Archive for September, 2014

Announcing. . .

Friday, September 5th, 2014

From Friday Mom – Erin:
Rory is going to be a big brother come January. We’ve clearly known for a while now, but we just learned yesterday that we’re having a little girl. Given all that we’ve had going on over the past five months, the baby has taken a bit of a back seat to moving logistics, unpacking, and decorating. Now that we know what we’re having, however, it somehow seems much more real. And she has taken center stage in my mind.

Much like Monday Mom, I am still processing how much becoming a family of four will upend our reasonably stable family. Though life with Rory is constantly changing, we seem to be hitting our parenting stride just in time to throw it into total chaos once more.  My mind races to potty training a two year old while breastfeeding an infant, keeping the baby healthy while her older brother comes home from daycare with all the germs of the winter cold and flu season, figuring out how to manage two different bed and bath time routines, and all the while trying to find time for mommy and daddy to not go completely insane.

Our mantra with Rory, as I have said before, was that children have been growing up in spite of their parents for centuries.  In the overwhelmed moments, I try to remind myself that many of those children had siblings too.  Whether it means having to divide and conquer more often, or simply committing to plenty more trial end error– likely both– I am sure the rewards of multiple children will be exponentially greater.  But I’m sure I’ll have plenty to share as we embark on this next crazy adventure.

September Goals

Wednesday, September 3rd, 2014

From Wednesday Mom – Janelle:
A new month means a fresh start and setting some small goals. Most of my goals this month are very manageable, s I hope I can achieve them. I make a lot of mental to-do lists but that doesn’t always work for me. This month, I’m going to write (or blog) about my goals holding me more accountable and successful.

  1. Volunteer more at my kid’s schools. I like to help out wherever I can or am needed. Whether it’s making cookies for a bake sale, reading stories to the class, or being a room mom, I’m thrilled to be helping in some way. As a bonus, I love the smiles my kids give me when I pop in class and surprise them.
  2. Enforce chores with my kids. Some time ago, my husband and I (and the boys) picked some chores for the kids to do. After traveling this summer, we lost track of the daily chore routine.  Now that we are back on schedule, I wouldn’t mind some extra help around the house.
  3. Find/create some new lunch box recipes. Last year, I found a few new healthy options, but now those are being turned down. There are tons of ideas available. I just need to take the time to find some that my kids will enjoy.
  4. Organize photos to finally create photo books of my kids/family. This has been one of my goals for oh, the last six years or so. I keep telling myself, “I must do it, I must do it.” Every month that passes by, it seems to get pushed to the side. I am challenging myself to create at least one book.  Hopefully that one book will motivate me to make multiple books.
  5. Organize/rotate toys and clothes. Even though it’s still 95 degrees in Mississippi, I still want to dig out the fall/winter clothes and get them organized in the boys’ closets. Tate wears a lot of Jack’s hand-me-downs, so that transfer is easy. I also like to rotate toys this time of year. I dig out toys the boys haven’t played with in a while. Rediscovering toys is always a nice surprise.

I know these tasks might seem simple to some, but I like to feel productive and I enjoy getting things done around the house. I’m looking forward to turning these goals into small victories for myself and the greater good of my family.

Labored Days

Monday, September 1st, 2014

From Monday Mom – Neetika:
Last week, Haley had a summer cold. I am glad to report that she’s doing much better. Unfortunately, the inevitable happened and I got sick too. Nothing could have prevented it, really. The girl clings to me on her best days, let alone when she’s not feeling well. Just when I was feeling proud of how long it’s been since she’s been sick, and that I’ve avoided illness my whole pregnancy, here it is.

Since it is a three-day weekend, I had a lot of errands I was excited to take care of—easier said than done. Pregnancy already has me sore, tired, at times even nauseated. Add a scratchy throat, a stuffy nose and recurrent cough, and I was pretty much done for. There are some medications you can take when you are pregnant, but I opted to tough it out. I did manage to get most of my “To Do” list done, but it took a lot out of me. I guess I’m in my “nesting phase.” Nothing will stop me from getting ready for the start of school and the baby’s arrival. I’m a woman on a mission!

I don’t know what it is about mothers, but we always seem to rally. Don’t get me wrong—dads put their families first, too. But there’s something special about the way a mother will prioritize tasks that need to be completed for the kids. Perhaps it’s because we know that if we don’t get it done, there’s a chance it will never get done. Rather than feel weighed down by this sense of responsibility, I feel like there’s a load lifted every time I cross another chore of the list. Life may not be as carefree as it was when I was a single, working girl, but at least I’m being productive. I like the assignments I have now, and I answer to the best little bosses in the world.