Things I'm Enjoying This Week

1. Reading

My current read is The Book Of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel. It was my recommendation to our book club. I'm 16 chapters in and this book has a way of transporting you in time. We'll see where it takes me. 

Edee has also picked up a couple books on her own recently. She is still very much into graphic novels, especially The Baby Sitters Club. It's a modern take on the books I grew up with but still hold life lessons. They are colorful and rather cute for a tween.

2. Yoga

I stepped outside my comfort zone and took a free yoga class at our local library on Saturday. I knew I'd enjoy it, I knew I'd be happy I did it and I knew my mind and body would benefit, but taking the steps to walk into a place alone has always been my weakness. I did it, though. It was 100% as worth it as I thought it would be. I even knew the instructor! 

Edee joined me for the 2nd class. She told me she loved it! I enjoyed watching her trying the Yoga poses I've done countless times. After class we enjoyed smoothies and a sunny drive. I didn't realize until later this was totally a Mommy and Me date (something I decided recently I wanted to do more of.) 

3. Counting down to Spring Break

My husband is keeping a very close eye on the days we have until our trip to Florida. He's very ready for sand, sunshine and warmth. I am too but pretty sure he needs it more. We watched a video together about places to go and things to do. I am most excited about the art scene. Okay, I'm also excited about seafood and sunshine. I plan to be outside as much as possible!

Leading up to the trip we knew we needed a few things. Edee picked out a new swimsuit and I found new luggage on clearance for her. It's time to retire her Frozen themed suitcase. Luckily the new luggage is so fun that I won't spend much time being sad about saying goodbye to another thing she's grown out of. 

I plan to get some ear plugs so I can do more underwater swimming with Edee. We plan to take our underwater camera for fun photos and videos! 

4. Slime

Edee started a slime business! I am 100% enjoying watching her create and be so excited that she gets lost in her process of making and selling. I much prefer this over electronics. She even opened her own Etsy Shop! Check out Pastel Paws every one! 

5. Music

I've been letting some of my favorites play on repeat lately - John Mayer, Russell Dickerson, Adele, Train... I've also added a few new country artists to my favorites list - Mitchell Tenpenny & Tyler Hubbard. Their voices are incredible! You know when you get hooked on a song and you just feel it in your bones? That's me with 'History' by Mitchell Tenpenny. It's so good! My Ad-Free free trial of YouTube music also helps. It's going to be difficult going back when that trial is over.  

It's Worth It

One minute you're teaching them how to hold a spoon, trying with all your might to understand their babbles, wishing on every star that your guesses are correct and their little baby frustration won’t implode into a crying fit. The next moment you are holding back tears when they want to give away their baby doll accessories. All of a sudden they want to wear long sleeves in gym because she's worried about the hair on her arms, even though she will be to warm and no one can see the little blond hairs anyway.

No more wearing unicorns and you better get rid of all those Jojo Sewa brand clothes, too. Sketchers aren't cool even though you think these shoes are better than all the shoes you've ever worn in your life. 

How do you cope? How do you keep up? When the moment flashes right by and one minute you think you have it handled, but 9 years feels like a day and today you have a whole new set of challenges to figure out. You feel like you are not handling it. You’re not even close. 

One day she loves all the fruits and the next day she hates grapes because they have seeds. Let's not even get started on lunches because that's an uphill battle I am losing. Her favorite food groups are currently turkey jerky sticks, sunflower seeds (yeah, seeds), green smoothies and candy. Oh don't forget boba tea. At least she gets some dairy in that, which probably doesn't even count now that I think about it.

Somehow you press on and don’t give up because that little human that’s really not so little anymore is your whole entire life; your everything.

Motherhood has a way of sneaking up on and scaring the shit out of you. It robs you of sleep and confidence and all the things you thought you knew. It’s hard. Parenthood makes you question your entire self. 

If you’re a parent you also understand how the absolutely perfect moments sneak up on you and bring you to tears, that you hold back in fear they will see them. The beauty and creative and outstanding things they do make you feel like you might burst from the amount of love and pride that fills your entire being.

Parenting is hard. It's the hardest thing I've ever experienced. Yet, it's the most rewarding, fulfilling thing I've ever experienced. 

All that hard stuff is worth it.