I'm not entirely sure how or when it happened but recently Madeleine has become a little girl. Maybe I was blind to it because I still see her as my little baby but the changes in her even since Christmas are just incredible.
Today at the doctors office while her sister was being examined she stood next to the chair and held Juliette's hand the whole time. She kept telling her, "It's okay baby. You doing so well baby. I know baby, it's okay." After the doctor was finished she asked if it was her turn and the doctor asked her if she was feeling sick. Madeleine said, "No Bitty Baby's (her doll) not feeling well." She the doctor examined her doll and Madeleine looked on with a very concerned expression. Later, as the doctor was leaving she told us that she would come back in soon with the medicine and Madeleine stared at her, raised her eyebrows, and said in a very serious tone, "Okay. Be right back." While the doctor was gone she held her sister's hand and my hand and sang the Barney "I love you." song to us.
Later at home she remained focused on her sister and making sure she was feeling okay. Of course, she isn't always an angel. She was throwing a toy around the room and I told her to stop. She looked at me and said, "No it's funny. I know!" It was not funny.
Overall she's a very sensitive little girl who seeks to please almost all the time. She is in tune with the needs and emotions of the people around her as much as a two and a half year old can be. She doesn't talk all the time, she has a more quiet personality, but loves singing and dancing. She loves animals, airplanes, helicopters, and princesses. She also seems to have a little toddler-sized devotion to Baby Jesus and his Mommy and Daddy. She's hard headed and bossy, she knows what she wants and can be extremely stubborn, but if she hurts her sister or gets in trouble with mommy and daddy she tends to be extremely repentant. She loves her family, idolizes her daddy, adores her sister, and can't get enough of her grandparents and aunties. She's imaginative, she tells me about the animals she sees in the trees and the airplanes she sees in the sky (which are usually not actually there) and tends to have "favorite things" (shows, toys, games, songs) that she always chooses over others.
Not everybody cares about every detail about my daughter quite the way I do but you see, that's not the point of this blog post. Madeleine is a person. She is a beautiful little girl with her own unique personality and look and her own beautiful soul. When I was pregnant with her I dreamed of getting to know her, watching her grow, seeing the person she would become. All those days and nights I spent puking or in pain, I knew they would be worth it but I never imagined how worth it. It's one thing to know that two pink lines on a pregnancy test become a person, in fact already are a person. It's a whole new thing when you are there to witness it day in and day out. That little soul that was growing inside me, I knew that if it was a girl I would name her Madeleine. Now that is no longer just a name to me. It's my daughter. My amazing, incredible little person that I get to love. My little gift from God.
I am so thankful for every day I get to know her better, to watch her grow. I am so thankful that God chose me to be her mother. I am so thankful that God has chosen to teach me about His Love in this way, as a mother to one of His little creations. I hope that it brings God as much joy to watch me grow as it brings me to watch Madeleine. I hope I please Him.
Showing posts with label Motherhood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Motherhood. Show all posts
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Murphy's Laws of Sick Kids
So your kid is sick and you are calling your doctor. You can be assured that a few things are bound to happen. At least, I know this is how it tends to go for me.
1. Your kid will be sick at the most inconvenient time possible.
Maybe you will be traveling in the next few days, maybe there is a huge project at work, maybe your spouse will be completely unable to get any time off of work to help you, the driveway is covered with snow and impossible to leave, or maybe a major holiday is right around the corner... or heck, maybe they are sick on that holiday. Whatever it is, kids never get sick at a "good" time.
2. There will be a problem scheduling your appointment.
It may be a weekend so you have to go to a walk in, or your doctor is on vacation, or they are completely booked for the rest of the day, or the phone lines are down for the morning and only emergencies are being put through. I've had all of those things happen to me in the past two weeks. No matter when I call there is always an issue.
3. By the time you get there your child will be the picture of health.
When you called the doctor your child was screaming, not eating or drinking, puking, had a fever, a cough, and was basically a complete and total mess. The doctor told you to give them some Tylenol and come in for your appointment at the scheduled time. You give them the Tylenol, load them in the car, they pass out, and by the time you get there they have rested and their fever has come down. By the time they call you in for the appointment your child is trying to escape your lap and run over to play with the germ infested toys. "I swear I was not making it all up. She was really, really sick." And then by the time you get back home the Tylenol has worn off and you have picked up the prescription for their ear infection and pulled into your driveway the fever has come back and they are sobbing. Because that's just how it works.
4. The healthy sibling will catch something entirely new from being at the doctors.
You bring the healthy sibling(s) to the doctors with you since no one was available to watch them or was ignoring your phone calls in fear of catching your germs. Either way, healthy child is coming with you. While you are trying to wrangle sick child, healthy child is socializing with the green faced stranger kid and touching the germ infested toys. You wash their hands, cover their bodies in sanitizing lotion, but it's no use. Two or three days later healthy kid is now a sick kid and the whole process starts again.
Any way it goes, having a sick child is one of the toughest things in the world for a parent. Even if everything goes right it's still hard and know that somewhere I am raising a glass of caffeine just for you. It's gonna get better, I swear.
1. Your kid will be sick at the most inconvenient time possible.
Maybe you will be traveling in the next few days, maybe there is a huge project at work, maybe your spouse will be completely unable to get any time off of work to help you, the driveway is covered with snow and impossible to leave, or maybe a major holiday is right around the corner... or heck, maybe they are sick on that holiday. Whatever it is, kids never get sick at a "good" time.
2. There will be a problem scheduling your appointment.
It may be a weekend so you have to go to a walk in, or your doctor is on vacation, or they are completely booked for the rest of the day, or the phone lines are down for the morning and only emergencies are being put through. I've had all of those things happen to me in the past two weeks. No matter when I call there is always an issue.
3. By the time you get there your child will be the picture of health.
When you called the doctor your child was screaming, not eating or drinking, puking, had a fever, a cough, and was basically a complete and total mess. The doctor told you to give them some Tylenol and come in for your appointment at the scheduled time. You give them the Tylenol, load them in the car, they pass out, and by the time you get there they have rested and their fever has come down. By the time they call you in for the appointment your child is trying to escape your lap and run over to play with the germ infested toys. "I swear I was not making it all up. She was really, really sick." And then by the time you get back home the Tylenol has worn off and you have picked up the prescription for their ear infection and pulled into your driveway the fever has come back and they are sobbing. Because that's just how it works.
4. The healthy sibling will catch something entirely new from being at the doctors.
You bring the healthy sibling(s) to the doctors with you since no one was available to watch them or was ignoring your phone calls in fear of catching your germs. Either way, healthy child is coming with you. While you are trying to wrangle sick child, healthy child is socializing with the green faced stranger kid and touching the germ infested toys. You wash their hands, cover their bodies in sanitizing lotion, but it's no use. Two or three days later healthy kid is now a sick kid and the whole process starts again.
Any way it goes, having a sick child is one of the toughest things in the world for a parent. Even if everything goes right it's still hard and know that somewhere I am raising a glass of caffeine just for you. It's gonna get better, I swear.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
The Sweetest Thing
Today Madeleine was playing in the living room when and laughing with her sister while I checked some email over by the computer. We were talking and suddenly she stopped playing, walked over to me, and motioned for me to come closer. I turned to her, she grabbed my cheeks in each hand, drew my face in, stared into my eyes and said, "I love you mommy. I love you." I scooped her up and told her that I loved her too. She said, "Thank you so much." and hugged me close.
I'm not a perfect person or a perfect mother but I have raised a very sweet, loving, caring little girl. God is very, very good to me.
I'm not a perfect person or a perfect mother but I have raised a very sweet, loving, caring little girl. God is very, very good to me.
A Salut to Mrs Sweatpants
Dear Mrs Sweatpants,
I remember myself as the mother of one child, completely put together and taking my precious, sleeping, three month old to the doctor for her check up. I saw you in your sweatpants and your over sized shirt and your greasy hair and I'm ashamed to admit that I judged you. You had crazy eyes as you tried to pull your toddler off the germ infested toys while rocking your screaming baby. You probably hadn't slept in a week you looked like it. No offense. And there I was with my blond ponytail and my perfectly organized diaper bag and I patted myself on the back for keeping it together in public.
Now, Mrs Sweatpants, I make you look like Martha Freaking Stewart. When I arrived at the pediatrician's office today, for the sixth time in two weeks, I was wearing the same sweatpants I had been wearing for the past three days. I had managed deodorant and had half-heartedly brushed my teeth, but my hair was un-brushed, I had on no makeup, and both of my kids were in pajamas. Princess and Santa respectively. And the crazy eyes... oh did I have the crazy eyes. It came from lack of sleep combined with lack of coffee and a frantic worry for the health of my children. Not to mention that the entire drive there was through snow and my minivan kept beeping at me all like, "EXCLAMATION MARK WHAT THE EFF ARE YOU DOING OUT IN THIS WEATHER." I. was. frazzled.
So I am sorry for making judge-y eyes at you those two years ago as my precious pink baby snoozed in my arms. Your job is not easy. You tend to your children at the expense of your own health and sanity. You, I'm sure, would love to be looking good but maybe your kids were crying hysterically too, as were mine when I made the attempt to get myself ready before going out the door. I know that when it comes down to it I would rather keep their tears away than keep up appearances.
Motherhood isn't the most glamorous of jobs but I at least get to treat my girls like princesses when they are sick. They deserve that. I know in a few days, when the medications have kicked in and we have a slept that I will be back to myself. My pants won't be made of cotton and my shirt won't have snot stains all over it... but that day was not today.
You are a hero Mrs Sweatpants. Know there is someone out there that is looking past the sweats.
Love,
Mrs. Stainedshirt
I remember myself as the mother of one child, completely put together and taking my precious, sleeping, three month old to the doctor for her check up. I saw you in your sweatpants and your over sized shirt and your greasy hair and I'm ashamed to admit that I judged you. You had crazy eyes as you tried to pull your toddler off the germ infested toys while rocking your screaming baby. You probably hadn't slept in a week you looked like it. No offense. And there I was with my blond ponytail and my perfectly organized diaper bag and I patted myself on the back for keeping it together in public.
Now, Mrs Sweatpants, I make you look like Martha Freaking Stewart. When I arrived at the pediatrician's office today, for the sixth time in two weeks, I was wearing the same sweatpants I had been wearing for the past three days. I had managed deodorant and had half-heartedly brushed my teeth, but my hair was un-brushed, I had on no makeup, and both of my kids were in pajamas. Princess and Santa respectively. And the crazy eyes... oh did I have the crazy eyes. It came from lack of sleep combined with lack of coffee and a frantic worry for the health of my children. Not to mention that the entire drive there was through snow and my minivan kept beeping at me all like, "EXCLAMATION MARK WHAT THE EFF ARE YOU DOING OUT IN THIS WEATHER." I. was. frazzled.
So I am sorry for making judge-y eyes at you those two years ago as my precious pink baby snoozed in my arms. Your job is not easy. You tend to your children at the expense of your own health and sanity. You, I'm sure, would love to be looking good but maybe your kids were crying hysterically too, as were mine when I made the attempt to get myself ready before going out the door. I know that when it comes down to it I would rather keep their tears away than keep up appearances.
Motherhood isn't the most glamorous of jobs but I at least get to treat my girls like princesses when they are sick. They deserve that. I know in a few days, when the medications have kicked in and we have a slept that I will be back to myself. My pants won't be made of cotton and my shirt won't have snot stains all over it... but that day was not today.
You are a hero Mrs Sweatpants. Know there is someone out there that is looking past the sweats.
Love,
Mrs. Stainedshirt
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Just keep swimming
I often get asked the question, "So are you JUST a stay at home mom right now?" Sometimes that question is followed up by support and well wishes... sometimes I get a really super cool, "Oh I would never be able to do that. I need to be able to use my brain." Or something like that.
Okay people, stay at home moms are not some lesser form of mother. True, sometimes I don't know what day of the week it is and I often cannot form complete sentences... but those are from sleep deprivation. Not a lowering of brain cells. I read, I write, I travel, I calculate the tip when we go out to eat, I keep a budget, I pay bills, I explore the outdoors, I socialize, I MULTIFIRCKINTASK like it's nobody's business, I teach... in fact I use my degree quite often when I teach my children about God.
There are crazy judgements going both ways, I know that some people give working moms a hard time and SHAME on them for doing that. I have nothing but respect for working moms. Not all moms are called to do things the same way.
But, to provide a little insight into why I want to be at home...
When I was growing up all I wanted to be (once I got over the whole dolphin trainer thing) was a mommy. I know it may be politically incorrect or whatever but there has never really been anything else that I have deeply desired to do with my life. (I say "anything else", like it isn't enough, a little tongue and cheek because I believe motherhood is one of the most important jobs in the world).
When I went to college I obviously went with a thirst for knowledge and the desire for a great education (and with my Theology and Catechetics degrees, a desire for a deeper understanding of God) but I always had a hard time picturing myself in a career. It's not because I'm not "independent" or because I wanted someone else to support me so I could stay home. It's because my desired "career path" came with no pay check and honestly required no degree at all. I knew that there was an array of jobs I would be very happy doing but I am very joyful that I was called to my vocation as young as I was.
It's a common topic among Catholic (and I assume all) moms, whether at not staying at home is "fulfilling".
It may be my experience working while Madeleine was a newborn, but I spent those six months desiring nothing more than to just be able to devote myself fully to my baby. I had a wonderful job in the Church and a beautiful little daughter but I felt so torn and lost. Actually, now that I think about it, it may be that desire to give myself fully combined with my ridiculous ADD that makes me know that I'm not really cut out to be a working mom.
And it's not that I think that working moms can't give themselves fully to their jobs and to their families. Many working moms pull it off with grace. I, however, am not that talented.
So really, to the point of all of this, I love being a stay at home mother. It is my heart's desire. I am blessed to have a husband who supports and cherishes my role in the home. I am also blessed that our finances allow him to be the sole bread winner.
There are a lot of times when I feel burnt out by it all. Being a mother isn't the easiest job in the world. It requires you to be on call and alert at all times. And once again, I only have two kids who aren't even school age yet!
Some days I feel empowered. I feel like the most wonderful mommy in the world. Madeleine is counting and showing me how she knows her shapes, Juliette is happy and playing with her sister, we all get to bathe, I cook an amazing meal, the dishes are done, and I just feel super.
Other days my mantra is "just stay alive". I plop the kids in front of Barney for 20 minutes with the intent of being productive but instead end up staring blankly at facebook. My hair is everywhere, I don't get out of my sweats, Juliette is eating the crayons, Madeleine is screaming about cookies, it's frozen pizza for dinner, and a tall glass of something with alcohol before bed (for me, not the kids), and my prayer time is something like, "Dear Lord what am I doing?". Most days its something in between those two, leaning towards the former.
Honestly, sometimes it is hard. As a mom I get almost no time to myself, someone always wants a piece of me, my body has been run ragged. I remember the days before kids when I went to the store by myself, heck when I went to the bathroom by myself, and the reason I didn't wear bikinis was modesty... not crazy stretch marks. Every day, in sickness and in health, I drag myself out of bed and give myself to my kids. They don't have a snooze button, they've gotten pretty used to being fed on a daily basis, and they don't prioritize doing the dishes over playing house. They are 2 and 1. They are sweet, loving, well behaved, and adorable little girls but they are a handful.
And yet I knew about all this getting into it. I watched my mom sacrifice for us growing up. We had the nicer clothes, the better technology. The money went to our hobbies and the house was always filled with our favorite snacks. My mom is a heroic example of sacrifice. But it goes beyond that, down to the heart of the vocation.
Motherhood, no matter if the mother is at home or working, is a vocation that allows us to unite ourselves with Christ by giving up our own bodies out of love for our children, as He gave His Body up for us. No, there is no way we can ever measure up to the sacrifices He made for us but we can unite what little we have to offer to Him. We can be whipped by our exhaustion or our morning sickness, crowned by the thorns of judgements of others who don't understand us (pro-life, NFP, large families), made to carry the cross of our own human flawed human nature, and, if we are really good, we can chose to die to ourselves every day. Nursing mom give their bodies as food to their newborns. Like Mary, we suffer the pains of our children with them. The daily sacrifices we make allow us to decrease so Christ can increase in us.
Most days I don't get it right, my selfishness wins out at some point or another. Still, every day by the grace of God, I grow to love my children more and that gives me the drive to try again. I don't want to be a stay at home mother because it is easy, because it is not, but because it is so rewarding to know that in some way I can experience the love Christ has for me in loving my children.
I wrote a while back about how my vocation as a wife leads me closer to God, this is about my vocation as a mother.
Honestly, most of the time I'm not sure what the word "fulfilled" even means. I used to judge God's will in my life but what made me the happiest. I began to realize that most of the time it meant I was ignoring God's true call for me and doing something "fun". I don't always enjoy hard work and motherhood definitely qualifies as such.
Now I try to find God's will by searching for peace. Even on the hardest days I have peace in my call. I don't think that this is right for every mom but for now at least, it is where my Shepherd leads me.
So maybe in the future I'll put my degrees to good use, maybe even get my masters. For now I am more fulfilled than I ever have been. Tired... but fulfilled.
Okay people, stay at home moms are not some lesser form of mother. True, sometimes I don't know what day of the week it is and I often cannot form complete sentences... but those are from sleep deprivation. Not a lowering of brain cells. I read, I write, I travel, I calculate the tip when we go out to eat, I keep a budget, I pay bills, I explore the outdoors, I socialize, I MULTIFIRCKINTASK like it's nobody's business, I teach... in fact I use my degree quite often when I teach my children about God.
There are crazy judgements going both ways, I know that some people give working moms a hard time and SHAME on them for doing that. I have nothing but respect for working moms. Not all moms are called to do things the same way.
But, to provide a little insight into why I want to be at home...
When I was growing up all I wanted to be (once I got over the whole dolphin trainer thing) was a mommy. I know it may be politically incorrect or whatever but there has never really been anything else that I have deeply desired to do with my life. (I say "anything else", like it isn't enough, a little tongue and cheek because I believe motherhood is one of the most important jobs in the world).
When I went to college I obviously went with a thirst for knowledge and the desire for a great education (and with my Theology and Catechetics degrees, a desire for a deeper understanding of God) but I always had a hard time picturing myself in a career. It's not because I'm not "independent" or because I wanted someone else to support me so I could stay home. It's because my desired "career path" came with no pay check and honestly required no degree at all. I knew that there was an array of jobs I would be very happy doing but I am very joyful that I was called to my vocation as young as I was.
It's a common topic among Catholic (and I assume all) moms, whether at not staying at home is "fulfilling".
It may be my experience working while Madeleine was a newborn, but I spent those six months desiring nothing more than to just be able to devote myself fully to my baby. I had a wonderful job in the Church and a beautiful little daughter but I felt so torn and lost. Actually, now that I think about it, it may be that desire to give myself fully combined with my ridiculous ADD that makes me know that I'm not really cut out to be a working mom.
And it's not that I think that working moms can't give themselves fully to their jobs and to their families. Many working moms pull it off with grace. I, however, am not that talented.
So really, to the point of all of this, I love being a stay at home mother. It is my heart's desire. I am blessed to have a husband who supports and cherishes my role in the home. I am also blessed that our finances allow him to be the sole bread winner.
There are a lot of times when I feel burnt out by it all. Being a mother isn't the easiest job in the world. It requires you to be on call and alert at all times. And once again, I only have two kids who aren't even school age yet!
Some days I feel empowered. I feel like the most wonderful mommy in the world. Madeleine is counting and showing me how she knows her shapes, Juliette is happy and playing with her sister, we all get to bathe, I cook an amazing meal, the dishes are done, and I just feel super.
Other days my mantra is "just stay alive". I plop the kids in front of Barney for 20 minutes with the intent of being productive but instead end up staring blankly at facebook. My hair is everywhere, I don't get out of my sweats, Juliette is eating the crayons, Madeleine is screaming about cookies, it's frozen pizza for dinner, and a tall glass of something with alcohol before bed (for me, not the kids), and my prayer time is something like, "Dear Lord what am I doing?". Most days its something in between those two, leaning towards the former.
Honestly, sometimes it is hard. As a mom I get almost no time to myself, someone always wants a piece of me, my body has been run ragged. I remember the days before kids when I went to the store by myself, heck when I went to the bathroom by myself, and the reason I didn't wear bikinis was modesty... not crazy stretch marks. Every day, in sickness and in health, I drag myself out of bed and give myself to my kids. They don't have a snooze button, they've gotten pretty used to being fed on a daily basis, and they don't prioritize doing the dishes over playing house. They are 2 and 1. They are sweet, loving, well behaved, and adorable little girls but they are a handful.
And yet I knew about all this getting into it. I watched my mom sacrifice for us growing up. We had the nicer clothes, the better technology. The money went to our hobbies and the house was always filled with our favorite snacks. My mom is a heroic example of sacrifice. But it goes beyond that, down to the heart of the vocation.
Motherhood, no matter if the mother is at home or working, is a vocation that allows us to unite ourselves with Christ by giving up our own bodies out of love for our children, as He gave His Body up for us. No, there is no way we can ever measure up to the sacrifices He made for us but we can unite what little we have to offer to Him. We can be whipped by our exhaustion or our morning sickness, crowned by the thorns of judgements of others who don't understand us (pro-life, NFP, large families), made to carry the cross of our own human flawed human nature, and, if we are really good, we can chose to die to ourselves every day. Nursing mom give their bodies as food to their newborns. Like Mary, we suffer the pains of our children with them. The daily sacrifices we make allow us to decrease so Christ can increase in us.
Most days I don't get it right, my selfishness wins out at some point or another. Still, every day by the grace of God, I grow to love my children more and that gives me the drive to try again. I don't want to be a stay at home mother because it is easy, because it is not, but because it is so rewarding to know that in some way I can experience the love Christ has for me in loving my children.
I wrote a while back about how my vocation as a wife leads me closer to God, this is about my vocation as a mother.
Honestly, most of the time I'm not sure what the word "fulfilled" even means. I used to judge God's will in my life but what made me the happiest. I began to realize that most of the time it meant I was ignoring God's true call for me and doing something "fun". I don't always enjoy hard work and motherhood definitely qualifies as such.
Now I try to find God's will by searching for peace. Even on the hardest days I have peace in my call. I don't think that this is right for every mom but for now at least, it is where my Shepherd leads me.
So maybe in the future I'll put my degrees to good use, maybe even get my masters. For now I am more fulfilled than I ever have been. Tired... but fulfilled.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Seven Quick Takes- A Fantastic End to the Week
1. Yesterday my lovely sister in law, Lainey got engaged to a wonderful man named Sam. We are all so excited for them and the girls are thrilled to have an Uncle Sam.
2. My sister Hannah spent the night here last night to get some quality rime with her nieces. Today we went to the mall where Madeleine got new shoes and I balloon and I got bubble bath at Lush. It was a winning trip.
3. This means I will HAVE to find time to take a bath. Most days it's a struggle to get in a shower. I suppose that is the life of a mom!
4. For Christmas I got my dad tickets to a Boston Celtics game. The last time we went to a game together was when I was Madeleine's age! I remember that they were losing and I started to cry. My dad told me if I prayer really hard that maybe they would win and so I did and THEY WON! The Celtics is something I share with my dad. We always follow the season together and so it was awesome to be there live! We had so much fun even though the Celtics lost.
5. Got to see the new Boston Bruins banner! Stanley Cup champs, heck yes!
6. There is nothing better than a baby falling asleep in your arms. It is pure heaven. I mean, I don't know how anyone can doubt the existence of God when they hold a baby. I am so completely in love with God and my children.
7. We are currently watching the pilot episode of Star Trek. Live long and prosper my friends!
For more quick takes go to conversationdiary!
2. My sister Hannah spent the night here last night to get some quality rime with her nieces. Today we went to the mall where Madeleine got new shoes and I balloon and I got bubble bath at Lush. It was a winning trip.
3. This means I will HAVE to find time to take a bath. Most days it's a struggle to get in a shower. I suppose that is the life of a mom!
4. For Christmas I got my dad tickets to a Boston Celtics game. The last time we went to a game together was when I was Madeleine's age! I remember that they were losing and I started to cry. My dad told me if I prayer really hard that maybe they would win and so I did and THEY WON! The Celtics is something I share with my dad. We always follow the season together and so it was awesome to be there live! We had so much fun even though the Celtics lost.
5. Got to see the new Boston Bruins banner! Stanley Cup champs, heck yes!
6. There is nothing better than a baby falling asleep in your arms. It is pure heaven. I mean, I don't know how anyone can doubt the existence of God when they hold a baby. I am so completely in love with God and my children.
7. We are currently watching the pilot episode of Star Trek. Live long and prosper my friends!
For more quick takes go to conversationdiary!
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Lazy days with the babes
Well you know that it's probably been one of those days when you are up blogging at one in the morning. Can't get the ol' brain to go to sleep...
I also can't seem to find the motivation to sweep the floor. I'm trying to visualize the one year old waking up in the morning and immediately shoving the puffs from the floor to her mouth... and somehow at this time of night that doesn't bother me. Meh, I'll do it in a few minutes. For health and such.
I've been having such a fabulous time with my kids lately. Madeleine has entered this whole new stage of being my buddy. She tells me when she thinks I have done a particularly good job on lunch, commends my dance moves, corrects my song lyrics, asks to put makeup on me and brush my hair, and will NEVER let me go anywhere without her and her doll. We snuggle a lot and laugh and tell each other how pretty we think the other is. As I said, she is my little buddy.
And Juliette... well right now it's kind of like having a puppy around. We can't keep the food where she can reach it and if something drops on the floor she is there to lick it up and she is always trying to get into the trash can. I mean, she is the cutest "puppy" ever and she has a SOUL so that makes her way better than any dog but oh my gosh is she trouble. However after a long day of destruction and general raucousness she becomes my little snuggle bug and all she wants is to nurse and sleep in my arms. And I nurse her and kiss her head and rub her cheek with my finger and think about what an absolute, beautiful angel she is.
Today we took the kids out for ice cream which made us the BEST. PARENTS. EVER. and resulted in the WORST. NAPTIME. EVER. Oh well. I happen to find little faces covered in chocolate particularly delicious... especially when I get to nibble those cheeks.
Craft time has been going decently and we hung Madeleine's art on the wall over her art table which has filled her with PRIDE and JOY. She loves showing off her work.
Anyway, luckily life has been pretty low key as of late. God is good and we are blessed.
Final thought... I'm not the world's best cook, the most creative at crafts, the neatest housekeeper, the fastest kid popper outer, the holiest, the natural-est birther... but my kids are ridiculously happy and loved and well adjusted. They are sweet, have fantastic manners, share, play well with others, love their parents, love each other, have all the right skills for their age, are learning to love God... I'm really proud of the job I am doing with them.
I really, really love those kids and I really, really love being their mommy.
I also can't seem to find the motivation to sweep the floor. I'm trying to visualize the one year old waking up in the morning and immediately shoving the puffs from the floor to her mouth... and somehow at this time of night that doesn't bother me. Meh, I'll do it in a few minutes. For health and such.
I've been having such a fabulous time with my kids lately. Madeleine has entered this whole new stage of being my buddy. She tells me when she thinks I have done a particularly good job on lunch, commends my dance moves, corrects my song lyrics, asks to put makeup on me and brush my hair, and will NEVER let me go anywhere without her and her doll. We snuggle a lot and laugh and tell each other how pretty we think the other is. As I said, she is my little buddy.
And Juliette... well right now it's kind of like having a puppy around. We can't keep the food where she can reach it and if something drops on the floor she is there to lick it up and she is always trying to get into the trash can. I mean, she is the cutest "puppy" ever and she has a SOUL so that makes her way better than any dog but oh my gosh is she trouble. However after a long day of destruction and general raucousness she becomes my little snuggle bug and all she wants is to nurse and sleep in my arms. And I nurse her and kiss her head and rub her cheek with my finger and think about what an absolute, beautiful angel she is.
Today we took the kids out for ice cream which made us the BEST. PARENTS. EVER. and resulted in the WORST. NAPTIME. EVER. Oh well. I happen to find little faces covered in chocolate particularly delicious... especially when I get to nibble those cheeks.
Craft time has been going decently and we hung Madeleine's art on the wall over her art table which has filled her with PRIDE and JOY. She loves showing off her work.
Anyway, luckily life has been pretty low key as of late. God is good and we are blessed.
Final thought... I'm not the world's best cook, the most creative at crafts, the neatest housekeeper, the fastest kid popper outer, the holiest, the natural-est birther... but my kids are ridiculously happy and loved and well adjusted. They are sweet, have fantastic manners, share, play well with others, love their parents, love each other, have all the right skills for their age, are learning to love God... I'm really proud of the job I am doing with them.
I really, really love those kids and I really, really love being their mommy.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
How the Mother loves her Son
Most nights Juliette will wake up crying and end up in our bed. Sometimes I nurse her and we both fall back to sleep but on some lovely nights I stay up and just watch her for a while. I kiss her head, rub her hair, listen to her breathe, and just bask in the overwhelming love I feel for her.
Lately though, as Christmas comes closer and closer, I think about how Mary must have done the same thing with her Son. How she must have stayed up at night and just held Him and kissed Him and adored Him. It amazes me even more as a mother how Mary was able to love Jesus like no other person in the world. And if my love for my children seems overwhelming in my imperfection and my sinfulness, I can't even imagine how much she loved Jesus in her freedom from sin and all other impediments to Love. She loved Jesus and a mother and adored him as her God. That must have knocked the breath out of her every, single day.
I'd thought about this before, tried to meditate on what it meant for her to be His mother but honestly couldn't even fathom it. I think as a mother my understanding has only increased one one millionth but when I lie next to my baby and smell her head and watch her eyelids flutter I can just try to ask Mary to show me more how she loves her Son.
Lately though, as Christmas comes closer and closer, I think about how Mary must have done the same thing with her Son. How she must have stayed up at night and just held Him and kissed Him and adored Him. It amazes me even more as a mother how Mary was able to love Jesus like no other person in the world. And if my love for my children seems overwhelming in my imperfection and my sinfulness, I can't even imagine how much she loved Jesus in her freedom from sin and all other impediments to Love. She loved Jesus and a mother and adored him as her God. That must have knocked the breath out of her every, single day.
I'd thought about this before, tried to meditate on what it meant for her to be His mother but honestly couldn't even fathom it. I think as a mother my understanding has only increased one one millionth but when I lie next to my baby and smell her head and watch her eyelids flutter I can just try to ask Mary to show me more how she loves her Son.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Picking up my cross
I am so thankful for my doctors up here in Massachusetts. Since I almost died from an ectopic pregnancy about a week before we left Texas I was a bit scared of finding a doctor I could trust. Per the advice of many solid people I found a strong Catholic doctor who is well versed in the Creighton Method of Natural Family Planning, completely pro-life and anti-contraception with a sizable Catholic brood of his own. He is amazing. I was so scared of not being able to have kids after I lost one of my tubes and he helped me find specialists who could determine the underlying causes to my ectopic pregnancy and if I could achieve more pregnancies without risking losing my other tube or if I would need surgery.
After many sessions with him, lots of blood draws, and much more confidence than I had before I had met him I became pregnant with Madeleine. He was too far away to deliver my baby but I saw him through the first trimester. He did weekly blood draws to make sure my HCG levels were doubling properly before they could make certain that the baby was in my uterus by ultrasound. He got me on progesterone because of my extremely low levels and my family history of miscarriages due to low progesterone levels. Even after I migrated to my new (and also fabulous) doctor for my second and third trimesters he kept up with me to make sure I was doing well.
I had an appointment with him today as has become customary after I start to get my cycle back (over share, I know) after I give birth. They monitor my hormone levels to make sure that they don't detect any signs that there could be any problems with my remaining tube. Praise God, so far everything has been perfect.
We talked for a while about the gift that Natural Family Planning is. He gave an amazing analogy that I just wanted to share. When you achieve a pregnancy while doing Natural Family Planning you are aware of your fertility and therefore able to make a decision to receive a new life inside of you. It is like when you go to receive the Eucharist, you walk to the priest or Extraordinary Minister with the intent to receive Jesus inside of you and you are able to prepare yourself. When you use Natural Family Planning you are aware of the holiness of the act of creating a child with your spouse and you are able to prepare yourself for that new life. He said when you don't use Natural Family Planning and you aren't aware of your fertility it's like receiving the Eucharist in your sandwich. All of the holiness and grace are still there but you aren't aware and so you cannot prepare yourself as fully to receive it. It is such a gift to be aware that you may have just made a child and to reflect on that and it is a blessing to make the decision, "Yes, I want to bear new life." A child is always unequivocally a GIFT and a BLESSING but why would you not want to understand your fertility, embrace it, and know and receive the blessings of that gift right from the moment of conception?
We also talked about having large families. He says that he gets frustrated when the mother of many kids complains about hardships and people say to her, "Well maybe you shouldn't have had so many kids." Someone could be stuck in traffic and complaining about that but you wouldn't tell them, "Well maybe you shouldn't have a car." Sometimes mothers get "stuck in traffic" so to speak and struggle but that does not mean that they shouldn't have had their kids. The overall blessings from their child outweigh any hardships greatly. In fact, I would say that the hardships and challenges are what purify us and make marriage and motherhood a vocation that increases holiness.
Back in the day at Franciscan people would talk about "paths". Obviously your vocation is your path to God. Most of the time when I think about paths in a spiritual context I think back to the road Christ had to travel to the cross. That journey was His purpose and he bore His cross along it because of His intense love for the people we would die for.
I relate that to vocations. Until I found Kyle most of the time I found my "path" to be a rather easy one. I felt like I could carry my cross with no issues and was dancing along to God. It wasn't until I loved Kyle that I began to feel the weight of the cross I was carrying, my sinfulness. I could feel how my sins weighed down on me because now that we were one they were also placed on his shoulders. I could clearly see the effects of my sinfulness on him. If I was selfish, it hurt Kyle. If I was vein, it hurt Kyle. That clarity allowed me to see how I also hurt so many other people around me. Suddenly my cross felt more weighty. At the same time however I found new strength to carry it because I had found something I would die for. I'm not really talking about actual martyrdom because that seems like a no-brainer, dying for my faith, but someone I was willing to die to myself for.
Each day in marriage is a day to carry the cross of sin, of illness, and then to die to yourself for the ones you love. I imagine it is the same for a priest, wanting to carry your cross out of love for the Church, the bride of the priest, and being willing to die to yourself for Her. When I became a mother this conviction was taken to an even more intense level. My sins are weighted down on my daughters as well. I don't think that Jesus says His yoke is easy and His burden is light because the struggles you face as a Christian are negligible. I believe He says it because He gives you the ability to truly LOVE and that love gives you the strength to carry your cross. Ultimately in order to love someone you have to be willing to die to yourself.
I don't want to ever look at motherhood or being a wife and say, "I have no time for myself. I can't afford XYZ." There are times when I struggle with those things but if I ever complain I'll tell you now, I'm glad I have the car even though I am stuck in traffic.
Tonight it is two in the morning but I am not asleep. Juliette is having one of those nights where she thinks bed time is nap time and wakes up at 11 refreshed and ready to go. Which, of course, is always fun.
Tonight after she had been put down on the floor to burn off energy she took off for the clean laundry basket, put my underwear around her neck, and walked off screaming for "Na" which is what she calls Madeleine. Sometimes it's "Nani" but usually it's "Na".
So she eventually realized that "Na" was not in the living room or the play room or the kitchen so she beat down the door to the nursery and made her way to Madeleine's crib in the dark as she called out for her. I scooped her up and removed her before she could wake her sister, she cried, and I told her she would just have to settle for playtime with momma.
She fell asleep again just a little while ago and while I am exhausted I wouldn't a trade single smile. Motherhood can be hard, and I'll stumble and fall far more than the three times Christ did, but it itself cannot ever be a cross. It's what I carry my cross for.
After many sessions with him, lots of blood draws, and much more confidence than I had before I had met him I became pregnant with Madeleine. He was too far away to deliver my baby but I saw him through the first trimester. He did weekly blood draws to make sure my HCG levels were doubling properly before they could make certain that the baby was in my uterus by ultrasound. He got me on progesterone because of my extremely low levels and my family history of miscarriages due to low progesterone levels. Even after I migrated to my new (and also fabulous) doctor for my second and third trimesters he kept up with me to make sure I was doing well.
I had an appointment with him today as has become customary after I start to get my cycle back (over share, I know) after I give birth. They monitor my hormone levels to make sure that they don't detect any signs that there could be any problems with my remaining tube. Praise God, so far everything has been perfect.
We talked for a while about the gift that Natural Family Planning is. He gave an amazing analogy that I just wanted to share. When you achieve a pregnancy while doing Natural Family Planning you are aware of your fertility and therefore able to make a decision to receive a new life inside of you. It is like when you go to receive the Eucharist, you walk to the priest or Extraordinary Minister with the intent to receive Jesus inside of you and you are able to prepare yourself. When you use Natural Family Planning you are aware of the holiness of the act of creating a child with your spouse and you are able to prepare yourself for that new life. He said when you don't use Natural Family Planning and you aren't aware of your fertility it's like receiving the Eucharist in your sandwich. All of the holiness and grace are still there but you aren't aware and so you cannot prepare yourself as fully to receive it. It is such a gift to be aware that you may have just made a child and to reflect on that and it is a blessing to make the decision, "Yes, I want to bear new life." A child is always unequivocally a GIFT and a BLESSING but why would you not want to understand your fertility, embrace it, and know and receive the blessings of that gift right from the moment of conception?
We also talked about having large families. He says that he gets frustrated when the mother of many kids complains about hardships and people say to her, "Well maybe you shouldn't have had so many kids." Someone could be stuck in traffic and complaining about that but you wouldn't tell them, "Well maybe you shouldn't have a car." Sometimes mothers get "stuck in traffic" so to speak and struggle but that does not mean that they shouldn't have had their kids. The overall blessings from their child outweigh any hardships greatly. In fact, I would say that the hardships and challenges are what purify us and make marriage and motherhood a vocation that increases holiness.
Back in the day at Franciscan people would talk about "paths". Obviously your vocation is your path to God. Most of the time when I think about paths in a spiritual context I think back to the road Christ had to travel to the cross. That journey was His purpose and he bore His cross along it because of His intense love for the people we would die for.
I relate that to vocations. Until I found Kyle most of the time I found my "path" to be a rather easy one. I felt like I could carry my cross with no issues and was dancing along to God. It wasn't until I loved Kyle that I began to feel the weight of the cross I was carrying, my sinfulness. I could feel how my sins weighed down on me because now that we were one they were also placed on his shoulders. I could clearly see the effects of my sinfulness on him. If I was selfish, it hurt Kyle. If I was vein, it hurt Kyle. That clarity allowed me to see how I also hurt so many other people around me. Suddenly my cross felt more weighty. At the same time however I found new strength to carry it because I had found something I would die for. I'm not really talking about actual martyrdom because that seems like a no-brainer, dying for my faith, but someone I was willing to die to myself for.
Each day in marriage is a day to carry the cross of sin, of illness, and then to die to yourself for the ones you love. I imagine it is the same for a priest, wanting to carry your cross out of love for the Church, the bride of the priest, and being willing to die to yourself for Her. When I became a mother this conviction was taken to an even more intense level. My sins are weighted down on my daughters as well. I don't think that Jesus says His yoke is easy and His burden is light because the struggles you face as a Christian are negligible. I believe He says it because He gives you the ability to truly LOVE and that love gives you the strength to carry your cross. Ultimately in order to love someone you have to be willing to die to yourself.
I don't want to ever look at motherhood or being a wife and say, "I have no time for myself. I can't afford XYZ." There are times when I struggle with those things but if I ever complain I'll tell you now, I'm glad I have the car even though I am stuck in traffic.
Tonight it is two in the morning but I am not asleep. Juliette is having one of those nights where she thinks bed time is nap time and wakes up at 11 refreshed and ready to go. Which, of course, is always fun.
Tonight after she had been put down on the floor to burn off energy she took off for the clean laundry basket, put my underwear around her neck, and walked off screaming for "Na" which is what she calls Madeleine. Sometimes it's "Nani" but usually it's "Na".
So she eventually realized that "Na" was not in the living room or the play room or the kitchen so she beat down the door to the nursery and made her way to Madeleine's crib in the dark as she called out for her. I scooped her up and removed her before she could wake her sister, she cried, and I told her she would just have to settle for playtime with momma.
She fell asleep again just a little while ago and while I am exhausted I wouldn't a trade single smile. Motherhood can be hard, and I'll stumble and fall far more than the three times Christ did, but it itself cannot ever be a cross. It's what I carry my cross for.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Where my mind travels to...
What is the purpose of mentally stimulating mobiles for above the baby's bed? Isn't getting them stimulated the opposite of what you want when your baby is in bed?
How do the valet parking guys get back after they drop off the car? I mean, sometimes the lots are super far away and no one is picking up a car yet because it is the start of an event. So how do they get back?
What is the purpose of sheer curtains? Isn't the purpose of a curtain to keep the light out? You can't find a window treatment that looks pretty and does it's job?
Do baby bikinis totally sketch anyone else out?
Have you ever noticed how girls talk behind someone's back about how that person talks behind peoples' backs?
How do the Extreme Coupon people get SO MANY coupons? They must be spending the money they are saving in buying up newspapers.
Where are all my socks?
How do two children manage to do so much damage to my home in such a short amount of time?
Why does coffee out taste so much better than coffee at home?
How dare they delay the delivery of my "Mrs. Spencer Reid" mug by even ONE day?
Was I always this strange?
Oh brain... I'm so sorry for what child rearing has done to you...
How do the valet parking guys get back after they drop off the car? I mean, sometimes the lots are super far away and no one is picking up a car yet because it is the start of an event. So how do they get back?
What is the purpose of sheer curtains? Isn't the purpose of a curtain to keep the light out? You can't find a window treatment that looks pretty and does it's job?
Do baby bikinis totally sketch anyone else out?
Have you ever noticed how girls talk behind someone's back about how that person talks behind peoples' backs?
How do the Extreme Coupon people get SO MANY coupons? They must be spending the money they are saving in buying up newspapers.
Where are all my socks?
How do two children manage to do so much damage to my home in such a short amount of time?
Why does coffee out taste so much better than coffee at home?
How dare they delay the delivery of my "Mrs. Spencer Reid" mug by even ONE day?
Was I always this strange?
Oh brain... I'm so sorry for what child rearing has done to you...
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Motherhood should come with a stipend for undereye concealer.
Well I currently have a very teary little toddler on my lap. I was watching a show, winding down for the night, when I heard her crying from the other room. Since Juliette is running a fever from her shots (blahblahblahbadmomforgivinghershots blahblahblahbadmomifyoudon't... Can't we all just get along?) I had Madeleine in mommy and daddy's bed for the night since I was not taking any chance of her waking her little sister. So suddenly I hear, "MOOOOOOMMY! MOOOOOMMY!" and I run in there and Kyle is looking completely confused and she is sitting up sobbing. Poor Kyle and poor Madeleine.
I picked her up and took her too the couch and she dug her little face into my chest and just relaxed in my arms. I haven't been able to figure out what is wrong yet since she is responding "yes" to everything (apparently giving her favorite word "no" a little break) but have come to the conclusion that it was probably a bad dream, or even more likely, and upset belly. I'm not sure what kind of bad dreams a toddler can have but I imagine they involve her not being allowed to eat cookies and having to share her toys.
So here we are, it is almost two in the morning and I am awake. She is cuddled up contentedly on me for now but when I make any mention of going to bed she becomes hysterical. I know that as soon as I do fall asleep Juliette will wake up and want to nurse and the cycle will continue.
I won't get much sleep but tonight I'm not that worried about it. I'll probably drink a gallon of coffee tonight but honestly, I am just loving snuggling my girl. It feels good to know that I make her feel safe and that I can ease Juliette's suffering just by nursing and holding her. It won't always be this easy to make them feel better but for now I am cherishing the moments when a kiss from mommy solves all their problems because most days a kiss from them solves all of mine.
I picked her up and took her too the couch and she dug her little face into my chest and just relaxed in my arms. I haven't been able to figure out what is wrong yet since she is responding "yes" to everything (apparently giving her favorite word "no" a little break) but have come to the conclusion that it was probably a bad dream, or even more likely, and upset belly. I'm not sure what kind of bad dreams a toddler can have but I imagine they involve her not being allowed to eat cookies and having to share her toys.
So here we are, it is almost two in the morning and I am awake. She is cuddled up contentedly on me for now but when I make any mention of going to bed she becomes hysterical. I know that as soon as I do fall asleep Juliette will wake up and want to nurse and the cycle will continue.
I won't get much sleep but tonight I'm not that worried about it. I'll probably drink a gallon of coffee tonight but honestly, I am just loving snuggling my girl. It feels good to know that I make her feel safe and that I can ease Juliette's suffering just by nursing and holding her. It won't always be this easy to make them feel better but for now I am cherishing the moments when a kiss from mommy solves all their problems because most days a kiss from them solves all of mine.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
A playlist to get you through birth
Annnnnnd for all of you (like 200 page views a day people! I feel honored that that many people have any interest in what I have to say!) who aren't into mushy gushy feelings posts, this is my special super cool PLAYLIST OF SONGS TO GIVE BIRTH TO!!!
Ready?
When the contractions are particularly bad-
Head Will Roll by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (for singing to your husband/doctor/in a fit of hormonal rage)
Off with your head... heads will roll, heads will roll!
Misery by Maroon 5
I am in misery
There ain't nobody who can comfort me, oh yeah
Stronger by Kanye West
N-n-now that that don't kill me can only make me stronger
Right before you get your epidural-
Rehab by Amy Winehouse
They tried to make me go to rehab but I said NO NO NO!
Right after you get your epidural-
I Can See Clearly Now by Jonny Nash
I think I can make it now, the pain is gone
All of the bad feelings have disappeared
Feeling Good by Nina Simone
It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
For me
And I'm feeling good
When It's Finally Time to PUSH-
Push it by Salt n Peppa
Ah, push it - push it good
Ah, push it - p-push it real good
Oooh, baby, baby
Baby, baby
Drop it like it's Hot by Snoop Dogg
Drop it like it's hot, drop it like it's hot
Closing Time by Semisonic
Closing time
Time for you to go out to the places you will be from
Closing time
This room won't be open till your brothers or your sisters come
Movin' Out (Anthony's Song) by Billy Joel
Mama, If that's movin' up then I'm movin' out.
Ring of Fire by Johny Cash
And it burns, burns, burns, the ring of fire
The ring of fire
And After the Baby Comes Out-
At last by Etta James
At last
My love has come along
My lonely days are over
And life is like a song
Oh yeah yeah, at last
The skies above are blue
My heart was wrapped up in clover
The night I looked at you
And I found a dream that I could speak to
A dream that I can call my own
I found a thrill to press my cheek to
A thrill that I have never known
Oh yeah yeah, and you smile, you smile
Oh, and then the spell was cast
And here we are in Heaven
For you are mine at last
THE END!
Feel free to suggest your own songs so my playlist can be even better next time I have a baby!
Ready?
When the contractions are particularly bad-
Head Will Roll by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (for singing to your husband/doctor/in a fit of hormonal rage)
Off with your head... heads will roll, heads will roll!
Misery by Maroon 5
I am in misery
There ain't nobody who can comfort me, oh yeah
Stronger by Kanye West
N-n-now that that don't kill me can only make me stronger
Right before you get your epidural-
Rehab by Amy Winehouse
They tried to make me go to rehab but I said NO NO NO!
Right after you get your epidural-
I Can See Clearly Now by Jonny Nash
I think I can make it now, the pain is gone
All of the bad feelings have disappeared
Feeling Good by Nina Simone
It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
For me
And I'm feeling good
When It's Finally Time to PUSH-
Push it by Salt n Peppa
Ah, push it - push it good
Ah, push it - p-push it real good
Oooh, baby, baby
Baby, baby
Drop it like it's Hot by Snoop Dogg
Drop it like it's hot, drop it like it's hot
Closing Time by Semisonic
Closing time
Time for you to go out to the places you will be from
Closing time
This room won't be open till your brothers or your sisters come
Movin' Out (Anthony's Song) by Billy Joel
Mama, If that's movin' up then I'm movin' out.
Ring of Fire by Johny Cash
And it burns, burns, burns, the ring of fire
The ring of fire
And After the Baby Comes Out-
At last by Etta James
At last
My love has come along
My lonely days are over
And life is like a song
Oh yeah yeah, at last
The skies above are blue
My heart was wrapped up in clover
The night I looked at you
And I found a dream that I could speak to
A dream that I can call my own
I found a thrill to press my cheek to
A thrill that I have never known
Oh yeah yeah, and you smile, you smile
Oh, and then the spell was cast
And here we are in Heaven
For you are mine at last
THE END!
Feel free to suggest your own songs so my playlist can be even better next time I have a baby!
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Jesus Mommy Hail Mary
Tonight at mass I just had an overwhelming knowledge of how blessed I am. Sitting next to my husband, both girls curled up on our laps... I have more than I could have ever dreamed of. I have been blessed by God so abundantly to have His love and then on top of that the love of such a holy man and such precious little daughters.
Then when we were leaving mass I got another blessing. We stopped by the statue of Mary like we always do to say hi and thank you to Jesus' mommy. Madeleine went running up with the biggest smile and started talking to her. When I thought she was done I told her we were heading home and she told me that she wanted to stay here. With Jesus Mommy Hail Mary.
With all the toys and cookies and movie in our home she preferred to be with the Blessed Mother thanking her for Baby Jesus. Sometimes I really wonder what God was giving me such gifts as these two little souls to care for me, but He has it under control. I forget that they already have a perfect mother in heaven and that whatever my weaknesses are that she will be taking care of my girls as well so I have nothing to worry about.
So thank you to Jesus' mommy Mary for loving my babies, show me how to be a mother like you!
Then when we were leaving mass I got another blessing. We stopped by the statue of Mary like we always do to say hi and thank you to Jesus' mommy. Madeleine went running up with the biggest smile and started talking to her. When I thought she was done I told her we were heading home and she told me that she wanted to stay here. With Jesus Mommy Hail Mary.
With all the toys and cookies and movie in our home she preferred to be with the Blessed Mother thanking her for Baby Jesus. Sometimes I really wonder what God was giving me such gifts as these two little souls to care for me, but He has it under control. I forget that they already have a perfect mother in heaven and that whatever my weaknesses are that she will be taking care of my girls as well so I have nothing to worry about.
So thank you to Jesus' mommy Mary for loving my babies, show me how to be a mother like you!
The Long Languages of Motherhood.
I don't know how many know about The Five Love Languages but they were all the rage when I was at college. All the girls were reading about how the both gave a received love. There was a book with a quiz and we would all take it and then force our boyfriends or fiances to take the quiz as well. And then we would discuss the results at length. And then beat a dead horse.
The Five Love Languages were something like this:
1. Words of Affirmation
2. Physical Touch
3. Quality Time
4. Acts of Service
5. Gift Giving
I remember taking the quiz and proudly proclaiming that my top two (you went with your top two) were Physical Touch and Quality Time. I just loved snuggling and holding hand and kisses and spending lots and lots of time together.
We were soon married and did lots of both. I won't say more than that. I was blissful, he was blissful, I got pregnant. I gave birth and then I got pregnant again.
Now I have come to be fully convinced that there are a separate set of Love Languages for Mothers. These are ways that MOTHERS receive love. We all have or are mothers so I wanted to share my newest revelations with the class... blog.... whatever.
The Five Love Languages of Motherhood:
1. Cleaning up after yourself
2. Sitting still long enough to snuggle for like a minute.
3. Those pictures or art projects you make for us
4. When "I love you mommy" is NOT preceded or followed by a request for something you want.
5. Bubble Baths
It isn't that I don't like physical touch anymore... or quality time for that matter. It's that as a mom you can tend to OD on both. There is always someone climbing all over me and wanting to touch me... the girls, Kyle. That is why my love language is now bubble baths. I love my family more than anything but sometimes you just need to lock the door and relax by yourself with a good book. Sure, your family may still not understand why even this is not a group activity but you can explain to them that you will feel their love for you really strongly if they are in the other room. You may even miss them before long. I know I usually do.
The Five Love Languages were something like this:
1. Words of Affirmation
2. Physical Touch
3. Quality Time
4. Acts of Service
5. Gift Giving
I remember taking the quiz and proudly proclaiming that my top two (you went with your top two) were Physical Touch and Quality Time. I just loved snuggling and holding hand and kisses and spending lots and lots of time together.
We were soon married and did lots of both. I won't say more than that. I was blissful, he was blissful, I got pregnant. I gave birth and then I got pregnant again.
Now I have come to be fully convinced that there are a separate set of Love Languages for Mothers. These are ways that MOTHERS receive love. We all have or are mothers so I wanted to share my newest revelations with the class... blog.... whatever.
The Five Love Languages of Motherhood:
1. Cleaning up after yourself
2. Sitting still long enough to snuggle for like a minute.
3. Those pictures or art projects you make for us
4. When "I love you mommy" is NOT preceded or followed by a request for something you want.
5. Bubble Baths
It isn't that I don't like physical touch anymore... or quality time for that matter. It's that as a mom you can tend to OD on both. There is always someone climbing all over me and wanting to touch me... the girls, Kyle. That is why my love language is now bubble baths. I love my family more than anything but sometimes you just need to lock the door and relax by yourself with a good book. Sure, your family may still not understand why even this is not a group activity but you can explain to them that you will feel their love for you really strongly if they are in the other room. You may even miss them before long. I know I usually do.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Things you might want to do when your kids are driving you nuts
1. Lock yourself in the bathroom with a sleeve of Oreos. Eat them in the fetal position. Only leave for another sleeve.
2. Lock them in the bathroom with a sleeve of Oreos. Hey, it works for me, why wouldn't it work for them?
3. Call the baby sitter. Lie. Tell her you have a doctor's appointment. Laugh as you pull out of the driveway. Let her calls go to voice mail.
4. Stop by your husband's place of employment to "surprise him". Accidentally forget to bring the kids home with you. They'll be fine with daddy.
5. Put a screen around the bed and just let them go nuts jumping. Then when the wear themselves out they'll have a place to crash safely.
6. Record them. Bask in the knowledge that you will have this footage to show to potential future suitors.
Of course, I would never actually do any of the above. I'll take the Oreos and leave the rest.
Most days aren't like this. They are usually pretty darn sweet and well behaved... and awfully cute... and they snuggle up so sweetly when their head stops spinning.
Crud. Now I want another.
2. Lock them in the bathroom with a sleeve of Oreos. Hey, it works for me, why wouldn't it work for them?
3. Call the baby sitter. Lie. Tell her you have a doctor's appointment. Laugh as you pull out of the driveway. Let her calls go to voice mail.
4. Stop by your husband's place of employment to "surprise him". Accidentally forget to bring the kids home with you. They'll be fine with daddy.
5. Put a screen around the bed and just let them go nuts jumping. Then when the wear themselves out they'll have a place to crash safely.
6. Record them. Bask in the knowledge that you will have this footage to show to potential future suitors.
Of course, I would never actually do any of the above. I'll take the Oreos and leave the rest.
Most days aren't like this. They are usually pretty darn sweet and well behaved... and awfully cute... and they snuggle up so sweetly when their head stops spinning.
Crud. Now I want another.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Things I have learned about Motherhood
Motherhood has a learning curve. With each child you have you learn more about yourself than you ever imagined. You also learn about your child (I hope). Annnnnd, you learn a lot about others and the world in which we live
1. Not everyone wants to hear about your kids.
BUT WHO CARES! Post about them anyway. The people that aren't your real friends can defriend you or block your feed, whatever! You only have a limited amount of time to brag about your babies firsts and their bowel movements and how cute they are before they get a facebook account of their own and yell at you. Your children are a part of you, my children are my heart. Why wouldn't I want to brag to the world about their cuteness? So if someone gives you grief about how your facebook or twitter has been entirely devoted to your little ones tell Tin Man to get a heart and just keep doing what you are doing.
2. Each kid is different.
I only have two kids and even I know this! Your parenting style should adapt to each special personality. Don't be so set in your ways that you don't recognize the individuality of each child.
3. Calm the heck down.
There is no reason your baby needs to know their ABCs by the time they are two. Do some art projects and play outside. If your kid is advanced, great. If not, don't sweat it. Kids tend to do things at their own pace so don't compare them to other kids and don't push them too hard because YOU think they should be somewhere they are not. If you have concerns, talk to your pediatrician. If he or she assures you that they are on track, listen to them. If they are concerned about anything, don't freak out. Many kids struggle through different developmental stages and they turn out just fine. It's pushing too hard or ignoring problems all together that compounds issues in the future. Love your child where they are and trust your instincts, just not the crazy ones.
4. Laugh at the crazy
There will be nights where both kids are up until one in the morning screaming and running in circles. You are exhausted and ready to put them on the front lawn with a sign that says "Free". Laugh about it. All moms have been there and they can share in your pain. If you let yourself get too stressed you will end up being cranky with the kids and that is no good for anyone.
5. Ask for help
Whether it is your hubby or a baby sitter, your parents or your in laws, don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it. It doesn't mean you are a failure, it just means you are tapped out. Take a nap or a date night and forget about the laundry at home. We all need a break at times. Motherhood is the only job you work 24/7, no matter if you stay home all day or go to work as well. Take some time for you and you will be a better mother to your kids.
6. People will think you are wrong.
About EVERYTHING. The nice people make suggestions. Others stick their noses in the air and tell you that if you do/don't get your kid vaccinated, etc that you are a disgrace to motherhood. Honestly, just ignore them. Do your research, talk to your spouse, and make a prayerful decision together. Then stop worrying about what others think. Nobody wants the best for your children more than you so when people try to tell you what to do, it's usually to make themselves feel important. Not to actually help. If they have good advice, don't be so prideful you won't take it but ignore all the negative. And then laugh about it later with your spouse.
7. Pray every day.
It's really the only way to stay sane and it's the only way you will be able to do motherhood right. Our babies are a gift from God and no one knows how to love them better than Him, so just talk to God all the time and let Him lead you.
8. Less is more.
You want your kid to have everything, that is normal. But it's also a pain in the butt to clean up. Limit toys and books, store things you aren't using. For differnt developmental stages I rotate out toys. That way they have new things to explore and learn with and everything they own isn't all over the floor at once. Same with clothes. My kids have a lot more clothing in the smaller sizes than they do in their larger sizes. That's because I finally go just how much money I spent and how little they wore each item. It's cute, but not necessary.
9. Give them siblings
My sisters are so incredibly important to me and the person I have become. Juliette is already Madeleine's best friend. I know some people may not be able to have large families because of health, infertility, or severe money issues, but those things aside nothing is a better gift than a sibling. If I had to make a choice between a fancy vacation, an upgrade to my house or car, jewelry, new electronics, new toys, new clothes for myself or a new baby... I would choose a new baby every time. With that said, spend quality alone time with each child you have and celebrate the gift that THEY are. Don't beat yourself up if you aren't keeping up with the Duggars. I know I won't be! Use NFP and you will be trusting in God's plan for your family. No plan is better than His.
10. Make time for your spouse
You wouldn't even have your babies without him. The happiest children comes from families with happy marriages. You can't have a happy marriage if you don't take time out to spend with each other. Always put your spouse before yourself and look to exemplify a marriage centered on God for the world by loving each other like He loves His Church, so much that He died for it.
That's ten things and I am super tired so I am done for the night. I'm a beginner mommy so I know these things may seem "duh" but the were amazing things for me to learn over these past two and a half years. I am thankful for Kyle and my super awesome and adorable babies to teach me every day. Motherhood has changed me to my very core and made me a better person than I ever dreamed I could be. I still have a looong way to go but I'll have God and my family by my side for the journey so I think I'll get there.
1. Not everyone wants to hear about your kids.
BUT WHO CARES! Post about them anyway. The people that aren't your real friends can defriend you or block your feed, whatever! You only have a limited amount of time to brag about your babies firsts and their bowel movements and how cute they are before they get a facebook account of their own and yell at you. Your children are a part of you, my children are my heart. Why wouldn't I want to brag to the world about their cuteness? So if someone gives you grief about how your facebook or twitter has been entirely devoted to your little ones tell Tin Man to get a heart and just keep doing what you are doing.
2. Each kid is different.
I only have two kids and even I know this! Your parenting style should adapt to each special personality. Don't be so set in your ways that you don't recognize the individuality of each child.
3. Calm the heck down.
There is no reason your baby needs to know their ABCs by the time they are two. Do some art projects and play outside. If your kid is advanced, great. If not, don't sweat it. Kids tend to do things at their own pace so don't compare them to other kids and don't push them too hard because YOU think they should be somewhere they are not. If you have concerns, talk to your pediatrician. If he or she assures you that they are on track, listen to them. If they are concerned about anything, don't freak out. Many kids struggle through different developmental stages and they turn out just fine. It's pushing too hard or ignoring problems all together that compounds issues in the future. Love your child where they are and trust your instincts, just not the crazy ones.
4. Laugh at the crazy
There will be nights where both kids are up until one in the morning screaming and running in circles. You are exhausted and ready to put them on the front lawn with a sign that says "Free". Laugh about it. All moms have been there and they can share in your pain. If you let yourself get too stressed you will end up being cranky with the kids and that is no good for anyone.
5. Ask for help
Whether it is your hubby or a baby sitter, your parents or your in laws, don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it. It doesn't mean you are a failure, it just means you are tapped out. Take a nap or a date night and forget about the laundry at home. We all need a break at times. Motherhood is the only job you work 24/7, no matter if you stay home all day or go to work as well. Take some time for you and you will be a better mother to your kids.
6. People will think you are wrong.
About EVERYTHING. The nice people make suggestions. Others stick their noses in the air and tell you that if you do/don't get your kid vaccinated, etc that you are a disgrace to motherhood. Honestly, just ignore them. Do your research, talk to your spouse, and make a prayerful decision together. Then stop worrying about what others think. Nobody wants the best for your children more than you so when people try to tell you what to do, it's usually to make themselves feel important. Not to actually help. If they have good advice, don't be so prideful you won't take it but ignore all the negative. And then laugh about it later with your spouse.
7. Pray every day.
It's really the only way to stay sane and it's the only way you will be able to do motherhood right. Our babies are a gift from God and no one knows how to love them better than Him, so just talk to God all the time and let Him lead you.
8. Less is more.
You want your kid to have everything, that is normal. But it's also a pain in the butt to clean up. Limit toys and books, store things you aren't using. For differnt developmental stages I rotate out toys. That way they have new things to explore and learn with and everything they own isn't all over the floor at once. Same with clothes. My kids have a lot more clothing in the smaller sizes than they do in their larger sizes. That's because I finally go just how much money I spent and how little they wore each item. It's cute, but not necessary.
9. Give them siblings
My sisters are so incredibly important to me and the person I have become. Juliette is already Madeleine's best friend. I know some people may not be able to have large families because of health, infertility, or severe money issues, but those things aside nothing is a better gift than a sibling. If I had to make a choice between a fancy vacation, an upgrade to my house or car, jewelry, new electronics, new toys, new clothes for myself or a new baby... I would choose a new baby every time. With that said, spend quality alone time with each child you have and celebrate the gift that THEY are. Don't beat yourself up if you aren't keeping up with the Duggars. I know I won't be! Use NFP and you will be trusting in God's plan for your family. No plan is better than His.
10. Make time for your spouse
You wouldn't even have your babies without him. The happiest children comes from families with happy marriages. You can't have a happy marriage if you don't take time out to spend with each other. Always put your spouse before yourself and look to exemplify a marriage centered on God for the world by loving each other like He loves His Church, so much that He died for it.
That's ten things and I am super tired so I am done for the night. I'm a beginner mommy so I know these things may seem "duh" but the were amazing things for me to learn over these past two and a half years. I am thankful for Kyle and my super awesome and adorable babies to teach me every day. Motherhood has changed me to my very core and made me a better person than I ever dreamed I could be. I still have a looong way to go but I'll have God and my family by my side for the journey so I think I'll get there.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Tantrums: The story of how I got Madeleine's face to turn as red as a ginger who forgot to wear sunscreen
Madeleine has a severe sweet tooth. She lives, breathes, and dreams cookies. Literally. She talks about them in her sleep.
Weeeeeell, last night she had not eaten her dinner so when she came up to me with that FACE and said, "Mommy... cookie please?" I said no. And that just pissed her off.
She started crying. Sobbing. Begging. Pleading. "COOKIE PLEASE!!!!"
And my answer was still no. Until I got "clever".
"Madeleine," I said naively, "you may have a cookie when you eat your string cheese."
There could be nothing wrong with this idea. String cheese is healthy AND she loves it AND when she does I can give her a cookie AND she will love me again. GREAT PLAN!
Madeleine is pleased too. She goes running off to the kitchen so fast that she trips, falls, and slides into the fridge. But she is well on her way to a cookie so nothing well get her down. She pops up with gusto and squeals, "OH GOSH MOM CHEESE!!!!"
I give her the string cheese. She says, "Thank you", trots to the trash, throws it in, and says, "All done mom! Cookie please?"
Tricksy little hobbit!!!! I say no and then it's all exorcist up in this joint. Heads are spinning, screaming, snot running down her nose, and her face looks like we had painted it to match her Elmo costume.
So naturally I ignored it. I nursed the baby and waited. Soon enough she comes up to me, stretches out across my legs, and sniffles on my lap for a bit.
Then she hops up, goes and gets the baby Tylenol, and comes back. "Mommy... drugs please?"
And before the cycle could begin again I scooped her up and carried her to her crib. Without any cookies. She definitely slept about twelve hours. Apparently shape shifting from precious toddler into full out cookie monster takes a lot out of a girl.
But don't worry. She didn't forget about her cookie. In fact, the first words out of her mouth when she woke up this morning were, "Mom.... cookie please?"
Weeeeeell, last night she had not eaten her dinner so when she came up to me with that FACE and said, "Mommy... cookie please?" I said no. And that just pissed her off.
She started crying. Sobbing. Begging. Pleading. "COOKIE PLEASE!!!!"
And my answer was still no. Until I got "clever".
"Madeleine," I said naively, "you may have a cookie when you eat your string cheese."
There could be nothing wrong with this idea. String cheese is healthy AND she loves it AND when she does I can give her a cookie AND she will love me again. GREAT PLAN!
Madeleine is pleased too. She goes running off to the kitchen so fast that she trips, falls, and slides into the fridge. But she is well on her way to a cookie so nothing well get her down. She pops up with gusto and squeals, "OH GOSH MOM CHEESE!!!!"
I give her the string cheese. She says, "Thank you", trots to the trash, throws it in, and says, "All done mom! Cookie please?"
Tricksy little hobbit!!!! I say no and then it's all exorcist up in this joint. Heads are spinning, screaming, snot running down her nose, and her face looks like we had painted it to match her Elmo costume.
So naturally I ignored it. I nursed the baby and waited. Soon enough she comes up to me, stretches out across my legs, and sniffles on my lap for a bit.
Then she hops up, goes and gets the baby Tylenol, and comes back. "Mommy... drugs please?"
And before the cycle could begin again I scooped her up and carried her to her crib. Without any cookies. She definitely slept about twelve hours. Apparently shape shifting from precious toddler into full out cookie monster takes a lot out of a girl.
But don't worry. She didn't forget about her cookie. In fact, the first words out of her mouth when she woke up this morning were, "Mom.... cookie please?"
Friday, October 21, 2011
One of those kind of days
There are some days that I spend with the girls that aren't all warm and fuzzy. I know! SHOCKER!
Juliette has been a little crank butt lately. She is going through a growth spurt and no matter how much food I give her she prefers to be nursing continuously. And while I could talk about all the awesome calories I am losing through my milk supply and how wonderful it is to nurse your baby, I'm going to say that these past couple of days have been difficult.
I know, I know, I should cherish these days when she is still a little baby and wants to be in my arms 24/7 but for the last three days Kyle has been gone, Madeleine has been bored, and my house looks like it was robbed.
And there are moments when I am positively giddy about the whole thing. I rub her little head and kiss her and enjoy the moment. But there are other moments that have been really hard. I'll be frustrated with having to hold her at all hours of the day and be her 24 hour dairy barn. And then she'll finally be okay with being put down and I'll see that FACE from across the room and all I want to do is drop what I am doing and run to her and scoop her up. And then just nibble on her a bit.
I think in any job there are days that seem tedious, when you are tired and sore and you just want to kick back without people crawling all over you (okay that last part may just be moms) but at least with my job my love makes it possible for me to overcome the "funk".
For the moment they are being entertained by a big purple dinosaur so I am taking a few moments to gather myself so I can be a patient mommy for them. They deserve my best.
Juliette has been a little crank butt lately. She is going through a growth spurt and no matter how much food I give her she prefers to be nursing continuously. And while I could talk about all the awesome calories I am losing through my milk supply and how wonderful it is to nurse your baby, I'm going to say that these past couple of days have been difficult.
I know, I know, I should cherish these days when she is still a little baby and wants to be in my arms 24/7 but for the last three days Kyle has been gone, Madeleine has been bored, and my house looks like it was robbed.
And there are moments when I am positively giddy about the whole thing. I rub her little head and kiss her and enjoy the moment. But there are other moments that have been really hard. I'll be frustrated with having to hold her at all hours of the day and be her 24 hour dairy barn. And then she'll finally be okay with being put down and I'll see that FACE from across the room and all I want to do is drop what I am doing and run to her and scoop her up. And then just nibble on her a bit.
I think in any job there are days that seem tedious, when you are tired and sore and you just want to kick back without people crawling all over you (okay that last part may just be moms) but at least with my job my love makes it possible for me to overcome the "funk".
For the moment they are being entertained by a big purple dinosaur so I am taking a few moments to gather myself so I can be a patient mommy for them. They deserve my best.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Walking, counting to six, and other very useful tricks
I've been sick for the past week. Nothing serious, just one of the colds that makes you feel like you could probably crawl up and sleep for a week. And I probably would have too but little miss Juliette had the same cold so I was in super mom mode.
There is nothing worse than watching your baby suffer. Praise God my kids have only had light illnesses but I still hate it. She was all stuffed up and giving me the sad eyes. And her sad eyes are particularly powerful because they are huge and brown with her long eyelashes clumped together with tears. And then if you can tear your eyes away from her's you'll notice the runny nose and the quivering lip and you are about ready to sell your spleen to get the money to fund some scientists effort to cure the common cold.
But there were good times too. When we were all happily drugged up Juliette discovered that she could walk using her walker. And boy was she ever proud of herself! The first time she did it I was in the kitchen cooking and I saw Juliette laughing and cruising across the room. At first I thought nothing of it because she has been mobile (of the four legged, crawling variety) for a few months now. But I did a double take and noticed her expectant face and her upward position. She was So. Freaking. Proud. of herself and wanted to make sure that I had seen her big moment. So I ditched the stupid cooking and ran to her clapping and scooped her up.
Now she is hooked, can't get enough of the walking with the walker. I'd imagine within weeks she won't even need it anymore. She spends her time going back and forth across and around the living room, laughing and beaming. And when she finished walking she lets go of the walker and claps for herself. It's adorable. It makes me want to cover her cheeks with chocolate syrup and just nibble on them. But I will restrain myself.
And Madeleine keeps making advances in the prayer department. She now prays grace before she eats anything (calls me on! I usually forget!) and if you ask her who's Mary she will tell you, "Jesus mommy." She can also count to six which she demonstrates usually when she is about to get into trouble. A typical scene goes something like this;
Me- "Madeleine. Give that back to your sister."
Madeleine- "Nooooo mom!"
Me- "Madeleine, mommy is going to count to three."
Madeleine- "One, two, three, four, five, six"
Me- "Madeleine, I am proud of your counting but you need to give that to your sister before I count to three."
Then, depending on her mood, we happily do as I ask and get on with our lives or she is counting the two minutes she spends in time out. But for the most part, she always does as her mommy and daddy ask. She loves to please, that one.
There is never a dull moment around here.
This week was my birthday and I came to the realization that I am ridiculously happy. So I really don't need anything. But Starbucks cards are always welcome if you are asking ;) Just kidding... but seriously... but I'm totally joking.
I am also thankful for the time this week I got to talk to some dear friends. Life gets busy and I often forget how much holy friendships build me up and enrich my life. Especially friendships with holy women. Amy and Sara, if you are reading this talking to you this week was such a blessing. You are both visiting me very soon.
Juliette and I are both doing better today but please keep praying our little bug goes away and that Kyle and Madeleine do not catch it. If we all stay healthy there will be apple picking and petting zoo fun in our near future. And lots of adorable pictures to go with it!
There is nothing worse than watching your baby suffer. Praise God my kids have only had light illnesses but I still hate it. She was all stuffed up and giving me the sad eyes. And her sad eyes are particularly powerful because they are huge and brown with her long eyelashes clumped together with tears. And then if you can tear your eyes away from her's you'll notice the runny nose and the quivering lip and you are about ready to sell your spleen to get the money to fund some scientists effort to cure the common cold.
But there were good times too. When we were all happily drugged up Juliette discovered that she could walk using her walker. And boy was she ever proud of herself! The first time she did it I was in the kitchen cooking and I saw Juliette laughing and cruising across the room. At first I thought nothing of it because she has been mobile (of the four legged, crawling variety) for a few months now. But I did a double take and noticed her expectant face and her upward position. She was So. Freaking. Proud. of herself and wanted to make sure that I had seen her big moment. So I ditched the stupid cooking and ran to her clapping and scooped her up.
Now she is hooked, can't get enough of the walking with the walker. I'd imagine within weeks she won't even need it anymore. She spends her time going back and forth across and around the living room, laughing and beaming. And when she finished walking she lets go of the walker and claps for herself. It's adorable. It makes me want to cover her cheeks with chocolate syrup and just nibble on them. But I will restrain myself.
And Madeleine keeps making advances in the prayer department. She now prays grace before she eats anything (calls me on! I usually forget!) and if you ask her who's Mary she will tell you, "Jesus mommy." She can also count to six which she demonstrates usually when she is about to get into trouble. A typical scene goes something like this;
Me- "Madeleine. Give that back to your sister."
Madeleine- "Nooooo mom!"
Me- "Madeleine, mommy is going to count to three."
Madeleine- "One, two, three, four, five, six"
Me- "Madeleine, I am proud of your counting but you need to give that to your sister before I count to three."
Then, depending on her mood, we happily do as I ask and get on with our lives or she is counting the two minutes she spends in time out. But for the most part, she always does as her mommy and daddy ask. She loves to please, that one.
There is never a dull moment around here.
This week was my birthday and I came to the realization that I am ridiculously happy. So I really don't need anything. But Starbucks cards are always welcome if you are asking ;) Just kidding... but seriously... but I'm totally joking.
I am also thankful for the time this week I got to talk to some dear friends. Life gets busy and I often forget how much holy friendships build me up and enrich my life. Especially friendships with holy women. Amy and Sara, if you are reading this talking to you this week was such a blessing. You are both visiting me very soon.
Juliette and I are both doing better today but please keep praying our little bug goes away and that Kyle and Madeleine do not catch it. If we all stay healthy there will be apple picking and petting zoo fun in our near future. And lots of adorable pictures to go with it!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Before and After Kids- Part One
There are many things I never thought I would do before I had kids. Now that I have kids I like to look back and laugh at what a naive little thing I was. This is a series of before and after.
Before
"I will never call my kids perfect. I will acknowledge that they have faults and will not brag about how amazing they are to whoever I meet."
After
"My girls are perfect. Absolutely perfect. They are smart and pretty and sweet and loving and I'm pretty sure every other mother is jealous of my kids because they are so PERFECT. Here. Let me show you a picture of them and tell you a story of their poop to prove my point."
Before
"I will not give my children fast food. It is unhealthy and they deserve better."
After
"I know we have been grocery shopping for hours but we still have to hit Walmart and I am way to tired to cook anything. Here. Have some fries from McDonalds. That should keep us both happy"
Before
"They will not be sleeping in my bed. My bed is for sleeping and making babies. Not sleeping babies."
After
"It's three in the morning. Just bring them both in here. If I don't get sleep I will cry and die. Put Madeleine in the middle and just attach Juliette to her milk maid and we will all get some sleep together. Nice family bed."
Before
"They will not watch Elmo. Elmo annoys me."
After
"Elmo is a wonderful friend to us all. You should be Elmo for Halloween."
Before
"I will space all my children years apart. I wouldn't be able to handle my kids too close together."
After
"If it's only been three months than WHY do I have to beat my uterus into submission? Doesn't it know that my cycle hasn't even returned yet? Why are babies so addictingly cute and why is Juliette getting so darn big?"
Before
"My profile picture on facebook will be of me and not my children."
After
"I can't even remember the last time I had a picture of myself taken let alone put on facebook."
Before
"I will not talk about my child's bowl movements at dinner."
After
"Did you know I can tell which kid has pooped simply by the smell?"
Before
If my kids cry in a grocery store I will just leave. Abandon my cart and leave.
After
I have 100 dollars worth of groceries in this cart, no time to go back out, and nothing in the fridge at home. If anyone gives me a dirty look because of my child crying I will purposefully run over their toes, back up, and then do it again.
Before
"I will never call my kids perfect. I will acknowledge that they have faults and will not brag about how amazing they are to whoever I meet."
After
"My girls are perfect. Absolutely perfect. They are smart and pretty and sweet and loving and I'm pretty sure every other mother is jealous of my kids because they are so PERFECT. Here. Let me show you a picture of them and tell you a story of their poop to prove my point."
Before
"I will not give my children fast food. It is unhealthy and they deserve better."
After
"I know we have been grocery shopping for hours but we still have to hit Walmart and I am way to tired to cook anything. Here. Have some fries from McDonalds. That should keep us both happy"
Before
"They will not be sleeping in my bed. My bed is for sleeping and making babies. Not sleeping babies."
After
"It's three in the morning. Just bring them both in here. If I don't get sleep I will cry and die. Put Madeleine in the middle and just attach Juliette to her milk maid and we will all get some sleep together. Nice family bed."
Before
"They will not watch Elmo. Elmo annoys me."
After
"Elmo is a wonderful friend to us all. You should be Elmo for Halloween."
Before
"I will space all my children years apart. I wouldn't be able to handle my kids too close together."
After
"If it's only been three months than WHY do I have to beat my uterus into submission? Doesn't it know that my cycle hasn't even returned yet? Why are babies so addictingly cute and why is Juliette getting so darn big?"
Before
"My profile picture on facebook will be of me and not my children."
After
"I can't even remember the last time I had a picture of myself taken let alone put on facebook."
Before
"I will not talk about my child's bowl movements at dinner."
After
"Did you know I can tell which kid has pooped simply by the smell?"
Before
If my kids cry in a grocery store I will just leave. Abandon my cart and leave.
After
I have 100 dollars worth of groceries in this cart, no time to go back out, and nothing in the fridge at home. If anyone gives me a dirty look because of my child crying I will purposefully run over their toes, back up, and then do it again.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)