So me.

Cathy Thorne

This cartoon is so me right now. A few weeks ago Grant (our youngest) gave up his nap. Kinda. Now it's more like....I-will-play-and-play-and-play-until-I'm-exhausted-then-maybe-I'll-fall-asleep-amidst-a-story-or-a-show-but-don't-plan-on-it. So we don't. We simply set up the scene for when we think a nap could occur, and try to still run a *normal life* otherwise. Recently he's been going down crashing around 2:00/2:30 p.m. In some ways I like this because I don't feel as much of a rush in the morning to get something fun in our day, in other ways it's harder because he stays up a bit later at night....and when my almost 4-yr old knows it's time to get ready for bed, there's nothing he seems to like more than to get all rowdy and crazy with his little bro. Some kids calm down after bath time- ours like to run around naked while screaming. :O Good news is that Bart (aka Super Dad!) has taken over bedtime which has become simplified now that the two boys are back to sharing a room (this time for good).

Advice I received when we announced we were expecting our second was that it's wonderful and fun, it just takes a lot more planning. Like I wrote about once in this post, I like planning..... some what. I still NEED the do-nothing times between all the scheduling. That's when I've learned I have to get creative and find happiness wherever I'm at. I caught on to this after watching parts of the documentary Happy. If you haven't already watched it, I recommend it. Sidenote: while searching online for the link for that, I came across this blog who summarized happiness as this:

Happiness means being at peace with where you are right now no matter where that is or how you got there.  - Kahuna-pule Kimo

Powerful, right? 

I've also come to the realization that it's time for me cut back on the number of outings I take on solo with two toddlers. I knew I would HAVE to do this at some point towards the end of this pregnancy because both my husband and I believe it's very important for me to stay as balanced, healthy, and well-rested as possible, but at first I was like "Nooooo, I really like being a Super Mom!" Then I looked at our calendar....I mean took a good look and realized that we don't really have anything incredibly important going on for about the next 5 months. PERFECT. Just how I want our lives to be with the arrival of our new family member coming up in just 2 1/2 months. Yes, there's still a part of my mind that says "But how will we keep having fun if we don't stay busy?" Then I remind myself to just STOP. Nothing is worth more than This Moment (ha ha play on words, and I also am currently enjoying that song) ~ and there is SO MUCH beauty and joy to be found in simple days. Days when my husband spends his entire lunch break with us. Days when we accomplish nothing more than a couple baskets of laundry. Days when we stay in our pj's too long and watch too much Netflix. Knowing these breaks are possible has helped me through my days without hitting exhaustion. I often recite this quote to myself too....

"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds that you plant." - Robert Louis Stevenson

I also draw upon the strength and insight from other mothers who truly embody all that I admire about motherhood. Blog posts like this one, this one, and this one, encouraging talks with my mother, along with finally getting around to reading this book on raising children have helped tremendously with how I choose to frame my current motherhood view. And no matter how tired this pregnant mama can get, it is a view that I can't stop taking in ~ hopefully, humbly, and peacefully.

On that note~ here's some beautiful quotes from the talented, wise, and insightful Helen Keller.... 

• "Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood."

• "The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart."

• When Helen Keller was once in an interview her interviewer commented on how hard it must be for her to be blind. Her response was a revelation: "It would be hard if I had no vision. We really see with our hearts."

 *In the course of writing this one post, I got up at least 6 times to do some form of preparing food, providing an activity, wiping, and/or hugging for my children....I still find it (the KIDS and blogging) incredibly worth it. ;)