Tonya

Mother’s Day

Posted on May 9, 2010 Written by Tonya

If it’s a weekday between 12:00 and 3:00 and I’m in my car, I’m undoubtedly listening to Dr. Laura. Love her or hate her, you can’t help but respect her.

Dr. Laura Schlessinger’s themes are protect the child, practice family unity, use sexual restraint, stop making excuses and don’t interrupt.

“Tell me what you think, not what you feel,” she says and ends every segment with “Now, go do the right thing”, a no nonsense plea cast out to her listeners intended to encourage us to be better people.

I don’t agree with everything she says, but just about and I love her no BS delivery.

Not only do I listen to Dr. Laura in the car, but I read her blog too and I swiped this quote and photo from there:

“She who forms the souls of the young is greater than any painter or sculptor.” – Saint John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople C 347-407

I have known some wonderful mothers in my life, including my own and Mother Laura and I am proud and very humbled to be a part of this group and blessed to be your mom.

Happy Mother’s Day!

The best is yet to be.

Day 75/100

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Aches & Pains

Posted on May 7, 2010 Written by Tonya

Aside from the sheer exhaustion, I never knew that motherhood was so physically demanding or dangerous. Most nights, I feel like I’m getting enough rest, but I am still sore ALL. THE. TIME.

You weigh almost 25 pounds and I swear your diaper bag does too!

My back hurts, my feet hurt, my shoulders are tight, I have a constant crick in my neck and in the last 11 months, I have stubbed my toes and have more tension headaches and broken nails and than ever before.

I can visibly tell that the muscles in my left arm are more defined than the ones in my right arm because I favor my left when holding you balanced just so on my hip. I must remember to alternate.

I chase you around the house all day long keeping you out of harm’s way and making you laugh.

I crawl around on my hands and knees when we play together.

I bend over so many times a day to wipe up the floor and pick up toys that you’d think I’d have six-pack abs by now. Sadly, this is not the case, and before you chime in, I know, I know, I should be bending at the knees.

I slouch, hunch, lean, contort, reach, twist and turn in the most peculiar ways out of pure necessity.

At the end of the day I often discover mysterious bruises on my body, usually on my butt and probably from either the car door, door leading to the garage or baby gates.

My hands have always been dry but have gotten worse with all the bottle washing and diaper changing. I should own stock in Purell hand sanitizer. I still can’t wear my wedding rings without breaking out in a rash.

I am using muscles and a physical strength I never knew I had in order to multitask and care for you in the best way I know how and while it is all worth it, this mama needs a massage… pronto and at least once a week!! Maybe a good long soak in the tub will do for now.

The best is yet to be.

Day 73/100

Eleven Months

Posted on May 6, 2010 Written by Tonya

11 months? Already?! Say it isn’t so. The last four weeks have gone by too fast and you have experienced many fun firsts, including:

Your first boat ride across the Sydney Harbor.
Your first visit to the zoo.
Your first visit to the ER. 🙁
Your first sunrise our first morning in Sydney.
Your first meal at a restaurant in which nothing came out of the diaper bag except for a bib.

You also:

Acquired another two stamps in your passport.
Learned that there are television screens in cars, thanks to the taxi driver in Sydney. Your dad and I are hoping you’ll forget. Fat chance, right?!
Know where your belly is and recognize the words “bath”, “book”, “baby”, “bottle”, and many more that don’t begin with B!
Pat us on the chest as a form of affection I hope…
You’ve had your first of what I fear is many temper tantrums (more on that in a later post).
You can walk around holding on to furniture and can stand for several seconds without holding on to anything.
Exclusively wear size 4 diapers and size 12 clothes.
Climb up the stairs.
Still have blue eyes.

Nothing brings me more joy than being your mommy and watching you grow, learn, laugh and play every day.

Next month we will be celebrating your first year and I am going to enjoy every second until then because something tells me that after June 6, you are going to be a very different baby.

Forever and always I believe that the best is yet to be.

Day 72/100

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Comfort & Joy

Posted on May 5, 2010 Written by Tonya

My friend Rachel gave you a Silkie Ribbon Comfort Blankie before you were even born and it has become one of your most favorite possessions. We call it your Lovey and on occasion, has been known to bring you more comfort than your dad or I can.

This 12″ x 12″ plush blanket is already very well-loved and up until two weeks ago never left your crib (except to be washed). It has since made a trip around the world with us and along the way has been sucked on, dropped on the floor, dragged through our house, my friend’s house, five cars, three airports, and two hotel rooms, wiped up snot, tears and vomit; and while completely disgusting, your precious Lovey has brought you some much needed security when you needed it most.

I have been told that we should invest in a back-up, just in case, but to be careful about switching them out with one another because apparently children have a very keen sense of smell and can spot an impostor a mile away.

I don’t remember ever having a security blanket or toy that I was particularly attached to growing up and had never even heard of such a thing until I met my niece’s (multiple) Ducky’s. Talk about disgusting and well-loved, these poor ducks get their stuffing picked right out of them. Whatever works, right?

Lucas and his beloved Lovey.

I have read that having a security item is a good thing and helps foster self soothing, but now that we are back home, I’m going to try to leave it in the crib.

Does your child have a favorite item that they cling to when the going gets tough? What are the “rules” for it in your home and when (if ever) did the attachment end?

The best is yet to be.

Day 71/100

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Photo Highlights From Our Trip Down Under

Posted on May 5, 2010 Written by Tonya

As promised, here are some photo highlights from our trip:

Mommy and Lucas in the Circle Quay (Sydney Harbor and Opera House).

Sophie and Lucas – Lunch at Le Méridien hotel.

Jammie time for Emma, Noemi and Lucas.

Visit to the Noumea City Aquarium.

A day at the beach – Lucas’ first time in the Pacific Ocean.

While Lucas and I were enjoying the sun and surf on the island of New Caledonia, Daddy was driving in the Targa Tasmania and on Day 4/5, his partner crashed their car into a tree. Thankfully, no one was hurt.

Best friends and their children.

Our trip to the Sydney Zoo. Look at their view… lucky giraffes!

The best is yet to be.

Day 71/100

Down Under

Posted on May 5, 2010 Written by Tonya

“Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home.” – John Howard Payne

I’m back! It’s good to be home. I missed my little blog, but thoroughly enjoyed being unplugged for a while. Now, with my head swimming in posting ideas and new thoughts on motherhood to share, I’m anxious to get back to it….

First and foremost, we had a terrific trip! The flights to and from were torturous and very hard on us all, but we did it and are better for it.

I can’t believe that I can now say that I been to six continents or even more impressive that, that my son has been to three!

Sydney is a beautiful hustling bustling multi-cultural city with tons of things to see and do and we made the most of our four days there by exploring The Rocks, the great neighborhood where our hotel was located, walking over the Sydney Harbour Bridge, visiting the famed Opera House and the Taronga Zoo.

In between our bookend stays in Sydney, Lucas and I spent a wonderful week with my friend Sophie and her family in Noumea, New Caledonia and got to experience life on an island. It was so good for my soul to see my friend again and I loved finally meeting her beautiful daughters, Emma (who turned six while we were there) and Noemi (3). They were very sweet to Lucas and he fell in love with them instantly too.

I am especially grateful to Sophie’s husband Luc, who took the entire week off work while I was there to help out with their girls and their daily routine and even looked after Lucas so that Sophie and I could spend some time alone together. I love how even after not seeing each other for 10 years, we picked up right where we left off. That has to be the mark of a true friendship.

As I said in my Facebook status on April 25: One 15 hour flight, one trip to the ER, one lost cell phone and unbelievable humidity = the price you pay to see your best friend again! Having a wonderful time in New Caledonia.

I can never thank Sophie and Luc enough for everything they did to make us feel comfortable and welcome and I don’t know what I would have done without their help. Shortly after we arrived (literally minutes after we walked off the plane), we headed to the ER where Lucas was diagnosed with gastroenteritis. This led to multiple trips to the pharmacy, calls to their family’s pediatrician and a later diagnosis of an ear infection and sore throat.

Agh! I now know what a mother’s worst fear is while traveling and it’s not that you’ll run out of diapers on a 15 hour flight, it’s that your baby will get sick on an island where you don’t speak the language!

He seems to be 100% now, although he is still pulling on his ear, so we are going see our pediatrician tomorrow (I mean, later).

Maybe he was just missing his daddy, who was in Tasmania participating in the annual Targa Tasmania, a tarmac rally with competitive stages on closed roads. I will have to get Lucas’ dad to share his experience in the form of a guest post, because I couldn’t do it justice. I suppose the pictures might speak for themselves. Luckily no one was seriously hurt!!

It was the longest we have all been a part from one another and what made it more difficult was the lack of communication. We can normally text one another, but not without a phone (which I believe is in the Sydney airport somewhere…Grrr!).

Jet lag is starting to kick in… photo highlights will have to wait until tomorrow (I mean, later).

Packing Is The Hardest Part

Posted on April 21, 2010 Written by Tonya

I can’t believe that the trip we planned five months ago is finally here.

We are flying to Sydney tonight and on Sunday I get to see my old friend, Sophie again! I am so excited I could pee in my pants!! 🙂

I feel like I have been organizing, making piles and lists, prepping and stressing for weeks. With less than 10 hours until our flight, we are as ready as we will ever be! I think I have packed everything, but the kitchen sink.

By the way, 80% of the contents in the luggage in the picture is your stuff, which means undoubtedly I will not have enough to wear. Guess that means that mommy will get to go shopping!?!

This was by far the hardest trip to pack for despite Sophie’s suggestions. Apparently the weather could be very temperamental this time of year in New Caledonia, and while she has most everything that we’ll need while we are visiting her, 15 hours is a very L O N G time (think: books, food, formula, snacks, blankets, diapers, toys, extra clothes, etc. etc.) to be on an airplane with a toddler. Not to mention, we have several days in Sydney on each end of our trip. I’m looking forward to being on the plane and on our way! I’m ready for a new adventure.

I am going to take this opportunity to unplug and disconnect from my computer for a while, even though I just went public with my blog to another group of friends (you know who you are), but don’t worry, I’ll be back.

The best is yet to be.

Day 57/100

Every Day Is Earth Day

Posted on April 21, 2010 Written by Tonya

I know tomorrow is Earth Day, but I will be flying over the Pacific, so I wanted to post this today.

Forty years after the first Earth Day, the world is in greater peril than ever. While climate change is the greatest challenge of our time, it also presents the greatest opportunity – to build a healthy, prosperous, clean energy economy now and for the future.

Let this Earth Day inspire you to do something to reduce your carbon footprint. Even if it means taking baby steps, there are plenty of things we can do to make a difference.

Listed here are ten simple things you can do to reduce your carbon footprint on Earth Day.

1. For one day, eat no disposable food items or beverages. Add to that no paper plates, plastic utensils or other disposable dinnerware. We all have cupboards full of dishes and glasses that we pass on when we grab a paper plate for that quick snack. For just one day, pass on the paper products.

2. Pay your bills online. And while you are at it, opt for receiving your billing statements by e-mail instead of snail mail.

3. Adjust the thermostat. Cut back on your heating and air conditioning by lowering your thermostat in the winter and moving it up a notch or two in the summer. Just a couple degrees in either direction can really make a difference in your energy use.

4. Cook one meal entirely from organic non-processed ingredients. It’s easier than you think and will be healthier in the process.

5. Lose the plastic water bottles. These leave a huge carbon footprint. Purchase a reusable bottle or canteen for your water.

6. Change your light bulbs. Purchase compact florescent light bulbs instead of incandescent light bulbs. The compact florescent bulbs use less energy and last longer. According to the EPA, “An ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) will save about $30 over its lifetime and pay for itself in about 6 months. It uses 75% less energy and lasts about 10 times longer than an incandescent bulb.”

7. Only use your clothes washer, washing machine and dishwasher when they are completely full. Using them fully loaded means you utilize them less thus using less energy. Think of it as doing less loads of laundry and fewer times to unload the dishwasher.

8. Read the newspaper online. By doing this you use less paper and save trees.

9. Use a laptop instead of a desktop model computer. Buy using a laptop computer your energy savings could range from 50 to 80 percent.

10. Unplug your phone charger when not in use. This applies to other appliances as well. Many plugged in appliances continue to draw energy even when not in use.

In our home we practice at least six of the above actions on a day to day basis and one I’d add is using reuseable bags. I made it a New Year’s resolution and now it’s a habit. It is little, simple changes that can make a big impact.

I sincerely hope by the time you are old enough to read this that Mother Earth is in much better shape than she is today.

The best is yet to be.

Day 57/100

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The Most Important Meal Of The Day

Posted on April 20, 2010 Written by Tonya

After my post, Worst Mother Of The Year, I realize now that I should be keeping an on going list of things that I swore I wouldn’t as a new mom. Something tells me it is going to get worse before it gets better…

Today’s act actually shocked me.

Okay, “shocked” is a bit of an exaggeration.

You wanted nothing to do with your high chair or bananas and cereal so, I followed you around the living room with your breakfast in order to get you to eat it. It worked… for you and made me mad at myself. While I do believe that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and I’m happy that I found a way to get you to eat it, I don’t want to start a bad habit.

This got me thinking about some of the other things I have done as a mother (so far) that I’m not proud of:

Letting you play with my iPhone.
Talking entirely too much about poop… color, texture, size. Blech!
Leaving you sleeping in the car (gulp!) while I ran into pick up my dry cleaning, a sandwich and pay for gas. Not all at the same time.
Putting you in a shopping cart without a seat protector.
Wiping your nose and then wiping my hand clean on the jeans that I’ve been wearing for three days in a row.
See above about the jeans. I have worked my butt off to get back into my pre-pregnancy jeans and am proud to say that I now weigh what I did at my first OB appointment, but I live in yoga pants, tank tops and hoodies. I hardly ever wear make up and most of the time, I smell like you. I never thought I’d let myself go.

Before becoming a mother, I had many ideas and ideals about motherhood being the perfect mother. I thought that some moms were just lazy, ill-informed or both and that I was clever enough to break the cycle. I was going to break new ground. It didn’t take long to learn that all those impressions I had were going to go right out the window.

I know that once I let go of these ideals and stop trying to be perfect, I will relax enough to enjoy my son and be the mother I was meant to be.

For all you moms out there, what did you always vow that you’d never do as a parent, but find yourself doing today?

By the way, stay tuned, the list above is sure to grow. 🙂

The best is yet to be.

Day 56/100

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Adventures In Dining

Posted on April 19, 2010 Written by Tonya

Dinner last night was comical and exhausting. We went out for sushi with our neighbors and their two children; Pierce, who is almost two years old and Roman, who is almost one, and if it wasn’t one kid complaining, it was the other.

We were in and out in almost an hour flat and because we were tending to our tots, I don’t think one complete conversation was had.

From the waterfalls, turtle pond, lights, other patrons, windows, fans and the always fun to play with dishes, chop sticks, menus and mommy and daddy’s food, you were mesmerized by all there was to see and touch.

We tried feeding you with the food we brought, but you were more interested in what P & R had, so we shared. We tried entertaining you with the toys we brought and you were antsy and only settled down when your dad and I took turns taking you on walks to visit the sushi bar, turtles and hostess stand.

The best part of the evening was that we all laughed about it, during and afterward. Welcome to dining with children! The sushi wasn’t bad either. 🙂 Oh well, we tried, right? Next time, it will be just the four adults. No offense, kids!

The best is yet to be.

Day 55/100

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Mother’s Day

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Aches & Pains

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Eleven Months

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Comfort & Joy

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Photo Highlights From Our Trip Down Under

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Down Under

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Packing Is The Hardest Part

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Every Day Is Earth Day

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The Most Important Meal Of The Day

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Adventures In Dining

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