Teach Me How to Mommy

It's been awhile since I've written.  I have had lots to write about, but no time.  The holidays often feel like the best marathon I've ever run (I've never run one) you push, push, push until the big day is here.  Then once it's done you need a few days to recover.  Our holiday season was all of that and more.... But last night I took down the Christmas tree.  My parents wanted to take the kids for a sleepover (umm, YES) and instead of going out my husband and I stayed in and did an overhaul of the entire house.  To be fair we did go out on two dates this week, so don't feel bad for us. We had already organized everything, but to be honest every time I started a project this week I would get one step done and then the kids would have created another project (mess) that I'd have to address making me at least ten steps behind my original place. I usually don't take the Christmas stuff down until New Year's (or the day after).  But this year I a...

And by that mom I mean me.  Want to know a quick way to tarnish a perfectly magical morning? It's a Monday in October and my school district called a snow day.  Well, it wasn't really a snow day but a loss of power day.  With the exception of freak ice storms, October days off are few and far between.  Even better?  My kids had a two hour delay.  So we got to enjoy a lazy morning off filled with a Halloween show, Halloween crafts and a few heated games of Hungry, Hungry Hippo.  Then, just when they needed something new to keep them occupied it was time to head off to school where they would learn, socialize, play and enjoy pre-k, while I shopped, cleaned and ate while listening to naughty podcasts - out loud! So see gifts like this come but once a year (twice maybe).  I was feeling high on life until I brought my son to his room and saw the other mothers coming in with huge bags of "stuff." Shit. What did I miss? Then I saw their kids all d...

Being pregnant as I approach my mid-thirties has been an experience .  I am not sure if it's age, the fact that this is the third go around or that I have two very busy and nosey toddlers but six months pregnant feels a lot more like 50 months pregnant. The first time around I was 28 and the excitement of having my first was exactly what it should be.  It was all new - the maternity clothes, the doctor's appointments, the shopping and the showers.  This time around: 1.  A very cute, petite and friendly mom approached me at pre-school pick-up.  After introducing myself, Lucy promptly said, "Some moms are really small, but I think I've seen one other mom who is bigger than you Mom."  Only the one?  Thanks girl. 2.  Last week a student stopped the class to say that I had "pen on my leg".  Nope, those are just the varicose veins that third baby has gifted me.  If only a good shower could wash them away... 3.  When people find ...

Christmas was magical in every way.  The cookies, late night bedtimes, parties, Santa and presents (oh my the presents).  The last four days have been a whirlwind.  We (gladly) lost any sense of schedule and we bop from one new toy to the next (and back again and then to something new and then back to the beginning - or the ever popular "let's open something new").  As soon as Jerry and I get the house "cleaned" it's back to a tornado, yet we haven't given up. We will never give up. It does get more fun every year, so (as we all know) it's worth the extra work it takes to make it right.  Yet, when I came up on this saying on my Insta, I thought yes, yes, yes.  Christmas is over so now what ?  Like, what day is it?  And how many days do I have left on this vacation? Am I supposed to be somewhere right now? A couple months ago I had planned to paint Lucy's room and the bathroom over vacation.  Seeing as though I haven't gotten th...

The first weekend of December is officially in the books.  My kids were in bed at 7:15 and Jerry and I are too exhausted to do much, well, much of anything. Over this weekend my kids met Santa twice and will see him twice more this week.  Before you judge me and think that the season has gotten just that much out of control, hear me out... It's a lot of work to organize some of these things (Polar Express and Fire Truck Santa), but some just fall into our laps.  We went to a pasta dinner at my school this week where Santa showed up.  Score.  This upcoming weekend my mother in-law actually has a Santa come down a chimney for her grandkids (and nieces and nephews).  Pure magic. Yes, it's likely that my kids won't remember this particular year of Santa activities, but I am sure you can agree that passing on them is silly. And so although it is unlikely I'll survive this holiday season completely unscathed, I am choosing to move forward.  I wil...