These Are the Moments

Lately on Facebook a little story has been going around about a mom at the park who is so busy on her phone that she is missing out on what her child is experiencing. The first time I read it I felt the tiniest bit of guilt because, yeah, that is me sometimes. Even when we're at home, even at the dinner table; sad. Mad Maddie hates when I'm on my phone and at the same time her own obsession with technology is growing. I put her off so I can read something, so she finds an Ipad and watches a movie.

Last year she couldn't figure out how to pedal. This year she just hopped on and did it! And I was there to see those first moments of glee in her eyes as she pushed that bicycle forward. Priceless.

Shortly after reading that we were at the park and I looked around at everyone doing just that, missing out on beautiful moments because they are so distracted with their phones or even just gossiping with friends on the benches. One woman walked her toddler down, unpacked him from his huge fancy stroller, followed him around the park, all while talking on her hands free set. He wanted to swing, she pushed him two times and then took him out and walked away, never saying two words to him. He wandered around, too small to get to the top of the slide on his own or play on any of the other toys at all, until she picked up him (still on her phone) and headed home. They were there for 15 minutes on a BEAUTIFUL, rare, early Spring day and she was too busy talking to a friend about some dance drama (can you see that I have a knack for eavesdropping during my own park trips? An hour of swing pushing requires entertainment) to even help her boy play.

I took this selfie and then melted to see how he was looking at me. He loves me! I feel like I don't deserve it sometimes, but I'm trying.

So I've committed to less. Less phone time, less putting my Maddie off, less computer when I could be playing. Just less of everything that isn't being WITH my babies. I'm grouchy. Most days my tank starts off on empty and just depletes completely by the afternoon. This is all the more reason to be more present with them. To SEE their beautiful moments. To say YES more often when she asks me to help cook/clean/fold or to push her for an hour in the swing. To instill in them the memory that when they were young their mama wasn't perfect, but she was there. As a result I feel more guilt about my lack of patience but less guilt about what I am not giving them. I've found myself on the floor playing more often than ever before and it feels good. When I go to the park I don't have a million Iphone pictures to show for it because I make the conscience choice to leave my phone in the stroller, where it doesn't call to me.

I do, however keep my phone with me during dress up hour. Our favorite.

Next week he'll be in the Tinkerbell costume, Maddie is dying to put it on him.

They hug on each other all day. He climbs all over her when she is near.

I try to find moments to fill my tank so the next day I can be better and more patient. I don't have the luxury of spending time out of the house without my kids and I always feel like I need some recovery time so I can't really ask for it constantly. Sweet Jaime is attached to me nearly 24/7, so I'm needing to find things that fill me up without taking too much time. One of those moments is when I am nursing him to sleep at night, especially now that it is still light when I put him to bed (I love the sun, I want to marry it, for reals). We nurse and snuggle, then when he falls asleep I stretch out and lay beside him for 20 or 30 minutes, letting him fall into a deep sleep before moving him to his bed. The quiet time is good and my bed is comfy with him snoring next to me. Tonight, after my quiet 20 minutes with Jaime, I got the kitchen cleaned up and got Mad ready and into bed. It all felt so much easier; my tank had been filled enough to get me through the evening.

Nursing him when he is tired is heaven to me.

She found this pretty dead flower for me. I treasure it.

Caffeinated

This morning I was up with the birds (wait, the birds haven't arrived home....Spring is not yet in full swing), or the babies, so I could sneak downstairs and do some yoga. Because if I want to do something for myself I have to make time for it. Me time doesn't just fit into my day and it isn't easy managing it all if I somehow did fit time in. So that is how it is; I either wake early or don't get me time, or a shower. I was up and stretched, and showered, and dressed, before 9 AM, a little Jaime with tired eyes ready to help me make coffee and share my morning banana.

He started out excited to have mama all to himself.

That coffee? I drank the whole press. That day? It lasted for ever. FOR.EVER. Maddie was gone and, yeah, that makes life a little less hectic, but boring. Boring as hell. And Jaime felt the brunt of it. He took two really great long naps in his crib and then in my bed before 1PM. Then he didn't want to nap the rest of the day. We cycled through toy after toy, rearranged baskets (you guys, I'm obsessed with baskets) so there were new fun things to discover, and tried to clean sisters room while she was away, but eventually fussing was all that was left to do. All the while I was thinking thinking thinking. I forget to talk outloud when Maddie isn't around. Or maybe I don't, I just think out loud and don't realize it? Anyway, it was a long day and we had a hard time staying entertained.

So happy to have his best friend back. Also, Maddie is obsessed with naked.

With the kids finally in bed I get to relax.

HA.

I did the second load of dishes for the day. Swept the floors. Picked up toys. Folded towels. Thought about folding the clothes in the dryer (still thinking about it). Mopped the floors. Got annoyed because my floors never look shiny anymore and I can't figure out why. Wiped the appliances down. Made a drink. "Ahhhhhhh" (pretty sure I thought that one rather than saying it)......and sat down to write this post. It isn't at all what I had wanted to write. It isn't eloquent or thoughtful at all really. It just is. This is life for me right now. I'm constantly trying to keep up and it's nearly impossible. I'm trying to be healthy (more on that another time, I hope) and fit all while being the attentive loving mother I long to be for my babies. It's hard.

Stainless steel is pretty but, my Lord, the fingerprints.

 Also, I made this yummy lunch for Stephen and I.

Half an avocado filled with chopped spinach, a fried egg, bacon, and topped with siracha.

 He sent me a text from his office in the basement saying it was delicious. I was so happy. Then I saw his plate in the sink with half of the avocado and half the spinach still on the plate (I guess he thought it was basil?). I knew it was not delicious. Am I the only one who struggles to make food that isn't just enjoyable for myself? I can make food I like. I can make food Maddie likes. But I just sort of miss the mark when it comes to The AngryBear. I hate it.

7 Months

Oh Jaime. You are a crazy 7 month old baby. You are huge. HUGE. How my biceps are not enormous carrying your 21 pound self around all day, I'm really not sure, but they should be. You are extremely restless and keeping you happy all day has gotten to be a very difficult task. You have always loved to be carried but now even that is hard! I try to sit you on my hip and you lock your knees, pushing your little feet against my belly trying to stand on my body instead.You can't crawl, or even get on all fours, but it's obvious to you that you are the only one in the house that can't move on your own and it makes you ANGRY. When you play with toys you really play with them now, rather than just try to put everything in your mouth. In fact, I've started seeing your little brain working as you turn toys around in your hands, examining every facet of how they work. It's amazing to watch you try every button and dial, then turn the whole toy over to see what is on the other side. I only have your sister to compare to, obviously, and she played with these toys so differently than you do. There is so much thought put into your playtime and I feel like you will be so thoughtful and intelligent. I'm a little scared I won't be able to keep up with you!

You are a mama's boy, this is true, but finally your stranger (or not so stranger anxiety) has begun to ease. If you are tired or hungry you can be crabby, searching the room for you mama and then crying out when you find me, but most of the time you are easily distracted by smiles and kisses. When you need me I am always right there and you reach your entire body for mine so we are back together again. You have been nursing so well and really haven't experienced much in the way of "table" food. I let you feed yourself some squash or sweet potato in a little mesh feeder, but you eat the equivalent of 1/4 jar of baby food, MAYBE. I guess in my 2nd time mama wisdom I have remembered that all too soon you will be eating me out of house and home, like your sister does, and we are just enjoying this time that my mama milk satisfies all of your nutritional needs. You do nurse a lot, of course. We nurse in the Ergo baby carrier often so you can nurse to sleep and be carried against me while you take a long nap. It's exhausting and amazing all at the same time. This month I should skip talking about nights because my eyes are red and burning from all the sleep I am not getting. I won't blame it all on you, because your sister contributes, but this mama is tired and I'm wondering how my babies aren't exhausted every day!

Not an unusual scene. Frazzled mama, annoyed baby.

A very unusual scene. Snoozing on daddy's lap.

Jameson, you have made our family so happy. Your beautiful smile, contagious laugh, sweet snuggles and delightful squeals fill our lives with goodness. Thank you. I know your daddy and sister are just as in love with you as I am. xoxo

Some outakes from our 7 month photo shoot......you wiggle. A lot.

This is what happens whenever you are on your back.

6 Months

6 months old. That is halfway to a year! Time please stop. Sweet Jaime. You are so happy OR so extremely angry/sad. You've really blossomed a personality this month and gone are the perfectly content days of your infanthood. You know that you want to move, but can't. You see things and want them. You want to be held and walked around the house all day, so I carry you in our carrier. You cook, clean, eat, and sleep with me this way and I love it. You love to sit up on your own to play. Mostly you like to play with sister. She is amazing to you, as are the cats, and you laugh whenever you see her, even though she hasn't done anything funny. We dance and sing to make you happy. Music really speaks to you and I think you must get that from your daddy. You sleep mostly terribly until you are finally next to me in bed. I know people think I create a monster with my kids and my bed but the truth is you DEMAND it and I just listen. I love you and will give you what you need to thrive, especially if all you need is my closeness and love. During this month you got some major stranger anxiety, but here we are just out of 6 months and it has started to subside, just as I knew it would if I continued to protect you and respect your need for me. But, that is news for next months (late) update. Your hair is fuzzy and soft. Daddy, Maddie, and I all love to rub our faces against your head, we just can't help it, you feel so good. You still love to nurse and toward the end of the month I started to see some relaxation on how/where we nurse. Before it was ONLY in bed, lying down, when it was very quiet. By the end of the month we started to practice nursing in the Ergo baby carrier and would sneak in some nursing on the couch again. I look forward to the days when I can go anywhere without worrying about feeding you. Although, speaking of eating, you are over 20lbs and are nearly 30 inches long without eating any solid table food. I am so proud of the fact that I made it 6 months without a single supplemental feeding and you are absolutely thriving on my milk. We've let you have some of a banana or avocado but you aren't interested in slurping puree from a spoon so I haven't really pushed it. Clearly you are healthy and will eat more food when you need and want it.

I love you. I adore you. You are beautiful and handsome and happy. You are mine, and I feel so lucky. Stay little my sweet baby, please stop growing!

 

Our first time nursing in the Ergo. We are now pros and nurse like this while we grocery shop!

You are obsessed with the cats. They are, well, not so much...but this day they wanted to nap on your changing table and let you pet them in exchange.

*I am so tired and didn't even bother proofreading this post. If it makes no sense, well, just take that as proof of how much energy this boy has.