat belt and then try to shut the door.
3. A week or so ago I had made plans to take the kids to the beach with some friends for dinner. That day came and went, and I got a Facebook message from my friend saying "We missed you guys last night!" I stared at the computer for a few minutes, completely baffled as to why she missed us. It took me a long time to realize that I had forgotten to meet them at the beach.
4. As I pulled into my driveway a few nights ago, I scraped the side of my car along our fence post. This is the same driveway that I've pulled into every day for four years. The fence hasn't moved position in that time, and yet...I totally hit it. (Stephanie yelled "WHAT WAS THAT MAMA!" at me and I honestly didn't know until I got out and looked at the car.) Luckily it wasn't hard enough to make a dent, and only left some paint from the fence post along the side of the car.
As i'm writing this I'm thinking "I know there were more examples that I wanted to share." But of course I can't remember them. Just rest assured that I am indeed suffering from Mommy Brain. I don't know what's going on with me at the moment, but if you need me for something...if i'm supposed to return a phone call, a text, an email, a tweet, etc., please don't hesitate to remind me. I'm not ignoring you on purpose, I promise! And if you have an remedy's for getting my regular brain back...please share! (I have a nagging feeling that I may be plagued by this until the kids grow up and move out...)
Friday, August 17, 2012
How A Trip To The Dumpster Changed Our Day
Today started great. We had a playdate planned for the morning, a bbq planned for the evening, and (hopefully) a long nap in the middle. With Dan working long hours lately (it's 10:30pm and he's still not home) busy days are welcome distractions.
Our playdate went great. Both kids had a fantastic time and it was nice to catch up with some friends we hadn't seen in awhile. But then Joseph screamed the whole way home. And then he refused to nap. Stephanie was feeding off of his crankiness and took forever to settle down for her nap. By the time I got Joseph to sleep, it was very late. I had about 100 emails to respond to and a few blog posts I wanted to write.
I made a small dent in the emails while mindlessly devouring a bag of chips. At the end of which, my stomach hurt, I felt bloated and tried from the salt and had no energy to do anything. Joseph woke after a very short nap, but it was still late in the day and I started to fret that he wouldn't go to sleep tonight. I started to get irritable and cranky. I just wanted to curl up and do nothing.
I felt silly. I couldn't even explain to myself why I was feeling so miserable because nothing happening was that bad. But I guess when you're in that kind of a funk, it is that bad. I was in melt-down mode and felt ridiculous for it.
The thought of waking Stephanie, preparing both kids, running to the grocery store to find something to bring, and attending a bbq alone with them was the last thing I felt like doing. So, feeling horrible about it the whole time, I cancelled.
Then I whined to my blogger friends about how overwhelmed I am with the (exciting and new) blog growth that I'm hoping to see. I texted a friend to complain. I still felt blah. I got Stephanie up, and she was in major whine mode. I snapped at her. I felt guilty. Joseph was being cranky and clingy. I held him, even though it was hot and humid which added to my miserableness.
I thought about dinner. I didn't know what to make. I didn't have the energy to do anything. I was getting so mad at myself at this point for feeling this way.
Then I told myself I needed to snap out of it. Nothing was wrong, the day wasn't all that bad, and I needed to get a grip and pull myself together.
So I told Stephanie we were going to take out the trash. She jumped up and down and said "YAY, I will carry the small bag Mama." I was taken aback by her enthusiasm for this little field trip, but decided to roll with it. "You're such a big helper sweet girl! Thank you so much!"
We stepped out into the thick, muggy air. It was gross, but we skipped all the way down the road to the dumpsters. We each threw our bag of garbage in. Joseph started giggling for no reason. "Stephanie, lets go for a walk over the bridge to stretch our legs before dinnertime."
Her response? "Hooray! I gonna walk all by myself, and I going to SKIP over that bridge Mama!"
How can you not smile when you hear that? And skip over that bridge she did. Then we circled around to head back to our apartment, playing the stop/go game all the way to our front door. We walked in and Stephanie asked to eat carrot sticks. Sure kiddo, knock yourself out!
I was smiling. I was happy. The cloud had lifted. I made us the weirdest throw together dinner, but we all ate and were happy. The rest of the night went by and we were all in better moods. All thanks to a short trip to the dumpster. Who would have thought that was all it would take?
Our playdate went great. Both kids had a fantastic time and it was nice to catch up with some friends we hadn't seen in awhile. But then Joseph screamed the whole way home. And then he refused to nap. Stephanie was feeding off of his crankiness and took forever to settle down for her nap. By the time I got Joseph to sleep, it was very late. I had about 100 emails to respond to and a few blog posts I wanted to write.
I made a small dent in the emails while mindlessly devouring a bag of chips. At the end of which, my stomach hurt, I felt bloated and tried from the salt and had no energy to do anything. Joseph woke after a very short nap, but it was still late in the day and I started to fret that he wouldn't go to sleep tonight. I started to get irritable and cranky. I just wanted to curl up and do nothing.
I felt silly. I couldn't even explain to myself why I was feeling so miserable because nothing happening was that bad. But I guess when you're in that kind of a funk, it is that bad. I was in melt-down mode and felt ridiculous for it.
The thought of waking Stephanie, preparing both kids, running to the grocery store to find something to bring, and attending a bbq alone with them was the last thing I felt like doing. So, feeling horrible about it the whole time, I cancelled.
Then I whined to my blogger friends about how overwhelmed I am with the (exciting and new) blog growth that I'm hoping to see. I texted a friend to complain. I still felt blah. I got Stephanie up, and she was in major whine mode. I snapped at her. I felt guilty. Joseph was being cranky and clingy. I held him, even though it was hot and humid which added to my miserableness.
I thought about dinner. I didn't know what to make. I didn't have the energy to do anything. I was getting so mad at myself at this point for feeling this way.
Then I told myself I needed to snap out of it. Nothing was wrong, the day wasn't all that bad, and I needed to get a grip and pull myself together.
So I told Stephanie we were going to take out the trash. She jumped up and down and said "YAY, I will carry the small bag Mama." I was taken aback by her enthusiasm for this little field trip, but decided to roll with it. "You're such a big helper sweet girl! Thank you so much!"
We stepped out into the thick, muggy air. It was gross, but we skipped all the way down the road to the dumpsters. We each threw our bag of garbage in. Joseph started giggling for no reason. "Stephanie, lets go for a walk over the bridge to stretch our legs before dinnertime."
Her response? "Hooray! I gonna walk all by myself, and I going to SKIP over that bridge Mama!"
How can you not smile when you hear that? And skip over that bridge she did. Then we circled around to head back to our apartment, playing the stop/go game all the way to our front door. We walked in and Stephanie asked to eat carrot sticks. Sure kiddo, knock yourself out!
I was smiling. I was happy. The cloud had lifted. I made us the weirdest throw together dinner, but we all ate and were happy. The rest of the night went by and we were all in better moods. All thanks to a short trip to the dumpster. Who would have thought that was all it would take?
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Back To Reality
The return to real-life after my weekend away at BlogHer12 has been very challenging.
I'm overwhelmed, my to-do list is a mile long, and my mind is still going in a million directions.
I want to soak up every minute with my babies that I can. I want to talk to my husband and share my conference experiences with him. I want to write my re-cap post. I want to respond to the 500 emails, messages and blog comments that are waiting for me. I want to contact brand reps and bloggers that I connected with in NYC. I want to clean my house to prepare for our house guests that are arriving today and staying for three days. I want to get back into eating healthy and recording my food intake. I want to finish unpacking from both our camping trip and BlogHer.
But the truth is I can't do it all. At least not right away.
I returned from the weekend full of renewed energy and excitement for my blog and the things I hope to accomplish with it. That energy and excitement is still there, but it's tempered by the other stuff that needs my attention.
Like the hour-long grocery trip the kids and I took yesterday to re-stock our food supply. And the outlet shopping trip that we went on in the afternoon with friends we haven't seen all summer, that we had been planning for weeks. And the loads of laundry I washed this morning and now need to put away. And the huge stack of forms that I need to fill out for Stephanie's nursery school.
All I can do is take it one day at a time, one task at a time. Take a minute to breathe and relax. Recognize that it won't get done as quickly as I want it to. But if I keep plugging away, slowly but surely, I can get my act together and feel in control. I hope that you all will bear with me as I focus on not losing my mind. Thank you for being patient with me!
I'm overwhelmed, my to-do list is a mile long, and my mind is still going in a million directions.
I want to soak up every minute with my babies that I can. I want to talk to my husband and share my conference experiences with him. I want to write my re-cap post. I want to respond to the 500 emails, messages and blog comments that are waiting for me. I want to contact brand reps and bloggers that I connected with in NYC. I want to clean my house to prepare for our house guests that are arriving today and staying for three days. I want to get back into eating healthy and recording my food intake. I want to finish unpacking from both our camping trip and BlogHer.
But the truth is I can't do it all. At least not right away.
I returned from the weekend full of renewed energy and excitement for my blog and the things I hope to accomplish with it. That energy and excitement is still there, but it's tempered by the other stuff that needs my attention.
Like the hour-long grocery trip the kids and I took yesterday to re-stock our food supply. And the outlet shopping trip that we went on in the afternoon with friends we haven't seen all summer, that we had been planning for weeks. And the loads of laundry I washed this morning and now need to put away. And the huge stack of forms that I need to fill out for Stephanie's nursery school.
All I can do is take it one day at a time, one task at a time. Take a minute to breathe and relax. Recognize that it won't get done as quickly as I want it to. But if I keep plugging away, slowly but surely, I can get my act together and feel in control. I hope that you all will bear with me as I focus on not losing my mind. Thank you for being patient with me!
Sunday, August 5, 2012
BlogHer12...Home Already!
I will be writing a full recap post soon, when I've had a minute to recover from the trip. What I will say right now is that it was an amazing experience, and the weekend flew by in a whirlwind. I'm exhausted, my head is full of information, I met a TON of great people, had a blast hanging out with some of my all-time favorite bloggers, and learned so much.
I also missed my babies and my husband and was practically giddy when I finally got home and saw them at 4:00 this afternoon. I swear that both kids grew by leaps and bounds during the four days that I was away from home.
I'm also so proud of Dan for holding down the fort while I was gone and doing 100% of the parenting and housework. He's amazing.
Right now I need to relax and recuperate a little bit in my own home, under that same roof as my family. But until I get to that recap post, i'll leave you with this image of what happens when 6 bloggers road trip to NYC for a conference and return with a lot of stuff:
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| There were also a TON of bags surrounding the four of us who were sitting in the two back rows. I was really impressed by the fact that it all fit in Kameron's van! |
Saturday, July 28, 2012
The Call Of (Motherhood) Duty
I've learned that being a Mom is all about expecting the unexpected. If you keep that in the back of your mind, you can learn to merely laugh when parenthood throws a wrench in your carefully laid plans. (And really, the only other option you have is to curl up in a ball and cry. Which doesn't really help the problem.)
The kids and I are off on a camping trip tomorrow. We're meeting my parents at a campsite about half an hour from our house. We'll be there until Wednesday afternoon. I'm leaving at 9am on Thursday to go to NYC for BlogHer12. I had everything carefully planned out. Lists written, schedules for packing, errands I needed to squeeze in. We were even going to my cousin's graduation party today, an hour away. I knew that if I could accomplish everything on my list this morning and tomorrow morning it would all get done and I wouldn't have to worry about it. Both trips would be executed without a hitch.
Then last night Stephanie seemed stuffy. When we put her to bed we noticed she was having a lot of trouble breathing out of her nose. When I went to bed at 11:30, she had already cried out for me a few times. At 1:30 I heard her again. I went in and laid with her. She was very restless, and seemed warm. I took her temp. 100.2. Gave her some motrin, laid with her for a while longer, and left her room around 3. At 4:30 I heard her again, and ended up spending the rest of the night holding her as she tossed and turned, trying to get comfortable.
At 8:30 in the morning, as she was standing in the middle of the living room, she threw up her entire cup of juice. (Sorry if you have a weak stomach. This is parenthood for you...uncensored!)
For the briefest of minutes, as I stood staring at her standing in the middle of her own puke, sobbing her heart out, thoughts of my to-do list and our plans for the day flitted through my head. Then the thoughts left, as quickly as they came.
I sprang into action, scooping up my sick child and putting her in a warm bath. I called the host of the party we were attending to explain why we wouldn't be there. I spent the rest of the day alternating between giving her lots of TLC and crossing items off my to-do list. (Thanks goodness it was a Saturday that Dan didn't have to work.) Everything got done, but most importantly I was able to give my little one the attention she deserved during her time of need.
Motherhood is a balancing act. It requires the flexibilty to alter your plans at a moments notice in order to tend to the needs of your child. It isn't always easy, and it can be extremely challenging to let go of all the other stuff that you need and want to do.
But in the end, these trips will come and go. All the hard work and planning will soon be forgotten. But years from now, as Stephanie cares for her own sick child, she will (hopefully) remember how her mother reacted when she was sick. How it seemed like nothing else in the world mattered except her needs. How she spent the day in cozy clothes, and rocking in the glider, and eating "sick" foods like saltines and chicken soup. How her mother dropped her endless lists the second she said, in her sad, plaintive voice "Mommy, I need you." I know these things are what I remember from my own childhood.
The kids and I are off on a camping trip tomorrow. We're meeting my parents at a campsite about half an hour from our house. We'll be there until Wednesday afternoon. I'm leaving at 9am on Thursday to go to NYC for BlogHer12. I had everything carefully planned out. Lists written, schedules for packing, errands I needed to squeeze in. We were even going to my cousin's graduation party today, an hour away. I knew that if I could accomplish everything on my list this morning and tomorrow morning it would all get done and I wouldn't have to worry about it. Both trips would be executed without a hitch.
Then last night Stephanie seemed stuffy. When we put her to bed we noticed she was having a lot of trouble breathing out of her nose. When I went to bed at 11:30, she had already cried out for me a few times. At 1:30 I heard her again. I went in and laid with her. She was very restless, and seemed warm. I took her temp. 100.2. Gave her some motrin, laid with her for a while longer, and left her room around 3. At 4:30 I heard her again, and ended up spending the rest of the night holding her as she tossed and turned, trying to get comfortable.
At 8:30 in the morning, as she was standing in the middle of the living room, she threw up her entire cup of juice. (Sorry if you have a weak stomach. This is parenthood for you...uncensored!)
For the briefest of minutes, as I stood staring at her standing in the middle of her own puke, sobbing her heart out, thoughts of my to-do list and our plans for the day flitted through my head. Then the thoughts left, as quickly as they came.
I sprang into action, scooping up my sick child and putting her in a warm bath. I called the host of the party we were attending to explain why we wouldn't be there. I spent the rest of the day alternating between giving her lots of TLC and crossing items off my to-do list. (Thanks goodness it was a Saturday that Dan didn't have to work.) Everything got done, but most importantly I was able to give my little one the attention she deserved during her time of need.
Motherhood is a balancing act. It requires the flexibilty to alter your plans at a moments notice in order to tend to the needs of your child. It isn't always easy, and it can be extremely challenging to let go of all the other stuff that you need and want to do.
But in the end, these trips will come and go. All the hard work and planning will soon be forgotten. But years from now, as Stephanie cares for her own sick child, she will (hopefully) remember how her mother reacted when she was sick. How it seemed like nothing else in the world mattered except her needs. How she spent the day in cozy clothes, and rocking in the glider, and eating "sick" foods like saltines and chicken soup. How her mother dropped her endless lists the second she said, in her sad, plaintive voice "Mommy, I need you." I know these things are what I remember from my own childhood.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
$20 for $40 Worth of The Honest Company Products
As a mom, I'm always on the lookout for great deals when it comes to products for my children. As a blogger, I get excited when I find a deal I can pass along to my readers. Today I bring you a fabulous deal for The Honest Company!
The Honest Company sells all natural, non-toxic products for children. It was founded by actress Jessica Alba, who discovered that when her daughter was born it was challenging to find eco-friendly supplies for her little one.
The company offers a full line of products, including diapers, household cleaning products, personal care products, wipes, laundry detergent, and much more. And they are all non-toxic, eco-friendly, free of harsh chemicals and, most important of all, effective.
In addition to making such awesome family-friendly products, The Honest Company donates a portion of it's proceeds to Baby2Baby.org, a non-profit organization that provides families in need with essential baby gear and clothing.
I'm excited to announce that Plum District is offering a deal right now, where for $20 you can buy $40 worth of products! This is a fantastic deal for moms and dads of little ones to take advantage of. You can choose individual products or really make your life easier by choosing the bundle and save option, which is a monthly subscription where you can receive products on your doorstep every month.
You can find this amazing deal here:
http://www.plumdistrict.com/
Hurry...offer is valid now through July 31st!
*Note: This offer is only good for new The Honest Company customers
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Saturday's Top 5 Laughs...on Sunday
I'm a little late with my laughs this week. OK, i'm late by a few weeks. It's been awhile since I've linked up with Melissa from the Mommyhood Chronicles, but i'm excited to be back there this week! (Better late than never, right??)
1. A few weeks ago I was tweeting my friend Kameron from My Wrinkle In Time. Stephanie asked me who I was talking to, and when I told her it was Kameron, she started laughing hysterically. When I finally asked her what was so funny she said "Mommy, you can't talk to your camera!"
2. At breakfast one morning, I gave Stephanie a breakfast bar, and walked into the kitchen. A minute later, Dan walked into the dining room and asked her where her bar was. She gave him a withering look and said, somewhat condescendingly, "It's in my tummy Daddy." Total "duh" attitude. We both cracked up. Apparently she's 2 going on 15.
3. Now that Joseph is on the move, he crawls everywhere. He also wakes up at the crack of dawn, way before Stephanie. After his bottle and diaper change, I put him down to play. He immediately crawls to Stephanie's room. If her door is open a crack, he'll push it open and crawl in, giggling when he sees her sleeping in her bed. If the door is shut all the way, he sits right outside waiting for her. He loves his big sister so much!
4. Whenever I ask Stephanie how old Joseph is, she says 3 months. I tell her he's 9 months now, and she says "No Mommy. He 3 months." There's no changing her mind. She even told a woman in Kohls yesterday that her brother is 3 months. I wonder what she's going to do when it's his birthday...
5. Tonight I was putting Stephanie's pajamas on and said "Come on, put your pants on." She laughed at me and said "They not pants mommy, they pajama bottoms! Silly Mommy." I'm so lucky to have her around to correct me...it turns out i'm wrong quite a bit. ;)
I hope everyone had a great weekend! Enjoy your upcoming week. And if you have time, check out the other funny posts in the link-up, and link up your own if you have one!
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Saturday's Top 5 Laughs
Happy Saturday! I'm linking up with Melissa from the Mommyhood Chronicles again this week for Saturday's Top 5 Laughs. Enjoy my weekly dose of amusement. :)
1. Stephanie was eating a sprinkled donut in the car, and she said "uh-oh. Mommy, we need a tain-ticket."
Me: A train ticket?
Stephanie: No. A tain ticket
Me: Plane ticket?
S: NO! Tain ticket
M: Train ticket?
S: NO! WE NEED TO TAIN TICKET!
M: (Lightbulb goes off) ooooooh, did you make a mess? Do we need to stain stick it?
S: Yes mommy. Tain ticket.
2. We out to dinner for my mom's birthday on Thursday. Stephanie wanted a cupcake so my mom, Stephanie and my niece ordered a giant one to split. When it arrived, my mom put Stephanie's piece down in front of her. She looked at it for a minute, and then proceeded to eat it like a dog, just leaning over and eating it with no hands.
3. One night at bedtime this week Stephanie and Dan sat in front of our sliding glass door saying goodnight to all the things outside. (Goodnight to the trees, the sky, the moon, the flowers, the grass, etc.) All of a sudden I heard her say "goodnight Daddy's pot." I looked up and realized she was saying goodnight to his grill, which is this little Webster that she assumes is a pot to cook in, since that's what Daddy uses to make hotdogs and hamburgers outside. I couldn't help but laugh. It is so funny to think of the world the way a two year old does.
*And don't forget to enter my BabyGanics giveaway for your chance to win a free bottle of sunscreen! It ends Monday morning.
1. Stephanie was eating a sprinkled donut in the car, and she said "uh-oh. Mommy, we need a tain-ticket."
Me: A train ticket?
Stephanie: No. A tain ticket
Me: Plane ticket?
S: NO! Tain ticket
M: Train ticket?
S: NO! WE NEED TO TAIN TICKET!
M: (Lightbulb goes off) ooooooh, did you make a mess? Do we need to stain stick it?
S: Yes mommy. Tain ticket.
2. We out to dinner for my mom's birthday on Thursday. Stephanie wanted a cupcake so my mom, Stephanie and my niece ordered a giant one to split. When it arrived, my mom put Stephanie's piece down in front of her. She looked at it for a minute, and then proceeded to eat it like a dog, just leaning over and eating it with no hands.
4. Dan decided it was time to see if Joseph likes lemons as much as his sister does. (She will eat entire lemon slices without making any kind of face. She loves them.) Joseph's reaction was slightly different....my poor baby.
5. I went out with a great group of women last night to see Motherhood the Musical. It was a fantastic show that had me laughing out loud. (And also crying at a few parts.) I can't recommend it highly enough. If you're a mom or a mom-to-be you have to go see this show! (A special shout-out to the ladies from Rhody Mamas who organized a group of us to go together.)
*I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! If you want to laugh some more, come on over to Melissa's site and check out the other bloggers who have linked up this weekend.
*And don't forget to enter my BabyGanics giveaway for your chance to win a free bottle of sunscreen! It ends Monday morning.
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Saturday's Top 5 Laughs
Linking up with Melissa of The Mommyhood Chronicles again today! Enjoy my top five laughs from the past week. :)
1. Stephanie is a pro at going potty, she's been trained for over 3 months now and has never had a problem. She doesn't even use her potty seat topper anymore, preferring to go on the big toilet. However, the other day after she went, I started to flush while she was still sitting. She jumped up with a panicked shriek and exclaimed "NO Mommy! Don't flush me!" I tried not to laugh, since she was so distraught, but I found it highly amusing. I kept it together though, and assured her that she is way to big to go down the toilet, but that if it makes her feel better I won't flush until she's safely standing on the floor. (Better yet, I make her flush most of the time now.)
2. One morning a few days ago, Stephanie was up way too early for me so I told her it wasn't time to be up, and she needed to go back to bed. She looked up at with wide eyes and said "But Mommy, I awake now!" So I gave her pile of books and told her to read quietly in bed, which she did. The next morning she knocked on the bedroom door at a much more reasonable time, so when I opened it I greeted her with a big smile and an offering of milk. She looked at me for a minute and said "No Mom. It's too early. I going to read." She grabbed herself some books, hopped back in bed, and proceeded to stay there for another half an hour.
3. Joseph is officially on the move now, but he doesn't crawl on all fours, preferring to scoot on his belly. It's so funny to watch him pull himself forward, using only his arm muscles.
4. A few times lately my order at Dunkin hasn't been right, so I've gotten in the habit of checking it before we pull out of the parking lot. The other day I paid, pulled forward, and stopped to check. Stephanie asked what I was doing and I said "I'm making sure they put caramel swirl in my coffee." She paused for a moment, and then said in a shocked voice "Oh mommy...you eating caramel squirrels???" I practically spit my coffee all over the car as I broke out laughing, and assured my daughter that I was most certainly NOT eating squirrels.
5. I adore everything about Joseph's stage of infancy right now. He makes me laugh all day long, just by doing the simple baby things he does. Examples:
1. Eating any paper he can get his hands on (I call him my little goat, because he sits there chomping away contentedly whenever he happens to find a piece.)
2. Playing with wires. He will crawl (scoot?) all over our apartment just to try and find a computer or cell phone charger wire that someone has forgotten to put away. He then sits up proudly and shakes the wire with a big grin on his face.
3. Emptying the toy baskets. He particularly enjoys doing this right after I've cleaned everything up.
4. Grabbing my legs when I walk by him. He will lunge at me, and wrap my legs in his arms, giggling as he hugs me.
5. Eating. He LOVES chunks of real people food and will giggle hysterically while eating it because he's so thrilled.
I hope everyone has a wonderful, safe, and fun-filled weekend! xoxo
1. Stephanie is a pro at going potty, she's been trained for over 3 months now and has never had a problem. She doesn't even use her potty seat topper anymore, preferring to go on the big toilet. However, the other day after she went, I started to flush while she was still sitting. She jumped up with a panicked shriek and exclaimed "NO Mommy! Don't flush me!" I tried not to laugh, since she was so distraught, but I found it highly amusing. I kept it together though, and assured her that she is way to big to go down the toilet, but that if it makes her feel better I won't flush until she's safely standing on the floor. (Better yet, I make her flush most of the time now.)
2. One morning a few days ago, Stephanie was up way too early for me so I told her it wasn't time to be up, and she needed to go back to bed. She looked up at with wide eyes and said "But Mommy, I awake now!" So I gave her pile of books and told her to read quietly in bed, which she did. The next morning she knocked on the bedroom door at a much more reasonable time, so when I opened it I greeted her with a big smile and an offering of milk. She looked at me for a minute and said "No Mom. It's too early. I going to read." She grabbed herself some books, hopped back in bed, and proceeded to stay there for another half an hour.
3. Joseph is officially on the move now, but he doesn't crawl on all fours, preferring to scoot on his belly. It's so funny to watch him pull himself forward, using only his arm muscles.
4. A few times lately my order at Dunkin hasn't been right, so I've gotten in the habit of checking it before we pull out of the parking lot. The other day I paid, pulled forward, and stopped to check. Stephanie asked what I was doing and I said "I'm making sure they put caramel swirl in my coffee." She paused for a moment, and then said in a shocked voice "Oh mommy...you eating caramel squirrels???" I practically spit my coffee all over the car as I broke out laughing, and assured my daughter that I was most certainly NOT eating squirrels.
5. I adore everything about Joseph's stage of infancy right now. He makes me laugh all day long, just by doing the simple baby things he does. Examples:
1. Eating any paper he can get his hands on (I call him my little goat, because he sits there chomping away contentedly whenever he happens to find a piece.)
2. Playing with wires. He will crawl (scoot?) all over our apartment just to try and find a computer or cell phone charger wire that someone has forgotten to put away. He then sits up proudly and shakes the wire with a big grin on his face.
3. Emptying the toy baskets. He particularly enjoys doing this right after I've cleaned everything up.
4. Grabbing my legs when I walk by him. He will lunge at me, and wrap my legs in his arms, giggling as he hugs me.
5. Eating. He LOVES chunks of real people food and will giggle hysterically while eating it because he's so thrilled.
I hope everyone has a wonderful, safe, and fun-filled weekend! xoxo
Sunday, June 3, 2012
My Advice for a Mom-to-Be
Today was the baby shower for my best friend since High School. She and her husband are "Auntie" and "Uncle" to my two little munchkins, and I am beyond thrilled that they will be welcoming their own little bundle of joy very soon!
During the shower we were discussing the fact that pregnant women seem to be public property. Complete strangers feel as if they have the right to touch your belly and offer up unsolicited advice. It can get annoying very quickly, as any pregnant woman knows.
As I reflected back on that conversation, I realized that too often new moms are also considered public property. So many other moms decide they need to share their horror stories, awful experiences, and bits of "helpful" advice. This so-called advice is often contradictory and confusing, and can make a new mom want to break down in tears. Between that and the magazine articles and parenting books that all espouse opposite practices and philosophies, you can be left feeling at a complete loss with no idea how to handle the brand new miracle that you have been blessed with.
So, my dear friend A, as you embark on this new chapter of your life, I offer to you this list of friendly, sort of un-advice. I hope it will be helpful for those times when you hear people tell you their way is the only right way, or look at you in horror because you let your child sit in the shopping cart without a cover.
-If you want to hold your baby, hold her. If you want her to learn to be put down, put her down.
-If you want to rock her to sleep, rock her. Want her to put herself to sleep? Put her down awake or sleep train.
-Want to nurse (or bottle feed) on demand? Do it. If you prefer a schedule, set a schedule.
-You want to co-sleep? Just do it safely. Prefer her to sleep in her own bed? That's fine too!
-If you think something is wrong and you're not sure whether to call the Dr, just call. It will make you feel better, and all pediatricians are used to those 3am phone calls from new moms.
-Trust yourself. You have already known your baby for almost 9 months. You are a mom, and your instincts are strong.
-You don't want your child dependent on a pacifier? Don't use it. Your baby has been crying endlessly and you decide you can't take it anymore? Go out and buy some, and use them as long as you want to.
-Seek advice from people who can truly help. Your mom, your close mom friends, and your pediatrician. If the advice is contradictory, trust that you know what's best!
-Know that total strangers will love to tell you things. Sometimes the only way to handle it is to smile, walk away quickly, while all the while thinking "Sure lady, my baby should be wearing socks even though it's 101 degrees outside. I'm sure her feet are freezing. Thanks."
-Find a group of mom friends that you are comfortable with. They don't all have to share the same philosophies as you, but they should accept you and the choices you make for your baby. Having people going through the same stage of baby-hood as you will be a life-saver. (And an online support system is great too because you can usually always find someone awake with you at 2am. It helps you feel less alone!)
-And lastly, know that i'm always here for you, to listen, to share my personal experiences, and to be a shoulder to lean on. You're going to be an awesome mom, and I can't wait for you to meet your new little baby!!
Monday, April 30, 2012
Surviving the Exhaustion
Sleep?
I don't get much of it. At all. I know I talk about it a lot (probably too much for many of you) but truly, when you don't get sleep it's all you can think about. Instead of lamenting my tiredness and circling around the reasons for Joseph's night waking and possible solutions for it, i'm giving you my tips for dealing with the lack of sleep. Because lets face it, after 6.5 months where the longest stretch I've gotten is 4 hours, i'm pretty much an expert.
Drink
1. Coffee. Obviously i'm touting the benefits of this one. The caffeine wakes me up of course, but so does simply smelling it. While the first pot of the morning brews, the scent triggers parts of my brain which tell me "hey, it's time to look alive!" I also love the taste, so on those mornings where I could potentially be pretty miserable, it perks me up and makes me happy. I am also back to my daily Dunkin Donuts habit, which I refuse to apologize for. I deserve it!
2. Water, water, water. When i'm tired, the last thing I want to do is add dehydration to the mix. I drink one glass of water for every cup of coffee, and then continue to drink water throughout the day. Even though recent research has suggested that 8 glasses aren't necessary, I do my best to get and exceed that amount. It helps my body feel more alert and less sluggish.
3. Wine. When I finally get Joseph settled for the night (wait, let me rephrase. If I can finally get Joseph settled for the night) I like to relax with one glass of wine. I keep it to 2 or 3 nights a week, which makes it a relaxing treat. I enjoy the taste of red wine, and it's something I can look forward to and enjoy before heading into a night where I may possibly be pacing the floors for hours on end.
Food
1. Less sugar. I've noticed that when I consume large amounts of refined sugar I feel awful. I have a stomachache, I'm cranky, I get headaches and i'm beyond the point of sluggishness. That's not good when you're already running on little to no sleep. But I've often found that when i'm overtired my first reaction is to reach for a piece of chocolate or a cookie. I've forced myself to stop doing that, which has made a huge difference in the way my body feels.
2. More fruits and veggies. These foods naturally contain a lot of water, which aids in the prevention of dehydration. They also make me feel fuller longer so i'm less apt to binge on the sugary, processed foods that make me more tired. I've made it a point to include a serving of either fruit or veggies during breakfast, lunch and snacks and two servings at dinner.
Exercise
1. When i'm tired, the last thing I want to do is work out. But it does give me energy, and an afternoon walk outside is just the thing to get me through the rest of the evening. The fresh air is an added bonus, but even on bad weather days I will get up and do some jumping jacks or dancing with Stephanie in the afternoon. Anything to get the blood flowing through my body.
2. Yoga. I've never taken a structured class, and for all I know i'm doing all the moves wrong and have terrible form. But boy do I love yoga. I've started incorporating it into my daily life and I feel happier, more relaxed, more energized, and more peaceful. I've also noticed my body becoming more toned, which is an added bonus. I use the yoga moves from our Wii fit, but even if I don't want to take the time to boot up the system I will do a move or two anytime I find myself sliding into exhaustion and crankiness. The mats we put down to prevent Joseph from slamming his head on the concrete floor have the added benefit of being an always-there yoga mat as well.
Clearly none of these things is a perfect substitute for a full night's sleep. But as any mom knows, there really isn't such a thing as a full night's sleep once you have kids. Even if your child has slept great since he/she was tiny, most moms deal with night waking at least a few times a week. Sometimes it's a nightmare, sometimes it's needing to use the potty (or wetting the bed), sometimes it's teething pain, sometimes it's just lonely kids who want to cuddle with mommy in the middle of the night. Whatever it is that's causing your tiredness, I hope you find some of these tips useful. They have definitely been a lifesaver for me lately.
I don't get much of it. At all. I know I talk about it a lot (probably too much for many of you) but truly, when you don't get sleep it's all you can think about. Instead of lamenting my tiredness and circling around the reasons for Joseph's night waking and possible solutions for it, i'm giving you my tips for dealing with the lack of sleep. Because lets face it, after 6.5 months where the longest stretch I've gotten is 4 hours, i'm pretty much an expert.
Drink
1. Coffee. Obviously i'm touting the benefits of this one. The caffeine wakes me up of course, but so does simply smelling it. While the first pot of the morning brews, the scent triggers parts of my brain which tell me "hey, it's time to look alive!" I also love the taste, so on those mornings where I could potentially be pretty miserable, it perks me up and makes me happy. I am also back to my daily Dunkin Donuts habit, which I refuse to apologize for. I deserve it!
2. Water, water, water. When i'm tired, the last thing I want to do is add dehydration to the mix. I drink one glass of water for every cup of coffee, and then continue to drink water throughout the day. Even though recent research has suggested that 8 glasses aren't necessary, I do my best to get and exceed that amount. It helps my body feel more alert and less sluggish.
3. Wine. When I finally get Joseph settled for the night (wait, let me rephrase. If I can finally get Joseph settled for the night) I like to relax with one glass of wine. I keep it to 2 or 3 nights a week, which makes it a relaxing treat. I enjoy the taste of red wine, and it's something I can look forward to and enjoy before heading into a night where I may possibly be pacing the floors for hours on end.
Food
1. Less sugar. I've noticed that when I consume large amounts of refined sugar I feel awful. I have a stomachache, I'm cranky, I get headaches and i'm beyond the point of sluggishness. That's not good when you're already running on little to no sleep. But I've often found that when i'm overtired my first reaction is to reach for a piece of chocolate or a cookie. I've forced myself to stop doing that, which has made a huge difference in the way my body feels.
2. More fruits and veggies. These foods naturally contain a lot of water, which aids in the prevention of dehydration. They also make me feel fuller longer so i'm less apt to binge on the sugary, processed foods that make me more tired. I've made it a point to include a serving of either fruit or veggies during breakfast, lunch and snacks and two servings at dinner.
Exercise
1. When i'm tired, the last thing I want to do is work out. But it does give me energy, and an afternoon walk outside is just the thing to get me through the rest of the evening. The fresh air is an added bonus, but even on bad weather days I will get up and do some jumping jacks or dancing with Stephanie in the afternoon. Anything to get the blood flowing through my body.
2. Yoga. I've never taken a structured class, and for all I know i'm doing all the moves wrong and have terrible form. But boy do I love yoga. I've started incorporating it into my daily life and I feel happier, more relaxed, more energized, and more peaceful. I've also noticed my body becoming more toned, which is an added bonus. I use the yoga moves from our Wii fit, but even if I don't want to take the time to boot up the system I will do a move or two anytime I find myself sliding into exhaustion and crankiness. The mats we put down to prevent Joseph from slamming his head on the concrete floor have the added benefit of being an always-there yoga mat as well.
Clearly none of these things is a perfect substitute for a full night's sleep. But as any mom knows, there really isn't such a thing as a full night's sleep once you have kids. Even if your child has slept great since he/she was tiny, most moms deal with night waking at least a few times a week. Sometimes it's a nightmare, sometimes it's needing to use the potty (or wetting the bed), sometimes it's teething pain, sometimes it's just lonely kids who want to cuddle with mommy in the middle of the night. Whatever it is that's causing your tiredness, I hope you find some of these tips useful. They have definitely been a lifesaver for me lately.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
We Stayed Home
*Before writing this post I want to send out a big congratulations to my best friend, who welcomed her second baby boy to the world on Sunday morning. I got to meet the adorable little munchkin yesterday, and it was so magical to witness the pride and joy in my friend's face.
Ok, back to the post.
I knew I was going to the hospital to visit with the new baby and his Mommy yesterday afternoon, so I made no morning plans. It was also raining outside, so I decided we would just spend time around the house. It was the first time in a long time that the kids and I didn't have any where to hurry off to, and that made our morning run much smoother than normal.
Instead of rushing through my coffee, I drank it leisurely while the kids played. Instead of inhaling my breakfast andgently coaxing nagging Stephanie to finish, we spent extra time enjoying our first meal of the day. Joseph got to take his morning nap in his crib instead of his car-seat. I folded and put away the loads of laundry that we washed over the weekend.
As the morning drew to a close, I took a minute to pause and think about how happy and content we all were. It was nice to just...stay home.
I also realized that I wouldn't want to do this every day. I enjoy our play-dates, trips to the park, story-time, errand running and appointments. It keeps us busy, provides socialization and new experiences for the children, prevents me from feeling like i'm going to climb the walls, and helps me implement structure and routine in our lives.
It also makes these slow times more special. I enjoy them and relish them instead of taking them for granted. They make me realize that it isn't good for any of us to rush around all the time. We need a break every now and then, and a morning like yesterday gives all of us the time and space we need to relax and re-charge our batteries. It also means my house is cleaner and more organized than it's been in weeks!
I knew I was going to the hospital to visit with the new baby and his Mommy yesterday afternoon, so I made no morning plans. It was also raining outside, so I decided we would just spend time around the house. It was the first time in a long time that the kids and I didn't have any where to hurry off to, and that made our morning run much smoother than normal.
Instead of rushing through my coffee, I drank it leisurely while the kids played. Instead of inhaling my breakfast and
As the morning drew to a close, I took a minute to pause and think about how happy and content we all were. It was nice to just...stay home.
I also realized that I wouldn't want to do this every day. I enjoy our play-dates, trips to the park, story-time, errand running and appointments. It keeps us busy, provides socialization and new experiences for the children, prevents me from feeling like i'm going to climb the walls, and helps me implement structure and routine in our lives.
It also makes these slow times more special. I enjoy them and relish them instead of taking them for granted. They make me realize that it isn't good for any of us to rush around all the time. We need a break every now and then, and a morning like yesterday gives all of us the time and space we need to relax and re-charge our batteries. It also means my house is cleaner and more organized than it's been in weeks!
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