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friday night wind-down.

3 Feb

Very ready for a less than stressful weekend, we’re admiring outlandishly expensive kitchens and bathrooms from all over the world on HGTV. Nothing like transporting yourself to someone else’s over the top home halfway around the globe. These spaces are amazing! And ridiculous! I’d be lying if I didn’t say it all causes the wanderlust in me to get a little itchy. I don’t need a fancy kitchen, but I’d love to visit some of the locales where they exist. Vacation, anyone?

Jason just hand delivered dessert to the living room and I’m in full blown relaxation mode. Feels so good to just settle in…sleeping baby, sleeping dog, clean house, weekend awaiting. I am one thankful girl.

As a side note, HGTV makes up for the lack of good options on television–at any hour of the day. We don’t watch t.v. much at all anymore, but when we do, we can always count on a good episode of House Hunters, Million Dollar Rooms, and the like to entertain.

admiring a property in positano, italy, and dreaming,

mm

roar!

30 Jan

The kiddo was in rare form tonight, staying up two hours past his bedtime with no sign of wearing out until half an hour ago. When I finally lay him back down in his crib, he screamed his head off for about a minute and a half, then fell promptly asleep. Whew! As such, it’s been a different kind of evening here in the little blue house, and this mama is ready for bed. So as not to leave you without at least a little something for the day, I give you: Henry and his Dino hangin’ out in the nursery. The iPhone camera version. I hope you don’t mind!

hey, mom! check out my sweet ride.

i am henry, hear me roar! (like a dino)

danger? i laugh in the face of danger!

nice dino, dude.

gotta love the kid. i just can’t help it.

mm

throwback.

27 Jan

Just felt like I needed a little blast from the past after watching HD move all over the place tonight. He is getting so big, and his personality is growing right along with the rest of him! I remember these days, but not as well as I’d like to…he was still so scrunchy and sleepy and petite. Warms my mommy heart.

Such a peaceful little bug at ten days old. And peaceful, still.

oh, henry. you sure are something else. (in a good way:),

mm

photo love at the end of a long day.

23 Jan

Technically, they might not be the most amazing photos ever, but I do love grabbing pictures of the bug on my phone these days. It’s just so stinkin’ convenient…and he’s just so stinkin’ lovable. (I say this after a relatively rough afternoon/evening with the little man who, to my chagrin, is avoiding sleep (naps!) at all costs lately.) These snapshots remind me why it’s so important to roll with the punches of parenting, to walk away for a few minutes when I need a deep breath, and to step right back into loving this incredible little person the way he deserves. At almost-nine months old, I know he doesn’t really do things to spite me. He’s just gaining a little more independence and testing the waters (and ripping the bumpers off his crib while he should be sleeping, and…). You know, the stuff that makes you want to tear your hair out a little. But just a little.

So, no more bumpers for the kiddo after today, and unfortunately, a few more bumps on the head in exchange. I don’t think it will take long for him to realize that the bars can hurt a little, and it’s better than the alternative of ribbons ripped off the crib and in his hands while he’s alone. Cheeky little monkey, this one. The ribbons were tied on the outsides, and he still got ‘em off. Ah, well. I’ve ever so quietly removed my mama cap for the evening and am heading to bed to start fresh in the morning. In the meantime, the munchkin. Playin’ and drumin’ and being “SO big!” (with one arm, of course. Two would be asking a lot:)

sleep, here i come!

mm

weekend list.

20 Jan

Since I just ordered my 2012 planner yesterday (realized I can’t live without one after all, even with a smartphone lingering), I’m forgetting more than normal and feeling like I’ve maxed out storage capacity in the organizational compartments of my brain. As there’s a whole host of things I’d like to fit into the weekend, I thought I’d just plod through them here tonight. Then, I’m less likely to forget them, and besides, it’ll gear me up for a fun/busy/productive (maybe)/restful weekend. How can it be all of those things at once? Well, as things get checked off the list, there’s more room for rest. And as I prioritize resting (or relaxing here and there), I’ll be better fueled to find energy for the other things :)

It’s a grand plan. We have a (n almost) 9 month old. We’ll see how this goes:

1) Continue going to bed before midnight. If my fingers fly fast enough, I can make it!

2) Wake up, take care of Henry, enjoy breakfast, drink coffee, work out. (No expectations on the exact order in which all of this takes place.)

3) Vacuum and wash the floors. Snowy boots+driveway salt+Kruger+day-to-day routine=necessary. Plus, it’s too big a job during the week with the peanut in tow.

4) Start (um…) and finish thank you notes from Christmas. We’re not perfect around here. Nope. But we are thankful. Now just to let people know about that…

5) Read a few chapters in my book club book. I keep telling myself I’ll do this while nursing. Then, of course, the book would have to be on the right floor of the house when I decide such things. If I’m up, it’s downstairs, and vice versa. Two copies? The ability to remember everything when going up and down the stairs?

6) Relaxed time with the boys on Saturday night. We can make this happen. Already on the calendar :) Ok, well…on the agenda. The calendar, as I mentioned, is still in need of an update. It’ll happen.

7) On the subject of calendars, write down Henry’s milestone-ish moments in his calendar. Because there’s a whole lot that changes quickly at his age, and because I’m starting to forget what was when. I really don’t want to make it up. In fact, I refuse ;)

8) Something delicious (and perhaps new?) for dinner one of two nights. One of us has to make a grocery store run anyway–may as well pick up something interesting.

9) Church on Sunday morning. Love it. Need it. Gotta have it. Done.

10) Sunday afternoon family nap. We did this last weekend, and besides the whole gang waking up close to dinnertime, it was wonderfully uplifting. Problem solver: set an alarm.

11) Laundry. Perhaps. You know, as other things are taking place. Like playtime with H in his room or a half hour spent galavanting in the snow. Something delightful to get my mind off the laundry.

12) I dunno. Throw in a random something else that I’ve forgotten here, and that will inevitably come up. Mostly because I’m an even numbered person, and an 11 point list would leave me wide-eyed awake in bed tonight. 12 it is.

And that is all. Seem like a lot? Not enough? Just right? Only the weekend can tell. But if I don’t plan (or at least hope), the odds of any number of listed items making their way into the next two days become drastically reduced. Who knows. Maybe tomorrow we’ll scratch the whole thing and make snow forts all weekend. Maybe we’ll take a random adventure somewhere and ask the dog to handle the laundry. Regardless, I like having a list.

a little less cluttered for the exercise,

mm

another mom’s take.

18 Jan

This post has been making waves in mom circles all over the internet today after its publication on the Huff Post Parents page. In it, blogger/writer Glennon Melton articulates her thoughts on the notion of savoring every moment with our children–how she’s left feeling when someone else reminds her to do so and her own take on enjoying parenting in strides. I personally enjoyed the article wholeheartedly, and here’s why:

-She’s real. Honest, open, vulnerable in that way, and likely inside the minds of millions of moms who struggled at some point this week while running errands with their kids.

-She’s not trying to negate the support of a fellow mom, but rather to express how it made her feel in the moment. Can’t fault her for it–we all have these thoughts from time to time. I can relate well from the standpoint that she left the store chewing on it and deemed it worthy of a blog post later. There’s also some beautiful mommy revelations to be had throughout. Nuggets of wisdom I hope to remember, for sure.

-It’s obvious she loves her children a great deal. And she’s practical about loving them in a way that meets their needs, and her own. A mom who is comfortable in her own skin is a marvelous thing. We should all be so teachable.

Glennon’s thoughts that I’m convinced are absolute pearls of wisdom:

-”I think parenting young children (and old ones, I’ve heard) is a little like climbing Mount Everest. Brave, adventurous souls try it because they’ve heard there’s magic in the climb. They try because they believe that finishing, or even attempting the climb are impressive accomplishments. They try because during the climb, if they allow themselves to pause and lift their eyes and minds from the pain and drudgery, the views are breathtaking. They try because even though it hurts and it’s hard, there are moments that make it worth the hard. These moments are so intense and unique that many people who reach the top start planning, almost immediately, to climb again.”

-”There was a famous writer who, when asked if he loved writing, replied, “No. but I love having written.”

As a side note, I (Molly) do love writing, but it’s true that having written can be ohsomuch more gratifying most days. When it’s late at night and I’m tired, I write so that I can go to bed knowing I’ve written. Kind of like working out, for me at least.

-”Parenting is hard. Just like lots of important jobs are hard. Why is it that the second a mother admits that it’s hard, people feel the need to suggest that maybe she’s not doing it right? Or that she certainly shouldn’t add more to her load. Maybe the fact that it’s so hard means she IS doing it right…in her own way…and she happens to be honest.”

And then of course, the ENTIRE bit about kairos vs chronos time at the end. After reading it, I was challenged to think, “kairos” to myself every time I looked at Henry today and everything else stood still. And you know what? It happened over and over again. If you’re a mom, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND READING THIS POST. You may not agree with all of it, and that’s ok. It hit the spot for me. I was honestly laughing and tearing up at the same time, and thinking all the while, “Yes, yes and YES!” I don’t know Glennon Melton from Adam, but if I met her, I have a feeling I’d really like her. Perhaps someday I’ll write a post that reaches out and grabs another mom the same way this one did me.

It’s lovely not to feel alone, isn’t it mamas? And there are a lot of us out there, doing our thing the best we can–whether we’re aware of the army of other mama’s out there doing the same thing in their own beautiful way, or not. Glennon is out there. As am I.

embracing the kairos moments,

mm

wisdom from michael hyatt.

14 Jan

I came across Michael Hyatt’s blog a few years ago while working in radio marketing. At the time, I was a sponge for anything leadership-oriented, always looking for relevant ways to apply it to my job. I’ve since ventured away from that role and into a few others, among them, director of marketing for a physical therapy practice, professional writer for several local companies/organizations, home business novice, and most significantly (and encompassing all of the above), stay at home/work at home mom. Still, despite all of the changes–and the dramatic difference in composition of my day-to-day life, I crave motivational and inspirational writing on a regular basis. I highly value the opportunity to learn from those around me who have done more, seen more, experienced more and lived more than I have in my near-thirty years’ existence. In the same ways that reading book after book will keep you sharp, staying on top of bloggers who offer little tidbits of wisdom with regularity can really sharpen the saw. For me, Michael Hyatt is one of those.

In the past week, this entry is the one that struck me the most. In the interest of embracing life to my fullest capacity this year, I have put most of these suggestions into practice on one level or another. There are still a few areas that need substantial work, and I have room to improve on all of them, but I was encouraged to scour the list the other day and to be able to affirm the majority in my daily life. I would have attempted to write this list myself here over the next few months, but Hyatt has done it better. Thus, I  defer to his wisdom and express gratitude for his ability to capture my thoughts from a more credible position :)

I highly recommend the post, and furthermore, subscribing to his blog. It is one of the motivating factors in my morning each day.

happy to gain wisdom from the wise,

mm

ottoman, where are you?

13 Jan

Each day that passes, it becomes more and more evident that corners and edges and stairs and tipsy-type items are not our friends. No, they are not. Recognizing that we’re not just baby proofing for a brief season (but more than likely for the next 6-10 years, until our brood is complete and toddlers are no longer toddling), it makes sense that our furniture choices be well-rounded (and by that, I mean functional, practical, washable, tasteful and walkable). I want Henry to be able to cruise the coffee table without having to worry about his every move, and I want to be able to close electronics and cords and the like behind doors for a time. Goodness knows there are already plenty of toys strewn about the living room since Christmas (not complaining ;)–I don’t think we need to add DVDs or Wii remotes or the cable modem to the mix. Let’s face it. We were MWOK for a lot longer than we’ve been parents, and the house still somewhat reflects what we once knew: that a water glass will remain upright and where we left it, that burning candles will create ambiance–not chaos, and that electrical outlets are conveniently located on walls, right behind items like the (rolling) entertainment center. Ahem.

It’s time to get serious about eliminating the risk factors. (Note: we do not have any burning candles where the little man can get to them. Heck, we hardly have burning candles at all. A girl can dream.)

At any rate. Our son is nearly nine months old, and it’s amazing that we’ve gotten this far without doing some kind of major overhaul to everything within his reach. We’re all about teaching him what’s safe and unsafe, what’s off limits and what’s fair game. But he’s still a baby. And a curious one at that. It won’t be long…

So we’re making some necessary changes around here, not the least of which is to swap out our sharp-cornered coffee table with the *ideal* storage ottoman (read: leather or faux leather, preferably dark brown, easy to store toys in, soft rounded corners, not too heavy to pick up and move out of the center of the room, strong enough to be used as extra seating if needed). I thought this would be a relatively simple task, given that I see this type of thing all over the place…Target, World Market, department stores, etc. But I have yet to find one that really suits the room (and our tastes) and that doesn’t either break the bank or lack some quality that I find most appealing in this type of furniture. I’ve seen a few I really like, but they happen to belong to friends and are no longer available in stores. I went another route for a while, trying to come up with something totally different, yet still functional and fun, but it wasn’t happening.

So here I sit. And I’m thinking about the darn ottoman again because the weekend has arrived–the time when we actually have a few hours to shop around a little or check out something together to decide whether we want to make a purchase. I think I’ve been looking at ottomans here and there for the better part of six months.

I watched Henry cruise across the room today on a quest for one of the dog’s toys (who would want a real toy when a dog toy is so readily available?), and I realized we no longer have months to figure this out. I’m thinking it’s more like a week or two…maybe days even. And sure, we watch him closely and do a lot of preventative repositioning, distracting, etc., but we’re not going to be able to do that forever–nor should we. Home should just be a safe place for a kiddo who’s on the go and learning so much so quickly. I just hope that the right ottoman is out there somewhere, waiting to take up residence in the center of Henry’s new playhouse. That is, our house. You know, the one that had corners and candles and such before the love of our lives moved in. ;)

scheming/decorating/wishing said picture-perfect dream ottoman would just arrive on our doorstep…

mm

take back the night.

9 Jan

I have a terrible habit of staying busy late, late, late into the night. I’ve done so often enough that when midnight rolls around on the clock my thought is, “Oh, good. Another hour or so before I have to wrap things up.” I’m constantly doing just one more thing before turning in. And it’s catching up with me.

I’ve been a night owl for as long as I can remember, but under normal circumstances, I genuinely like the morning, too. There were whole seasons where I’d be up at 5 or 5:30, reading, praying, journaling–getting an amazing jump start on the day. I loved being up before the world got going, loved the peaceful quiet of the early hours. And I suppose that’s partly why the late nights I’ve been keeping are pleasing at this stage of the game. With nothing left for Henry to need, I fall into a pace of my own; everything is once again quiet, and I dictate my own schedule for a little while. Unfortunately, this pace and routine aren’t affording me maximum benefit in my days.

Instead of being perky and ready to face whatever comes at me in the morning, I’m rather sleepy-eyed and quiet and unengaged. I don’t like how this translates when Henry wakes up earlier than usual, ready to play. Offering my best, especially to my family and close friends, is important to me–and I am admittedly not at my best as the sun comes up lately.

Maybe I sound like I’m being a little hard on myself, or maybe not. I know that being mom to a baby is tiring work, and that nights feel shorter and days feel a little longer than they perhaps used to. Still, I really just want to feel better about facing the day than I can after 4 or 5 hours of sleep. Goodness knows that’s not enough!

So here’s the plan. I’m still going to make the effort to pack in a few things each night that are a priority. Still going to blog because it keeps my writing self going. Still going to veg on the couch for a little while sometimes. But I’m going to make it my personal goal not to greet the forthcoming day before I head to bed. In other words, I don’t want to see the clock when it strikes midnight–and certainly not 1 or 2 a.m. There will be plenty of morning to greet me on the other side.

If part of life is striking a balance and acknowledging strengths and weaknesses in an effort to achieve even greater balance, order, peace, or quality of life, then this is a step in the right direction. That is, if I possess the discipline to begin it and see it through.

I’ll start with tonight…I’m feeling a bit under the weather and overtired from a few very short nights of sleep. It’s 9:55p, and I’m signing off for the day as I end this post. Lights out and asleep by 10:30p, I think. And maybe, just maybe, I’ll be more delighted to greet the morning when it gets here.

taking my nights back, thank you very much ;)

mm

weekend hiatus.

7 Jan

Sometimes, after eight and a half months of cuddling and loving your sweet baby, you just need a girl’s night. Not because you want to leave your little one, or because you couldn’t live without a break, but because your friends are amazing. And because they refuel your spirit and give you the energy and stamina you need to get back in the mom game when you return home.

refueling tonight. thus the brevity ;)
mm

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