Tap dancing kangaroos are performing on my coffee table right now. One holds a laso, while the other is throwing "meatballs" to the floor below.
Earlier today, we loaded the stroller with picnic goodies, a blanket, and a ball. We hiked our way to the playground and enjoyed a two hour lunch... just my little kangaroos and me.
My three year old wrote her name for the first time, and her brother cheered "Ra-Daaaaaa!" (ta-da) for her.
We played hide and seek. We built a block castle. We drank green smoothies and had homemade (egg-less) cookies. We colored reindeer. We laughed until our bellies ached during bath time.
There are so many memories to be made in each day. Too many memories to be remembered. Too many moments that are filled with the true meaning of life. People are so focused on helping their children prepare for life and all that life will throw at them, that they don't realize their children are already living life. Every moment is truly lived in by a child. There is no later, no tomorrow, only now.
After the earth-shattering shooting that took place last Friday, taking the lives of 20 young children, I beg you to slow down. I beg you to look at life through your child's eyes.
Being a parent is hard. It is exhausting. It challenges your weaknesses daily... but as you know, it is the greatest journey life can offer. It is easy to lose yourself on this journey, to deviate from the woman (or man) you are and planned to become. It is time to take a moment and evaluate where you are, where your heart lies, and how you are expressing these things to those who matter most.
You cannot remember every moment of every day, but you should not have to. Your days should be filled with moments back to back, building high, this castle that is your life. Because your life should be lived in each moment.
Listen to the little voices. Sit on the floor and play. Go outside and get dirty. Hold hands. Hug. Give kisses. Take pictures. Laugh. Cry. Cheer.
Each moment is yours to live with your child(ren). Life can be taken from us at any time. We cannot protect ourselves or our children, despite our superhero mentality, in the scariest dangers of the world. Instead of living in fear though, let your love and strength be present and hold on to your babies while walking this journey. Walk it together, as the family you are.
This is our New Year's Resolution for 2013, and every year that follows: Be Present. Live each moment.
And to those who lost a child, a mother, a sister, a wife, or a loved one in the recent nightmare, my prayers and tears and heartache are with you daily. Words will never be enough. xoxo.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Seek a Soul Mommy.
Everyone dreams of finding their soulmate in this lifetime. (I have been blessed in that category, as I hope you have as well.)
Being a mom brings with it another dream: finding your soul-mommy. What is a soul mommy, you ask? Simple. A soul mommy is another mother who completes you in all things motherhood. She is strong where you are weak, can finish your thoughts, leads her house in all the ways you do. There can be a secret silent language between the two of you. She is the one you would trust to not only watch your children, but even nurse them if the situation called for it. She is the one you call to vent, to chat, to laugh, to drink wine with. She will not judge you but only look at you with a knowing eye and completely understand.
Just as there is with your soulmate, an instant "knowing" or spark can occur when meeting your soul mommy. Normally you will have a child (or children) close in age. You will share similar, if not the same, beliefs in raising your family. The research that you are spending all hours of the night conducting is the same that she is up questioning. Not only will you fit with her, but your children will mysteriously fit as well.
It is a rare occurrence when your child has a friend who she not only loves but gets along with every time she's around. Nothing more than slight whining occurs. Sharing happens naturally. Laughing is on the agenda throughout the hours spent together. It is wonderful.
I was blessed to meet my soul mommy when my daughter was only 7 months old. We met at a playdate, instantly saw fireworks, and we never looked back. (good thing our husbands liked one another too!) I had the honor of living just minutes away from her for 14 months. We saw each other just about every day, and still felt the need to dial each other's number the few hours we were apart.
Then it was time to move. I have moved from best friends before. It sucks. I actually had to move away from the greatest group of mommy friends I have ever known when Scarlett was just half a year old. I knew that I would still see them frequently, as they lived minutes from my in-laws. Saying good-bye to my soul mommy (who resides on rainbow row in Charleston); however, was a very emotional moment. We said we would visit once a month, as the drive is only 2.5 hours. But you know how that goes... life happens. Gas prices soar. The economy continues to tank. More babies are born. We visit as often as we can afford though, and our connection has not dwindled, but distance has made our hearts sad.
This post came to me as John and I are preparing to throw a farewell party this afternoon for our friends in Savannah who are moving to Sweden in the upcoming weeks. They have been more than just neighbors and friends, but the mommy portion of the partnership had become my go-to mommy friend here in town. She lived within walking distance, shared the same natural lifestyle, and was a stay-at-home mom. I frequented her house as often as did mine. We learned from each other and grew as mothers and women. I am so sad to see her leave, but beyond happy for her that she is taking her family back to where she dreams of being.
Now, my Savannah mommy friend is different than my true soul mommy, but she has become such a wonderful constant in my day-to-day life that I do not know what I will do without her. As I am prepping for this afternoon's party (homemade baked beans have been simmering away, cornbread is baking, and egg-free chocolate chip cookies are already being taste-tested), I am brought back to when we moved away from Charleston. My heart is heavy and sad... and I am missing my soul mommy more than ever.
This post was not suppose to be sad, I promise! It was to inspire you as a mom to seek your soul mommy! Once you have found her, never let her go. Grow old together. Share stories from your past, make memories in the present, and dream of your future mommyhood together. And please remember to have someone take pictures of the tw of you (and not just of your children together!)
Me and My Soul Mommy.
Being a mom brings with it another dream: finding your soul-mommy. What is a soul mommy, you ask? Simple. A soul mommy is another mother who completes you in all things motherhood. She is strong where you are weak, can finish your thoughts, leads her house in all the ways you do. There can be a secret silent language between the two of you. She is the one you would trust to not only watch your children, but even nurse them if the situation called for it. She is the one you call to vent, to chat, to laugh, to drink wine with. She will not judge you but only look at you with a knowing eye and completely understand.
Just as there is with your soulmate, an instant "knowing" or spark can occur when meeting your soul mommy. Normally you will have a child (or children) close in age. You will share similar, if not the same, beliefs in raising your family. The research that you are spending all hours of the night conducting is the same that she is up questioning. Not only will you fit with her, but your children will mysteriously fit as well.
It is a rare occurrence when your child has a friend who she not only loves but gets along with every time she's around. Nothing more than slight whining occurs. Sharing happens naturally. Laughing is on the agenda throughout the hours spent together. It is wonderful.
I was blessed to meet my soul mommy when my daughter was only 7 months old. We met at a playdate, instantly saw fireworks, and we never looked back. (good thing our husbands liked one another too!) I had the honor of living just minutes away from her for 14 months. We saw each other just about every day, and still felt the need to dial each other's number the few hours we were apart.
Then it was time to move. I have moved from best friends before. It sucks. I actually had to move away from the greatest group of mommy friends I have ever known when Scarlett was just half a year old. I knew that I would still see them frequently, as they lived minutes from my in-laws. Saying good-bye to my soul mommy (who resides on rainbow row in Charleston); however, was a very emotional moment. We said we would visit once a month, as the drive is only 2.5 hours. But you know how that goes... life happens. Gas prices soar. The economy continues to tank. More babies are born. We visit as often as we can afford though, and our connection has not dwindled, but distance has made our hearts sad.
This post came to me as John and I are preparing to throw a farewell party this afternoon for our friends in Savannah who are moving to Sweden in the upcoming weeks. They have been more than just neighbors and friends, but the mommy portion of the partnership had become my go-to mommy friend here in town. She lived within walking distance, shared the same natural lifestyle, and was a stay-at-home mom. I frequented her house as often as did mine. We learned from each other and grew as mothers and women. I am so sad to see her leave, but beyond happy for her that she is taking her family back to where she dreams of being.
Now, my Savannah mommy friend is different than my true soul mommy, but she has become such a wonderful constant in my day-to-day life that I do not know what I will do without her. As I am prepping for this afternoon's party (homemade baked beans have been simmering away, cornbread is baking, and egg-free chocolate chip cookies are already being taste-tested), I am brought back to when we moved away from Charleston. My heart is heavy and sad... and I am missing my soul mommy more than ever.
This post was not suppose to be sad, I promise! It was to inspire you as a mom to seek your soul mommy! Once you have found her, never let her go. Grow old together. Share stories from your past, make memories in the present, and dream of your future mommyhood together. And please remember to have someone take pictures of the tw of you (and not just of your children together!)
The day we met:
A few fun pictures of the girls playing:
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Everything needs re-synching.
Your phone.
Your kindle.
Your iPad.
Your relationships.
All need a little plug-in time to synch every so often.
My last post was about being the world's worst mom when it came to E and sleep. Here's what I have learned: I had not re-synched myself with him in quite awhile. I was taking for granted just what a wonderfully easy babe he is. I am constantly synching myself with S just to keep up. She's three years old now and a sponge that is learning at a mile a minute. She is the most loving, caring, emotional little girl; and I personally think she's the coolest girl alive. But here in lies the problem. I have forgotten that each child needs this attention. I was just bringing E along for the ride, and because he is the happiest kid ever, I didn't think twice about any of it.
Over the past week, I have slowed down and truly watched the amazing 14 month old toddler that he has become. Time has flown. He has grown. He has a happy dance he does when S wakes up in the morning and he runs to hug her. He now pushes monster cars around the house and crashes block towers down. He climbs coffee tables and attempts to free fall from them. Yes, I have seen these things from him before, but this time I just watched. I observed my son and listened to him. I listened to my 14 month old. He has so much to "say" that it took my breath away.
He can tell me when he has pee'd by pulling at the diaper or bringing me a new one; so we have started sitting on the potty throughout the day.
He wants to carry a doll like his sister; so we let him push a stroller around all day.
He is capable of eating more food (and not nursing every hour on the hour), as long as his sister is eating too... and he has a utensil, is not in a high chair, and is not made to eat it.
HE CAN SLEEP. He gets tired throughout the day. He wants to sleep. He sleeps better if he gets more sleep. (I knew all of these things existed, but I just didn't think E was capable of them.) Now don't get me wrong, E is not a sleeping angel by any means; however, by watching and listening to him, and giving him the same consideration I have always given S, I have learned when he might be tired enough to sleep. I leave S to play while E and I lay in the sleep room together, nurse and listen to the sound machine. 7 out of 10 times, he has slept. The other 3, well, I can't win em all! He may sleep for 30 minutes or an hour, even an hour and a half once! but all that matters is that he is sleeping. I have also started a better night routine for both kids. I have been able to put them down 4 times on my own in the last week! I swear, the high is like finishing a race I have been training months for. Now I can't stop our lives and keep the kids at home all day; I teach bootcamp three days a week, S has ballet and soccer, we visit the library and museum once a week, etc. So we have adapted. If E falls asleep in the car, I walk S into ballet and wait in the car (with kindle in hand) while E sleeps. Or, S and I play outside while E sleeps in the car (with windows down and breeze blowing). If he falls asleep in the stroller on a run, S and I share popsicles outside while he naps. I no longer attempt to transfer him.
I cannot express the pride I have in myself at this moment of motherhood. As much as I wanted more children, I now feel as though I will be able to handle another child (or two if I have my way!). I am learning each day how to balance between the kids. I just have to remember that everything needs "re-synched" every so often to keep it updated.
On that note, I may need to "re-synch" with myself here soon. While, I am at a wonderful place emotionally, physically, and spiritually as a wife and mother, I need to reevaluate where I am at as an individual so that I never lose who I am. I have a bunco night coming up, a ballet class next week, and my weekly runs have gone from 3-4 days a week to 6 days. :) I'm on the right track, but it never hurts to hit the "synch" button again.
Is it time for you to re-synch a relationship?
Your kindle.
Your iPad.
Your relationships.
All need a little plug-in time to synch every so often.
My last post was about being the world's worst mom when it came to E and sleep. Here's what I have learned: I had not re-synched myself with him in quite awhile. I was taking for granted just what a wonderfully easy babe he is. I am constantly synching myself with S just to keep up. She's three years old now and a sponge that is learning at a mile a minute. She is the most loving, caring, emotional little girl; and I personally think she's the coolest girl alive. But here in lies the problem. I have forgotten that each child needs this attention. I was just bringing E along for the ride, and because he is the happiest kid ever, I didn't think twice about any of it.
Over the past week, I have slowed down and truly watched the amazing 14 month old toddler that he has become. Time has flown. He has grown. He has a happy dance he does when S wakes up in the morning and he runs to hug her. He now pushes monster cars around the house and crashes block towers down. He climbs coffee tables and attempts to free fall from them. Yes, I have seen these things from him before, but this time I just watched. I observed my son and listened to him. I listened to my 14 month old. He has so much to "say" that it took my breath away.
He can tell me when he has pee'd by pulling at the diaper or bringing me a new one; so we have started sitting on the potty throughout the day.
He wants to carry a doll like his sister; so we let him push a stroller around all day.
He is capable of eating more food (and not nursing every hour on the hour), as long as his sister is eating too... and he has a utensil, is not in a high chair, and is not made to eat it.
HE CAN SLEEP. He gets tired throughout the day. He wants to sleep. He sleeps better if he gets more sleep. (I knew all of these things existed, but I just didn't think E was capable of them.) Now don't get me wrong, E is not a sleeping angel by any means; however, by watching and listening to him, and giving him the same consideration I have always given S, I have learned when he might be tired enough to sleep. I leave S to play while E and I lay in the sleep room together, nurse and listen to the sound machine. 7 out of 10 times, he has slept. The other 3, well, I can't win em all! He may sleep for 30 minutes or an hour, even an hour and a half once! but all that matters is that he is sleeping. I have also started a better night routine for both kids. I have been able to put them down 4 times on my own in the last week! I swear, the high is like finishing a race I have been training months for. Now I can't stop our lives and keep the kids at home all day; I teach bootcamp three days a week, S has ballet and soccer, we visit the library and museum once a week, etc. So we have adapted. If E falls asleep in the car, I walk S into ballet and wait in the car (with kindle in hand) while E sleeps. Or, S and I play outside while E sleeps in the car (with windows down and breeze blowing). If he falls asleep in the stroller on a run, S and I share popsicles outside while he naps. I no longer attempt to transfer him.
I cannot express the pride I have in myself at this moment of motherhood. As much as I wanted more children, I now feel as though I will be able to handle another child (or two if I have my way!). I am learning each day how to balance between the kids. I just have to remember that everything needs "re-synched" every so often to keep it updated.
On that note, I may need to "re-synch" with myself here soon. While, I am at a wonderful place emotionally, physically, and spiritually as a wife and mother, I need to reevaluate where I am at as an individual so that I never lose who I am. I have a bunco night coming up, a ballet class next week, and my weekly runs have gone from 3-4 days a week to 6 days. :) I'm on the right track, but it never hurts to hit the "synch" button again.
Is it time for you to re-synch a relationship?
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Have I failed my son?
I have debated about this post for weeks now; hence the silence that has been my blog. I have tried to to start other posts, and yet I could only think about this. I still don't know how to write it. I guess I'll just go for it. I don't know if I'm just trying to vent or look for advice... or just hear that I'm not alone.
I feel as though I have failed my son.
I have a laundry list of "things" that make me a wonderful mother; I know this. This is not a confidence problem or a horrible mother complex. I truly believe that I have failed my son in one specific aspect.
I cannot put E to sleep. He is now 14 months old, and I do not "know" him well enough to put him to sleep. Not a nap. Not bedtime. He has never been a sleeper. Don't get me wrong, he is the world's happiest baby, and the pediatrician has told me several times now that some kids just don't need as much sleep as others. Well, E gets less sleep in a 24 hour period than my 3 year old. And I feel as though it is my fault.
S was an easy napper. She nursed to sleep, would snuggle with me, and as long as I was near, she slept. Then came E two years later. I was teaching bootcamp classes, and following Scarlett around, so E's sleep patterns became: car, stroller, ergo. Bedtime would be nursing while rocking and reading to Scarlett. But then he started moving. He hated pajamas. He would not let a blanket touch him. He didn't want to be rocked by me. He saw me as his milk machine. I went with it, thinking that it was just a hard sleep phase. This wouldn't be worth complaining about if he fell asleep while nursing. He doesn't. He refuses any type of lovey - and using me to comfort nurse for extended periods of time. Again, if he fell asleep doing this I might not be here... almost in tears because I cannot seem to get him to sleep. He nurses. nurses longer. comfort nurses. nurses some more. I break the latch because, at times, this has worked and he has rolled over and fallen asleep (RARELY). However, the norm is then WWIII. Kicking, screaming, couching to gagging, pinching, head butting, grabbing at my breasts. I try to hold him, it makes it worse. I give him space on the bed and just cover my face from being head butted r my chest from being pinched, pulled, etc. I lay there and almost cry as the clock ticks next to me. It gets to a point where I give up and call John in (an hour or more later) or I give in and let him nurse again. The cycle then repeats again. Not as long the second time because he is so exhausted from the fight that sometimes he gives in and settles down.
You may say, why don't I just let him nurse for the 1.5 hours at the start of bedtime until he is asleep? I have tried this too. This is what happens on nights John works late. I have both kids in the bed and have no other option. Here in lies the problem: E gets a second wind. There is a point during this long nursing session and comfort sucking to which he goes from almost passed out to wide awake again. This cannot be normal.
Here's the kicker: John walks in and within 20 minutes (normally less) E is asleep. It doesn't matter at what point John comes in. E just knows that there is no milk option I guess and only gives a half-hearted attempt.
Bedtime is bad, but then there is naptime. I can get E to sleep by wearing him in the ergo, running with the stroller, or in the car... IF he is tired. That's it. He does not transfer from any of the devices. He rarely sleeps longer than 30 minutes, unless we are outside while he is sleeping. I try to get him to nap at home, but I cannot devote 1-2 hours to putting him down for a nap that will only last 30 minutes or so. (It's the same issues as the bedtime routine) I have a 3 year old loose in the house! But here comes a weekend. John is home. He lays with E for 10-20 minutes and BAM - a nap occurs.
I feel like I do not know my child well enough to get him to sleep. I feel like I have failed him.
Has anyone else been in this position? Please please tell me I am not alone.
I feel as though I have failed my son.
I have a laundry list of "things" that make me a wonderful mother; I know this. This is not a confidence problem or a horrible mother complex. I truly believe that I have failed my son in one specific aspect.
I cannot put E to sleep. He is now 14 months old, and I do not "know" him well enough to put him to sleep. Not a nap. Not bedtime. He has never been a sleeper. Don't get me wrong, he is the world's happiest baby, and the pediatrician has told me several times now that some kids just don't need as much sleep as others. Well, E gets less sleep in a 24 hour period than my 3 year old. And I feel as though it is my fault.
S was an easy napper. She nursed to sleep, would snuggle with me, and as long as I was near, she slept. Then came E two years later. I was teaching bootcamp classes, and following Scarlett around, so E's sleep patterns became: car, stroller, ergo. Bedtime would be nursing while rocking and reading to Scarlett. But then he started moving. He hated pajamas. He would not let a blanket touch him. He didn't want to be rocked by me. He saw me as his milk machine. I went with it, thinking that it was just a hard sleep phase. This wouldn't be worth complaining about if he fell asleep while nursing. He doesn't. He refuses any type of lovey - and using me to comfort nurse for extended periods of time. Again, if he fell asleep doing this I might not be here... almost in tears because I cannot seem to get him to sleep. He nurses. nurses longer. comfort nurses. nurses some more. I break the latch because, at times, this has worked and he has rolled over and fallen asleep (RARELY). However, the norm is then WWIII. Kicking, screaming, couching to gagging, pinching, head butting, grabbing at my breasts. I try to hold him, it makes it worse. I give him space on the bed and just cover my face from being head butted r my chest from being pinched, pulled, etc. I lay there and almost cry as the clock ticks next to me. It gets to a point where I give up and call John in (an hour or more later) or I give in and let him nurse again. The cycle then repeats again. Not as long the second time because he is so exhausted from the fight that sometimes he gives in and settles down.
You may say, why don't I just let him nurse for the 1.5 hours at the start of bedtime until he is asleep? I have tried this too. This is what happens on nights John works late. I have both kids in the bed and have no other option. Here in lies the problem: E gets a second wind. There is a point during this long nursing session and comfort sucking to which he goes from almost passed out to wide awake again. This cannot be normal.
Here's the kicker: John walks in and within 20 minutes (normally less) E is asleep. It doesn't matter at what point John comes in. E just knows that there is no milk option I guess and only gives a half-hearted attempt.
Bedtime is bad, but then there is naptime. I can get E to sleep by wearing him in the ergo, running with the stroller, or in the car... IF he is tired. That's it. He does not transfer from any of the devices. He rarely sleeps longer than 30 minutes, unless we are outside while he is sleeping. I try to get him to nap at home, but I cannot devote 1-2 hours to putting him down for a nap that will only last 30 minutes or so. (It's the same issues as the bedtime routine) I have a 3 year old loose in the house! But here comes a weekend. John is home. He lays with E for 10-20 minutes and BAM - a nap occurs.
I feel like I do not know my child well enough to get him to sleep. I feel like I have failed him.
Has anyone else been in this position? Please please tell me I am not alone.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Bed-sharing in different beds. Are we alone with this one?
Let me start by apologizing for the time lapse in between the postings. Life has been hectic with Emmett (now 12.5 months) who can climb ANYTHING. I mean anything. The kid can get to the top of the dining room table faster than I can pee.
I promise to start setting aside time to type more regularly again!
Now onto the post:
We are bed-sharing advocates. We love sleeping with our children. And our children have not yet decided to sleep on their own. S just turned 3 years old on the 12th and E turned one on the 5th.
Here's the catch: My husband (J) and I each sleep with a child in different rooms. We have fallen into a groove that seems to be working well for the kids and allowing everyone the most sleep possible, but I do miss cuddling during the night. The night more or less goes like this:
Kids fall asleep in the "Sleep Room" (guest room where crib is). E in his crib and S in the bed. Within an hour, E wakes up to nurse again for about 5-10 minutes, then he's back in the crib. This is J & I's time to have wine, watch a show, talk, read, etc... E normally wakes up within the next hour; J's turn to get him. He takes E back to our bed and lays with him for 5 minutes until he is asleep again (he refuses to be rocked). So now the kids are in separate rooms. J, E, and I all sleep an hour or two together before S wakes and starts yelling for us. At this point, J hops up and joins her in the guest room. That is how we spend the remainder of the night.
We had been bringing S in with us when she woke up, but she tosses and turns and wakes E up too often. Without her in the bed, E sleeps 2 hour stretches! (That is amazing for him!)
Are we alone in this sleep situation? What will we do when there is a third baby (someday)? S shows no signs of wanting to sleep on her own. She gets scared in the middle of the night and really needs to feel a warm body next to her. E tosses and turns as much as his sister, so the crib is basically a joke. He hits his head and is immediately awake. We would like to eventually have them share a queen mattress on the floor together, but with E nursing so often and the tossing and turning between the two of them, I don't know if it's a good idea yet.
Please tell me we aren't alone! How crazy is your bed situation?
I promise to start setting aside time to type more regularly again!
Now onto the post:
We are bed-sharing advocates. We love sleeping with our children. And our children have not yet decided to sleep on their own. S just turned 3 years old on the 12th and E turned one on the 5th.
Here's the catch: My husband (J) and I each sleep with a child in different rooms. We have fallen into a groove that seems to be working well for the kids and allowing everyone the most sleep possible, but I do miss cuddling during the night. The night more or less goes like this:
Kids fall asleep in the "Sleep Room" (guest room where crib is). E in his crib and S in the bed. Within an hour, E wakes up to nurse again for about 5-10 minutes, then he's back in the crib. This is J & I's time to have wine, watch a show, talk, read, etc... E normally wakes up within the next hour; J's turn to get him. He takes E back to our bed and lays with him for 5 minutes until he is asleep again (he refuses to be rocked). So now the kids are in separate rooms. J, E, and I all sleep an hour or two together before S wakes and starts yelling for us. At this point, J hops up and joins her in the guest room. That is how we spend the remainder of the night.
We had been bringing S in with us when she woke up, but she tosses and turns and wakes E up too often. Without her in the bed, E sleeps 2 hour stretches! (That is amazing for him!)
Are we alone in this sleep situation? What will we do when there is a third baby (someday)? S shows no signs of wanting to sleep on her own. She gets scared in the middle of the night and really needs to feel a warm body next to her. E tosses and turns as much as his sister, so the crib is basically a joke. He hits his head and is immediately awake. We would like to eventually have them share a queen mattress on the floor together, but with E nursing so often and the tossing and turning between the two of them, I don't know if it's a good idea yet.
Please tell me we aren't alone! How crazy is your bed situation?
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Regarding: My Sanity and Peacefully Parenting
To: The Higher Power of Peaceful Parenting
Regarding: My Sanity and Peacefully Parenting
From: A mother who is always seeking more knowledge
Almighty Being - God of Peaceful Parenting,
Please help. Please help me today; in this moment. Peaceful Parenting is HARD. Just when I feel as though I am capable of handling anything my toddler can -dish out, I am rudely awakened with some new challenge. Normally, I enjoy the challenge. I thrive in learning and growing as an individual, as a team with my husband, and as a mother. However, there are moments in which I am NOT IN THE MOOD for a challenge. Today is one of those days.
I woke up on the wrong side of the bed, with not one but both children in grumpy moods.
I have spoken in a sharp tone with my toddler. I have let my 11 month old cry while reaching for me because I needed a minute to breathe. I have been baffled as what to do while my toddler pushed my new walker over repeatedly just to keep him from toys. I have listened to the grumpy moods continue throughout the morning into lunch.
I understand in moments like these how easy it would be to leave a child in time out. Or even how easy it is to let your emotions win out and spank. I am not that type of parent. I follow a peaceful path and know that it will pay off with well-rounded, self-confident, happy, and trusting children. However, it is HARD. It is very hard.
Please respond with advice... I'm losing my sanity today.
And this is what I believe I would receive in response:
Dear Gentle Mother,
Breathe. Breathe again. Where are your children now? Don't you hear them laughing together as you type?
Remember your purpose. You are here to unconditionally love and support these babies throughout a lifetime of challenges. Challenges that will be minute or catastrophic, but none-the-less challenging. Breathe through these moments. Close your eyes and survive. Then open your eyes and watch the beautiful being in which you have created. Watch as she is watching you, learning. Words are just words, but your actions are what she is responding to.
Take a moment to regroup and then count your blessings, for even challenging moments are worth treasuring. As hard as it may seem, they are.
Tomorrow will be a better day, but go make the best of the rest of today.
Always guiding,
The Spirit of Parenting Peacefully.
ARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGG....... Yes that is exactly what I would receive in response. And I'm feeling better already. Yes, my children are playing together right now, happily, and yes I am blessed. But I am also allowed a cranky-ass, crappy-mommy moment or two here and there, right? RIGHT. I feel as though these moments are what challenge me to expand my knowledge and strength within the parenting style that hubby and I are continuously developing.
Here's the day that has caused this letter... Nothing too out of the ordinary, but for some reason, enough to just push me over.
My attitude and outlook on the day is exactly that, "MINE." It is mine to change and turn around. But why is it so hard sometimes? I seek contentment in each moment. I seek the knowledge to be a good mother in each moment. And there are times when, even though I have the tools, my attitude and outlook snowball one bad moment into an entire morning of bad moments. Why do I do this?
This morning started off a bit earlier than normal, but nothing out of the ordinary. We had (and still have) nothing on our to do list. It was suppose to be just a relaxing day around the house. Maybe we would paint, or perhaps make play dough people. Who knows, we might even have made colored bubbles. But things started melting down after breakfast. While I was trying to entice Baby E to eat SOMETHING (you know, maybe a cheerio... or whoa a pinch of banana), S found her foam shape stickers and began sticking them all over the windows. I asked her to stop once, but she continued. I held my breath and thought, "Well, I'll peel them off later - at least she is happy. We may as well use this as a teachable moment!" (YAY me - see I do have tools to make good moments) I began talking to her about the shapes and colors, the similarities and differences. It was a great moment. I asked S what she wanted to do today, "Swim! Mommy, me want me new pool." I figured we needed to try blowing up her new pool before the big birthday party next month, so why not. I needed to stuff a few diapers and Baby E needed to nurse and perhaps nap. (No food was consumed for breakfast.) I began playing with S as I worked on these tasks.
Baby E is now 11 months old and will not nap with distractions. How do you create a quiet peaceful environment with an almost 3 year old bouncing around? S did not want to watch a show while I tried putting E down. She did not want to play by herself. She then danced around the room and laughed continuously until it was apparent a nap was not in E's immediate future. She then cheered when he began laughing with her. This was the moment that my "Peaceful" mentality began to meltdown. I had asked her three times to sit quietly. I know that she is only 35 months old (Today - ooooooh happy 35th month of life my love bug!) and I know that a three year old does not have the mentality to understand that sitting for more than 45 seconds is what is needed in this moment.
E did not nap. This (again) shouldn't cause a downward spiral, as napping is not a scheduled thing in our house. But my blood was boiling. I was mad at my almost three year old. What was wrong with me?
We began working on the blow up pool. This was a gift that had not yet been opened and instructions read "20 minute blow up time." Fast forward TWO HOURS. During this time, S had pushed E down several times, taking the hose away from him, squirt him, etc... even after continuous redirection. I finally lost it. The sweat was rolling down my back, E was crying, S was not listening, and the damn pool was not blown up yet! I made S sit down next to me (as she SCREEEEEEEEEEAMED and cried) and talk to me about why she wasn't being kind. It took all of my might not to grab her and sit her alone somewhere to have a break. I felt horrible as this was the first "time out" type of experience she has had. I know it was not time-out, but I thought I would be able to better handle these moments. But no, I didn't know what to do, and I was at my wits end. We talked and she was nicer. I was able to put E down for a (25 minute) nap. The pool did blow up. The rain clouds have now rolled in and I just have to laugh.
I am calling on a higher power to help me survive today. I need a little guidance. This peaceful parenting thing is F'ing HARD.
Regarding: My Sanity and Peacefully Parenting
From: A mother who is always seeking more knowledge
Almighty Being - God of Peaceful Parenting,
Please help. Please help me today; in this moment. Peaceful Parenting is HARD. Just when I feel as though I am capable of handling anything my toddler can -dish out, I am rudely awakened with some new challenge. Normally, I enjoy the challenge. I thrive in learning and growing as an individual, as a team with my husband, and as a mother. However, there are moments in which I am NOT IN THE MOOD for a challenge. Today is one of those days.
I woke up on the wrong side of the bed, with not one but both children in grumpy moods.
I have spoken in a sharp tone with my toddler. I have let my 11 month old cry while reaching for me because I needed a minute to breathe. I have been baffled as what to do while my toddler pushed my new walker over repeatedly just to keep him from toys. I have listened to the grumpy moods continue throughout the morning into lunch.
I understand in moments like these how easy it would be to leave a child in time out. Or even how easy it is to let your emotions win out and spank. I am not that type of parent. I follow a peaceful path and know that it will pay off with well-rounded, self-confident, happy, and trusting children. However, it is HARD. It is very hard.
Please respond with advice... I'm losing my sanity today.
And this is what I believe I would receive in response:
Dear Gentle Mother,
Breathe. Breathe again. Where are your children now? Don't you hear them laughing together as you type?
Remember your purpose. You are here to unconditionally love and support these babies throughout a lifetime of challenges. Challenges that will be minute or catastrophic, but none-the-less challenging. Breathe through these moments. Close your eyes and survive. Then open your eyes and watch the beautiful being in which you have created. Watch as she is watching you, learning. Words are just words, but your actions are what she is responding to.
Take a moment to regroup and then count your blessings, for even challenging moments are worth treasuring. As hard as it may seem, they are.
Tomorrow will be a better day, but go make the best of the rest of today.
Always guiding,
The Spirit of Parenting Peacefully.
ARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGG....... Yes that is exactly what I would receive in response. And I'm feeling better already. Yes, my children are playing together right now, happily, and yes I am blessed. But I am also allowed a cranky-ass, crappy-mommy moment or two here and there, right? RIGHT. I feel as though these moments are what challenge me to expand my knowledge and strength within the parenting style that hubby and I are continuously developing.
Here's the day that has caused this letter... Nothing too out of the ordinary, but for some reason, enough to just push me over.
My attitude and outlook on the day is exactly that, "MINE." It is mine to change and turn around. But why is it so hard sometimes? I seek contentment in each moment. I seek the knowledge to be a good mother in each moment. And there are times when, even though I have the tools, my attitude and outlook snowball one bad moment into an entire morning of bad moments. Why do I do this?
This morning started off a bit earlier than normal, but nothing out of the ordinary. We had (and still have) nothing on our to do list. It was suppose to be just a relaxing day around the house. Maybe we would paint, or perhaps make play dough people. Who knows, we might even have made colored bubbles. But things started melting down after breakfast. While I was trying to entice Baby E to eat SOMETHING (you know, maybe a cheerio... or whoa a pinch of banana), S found her foam shape stickers and began sticking them all over the windows. I asked her to stop once, but she continued. I held my breath and thought, "Well, I'll peel them off later - at least she is happy. We may as well use this as a teachable moment!" (YAY me - see I do have tools to make good moments) I began talking to her about the shapes and colors, the similarities and differences. It was a great moment. I asked S what she wanted to do today, "Swim! Mommy, me want me new pool." I figured we needed to try blowing up her new pool before the big birthday party next month, so why not. I needed to stuff a few diapers and Baby E needed to nurse and perhaps nap. (No food was consumed for breakfast.) I began playing with S as I worked on these tasks.
Baby E is now 11 months old and will not nap with distractions. How do you create a quiet peaceful environment with an almost 3 year old bouncing around? S did not want to watch a show while I tried putting E down. She did not want to play by herself. She then danced around the room and laughed continuously until it was apparent a nap was not in E's immediate future. She then cheered when he began laughing with her. This was the moment that my "Peaceful" mentality began to meltdown. I had asked her three times to sit quietly. I know that she is only 35 months old (Today - ooooooh happy 35th month of life my love bug!) and I know that a three year old does not have the mentality to understand that sitting for more than 45 seconds is what is needed in this moment.
E did not nap. This (again) shouldn't cause a downward spiral, as napping is not a scheduled thing in our house. But my blood was boiling. I was mad at my almost three year old. What was wrong with me?
We began working on the blow up pool. This was a gift that had not yet been opened and instructions read "20 minute blow up time." Fast forward TWO HOURS. During this time, S had pushed E down several times, taking the hose away from him, squirt him, etc... even after continuous redirection. I finally lost it. The sweat was rolling down my back, E was crying, S was not listening, and the damn pool was not blown up yet! I made S sit down next to me (as she SCREEEEEEEEEEAMED and cried) and talk to me about why she wasn't being kind. It took all of my might not to grab her and sit her alone somewhere to have a break. I felt horrible as this was the first "time out" type of experience she has had. I know it was not time-out, but I thought I would be able to better handle these moments. But no, I didn't know what to do, and I was at my wits end. We talked and she was nicer. I was able to put E down for a (25 minute) nap. The pool did blow up. The rain clouds have now rolled in and I just have to laugh.
I am calling on a higher power to help me survive today. I need a little guidance. This peaceful parenting thing is F'ing HARD.
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Not So Egg-Cellent News,
I am in search for the perfect pancake recipe. The catch? It must be egg free.
Everything must be egg free from now on. No, this is not part of our family resolution bucket. This is doctor's orders. E is allergic to eggs.
For those of you who have been following, you know that we have struggled with a dry, painful cough, red breakout blotches, hives, and almost blister-like diaper rashes on E since birth. I had eliminated all dairy from my diet, and we saw mild improvement. It was confusing though because I didn't know if it was the eliminated dairy making the difference or just the growing up and development of his digestive system. The doctor wanted to wait until a year of age before allergy testing him, as the test give false negatives at an early age. At ten months, I begged for the test. I knew that something more than dairy was causing E pain.
So in we went. My children have never seen a needle, and here I was voluntarily offering E's arm to be pricked for blood for a test that would probably come back as one big false negative. What was I thinking? I wasn't. My mommy-gut; however, was. And she was right.
Eggs.
E.G.G.S.
Seriously. Eggs.
I received the phone call explaining that E's allergy was undeniable. He has a severe egg white allergy and we do not know about the yolks. (As they were not tested) Without seeing a true allergist (which is the next step), we cannot be sure if his reactions from birth were all caused by this allergy, but we can assume. Between John, Scarlett, and myself, we take down over 2 dozen farm fresh eggs a week. We dip fish in them. We scramble and fry them. We make pancakes, waffles, fritatas. I bake cookies, brownies, and cakes... We eat EGGS.
I guess the bright side is that we found out there is a definite allergy. I was starting to feel crazy.
I'm also hoping that there were any false negatives to anything else on the test (ie: dairy).
So the recipe search begins. Throw me your best egg-less dishes. Especially breakfasts and desserts! PLEASE!
Everything must be egg free from now on. No, this is not part of our family resolution bucket. This is doctor's orders. E is allergic to eggs.
For those of you who have been following, you know that we have struggled with a dry, painful cough, red breakout blotches, hives, and almost blister-like diaper rashes on E since birth. I had eliminated all dairy from my diet, and we saw mild improvement. It was confusing though because I didn't know if it was the eliminated dairy making the difference or just the growing up and development of his digestive system. The doctor wanted to wait until a year of age before allergy testing him, as the test give false negatives at an early age. At ten months, I begged for the test. I knew that something more than dairy was causing E pain.
So in we went. My children have never seen a needle, and here I was voluntarily offering E's arm to be pricked for blood for a test that would probably come back as one big false negative. What was I thinking? I wasn't. My mommy-gut; however, was. And she was right.
Eggs.
E.G.G.S.
Seriously. Eggs.
I received the phone call explaining that E's allergy was undeniable. He has a severe egg white allergy and we do not know about the yolks. (As they were not tested) Without seeing a true allergist (which is the next step), we cannot be sure if his reactions from birth were all caused by this allergy, but we can assume. Between John, Scarlett, and myself, we take down over 2 dozen farm fresh eggs a week. We dip fish in them. We scramble and fry them. We make pancakes, waffles, fritatas. I bake cookies, brownies, and cakes... We eat EGGS.
I guess the bright side is that we found out there is a definite allergy. I was starting to feel crazy.
I'm also hoping that there were any false negatives to anything else on the test (ie: dairy).
So the recipe search begins. Throw me your best egg-less dishes. Especially breakfasts and desserts! PLEASE!
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Resolutions oh Resolutions... an update on life.
While John and I have slacked a bit on the resolutions, we have made a conscious effort to be present within each day Don't get me wrong, we are still performing our resolution tasks, we've just let go of the every day needing to pull the strip of paper. We'll come up with spontaneous resolutions for that moment or the next day. I love how close this has brought us all.
Just this week, I have sewn Scarlett a gorgeous new dress and printed a mermaid doll pattern. I have had pictures printed and framed, picked out outfits for our family photo shoot in July, picked out two new recipes: strawberry cupcakes and cinnamon graham crackers, and started a push-up challenge for John and me.
There have been homemade bubbles, Scarlett cooking dinner with us, mommy doing headstands, trying new wines, not drinking wine, daddy doing somersaults, Emmett walking (not a resolution, but pretty cool!), cleaning out of craft cabinets, tantrums being hugged out, nights in bed without children (for an hour or two any way), and so many other great activities.
Our grocery budget has been raised from $400 a month to $100 a week. Since we have paid down all other debt (except student loans), we allowed ourselves a little extra on the grocery front. We are also starting college funds for both children this week. We are finally at a point financially where we can breathe a bit. That being said, we are not loosening our belt at all. We want to buy a house here in Savannah as soon as the two-year-after-a-short-sale window is lifted. We are saving like crazy so that we can do that.
We never did restart our trash service. We still recycle just about everything except for a bag of trash every 2 weeks that goes to the dump.
The whole "No Wine Mon-Wed" thing lasted about two days. bahahaha. We enjoy wine with dinner. As long as we can fit it in with the budget, we will continue to drink it!
We have decided against starting Scarlett in a preschool come Fall. She will be three in August, and while she would love to play for three hours a day three days a week, I don't feel as though she is lacking enough in social interaction to warrant preschool. She sees friends and plays almost seven days a week, normally with several friends at a time. We can re-evaluate the situation this time next year.
As I mentioned before, Emmett is walking. He took his first steps at 9.5 months and is now fully cruising. He stood up in the middle of the room without assistance yesterday for the first time. He still falls and looses his balance often, and forget about shoes. I cannot believe my little man is walking. Where did my baby go?
Have any thoughts or questions? Throw 'em at me! Any ideas for a new blog post? Let me know :)
Just this week, I have sewn Scarlett a gorgeous new dress and printed a mermaid doll pattern. I have had pictures printed and framed, picked out outfits for our family photo shoot in July, picked out two new recipes: strawberry cupcakes and cinnamon graham crackers, and started a push-up challenge for John and me.
There have been homemade bubbles, Scarlett cooking dinner with us, mommy doing headstands, trying new wines, not drinking wine, daddy doing somersaults, Emmett walking (not a resolution, but pretty cool!), cleaning out of craft cabinets, tantrums being hugged out, nights in bed without children (for an hour or two any way), and so many other great activities.
Our grocery budget has been raised from $400 a month to $100 a week. Since we have paid down all other debt (except student loans), we allowed ourselves a little extra on the grocery front. We are also starting college funds for both children this week. We are finally at a point financially where we can breathe a bit. That being said, we are not loosening our belt at all. We want to buy a house here in Savannah as soon as the two-year-after-a-short-sale window is lifted. We are saving like crazy so that we can do that.
We never did restart our trash service. We still recycle just about everything except for a bag of trash every 2 weeks that goes to the dump.
The whole "No Wine Mon-Wed" thing lasted about two days. bahahaha. We enjoy wine with dinner. As long as we can fit it in with the budget, we will continue to drink it!
We have decided against starting Scarlett in a preschool come Fall. She will be three in August, and while she would love to play for three hours a day three days a week, I don't feel as though she is lacking enough in social interaction to warrant preschool. She sees friends and plays almost seven days a week, normally with several friends at a time. We can re-evaluate the situation this time next year.
As I mentioned before, Emmett is walking. He took his first steps at 9.5 months and is now fully cruising. He stood up in the middle of the room without assistance yesterday for the first time. He still falls and looses his balance often, and forget about shoes. I cannot believe my little man is walking. Where did my baby go?
Have any thoughts or questions? Throw 'em at me! Any ideas for a new blog post? Let me know :)
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Part Two: Destinations 3 thru 6. I survived! :)
The car has been unloaded. The suitcases are unpacked. Laundry is done. Diapers are washed (and were stripped due to a different detergent being used). Pictures are uploaded. And memories have been made (I even came home to a clean house! WITH dinner supplies already in the fridge!). I can now sit back and watch the days countdown until our winter Tour de Florida. Yes. I am officially nuts.
Now where is my nanny, umbrella drink, and sunshine? This mama needs a vacation. Preferably one with a massage.
The rain is falling hard outside right now, as it did through quite a bit of our vacation. I drove in pouring rain for the majority of the time I was on the road, listening to a book on tape (book on CD?) that helped pass the hours. At least the rain helped the babes sleep through the drive.
We left Venice Beach and headed south. I unpacked for the third time, reorganizing all I brought - books, toys, games, clothes, diapers, shoes... I was ready for some South Florida fun. The majority of the week was spent in the swimming pool between rainstorms. We had a close call with Scarlett when she took her floaty wings off and ventured too far into the pool. She kept her little head tilted back and just above the water while kicking to stay up. Her little eyes were terrified. She'll be enrolled in swim lessons ASAP. I couldn't bare to think that she could be taken from me...
The rest of the swims were peaceful and fun. The kids love the water and have the tans to prove it. We ventured to a few play dates and met up with some awesome mamas. We cooked, watched movies, slept in, stayed up too late, took walks, and just enjoyed being with my mom. I did get a few really great photos of the kids (in some super cute Cracker Barrel outfits courtesy of Mimi!) I wish she lived closer to us so we could drive to her more often.
The week went by fast and before I knew it, I was repacking the suitcases and loading the car up to destination #4: DISNEY WORLD! But before I left, we attempted one group photo... This is what we got:
The entire vacation was wonderful; however, this trip to Disney was pretty much ridiculous in so many ways... First off: do not do Disney the week following schools' end. EVER. But if you you do, go with the mentality that it is a FUN vacation. Stressing takes all the fun out of it! Put on her patience panties and get ready to walk slow, wait in lines, and deal with crabby people. I will say that Disney in the "winter" (you know, a Florida Winter) is extremely better than the summer. I recommend waiting and going in between the holidays. But, I'm nuts, right? So of course, I go twice a year... because... why not? I seem to enjoy testing my own patience.
My mother-in-law met us at the hotel Saturday afternoon, where we swam and played before meeting a wonderful friend for dinner at Reglan Road in Downtown Disney. The atmosphere was perfect, with Irish dancers everywhere pulling the kids up to dance. We had reservations, so we just walked on in! We enjoyed dinner and ice-cream and walked around listening to the street music and performers.
We met my friend and her little girl at the gate and decided to meet some princesses (well - to sit in the AC in line sounded like a delightful idea to the mamas). Scarlett made friends in line and was all too happy to show off her cheese-ball smile as she patiently awaited her princesses:
And princesses there were:
It was off to the rides... the sweaty, sweaty, sweaty Disney goers were already flush and dripping, despite the deodorant and layers of sunscreen. Yes, you are not imagining it. That is a monkey backpack leash on my toddler. I swore that I would NEVER be THAT mother with her child on a leash. Well, I am that mother. Thinking about it now, I do a lot of crap I never thought I would do. Eh - we are all happy, so I hope you don't stress over it. The leash - er, uh - tail worked wonderfully! Scarlett loved wearing it, I felt safer, and heck, it allowed me to breath a little easier inside Disney.
Emmett on the other hand, experienced Disney with the same expression the entire time... You don't have to guess to long to figure out how he felt about the whole deal:
We headed back to the hotel for some pool time, showers, and clean clothes before Epcot that evening. John's mom made reservations in Japan for dinner, which we had to push waaaaay back because of all the fun we had at Magic Kingdom during the day. Scarlett was so excited over her Magic Kingdom purchases that she needed a few minutes to thank God (literally, "Mommy, me say thank you to God for dis new mermaid!") - no worries - here's the picture:
and then we were ready for dinner! -- Just wait - it's about to get exciting! We boarded our shuttle again. Amma (Scarlett's word for Grandma) was loaded down with Emmett, and we were HUNGRY! We arrived a bit early and had time to visit Nemo before our reservation time. Scarlett had a blast, and of course, Emmett hated it. But oh well, he's a trooper.
We made it to Japan and had our hands washed with warm cloths, our glasses filled with delicious wine, and were served chilled edamame before our sushi arrived. When I tell you that this was amazing food, it does not do it justice. The chefs (as all Epcot employees) are from the country they work in. They are given a one year work visa to live and work for Disney. The food tasted as good as I would imagine it to be in Japan. We ate rolls and rolls of deliciousness... and just as we were finishing up, we thought a show was beginning. Maybe it was the wine that led us to believe this, or the fact that there are shows every 5 minutes on the Disney grounds... But we were wrong. It was not the sound of drums. It was not a light show. It was a MONSOON.... The heavens opened and dumped all the water possible down, drowning the world. (Well, Epcot and all the countries it holds.) It continued to pour for an hour before we closed our tab, and took the elevator downstairs to the gift shop to hunt for ponchos. As we exited the elevator we realized the severity of the storm. There were maybe 3 people total darting through it to get to new destinations. It was dark, only the lightening acting as a strobe light. What to do? What to do? We were stroller-less and umbrella-less. We had a diaper bag, two adults, and two babies, who were melting down as the clock was approaching 10:00pm. I called John to have him check the weather. Maybe it would let up soon? Nope. It would last all night. It was now or never. $30 later on ponchos, I cut mine, allowing Emmett air flow as he was snug in the ergo with a poncho over his head. John's mom held Scarlett, both of them covered as best as possible. Removing our shoes, we were off. Did I mention Japan's location within Epcot? Oh... the direct opposite side of the park from the exit. I have never laughed so hard in all my life. We were drowned rats within seconds of our sprinting. The sprinting turned to jogging, then to brisk walking, then to dancing and splashing as both kids laughed. (Yes - Emmett was laughing inside Disney! A Mickey Mouse miracle!) People stared, people pointed, people probably thought I was crazy.... but they should have known that already if they followed my blog, right? We looked as though we had just swam laps in a pool when we arrived at the shuttles. We were not alone. Others had braved the storm in hopes to get back to the hotel before morning... although I'm sure Japan serves breakfast sushi!
Destination #5: Heading home with a layover in Jacksonville. The best decision ever was to go with the flow on this vacation. We left earlier than expected, but made it to Jacksonville before the horrible storm that night. We ordered pizza and watched movies in our PJ's. We enjoyed a glass of wine and looked over the pictures. We laughed about the day before and went to bed early. It was bliss.
After seeing the eye doctor on Tuesday morning, the kids and I headed home. Home to John. Home to Matilda. Home to our family bed. The rain of course stayed with us the entire drive, but hey - I had nothing to complain about. I had just survived my 13 day-I'm nuts-Tour de Florida alone with the kids vacation!
Throughout the entire trip, Scarlett sent video messages to John through the phone. They would send videos back and forth. We missed him so much and cannot wait to do the craziness again in the Winter because he'll be with us!
I'm pretty proud of myself for tackling this trip and drive on my own. I had a great time seeing friends and family along the way. And isn't it true, that all of us mamas are a little nuts somehow?
Now where is my nanny, umbrella drink, and sunshine? This mama needs a vacation. Preferably one with a massage.
The rain is falling hard outside right now, as it did through quite a bit of our vacation. I drove in pouring rain for the majority of the time I was on the road, listening to a book on tape (book on CD?) that helped pass the hours. At least the rain helped the babes sleep through the drive.
We left Venice Beach and headed south. I unpacked for the third time, reorganizing all I brought - books, toys, games, clothes, diapers, shoes... I was ready for some South Florida fun. The majority of the week was spent in the swimming pool between rainstorms. We had a close call with Scarlett when she took her floaty wings off and ventured too far into the pool. She kept her little head tilted back and just above the water while kicking to stay up. Her little eyes were terrified. She'll be enrolled in swim lessons ASAP. I couldn't bare to think that she could be taken from me...
The rest of the swims were peaceful and fun. The kids love the water and have the tans to prove it. We ventured to a few play dates and met up with some awesome mamas. We cooked, watched movies, slept in, stayed up too late, took walks, and just enjoyed being with my mom. I did get a few really great photos of the kids (in some super cute Cracker Barrel outfits courtesy of Mimi!) I wish she lived closer to us so we could drive to her more often.
The week went by fast and before I knew it, I was repacking the suitcases and loading the car up to destination #4: DISNEY WORLD! But before I left, we attempted one group photo... This is what we got:
Oh Heavens... Can you imagine how awesome my drive was this day?
My mother-in-law met us at the hotel Saturday afternoon, where we swam and played before meeting a wonderful friend for dinner at Reglan Road in Downtown Disney. The atmosphere was perfect, with Irish dancers everywhere pulling the kids up to dance. We had reservations, so we just walked on in! We enjoyed dinner and ice-cream and walked around listening to the street music and performers.
Ariel and Scarlett playing in downtown Disney.
Emmett tasting ice-cream. (Not my best idea, seeing as how we have no idea what he is actually allergic to... and not to mention he already hadn't been feeling well. Oh well, he liked it!)
We were ready for Magic Kingdom! The kids woke up happy and well rested. Everyone was in a Mickey Mouse Mood! We started the day with Mickey shaped waffles and headed for the shuttle to Cinderella's Castle. Little did we know just how much fun laid ahead of us...
We met my friend and her little girl at the gate and decided to meet some princesses (well - to sit in the AC in line sounded like a delightful idea to the mamas). Scarlett made friends in line and was all too happy to show off her cheese-ball smile as she patiently awaited her princesses:
And princesses there were:
It was off to the rides... the sweaty, sweaty, sweaty Disney goers were already flush and dripping, despite the deodorant and layers of sunscreen. Yes, you are not imagining it. That is a monkey backpack leash on my toddler. I swore that I would NEVER be THAT mother with her child on a leash. Well, I am that mother. Thinking about it now, I do a lot of crap I never thought I would do. Eh - we are all happy, so I hope you don't stress over it. The leash - er, uh - tail worked wonderfully! Scarlett loved wearing it, I felt safer, and heck, it allowed me to breath a little easier inside Disney.
(on the merry-go-round and tea cups with Amma!)
Emmett on the other hand, experienced Disney with the same expression the entire time... You don't have to guess to long to figure out how he felt about the whole deal:
(He didn't even like the rides)
We headed back to the hotel for some pool time, showers, and clean clothes before Epcot that evening. John's mom made reservations in Japan for dinner, which we had to push waaaaay back because of all the fun we had at Magic Kingdom during the day. Scarlett was so excited over her Magic Kingdom purchases that she needed a few minutes to thank God (literally, "Mommy, me say thank you to God for dis new mermaid!") - no worries - here's the picture:
and then we were ready for dinner! -- Just wait - it's about to get exciting! We boarded our shuttle again. Amma (Scarlett's word for Grandma) was loaded down with Emmett, and we were HUNGRY! We arrived a bit early and had time to visit Nemo before our reservation time. Scarlett had a blast, and of course, Emmett hated it. But oh well, he's a trooper.
We made it to Japan and had our hands washed with warm cloths, our glasses filled with delicious wine, and were served chilled edamame before our sushi arrived. When I tell you that this was amazing food, it does not do it justice. The chefs (as all Epcot employees) are from the country they work in. They are given a one year work visa to live and work for Disney. The food tasted as good as I would imagine it to be in Japan. We ate rolls and rolls of deliciousness... and just as we were finishing up, we thought a show was beginning. Maybe it was the wine that led us to believe this, or the fact that there are shows every 5 minutes on the Disney grounds... But we were wrong. It was not the sound of drums. It was not a light show. It was a MONSOON.... The heavens opened and dumped all the water possible down, drowning the world. (Well, Epcot and all the countries it holds.) It continued to pour for an hour before we closed our tab, and took the elevator downstairs to the gift shop to hunt for ponchos. As we exited the elevator we realized the severity of the storm. There were maybe 3 people total darting through it to get to new destinations. It was dark, only the lightening acting as a strobe light. What to do? What to do? We were stroller-less and umbrella-less. We had a diaper bag, two adults, and two babies, who were melting down as the clock was approaching 10:00pm. I called John to have him check the weather. Maybe it would let up soon? Nope. It would last all night. It was now or never. $30 later on ponchos, I cut mine, allowing Emmett air flow as he was snug in the ergo with a poncho over his head. John's mom held Scarlett, both of them covered as best as possible. Removing our shoes, we were off. Did I mention Japan's location within Epcot? Oh... the direct opposite side of the park from the exit. I have never laughed so hard in all my life. We were drowned rats within seconds of our sprinting. The sprinting turned to jogging, then to brisk walking, then to dancing and splashing as both kids laughed. (Yes - Emmett was laughing inside Disney! A Mickey Mouse miracle!) People stared, people pointed, people probably thought I was crazy.... but they should have known that already if they followed my blog, right? We looked as though we had just swam laps in a pool when we arrived at the shuttles. We were not alone. Others had braved the storm in hopes to get back to the hotel before morning... although I'm sure Japan serves breakfast sushi!
Good thing Scarlett and Emmett wear the same size. She had a change of clothes for the ride back!
We took hot showers, ate some late night ice-cream and snuggled up in bed around midnight. We ended up laughing and talking until the wee early hours of the morning, though, which made it hard to rise for Animal Kingdom the next day. Somehow we mustered ourselves and packed the cars and checked out from the hotel on Monday. We boarded the shuttle and were off to see Simba. The whole day was crappy. The kids were in crappy moods. John's mom and I were in crappy moods... all due to how packed the park was. We couldn't even walk because it was so crowded. We headed to the baby room (GREATEST place in the park with kid movies, AC, potties, etc) to regroup. It worked and our moods were lifted. We decided after 3 hours there without riding anything (The train was down for the day, the rides were 100 + minute wait times, etc) we were ready to head home. Emmett agreed:
Destination #5: Heading home with a layover in Jacksonville. The best decision ever was to go with the flow on this vacation. We left earlier than expected, but made it to Jacksonville before the horrible storm that night. We ordered pizza and watched movies in our PJ's. We enjoyed a glass of wine and looked over the pictures. We laughed about the day before and went to bed early. It was bliss.
After seeing the eye doctor on Tuesday morning, the kids and I headed home. Home to John. Home to Matilda. Home to our family bed. The rain of course stayed with us the entire drive, but hey - I had nothing to complain about. I had just survived my 13 day-I'm nuts-Tour de Florida alone with the kids vacation!
Throughout the entire trip, Scarlett sent video messages to John through the phone. They would send videos back and forth. We missed him so much and cannot wait to do the craziness again in the Winter because he'll be with us!
I'm pretty proud of myself for tackling this trip and drive on my own. I had a great time seeing friends and family along the way. And isn't it true, that all of us mamas are a little nuts somehow?
Sunday, June 3, 2012
My "Thirteen Day-I'm Nuts-Drive Down Florida Alone with Two Kids" vacation.
I am four days in to my "Thirteen Day-I'm Nuts-Drive Down Florida Alone with Two Kids" vacation.
I spent days preparing, nights laying awake thinking about just how crazy I am, and then I actually started the packing, mapping, and car-stuffing.
John had to work, and I had to see my family. There was no way to compromise on either end there, so the decision was pretty clear - I would venture on. A.L.O.N.E. (Well quite opposite of alone - with two kids, I am NEVER alone... but while missing my other half, I feel alone.)
So the trip began. I loaded the car and headed on the road. The music was blaring in the front and the DVD player was singing "D-D-Da-Dora!" in the backseat... yes. You read correct. Dora. My child is obsessed (to put it mildly) with the netflix sensation that is "Dora" (remember we are cable-free). We jumped on to I-95 and drove across the FL/GA border, stopping in Jacksonville for the night. My in-laws live there, so we had a wonderful welcome. Emmett's first pair of shoes were purchased, and we met extended family for dinner, where the trip took an awesome turn with meltdowns, sickness, and dinner to go.
I failed to mention that Scarlett and Emmett both had a fever the day before we left for our trip. Scarlett said she was sick and that her "vagina hurt." That is not something we take lightly. We headed in to the doctor, assuming our first UTI was occurring. After seeing the pediatrician, we learned that Scarlett did not (Thank goodness) have a UTI and that her vagina was fine... however, after checking her throat, our pediatrician informed us that she had ulcers down her throat! She had the virus that normally leads to hand-foot-mouth. And of course, after checking out Emmett, he had it too. I was warned that I was in for five days of 104 degree fevers, crankiness, and possible rashes. oh and that it would be HIGHLY contagious. AWESOME. Good thing my car was packed to leave for a thirteen day trip through Florida all on my own with the kids.
So back to the first night of the trip and our dinner out. With one child rolling on the restaurant floor and another screaming on and off my exposed boob, I pulled the white flag. My mother-in-law and I promptly left the extended family at the restaurant, grabbed to-go boxes, jumped back in the car and headed to her house, where we then bathed kids, stuffed our faces, and chugged wine. I was exhausted and it was only half a day into my trip. What was I thinking doing this?????
I woke up at the crack of dawn the next morning to get everything packed back up and ready for the 5 hour drive to my grandparents' house in Venice Beach. As I loaded the car with giggling babies, set Dora to REPEAT, and slipped my feet out of my shoes, I noticed that the sky was quite an unpleasant color and had a heaviness to it. Well, not even 30 minutes into our drive, the clouds overflowed and drowned us on the highway. I-95 to I-4 to I-75... the rain never stopped. There were moments of panic (that I might go crazy) and other moments of bliss with sleeping kids and the sounds that only rain can make. That mixed in with insane drivers was an experience in itself. I did only have to stop once. Emmett needed a break from the car, I needed gas, and I HAD TO PEE. Now here lies the problem: Scarlett was asleep. How do you pee with one child who has to be held and another asleep in the car seat? Answer: You stalk other gas station customers to find one with a car full of kids who is one pump away. You kindly ask them to make sure no one steals your child and you make a run for it with the one awake child. You pee as quick as humanly possible and you run (through the pouring rain of course) back to the car.
We made it in one piece to our second destination. We have been here for three days now and are having a great time. I say this as my kids are rolling over balls in the living room, have destroyed a vintage Shakespeare book, spilled maple syrup over pictures, brought sand back from the beach, and 'reorganized' everything from waist-height down inside my grandparents' house. There are four generations of women within the four walls of this home right now. And N.O. W.I.N.E. (My family doesn't indulge very often.) Man am I missing my husband and our nightly ritual of a glass of wine for dessert! After the past four days of children not feeling well, sleeping in beds that are not my own, driving countless hours, and eating food that I am not use to, I deserve a glass of wine at the end of this! We have had a great weekend at the beach. Scarlett loves the water and digging in the sand. Emmett on the other hand hated it. He tolerated it for as long as he could each day, but he was the reason we would pack up each day. I say that as I realize what occurred today. As we showered off before getting back in the car, Scarlett had a meltdown. A full on, crocodile tears, stomp feet, throw things, cry so hard I might puke meltdown. over a DRESS. She wanted to wear a dress. But silly mommy - I didn't bring a dress! What was I thinking? Seriously? WHAT WAS I THINKING? How could I not have brought a dress to the beach for her to change into? Lord, give me strength. After stopping at Target and purchasing a new dress (Yes I am a horrible mother for getting her what she wanted. Don't judge me.) we made it back to the house.
In our beach ventures, I got some good pictures:
Tomorrow we head back onto the road to South Florida. We will be spending a week with my mom before a weekend at Disney world. Yes. You may call me crazy now.
However - the virus that I was warned against ended up not getting worse. No rash, no more fever, nothing. Just crankiness.... but that can be blamed on anything at this point ;)
What is the craziest road trip you have taken as a parent? Please tell me that I am not alone in my craziness!
PS -- On the resolution note: We are still on our journey. I am just finding it more fun to blog about bigger topics that are occurring in our lives right now. :)
I spent days preparing, nights laying awake thinking about just how crazy I am, and then I actually started the packing, mapping, and car-stuffing.
John had to work, and I had to see my family. There was no way to compromise on either end there, so the decision was pretty clear - I would venture on. A.L.O.N.E. (Well quite opposite of alone - with two kids, I am NEVER alone... but while missing my other half, I feel alone.)
So the trip began. I loaded the car and headed on the road. The music was blaring in the front and the DVD player was singing "D-D-Da-Dora!" in the backseat... yes. You read correct. Dora. My child is obsessed (to put it mildly) with the netflix sensation that is "Dora" (remember we are cable-free). We jumped on to I-95 and drove across the FL/GA border, stopping in Jacksonville for the night. My in-laws live there, so we had a wonderful welcome. Emmett's first pair of shoes were purchased, and we met extended family for dinner, where the trip took an awesome turn with meltdowns, sickness, and dinner to go.
I failed to mention that Scarlett and Emmett both had a fever the day before we left for our trip. Scarlett said she was sick and that her "vagina hurt." That is not something we take lightly. We headed in to the doctor, assuming our first UTI was occurring. After seeing the pediatrician, we learned that Scarlett did not (Thank goodness) have a UTI and that her vagina was fine... however, after checking her throat, our pediatrician informed us that she had ulcers down her throat! She had the virus that normally leads to hand-foot-mouth. And of course, after checking out Emmett, he had it too. I was warned that I was in for five days of 104 degree fevers, crankiness, and possible rashes. oh and that it would be HIGHLY contagious. AWESOME. Good thing my car was packed to leave for a thirteen day trip through Florida all on my own with the kids.
So back to the first night of the trip and our dinner out. With one child rolling on the restaurant floor and another screaming on and off my exposed boob, I pulled the white flag. My mother-in-law and I promptly left the extended family at the restaurant, grabbed to-go boxes, jumped back in the car and headed to her house, where we then bathed kids, stuffed our faces, and chugged wine. I was exhausted and it was only half a day into my trip. What was I thinking doing this?????
I woke up at the crack of dawn the next morning to get everything packed back up and ready for the 5 hour drive to my grandparents' house in Venice Beach. As I loaded the car with giggling babies, set Dora to REPEAT, and slipped my feet out of my shoes, I noticed that the sky was quite an unpleasant color and had a heaviness to it. Well, not even 30 minutes into our drive, the clouds overflowed and drowned us on the highway. I-95 to I-4 to I-75... the rain never stopped. There were moments of panic (that I might go crazy) and other moments of bliss with sleeping kids and the sounds that only rain can make. That mixed in with insane drivers was an experience in itself. I did only have to stop once. Emmett needed a break from the car, I needed gas, and I HAD TO PEE. Now here lies the problem: Scarlett was asleep. How do you pee with one child who has to be held and another asleep in the car seat? Answer: You stalk other gas station customers to find one with a car full of kids who is one pump away. You kindly ask them to make sure no one steals your child and you make a run for it with the one awake child. You pee as quick as humanly possible and you run (through the pouring rain of course) back to the car.
We made it in one piece to our second destination. We have been here for three days now and are having a great time. I say this as my kids are rolling over balls in the living room, have destroyed a vintage Shakespeare book, spilled maple syrup over pictures, brought sand back from the beach, and 'reorganized' everything from waist-height down inside my grandparents' house. There are four generations of women within the four walls of this home right now. And N.O. W.I.N.E. (My family doesn't indulge very often.) Man am I missing my husband and our nightly ritual of a glass of wine for dessert! After the past four days of children not feeling well, sleeping in beds that are not my own, driving countless hours, and eating food that I am not use to, I deserve a glass of wine at the end of this! We have had a great weekend at the beach. Scarlett loves the water and digging in the sand. Emmett on the other hand hated it. He tolerated it for as long as he could each day, but he was the reason we would pack up each day. I say that as I realize what occurred today. As we showered off before getting back in the car, Scarlett had a meltdown. A full on, crocodile tears, stomp feet, throw things, cry so hard I might puke meltdown. over a DRESS. She wanted to wear a dress. But silly mommy - I didn't bring a dress! What was I thinking? Seriously? WHAT WAS I THINKING? How could I not have brought a dress to the beach for her to change into? Lord, give me strength. After stopping at Target and purchasing a new dress (Yes I am a horrible mother for getting her what she wanted. Don't judge me.) we made it back to the house.
In our beach ventures, I got some good pictures:
Tomorrow we head back onto the road to South Florida. We will be spending a week with my mom before a weekend at Disney world. Yes. You may call me crazy now.
However - the virus that I was warned against ended up not getting worse. No rash, no more fever, nothing. Just crankiness.... but that can be blamed on anything at this point ;)
What is the craziest road trip you have taken as a parent? Please tell me that I am not alone in my craziness!
PS -- On the resolution note: We are still on our journey. I am just finding it more fun to blog about bigger topics that are occurring in our lives right now. :)
Friday, May 18, 2012
Taking care of your Pride
All is well in the house we call home. We are dancing and singing, having parades full of circus animals, listening to baby giggles, watching him crawl, stand, cruise and push anything and everything anywhere and everywhere... We listen to our 2 3/4 year old sing, watch her change clothes every 15 minutes and wear crowns (as she is a princess)... We have had company, been company, missed family and skyped family since I last posted.
We have continued on our resolution journey and have been living life, each day another adventure. (Life with a high-drama toddler and a mobile baby makes for an emotionally and physically draining day)
I am reminded though, through this resolution journey - just how amazing life is. It is right here, at our fingertips. It is our moment. Each moment. My laughing children, who can now take my breath away with any one of their dimples... I am so proud to be their mother.
I never really knew what motherhood would be like before I was married and had children. Back when dating was a sport, dancing happened at bars, and research was done because of a college assignment. I did know this: I would be a mother someday.
Dating has now become a family affair, as we wouldn't have it any other way. Dancing happens in our living room with tutus, magic wands, music, and normally a glass of wine ;) And research, well research is something that I thought I would leave behind after my college days; however, after becoming pregnant and feeling this obligation to not only birth and care for a human being, but to do it with 100% of my soul - research became my best friend.
I have learned that anything occurring in this "Herd Mentality" of a population we live in should be challenged. Not everything is black or white - not everything is as easy as just taking advice from your friends who have all done it before you... Educate yourself on this: Parenting. You only get one stab at it (per child of course) and it is your responsibility to do the best job you possibly can.
Take mental (and actual) photographs of the tutu dancing, tea parties, dress up sessions, and even date nights, but please don't forget to mentally (and physically) document the things in which you do that you KNOW make an amazing mother.
A few items on my "Pride" list:
1. Co-sleeping with two children... because I know just how much my toddler still needs/wants/craves those night time snuggles. How can you blame her? We could not exactly tell her to sleep in her room as Mommy, Daddy, and new baby brother slept together in another room. I am even more proud that we are listening to her needs and not moving her (or baby brother out) 9 months after the birth.
2. Nursing Olympics... You know - when you are sitting leaned over on the couch and baby can stand and nurse in front of you. Or when baby can find his snack at any angle imaginable... Not "breastfeeding olympics" because breastfeeding is what you do when you purely breastfeed. Nursing takes it to the next level. You nurse when you feed on demand, for comfort, and for an extended period of time (meaning after you have introduced foods, after a first birthday, after baby can sign or "ask" for it... knowing the benefits it provides to your child). I nursed Scarlett for 20 months and wish that she would have continued longer, but my milk changed at that point of my pregnancy and she weaned herself :( With Emmett, I am hoping that he continues going strong and hits 2 or more years of nursing. I say nursing because I will nurse him when he falls and gets a boo-boo, or when he has his feelings hurt, or just when he is thirsty and wants it.
3. Baby-wearing... Scarlett gave me no choice. She had to be worn throughout her infancy. However, I am proud because after researching, I learned just how wonderful baby-wearing is, and not just at infancy. Scarlett will still bring me the ergo and ask to be worn. I do not deny her (unless Emmett is already on me - and then she just has to wait until Emmett is down). Emmett is worn pretty much 24/7. We have to keep up with Scarlett somehow. ;)
4. Cloth Diapering... I will say that I was against this before Scarlett was born, but John stood firm and talked me into "trying" it. Joke is on him, right? You should see the stash of fluff we have in this house. My biggest point of pride in this field is that Emmett has never had anything other than fluff on his butt. From day one.
5. Extended-Rear Facing... My 2 3/4 year old daughter is still rear-facing, as it is the safest way to have a child sitting in the car. She will stay this way until we cannot fit carseats in this position or she outweighs the limit.
6. Baby-Led Weaning... call it healthier (or lazier), but we do not use baby food - or purees at all in this house. Baby eats what we eat when baby is ready. It is healthier in the long run, yes - but it sure is easier too :)
7. Wet Nursing... I didn't know if I would ever discuss nursing another woman's child. Let alone the thought of someone nursing my child. But when your child will not take milk from any other source but a boob, will not eat table food, and you are in need of just an hour with your husband, a best friend who is also nursing comes in handy :)
8. Delaying (until who-knows-when) Vaccinations... mercury? aluminum? formaldehyde? nah... no thank you.
9. Natural Birth... I am grateful for doctors to be there for those who are in need a c-section (true need - not elective need) - but every woman is capable of giving birth naturally... It is the most "Super Woman" feeling you will ever have. EVER.
I am even more proud of my husband though - with each of these points, he has read, researched further, and supported me in every way possible. It has to be hard when you do not have milk flowing to stop tears. He is by my side and is the greatest father I could have ever asked for my children.
I will say though that the most prideful moment(s) have been after bringing these babies into the world... all of the moments I have followed my gut, researched, learned, and grown as a mother. Each day presents opportunities to take the easy road, or the road most traveled by mothers. I am proud that I can look at this road and realize that it is easier not because it is right, but because it has been paved by those following in step of the others around them - unquestioning, unknowing that there is even another road available.
So thinking back to my college days, I realize just how much I have changed. I also realize just how proud of myself I am. I am now the woman (and mother) that I never even knew I could be. Take a look around you - take pride in the little things as well as the big. Take pride in giving up a job to be with your babies. Take pride in learning to love finger painting. Take pride in falling asleep while reading books to your little one. Take pride in being an amazing parent.
What are you proud of?
We have continued on our resolution journey and have been living life, each day another adventure. (Life with a high-drama toddler and a mobile baby makes for an emotionally and physically draining day)
I am reminded though, through this resolution journey - just how amazing life is. It is right here, at our fingertips. It is our moment. Each moment. My laughing children, who can now take my breath away with any one of their dimples... I am so proud to be their mother.
I never really knew what motherhood would be like before I was married and had children. Back when dating was a sport, dancing happened at bars, and research was done because of a college assignment. I did know this: I would be a mother someday.
Dating has now become a family affair, as we wouldn't have it any other way. Dancing happens in our living room with tutus, magic wands, music, and normally a glass of wine ;) And research, well research is something that I thought I would leave behind after my college days; however, after becoming pregnant and feeling this obligation to not only birth and care for a human being, but to do it with 100% of my soul - research became my best friend.
I have learned that anything occurring in this "Herd Mentality" of a population we live in should be challenged. Not everything is black or white - not everything is as easy as just taking advice from your friends who have all done it before you... Educate yourself on this: Parenting. You only get one stab at it (per child of course) and it is your responsibility to do the best job you possibly can.
Take mental (and actual) photographs of the tutu dancing, tea parties, dress up sessions, and even date nights, but please don't forget to mentally (and physically) document the things in which you do that you KNOW make an amazing mother.
A few items on my "Pride" list:
1. Co-sleeping with two children... because I know just how much my toddler still needs/wants/craves those night time snuggles. How can you blame her? We could not exactly tell her to sleep in her room as Mommy, Daddy, and new baby brother slept together in another room. I am even more proud that we are listening to her needs and not moving her (or baby brother out) 9 months after the birth.
2. Nursing Olympics... You know - when you are sitting leaned over on the couch and baby can stand and nurse in front of you. Or when baby can find his snack at any angle imaginable... Not "breastfeeding olympics" because breastfeeding is what you do when you purely breastfeed. Nursing takes it to the next level. You nurse when you feed on demand, for comfort, and for an extended period of time (meaning after you have introduced foods, after a first birthday, after baby can sign or "ask" for it... knowing the benefits it provides to your child). I nursed Scarlett for 20 months and wish that she would have continued longer, but my milk changed at that point of my pregnancy and she weaned herself :( With Emmett, I am hoping that he continues going strong and hits 2 or more years of nursing. I say nursing because I will nurse him when he falls and gets a boo-boo, or when he has his feelings hurt, or just when he is thirsty and wants it.
3. Baby-wearing... Scarlett gave me no choice. She had to be worn throughout her infancy. However, I am proud because after researching, I learned just how wonderful baby-wearing is, and not just at infancy. Scarlett will still bring me the ergo and ask to be worn. I do not deny her (unless Emmett is already on me - and then she just has to wait until Emmett is down). Emmett is worn pretty much 24/7. We have to keep up with Scarlett somehow. ;)
4. Cloth Diapering... I will say that I was against this before Scarlett was born, but John stood firm and talked me into "trying" it. Joke is on him, right? You should see the stash of fluff we have in this house. My biggest point of pride in this field is that Emmett has never had anything other than fluff on his butt. From day one.
5. Extended-Rear Facing... My 2 3/4 year old daughter is still rear-facing, as it is the safest way to have a child sitting in the car. She will stay this way until we cannot fit carseats in this position or she outweighs the limit.
6. Baby-Led Weaning... call it healthier (or lazier), but we do not use baby food - or purees at all in this house. Baby eats what we eat when baby is ready. It is healthier in the long run, yes - but it sure is easier too :)
7. Wet Nursing... I didn't know if I would ever discuss nursing another woman's child. Let alone the thought of someone nursing my child. But when your child will not take milk from any other source but a boob, will not eat table food, and you are in need of just an hour with your husband, a best friend who is also nursing comes in handy :)
8. Delaying (until who-knows-when) Vaccinations... mercury? aluminum? formaldehyde? nah... no thank you.
9. Natural Birth... I am grateful for doctors to be there for those who are in need a c-section (true need - not elective need) - but every woman is capable of giving birth naturally... It is the most "Super Woman" feeling you will ever have. EVER.
I am even more proud of my husband though - with each of these points, he has read, researched further, and supported me in every way possible. It has to be hard when you do not have milk flowing to stop tears. He is by my side and is the greatest father I could have ever asked for my children.
I will say though that the most prideful moment(s) have been after bringing these babies into the world... all of the moments I have followed my gut, researched, learned, and grown as a mother. Each day presents opportunities to take the easy road, or the road most traveled by mothers. I am proud that I can look at this road and realize that it is easier not because it is right, but because it has been paved by those following in step of the others around them - unquestioning, unknowing that there is even another road available.
So thinking back to my college days, I realize just how much I have changed. I also realize just how proud of myself I am. I am now the woman (and mother) that I never even knew I could be. Take a look around you - take pride in the little things as well as the big. Take pride in giving up a job to be with your babies. Take pride in learning to love finger painting. Take pride in falling asleep while reading books to your little one. Take pride in being an amazing parent.
What are you proud of?
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
A week's worth.
Last Week:
Thursday - Determine a change that can be made - and change it.
John and I decided to not have any wine Monday-Wednesdays at home. (If we are at a friend's house then it is ok.) This is more of a budget saver than anything else. If we can save even one bottle of wine a week, that will add up to $40 a month or more! We normally have a glass of wine every or every other night. Thursdays in the summer, our community hosts large cookouts with live music. We know we will have some wine/beer there; hence the Monday-Wednesday change.
Friday - Cook an old food in a new way.
John loves fried eggs. I love scrambled eggs. Scarlett loves any egg in general. I decided to take the plunge and fry away! DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!!! A little ham, an english muffin. DONE. delicious breakfast!
Saturday - Volunteer.
After speaking to our church, I decided to start helping create the baptismal banners. The ladies who have been sewing them for years are "retiring" and a new team is needed. Since I can sew, why not?
Sunday - Do Jumping Jacks.
Scarlett loves jumping jacks. She actually helps me create my bootcamps sometimes! Not only did we do some jumping jacks, but we designed an entire bootcamp based around kids' activities.
Monday - Plan a date.
I think this counts... well it counts for us because we will have no children with us. This weekend is the TC (The Players Championship) in Jacksonville, FL. We will leave the kids with my in-laws for the day on Saturday and head to the golf tournament to meet with friends!
Tuesday - Finger Paint -- I was planning a Mother's Day project for my mom and mother-in-law this week anyway - I guess I just pulled a great resolution to help us get started!
Wednesday - Craft Project (i guess I should just leave the newspaper down)
Thursday - Determine a change that can be made - and change it.
John and I decided to not have any wine Monday-Wednesdays at home. (If we are at a friend's house then it is ok.) This is more of a budget saver than anything else. If we can save even one bottle of wine a week, that will add up to $40 a month or more! We normally have a glass of wine every or every other night. Thursdays in the summer, our community hosts large cookouts with live music. We know we will have some wine/beer there; hence the Monday-Wednesday change.
Friday - Cook an old food in a new way.
John loves fried eggs. I love scrambled eggs. Scarlett loves any egg in general. I decided to take the plunge and fry away! DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!!! A little ham, an english muffin. DONE. delicious breakfast!
Saturday - Volunteer.
After speaking to our church, I decided to start helping create the baptismal banners. The ladies who have been sewing them for years are "retiring" and a new team is needed. Since I can sew, why not?
Sunday - Do Jumping Jacks.
Scarlett loves jumping jacks. She actually helps me create my bootcamps sometimes! Not only did we do some jumping jacks, but we designed an entire bootcamp based around kids' activities.
Monday - Plan a date.
I think this counts... well it counts for us because we will have no children with us. This weekend is the TC (The Players Championship) in Jacksonville, FL. We will leave the kids with my in-laws for the day on Saturday and head to the golf tournament to meet with friends!
Tuesday - Finger Paint -- I was planning a Mother's Day project for my mom and mother-in-law this week anyway - I guess I just pulled a great resolution to help us get started!
Wednesday - Craft Project (i guess I should just leave the newspaper down)
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
A sniffle, a sneeze, and an AHHHCHOOOOOOOOO.
It has been a rough few weeks of sleep in this house. Scarlett has had this horrible cough due to environmental allergies - and it has lasted at least three weeks now. We were finally getting back in to the groove of sleeping, when I wake up with snot flowing and a headache like no other.
I took Scarlett to the doctor today, to prove to John and that she does not have pneumonia. (which by the way she does not.) The doctor recommended saline up the nose throughout the day and a decongestant at night. That's all fine and dandy until of course you try to get drops up a 2.5 year old's nose. If you have not had this joy, it plays out like this:
Me (not feeling well myself): Scarlett lay down like the doctor showed you.
Scarlett (hesitant): Ummmmmm.... I don't think so.
Me: Scarlett please lay down.
Scarlett: Nope. (runs and slams a door)
Me (knocking on door): Please hunny. The doctor said it will help your cough.
Me (opening door, grabbing Scarlett, laying her down, pinning her legs): Scarlett PLEASE.
Scarlett - SCREAAAAAAAAMING..... "NOOOOOO MOMMY!! no drops!"
Me (the battle has begun. I try pinning legs, arms, head, anything I can, but getting a DAMN DROP in her nose is impossible) : Scarlett - Mommy really needs to help your cough get better.
so on and so on.....
needless to say, after much bribery, one drop made it into one nostril. I gave up.
I then let Scarlett watch a cartoon on netflix for 2 hours while Emmett and I napped.
John is on nostril duty tonight.
The resolutions are picking up from April 25th (Wednesday) :)
Wednesday's resolution: Don't try counting your blessings, there are too many - just enjoy your time with them.
Thursday's Resolution: Make sangria. (We are saving this for the next party!)
Friday's Resolution: Go to bed early.
Saturday's Resolution: Visit the farmer's market. (And purchase all local meat and veggies!)
Thank you to Hunter Cattle - we purchased fresh beef, pork, and chicken! And a shout out to the couple running the sweet pea (and other veggie) booth - you gave us the BEST recipe for the sweet peas! We threw thm into the crockpot, covered with water, and layered on top all of our left over bbq (or you can use bacon) - set it on low and let it o all day long!
Sunday's Resolution: Walk the dog - a real walk.
Monday's Resolution: No wine or beer tonight.
Tuesday's Resolution: Make a baked potato. (Easy enough - we covered ours with beans, brisket, and cheese!)
Wednesday's Resolution: Dance outside. Watch out BOOTCAMPERS - we are dancing in the park tomorrow!!!
I took Scarlett to the doctor today, to prove to John and that she does not have pneumonia. (which by the way she does not.) The doctor recommended saline up the nose throughout the day and a decongestant at night. That's all fine and dandy until of course you try to get drops up a 2.5 year old's nose. If you have not had this joy, it plays out like this:
Me (not feeling well myself): Scarlett lay down like the doctor showed you.
Scarlett (hesitant): Ummmmmm.... I don't think so.
Me: Scarlett please lay down.
Scarlett: Nope. (runs and slams a door)
Me (knocking on door): Please hunny. The doctor said it will help your cough.
Me (opening door, grabbing Scarlett, laying her down, pinning her legs): Scarlett PLEASE.
Scarlett - SCREAAAAAAAAMING..... "NOOOOOO MOMMY!! no drops!"
Me (the battle has begun. I try pinning legs, arms, head, anything I can, but getting a DAMN DROP in her nose is impossible) : Scarlett - Mommy really needs to help your cough get better.
so on and so on.....
needless to say, after much bribery, one drop made it into one nostril. I gave up.
I then let Scarlett watch a cartoon on netflix for 2 hours while Emmett and I napped.
John is on nostril duty tonight.
The resolutions are picking up from April 25th (Wednesday) :)
Wednesday's resolution: Don't try counting your blessings, there are too many - just enjoy your time with them.
Thursday's Resolution: Make sangria. (We are saving this for the next party!)
Friday's Resolution: Go to bed early.
Saturday's Resolution: Visit the farmer's market. (And purchase all local meat and veggies!)
Thank you to Hunter Cattle - we purchased fresh beef, pork, and chicken! And a shout out to the couple running the sweet pea (and other veggie) booth - you gave us the BEST recipe for the sweet peas! We threw thm into the crockpot, covered with water, and layered on top all of our left over bbq (or you can use bacon) - set it on low and let it o all day long!
Sunday's Resolution: Walk the dog - a real walk.
Monday's Resolution: No wine or beer tonight.
Tuesday's Resolution: Make a baked potato. (Easy enough - we covered ours with beans, brisket, and cheese!)
Wednesday's Resolution: Dance outside. Watch out BOOTCAMPERS - we are dancing in the park tomorrow!!!
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Resolution Love Thursday-Tuesday
Life is great here in the MacDonald House! We are enjoying a Sunday morning of egg and ham sandwiches, diaper stuffing, music playing, and a skype session with Uncle Willie! We are blessed and loving every moment of it today.
A Little Resolution Love:
Sprint we did - bootcamp last Wednesday almost made us hurl. (SOoooooooooooooo great) :)
Thursday's Resolution: Have dinner with friends.
Every Thursday, our community hosts a cookout by the marina. There's live music, adult beverages, food, and fun people. Of course though this Thursday was cancelled due to possible bad weather. We thought about inviting friends over for dinner, but I had JUST spent the day scrubbing the house clean. I was not ready to have to pick up again after the kids left. We watched the weather radar and decided that the bad weather wouldn't be that threatening. We headed out to the marina with two other families, hot dogs, toys, and beer. We ended up staying out there for hours, as the cool threatening breeze from the clouds kept the bugs away!
Friday's Resolution: Daddy/Daughter Date
John pushed this til Saturday and took Scarlett to the Earth Day events at Forsyth Park! She came home with a dolphin tattoo :)
Saturday's Resolution: Break a World Record at the Great Cloth Diaper Change!
Emmett and I attended the Great Cloth Diaper Change in Savannah, GA! We had a great day and met a lot of wonderful parents. We sported a HoneyBums diaper (along with a SweetRedBird Diaper). I couldn't stop smiling at all the cute fluff in the building! Not only that, but knowing that we were all doing our part to help the earth. The event was a great success, with 62 babies at our location alone.
Sunday's Resolution: Wash cars.
The clouds are a little low, but we are going to tackle those cars as John mows the lawn this afternoon. My car is still caked with mud from our mud run a few weeks ago! It needs a bath bad!!!
Monday's Resolution: Plan a vacation
I think I'm going to call John's mom and invite her to help me a Disney for a weekend! :)
We got a little "resolution happy" and pulled an extra... so Tuesday's Resolution: Remember that "A drop of honey attracts more flies than a gallon of vinegar."
A Little Resolution Love:
Sprint we did - bootcamp last Wednesday almost made us hurl. (SOoooooooooooooo great) :)
Thursday's Resolution: Have dinner with friends.
Every Thursday, our community hosts a cookout by the marina. There's live music, adult beverages, food, and fun people. Of course though this Thursday was cancelled due to possible bad weather. We thought about inviting friends over for dinner, but I had JUST spent the day scrubbing the house clean. I was not ready to have to pick up again after the kids left. We watched the weather radar and decided that the bad weather wouldn't be that threatening. We headed out to the marina with two other families, hot dogs, toys, and beer. We ended up staying out there for hours, as the cool threatening breeze from the clouds kept the bugs away!
Friday's Resolution: Daddy/Daughter Date
John pushed this til Saturday and took Scarlett to the Earth Day events at Forsyth Park! She came home with a dolphin tattoo :)
Saturday's Resolution: Break a World Record at the Great Cloth Diaper Change!
Emmett and I attended the Great Cloth Diaper Change in Savannah, GA! We had a great day and met a lot of wonderful parents. We sported a HoneyBums diaper (along with a SweetRedBird Diaper). I couldn't stop smiling at all the cute fluff in the building! Not only that, but knowing that we were all doing our part to help the earth. The event was a great success, with 62 babies at our location alone.
Sunday's Resolution: Wash cars.
The clouds are a little low, but we are going to tackle those cars as John mows the lawn this afternoon. My car is still caked with mud from our mud run a few weeks ago! It needs a bath bad!!!
Monday's Resolution: Plan a vacation
I think I'm going to call John's mom and invite her to help me a Disney for a weekend! :)
We got a little "resolution happy" and pulled an extra... so Tuesday's Resolution: Remember that "A drop of honey attracts more flies than a gallon of vinegar."
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Wednesday, April 18, 2012
SuperMom Certification
I feel as though, somewhere along the line, I signed up for a "SuperMom Certification Test." I don't know when or where the sign-up occurred, but I must have done it on one of my I-can-do-this-mom-thing-with-one-baby-nursing-the-other-finger-painting-and-have-the-entire-house-perfect-all-the-time days. I will admit that I did have those days quite often when I was only one child in - and even so with Emmett when he was still in that "Sleep all day" stage. Then I started teaching my bootcamps 3 days a week, Emmett became mobile, Scarlett dipped out on naps, deep-cleaning became a joke, and (for selfish reasons) the pool calls to us daily.
So of course, it would be a day like today when I am thrown a practice test for the "SuperMom Certification" - at least I hope damn well that it was just practice, because if that was the real deal, then I failed miserably.
After a night of no sleep due to Scarlett hacking up a wet lung, I was well prepared for the day. It was a jam packed morning that needed to go off without a hitch (problem #1 in hindsight) so that we could get everywhere on time (problem #2 -- what the H@#% was wrong with me trying to schedule things at certain TIMES). We were up by 7:45ish and both babes pee'd on the potty (Emmett loves this so much that he pees once, plays with himself and then has to pee again - then just laughs..... oh to be 8 months old). Here's the first true downfall (with exception to the no sleep): I didn't put a diaper on Emmett. He had JUST pee'd and the clean diapers were in his room. I made the bed and threw on my workout clothes. During this time frame, Emmett sprays down my floor mirror with a good little shower. I laugh at this minor test - and clean it up with a smile saying, "Silly Mommy, when will I learn that boys like to pee all the time?"
Ready for this?? I STILL didn't put a diaper on him. We headed to the living room and set the kids down to play while I picked up the towel I cleaned pee up with. I made Scarlett some oatmeal and was on my way to grab a new diaper, when Scarlett laughs and says, "MOMMY! Emmett spraying da window!" Lord help me.... I still don't lose my cool though. Scarlett laughs, Emmett giggles, and I am down to a slight chuckle.
You would think a diaper would magically appear and be placed on Emmett's butt. NOPE. I told you, this was some sort of practice test today.... I head to the laundry room to throw pee towels in the wash. I stir oatmeal and add almond milk; I start the walk to Emmett's room for a new diaper. As I am walking I catch something from the corner of my eye. Emmett is playing with a toy, but something is off. My stomach is approaching my throat as I get closer. I almost lose my breakfast. There is poop EVERYWHERE. I mean: back, front, arms, legs, hair, face, toys, CARPET... Breastmilk poop... EVERYWHERE. At this point, we need to leave in 15 minutes. Scarlett is still in PJ's with snot running down her face. She does have on a winter hat and gloves though. I think for a brief moment - eh she can wear it. Then I snap back to reality. Curse words are flying. I don't know what to do ... Matilda starts EATING the poop. I almost hurl again. I throw the dog outside, grab naked Emmett and head to the kitchen sink. I start spraying him down and send Scarlett for a towel... because a 2.5 year old will be so helpful in this situation. In the process of spraying Emmett down, I knock a stemless (nice) wine glass to the floor, shattering it. Lovely. No worries, here comes Scarlett with her play broom to "help." ***I'm freaking scoring points all over this exam aren't I?*** I have a wet poopy baby in my hands, no shoes on, no towel, and a toddler with a broom near glass. Hmmmmm.... I scream for Scarlett to freeze, jump over the glass, drop naked baby on carpet, because come on he can't pee or poop again, grab Scarlett from danger, and then re-evaluate. Holy Sh*t, what just happened. The clock is ticking, snot is flying, and I smell like poop.
I clean the glass, diaper the baby, throw on what it is that Scarlett was begging to wear (Yes the scarf, gloves and hat accessorized the cherry sundress), pack a lunch (you can imagine what made it in that lunchbox), wipe down my hands and legs of poop, clean the sink, scrub the toys, scrub the carpet (Well - still trying to work on that one), grab the diaper bag and head out the door.
It's 9:15. I breathe. I call a girlfriend to vent. I smell poop. Oh awesome... my left leg is stained breastmilk poop-color. I'm trying to drop off a package of goodies for The Great Cloth Diaper Change that should have been dealt with weeks ago, but it's managed to take home in my trunk. I hit the address into the GPS - oh wait - no I don't because the damn thing isn't working! It died, broke, has no life left. Worked just fine last week! arrrrrrrrrrrrghhhhhhhhhhhhh..... I do love the iphone though. I typed in the address and we were off. I was heading to what I thought was a house to drop this package off... NOPE. the address was to a freaking Starbucks. So now I'm not able to drop this off. A few choice words are said in reference to some unnamed folks who are horrible at communication and leadership.
It's 9:40am.
I failed. I failed horribly.
After bootcamp, I had to take the car in to the dealer to order a new little part for the bug screen on the sunroof. I find out the sunroof is not original to the "new-to-us" car. Therefore the piece can't be replaced. No biggie, the sunroof has a built in bug screen that I didn't know about, and I like the car better without the plastic bug thing. (And I didn't have to drop any money there) However, my car key beeper thingy died recently and I wanted a new battery. Well that will be $50 and an appointment with the service people because the key would need to be reprogrammed afterward.
I walked out. Eh - another day. I can't handle any more today.
Scarlett was asleep in the car by 1:00. --- maybe that's a positive in my corner? Car naps are still naps. Diapers are in the wash (yes Emmett has one on right now). We have enough baked ziti from last night for leftovers. We also have a bottle of wine calling my name. I'm about to clock out for the day .... but it's only 2:00pm. So I will power through. It has been the epitome of a hump day.
I'm hoping that the Certification SumperMom's have done one of two things:
1. Realized I have a lot of work ahead of me and am no where near ready to be tested yet.
or
2. Removed my name from the class.
I'm fine either way.
So of course, it would be a day like today when I am thrown a practice test for the "SuperMom Certification" - at least I hope damn well that it was just practice, because if that was the real deal, then I failed miserably.
After a night of no sleep due to Scarlett hacking up a wet lung, I was well prepared for the day. It was a jam packed morning that needed to go off without a hitch (problem #1 in hindsight) so that we could get everywhere on time (problem #2 -- what the H@#% was wrong with me trying to schedule things at certain TIMES). We were up by 7:45ish and both babes pee'd on the potty (Emmett loves this so much that he pees once, plays with himself and then has to pee again - then just laughs..... oh to be 8 months old). Here's the first true downfall (with exception to the no sleep): I didn't put a diaper on Emmett. He had JUST pee'd and the clean diapers were in his room. I made the bed and threw on my workout clothes. During this time frame, Emmett sprays down my floor mirror with a good little shower. I laugh at this minor test - and clean it up with a smile saying, "Silly Mommy, when will I learn that boys like to pee all the time?"
Ready for this?? I STILL didn't put a diaper on him. We headed to the living room and set the kids down to play while I picked up the towel I cleaned pee up with. I made Scarlett some oatmeal and was on my way to grab a new diaper, when Scarlett laughs and says, "MOMMY! Emmett spraying da window!" Lord help me.... I still don't lose my cool though. Scarlett laughs, Emmett giggles, and I am down to a slight chuckle.
You would think a diaper would magically appear and be placed on Emmett's butt. NOPE. I told you, this was some sort of practice test today.... I head to the laundry room to throw pee towels in the wash. I stir oatmeal and add almond milk; I start the walk to Emmett's room for a new diaper. As I am walking I catch something from the corner of my eye. Emmett is playing with a toy, but something is off. My stomach is approaching my throat as I get closer. I almost lose my breakfast. There is poop EVERYWHERE. I mean: back, front, arms, legs, hair, face, toys, CARPET... Breastmilk poop... EVERYWHERE. At this point, we need to leave in 15 minutes. Scarlett is still in PJ's with snot running down her face. She does have on a winter hat and gloves though. I think for a brief moment - eh she can wear it. Then I snap back to reality. Curse words are flying. I don't know what to do ... Matilda starts EATING the poop. I almost hurl again. I throw the dog outside, grab naked Emmett and head to the kitchen sink. I start spraying him down and send Scarlett for a towel... because a 2.5 year old will be so helpful in this situation. In the process of spraying Emmett down, I knock a stemless (nice) wine glass to the floor, shattering it. Lovely. No worries, here comes Scarlett with her play broom to "help." ***I'm freaking scoring points all over this exam aren't I?*** I have a wet poopy baby in my hands, no shoes on, no towel, and a toddler with a broom near glass. Hmmmmm.... I scream for Scarlett to freeze, jump over the glass, drop naked baby on carpet, because come on he can't pee or poop again, grab Scarlett from danger, and then re-evaluate. Holy Sh*t, what just happened. The clock is ticking, snot is flying, and I smell like poop.
I clean the glass, diaper the baby, throw on what it is that Scarlett was begging to wear (Yes the scarf, gloves and hat accessorized the cherry sundress), pack a lunch (you can imagine what made it in that lunchbox), wipe down my hands and legs of poop, clean the sink, scrub the toys, scrub the carpet (Well - still trying to work on that one), grab the diaper bag and head out the door.
It's 9:15. I breathe. I call a girlfriend to vent. I smell poop. Oh awesome... my left leg is stained breastmilk poop-color. I'm trying to drop off a package of goodies for The Great Cloth Diaper Change that should have been dealt with weeks ago, but it's managed to take home in my trunk. I hit the address into the GPS - oh wait - no I don't because the damn thing isn't working! It died, broke, has no life left. Worked just fine last week! arrrrrrrrrrrrghhhhhhhhhhhhh..... I do love the iphone though. I typed in the address and we were off. I was heading to what I thought was a house to drop this package off... NOPE. the address was to a freaking Starbucks. So now I'm not able to drop this off. A few choice words are said in reference to some unnamed folks who are horrible at communication and leadership.
It's 9:40am.
I failed. I failed horribly.
After bootcamp, I had to take the car in to the dealer to order a new little part for the bug screen on the sunroof. I find out the sunroof is not original to the "new-to-us" car. Therefore the piece can't be replaced. No biggie, the sunroof has a built in bug screen that I didn't know about, and I like the car better without the plastic bug thing. (And I didn't have to drop any money there) However, my car key beeper thingy died recently and I wanted a new battery. Well that will be $50 and an appointment with the service people because the key would need to be reprogrammed afterward.
I walked out. Eh - another day. I can't handle any more today.
Scarlett was asleep in the car by 1:00. --- maybe that's a positive in my corner? Car naps are still naps. Diapers are in the wash (yes Emmett has one on right now). We have enough baked ziti from last night for leftovers. We also have a bottle of wine calling my name. I'm about to clock out for the day .... but it's only 2:00pm. So I will power through. It has been the epitome of a hump day.
I'm hoping that the Certification SumperMom's have done one of two things:
1. Realized I have a lot of work ahead of me and am no where near ready to be tested yet.
or
2. Removed my name from the class.
I'm fine either way.
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