I'm just another working mom seeking a few moments of Zen and zinfandel between soccer practice and supper. My former beach bartender husband founded 
Summer, originally uploaded by blondemom.
I am guilty of restless, overplanning syndrome.
I always have to have a project, a to do list, a mental neverending Post-It note of errands to run and things to pick up here and drop off there. It’s very hard for me to sit still and just hang out. I may have inherited these tendencies from my mother. I’ll never tell.
Something I’ve struggled with since we started our family and since my husband birthed his “baby,” his business, has been finding balance with it all: motherhood, marriage, work, exercise (or lack thereof), housework, and cooking (or lack thereof).
Lately, thanks to various factors, including much more time working from home for me, I feel like the tide is turning. The girls are getting older and more independent. I have more time to throw on a load of laundry and actually fold it and put it away in one day. Miss C will sit and play contentedly with her My Little Pony brigade for the longest time and Miss A’s mantra is “I do it!” even if it means it takes an extra 7.2 minutes.
Patience mama. Patience.
I am trying to turn off my laptop more, not complain when both the girls end up calling for me in the middle of the night, and pet our old Miss Bailey, rather than get irritated at the dog hair she sheds everywhere.
Time is passing by so quickly and instead of swimming against the hectic pace, I am trying ride the waves a little and notice the little things that make life so special. The girls do it all the time and I marvel at that and get a little sad when I think about that slowly wearing off as they get older and the ordinary stuff of life, like a trip to the public library, is no longer considered an adventure.
“Mommy look at that BE-YOOO-TEE-FULL red sky!” Miss C shouted just the other night at our neighborhood playground. A few minutes later she and Miss A and another little girl played with a tiny frog captured in the too tall green grass. I ignored the fact that it was bedtime and we stayed up late and I even let them eat two ice cream cups each.
Today is Miss C’s last day at daycare. She has been going to the same daycare since she was 13 weeks old. I thought she would be sad, but she’s all “See ya! It’s my last day!”
After today she will have three weeks off and then she enters the big wide world of kindergarten.
She’s ready. She’s been ready.
But until then, I want her to have three weeks to have nothing to do but play, hang out with her grandparents, hang out with mama and Daddy and sissy, go on picnics and on many adventures, search for frogs in the grass, and appreciate each and every sunset.
And just be.
What a beautiful picture and a beautiful sentiment. It is advice that is so hard to take but it is amazing how our children make us notice life’s simple pleasures. I have certainly taken a step back since Harper has discovered the world. Enjoy your time the next few weeks.
We sometimes forget to follow the lead of our children, don’t we. It’s easy to get caught up, I guess. I am going to take your advice this weekend. Mr. Schmitty is off for 3 days, I want the 5 of us to just be.
That picture fits your post so well! I miss the days when my kids were little and happy to just be. Now, they want to go, go, go.
Thanks ya’ll. I’m not sure how I got the photo to look that way (I adjusted the color and saturation) but I like it!
Miss A got up bright and early at 4:59 a.m. wanting a cereal bar and all I really wanted was to “just sleep.”
This will be a great time for the both of you. Make the most of it!
Ahhh . . Kindergarten already, huh? Sounds like she’s ready to take it on. I hope y’all have a great 3 weeks together.
I LOVE this picture and concept. I have so much more to say about the balance thing but I’m out of time…you know trying to shuffle balance….LOL
Hugs,
Holly
I hear you! You said everything I’ve been feeling all day perfectly
My baby is turning one today. How quickly time goes. I’m going to go enjoy my girls….you enjoy yours too!
PS - Fabulous picture
ITA —beautiful picture and beautiful sentiment! Enjoy!
good for you for turning off the laptop! I know it’s a temptation/struggle for parents to overload their kids so I also know you aren’t alone! And if it makes you feel any better, I can not handle silence. I just can’t. I have to have some kind of noise on.
The photo is really fantastic. The girls are going to be so thankful for all of these when they are older.
Wonderful post. When I start working, I hope to turn off the laptop more are night. I hope to finally get into a grove that dosen’t involve avoiding housework.
Such a good reminder to us all. (And especially to me, the queen of tasks and lists.)
I just love the photos – another good one for the fridge!
[...] know, I was all warm and fuzzy about having Miss C home for three weeks and I am thrilled she had a break before kindergarten started (we may hit an afternoon matinee of [...]