Mommy's Project 52:11 Rewarding

You know what is rewarding?  Starting a new job after a long hard search.  It's especially rewarding when you actually like the new job and you feel like you are putting your talents to good use.  Unfortunately, sometimes said new rewarding job does not allow time to properly fufill blogging duties. Hmmm..I'll just have to figure out a way to fit all this in. 

Mommy's Project 52:10 Cleaning

Mommy, you're embarrasing me. 

Billy would laugh if he saw the topic of this week's blogging project.  You see, I am not, nor have I ever claimed to be much of a housekeeper.  I keep things clean enough...clean enough to keep away ants or other undesirables.  In other words, I'm not a dirty person, but I'm not a tidy person, relatively speaking. 

Beau on the other hand loves to clean.  THIS obviously was not a trait acquired from me.  While we affectionately refer to him as Hurricane Beau for his ability to destroy a room in no time flat, he often puts away his toys - without prompting from Billy or me. 

He also likes to organize.  He has on more than one occasion dumped out the contents of Charlie's diaper basket only to make neat stacks of the diapers, identifiable by the character on the front of the diaper.  "Elmo, Mommy."  "Nernie, Mommy."  "Cookie Onster, Mommy.  Nom, nom, nom, nom."  (So he doesn't quite have all the names down pat.) 

And, if you'll recall the last time he took a crayon to the back door, he delighted in having to clean up his mess.  Seriously, how do I punish the kid past a good time out if he is enjoying himself! 

So, although I am likely a foregone cause, there is hope for Beau.  And that makes Billy very, very happy.  (Of course, he's just waiting for Beau to put his skills to use outdoors.  All in good time, Billy.  I don't think he can handle the gas blower just yet...) 

Mommy's Project 52:9 Caring

There is an awful lot of caring going on at the Brian residence these days...especially between Beau and Charlie.  Charlie is teething something bad and Beau has stepped in to help.  Sure, Mommy and Daddy have to give Charlie his medicine; but that doesn't mean Beau can't try too.  (Yep, the other day Beau opened a bottle of Tylenol - not by screwing off the top...by yanking it off completely.)  And, when Charlie needs something to gnaw on, Beau is right there to stick his hand in Charlie's mouth.  Yum. 

Oh and then there's the whole "trying to crawl" thing that Charlie's been up to.  Yes, Beau is right there to lend a hand again.  When Charlie got up on all fours and I asked Beau to give him a hand, he grabbed Charlie's left hand, pulled and, well, Charlie did move forward...just not as planned. 

Yes, an awful lot of caring going on at the Brian residence these days. 

Mommy's Project 52:8 Happiness

Oh the things that make a child happy.  Billy and I laugh everyday at the joy that simple things bring to the boys. 

What makes Beau happy...

Outside * Elmo ("la la la la, la la la la, Elmo's world...") * Bananas * Toy Story (specifically Buzz Lightyear) * Spinning round and round * Grapes * School * Toy Story * Coloring and painting * Muffins * Kissing and hugging Charlie * Toy Story * Drawing circles (he's SOOOOO proud of himself) * Pumpkin Bread * Baths * Toy Story (are you seeing a theme here?) * Bubbles * Balloons * Maw Maw and Paw Paw * The Fan

What makes Charlie happy...

Baths * Grunting * Getting kisses from Beau * Raspberries* Solid food, particularly bananas and sweet potatoes * Grunting * Outside * Stroller rides * Swinging * Rolling over and over and over and over (his only mode of transportation right now) * Grunting * Trying to crawl * His toes

What makes Mommy happy...

Coffee * Seeing Beau and Charlie play nice together * Sitting on the couch with Billy doing absolutely nothing after the kids are asleep * Coffee * "Sleeping in" (aka, sleeping until after 6 am) * Fitting in my pre-pregnancy pants, well, almost * LSU Football * Coffee



Mommy's Project 52:5 Loving

It would be so easy to write a post about how much Beau and Charlie are loving each other. 

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

Exhibt C

Go ahead and say it - "Awwwwww."

But this is less obvious - when I was pregnant with Beau I thought about all the ways I would soon be loving my little boy - rocking him, holding him, feeding him, kissing him. I knew it would be time consuming...I didn't know it would all-consuming.  But now, two years and two boys later, I like to think about all the other ways I've been loving them...ways no one warned me about. 

*  On average I get up from the table during dinner five times to refill a drink/clean a spill/fetch more tatoes (aka, tomatoes)/wipe dirty sticky hands.  Good thing I don't mind lukewarm food. 

* I have had the following hygenic epiphanies in the last two years:

"Oh, the salon closed six months ago."  "No, I didn't realize that." "Yes, I suppose it has been that long since my last haircut."

"When did I paint my toenails that color?"

"Crap.  Did I put on deoderant this morning?  Yea, I did.  Wait, did I?  Yes, yes...I did, I did.  I think.  Crap."* 

*  I have yet to drink a cup of coffee on Sunday morning without having the last ten sips be ice cold. 

*  I can recite, verbatim, Toy Story, Toy Story 2, and Toy Story 3. 

*  I have spent countless nights curled up in a rocker recliner sleeping with a baby/toddler in my arms.

*  I have pumped at my office, in a parking lot and on the Causeway, among other odd locations, to make sure my boys have milk when I return to work. 

*  Our weekend plans usually revolve around "nap time." 

Yet, despite all these ways I'm "loving" my boys, I wouldn't have it any other way.  How do you show you are loving?

*  I now keep a stick of deoderant in my purse, diaper bag, car, and office desk drawer because a fear of this one happening again.

Mommy's Challenge 52:4 Dirty

 When I started preparing for this week's post that old quote kept ringing in my ears, "A little boy is a noise with dirt on it."  How very accurate.  I've now accepted the fact that for the foreseeable future my bathtub will have a slight dirt ring around it. 

While I'm not too keen on all the dirtiness, I love how much fun he has while getting dirty.  Good thing I'm not much of a neat freak!

Mommy's Project 52:3 Challenging

 "I know God will not give me anything I can't handle.  I just wish that He didn't trust me so much." 

-Mother Teresa

When we found out we were expecting our little Jellybean (aka Charlie) we were thrilled.  Then we did the math...eighteen months.  Our boys would only be eighteen months apart.  Not quite Irish twins, but we would have two babies under two years old.  But, we knew we could handle it.  Beau has been such a joy.  And while he has never been a napper...never...not since birth...he has been a relatively easy baby. 

Then came Charlie.  He was is perfect.  When the doctor held him over the curtain, it was deja vu.  He looked just like Beau.  I thought, "Perfect."  And, in those first two weeks he was.  In fact, he was an easier baby than Beau.  Hallelujah!  God likes us. 

And then something changed.  Our sweet, sleepy baby became cranky and gassy and often inconsolable.  People would make comments...often using the "c" word - Colic.  I can't begin to tell you how frustrated I got when people said, "colic."  Looking back, it's silly.  But colic is so, well, non-descript.  It's so vague.  So ambiguous.  And when things are vague and ambiguous, that means there's no easy answer. 

This is where I get really honest, during those weeks of colic, I thought I might lose my mind.  Forget post partum depression - that's when you're sad and weepy and can't articulate why.  This was going to be full blown psychosis!  And I knew exactly why.  He cried and cried and cried.  There seemed to be no soothing him.  What had happened to my happy baby? 

I understand now that as far as conditions go, colic is not particularly serious.  But, when it is 3:00 a.m. and you are in the throes of inconsolable, sobbing, heaving crying and for the past month you have been averaging four non-consecutive hours of sleep at night, well, nothing seems more serious. 

Sure, Billy was wonderful during this time.  He helped with Charlie and more than anything, he let me vent and vented alike.  But, it was a little different...he just doesn't get that "Mommy guilt."  Who can blame him...afterall he's not a mommy. 

I talked about the situation a little with my mom and my mommy friends.  But I don't think I ever really let on just how bad I felt.  Why not?  Surely someone else had felt this way before.  Someone out there had turned off the monitor, even if just to get silence for a few minutes.  Someone out there had bit down on their child's rubber pacifer in lieu of screaming.  Someone had looked up adoption agencies.  Ok, I'm kidding on that last one. 

The other day I read an article on just this topic.  It felt good to read the article and know that some mommies were in the same boat as me, and some were much worse off.  (Well, I didn't feel better that some ladies out there were worse off; but it kind of put things in perspective for me.)  And then I started reading the comments.  Some were just atrocious.  One comment had a mother admitting to being frustrated with her children.  The next would criticize her and tell her to "man up" so to speak.  I made a vow then and there to do two things.  First, I will always be brutally honest with my mommy friends.  And second, I will never judge.  (I actually had previously made these promises to myself, but they seem far more important now.)  The article nailed it.  Being a mother is incredibly challenging.  What's worse, it can be very lonely. 

On a sidenote - In the comments one mom spoke of her momtourage.  OMG.  I'm not 100% sure what that is - but I know I want one.  If you like to be a founding member of my momtourage, let me know.  I'm taking applications now.  ;) 

As for Charlie, just when I thought I couldn't take it anymore, something changed.  It was like a lightbulb went off.  The gas, well, it passed.  (Pun intended.)  I decided not to buy stock in Mylicon.  A few days later, we noticed he was impossibly happy and giggly!  And then a few days later, another breakthrough...he slept through the night. 

I recognize that we'll have our good days and our bad days, but it is so nice to know that this stage is behind us.  Again, considering that I have such healthy children, it seems so trivial to be upset about colic.  But, I can now admit, it was the most challenging part of parenting so far. 

Now on to potty training...

Mommy's Project 52:2 Silly

When you have a nearly two year old energetic boy in your house, what isn't silly?  Beau's little personality has really taken form and it turns out that he is a big old ham.  (I wonder where he gets that...certainly not me.) 

I knew that one of the joys of being a parent was witnessing daily the completely uninhibited behavior of a joyful child.  What I didn't know was that it would give me an excuse to display my silly side as well.  I love to sing out loud and dance like a fool.  And guess what?  Beau seems to like my performances.  (And when he doesn't he is sure to tell me.) 

So what has been super silly lately? 

*  Beau does this spinning on his belly thingy in the bathtub and in his mobile art studio (which, by the way, has seen better days). 

*  He loves to dance, even when there is no music. 

*  He still thinks it is hilarious to offer you a piece of his toast/apple/tomato and then pull it away right as you are about to bite down on it. 

*  He also finds it funny to smear his food on his face...just when you think he's wiping his mouth clean. 

*  He *loves* the fan.  LOVES it.

*  He likes to sneak up on me while I'm in the shower and jump in. 

*He's rediscovered all his old toys and is not about to give them up to Charlie...at least not completely. 

* Whether in the tub or outside, few things are funnier than emptying water out of a cup.  Emptying water out of the cup and on to mommy or Charlie is one of those few things. 

* Tickling Charlie is a new past time and if he can illicit a giggle from his little brother, well then it has truly been a success. 

Mommy Project 52:1 Teaching

This is the first of the 52 weekly entries for Mommy Project 52.  In trying to figure out what to write my mind first went to teaching the boys.  Seems obvious, right?  I mean, everyday, every moment becomes a teachable moment.  But then I thought about how much I've been taught through both pregnancies and raising the boys, so far. 

I've learned...

*  It is possible to love someone more than anything else in the world before you ever meet him. 

*  I can throw up two to three times a day, and still gain nine pounds in nine weeks. 
*  Stretch marks have more to do with good genes than anything else. (Thank you, mom!) 
*  Sleep deprivation can make anything seem funny...including projectile poop at 3:00 a.m. 

*  My husband is an even better man than I thought he was when we married. 

*  If you turn your head for even one minute, your three month old becomes a perfect canvas for your twenty-one month old's sticker art.  . 

*  No matter how cool the toy is, the best part of the present is always the box it came in. 

*  Nothing can quite prepare you for that first dirty diaper after your child starts solids. 

*  Daycare teachers are underpaid and underappreciated. 

*  Be careful what you say and do; your child is the greatest mimic. 

*  Knowing that one kiss from mommy can heal any boo boo makes me feel like Wonder Woman. 

*  Save your money on baby food cookbooks.  Every recipe is as follows - chop, steam, puree. 

*  If your friends give your one year old a box of percussion instruments for his birthday, either they do not have kids or you've done something to piss them off. 

*  Every chid is different and mine are polar opposites.

*  Bedtime might be my favorite part of the day. 

*  Little boy kisses are the best - even the big, wet, open mouth ones.  (Yikes, that doesn't sound quite right...but you know what I mean.) 

*  As much unsolicited advice as you receive when you are pregnant, you actually receive more when you are a parent. 

*  That being said, most advice-givers are generally good intentioned.  As such, it is best to smile and say thank you and to resist the urge to punch them in the throat. 

*  Sleep deprivation can also make you kind of snarky.  (See above.)

*  The laundry can wait.  The dishes can wait.  My little boy wants to dance to The Backyardigans...priorities, priorities. 
*  The only thing stronger than Catholic guilt?  Mommy guilt. 

 *  Nothing is more challenging, more frustrating, more exhausting, or more rewarding than being a mommy. 

I recently discovered a blog authored by a girlfriend of mine fron high school and was so happy I did.  Robin is witty and honest and I've really enjoyed her posts on babies and food (the design part is nice too...just not my thing).  I was participarly interested in her post from today.  She has decided to start her own "Project 52" and has invited her mommy and daddy bloggers to join in.  I just couldn't resist. 

Here's the basic idea, each week there is a theme.  On the Thursday of that week I will post something, anything related to that theme. It may be a picture, a note, a video, a poem.  Ok, maybe not a poem.  But you get the idea. 

I'm looking forward to my new weekly inspiration and I would encourage all my followers (all nine of you) who blog to participate too!  Half the fun will be seeing other's contributions to the project.  If you're interested you can link up your blog here. 

Mommy's Project 52 starts on August 4, 2011.  So stay tuned...