Little boy blue
Come blow your horn.
My piggies are ready
For you to be born.
July 21, 2010
Little Boy Blue
July 20, 2010
My Beautiful Ballerina
Auntie Simone bought you a pretty pink princess ballerina dress with matching slippers for your birthday and it was your favorite present. In your new dress, you showed us your best poses and ballet positions.
But all that ballet and birthday party fun must have tuckered you out because you found a comfy spot to rest your sweet little ballerina face.
July 19, 2010
Fireflies and Fireworks
My husband, Allan, plays guitar as a hobby and when he’s learning a new song, he plays it over and over and over again. So, for the past few weeks, our house has been buzzing with the sounds of Owl City’s Fireflies.
However, Allan plays more finger style so this is more like what I hear repeatedly.
I can’t complain because the girls and I love this song. Although when Allan discovered Fireflies was in the Kids XM rotation, I think he felt like his cool factor went down a bit.
It does become a bit repetitious when Allan plays the same song over and over but it fills our house with music and I’m so grateful for my girls growing up in a musical home because it inspires moments like this.
On another note…since it’s not very often that we see fireflies in these parts, I thought I would share some photos from Fourth of July.
Fireflies, fireworks and music- It’s all magical to my girls and me.
July 15, 2010
On the Contrary, I Love My Children. I Love My Life.
A recent article published in New York magazine, I Love My Children. I Hate My Life, was featured on the Today Show this morning.
After raising a family for almost a decade and organizing a moms group for several years, I can empathize with that statement and I understand why many parents would make such a claim. After reading the New York magazine article, I also understand how statistics support such a statement.
Some couples would tell you they had children to complete their lives. For many married couples, it’s the next logical step.
From a young age, my mom brainwashed my sister and I with the rules of life. According to our mom, the road to life had to be followed in this order:
- Go to college.
- Get a job.
- Get married.
- Have children.
Shortly after I landed a teaching job, I met my husband. Four years later we got hitched and two years later we began our family. At that point, I had been teaching for 7 years and I was ready to transition into my new job as a stay at home mom.
With the birth of my first daughter, I was reduced from a professional to an underpaid nursemaid/nanny and I lost contact with my former life. Like many mistaken parents, I thought my life would be filled with sunshine and rainbows with the arrival of a new baby. I quickly learned the quite the opposite was true. I felt trapped by my newborn and although I was never diagnosed by a professional, I believe I suffered from postpartum depression.
Thankfully, I recognized the miserable state I was in and sought out professional help. For about 6 months, I started seeing a therapist bi-weekly and I began to feel like my old self again. During that first year, I also developed friendships with other moms through a local moms group. I found support and I discovered I wasn’t alone in my miserable motherhood pit. With the aid of some wonderful friends, I learned how to survive the struggles of motherhood and realized I needed to take one day at a time. My motherhood experience would be measured in brief and random moments of happiness and I had to be prepared for the not- so- great moments too.
Three years later, I felt ready to face another newborn and any postpartum I would suffer again. Thankfully, the second time around I didn’t experience any baby blues, which I believe can be attributed to my wonderful friends and support system in place.
Now, with anticipating arrival of baby #3, I find myself worrying once again over balancing homework, extracurricular activities, housework and all the other responsibilities that come with raising a family. Sure I’m scared, but I’m happy. I would much rather change diapers again and create a happy home than create lesson plans. This is where I want to be.
In nearly nine years as a SAHM, I have learned that happiness doesn’t come from external factors, but truthfully, I think I knew that all along. There’s never enough money. Accumulating more stuff can fill my house but it can’t fill my happiness. And I certainly can’t expect my children to be responsible for my happiness. I have to find my own happiness within myself.
In this crazy, busy world of SAHM, I can never punch out, but I can find my own happy hour. If I was still in the working world outside the home, I would get hour long lunch breaks and 15 minute breaks, but even SAHM need breaks. When my girls were younger, I used nap time as a time to recharge and distress. A few years later, I discovered running to be my true happy hour.
No doubt children provide immeasurable joy, but even with all that joy, children can be a burden on a marriage. Therefore, my husband and I understand the importance of plugging into our marriage to maintain a happy marriage and date nights are one way we recharge our marriage. By abandoning our parental duties for a few hours, we rekindle those euphoric feelings that started it all fifteen years ago.
Also, many of our daily conversations revolve around other topics besides the kids, the house or meals. We’ll share opinions on life, news, politics and religion just like we did before kids. By doing this, we see each other as equals and I find an outlet for stimulating conversations. Intelligent and meaningful conservation keeps both of us happy.
Perhaps my pleasure results from the simplicity of my life. I get great joy saving $20 from coupons at the supermarket. I love lying in bed watching movies with my girls. I swell with pride with each developmental milestone. I enjoy prancing off to play dates.
Of course, I’m unhappy when my girls fight or throw temper tantrums and I’m miserable when my house is cluttered and needs to be tidied. But clean or dirty, a house filled with children makes me happy. I wouldn’t change a thing.
I love my children. I love my life.
***This post was inspired by Mama Kat’s Writer WorkshopChoose a headline from The Today Show website and write up an opinion post based on the story you chose.
July 14, 2010
Any Day Now
By the sight of my belly button, I would say that Run DMT Baby #3 is about done baking.
The sight of my swollen feet is another sign that this baby is due to arrive any day now. Hopefully, I can squeeze another pedicure in before then, because I’m a little tired of looking at Nickelodeon slime green “Beach Sherbet” on my puffy piggies.
Any color suggestions for my toes?
July 13, 2010
How I Made Summer Reading Hot
At the start of summer, I hooked the girls into books by having them apply for their own library cards. They loved the grown-up responsibility of caring for their cards and selecting their own books. Their faces beamed with pride as they handed over their cards to the librarian to check-out their books for the first time. Since then, we’ve arranged bi-weekly visits to the library to make good use of those library cards.
In our area, the local libraries and retailers have made it easy to encourage my girls to read throughout the summer by offering prizes and rewards. We started with Barnes and Nobles Summer Reading Passport because my oldest, Allana, was very excited to win a free copy of 39 Clues and last week for Wordless Wednesday, I shared a photo of Allana enjoying some hot cocoa and her new book. Once she got the sweet taste of success by completing the Barnes and Nobles passport, it was easy to keep her motivated with other programs such as Borders and Taco Bell, especially when she learned the Taco Bell reward would be a free taco and burrito.
However, we have found the summer reading programs a bit more challenging for my youngest, Emmalynn. Although she loves books and reading, she reads at an emergent level (very basic). Most of the books added to her reading logs were books Allana and I read to her. When Allana reads a book to her sister, I allow her to list the book on her summer reading form. Of course, this was another way to encourage Allana to keep reading as well as way for her to model good reading to Emmalynn.
This summer, I made it my goal to teach Emmalynn to read. As a former elementary school teacher, I have several samples of emergent books from a variety of publishers. The simple, repetitive text and picture cues in the books build word recognition as well as success. Using sight words and some basic phonics, my daughter has developed the ability to recognize the words in print as well as in her environment around our house. When she successfully reads one of these emergent readers, we added it to a summer reading form. In fact, she finally completed her Barnes and Nobles summer reading passport and earned her first free book too.
Years ago when teaching Allana to read, I stumbled upon a wonderful resource: Mrs. Jones Free Printable Mini Books and decided to use the mini books once again teach Emmalynn to read. Each week, I print out a book related to a field trip we took or a topic we’ve discussed. We assemble the book and read it together. Then I’ll ask Emmalynn to read the book, pointing to the words as she reads. If she struggles with a word, I’ll ask her to use the picture cues to drawing meaning or use the beginning sound of a word to help her. After she successful reads the book independently, she colors the book as a reward.
Recently, I found another website that offered free emergent printable books: Making Learning Fun. Some of the books listed are simple versions of your children’s favorite stories. I know my Emmalynn will enjoy learning to read these books!
For other tips, tricks and strategies to get your kids to embrace summer reading, visit the discussion at TwitterMoms.
“I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms blogging program to be eligible to get an “I Can Read!” book. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”
July 12, 2010
Happy 5th Birthday, Emmalynn
Since the day you were born, you’ve kept us on our toes and giggling every day. Over the past five years, I loved watching you grow from a cuddly baby into a rough and tough tomboy into a princess ballerina.
You’re bright.
You’re beautiful.
You’re fast.
You’re funny.
You make up the best stories. Probably because the things you’ve put your mama through over the years no one would believe, beginning with your birth.
As we rushed to the hospital five years ago, I feared that you would be born in the back of our mini-van on the side of the road. We arrived at the hospital at 8:20 a.m. and you were born 20 minutes later at 8:40 a.m.
As quickly as you arrived, everyone fell in love with you twice as quickly.
Happy 5th Birthday, Emmalynn!
July 7, 2010
The Taste of Sweet Success
30 Things I Vow to Do This Summer
#19 – Participate in the various summer reading programs through our local library, Barnes & Nobles and Borders.
Allana and Emmalynn finished their Barnes & Nobles Summer Reading Passports so we visited the bookstore for them to claim their free books. To celebrate their accomplishments, I treated the girls to hot cocoa and cookies. They truly loved their sweet rewards.
Next, we take on the Borders summer reading program.
View the rest of the items I vow to do this summer here.
July 3, 2010
Peek-a-Boo! We See You!
For my 36 week ultrasound this week, the whole family tagged along to sneak a peek at baby brother. Allana was most excited since she has such vivid memories of viewing her baby sister for the first time five years ago. “Remember how I knew it was a girl, Mommy?”
The girls giggled and laughed over the tiny 3-D image on the computer screens.
“He has our nose and Mommy’s lips!”
“We can see his boy parts!”
The ultrasound technician amplified his heartbeat for everyone to hear. Emmalynn loved hearing and seeing his strong beating heart jump across the screen. “Again! Again!” Emmalynn hollered out excitedly.
Although the scheduled ultrasound gave us a small sneak preview at Run DMT Baby #3, it also predicted the size of the baby. Much to everyone’s disappointment except for me Thankfully, the U/S tech and my doctor predict under 8 pounds. In fact, the doctor predicted around 7.5 (same birth weight as Emmalynn).
From the U/S, we learned that little baby brother has turned, but hasn’t dropped into position just yet. The staff could also determine that my fluids and innards look good. Apparently, the little guy is really happy in there.
But I think he knows he’s safe in there away from the loving cuddly arms clutches of his big sisters.
ETA: These photos were a collaborative family effort between Allan, Allana, Emmalynn and me.
Hosted by Cecily
June 30, 2010
Juneathon 2010, End of Days
The last few days of the Juneathon have been the toughest for me. My youngest has been sick and her illness combined with my sciatica seemed to suck any and all energy out of me. Her ailments included her high fevers and a nasty cough, therefore, a visit to the pool with the girls was out of the question and I was unable to swim for sciatica relief.
Day 25 – After my accidental two mile hike on the beach, I barely had the strength to move on Friday. After a few laps in the pool, I was toast.
Day 26 – Thankfully, I felt much better on Saturday and I spent most of the morning treading water and swimming in the Gulf. I loved every minute of it.
Day 27 – On Sunday, we had to pack up and head back home, I could only fit in some squats.
Day 28 – My youngest was sick and the only exercise I got was carrying loads of laundry up and down our stairs.
Day 29 – Emmalynn still had high fevers off and on. I did some yoga for sanity reasons.
Day 30 – On the last day of the Juneathon, we went to a pool party today. I had hoped to finally get my swim on again, but the outer bands of Hurricane Alex foiled any pool plans. I suffered through a set of 50 squats instead.
I had hoped to have done a better job for this year’s Juneathon, but at least I tried. Unfortunately, my feeble attempts won’t score me any Vibrams. Should I play the pregnancy card? Do you think I will I gain any sympathy for my sore sciatica?
Probably not.
