Really, 2014?

A week and a half in and I already need a do-over on this new year.  It's just been a rough first full week of 2014.  

It all started with comments made to me (by leadership) regarding my pumping at work.  Apparently there were some individuals who were unaware of the federal laws in place that protect nursing mothers when they return to work...  All is well, now, but it made for a really long week full of stress and anxiety.  

I found a great website, here, that really broke down what the law means. 

This week was also the week of no afternoon naps for Jackson.  It just never happened.  Amelia and Joey are so cooped up right now that they are like wild animals.  They run all over, they scream/shriek, they fight and then, occasionally, they get along like best friends.  In the midst of all the chaos that is our house right now poor little man just can't stay asleep.  As a result - he cries.  Babywearing has helped a ton but there are also times when I just can't have him strapped to me like, for instance, when giving bath to the older two.  Just not a great idea I'm thinking. 

Add in -30* actual temperatures, -50* wind chills, no laundry getting done (I usually do a load as soon as a basket  can be filled) and so much more - yeah, this week has got me down. 

I have lost my temper a lot this week.  I don't like it.  The kids don't like it.  It's making me a grump.

So here's to a fresh start...again.  

I have three little ones who don't need such a crabby mommy :)

Happy New Year...again!

Blog Break

I took a little (unplanned) break from this space for the past two weeks! In fact, this is the first time I have opened my computer in that whole time.  I haven't been totally "unplugged" thanks to the fancy smartphone ;)

I've been so drained the past few weeks.  Winter is getting to me this year.  I'm ready for spring.  Work takes so much out of me lately that I have been napping on the couch while Joe sleeps and Amelia watches Netflix or PBS.  Joe has discovered the tantrum and he exhibits it daily.  Amelia's communication is so up and down lately.  Some days she makes perfect sense (to me) and the next day she is speaking "Boo-ese" (gibberish) again.  It's exhausting.   

Thankfully, in the midst of all the chaos there are plenty of heartwarming moments.  

Love those two!

Just Go With It

One thing that I have gotten a lot better at is going with the flow.  I may have an idea of how I want a day/night to go but ultimately it really isn't up to me.  Things come up, people have moods (myself included) and life isn't always predictable.

Take today for example - I had a plan.  My plan was to come home and make baby food.  Did I?  Nope!  Why?  Because when we went to walk over our rental renewal the landlord had turned on the sprinklers for the kids to play in.  She wanted to play too so I just went with it.  I let her run through the sprinklers - fully clothed.  After a bit I grabbed her so we could drop off the renewal and then we went home, changed her into her suit and a swim diaper and back out we went until dinner time.

She had a blast and even came back from playing with the other kids to make sure her brother had a good time:

She pushed him right up to a sprinkler and splashed him with water.  He was laughing and having the best time!  He, of course, was not dressed for water play but that's ok - we just went with it.  

I let making baby food go for tonight.   As a mother, I've learned that when the unexpected happens just to go with it.  It's not worth trying to fight it to hold onto the plan that I had in mind.  All that causes is frustration.  I wasn't meant to make baby food tonight and that's ok.  I'll try again tomorrow and hopefully it works out.  

I'm not perfect and there are still days when I try way too hard to hold onto my idea of how the day/night should have gone.  But in general, I am trying to embrace the concept of acceptance and going with the flow of things.  The days that I am successful in this are really the best days of the week!