{Pleading With Two-Year-Old Twins}

Ever since I found out I was pregnant with twins, I have found myself to be in many awkward situations. I've been asked intrusive questions by strangers, inappropriate comments made about being pregnant with twins, and then of course the messy awkward public scenes once they were born. But now, I can add something new to the list. Awkward moments in the bathroom with twins. 

Last weekend we ventured out for dinner-now that they can sit for a good forty-five minutes to an hour. Right at an hour, Landen  and Caroline became antsy. With Caroline being a recently potty trained, I asked her if she needed to go potty. Agreeing to go, Landen said "me too!" 

I hate public bathrooms and taking two-year-old twins into that germ infested 5x10 room is a real challenge for me.This is one of those moments I had to "be brave."

After watching Landen and Caroline dodge waiters and waitresses on their way to the bathroom we finally made it to the restrooms-geeze a short distance has never felt so long. The kids followed me into the bathroom and into the largest stall. I instructed them in my firm mommy voice not to touch anything-I know that was a stretch. While Caroline did her business I kept an eye on Landen. While we were all in the stall and they were behaving I decided I should go too. 

Worst idea ever. 

In the short amount of time I needed, they both hit the floor looking under the door and stall next to us-yuuuccckkkk! I let out a somewhat quiet shrill, they popped up off the floor. I told them they were going to really have to wash their hands. That was apparently a mistake because Caroline went straight to the lock on the door.  I pleaded for her not to open the door while Landen is simultaneously standing behind me flushing the toilet. Um, yea I wasn't finished..but whatever...Lets just say I have vowed to use the restroom alone-unless I'm desperate. 

Boy do kids know how to keep us on our toes..and give us mini panic attacks! There's another grey hair!

{Time Change: A Mothers Despise}

Landen: "Mommy...Mommy, I need my diaper changed"
Me: "okay buddy just give me  minute."
Landen: "Mommy, my shirt is wet."
Me:(thinking.."ugh why is his shirt wet?") "Just take it off buddy."
Landen: (he's taken his clothes off and in his diaper. I get a clean diaper tossed in my face) "Mommy I NEED my diaper changed, please!"


Okay so how many mama's were up "early" today because of the time change? Like you, I woke up feeling  the pain of the time change.  I was annoyed when looking at the clock because I was already an hour behind what I usually am.  After changing Landen's diaper, we quietly headed downstairs careful not to disturb the rest who were lucky enough to be sleeping.

As Landen and I made our way into the kitchen, Riley, our dog, was eagerly waiting for me to feed him-as I was an hour late. I slowly spun around to the kitchen to fill  Riley's bowl with water and I was greeted by a mountain of dishes in my kitchen sink that trailed down the curve of the countertop was pointed out to me by my Landen. "Messy mommy!"  I looked Landen with glazed eyes, hit the coffee machine button, and fed the dog. Where are those fairy godmothers at 7:00, no I'm sorry, 8:00 in the morning? 

As I drank my coffee, I started thinking about how it's now going to be lighter later. How exciting is that?! Spring is coming which means warmer weather and more time outside! After a family fun day yesterday, I am now thinking we're going to head to the zoo this afternoon. What are you going to do with such a beautiful day? 

Isn't it amazing how the weather has an effect on our motivation and mood? As much as I love snuggling down in the winter and hibernating for awhile, I have to say I'm really excited to be back outside having fun with my husband, Landen, and Caroline. So what are you going to do today?  Me, I'm  going to hurry and tackle that mountain of dishes and laundry so we can get outside to play!  I'm hoping some fresh air will help start this week off on the right!

Wishing you a day of happiness!!

{New Adventures}

Adventures are fun, don't you think?  Motherhood is certainly an on going adventure for me and I have to say It has given me experience to use in new endeavors. 

I'm currently working on a book which will be eventually available on mommyon.org. Blogging has been such a great avenue for me as a mom and it's also a passion I want to share with other mommies. I look forward to sharing it with you when it's complete! 

Has your child(ren) empowered you to do anything you wouldn't have done before?   I see my children living every day to the fullest and I can't help but want the same in my life. I've decided to trust my crazy ideas and go out on a limb on trying new things. The worst that can happen is I fail. But at least I can say I tried! 

Just because your a mom doesn't mean you have to let go of your crazy ideas or hopes and dreams. Use this time in your life to be inspired. Dream a little bit and let your family be apart of your new adventures!

{Do I Dare: Follow-Up}

Winter is not over in Ohio. The next round of winter storms are getting ready to roll in and I am fortunate enough to have the afternoon at home with Landen and Caroline.  I love this "bonus" time home but I have to say what I do with my time is always a debate-with myself. 

Knowing Landen and Caroline have to go down for a nap means I have roughly two hours to myself. I began prioritizing on the way home. I did a quick sweep of items strewn around the house, got the kids in bed, washed out the hair color from spirit day, and then wrestled with the idea of cleaning, napping, or blogging. Do you ever do this? I always try and talk myself out of the mundane things that are always going to be there and enjoy my time doing something I love. Then I actually feel like I had some time for me. If you aren't putting yourself first every once and a while, you NEED to do yourself, and your family, a favor! You will be a better mom for it!

Three weeks ago I made a post titled, " Do I Dare." I mentioned how my friend inspired and motivated me to clean up our basement and set up our workout equipment so I could actually use it. Now, I'll be the first to say finding time in our busy mommy lives is NOT easy. Sometimes we are so busy with work, family, school, and other obligations that we are emotionally, mentally, and physically SPENT.  I've been there and there is no doubt in my mind that I will be feeling those things again in the future. But for now, I have a sense of order in my life that has helped me find time, energy, and strength to become a physically better version of me.

I've always wanted to be a healthy active mom even though I have always thought of exercising (I HATE that word!) as a chore. Since the twins were born, I have wanted Landen and Caroline to grow up around healthy foods and see my husband and I taking care of ourselves through being active and exercising. I decided when Landen and Caroline were infants that I was going to take advantage of the nice weather and walking paths in our neighborhood and walk. But then the  issue with walking  became time. They needed to either eat or sleep and you know I didn't want them falling asleep in the stroller and not in their bed!  So I picked up running-something I said I WOULD NOT EVER do. I have been running ever since. Wanting my children to grow up around healthy choices changed my mindset. My motivation in doing the things I once HATED is partially for me but mostly for Landen and Caroline.

This year has a lot of fun and exciting things coming up and it's motivating to want to be the best version of me. I've eased in to motherhood, I'm finding hobbies, and now it's time to take back my body-as much as I can. Is it because I hate my body, stretch marks, or love handles-No.  It has nothing to do with my physical image anymore and it has everything to do with strength. Becoming a mom has actually made me MORE accepting  of my body which is one of the BEST gifts my children have given me. But I have to say, the bigger they get, the more difficult it is to swing them around and play. I want the endurance to keep up with them this summer at the play grounds and beach. It has NOTHING to do with me and EVERYTHING to do with them.

Are 4:30 wake-up calls fun...honestly it's not bad. Today I was tired but I  drug myself out of bed. The first two weeks were easy and this week has been more of a challenge due to a little boy in our house who has been getting up. But the days that I know I need a break I take them. I know if I do too much I'll burn out and quit altogether. At this point I really don't want anything to cause me to  quit. Feeling good about myself, seeing the scale go down, and my body feel stronger is really helping me be a better mom.

What small change could you make that will help you become healthier. Are you mentally or emotionally exhausted and need an outlet to help you get a much needed break?  If you are resistant, like I usually am, to picking up exercising because that will overwhelm you with everything else going on, take some time to do something fun by yourself or with a friend. Start taking breaks so you can take on each day feeling more fulfilled and eventually, you may want to take a half hour a day or more to strengthen your body physically.

No matter what, take time for YOURSELF. We are busy, but can we really enjoy each and every day with our family and friends if we are always burned out? I'd love to hear what you do for yourself or what you're going to start doing!!

{Near Or Far...You're An Amazing Mom}

I started this blog in October of last year as a way to do something for myself. It was my "hobby" that has become slightly more than a hobby for me. I have had consistent following since October and tonight I sat down to review my stats to see how this blog compares to "successful blogs."  

Upon reviewing page views and such I looked at the "all time" section for viewers and saw a list of countries: U.S, Russia, France, Canada, Italy, Germany, United Kingdom, Costa Rica, Malaysia, and Ukraine.  My small hobby that started in my twins' bedroom has managed to reach around the world. It is mind boggling to me how us moms can be connected not just locally but worldwide. While our culture and daily lives may be very different from one another, we have something that is very much the same...being a mother.  

To those of you near and far....I greatly appreciate the comments you send and posts you make. It is so fun hearing from you all!  My hope is in the next couple of years, I will be able to keep a solid interest and maybe reach out to more moms in a bigger way. 

Moms, what you do on a daily basis for your children and family is no small task. You sacrifice, run on little sleep at times, and do whatever it takes to provide for your child's needs. You leave not only an impression on your child (ren) but you live a lasting impact on society. You all are amazing...near or far! 

 

{Yup, That Was Me!}

If you were at the Chick-fil-a  we were at around 5:45 this evening you would have gotten a great "show." The kids and I walk out to the van together holding hands throughout the week whether we're at a store or going in and out of school. This afternoon we played "stop and go" checking for cars and safely made it into the van after school.   Leaving the restaurant tonight was another story.

I thought I was smart by parking up front by the building on the end. I had the sidewalk in front and a sidewalk on one side so I could make sure Landen and Caroline had a safe place to stand. We get out to the van after dinner with my bag and a drink in my hand.  The car is surrounded by just enough leftover snow and ice to make you take your time. I'm not sure what sparked the moment of chaos inside of Landen and Caroline, but they took off in separate directions running around the van and into a very busy parking lot. I caught them and Landen managed to slip on the ice and fall down.  He let out a loud scream drawling plenty of attention to what was about to become the next "scene" of their act. 

 In the moment of giving Landen a kiss on his face and wiping a tear, Caroline bottled around the front of the van. With me in dress boots and trying to hang on to Landen I spotted her through the windows of the van. She circled around the front and I tried to catch her in the ice on the side of the van but she bolted into the drive-thru traffic. I'm feeling every feeling a mother can at this point. I'm mad, shaken, and totally embarrassed. I'm sure I was good topic of conversation for that very long line of hungry people. I believe I just lost a few years of my life from that experience.  

I don't know about you (as a mom), but I'm sensitive to what those around me think, especially since I'm a teacher of young children. I know I shouldn't care and I should just let it roll off my back, but I can't. Do you ever go through a store and see a "cranky" mom or dad and think "Gosh they're in a mood?" It's really not fair to judge them. I've thought it before...but did I know what had occurred earlier in the day? No. And anyways, what's it matter what I think?

I can tell you this. None of the people in the Chick-fil-a line knew I had been up since early in the morning, started running a household at  6 am, taught my kindergarten class all day, and had just spent two hours in a very busy restaurant in which my kids barely ate anything but probably collected every germ in those gross tunnels and play things.  And now they were making dangerous decisions in an icy parking lot. 

My point is this. We (parents) have to stop and think of others. Instead of thinking, "Gosh, he/she was in a cranky mood" or "He/she wasn't very friendly today," stop and put yourself in their shoes or at least be conscious of the fact that they might have had a rough morning or maybe their plate is so full they are starting to feel it-especially if they are a parent. I have, what I think, is a pretty sunny disposition, but I can tell you this, towards the end of the week, my coffee is STRONG and I'm just happy if I get to work on time with most of what I (or the kids) need for the day. We all have our days and moments as parents when we aren't our best and I can tell you that I too am not always bubbling over with enthusiasm...sometimes I'm lucky to simmer. I assure you at this moment of time, I'm not "sunny."  I may still be recovering tomorrow morning from the five minute ordeal in the parking lot tonight.

For those of you who have had a rough day, week, month, and possibly year, I hope you can find some time to breathe, decompress, and find a way to find a moment or two of peace. I promise if I see you chasing after your kids in a parking lot or losing it in a store, I won't judge you....I'll be sympathizing WITH you!

Wishing I hadn't given up my wine.....

{Its A No Brainer}

Do you ever have moments when you wonder, "why didn't I think of that?" I personally have them all of the time.  When I have a great idea,  that I think is original, I like to share it with other moms! 

As a mother of twins and teacher I drink a lot of coffee (I am drinking a cup as we speak!) and I like to drink the Coffee-mate natural bliss sweet cream creamer. I wish I would have thought of this sooner, but better late than never, but the creamer conatainers are awesome for holding all kinds of things for little ones-snacks to art supplies! 

Now I have to tell you may want to get a funnel. It would just make filling the conatainers easier when it comes to small items like cereal or seeds/nuts or beads if your storing art supplies. We have spent a lot of money on Ziploc containers and so it's nice to have these, practically free, storage containers that are great in the car. The containers fit in cup holders whether it's in a backpack, diaper bag, or in the door of your minivan!