What I know for sure....

candle from h&m home collection

Today I pulled my jcrew cashmere sweater out of the dryer. {sigh}. I probably have a grand total of 5 clothing items containing cashmere, all of which are saved for fancy/special occasions except for this one that I snagged on sale last spring. In case you haven't already gathered, it shrunk. That is what I know for sure. ha ha.

I also know I was lucky to have gotten away with washing it in the washing machine for so long (I really don't frequent the dry cleaner much anymore), but alas, this time I forgot to lovingly lie it out to dry and that was that. Good part is that I'm already over it and I think it relates nicely to what this H&M candle so profoundly states (leave it to H&M to be profound, right?) ~ TIME is endlessly continuous. Make it count, don't count it.

In my situation, I take that to mean that I should be thankful for all the times I did get to wear that sweater AND in all actuality, I don't really need a cashmere sweater considering how messy and hectic real life is for us right now. Gaining that perspective came along some mothering wisdom. So, to follow in true Oprah style, here's my latest of what I know for sure (hopefully it's more interesting than my whole sweater saga)....

• Never underestimate the connection that occurs simply by starring into your child's eyes.
• Whenever a cry followed by "Mommmmm!" is heard, a hug is always the answer.
• Always start bedtime a little earlier than you think....the crash and burn of children only intensifies as the night goes on. 
• Read, read, read books of all kinds as often as possible to your children. I know I could never tire of our children fighting over a spot on my lap (which is trickier with 3 by the way).
• Let them figure out sibling injustices as often as possible....it's pretty amazing how much social, survival, and cooperation skills can all be learned within the home.
• "Present the rainbow" - our Pediatrician's recommendation to parents when deciding which kind of food to offer children at each meal. Key word: offer.
• Be careful not to waste your energy even if that means cutting out stuff you want done because just when you think no day could be as tiring as this one....another can be. 
• The best time of the day to give out fluoride pills I've found is 2 pm (just in case any one else has been batting the whole leave 1-1/2 hrs before or after consuming milk dilemma).
• Push in time (notice I didn't say "make time" back there?) for you to work out/zone out/chill out....even if just for a quick 15-20 min! (notice how I used a "!" back there? That's for encouragement to do it!).
• Remind yourself continuously of the times you saved the day. Compliment your spouse/partner when they do the same.
• Smile a lot at your spouse/partner, heck, even a wink can go a long way. ;)
• Keep whatever baby clothes/blankets/shoes/booties bring you joy and take you back to those moments.
• Get as involved as possible within the world of your children...from their heroes to their fears, from their teachers to their friends, to the things they find cool, to the silly jokes they love to tell. It all matters a lot.
• Make a plan for the laundry and stick to it without complaining.
• Maintain excellent food inventory at all times.
• Try to discover the world as children do.....often they don't even realize they're sharing unforgettable magic. 

I'll proudly take my shrunken cashmere sweater, stained furniture (out ottoman officially bit the dust after being attacked by numerous pointy airplanes, serving as a snack table, and getting covered in a face mask cream), my nobabybabybump (click here for jennifer garner's oh soooo refreshingly and relatable confession about this), and the frantic and exhausting amount of energy it takes for us to ever get ourselves out the door, over being anywhere else today. For to me, these random bits of mothering knowledge also serve as numerous reminders of the life lessons that I've learned during this TIME I've devoted myself to my family....who I know love me in whatever I'm wearing, this I know for sure.

~Wishing you all a Merry Christmas filled with all sorts of unforgettable magic.~