Motherhood Moments

Moment #1: I began the morning luxuriating in my snuggly warm blankets just a bit longer than usual with visions of a little snow and an ordinary morning.  Shortly after getting up, I picked up Lady M and as soon as I took her PJs off, she started to cry.   She didn't stop for over an hour of screaming sobs.  So sad and confusing.  She kept touching her ear (not the one that was infected) and her head just behind her ear.  Being my paranoid self, I left to many wild conclusions, gave her some Tylenol and snuggled as I prepped B for school and M for a Dr. visit.  Thankfully, for once, her Dr. visit ended with a clear reading for her ears and a simple diagnosis of  muscle cramps or a crick in her neck from sleeping strangely.  A bit of tylenol and some baby back rubs were all that was needed.  It was a relief, but I felt a bit silly too.  Such is the sometimes story of motherhood.

Moment #2: M and I did get a wonderful few minutes of playing in the lightly falling show in our new snow boots before naptime.  This is probably the first snow she remembers and it was great to watch her wander around in her new pink polka dot rainboots and explore. (Cute pictures to come)  During naptime, I elected to NOT do crazy productive things as I'd already called in sick.  It became a bit of a mental health day for me too.  I finished my book (which was very good).  I scrapbooked a little, rested, and, of course, checked in with my email.  A strange, unexpected day, but it turned out to be nice too even though I'll probably miss that sick day later.  It was nice to have quiet bit of time to just relax alone and do what I enjoy with the snow gently falling outside the window.

Moment #3:  I made homemade bread and homemade pizza this evening.  I loved watching my kids' excitement as it was cooking.  They both Love homemade bread (Brent says everyone does).  I love that I can give them this somewhat unusual experience and that we can make all this together.  It was definitely a suzy homemaker type moment, but that's not so bad when I have the opportunity to do it.  Lady M keeps me company more and more these days while I cook which is wonderful.

Moment #4:  I spent much of my evening being a friend and motherhood pro (or as much as I can be only 4 years in).  Two different friends are in the third trimester of their 1st pregnancies.  Both are pregnant with baby girls due this spring and both are friends from graduate school (Law and MA respectively).  I love them and our very different friendships.  We talked about basic things like what do they Need to buy v.  all the stuff in the stores, what to think about pregnancy, labor, breast-feeding, work/life balance, etc.  Conversations like this are so wonderful and important.  I love welcoming people into motherhood and think that the support network of women living and sharing this experience together is so vital.  I can't meet them for hot chocolate like would prefer, but I am so glad that we still get to share, support and learn together.  Friends and family made a big difference in my early motherhood trials and I so hope to be there for all my friends and family too.  Pregnancy and new parenthood can be intense and relationships like this have made a huge difference to my experience.


Looking at this I'm sort of amazed at the crazy, varied, full day I had and really this isn't that unusual.  This is motherhood-- growing, changing, evolving, unexpected, full of rewards and challenges and a big part of who I am now.