Day 413 | Big Outing

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I went all in today: skipping morning nap and metroing down to the National Building Museum for some serious playtime and picnicking fun. The outing was practically perfect and we all had a blast back at one of our favorite DC attractions for kids.

One thing I didn't enjoy on today's outing? The advice I was given by two strangers while we were navigating the metro. I know I should just say thank you (which I did) and move on (obviously haven't) but seriously? How incompetent of a person do you think I am?

Scenario 1: waiting for the elevator up and out of one of the metro stations. I'm waiting patiently (as are the babies) for the elevator to arrive (which, in case you're unaware, metro has the slowest elevators of all time). I've pushed the button several times because it's not lighting up but, after a few attempts, give up and assume the light is just broken and we continue the wait. Several seconds later, the driver of the train yells out his window. I assume it's not directed towards me. It was. He yelled again to tell me I needed to push the button for the elevator to arrive. What? Thanks, captain obvious. I've got it from here. Luckily, the doors opened at that very moment so I proved myself as a capable member of society. 

Scenario 2: on the train ride home. Chase requests a window seat (for obvious reasons) so I park the stroller out of the way near the doors and take the boys to a window seat a few rows in. We pass a few stops and I realize my wallet is peeking out of the stroller (near the doors...eek!) so at the next stop, I tell Chase to sit nicely for a second while I take Robbe and grab my wallet. In the two seconds (no joke) of me walking towards the stroller before I turn right back around, a woman says to me, "you forgot one of your babies." This has to be a joke, right? I can only shake my head, even now. 

Needless to say, we made it home (with both babies) even though society seemed to think it was questionable many times. 

Ha!


Day 385 | A Little Self Care

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Chris is home today so I took advantage of the chance to break out of the house sans-babies for some self care time.

First on the list, a follow up appointment at the chiropractor. I know this is a bit of a touchy subject but I am incredibly grateful to have stumbled into this woman's healing hands. I've had pretty serious back problems three different times in my life and she was a miracle worker each and every time. I'm still working out some tweaking but I'm 100% improved. Thank goodness!

Second, a haircut. I realized it's been 9 months since my last cut. Oops. It was definitely needed. Nothing like getting five inches off to kick off the summer. Sorry, no photo but I'm sure you'll see it eventually.

Day 374 | Sleep Tracking

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I need sleep. My body now seems permanently programmed to wake up a billion times a night since being catapulted out of my normal routine since having Robbe. Since being pregnant with Robbe, now that I think of it. I should have seen that as a warning sign, I guess. He's sleeping fine now, though, in case you're curious.

After failed attempts to try obvious sleep aids (ear plugs, no caffeine, melatonin, white noise, etc), I decided to kick it up a notch and ask for a Fitbit for Mother's Day. Basically, it's a glorified pedometer but, and this is the important function, it tracks sleep! I know it has its limitations, but for the most part I want to know if I'm really awake for as long as I think I am or if my mind is playing tricks on me. And once that is identified, if I can notice any patterns that appear.

After the first night (see chart above), the verdict is still out. According to the report this morning, I was awake five times (in one night!) and was in a state of restlessness 21 times (whoa.). That sounds about right to me. 

We'll see what tonight brings...

Day 373 | Happiest of Mother's Day

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We're busy celebrating the total joy of being a mom today around here but I needed to take a second to give necessary kudos to four unbelievable moms that I've been lucky enough to grow up with.

1. My mom, obviously. I'm one of the lucky ones here. I call the same woman my mom and my best friend. Her knowledge, independence, work ethic, compassion for others, and no nonsense demeanor have always been, and continue to be, an inspiration to me. She's one of the strongest people I know and I'm lucky every single day that I got to grow up with such an amazing role model in every sense of the phrase.

2. & 3. My grandmas. I'll lump them into one just because it feels right. Although I've had two very different relationships with these women (one was local, one was not), they have always been examples of how to foster a happy family life. In two very different situations, they managed to raise children who genuinely enjoy spending time together and have developed a sense of family that continues to be passed down from generation to generation. That's all I can dream of doing for my babies.

4. My mother in-law. She may not have been someone I grew up with (except for the last 13+ years, that is), but she raised my perfect soul mate and for that I'm eternally grateful. Her empathy, generosity, and optimism never cease to amaze me. I couldn't have asked for a better family to fall into.

Day 366 | Solo Time

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Chris was sweet enough to take the kiddos on a "Boys Day" adventure this morning so I had some quality solo time. Woohoo!

My choice of activities? Long, quiet walks, people watching while knitting, and lunch all by myself.  Intermixed with all that? Listening to the Serial podcast (so good!). I'm already 9 episodes into the 12 episode series. It's addicting. I've managed to listen to all 9 episodes in three days but only because I ducked out during nap yesterday to grocery shop (with earphones in) and cleaned the house (with earphones in) on top of this glorious baby-free morning.

The real question is how long it'll take for me to get through the last three. I'm guessing next weekend.

Day 363 | On Being a Stay at Home Mom: Point/Counterpoint

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I've been thinking about writing this post for months and just never got motivated. Ever since recording this podcast with my friend and then listening to the second podcast in the series (in this one she interviewed a working mom), the topic has been ever-present in the back of my mind. So now, here it is: My first (but maybe not last!) point/counterpoint. I don't think this needs to be said but, as a disclaimer, this is just my perspective and everyone's decision about how to raise their child/ren is personal and I offer no judgement.

Being a Stay at Home Mom is the Best
  1. I'm around for every moment. I haven't missed a milestone in either of the boys' lives and that's pretty amazing. Although, I will point out that Chris has also missed very few. I think the boys somehow withhold doing anything too awesome when it's just me. In fact, I think Robbe's first word might very well be "dadda," obviously.
  2. We *usually* don't have to be anywhere. It's a lovely luxury to have calm, non-stressful mornings and peaceful, non-rushed evenings. Sometimes it's hard to be completely present for these moments, but it is one of my favorite things about staying home with these boys: this quiet, free time to just play or read and not be constantly doing.
  3. I'm in control. As you might have gleaned by now, I'm a *bit* of a control freak. I need to know what's going on with my babies. I need to know what the schedule is going to look like. I need to know that expectations are being appropriately set and upheld. A little obsessive? Yes. But that's what keeps this ship afloat.
  4. I accomplish a lot. I'm a really good multitasker so I do manage to get a lot done, even with two babies, during the waking and naptime hours. My ability to grocery shop, clean, cook meals, run errands, etc., means that the evening and weekend time we get with Chris can be a lot more focused family time. This is a huge deal.
  5. I'm a teacher. I don't feel like I'm doing a very good job of instilling knowledge on a daily basis but one way or another I'm raising pretty intelligent little guys. Chase knows his alphabet, colors, and shapes. He's starting to spell and learning how to rhyme. He's very well mannered as well as patient and empathetic (seriously, you've never met a more empathetic three-year-old). Robbe, although he's not talking yet, can understand practically everything. He's starting to do baby sign language more and more every day (think: all done, more, thank you, dog, bird) and is a fun-loving, affectionate little guy with more of the world opening up to him every day. It's pretty inspiring to know that I did that. More accurately, Chris and I did that, but still. It's me a lot of the time. The boys don't watch tv and Chase's preschool does very little in terms of actual knowledge development (more focused on social development), so somehow I'm doing it.

Being a Stay at Home Mom is Definitely Not the Best
  1. Every day is the same: no weekends, no vacations. Of course the days when Chris is home makes a world of difference, as does having family or visiting another place, but in reality the same challenges exist every day: same meal schedule, same nap schedule, same segmented day.
  2. Isolation. Yes, I get to hang out with other mom friends but just in case you think we sit around gabbing and drinking wine while our children peacefully play together, let me just set the record straight: typically we get about one hour, maybe two hours if we're lucky, of social time before one of us has to leave for food, naps, bedtime, etc. And those one, maybe two hours, usually involve being in two different places (me following my baby, them following theirs) most of the time. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy these times with my friends, I just wish they weren't as crazy. And other than that, it's a lot of solo, one-on-two time with my boys.
  3. Babies are exhausting. Not just chasing after them all the time (that's definitely part of it), but constantly negotiating, playing, making small talk, rearing, feeding, disciplining, cleaning up after, etc. You get the picture. And that's only part of the challenge. I'm always on. If it's not managing the kids, it's managing the house and I feel the need to be productive all the time. I could definitely check out during naptime or after bedtime but there's always something that needs to be done and since I'm home so much, it's hard to just ignore forever. 
  4. Baby talk. Chatting with a three year old, although a full-time, non-stop job, is not the most fulfilling form of social interaction. I didn't know I could start to dislike a three letter word stretched into three syllables so much (w-h-y???). I long to use the other side of my brain: I used to be a problem-solver, negotiator, creative individual when the stakes were slightly different than how to get your babies to eat vegetables. I miss that.
  5. Working seems like a luxury. The grass is always greener, right? Chris thinks I'm crazy for being jealous of his commute and work-life. Although he loves his job (yay!), he wants more than anything to be home with us. And although I love my job (babies!), I want pretty desperately to have the independence and responsibility of getting out of the house sans-babies and contributing to society. That would probably last one day, but from the outside looking in, it sure does seem lovely.

Day 354 | Speaking Out

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Before Mary Catherine headed back to Cape Cod (much to my dismay), we took a few minutes to record an episode on motherhood for her podcast Starr Struck Radio. I feel beyond honored to have been invited on the show and, I have to admit, I actually enjoyed myself.

If you're interested in my perspective on being a stay at home mom or if you just miss me and want to hear my voice (that one is geared towards you, Mom), take a listen. I think you'll enjoy it. And tune back in to listen to what Mary Catherine has to say every week. She'd be happy to be your friend, too!

You can listen by clicking the play button towards the middle of this page. Or click here to download the show (and all previous episodes) in iTunes.

Day 335 | Fifth Time's a Charm

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We had some enjoyable lunchtime entertainment today. The dishwasher repairman was back (for the fifth time, if you're keeping track). And, for the moment, the appliance is working again (which was not the outcome after the last two visits).

This process could not be more frustrating (you'll notice I'm not confident enough in the fix to put that statement in past tense). Dealing with one incompetent and bureaucratic company(Samsung)for the warranty and an incompetent and unorganized company for the actual repair has been enough to drive me batty.

Here's a breakdown of what's been going on:
  • 1 broken dishwasher 
  • 6 weeks of minimal/non-functioning use 
  • 5 five-hour appointment windows where the boys and I sit home and wait 
  • 10+ calls to Samsung (all 20+ minutes, of course) 
  • 2 homeowners sick of doing dishes 
  • 1 toddler who now plays "doing the dishes because the dishwasher is broken". I couldn't make that up. 
Let's hope this saga is over

Side note: did you notice that I didn't post this yesterday? I had it mostly typed up and then went to finish it last night when a very sick baby (Robbe) changed my evening plans. After a ton of soothing, a call to the doctor, and a dose of Tylenol, he fell back asleep. As you might have guessed, the blog wasn't my priority at that point. He had a restful night, though, and is still sleeping now. Hopefully that's a good sign. I'll report back later today about how our peanut is doing. Poor guy. 

Day 325 | How to Raise a Snuggler

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One word: thumb-sucker.

In my vast experience (two babies), the way to make your baby a snuggler is to get him to suck his thumb. Robbe is possibly the sweetest, snuggliest boy around and I'm convinced it's because his favorite soothing devise is right there when he's being held. It's probably also because he loves me so much (I'll keep telling myself that). 

I know thumb-sucking is not ideal for a lot of reasons. But it is one of the cutest things ever. 

So there you go, now go tell your baby to start sucking his thumb. Haha, good one, right?

Day 314 | It's a Miracle

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Ok, miracle might be a little strong, but it's pretty unbelievable, nonetheless: Robbe slept in the car.

For most babies, this is not a story worth sharing, or celebrating. But my babies just don't sleep in the car. Period. It's usually a good thing: I don't have to worry about them ruining a nap because of a quick shut-eye in the car. On days like today, though, I was dreading what my I-won't-nap-in-the-car one year old would be like after 1.5 hours in the car as we dropped off uncle Matt at the airport. 

He did it, though. He fell asleep!! And he was out for 30+ minutes. I honestly still can't believe it. 

Ha! Funny what things are worth celebrating in the life of a stay at home mom. 

Day 311 | A Line a Day

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I've never been a journal-er. For some reason, I could never get in the habit of jotting down my thoughts/experiences/life commentary on a frequent basis.

I'm so proud to report, though, that I've managed to stick to this journal for over a  year now: Mom's One Line a Day. It's such an interesting concept for a journal that I had to give it a try. What is the concept? Write one line (or more appropriately a quick few lines) a day for five years. Each day of the calendar has a space for five different entries (one for each year) so you can look back on what you did that day every year. Pretty cool, right? 

I started the journal on Robbe's birth day so I recently began adding another year to the pages. It wasn't always easy to motivate myself to stay up an extra two minutes (I'm so tired!) and there have definitely been catch-up days where I fill in multiple dates (thanks for the help, blog!), but it's so rewarding now that I can see what our world looked like a year ago. And cooler yet will be looking back four years, when the time comes. 

If pink and mom-my isn't your style, they have a regular version of the journal as well. 

Day 310 | Round Two

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Urgh. That's how I feel right now. Urgh.

The dishwasher broke. Again. It only lasted a week. I know it's petty, but in the moment there's nothing worse than surveying an over-flowing dishwasher blinking an error code at you instead of making your life easier. 

I don't even mind the dishes that accumulate as long as I can do them after every meal instead of a 45 minute washing session after days of filling the dishwasher up. 

Let's hope the repair man can come a little quicker this time. And let's hope the repair actually sticks. 

Urgh. 

Day 304 | Today's the Day

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Today our sweet, smiley, perfectly-fiesty, gentle, outgoing, care-free baby turned one. I can't wrap my head around how March 2, 2014, is both just yesterday and a lifetime ago at the same time.

An ice storm threw our plans to go swimming out the window but our new one-year-old seemed to enjoy the library just as much. And he had his first restaurant meal (after all Chris and I deserve to be celebrated, too) at a new neighborhood restaurant. 

Thanks for thinking of Robbe today. He's one special little guy. We look forward to watching his personality continue to develop and are grateful for the hole he fills in our little family. 

Day 298 | Two Babies, Two Years Apart

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Overall, I think having two babies, two years apart is great. I love watching them grow up together. It's nice that our older child still has the same interests (bigger toys, same songs, etc) as our little guy. And I hadn't completely forgot what it was like to have a newborn and all the challenges associated with that.

It's taken me almost an entire year (358 days to be exact) to feel completely at a loss for how to manage both babies at the same time. That's not too bad, right? You might be wondering, is it because Robbe is getting into EVERYTHING? No, but that's true. Or is it because Chase has finally started having his terrible twos/threes meltdowns on occasion? No, but that's true, too.

Did you guess potty training? Ding, ding, ding. Chase has transitioned half of his bathroom duties to the potty, no problem. The other half (you know what I'm getting at, right?), is another story. Until yesterday, he just held it until we put a diaper on for nap or bedtime. I had the great idea to get mini trains to encourage using the potty so we picked some out yesterday. Now, he really really wants to use the potty and spent 15 minutes on the potty five times today in an attempt to go. No success. Have you figured out the problem yet? Yep: how can I be supporting one baby on the potty for 15 minutes at a time while entertaining a very active crawler at the same time. The bathroom is not exactly baby-friendly, nor does a baby roaming around encourage any focused potty-time.

The epitome of this conflict occurred tonight before dinner. I needed 15 minutes of cooking time and that's when Chase decided he needed to, once again, use the potty. I decided to try a tip from another mom: put Robbe in the bathtub with toys (confined=genius!). So Chase on the potty (who needed a book read to him, obviously), Robbe in the tub (throwing toys down at Chase's feet), and dinner borderline burning on the stove as I ran back and forth to the kitchen. Ahhh!

I'm going to win this war. I know it. But today's battle was definitely lost. Think happy thoughts for tomorrow. Chase really wants to play with those trains.

Day 291 | A Day in the Life: Me

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I wrote a teaser about this series of blog posts last week. I'm chronicling what a typical day looks like for each of us in this household. For the most part, these days are ordinary and completely representative of our every day life. The day? Tuesday, February 10. First up? Me.

4:30am - Wake up to Chase screaming (this never happens) and find out he has misplaced his cat pillow. Problem solved.
6:00am - Attend to crying Robbe (what's going on with these babies this morning?). I offer teething medicine and try to go back to sleep. No luck.
7:00am - Shower/dress
7:30am - Snuggle Robbe
7:35am - Nurse Robbe
7:50am - Breakfast prep/dishes clean up
8:05am - Change/dress Robbe
8:10am - Chase awake/dressed
8:20am - Breakfast prep
8:25 am - Breakfast for everyone (cereal for me)
8:40am - Wipe down babies/clean up dishes
8:45 am - School prep (backpack check)/laundry/potty/teeth brushing/diaper change
9:05 am - Coats on/shoes on/hats on
9:10 am - Off to school
9:30 am - Drop off Chase at school
9:45 am - Back home
9:50 am - Diaper change for Robbe/Sing two songs/Put Robbe down for nap
9:55am - During naptime: prep dinner (crock pot meal!), prep lunch, make allergist appointment for Chase all while listening to my favorite podcast.
11:00am - Wake up Robbe (have to pick up big brother)
11:10am - Drive to school
11:30am - Pick up Chase from school (he had a great day!)
11:50am - Return home/prep lunch
12:05pm - Read Thomas the Train story
12:10pm - Lunch (hummus and cheese sandwich for me)
12:40pm - Lunch clean up
12:45pm - Family playtime
1:15pm - Naptime routine starts: potty/pjs/lotion for Chase, then diaper change/nursing/books for Robbe, then back to Chase for books before nap.
2:00pm - During naptime: create/print/stuff/address Valentines for Chase, publish blog post, catch up on correspondence, create new potty chart, watch Days of Our Lives (I'm not embarrassed to admit it...ok, just a little).
4:10pm - Chase awake: change/use potty
4:30pm - Miss Cassie, Matty, and Maggie arrive for afternoon playdate
4:30pm - Robbe awake: diaper change
4:45pm - Prepare snack
4:50pm - Playtime with friends
6:00pm - Dinner prep
6:10pm - Dinner: Quinoa tex mex casserole
6:35pm - Dinner clean up
7:10pm - Family playtime
7:20pm - Bedtime routine for Robbe: change into pjs, nurse, read books
7:40pm - Collect garbage to put out in alley
7:50pm - Nightime catch up: babysitter prep for Thursday, check in on Chase, fill out Chase's medical forms for tomorrow, fold laundry.
8:55pm - Check out for the night: tv and knitting
10:00 - Get ready for bed
10:15 - Sleeptime

Ahhh, the exciting life of a stay-at-home mom. I'm exhausted just reading all of this. Did you enjoy the peek into my life? Stay tuned the rest of this week to learn more about what keeps the boys of this household busy all day.



Day 277 | Books for the Babies

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With two birthdays right around the corner (and two more if you include mine and Chris's), I've been pretty deep into bday planning mode around here.

One of the items high on my to do list for these birthdays is updating the babies' books. Seems simple enough, right? I've done a pretty decent job keeping up with the task along the way (I'm not even starting from scratch!) but the process of reviewing scribbled notes, writing everything out, and finding the perfect corresponding photos is crazy time consuming. 

Some tips I've learned along the way:

  • Jot down notes along the way. It's impossible to think you'll remember when things happen by memory. There are just too many milestones! Have a sheet of paper in a convenient spot (ours lives behind our calendar in our kitchen) that you can quickly write down the date when something fun happens. 
  • Keep photos organized. I know it's hard but it's worth it. It makes picking and choosing the right ones much less of an overwhelming task. 
  • Go with your instincts. Don't hem and haw about the ideal thing to write down for the questions. Your voice will shine through if you don't over-think them.
  • Know your style. I've realized after working through Chase's book that I prefer a fill-in-the blank type book, which is what I got for Robbe. Chase's is more free-flowing and open-ended. I've realized I'm much better at just filling in the "answer" and can do that much quicker. 
  • Start a box, too. There are a lot of random baby memories that can't live in a book. Claim a box for the sweet baby mementos (think: the hat he got in the hospital) so you know everything is in the same place.
In case you're interested, this is Chase's book (on the left) and this is Robbe's book (on the right...and this one even comes with a keepsake box).

Fingers crossed I can get these both updated in the next month!

Day 276 | We're Getting Closer

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Not to be outdone, Robbe added to our week of big (huge!) accomplishments last week.

Example #2: Robbe is no longer eating in the middle of the night. That's right: we're down to just three feedings a day (8am, 1:30pm, 7:30pm). Woohoo!

I'd like to say he dropped the feeding/waking on his own, but I decided it was time to nudge it along a bit. He's handled it remarkably well. He has still woken up most nights (though not last night!), but he goes back to sleep on his own and isn't starving when he wakes up. Progress indeed.

Day 275 | He's Kind of a Rockstar

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Remember when I mentioned last week was a big week?

Example #1: We're well on our way to a fully potty-trained toddler! Can you believe it? We can't either. It started on Tuesday night when Chase decided he wanted to wear his Thomas undies (that had been sitting in his drawer for a couple of months). Full disclosure: credit goes to Chris for broaching the subject again.

We spent two days changing pants a lot. I started to get a bit worried, I'm not going to lie. Did we start to early? Is it going to be like this every day now? Ahhh! Then, Friday he had no accidents. None! We did put a diaper on him for an outing and lunch and he came back dry. On Saturday we went all in. No diaper except during sleeping. He did it! Stayed dry all day again. And the same thing happened today. Three days seems pretty good, right? We're pretty stoked. I know we can slide backward but I think we've made good progress so far. Chase even earned his "potty train" (Get it? It's a train he gets for using the potty) in record time by getting a sticker every time he used the potty. Quite the motivator, I have to say.

We still have some work to do...I'll spare you the details, but hopefully everything continues as smoothly as the last couple of days have gone. Yippee!