Mama Kat's Writing Workshop
As the mother of three young children I like to think that I know it all. Unfortunately each day my boys prove that wrong. I still have a lot to learn and could certainly continue to take advice from other mothers. However, I have been a new mother and what a crazy, wonderful time of life it was. And while I have tons of advice I will just leave my top two nuggets of advice for new mothers, because really new mothers are so sleep deprived they can't remember much more.
1. Enjoy those snuggles. Never again will you have the time to focus completely on your baby as he snuggles into your shoulder. It is such a precious time.
2. Every day gets a little better. This was the best advice I received. Every day is just a little better than the day before. It might be such a small difference that you hardly notice but it is getting better and will keep getting better and finally you will get some sleep.
Congratulations to you, a new mother!
Showing posts with label writer's workshop. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writer's workshop. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Mom Fail
I was in the mini van with my three boys, driving to my sister's house. She lives at least an hour and 20 minutes away. It is always quite a trek but I almost have it done to a well timed drive. Usually the boys wake up, they go to the bathroom and get dressed. We skip breakfast at home and eat a granola bar in the car along with their milk. This is great because it usually takes up some time in the car where they are happy. I rarely have to stop because someone has to use the bathroom.
Back to the story. For some reason this time the boys had already eaten breakfast. The only concern I had was that one of them may throw up in the car (since it was shortly after a meal).
I was about twenty minutes into the drive when my 2 1/2 year old started asking for his milk. I had their milk cups by me. I still had a good fifty minute drive left. I could either give him the milk and his whining/demanding would stop or I could try to distract him. The distracting did not work and the whining continued. Here is where I should have found an exit, pulled off the freeway and given him his milk.
Instead, in all my brightness I decided I could multitask while driving (very poor choice) and toss his cup back to him.
So I did. It was one of these hard plastic kind.
He stopped his whining/crying for six seconds, then he cried harder and louder. I realized the cup had hit him. In my effort to make him a "tough" boy I reassured him that he was ok and it didn't hurt. Don't good moms say this to their boys.
I looked in my rear view mirror again and saw him holding his mouth with blood dripping down his chin. I had hit him with the cup and drew blood.
We found the next exit and the closest place to pull over so I could clean up the blood. I gave him a big hug and a huge apology. The rest of the drive he was not whining and I was laughing and crying at the same time. How could I make such a bone head mistake? I would like to blame it on what many people call "mommy brain".
Back to the story. For some reason this time the boys had already eaten breakfast. The only concern I had was that one of them may throw up in the car (since it was shortly after a meal).
I was about twenty minutes into the drive when my 2 1/2 year old started asking for his milk. I had their milk cups by me. I still had a good fifty minute drive left. I could either give him the milk and his whining/demanding would stop or I could try to distract him. The distracting did not work and the whining continued. Here is where I should have found an exit, pulled off the freeway and given him his milk.
Instead, in all my brightness I decided I could multitask while driving (very poor choice) and toss his cup back to him.
So I did. It was one of these hard plastic kind.
He stopped his whining/crying for six seconds, then he cried harder and louder. I realized the cup had hit him. In my effort to make him a "tough" boy I reassured him that he was ok and it didn't hurt. Don't good moms say this to their boys.
I looked in my rear view mirror again and saw him holding his mouth with blood dripping down his chin. I had hit him with the cup and drew blood.
We found the next exit and the closest place to pull over so I could clean up the blood. I gave him a big hug and a huge apology. The rest of the drive he was not whining and I was laughing and crying at the same time. How could I make such a bone head mistake? I would like to blame it on what many people call "mommy brain".
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Memorable First Date
Describe a Memorable First Date (Mama Kat's Writing Workshop)
Back in 2000, I traveled to Australia and ended up staying for almost six months. I met a lot of wonderful people and had a memorable time. In an effort to keep me in the great land down under I had many people trying to set me up with an Australian man.
My second of my three blind dates, down under, was a memorable first date. He picked me up at the house I was staying in. He was very tall and also very polite. He began to ask me the general get to know you questions. We were less than 10 minutes into our date when he asked what I had done in Sydney. I told him I climbed the Sydney Harbor Bridge. He asked me what I thought of it and I gave him my honest answer. It was fun, but not worth the money. That is when he told me that we were climbing the Bridge as part of our date. Oops...I spoke too soon.
Despite my blunder it was a very fun date. But I am no longer in Australia because we never went on a second one.
Back in 2000, I traveled to Australia and ended up staying for almost six months. I met a lot of wonderful people and had a memorable time. In an effort to keep me in the great land down under I had many people trying to set me up with an Australian man.
My second of my three blind dates, down under, was a memorable first date. He picked me up at the house I was staying in. He was very tall and also very polite. He began to ask me the general get to know you questions. We were less than 10 minutes into our date when he asked what I had done in Sydney. I told him I climbed the Sydney Harbor Bridge. He asked me what I thought of it and I gave him my honest answer. It was fun, but not worth the money. That is when he told me that we were climbing the Bridge as part of our date. Oops...I spoke too soon.
Despite my blunder it was a very fun date. But I am no longer in Australia because we never went on a second one.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Faces & voices
What is something you could stand to learn from your significant other? (Mama Kat's Writing Workshop)
My husband is confident, outgoing, sensitive, and has an ability to make anyone laugh. I could learn a lot from him, but I most want to learn how he makes all those silly voices and characters come to life.
He makes the gurgling sound as if he is talking while under water. I try to make the sound and it sounds like I'm passing gas. This is when my boys just look at me kind of funny.
He can imitate a robot complete with movement and sound. And he can be a robot for as long as his boys need him to be.
When it comes to accents, he can imitate any and I should just not try.
He makes faces and impressions that can make our boys laugh until they cry. While I would really love to learn how to do these things I am thankful that he can be the entertainer in our family.
My husband is confident, outgoing, sensitive, and has an ability to make anyone laugh. I could learn a lot from him, but I most want to learn how he makes all those silly voices and characters come to life.
He makes the gurgling sound as if he is talking while under water. I try to make the sound and it sounds like I'm passing gas. This is when my boys just look at me kind of funny.
He can imitate a robot complete with movement and sound. And he can be a robot for as long as his boys need him to be.
When it comes to accents, he can imitate any and I should just not try.
He makes faces and impressions that can make our boys laugh until they cry. While I would really love to learn how to do these things I am thankful that he can be the entertainer in our family.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Happy Hour
Girls Night Out! Describe the last time you got to hang out with your friends? What stops you from doing this more often? (Mama Kat's Writing Workshop)
Recently, I was invited to join a group of high school friends for happy hour. It used to be just four women but I was invited and it now makes five. We meet at the same restaurant which is just about in the middle for all of us. My relationship with each of these other women is different from the other. I love how we all have different backgrounds, yet are in a similar stage of life. And still we all have our problems, our joys, our struggles, our dreams and we can laugh and cry all at the same time.
While they are not my closest and dearest friends, they are such an encouragement and such a breath of fresh air. After a few glasses of wine we always walk away with more love and appreciation for each other than we had before. I'm hoping we can continue our Happy Hours well into our Happy Years of life.
We would have this more often, but we are all mothers and wives and women. We love our families dearly and treasure the time we have with them but also always look forward to our Happy Hour.
Recently, I was invited to join a group of high school friends for happy hour. It used to be just four women but I was invited and it now makes five. We meet at the same restaurant which is just about in the middle for all of us. My relationship with each of these other women is different from the other. I love how we all have different backgrounds, yet are in a similar stage of life. And still we all have our problems, our joys, our struggles, our dreams and we can laugh and cry all at the same time.
While they are not my closest and dearest friends, they are such an encouragement and such a breath of fresh air. After a few glasses of wine we always walk away with more love and appreciation for each other than we had before. I'm hoping we can continue our Happy Hours well into our Happy Years of life.
We would have this more often, but we are all mothers and wives and women. We love our families dearly and treasure the time we have with them but also always look forward to our Happy Hour.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Life without kids
Describe what you think your life would be like if you had never had kids. (part of Mama Kat's writing workshop)
I think about this often. We (my husband and I) talk about it and wonder what we would be doing and where we would be. We would probably be eating out three or four times a week and I would rarely get to practice my fine cooking skills. Playing in soccer games or pursuing other sporting activities would be high on our list of activities, possibly playing every night. I would probably still be in the classroom trying to inspire, motivate and encourage the youth of tomorrow. We would have plenty of money to go on fancy vacations wherever we wanted. We would be well rested, healthier, and there would be a lot less stress in our household. But I would not be truly happy.
Life without kids is not part of who I am. I have always wanted kids and always wanted to be a mother. I am so thankful for where I am in life and know I am more than blessed with my three wonderful boys and husband.
I think about this often. We (my husband and I) talk about it and wonder what we would be doing and where we would be. We would probably be eating out three or four times a week and I would rarely get to practice my fine cooking skills. Playing in soccer games or pursuing other sporting activities would be high on our list of activities, possibly playing every night. I would probably still be in the classroom trying to inspire, motivate and encourage the youth of tomorrow. We would have plenty of money to go on fancy vacations wherever we wanted. We would be well rested, healthier, and there would be a lot less stress in our household. But I would not be truly happy.
Life without kids is not part of who I am. I have always wanted kids and always wanted to be a mother. I am so thankful for where I am in life and know I am more than blessed with my three wonderful boys and husband.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Summer & Sandwiches
Comfort food at its finest. Share a family favorite recipe you loved as a child.
Summer & sandwiches. These two things will always go together as one of my favorite childhood memories. This wasn't just any sandwich but a sandwich made by my mom and passed down from her childhood memory.
Peanut Butter, Mayonnaise and Pickle Sandwich.
To make this sandwich perfect you must first toast the bread. Once this is done you put a light layer of mayonnaise on one slice, peanut butter on the other and finish it off with pickle slices in between.
It goes best with a glass of lemonade and is always finished off with a fudgesicle.
I can eat one of those today and I'm instantly reminded of summer days of swimming and playing without any cares in the world. Oh, to be young again....
Summer & sandwiches. These two things will always go together as one of my favorite childhood memories. This wasn't just any sandwich but a sandwich made by my mom and passed down from her childhood memory.
Peanut Butter, Mayonnaise and Pickle Sandwich.
To make this sandwich perfect you must first toast the bread. Once this is done you put a light layer of mayonnaise on one slice, peanut butter on the other and finish it off with pickle slices in between.
It goes best with a glass of lemonade and is always finished off with a fudgesicle.
I can eat one of those today and I'm instantly reminded of summer days of swimming and playing without any cares in the world. Oh, to be young again....
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