365 Days of Reflection
“Are you back in your house?”
I must get asked that at least once a day. It’s a common question in this area to ask and to be asked. “How much water did you get?” “Did so-and-so flood, too?” “Is insurance giving you any problems?” are also just as common.
As of today, August 10, 2017, we are not in our house. We are close, but not there yet. So it sits there, mocking me, with its new floors and countertops and promises that this will all be forgotten one day. I would give anything to walk into my new door, get something out of my new fridge, and sit there.
That’s just not going to happen today.
We didn’t...
From the moment babies are born, they already have certain milestones they have to hit. Which is when I think my stress began, at the time of my own birth. They need to have their first poop within 24 hours, crawl by ___, walk by ___, say 10 words by ____. I mean, I get it, medical reasons and all, but was it always like this? Were moms always overwhelmed when their kid didn't meet a certain milestone at the time they should have? Or is this just me? I just like to think times used to be much simpler. I like to think that milestones weren't always there in the stone manner that we view them today.
I can...
My daughter has been a dedicated thumb-sucker since the womb. When she was an infant, I got a lot of comments from friends, family, and strangers on how adorable my little thumb-sucker was. "She is too cute with that thumb!" they would exclaim, a smile lighting up their face. "Thumb-suckers make for happy babies" more than one sage grandmotherly stranger nodded.
After her first birthday though, the comments begin to slow in frequency. Then they stopped. After her second birthday, the comments started up again, but this time they had a decidedly different tone.
"Isn't she too old to be sucking her thumb?" the cashier at the grocery store would say, eyebrows raised. "Get that thumb out of your mouth!"...
I don't really enjoy cleaning. So when my kids - ages three and two - each started showing small interests in helping, I took advantage of the educational opportunity! While their willingness to help clean is not a huge help to me just yet, I know it will be in the future. But it's not just that - I think this also allows them to feel more a part of the family while having a role in the overall picture of what it takes to run a household. And in this house, every member of the family pitches in! Here is a list of chores we've started doing with our toddlers:
1. Unloading light items from the dishwasher.
Since both my kids have always had a...
Twenty-four. I stopped and did the math and the number of birthday parties I have hosted is TWENTY. FOUR.
My daughter recently had her fourth birthday. She was so excited. She wanted a Shopkins party. And then she wanted a Trolls party. And then Care Bears. And then Frozen. All I wanted was to stay home and enjoy Saturday with nothing on the calendar.
Lauren is our third and last child. She is our baby. The girl born after two boys, she is truly our princess. For her first birthday I went all out with the décor and the theme, complete with matching dress. It was planned down to the color of the straws. For her second birthday, we turned our...
Around Baton Rouge
Mardi Gras From the Perspective of a Krewe Dancer
Mardi Gras From the Perspective of a Krewe Dancer
It's that time of year we have been working towards all year long. Preparing three to...
