"Mom, can I have a friend over to play tomorrow?" my 4 yr old begged me again and again.
"Sure, who?"
"Max".
Max is our 17 yr old cousin. :) Today, Kyle asked to play with Richie, the 13 yr old cousin.
We have loved spending time with family this week as so many have come together because of the funeral, and then Sunday for our baby blessing. I LOVE FAMILY! I would love to have a play date with any of you any day.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
a great woman
Grandma Bassett just died. She's technically Rob's grandma, but I couldn't have loved her more.
Grandma Bassett is one of those people that just LOVES you. Her family is her world, but her family includes about everyone who walks into her house. She makes no pretense of who she is or what her expectations are. Shoot, you know what she think, and she will tell you what she thinks you should do. But she also really gets to know you. I've noticed that when most people (myself included) talk, it often seems that they are almost more interested in talking about themselves than really hearing what the other person has to say and think. She is one of those people that really wants to know about YOU. And she remembers and will ask about what you have talked about later. For example, she knows what's going on in my life, my kids, and even always asks about my extended family, not out of politeness, but real interest. And it's not just me. At family dinners, many times she sits with her great-grandkids, the 3-6 yr. olds, and carry conversations with them that are just as important to her as with people her age.
I am trying to be that kind of person. The kind who really listens. OK, "trying" is the key word... I'm certainly not there yet.
Grandma Bassett is one of those people that just LOVES you. Her family is her world, but her family includes about everyone who walks into her house. She makes no pretense of who she is or what her expectations are. Shoot, you know what she think, and she will tell you what she thinks you should do. But she also really gets to know you. I've noticed that when most people (myself included) talk, it often seems that they are almost more interested in talking about themselves than really hearing what the other person has to say and think. She is one of those people that really wants to know about YOU. And she remembers and will ask about what you have talked about later. For example, she knows what's going on in my life, my kids, and even always asks about my extended family, not out of politeness, but real interest. And it's not just me. At family dinners, many times she sits with her great-grandkids, the 3-6 yr. olds, and carry conversations with them that are just as important to her as with people her age.
I am trying to be that kind of person. The kind who really listens. OK, "trying" is the key word... I'm certainly not there yet.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Every parents dilemma
We have 6 bedrooms in our house. (And anyone is welcome to come visit and stay in one). Six. So why must all 5 members of my family end up in one bedroom every night? And you can guess whose.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Making happiness my quest
My mom wrote a blog about finding happiness, and suggested listing 10 things that make me happy. Perhaps with a twinge of baby blues or the winter doldrums, this has got me thinking. What really makes me happy? Not smiley, but deep down happy. And how often do I spend my precious free time doing things that in fact do not make me happy? Like tonight. I watched several episodes of a not-so-funny sitcom while I fed my baby. (The feeding my baby was good, but why ruin it with mindless blah).
So here's my list:
-Let's see. I really like to learn. I started crying this summer when I got to go to education week. Yes, I'm a geek.
-I am happy exercising, especially with my family.
-I am happy talking with friends, especially girl friends.
-I am happy when my house is clean.
-I am happy when I am creating something...other than a baby-I'm a little grumpy sometimes when I'm pregnant.
-I am happy sitting outside, especially in the warm sun.
Didn't make it to 10, but it's a start, and I'm still working on my list. And I'm trying to do things that actually make me happy, rather than just do things that are easy... like crash in front of the tv.
I want to be happy. I'm not sad, but I want to feel more fulfilled. I am pursuing happiness, not just waiting for it to land on me. I recently reread the Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, which by the way is fabulous. At the beginning of the main character's quest, he learns, When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it. I believe it, too. It's the power of visualization. So to begin my happiness quest, I'm figuring out what really makes me happy, and then begin doing it. As I become more in tune with what makes me happy, I more closely follow the mission that God wants me to do here, which of course makes everybody happy.
The last couple days, I've been starting to do what makes me happy. Tonight, I took my time smiling at my baby while bathing him in the sink. I started to sew (create) a dust ruffle for a baby crib. I sat outside in the sun (even took my coat off for a little while). I ran on the treadmill and I pulled out an old Biology book and started reading it while exercising.
I know, I'm a nerd. But I will be a happy nerd.
At the risk of no one responding, I still would love to hear anyone else list of what makes them happy.
So here's my list:
-Let's see. I really like to learn. I started crying this summer when I got to go to education week. Yes, I'm a geek.
-I am happy exercising, especially with my family.
-I am happy talking with friends, especially girl friends.
-I am happy when my house is clean.
-I am happy when I am creating something...other than a baby-I'm a little grumpy sometimes when I'm pregnant.
-I am happy sitting outside, especially in the warm sun.
Didn't make it to 10, but it's a start, and I'm still working on my list. And I'm trying to do things that actually make me happy, rather than just do things that are easy... like crash in front of the tv.
I want to be happy. I'm not sad, but I want to feel more fulfilled. I am pursuing happiness, not just waiting for it to land on me. I recently reread the Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, which by the way is fabulous. At the beginning of the main character's quest, he learns, When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it. I believe it, too. It's the power of visualization. So to begin my happiness quest, I'm figuring out what really makes me happy, and then begin doing it. As I become more in tune with what makes me happy, I more closely follow the mission that God wants me to do here, which of course makes everybody happy.
The last couple days, I've been starting to do what makes me happy. Tonight, I took my time smiling at my baby while bathing him in the sink. I started to sew (create) a dust ruffle for a baby crib. I sat outside in the sun (even took my coat off for a little while). I ran on the treadmill and I pulled out an old Biology book and started reading it while exercising.
I know, I'm a nerd. But I will be a happy nerd.
At the risk of no one responding, I still would love to hear anyone else list of what makes them happy.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Yes, still trying
Saying yes...
Yes you can have yogurt
Yes you can have a piece of candy
Yes you can hold the baby for a minute
Yes you can watch Diego. Just not today (Does this still count?)
Yes you can go outside in the backyard and play in the snow
Yes... no, you can not have more candy (They keep asking me this!)
Yes you can give me a 5 minute foot massage. :)
Yes you can have yogurt
Yes you can have a piece of candy
Yes you can hold the baby for a minute
Yes you can watch Diego. Just not today (Does this still count?)
Yes you can go outside in the backyard and play in the snow
Yes... no, you can not have more candy (They keep asking me this!)
Yes you can give me a 5 minute foot massage. :)
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
YES!
Rob is a yes-man. The kids ask something and he will usually say yes. Sometimes, when he's not paying attention, I will catch an unrealistic request and ask him if he even knows what he just said yes to. I'm the opposite. I usually say no or we'll see, and then think about it before I say yes.
So as the new year begins I am trying to say Yes! to my kids. YES! Even "Yes, I can in a little bit" is better than "No, you are going to have to wait". Resist the urge to do everything my way or to prevent every mess. I want my kids to be Yes! kids... ones who will try, who will look outside the box to make things work. Heck, I want to be that kind of person.
So yesterday, I said Yes! and took my kids sledding. Sure I sat in the warm car the whole time with the baby, but my kids had a fantastic time. And I got to start a new book. Kids are happy. Mom's happy. There are perks to this Yes! thing.
So as the new year begins I am trying to say Yes! to my kids. YES! Even "Yes, I can in a little bit" is better than "No, you are going to have to wait". Resist the urge to do everything my way or to prevent every mess. I want my kids to be Yes! kids... ones who will try, who will look outside the box to make things work. Heck, I want to be that kind of person.
So yesterday, I said Yes! and took my kids sledding. Sure I sat in the warm car the whole time with the baby, but my kids had a fantastic time. And I got to start a new book. Kids are happy. Mom's happy. There are perks to this Yes! thing.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
The nurse who can't nurse
Here I am, my 3rd attempt at breastfeeding. I know I should have learned from my previous 2, but I still find myself sobbing at 4 in the morning because I do not have an adequate milk supply to sustain my baby. I pump. I nurse. With another child, I even took medication and tried herbal stuff to help augment my milk supply. Still never enough.
I still breastfeed, because, you know, breast is best. But I pump afterwards and supplement with a bottle of formula, too. I really don't like pumping. And I'm hoping that my 4 week old will finally be back up to his birth weight at his next Dr. visit in a couple days.
Nobody is judging me that I can't nurse exclusively. Heavens knows I've never judged ill another mom who bottle fed her baby! My husband is so supportive about whatever I do. Shoot, he has even suggested that I stop nursing just because of how stressed I get about it. So why do I beat myself up with guilt about this? Why do we do this to ourselves? Let ourselves feel inadequate, especially about things that we are trying so hard to do?
Why?
I still breastfeed, because, you know, breast is best. But I pump afterwards and supplement with a bottle of formula, too. I really don't like pumping. And I'm hoping that my 4 week old will finally be back up to his birth weight at his next Dr. visit in a couple days.
Nobody is judging me that I can't nurse exclusively. Heavens knows I've never judged ill another mom who bottle fed her baby! My husband is so supportive about whatever I do. Shoot, he has even suggested that I stop nursing just because of how stressed I get about it. So why do I beat myself up with guilt about this? Why do we do this to ourselves? Let ourselves feel inadequate, especially about things that we are trying so hard to do?
Why?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)