Wonders, Mishaps, Blunders and Joy.. commentary on my life as a mom in the form of letters to my son
I needed to see this video today.
I needed to know that I am beautiful, imperfect is the new perfect and that this too shall pass.
I know I’m not alone.
Many of you mothers or soon to be mothers will also appreciate it.
Thanks Jen at Not Just Another Jen for posting this wonderful video on your Facebook page.
Lucas, you love Julian, the cat that lives next door and we search for him on a daily basis on our way to check the mail. We seldom see him, but yesterday, there was a rare visit and you were in heaven!
And before you ask, there will be NO cats in our future. I’m deathly allergic. Sorry, baby.
This post is for Wordless Wednesdays and if you want to link up and see some really beautiful shots, nothing like the ones above taken with my crummy camera phone, go check out Alicia at A Beautiful Mess. She is a talented photographer and a super cool mom.
You know you’re a mom when…
If you nodded at even one of these, you know you could come up with your own list. Share them with us by linking up at Mommy of a Monster.
After running into three co-workers last week from three different jobs I have had, I couldn’t help but wonder if Corporate America was trying to tell me something. It also made me think about what I used to do before I played with blocks and organized play dates.
For as long as I can remember I have loved everything that about advertising, marketing and promotion.
I love the science behind branding, audience development, public relations, event planning, direct marketing, product placement and all that goes into selling a product or service. There is nothing random when it comes to marketing and to me, that’s the beauty of it. Good advertising is very calculated and well thought out. It’s clever and sneaky and stays with you and if it’s really good, wills you to pull out your wallet.
I am a pop culture junkie and growing up, I memorized jingles and slogans and covered the walls of my bedroom with advertisements I liked that I’d tear out of magazines. Some of my all time favorite campaigns are for Absolut Vodka, Coca Cola, Nike, Got Milk? Gap and Target.
I still subscribe to too many magazines and in some cases (don’t tell my husband) it is solely for the advertisements.
I was lucky enough to work in marketing for almost 12 years. I have been on the client side and worked on the fast-paced agency. For the record, the client side is WAY better. It’s nice to call the shots.
I have developed marketing campaigns to sell everything from cell phone plans and cable service to books about birds and webinars on outsourcing. I miss it a lot… working 50+ hours a week and tapping into that side of my brain and I’m not going to lie, there have been many days since becoming a mother that I have wished I was sitting in a three hour meeting discussing the launch of a new product instead of changing a diaper or chasing after a toddler.
Maybe I’ll go back… someday.
If you like words too, play along! Some days I feel like I’m co-starring with Bill Murray in the movie Groundhog Day. The questions, commands, statements and phrases that come out of my mouth are eerily similar to the day before and the day before that.
Why is he up so early?
You peed through your jammies again?
Hello, Monday! (day changes, of course)
The moon goes down when the sun comes up.
Are you hungry?
Why won’t you eat your breakfast?
You can’t have a piece of string cheese until you take four bites.
No bottles, we are trying the sippy cup today.
Please bring the sippy cup/shoes/hat/phone to Mommy.
Stay away from the oven, it’s hot.
No, you can’t play in the refrigerator.
I don’t need your help right now, thank you.
You stink! Pee Eww.
Why are you so squirmy, I’m just trying to change your diaper. It’ll take two minutes.
Say ‘bye bye” to Daddy.
Time for The Backyardigans!
What are you doing?
I’ll play with you.
I have to wash these bottles, give me a minute.
I’ll be right back, Mommy has to pee. Okay, okay, you can come with me.
I’ll read to you, go pick out a book.
Someone’s tired.
Where’s your lovey?
We need to get out of this house!
Not in your mouth.
We need to share.
Let’s call Daddy.
Look at this big mess. Can you help me clean up?
Up?
Sweet boy.
Someone needs a nap.
Let’s try some water.
Be careful, baby.
Do you need help?
Are you climbing on that? Get down!!
Mommy would be so sad if you hurt yourself.
You’re okay.
Thank you.
Good job.
Let’s call aunt Leah.
Use your words.
Where are you going?
Do you want a snack?
Not the stairs.
It’s a diaper change, stop moving!!
That’s not for eating.
Aren’t you tired?
You are too close to the TV, back up please.
Stop whining.
Why are you whining?
Time for a change of scenery.
Let’s go look for the kitty.
Daddy’s home!
Please stop throwing food on the floor.
Okay, we’re done!
Bath time.
Let’s brush your teeth.
You can do it.
Sleepy time.
Let’s go find the moon.
One more book and that’s it!
Good night, Monday (days change, of course). Thanks for being a great day.
I love you.
I guess when it comes to parenthood, the adage the days are long (and repetitive), but the years are short is true.
I just went through my September 2009 blog archive and for some reason, I didn’t wrote a post on September 11.
I wonder why.
“Where were you when you heard Kennedy was shot?” is one of the most significant questions for my parents generation and for mine, it will be: “where were you on 9/11?”.
Today is the anniversary of one of the saddest days in America’s history. A day that we will never forget.
Nine years ago terrorists flew two planes into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center towers in New York City. Both buildings collapsed within two hours, destroying nearby buildings and damaging others. The hijackers crashed a third airliner into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. A fourth plane crashed into a field in rural Pennsylvania after some of its passengers and flight crew attempted to retake control of the plane, which the hijackers had redirected toward Washington, D.C.
There were no survivors from any of the flights.
In all, 2,974 victims were killed by the September 11, 2001 attacks: 2,750 connected to the World Trade Center, 40 in Pennsylvania and 184 at the Pentagon. Those numbers do not include the 19 hijackers.
The images plastered all over the TV for weeks following the attacks were like something straight out of a movie. They were graphic and sad; each image more haunting than the last… the planes hitting the towers, people jumping out of windows, smoke, flames and debris, frustrated and tired rescue workers and faces of the victims,
As I encountered these images again today, all I could think was how will I ever be able to explain this or any other tragedy to Lucas?
How do you explain the unexplainable? Especially when you don’t understand it yourself. 9/11 is a heartbreaking event and even more so to have to explain to your perfect little human that the world isn’t all as loving as the world inside our home.
I love our house.
It’s the first house my husband and I have owned.
It’s the house I was proposed to in.
It’s the house I was married in.
It’s the last place I saw my parents alive.
It’s the house we brought our son home to.
I love our house.
I love the funky beach community that we live in.
I love our neighbors and being close to the beach and hearing the train pass through our neighborhood all day and the wonderful convenient store on the corner.
I would rather do just about anything than move. Seriously, you name it… a root canal (even though I’ve never had one, I understand they are horrific), 24 hour food poisoning, jury duty, a three hour wait at the DMV with a cranky 15 month old, ANYTHING!
Just the mere thought of moving makes my head spin and stomach turn. I get heart palpitations and break out into a cold sweat.
I don’t like change or weeding through all the stuff I’ve accumulated since that last time I moved and I love our house.
However, in the last year our beloved house has gotten WAY too small for life with a toddler and seeing as I spend almost every waking moment within the same four walls of this house, I have discovered all the reasons it’s perfect for a couple but not made for a family.
There is no yard to speak of, backs into a busy alleyway, has slate floors in all of the major living spaces and not a lot room to grow. On the other hand, it’s beautiful in every way, perfect for entertaining and couldn’t be located better.
If I HAD to move and I fear this will be a reality sooner rather than later, AND money were no object, here’s what would be on my wish list:
A playroom for Lucas – a room separate from his bedroom where nothing is off limits to him and he is free to bounce off the walls as well as draw on them, if he wants. A place where he can sit quietly and do a puzzle or read as it would be lined with book shelves and have a long table and chairs his size with plenty of art supplies and tons of toys.
A guest room with an attached bathroom for all our visitors.
A master suite big enough for a sitting area and a walk-in closet with lots of shelf space and cubbies for shoes (my husband’s, not mine) and handbags (mine, not my husband’s).
A HUGE den off a state of the art kitchen. Kitchen must have an island.
A gym/office space.
A three car garage at the end of a long drive way.
This amazing dream house would be on sprawling grounds with lots of trees and nice lovely lush green grass. There would be one tree large and strong enough for a tree house and a tire swing. There would be a pool in the back yard with chaise lounges set up all around and a built-in BBQ and refrigerator for my wine. 🙂
And a trampoline.
I think that’s it.
Okay, twist my arm.
I suppose, I’d love to have a library too… a small room that was just all books, photos and mementos and one big cozy over-sized chair upholstered in French toile.
I love built-ins and funny little nooks and shelves of any kind and hard wood floors.
As far as location, I love living in Southern California, so I wouldn’t change that. Being in a safe neighborhood, in a terrific school district, near friends and close to parks is important too. Beachfront would be my dream.
This post is for Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop – Prompt #4 Describe your dream home…house, location, and grounds (inspired by plinky.com).
You know you’re a mom when…
If you have similar “mom” moments, be sure to link up and share them at Mommy of a Monster. Thanks, again Natalie for taking over this meme. I don’t know what I’d do without it.
At the park recently, I took this photo and as soon as I did, I was reminded of a poem that I learned in fifth grade.
My ShadowFor good measure, I took this one:
Could I really have a 15 month old?!
Lucas, you are growing and changing every day and have most notably in the last month become quite the whirlwind of activity and curiosity without any sense of danger or fear. The word ‘no’ has become the most used word in our home. To say that you keep us on our toes, is an understatement.
You are also turning into quite the communicator with a vocabulary of over 25 words. I am convinced that you understand everything that is said to you and have started repeating us a lot too. Guess I better clean up my trucker’s mouth.
We have your 15 month check up tomorrow and as usual, I have a long list of questions to ask your pediatrician, such as:
I am certain that the good doctor will tell me all is well and not to get so caught up in the growth milestones or what my friend’s children are up to. Easier said than done.
This month also marked your first two skinned knees, another plane ride to visit grandma and grandpa in the Bay Area, the end of another round of Kindermusik, countless park visits, fun days in LA, the San Diego Zoo and Sea World and we also discovered one of our new favorite places, Kidsville!
Looking forward to see what 16 has in store.
