Remember It's a Season

Parenting is NO joke. Even if you think you're ready for it, there's no way to truly prepare yourself for being a parent and really no way to accurately describe it to someone who isn't a parent. One thing can be said for sure though: the highs are high and the lows can be low and sometimes the highs and lows can occur in the same day (or maybe even the same hour).

Recently we've been having those tough days. Those days where you're checking the clock to see how much closer it is to bedtime because everyone, including me, needed sleep. Those are the days where I take more deep breaths and close my eyes, and pray for patience constantly. 

On this day nothing in particular went wrong, but my kiddo was just having a tough day so for her, nothing was going right. We had a tough day. This was one of those days where instead of working out during naptime, I chose to take a quiet moment to myself, read my devotional and meditate. It was exactly what I needed.

The afternoon was not any better, and that was no surprise so when bedtime finally came, I was SPENT. All I could do was hug my kiddo because that's what she needed and as I was hugging her, I began to ask her what made her so upset ALL DAY LONG. I know she's not old enough yet to really articulate those kinds of emotions, but I needed to say it for me.

So here I am telling my little girl that I wish she could tell me what was bothering her because I wanted to help her feel better since she was obviously upset and I said "Because Baby Girl you really pushed every single one of Mommy's buttons today".

I wasn't expecting a response. At all really, I was just expecting her to stay quiet but no, not my kiddo. She replied to me by saying "Yea I did Mama."

Just like that I remembered that life is not so serious and sometimes it's ok to have bad days and laugh about them when it's all over.

Where Does the Time Go?

My brother once told me that when you’re a parent, the days seem long but the years go by quickly. He couldn’t have been more right and it’s honestly something I remind myself of when the days seem REALLY LONG. Because we all have those days.

It feels like three years old has been one of those long days. I thought the two year old stage was hard…and then we hit the threenager phase and I got my butt totally handed to me. As hard as it’s been, I constantly remind myself of how blessed we are that everyone is thriving and healthy, and that our problems are typical problems to have.

So bring on year four. We’re ready for it.

The little one had her birthday recently and let me tell you, she had an amazing birthday. I mean you only turn four once right? There were balloons and cupcakes and DISNEYLAND. It was epic. Every kid should be so blessed.

The celebration continued for a whole week until her actual birthday when she got presents and all kinds of spoiled. Here I am thinking that finally we’re good, birthday is done, celebration is had, and I’m TIRED. All is good. I have a happy kiddo, I’m happy because she’s happy and because everyone got a nap.

But alas…when she woke up the next morning, I was informed that it was still her birthday and will be her birthday every single day until she turns 6. When I asked her why the cut off was at 6, she told me that 6 years old is when she becomes a big kid. I’m not quite sure how that all ties together, but for her it does so I guess I’m singing the Happy Birthday song everyday until she turns 6.

Don't Judge Me...

I like wine. I just do. I like pairing wine with food, I like discovering new wines, it's just my thing. I feel like in part it's an extension for how much I love food, but that's a story for another time. So with that background, you'll be able to understand why this story is silly to me.

You also have to understand that my kiddo loves Trader Joe's. It's a thing with the little carts. she LOVES those little carts. God forbid they don't have enough little carts one day for her to have her own little cart, because the meltdown is serious.

So we get to Trader Joe's one day post swim class, primarily because we need some snacks but also because I know she'll eat her lunch at the sample counter (we have no shame in our sample food game). For some reason today the kiddo decided that Trader Joe's was NOT where she wanted to be. But she didn't announce that to the world until we got literally in front of the doors.

My kiddo in her epic glory and LOUDEST toddler voice ever announced to every shopper as well as cashier "Mommy, I don't want to go here! I don't need any wine!"

This was one of those moments when I was seriously trying to not laugh. Loudly. Because she was SO adamant, it was funny. Oh and the stunned looks from the shoppers and cashiers had me going. I'm sure they were thinking "Is this kid serious?", to which I would answer, yes she is completely and unequivocally serious.

You would think  the conversation would be over at this point. That we would be happily shopping. Nope. Not with my kid. She continues to tell me that she needs yogurt and when I inform her that yay!! this place has both, she gives me the BIGGEST hug ever and tells me "Thank you Mommy". Like it's Christmas.

I couldn't even help but laugh. Seriously. It's not a sentence I ever thought I would hear come out of a child's mouth, but it just goes to show that our kids are more observant than we sometimes give them credit for (like even noticing what items we buy at which stores), and strong enough to hold their own. With anyone. About anything.

The Chaos of the Day

I feel like every single parent can relate to this, regardless of whether or not you work outside the home. The days can be so crazy. Especially since I currently work a split shift on the days when the kiddo goes to school. So it's a rat race at its finest when work is over for the morning, getting the kiddo from school, getting the kiddo a snack, getting the dogs organized (and myself if I'm lucky), and then heading back to work. I know you get this. Making sure dinner is ready, everyone is happy, everyone has had lunch and all those things.

Needless to say most of those days, I'm exhausted. It was a random Tuesday, it was hot out, I was over it. I grabbed the kiddo from school, came home, got her a second lunch, got the dogs organized, and went upstairs to get the kiddo ready for her nap.

I don't know what was in air that day...but the energy was literally kinetic for everyone in my house except me and I was OVER IT. We were all in my room, getting the kiddo in her jammies so she could be comfy for her rest, and I remember sitting on my floor watching my kiddo run from the closet to the bed so she could jump onto the bed on one side of me, and the dogs wrestle like maniacs on the other side of me.

It was serious chaos. LOUD chaos. The child running like a banshee and screaming like a crazy girl, the dogs growling and wrestling with each other and me sitting in the middle of it. 

I took a deep breath and just sat and watched these beings in my life living their best lives and having a blast doing it. I took another deep breath and said a little prayer of gratitude that my circus is happy and healthy and able to be loud and chaotic, and said another prayer that I could let go of my poor attitude and live in the moment a little more. Because I know the day will come sooner than I want it to when the pups are older and won't wrestle, and the kiddo won't want to be running around like a banshee.

So I let go of my negativity and poor attitude, became the Tickle Monster and jumped right into the chaos.

Just a Little Background...

When I first had Grace, one of my biggest priorities was figuring out how I would fit working out into being a new mama. I have to move my body. Not just because it’s so important for my overall mental and physical well being, but also because of my injury, if I don’t move my body, I know I’m looking at a huge potential for mobility issues going forward.

As a Pilates instructor, I was so blessed because I have this background of knowledge for how to safely get your core strength back post partum and obviously have the ability to write my own workouts. But here is what I didn’t anticipate that every OG mom will (I’m sure) have a good laugh over. My child. I really didn’t anticipate that every time I would try to work out in my living room, my amazing and beautiful little girl would scream like she was being tortured and my workout would, of course, be done at that moment. I tried everything, including working out during naptimes (you know that time when you’re supposed to be sleeping too, haha) and nothing worked. All I wanted to do was move. I wanted to feel my blood flowing; I wanted to feel like I was gaining my strength back, I wanted to feel good in my body again. Honestly, what I really wanted to do was get back into the studio 5 days a week, but as all of us moms know, best laid plans are just that right? Every time something would happen that would inhibit me from working out, I would tell myself “God laughs whenever I make a plan”. Unfortunately for me, not a lot of Pilates studios have a childcare situation, and Grace is my traveling companion so that was a must.

Which lead me to joining a YMCA. I figured something was better than nothing really I was just grateful that they had childcare so I could have the opportunity to move my body for at least an hour each day. I can’t even lie; it was also nice to have the chance to workout without having to stop every 5 minutes to address what my sweet girl needed. It became this huge blessing because I was able to have a second to myself, without being covered in spit up, I could shower there in peace, and I felt like I was actually kind of back to my active self.

The bigger blessing is that Grace has essentially grown up in this fitness lifestyle, and understands the importance of moving your body. She loves to go with us to the gym, she loves the friends she’s made there and loves to play there and now she loves to go to yoga with me as well. She even does a little yoga herself and I do have to say; her plank game is much stronger than mine.

But I love that she gets to see this side of my life. The side of my life where I’m taking care of my physical well being so I can be a better participant in my family life because it does all these amazing things for me like keeping me mobile. I love that she asks to go to yoga and asks to do yoga with me after class, and has even learned how to use a singing bowl and will try to meditate.

I believe these healthy habits do start now and they start with me and my husband and her seeing that your health does need to be a priority before it becomes a problem. I cannot wait for the day when she’s old enough to put on a reformer and learn the method of Pilates because I know it will give her a greater appreciation for what I do, but it will also help to grow her own mind/body awareness and connection which is so critical for living a healthy life.

I know one day she’ll be in my classes, one day she might even teach her own classes or build a fitness empire of her own but I love that she’s not intimidated by fitness or health. And I love that I get to be integral in her evolution in this world.

A Journal for My Daughter

I think I need to start this whole thing off by saying, I truly never thought I would have a blog. I’m not sure why it never crossed my mind, but it really wasn’t until multiple people told me I should write a book about my funny stories involving my daughter that I thought “hey I could do this.”

My intention is not to give parenting advice but to share some of our lives with you, and to have a written record of what life is like in the moment for my kiddo to be able to read as she gets older. I know that if I don't write down the funny things that happen in our lives on a daily basis, or even the more serious things, I won't remember. Life is so busy and the days are so full that these moments really become fleeting.

On top of all of that, this adventure of parenting is the real deal. It's easy to get caught up in the seriousness of it, in the (occasional I hope) hardship of it, and to let those memories take the most amount of space in your brain.

I want to remember the positive, share the funny stories of the crazy things she says, share how we incorporate healthy living into our daily lives, and to bring some light-heartedness to this thing called parenting.

Most importantly, I want this amazing kid of mine to see how life was lived when she was small and might not remember what life was like everyday.