we spend a lot of time reading together, which the bookworm in me loves
I know I type a lot of words about finding the good and happy and encouraging and humble moments of mamahood, but the reality is there are just as many hard moments (days?) as the good and happy and encouraging and humble. This mamahood thing is not for the weak, that’s for sure. It’s real and deep and I’m so so grateful for the title. Just recently I’ve begun feeling baby #2 kick, which feels like tiny bursts of popcorn popping — just like we’re told they’ll feel. Sometimes I nearly miss the tiny kicks because there’s just so much going on all the time, but I really love being able to stop time for a moment to bask in them.
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Maxwell is down to just one nap each day, which is really my only time for true quiet ;) I’ve been coaxing myself to lay down and nap each day once he goes down. Often there’s a little list started in my mind of a few things I could/should do, but I usually ignore that list and lay down. I know I’ll feel better if I rest instead, so I listen to myself and grab a book (I’m currently re-reading this), turn on the fan and allow a long, slow exhale to happen. It’s lovely every time.
you know you do this with your camera, too ;)
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Once again we’re headed to the beach for the day, yahoo! I can’t wait to gather with other mamas and all our kids, and let the ocean waves cleanse our minds. It’s always worth it to gather every ounce of extra energy for our weekly beach days, especially because it’s only a few miles away. I remind myself it’s just a few extra minutes packing a picnic lunch, making sure we have our umbrella and quilt and plenty of sunscreen and water, but it’s hours of bliss to be blessed by other mamas.
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A few days ago I organized my fabric stash. I recently listed (and sold, thank you!) a bunch of fabrics & materials, but I made sure to save a few things just for me. I desperately miss sewing. Can I just type that out and let my heart sit in the open air for a moment? I am so glad to be doing exactly what I’m doing with my days, currently, but I do miss sewing. Perhaps it’s because Zack’s been clocking hours and hours at work lately, so I’ve been solo-parenting like crazy during the week. And man, the days can feel long when they first start out. I put my feet on the hardwood floor and walk myself to the coffee pot and then I get Maxwell from his crib and he greets me like this, and instantly (truly instantly) I know the day won’t really be as long as I feel it to be. The days are always warm and wonderful. Not having a lot of Maggie time has been making me daydream about sewing, perhaps it’s time to start planning a new sewing project… :)
on the weekends we spend a ton of time together as a family, including lots of walks!
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Today welcomes week #22 of pregnancy. Hello, five months! Fingers crossed there will be some time to snap a few photos for a bump update. The Lord knows I’d love a few minutes with my photographer! ;)
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What kind of life moments have you been taking note of? Wishing you a wonderful day, wherever you may be reading from… XO
You inspire me. Your words are so positive… even on the tough days. I’m currently pregnant {26 weeks} with our first child – a beautiful baby boy. I am so overwhelmed with life in general and then the added stress of bringing a new life into this world honestly sometimes terrifies me.
Thanks for ‘keeping it real’ on the truths about raising a family in an already over-scheduled world. You look amazing and your attitude matches!
*Lu
I think more often than not it’s the world and “outside perspective” that gives us the most stress. Suggestions on how to be a mom are fantastic, but it’s important to always consider the uniqueness of our own families and what would work best for them. I’ll be praying for your stress and fear of raising a little one. Don’t let your mind get ahead of you. Know the true essentials and then take it day by day. If you’re calm your baby will be calm… truly. XO
It’s so great to hear that other mommas out there feel the same way as I do sometimes. I feel so blessed to be staying at home with my daughter, and look forward to it every day, but there are just some days where I long for a little time to myself.
I get caught up during nap times or after bed time cleaning and doing things around the house, when sometimes I just need to be for a little while. It’s just so hard to do!
You also inspire me to live life fully, and give me hope that it won’t be too difficult when we decide to have another. I always look forward to your posts for that reason :)
P.S. The baby kicks were always my favorite part of being pregnant!
Thank you so much for your sweet words… seriously :)
PS. I try to do a little housework while Max is awake. It helps me to not feel like there’s so much undone come end of day, but also shows him we work together around the house. Start small and see how it goes after a couple weeks? And of course remember a kitchen with dishes in it is a kichen that’s used :) — bonus!
You are just the cutest! SO excited for baby #2!
Thank you friend! XO