Today's favorite moments included . . .
. . . cuddling Anna.
. . . watching Joy and Daniel play follow-the-leader in the store this morning. It's so fun to watch them play together. Of course, they were like gas and matches after naptime, but we won't talk about that.
. . . chatting with a friend this afternoon. It was nice to just spend some time connecting with her while our kids played.
And another thing . . .
. . . I’m excited that it’s September and we’re quickly approaching autumn. I love the comfortable coolness of fall, and the way it always beckons me to fire up the oven and bake good things. I also love autumn because I associate it with the beginning of holiday season. Yes, summer has its share of holidays (including my birthday), but they aren’t the sort that involve fun decorations, family traditions, and a bit of magical fun. I don’t own any Labor Day decor, but I love decorating our apartment for Halloween and Christmas, and even the approach of the autumnal equinox makes my heart beat a little faster because it’s the inaugural day of pumpkin cookie season in our home.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Running on Fumes with a Dead Battery
Today's not-so-favorite moments included . . .
. . . waking up at 7am feeling like I'd been hit by a bus. I'm sure I would have felt far worse if I'd gotten up at 5am, though (see below).
. . . working up the nerve to go to the store, then spending half an hour putting on kids' shoes and shepherding everyone out to (and into) our vehicle, only to discover that three lights were left on inside it and the battery was dead. Siiiiiigh.
Today's favorite moments included . . .
. . . my dear husband taking charge of Anna at 5am so I could sleep a little more.
. . . our Korean neighbor kindly trying to resuscitate our unresponsive car.
. . . Joy helping me knock down all the water bottle bowling pins for our home evening activity.
And another thing . . .
. . . Joy asked me to take turns finding a hidden toy this morning. The first time she found it, she told me she scored 100 points. The next time, she said she scored 800 points. She never bothered to tell me how many points I got (perhaps it was my job to calculate and verbalize that information). Needless to say, Joy won that game.
. . . waking up at 7am feeling like I'd been hit by a bus. I'm sure I would have felt far worse if I'd gotten up at 5am, though (see below).
. . . working up the nerve to go to the store, then spending half an hour putting on kids' shoes and shepherding everyone out to (and into) our vehicle, only to discover that three lights were left on inside it and the battery was dead. Siiiiiigh.
Today's favorite moments included . . .
. . . my dear husband taking charge of Anna at 5am so I could sleep a little more.
. . . our Korean neighbor kindly trying to resuscitate our unresponsive car.
. . . Joy helping me knock down all the water bottle bowling pins for our home evening activity.
And another thing . . .
. . . Joy asked me to take turns finding a hidden toy this morning. The first time she found it, she told me she scored 100 points. The next time, she said she scored 800 points. She never bothered to tell me how many points I got (perhaps it was my job to calculate and verbalize that information). Needless to say, Joy won that game.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Nonstop Parenting = Tired
Today's not-so-favorite moments included . . .
. . . Anna randomly deciding to stay awake while the other kids had nap/quiet time. Usually that is when I study scriptures and generally recharge my batteries, but I never got a chance to regroup today so I'm pretty worn out.
Today's favorite moments included . . .
. . . hugging my husband.
. . . Daniel helping me clear the table after dinner.
. . . Anna randomly deciding to stay awake while the other kids had nap/quiet time. Usually that is when I study scriptures and generally recharge my batteries, but I never got a chance to regroup today so I'm pretty worn out.
Today's favorite moments included . . .
. . . hugging my husband.
. . . Daniel helping me clear the table after dinner.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Peace and Quiet
Today's not-so-favorite moments included . . .
. . . nursing. It's OK most of the time, but the first minute or so still hurts every time.
Today's favorite moments included . . .
. . . the rest of the day. Phillip took Joy and Daniel up to my parents' cabin, so Anna and I got to just relax at home all day. Actually, Anna is a world champion relaxer--she slept almost the entire day. As for me, I enjoyed napping, showering, blogging, baking some bread, and cuddling my little girl, whether she was awake to appreciate it or not.
. . . nursing. It's OK most of the time, but the first minute or so still hurts every time.
Today's favorite moments included . . .
. . . the rest of the day. Phillip took Joy and Daniel up to my parents' cabin, so Anna and I got to just relax at home all day. Actually, Anna is a world champion relaxer--she slept almost the entire day. As for me, I enjoyed napping, showering, blogging, baking some bread, and cuddling my little girl, whether she was awake to appreciate it or not.
Surviving
Today's not-so-favorite moments included . . .
. . . noticing that most of my container garden is withering because it spent the last week of August unwatered. Technically, unrolling a hose and watering lots of pots probably isn't on the list of approved postpartum activities, but those thyme and rosemary plants have been with me longer than two of my children. I'm not letting them croak that easily (and I don't trust myself to remember to ask Phillip to water them when he gets home).
Today's favorite moments included . . .
. . . nursing getting better. It still hurts, but not in a "will the cruel torment never end?!?" sort of way.
. . . figuring out a few ways to integrate Baby's schedule with the big kids' needs. I don't have all the details figured out yet, but today's little success were encouraging.
And another thing . . .
. . . this afternoon I found myself reflecting on a book called Deep Survival, by Laurence Gonzales. After reviewing the cases of numerous people who survived hazardous situations (or didn’t), Gonzales notes that the key to survival isn’t necessarily wilderness training (though that certainly helps), but rather character traits and attitude. He says survivors don’t pin their hopes on rescuers, but make the determination to get themselves out of trouble one small step at a time, even if the odds seem impossibly long. They set small goals, set up routines, and never quit. What’s more, they keep a sense of humor, notice and enjoy the beautiful details around them, count their blessings, and celebrate their successes. They pray for help, and help others (thus becoming a rescuer, not a victim).
Gonzales wrote his book partly for people who want to survive shipwrecks and snowstorms, but mostly for people who want to “survive” job loss, addiction, illness, or any other source of stress. As I considered the survival traits he outlined, I reflected that they are exactly the sort of ideas I’ve been looking for to become a better parent, both in my current challenges and in the years ahead.
I’ve already seen that meshing three kids’ schedules is much easier (and less stressful), when I just try to figure it out bit by bit, one day at a time, rather than strategize what I will do every minute of every day for the next few years. I’m sure I’ll have a routine set up before I know it; the bigger question is whether I’ll remember to play and pray—enjoying the small, sweet moments, and seeking God’s help and guidance to keep improving.
P.S. Please don't feel compelled to assure me that I'm a good parent. I know I'm doing a good job, but I could be doing better. I want to progress, not coast.
. . . noticing that most of my container garden is withering because it spent the last week of August unwatered. Technically, unrolling a hose and watering lots of pots probably isn't on the list of approved postpartum activities, but those thyme and rosemary plants have been with me longer than two of my children. I'm not letting them croak that easily (and I don't trust myself to remember to ask Phillip to water them when he gets home).
Today's favorite moments included . . .
. . . nursing getting better. It still hurts, but not in a "will the cruel torment never end?!?" sort of way.
. . . figuring out a few ways to integrate Baby's schedule with the big kids' needs. I don't have all the details figured out yet, but today's little success were encouraging.
And another thing . . .
. . . this afternoon I found myself reflecting on a book called Deep Survival, by Laurence Gonzales. After reviewing the cases of numerous people who survived hazardous situations (or didn’t), Gonzales notes that the key to survival isn’t necessarily wilderness training (though that certainly helps), but rather character traits and attitude. He says survivors don’t pin their hopes on rescuers, but make the determination to get themselves out of trouble one small step at a time, even if the odds seem impossibly long. They set small goals, set up routines, and never quit. What’s more, they keep a sense of humor, notice and enjoy the beautiful details around them, count their blessings, and celebrate their successes. They pray for help, and help others (thus becoming a rescuer, not a victim).
Gonzales wrote his book partly for people who want to survive shipwrecks and snowstorms, but mostly for people who want to “survive” job loss, addiction, illness, or any other source of stress. As I considered the survival traits he outlined, I reflected that they are exactly the sort of ideas I’ve been looking for to become a better parent, both in my current challenges and in the years ahead.
I’ve already seen that meshing three kids’ schedules is much easier (and less stressful), when I just try to figure it out bit by bit, one day at a time, rather than strategize what I will do every minute of every day for the next few years. I’m sure I’ll have a routine set up before I know it; the bigger question is whether I’ll remember to play and pray—enjoying the small, sweet moments, and seeking God’s help and guidance to keep improving.
P.S. Please don't feel compelled to assure me that I'm a good parent. I know I'm doing a good job, but I could be doing better. I want to progress, not coast.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Namaste
Today's not-so-favorite moments included . . .
. . . nursing. One side is doing OK, but the other one really, really hurts.
Today's favorite moments included . . .
. . . watching my baby girl "smile" in her sleep.
. . . smiling in my sleep (while my mom took Joy and Daniel to the park - thanks, Mom).
. . . raising my arms up high to stretch my tired back, then glancing down to see Daniel doing the same stretch. Namaste.
And another thing . . .
. . . in a small way, the first days of nursing always give me a greater appreciation for the Atonement. Like the Savior, I endure intense pain on behalf of someone I love, who has no real comprehension of what I'm going through for them.
. . . nursing. One side is doing OK, but the other one really, really hurts.
Today's favorite moments included . . .
. . . watching my baby girl "smile" in her sleep.
. . . smiling in my sleep (while my mom took Joy and Daniel to the park - thanks, Mom).
. . . raising my arms up high to stretch my tired back, then glancing down to see Daniel doing the same stretch. Namaste.
And another thing . . .
. . . in a small way, the first days of nursing always give me a greater appreciation for the Atonement. Like the Savior, I endure intense pain on behalf of someone I love, who has no real comprehension of what I'm going through for them.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Welcoming Mih-Mih
It's fitting that my 600th Bluestocking post should be about something special.
The most memorable things about this weekend have included . . .
. . . the arrival of my baby daughter, Anna.
. . . all the help we've received from family and friends.
. . . cuddling my new baby, and hearing her little baby sounds.
. . . hugging my kids when I got home, and seeing them be excited about their new sister (I hope that lasts). Joy loves to kiss her cheek, and Daniel keeps cheerfully pointing at baby things and saying "Mih-mih" (his word for "Anna").
. . . watching my husband's tender smile as he holds our little baby.
And another thing . . .
. . . of course, it isn't all precious moments. I was tired as heck this morning, and I'm still not sure how I'm going to integrate the needs of our little girl into our busy life, but I'm sure I'll figure it out, bit by bit. I managed the first two times, and countless moms have adapted to a third child before me.
. . . they say if you latch your baby on correctly, nursing shouldn't hurt. Either that is bunk, or I've just never learned to do it right. At any rate, nursing really hurts the first week or two, and this time is no exception. Sigh. . . [wince!].
The most memorable things about this weekend have included . . .
. . . the arrival of my baby daughter, Anna.
. . . all the help we've received from family and friends.
. . . cuddling my new baby, and hearing her little baby sounds.
. . . hugging my kids when I got home, and seeing them be excited about their new sister (I hope that lasts). Joy loves to kiss her cheek, and Daniel keeps cheerfully pointing at baby things and saying "Mih-mih" (his word for "Anna").
. . . watching my husband's tender smile as he holds our little baby.
And another thing . . .
. . . of course, it isn't all precious moments. I was tired as heck this morning, and I'm still not sure how I'm going to integrate the needs of our little girl into our busy life, but I'm sure I'll figure it out, bit by bit. I managed the first two times, and countless moms have adapted to a third child before me.
. . . they say if you latch your baby on correctly, nursing shouldn't hurt. Either that is bunk, or I've just never learned to do it right. At any rate, nursing really hurts the first week or two, and this time is no exception. Sigh. . . [wince!].
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