Two posts in two days? Guess I'm off the hook until March, huh?
Well, If I'm being honest, today has been "one of those days." My heart wasn't really in it. The older boys got up early early and then neither could settle down during nap/rest time. By dinnertime there had been no quiet moments in the last 12 hours. Add to that that Luke, who is always adventurous, was doing crazy things - trying to hammer a screw into the wall, unplugging the phone charger and swinging it around the house, dumping out the toys the second we got them picked up. Seth was whiny. Crazy whiny. To the point of, "Mooooommmmm, Luke's pretending to eat pizza soup." AND?? Anyway, my hour and a half on the couch with Max, reading, playing with kid books on my Nook, and finally snuggling with a blanket, was just the reminder I needed of why I do what I do. Wow, that's a hefty introduction to this post.
Things I never realized when I left the magical mystical world of being a government attorney to be a stay at home mom...
-My husband would no longer leave work, pick Seth up at daycare, run to the grocery store, and then cook dinner while I finished up "just one more thing" at work. Oddly, there was some expectation that *I* would figure out what to cook and (gasp) cook it.
-The cleaning fairy no longer showed up once a month to clean all the things I just didn't enjoy cleaning (aka everything). Again, strange expectation that *I* do this. Sensing a pattern?
-Dave's dress/work shirts no longer visit the dry cleaners and come home wrapped in plastic and ready to wear. Instead they accumulate in the "pretty" hamper in our closet until *I* wash them and then (double gasp) iron them. Again, it's really all about me, huh?
-There is no more daycare. Those days off from work where I would take Seth to daycare for a few hours, get all sorts of things accomplished, then pick him up and hang out, yeah - they no longer exist. Now I have a two or three man (boy) entourage for any errands I must run.
-How much time I would spend in the bathroom, watching other people do absolutely nothing whatsoever, but begging of them to please please please just "go."
-How many drinks could be poured into sippy cups - juice, milk, water, a very occasional lemonade.
-How many (fake) peanut butter and jelly sandwiches could be requested, prepared, and consumed. Or for that matter the number of options on which to make this sandwich - regular bread, thick bread, toast, skinny bread, tortilla, bagel, round crackers, rectangle crackers, even waffles.
-That I could watch the same Dsney movie over and over again and still get excited because it's so fun to watch the boys act it out along the way.
-That a kleenex-less mom with a sneezing child could fix the obvious problem by wiping the snot off with my own sleeve and then just rolling it up another roll.
-That there could be so many "ouchies" that would need kissed and that I would get to do all of that kissing.
-That all your priorities fly out the window when the sweetest 21 month old runs to you and wraps himself around your knees.
-That mornings are great times for cuddling a lovely almost 4 year old, and trading in fancy coffee and bagels isn't really a big deal when the trade off is Curious George and a fleece blanket.
-That after signing your own name nearly 100 times a day, seeing your five year old write his name like he's been doing it forever could nearly reduce me to tears.
Yes, today is the 4 year anniversary of hanging up the heels and hosiery and trading them in for jeans, comfy pants, and casual shoes. Usually at least one of those is covered in snot and/or food. It's not easy, but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
11 Good Things from 2011
I have NO idea why I start posts and nearly finish them and just ignore them for weeks at a time. It is so cruel to my loyal readers mom and sister. So, weeks late...
I have heard a LOT of people commenting that they are glad to see 2011 go. So, I thought I would share some kind words about the year 2011. Following are 11 good things from 2011 - silly, serious, certainly random...
1. As mentioned in the last post, my picture a day album. Of course, it became more of a week by week album as there were just days that weren't photo worthy. But, still it's nearly a complete a book. It feels good to not be another year behind in scrapbooking.
2. My Nook. WHAT a great little toy. [Thanks, hubby.] I don't read nearly as much as I would like, but I do read more now that I have it. I can borrow a book from the library at 11 at night in my jammies. How much more convenient does it get?
3. Songs. I love the song "Do Everything" by Stephen Curtis Chapman. If you are a parent, you can relate immediately. Win-win, he made a silly little video that the boys love to watch, so they are entertained and I get a good reminder!
4. I participated in a Beth Moore Bible study this summer. I know some people love her. Others are not so enamored. I enjoyed the study. Something she said really stuck with me. God doesn't make all new things. He makes all things new. We have to remember enough of where/who we've been to appreciate where/who we've become.
5. Seth and kindergarten. He LOVES LOVES LOVES it. His teacher is fantastic. He is learning to read and I think that is terribly exciting. I love to read and so much want the boys to love it too.
6. Luke's new allergy doctor. I love that he works only with kids. He explains things in a way that just makes sense. He is up on the current research. Riley is an incredible place. Of course, it doesn't hurt that he gave us some potential good news relating to at least one of his allergies.
7. The iphone. I know - two technology references. But, it's really great. There are fun photography apps and some games and books for the kids. It's nice to have a little something to distract them with in a pinch.
8. Max is the perfect baby of the family. I'm not saying he's perfect. Although he is pretty awesome. But, he is perfect at being the baby of the family. Seth and Luke will settle in to watch a movie and he spends most of that movie running from one to the other and messing with them. He's also getting quite good at screaming in their faces when they take "his" toys.
9. This quote from the pastor at our church a few weeks ago - "God meets you where you are." Again, I've heard it time and time again, but I'm a person who thinks everything has to be in perfect order before I can start a project. As a result I spend a lot of time preparing things and not much time doing things. I think I just needed to be reminded that God doesn't expect me to be in a certain place to spend time with Him. Just do it. No prep work needed, so to speak.
10. "My" word - commit. It really was a neat concept, having one word to make you stick with something and strive for some things. 2012's word to come...
11. My husband. This is not unique to 2011, of course! I kept asking him to contribute a couple of 'good' things from 2011. Let's just say he's not been very serious about his responses. But, I'm incredibly thankful for him - for working hard to provide for his family, for being a loving dad to his boys, and for supporting whatever insane idea I have this week.
Alright, now that it's almost February, time to move on to 2012!
I have heard a LOT of people commenting that they are glad to see 2011 go. So, I thought I would share some kind words about the year 2011. Following are 11 good things from 2011 - silly, serious, certainly random...
1. As mentioned in the last post, my picture a day album. Of course, it became more of a week by week album as there were just days that weren't photo worthy. But, still it's nearly a complete a book. It feels good to not be another year behind in scrapbooking.
2. My Nook. WHAT a great little toy. [Thanks, hubby.] I don't read nearly as much as I would like, but I do read more now that I have it. I can borrow a book from the library at 11 at night in my jammies. How much more convenient does it get?
3. Songs. I love the song "Do Everything" by Stephen Curtis Chapman. If you are a parent, you can relate immediately. Win-win, he made a silly little video that the boys love to watch, so they are entertained and I get a good reminder!
4. I participated in a Beth Moore Bible study this summer. I know some people love her. Others are not so enamored. I enjoyed the study. Something she said really stuck with me. God doesn't make all new things. He makes all things new. We have to remember enough of where/who we've been to appreciate where/who we've become.
5. Seth and kindergarten. He LOVES LOVES LOVES it. His teacher is fantastic. He is learning to read and I think that is terribly exciting. I love to read and so much want the boys to love it too.
6. Luke's new allergy doctor. I love that he works only with kids. He explains things in a way that just makes sense. He is up on the current research. Riley is an incredible place. Of course, it doesn't hurt that he gave us some potential good news relating to at least one of his allergies.
7. The iphone. I know - two technology references. But, it's really great. There are fun photography apps and some games and books for the kids. It's nice to have a little something to distract them with in a pinch.
8. Max is the perfect baby of the family. I'm not saying he's perfect. Although he is pretty awesome. But, he is perfect at being the baby of the family. Seth and Luke will settle in to watch a movie and he spends most of that movie running from one to the other and messing with them. He's also getting quite good at screaming in their faces when they take "his" toys.
9. This quote from the pastor at our church a few weeks ago - "God meets you where you are." Again, I've heard it time and time again, but I'm a person who thinks everything has to be in perfect order before I can start a project. As a result I spend a lot of time preparing things and not much time doing things. I think I just needed to be reminded that God doesn't expect me to be in a certain place to spend time with Him. Just do it. No prep work needed, so to speak.
10. "My" word - commit. It really was a neat concept, having one word to make you stick with something and strive for some things. 2012's word to come...
11. My husband. This is not unique to 2011, of course! I kept asking him to contribute a couple of 'good' things from 2011. Let's just say he's not been very serious about his responses. But, I'm incredibly thankful for him - for working hard to provide for his family, for being a loving dad to his boys, and for supporting whatever insane idea I have this week.
Alright, now that it's almost February, time to move on to 2012!
Friday, January 13, 2012
Top 10 reasons it's fun to lose power on one of the coldest days of the year...
1. Hubby must have coffee and knows not to come home (from taking Seth to school) with only one cup of Starbucks.
2. No one questions the decision to lazily sit on the couch wrapped in a double fleece blanket.
3. It's too cold for meat to thaw = pizza for dinner!
4. Vacation day at the 'rents when it becomes too unbearably cold.
5. Cold babies need extra cuddles.
6. Fire in the fireplace smells good.
7. An afternoon trip to Target when its 20 degrees out seems less insane when you have no heat in your house.
8. I can't possibly take the clothes out of the dryer. Do you know how cold the air is that blows through the vent?
9. Get to look like a deer in headlights when your 5 year old asks, "What's a transformer?" [For the record, I did know enough to tell him they were not talking about Bumblebee.]
10. It's always good to test out your supply of flashlights and candles. Although in the future I would suggest doing so before you are lying in bed in the dark having a mental argument with yourself about not wanting to get up and suddenly hear all electrical powered items in your home go silent.
2. No one questions the decision to lazily sit on the couch wrapped in a double fleece blanket.
3. It's too cold for meat to thaw = pizza for dinner!
4. Vacation day at the 'rents when it becomes too unbearably cold.
5. Cold babies need extra cuddles.
6. Fire in the fireplace smells good.
7. An afternoon trip to Target when its 20 degrees out seems less insane when you have no heat in your house.
8. I can't possibly take the clothes out of the dryer. Do you know how cold the air is that blows through the vent?
9. Get to look like a deer in headlights when your 5 year old asks, "What's a transformer?" [For the record, I did know enough to tell him they were not talking about Bumblebee.]
10. It's always good to test out your supply of flashlights and candles. Although in the future I would suggest doing so before you are lying in bed in the dark having a mental argument with yourself about not wanting to get up and suddenly hear all electrical powered items in your home go silent.
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