Twenty Things:
1. I have not blogged specifically because I've put all this pressure on myself to get Quinn's birth story written and the photos edited from that day in the hospital so THAT can be my next post. Just edited the last photo. have not written the tale. Hence--- no blog post. Why do I set these limits on myself?
2. I am the WORST typist. GEEZ. Especially as I try to crank out Twenty Things with a sleeping baby in the sling, so my left arm is extra wonky... These typos get a simmering pool of self-rage started. I know it's boring to admit this, but if I could have any superpower in the world, it would be to type with perfect accuracy all the time. BO-RING.
3. I just backed up all my current iPhone photos. I've had this iPhone for about 90 days. I am too embarrassed to confess how many photos I just backed up. This device has enabled my already obsessive memory-keeping to ramp up to addictive proportions. Intervention, maybe?
4. I bought my very first pair of yoga pants the week before Quinn arrived, for hospital and post-partum comfort. WHY HAVE I NOT OWNED THESE PANTS SOONER?! Confession: With them being snug up top and loose at the bottom, and a nice new unfaded shade of black, I totally feel more "dressed up"/stylish in these pants than probably any of my other pairs of pants right now. Weird? Yeah, I know. It's a testament to just how low my personal style situation has gotten.
5. Quinn is, thus far, our best sleeper yet. I honestly don't even feel sleep deprivation at this time. With the AWFUL sleep I was getting that last several weeks of pregnancy, I'm no worse for the wear with this newborn than I was then. My stamina is built up, maybe. Quinn will nap from 7pm-10pm with a sleepy feeding in there, and will then sleep for the night from 10:30pmish until FOUR AM sometimes. 3:30am other times. Every once in a while he'll mess with us and wake at 1 or 2... but by and large his big sleep is 10:30-3:30 or 4. AMAZING. I'm sure I just jinxed it. After that 4:00am waking/feeding, he'll then eat/sleep simultaneously the rest of the night on my chest as I sleep-feed him reclined on our comfy couch from 4am-7:30am. I seriously am getting really good sleep. Weird.
6. I printed those New Mama Affirmations from last week. Printed them out at 8x10 mounted on mat board. I'm going to use command strips to hang them on our still-unpainted/but stripped dining room wall. I spend most of my time in this room, so they'll get seen and absorbed better in here.
7. Quinn is now 5 weeks old. We've been getting into a pretty good rhythm around here. In fact, the hardest thing these days isn't him, it's that the necessary rhythm is chafing me a bit--- I'm getting restless and bored. And being restless leads me to think too much about what I wish I could be doing or accomplishing. When I've been trying to remind myself to sit in the stillness and the routine-ness and be at peace... that this is a rare and short time when all that is required of me is to hold this baby and care for my other kiddos from home. Nothing extra.
8. Things we can't live without around here in New Baby Land:
* sound machines
* slings/wraps: the Moby, the mei tai, the pouch sling
* swaddle blankets, including the Miracle Blanket and the Woombie
* Pampers Swaddlers newborn-sized diapers. These SMELL like new baby to me.
* the boppy
* remote-control doors on our new old minivan
* each other-- Joe and I. We HAVE to work together consistently to survive this. He's amazing at it.
9. So far, the worst part of my day would have to be when I've not managed to eat breakfast and we're doing the morning hustle, just the kids and I. Getting Lucy and Noah in shoes and jackets, Quinn buckled into the carseat, managing keys and the pumpkin seat AND Lucy's hand since she still can't manage stairs or the rocky path walk without stumbling a bit... All while Quinn is beginning an epic wail session.... All while it begins to set in that I've not eaten and I'm getting a bit "hangry".... N.O.T. G.O.O.D.
10. And the best part of my day? Would have to be those few moments I manage to do something with all three of the kids that previously failed spectacularly or is something I expect to fail spectacularly, and we somehow manage to rock it. I.e. we make the whole drive to Noah's school without a peep from Quinn. Or we manage to run into the grocery store and get a few things bought and back out to the car with no meltdowns. Or every kid is eating and happy and I am somehow eating a meal myself. Anytime I'm managing to "succeed" at this new life (and these are usually in small time increments... 15 minutes tops), it's a good moment. The best, actually.
11. Or the other best part of my day is getting to watch any one of my kids sleep for a little bit with no interruption... Or when I get to hug one of them with BOTH arms for as long as I (they) want.
12. We're in limbo in our home this season. Don't think I've mentioned that here.... Though it's been a niggling little worry in the back of my head for several months now. Our dear friend Kate who owns the house is planning to put this house on the market this spring. It may sell. May not. Meanwhile, we might have an opportunity to move to Joe's parents' house in the summer. Or we may not. If Kate's house doesn't sell but the other house opens up, we have a decision to make there. Or if Kate's house DOES sell and the other house is NOT available... that's a big one, too. Bottom line: WE HAVE NO CLUE. I confess as we look at the possibility of having to move, after three years pushing against this house being "ours"-- not embracing it as fully as we should have-- I am really REALLY sad about leaving. And hoping we don't have to. Not yet. Not yet. But if we DO have to move, two things:
A. I know it'll be a good shake-up for us. New places bring new energy and new creativity and necessary and goodly "stuff"-purging.
B. Wherever we go, I will NOT put off "making it our own" like I did with this one. What a waste of time that could've been spent energizing our space with US.
13. I put mascara on every day. And pencil in my scant eyebrows. I may not manage a daily shower (SO impossible these days!)... but it's a quirk of mine that I MUST get those two makeup things done in the morning. They help me feel like "me" and like I can face the day.
14. Pop culture we're indulging in this season:
(me)-Bachelor, Biggest Loser, Vampire Diaries, Candy Crush Saga, Dr. Phil, Let's Make a Deal, Facebook, Instagram, Downton Abbey, Castle.
(Noah)- Transformers (classic), Transformers RescueBots, emoji note-typing on my old iTouch, Minecraft, Jetpack Joyride, Calvin & Hobbes.
(Lucy)- Yo Gabba Gabba, Sesame Street.
(Joe)- Avengers Alliance, Facebook, Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, Arsenal and MLS soccer, Minecraft, Ghostbusters game, Dr. Who, The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret.
15. I am having visceral, gut-tingling anticipation for Spring this year. I want to plant zinnias and marigolds, splurge on too many geraniums... give Noah a garden patch of his own this year. I want to go on long walks with Quinn and Lucy while Noah is in school. I want to sit on the back steps in bare feet while Lucy and Noah run around the back yard. I want to walk alongside Noah as he rides his training-wheeled bike to the playground. I want to get to the Botanical Gardens' Children's Garden when it opens back up. I want to see tulips and daffodils and lilacs and forsythias. I need this.
16. I have my first session back in the saddle this weekend. (Hi, Julie! sometimes I think my Quinn looks like he should be named "Max". Weird?) I am starting back slowly--- only two full-sized sessions a month for the spring, with a wait-and-see approach to the summer's session count. I am excited to shoot again, but equally excited to not have my usual workload.
17. Lucy's 2nd birthday is creeping up on me and I am shocked and surprised every time I really think on it. I want to have a small party for her. Crazy? Yeah. But worth it. I love my girl. I love spring. I want to celebrate her. Thinking I'll do a quick, simple "rainbow" birthday party theme.
18. Raise your hand if you have spices in your spice rack/cabinet that were supposed to be "best by" 2005 or so? *sheepishly raising hand* I gotta think that's actually rather common with spices. Yeah? No? I was purging/sorting our spice cabinet today (don't ask... it was one of those "seize the moments when it happens" moments and it feels AMAZING to have done it.) and it was scandalous how many spices I'd kept since our early marriage. No master chefs here, clearly.
19. If/when I get to sit back down at my sewing table, these are my next projects, in order:
A. "creeper" tshirt for Noah, inspired by my friend Bettina, who made one for her son.
B. quick and painless oilcloth trash bucket for our minivan
C. QUINN'S QUILT. It's not a hard design. I could probably start and finish it in 3 hours total. I just have to DO IT.
20. I am feeling a pull to get in better touch with my spirit and feeding my soul. I need to pray more. Read more scripture. Apply spiritual principles to my daily grind more. I need to give over my burdens to my Savior more. I need to let go and love more. I'm going to tie a scrap of fabric on my wrist tonight and let that remind me for the next week or two to stop and say a quick prayer, say a few sincere thank yous... and remember to care for my soul a few more times a day. Maybe by the time the fabric is frayed and dingy, I'll be better at doing this and less in need of that visual reminder.
*
Twenty things. Not related, nothing too deep or pressing... But there it is. and now I have blogged. Next up, a birth story. And some Quinn photos. I DID take newborn photos of him, I swear it.
* the boppy
* remote-control doors on our new old minivan
* each other-- Joe and I. We HAVE to work together consistently to survive this. He's amazing at it.
9. So far, the worst part of my day would have to be when I've not managed to eat breakfast and we're doing the morning hustle, just the kids and I. Getting Lucy and Noah in shoes and jackets, Quinn buckled into the carseat, managing keys and the pumpkin seat AND Lucy's hand since she still can't manage stairs or the rocky path walk without stumbling a bit... All while Quinn is beginning an epic wail session.... All while it begins to set in that I've not eaten and I'm getting a bit "hangry".... N.O.T. G.O.O.D.
10. And the best part of my day? Would have to be those few moments I manage to do something with all three of the kids that previously failed spectacularly or is something I expect to fail spectacularly, and we somehow manage to rock it. I.e. we make the whole drive to Noah's school without a peep from Quinn. Or we manage to run into the grocery store and get a few things bought and back out to the car with no meltdowns. Or every kid is eating and happy and I am somehow eating a meal myself. Anytime I'm managing to "succeed" at this new life (and these are usually in small time increments... 15 minutes tops), it's a good moment. The best, actually.
11. Or the other best part of my day is getting to watch any one of my kids sleep for a little bit with no interruption... Or when I get to hug one of them with BOTH arms for as long as I (they) want.
12. We're in limbo in our home this season. Don't think I've mentioned that here.... Though it's been a niggling little worry in the back of my head for several months now. Our dear friend Kate who owns the house is planning to put this house on the market this spring. It may sell. May not. Meanwhile, we might have an opportunity to move to Joe's parents' house in the summer. Or we may not. If Kate's house doesn't sell but the other house opens up, we have a decision to make there. Or if Kate's house DOES sell and the other house is NOT available... that's a big one, too. Bottom line: WE HAVE NO CLUE. I confess as we look at the possibility of having to move, after three years pushing against this house being "ours"-- not embracing it as fully as we should have-- I am really REALLY sad about leaving. And hoping we don't have to. Not yet. Not yet. But if we DO have to move, two things:
A. I know it'll be a good shake-up for us. New places bring new energy and new creativity and necessary and goodly "stuff"-purging.
B. Wherever we go, I will NOT put off "making it our own" like I did with this one. What a waste of time that could've been spent energizing our space with US.
13. I put mascara on every day. And pencil in my scant eyebrows. I may not manage a daily shower (SO impossible these days!)... but it's a quirk of mine that I MUST get those two makeup things done in the morning. They help me feel like "me" and like I can face the day.
14. Pop culture we're indulging in this season:
(me)-Bachelor, Biggest Loser, Vampire Diaries, Candy Crush Saga, Dr. Phil, Let's Make a Deal, Facebook, Instagram, Downton Abbey, Castle.
(Noah)- Transformers (classic), Transformers RescueBots, emoji note-typing on my old iTouch, Minecraft, Jetpack Joyride, Calvin & Hobbes.
(Lucy)- Yo Gabba Gabba, Sesame Street.
(Joe)- Avengers Alliance, Facebook, Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, Arsenal and MLS soccer, Minecraft, Ghostbusters game, Dr. Who, The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret.
15. I am having visceral, gut-tingling anticipation for Spring this year. I want to plant zinnias and marigolds, splurge on too many geraniums... give Noah a garden patch of his own this year. I want to go on long walks with Quinn and Lucy while Noah is in school. I want to sit on the back steps in bare feet while Lucy and Noah run around the back yard. I want to walk alongside Noah as he rides his training-wheeled bike to the playground. I want to get to the Botanical Gardens' Children's Garden when it opens back up. I want to see tulips and daffodils and lilacs and forsythias. I need this.
16. I have my first session back in the saddle this weekend. (Hi, Julie! sometimes I think my Quinn looks like he should be named "Max". Weird?) I am starting back slowly--- only two full-sized sessions a month for the spring, with a wait-and-see approach to the summer's session count. I am excited to shoot again, but equally excited to not have my usual workload.
17. Lucy's 2nd birthday is creeping up on me and I am shocked and surprised every time I really think on it. I want to have a small party for her. Crazy? Yeah. But worth it. I love my girl. I love spring. I want to celebrate her. Thinking I'll do a quick, simple "rainbow" birthday party theme.
18. Raise your hand if you have spices in your spice rack/cabinet that were supposed to be "best by" 2005 or so? *sheepishly raising hand* I gotta think that's actually rather common with spices. Yeah? No? I was purging/sorting our spice cabinet today (don't ask... it was one of those "seize the moments when it happens" moments and it feels AMAZING to have done it.) and it was scandalous how many spices I'd kept since our early marriage. No master chefs here, clearly.
19. If/when I get to sit back down at my sewing table, these are my next projects, in order:
A. "creeper" tshirt for Noah, inspired by my friend Bettina, who made one for her son.
B. quick and painless oilcloth trash bucket for our minivan
C. QUINN'S QUILT. It's not a hard design. I could probably start and finish it in 3 hours total. I just have to DO IT.
20. I am feeling a pull to get in better touch with my spirit and feeding my soul. I need to pray more. Read more scripture. Apply spiritual principles to my daily grind more. I need to give over my burdens to my Savior more. I need to let go and love more. I'm going to tie a scrap of fabric on my wrist tonight and let that remind me for the next week or two to stop and say a quick prayer, say a few sincere thank yous... and remember to care for my soul a few more times a day. Maybe by the time the fabric is frayed and dingy, I'll be better at doing this and less in need of that visual reminder.
*
Twenty things. Not related, nothing too deep or pressing... But there it is. and now I have blogged. Next up, a birth story. And some Quinn photos. I DID take newborn photos of him, I swear it.
What a great and fun list. Also, LOVE yoga pants. You know this, and I'm so glad you have discovered them on a personal level. Also, they make almost everyone's butt look good by the way they are cut. Just a bonus.
ReplyDeleteI have you beat... I am officially the World's Worst Typist. You cannot beat me at this...
ReplyDeleteEmily, you are too adorbale! :) Phil and I found out just after Halloween that the girl who owned our house was going to put it on the market in January. That same feeling of,"what is going to happen?" We made the decision to start looking after the new year and found a cute place that I am now quite excited to settle into. No matter what way the wind blows, the change will be refreshing for you. You are creative and spirited, and I bet the next place will rock just because you make it. :) And your kiddos are too adorable. Should be illegal. :)
ReplyDeleteI made the blog! Squee! I feel so special - no, really! I probably had the biggest, silliest smile on my face at work while I read that! (Shhh...don't tell the boss I "surf" at work while I wait for "science stuff" to happen in the lab.) My office mate, who probably already thinks I'm nuts, can add, odd smile/grin at the computer screen to that list of nutty things I do each day!
ReplyDeleteI'm SUPER excited about tomorrow - like you sometimes the day to day routine starts to chafe and a 4 month photo shoot and my mom coming to babysit while we see Book of Mormon at the Fox tomorrow afternoon just makes my weekend (or even month really!).
I love this! And love (secretly ... quietly) reading your blog. It's always fun to delve into someone else's mind and realize I'm not as 'far out there' as I think I am! ;)
ReplyDeleteLove you!