Posts Tagged ‘Mamahood’
Oh glorious day!
Posted on: October 5, 2009
- In: Life
- 4 Comments
Yippie!
Woot-woot!
Hallelujah!
I am back down to my pre-baby(s) weight!
This day might live in even more infamy than the last one.
- In: Life
- 2 Comments
I never thought I’d stay at home with my children.
Truth be known, I never thought I’d have children.
I always thought that women who stayed at home were, well, lame. I couldn’t understand why someone would want nothing more than to be a mom. In the movie Juno, Vanessa says “Have you ever know you were just meant to do something? I was meant to be a mother.” Even after being a mom, I couldn’t fathom that quote. Meant to be a mother. Meant to be a mother.
Yesterday, while having a conversation about an upcoming business trip, Jonathan said that his boss has a lot of respect for me. Honestly, I didn’t really believe it. I believe it, because Jonathan said it, but not because I believe it. And I asked myself, “Why? Why don’t I think he would/could respect me?”.
And I realized, that is a loaded question.
Until I became a mom, I didn’t have a lot of respect for SAHMs. I figured I’d juggled college, work, extra curricular activities, minimal sleep and high stress situations, raising kids can’t be that hard. In my mind, SAHMs meant mini vans, soccer practice, cleaning house, and shuttling kids off to school. Then Julia came along. And like so many other things, I realized I was wrong. Being a mom is hard. Being called to die to self is hard. Facing your sins in the face, daily, in order to train someone else is hard. Knowing that you’re the first example of God, of the world, of everything to this one little being, who relies on you fully is hard.
And hard work does deserve respect.
What I do: wiping butts, cleaning up spilt milk, laundry, grocery shopping, doesn’t seem like much. And when paired against, I don’t know, brain surgery or rocket science, it really seems quite easy. But what I really do, training children into God-fearing, people-loving, perhaps even brain surgeon adults is respectful work.
To all you moms out there: Bravo! You are doing a marvelous job and I respect you so much!
To my daughters: My earnest desire is that you might grow up to say “I was meant to be a mom” and know, beyond all doubt, that your job is as important, hard and respectful as any CEO or doctor.
- In: Life
- 4 Comments
Quite the title, uh? 🙂
Since Mabel was born, she’s had cradle cap. We had it under control for a while last Spring, but since her hair has gotten longer I’ve just sorta stopped caring. It’s a little gross nowadays, cause at this point it looks like dandruff that’s flaking off. Well, last night I figured I’d give it one more go and bought some lotion just for cradle cap. I tried it this afternoon, and it worked pretty well. It took off a majority of the scales and I’m guessing if I keep up with it, she might actually be “flake free”.
This week I started spin/yoga and Body Attack. I took my first spin/yoga class on Monday. Can I just say I had my butt thoroughly worked, literally! It was good, but really hard. And then tomorrow night I have Body Attack. The name alone scares me. 😉 But, I’ve heard it’s really good and a great way to lose weight and tone muscle. I’m all for it then! I’ve got about 5 pounds to pre-baby weight and 15 to my “goal” weight and then 20 to my “ideal goal” weight. Wish me luck!
As for Hannah – I am still impressed with how far she can spit up and poop. Changer be warned if that girl poops while your changing her diaper. You will find that not only does she need a new change of clothes, so do you, the changing table and most likely the wall and carpet. Woo. And the spit up. Wow. It can fly five feet from where I’m standing. It’s pretty impressive. I wonder if they could make an Olympic sport out of it, cause for sure she’d get a gold metal!
We’re heading out to Tennessee this week. Wanna know what? Packing is a big ole pain. Having to pack for myself and two kiddos for a week long trip; making sure the house is clean, we don’t forget anything, we have all necessary toys/blankets/videos/etc to survive is a tad overwhelming. Not to mention that I’ve put off doing much of anything for the trip, making, I am sure, the next two days a little crazy. Ah, alas, that is life.
*Edited: I should also add, that God has really been teaching me to lower my expectations. This is really hard. I am daily having to learn (and re-learn) that having a toddler (who doesn’t nap consistently or well) along with an infant, simply means that nothing productive will get done during the day. I will start lots of things, but they will never, ever actually get finished. Like writing a blog – my average blog writing takes 3+ days. Crazy, I know, but true. I start a blog one day and finish it sometimes several days later.
Just say “Yes”
Posted on: August 22, 2009
- In: Life
- 2 Comments
I read a post a while back about loosening up on some of our perfectionism and allowing our kids to just be kids. I realized that I say “No” a lot to Julia.
“No, you may not have that cookie.”
“No, you may not touch the that.”
“No, you may not turn the faucet on and off.”
Etc, etc, etc.
Even as I type this, we’re sitting in the car, preparing to go to the State Fair and I just said “No.” Julia just discovered the garage door opener and began pressing the button, watching the door close, then open, then close, then open. I started to take it away, when I thought “What harm is it really? What’s the big deal?” There are still ground rules, she must obey, cheerfully, even when I say “No.” For example, the keys are always off limits, since we have an alarm and the little red panic button is just too much temptation. “No” isn’t bad, it helps her learn boundaries, self-control, patience, but sometimes “No” is more for my convenience and less for her own good. But, for today, I’m going to try saying “Yes” more. Let Julia just be a toddler, exploring her world, learning about new things and realizing that mama will say “Yes” just as often as I say “No.”
Comic relief
Posted on: August 13, 2009
My friend, Dana, once wrote a post about how she thinks her life is an episode from Seinfeld. I decided that whatever show my life takes after, I must be the comic relief.
Tuesday morning I took the girls to run a few errands. One of them was going to the library to pay a few late fines (they really should have a new mom leniency program). When we first got there, I took Mabel to the potty. As I’m steering my ginormous double stroller into the restroom, Jonathan calls. I walk into the family bathroom (it’s not a stall, but actual bathroom) and the automatic light doesn’t come on. The stroller is so huge, that I’m struggling to push it all the way into the restroom. All the while, talking on the phone, trying to turn on the light (that is, again, suppose to be automatic and has no real switch), and keep Mabel from peeing in her big girl pants. I toss my purse off my shoulder onto the counter (still in the dark), when I hear water.
Water is never a good sign.
The light finally comes on, I turn around to see my purse, laying in the toddler sink, water running. Because, clearly, the automatic light won’t work when I need it, but the sink will! I grab my purse, just to see that the bag of M&M’s I brought as potty rewards is sitting in the sink soaking wet. Perfect.
For about 10 seconds I was pretty irritated. Then I realized just how ridiculously funny the situation really was, and I laughed. My life might not be an episode from Seinfeld, but one thing is for sure; if there is ever a show about the ridiculous things that happens to moms, my life could supply ample amounts of material.
Eeek!
Posted on: August 10, 2009
- In: Life
- 2 Comments
It’s official.
Potty training starts today.
Mabel has slowly gotten back on track (on her own incentive) for the first time since Hannah was born. She had some regression for a few weeks, which was fine by me since I was (maybe still am?!) in post-baby haze. But I decided that it’s time to bite the bullet and go for it. We’re going to Tennessee over Labor Day, so that might throw a chink in my chain, but hopefully we’ll survive.
Send us good potty vibes and wish us luck!
Here’s to no diapers by the end of the year!
Nicknames
Posted on: July 28, 2009
- In: Life
- 8 Comments
We’re a family of nicknames. Even as a kid I had a ton of nicknames (Liz, Lizard, Sissy, Bob – don’t ask). Anyways, Jonathan and I found it pretty easy to nickname Julia. Here’s just her short list of nicknames:
Jules
Mabs
Mabeline
Maby-baby
But for whatever reason, nicknaming Hannah has prosed some troubles. The best I’ve come up with is Hannah Bear. Some others are:
Hanners
Hanni
Mitchy
I wanna do more with her middle name (Michelle), but can only think of Shelly/Shell. I did come across Mitzi which I think is kinda cute, but it’s been hard to catch on to, which is a clear sign it’s not the best nickname.
So my blog reading friends, have you got some good nicknames up your sleeve for my little girl?
Intentional parenting
Posted on: July 27, 2009
- In: Life
- 3 Comments
Over the last few months, I’ve been really convicted on my parenting. I want my daughters to leave my house prepared to serve, live, love and grow with the Lord. But it can be overwhelming. A lot. I’m required to grapple with their sin nature while dealing with my own. That’s hard work. Yet, stronger and stronger the desire and urgency grows within me to capture their little hearts and lead them the right way.
One of my biggest fears in life is failure. Next to that is failure as a parent. Now, this may sound arrogant, but I’m not all that afraid of not being a “good” mom. I mean, I want my girls to look back and think I was good, but part of me feels like that will happen regardless (maybe because I’m that way with my mom). However, my fear of failure lies in not being a godly example as a parent. My fear is that Julia and Hannah would walk away from my house and not know, really know, the Lord. That is what scares me.
Jonathan and I have started taking steps to make our parenting more intentional, more focused. There are some major tasks at hand, but along with those are seemingly little things that my heart knows will make a difference. One of those little things is computer time. Since we moved our computer upstairs after the remodel, I found myself getting online a lot. At first it was to just “quick check something”. That morphed into checking something else, then something else and before I knew it, I was ignoring Julia because I was too distracted by the web. I slowly realized that I was showing Julia that my time online was more important than spending time with her, her dad, her sister and even God. So I made a commitment to my family, that in order to be more intentional in my parenting, I would only have a designated time to be online. I committed to only getting on 1) during naps (like right now), 2) when Jonathan is home and we are both looking at something together, and 3) during Julia’s blanket time.
I know it seems small, but for my heart it’s a big deal. It’s choosing to say no to self and yes to God and His calling on my life. And really, it’s quite liberating.
Coffee, friend or foe?
Posted on: July 13, 2009
- In: Life
- 4 Comments
Julia woke up this morning at 1:30. Didn’t go back to sleep till after 4. For an hour.
Hannah woke up at 3:30. Didn’t go back to sleep till after 5.
I originally woke up at 2:30 (since Jonathan got up with Julia). Fell back asleep until 3:30.
I have been up ever since.
Around 9:30 this morning I was in desperate need of coffee.
Got said coffee. Took the girls to the park to burn off any remaining energy Julia had.
Came home. Ate lunch.
Put Julia to bed around 11:30.
Put Hannah to bed around 11:45.
Me? Still awake.
Physically tired, but mentally awake.
Can’t sleep.
Wish I could.
Stupid coffee.
Coffee, my love.
I’m still trying to figure out if I love coffee or hate it.
Since the girls went to bed, I’ve cleaned the upstairs, started three loads of laundry, paid random bills, had a quite time, cleaned my bedroom and surfed the web.
Without coffee, I could be asleep right now.
Without coffee, I would not have made it through my morning.
With coffee, I got a lot of stuff done.
With coffee, I am wired.
Friend or foe?
Failure
Posted on: July 9, 2009
- In: Life
- 6 Comments
I’m failing.
I have always set high standards for myself. I expect a lot and want to be the best at everything. But, I will say that I am successfully getting my butt kicked by having two children. So much so, that my mom is coming back to Iowa for a few days.
Failure.
In the last four weeks, Julia has watched a shameful amount of tv.
Failure.
My disciplining is sporadic at best.
Failure.
Hannah has slept in our bed far more than Julia ever did. And I don’t see it stopping right away.
Failure.
My house looks like a tornado came through it. All day. Every day.
Failure.
I have not been the most grace giving, love showing mama.
Failure.
But God’s grace is sufficient for me, for His power is made perfect in my weakness.
Success.
God’s grace has saved me.
Success.
God still loves me. Even though my house is a mess, my oldest has watched too much tv, my youngest relies on a pacifier, my stress level is high, my emotions are on the fritz and even as an adult, I am having to call my mom to come rescue me.
Success.
“To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
A Wife Loved Like The Church 
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