Small Successes Vol. 21

Since I'm in a blogging rut and have been a complete small success slacker lately, I thought it was as good a time as any to jump back in and give myself a quick pat on the back. Here are three "Woo-hoo! " moments for this week:

1. A few nights ago I made a turkey gumbo* from this cookbook, and everyone - my five-year-old, my-I-used-to-eat-everything-but-am-now-suspicious-that-you-might-be-poisoning-me-and-am-exerting-my-independence-at-meal-times-toddler, my slow-to-solids-baby, my carnivorous husband and my former-vegetarian-self - gave it two thumbs up. Who says there's no such thing as modern day miracles?

2. I met one of my very best friends for dinner this week. Between our crazy schedules, the distance that divides us and the fact we're both moms of little ones, a girls' night is a rare occurrence, but, boy, was it fun. I gobbled up a delicious salad topped with grilled chicken, slices of avocado, cheese, and tomato chunks. (I'm still a ravenous nursing mama, which explains my preoccupation with food.) The salad was fresh and tasty, but the company was the highlight of the evening. A good girlfriend is such a treasure. I thank God for her and all my friends and want to work at being a better friend this year (talk less, listen more, etc.).

3. I've been very productive in the writing department lately, thanks to some help from Pop (my husband's dad). I can always feel good about outsourcing playtime to him to give me some extra time to write because he is so good with my older girls (he's good with the baby, too, but she generally sticks around mama). Yesterday the girls built fairy houses with him outside while I tackled a few assignments with looming deadlines. My book is also coming together word by word, and my November deadline doesn't seem quite as daunting anymore even though we have a move in our near future and lots of other big changes ahead. (I'm not pregnant.) :)

*I shared some details of the recipe in the comments.

And what about you? Go on and toot your own horn and celebrate your own small successes at Faith & Family Live!

Celebrate the Small Stuff

I've been MIA in the "Small Successes" world. Why? Because I haven't felt one bit successful. On one hand, I've still been trying to do too much. But my overly ambitious efforts and ideals often result in me doing too little. When a friend recently called to see how I was doing, I suffered from severe logorrhea instead of giving the poor dear (who could use some encouragement) time to share her story. I'm behind on laundry. My preschooler described my legs as "furry" (thank goodness my hair is blond and not too noticeable except to petting hands). Yet, perhaps it's when I'm feeling like a big flop that I need to celebrate the smallest of successes more than ever. So here they are:

1. I tackled the furry beast legs, and I shaved off a mole in the process (the mishap happened after the baby started to cry and my preschooler ran in to the bathroom to tell me the toddler was putting small things in her mouth). Holy moly that hurt, but it's one less mole the derm will have to inspect during my August skin check appointment. (Another related success is that I finally got around to scheduling this appointment after my responsible husband got on to me about it.)

2. Instead of complaining about a husband-caused-clutter-of-a-closet, I cleaned it up. And I didn't even gloat about the fact that I'd decluttered his mess. (Bonus points for Mom.)

3. I've been trying to go to bed earlier and have stopped thinking of sleep as a "waste of time" or a "luxury" and instead am trying to see it as a good-mom-mandate.

I made the decision to retire earlier this past weekend after I thought about how for my past three confessions, I've asked to be forgiven for being too impatient with my children when this really isn't the root of this recurring pattern of petulance on my part. My impatience, I've observed, is directly correlated to my level of exhaustion, and my exhaustion was partly of my own making. I was skimping on sleep to do things that I thought were more important when, in reality, sleep is what I need most of all in order to be a gentle, patient mother (and, really, that's far more important than some of the crazy things I was staying up late to do).

Since my little epiphany, our days have gone more smoothly, and I'm feeling less frazzled even when I do have a rough night with the baby. Actually, now that I've written that, I'm seeing that this isn't a small success at all. Reordering my priorities and recognizing sleep as "me time" isn't easy, but it's a must right now.

Share (and celebrate) your own and other moms' small successes at Faith & Family Live!

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1. Our baby now comes in "chunk style," thanks to my abundant milk supply.

2. Our family's inaugural visit to the ER (aren't we blessed that this was a first for us?) went smoothly, and our toddler's boo-boo is healing well.

3.We've survived several tough weeks where Daddy has been MIA. My husband has been working heinous hours, was out of town for a week, and has had only one full weekend off since the baby's birth in early April. But starting today he'll be spending several days with us, and I'm not going to take his presence for granted. Oh, and I'll try not to take advantage of him too much (actually, he's ready and willing to spend some time with his long-lost daughters!), but I am planning on squeezing in more shut-eye since I'll have somebody on deck. If only Moms occasionally got post-call days...

Share (and celebrate) your own and other moms' small successes at Faith & Family Live!

Enough is Enough

If you're looking for my Faith & Family LIVE-inspired small successes for this week, you've come to the right place. I'm just taking a different format today and pondering what I really need to be doing to be a successful mom and wife at this stage of my life.

"What is God whispering to you?" I saw that question in a devotional the other morning and at first I couldn't think of one single hushed word I've heard from God lately. It's difficult for me to hear God over the humdrum of daily life, over the crying of an infant, the giggles of a toddler, or the aria of a singing thespian preschooler. But as I was reminded during my most recent meeting with my spiritual director, he’s always here, urging me to pay attention to what he has to say.

Since God often speaks in a whisper, I know it's necessary to quiet myself, to occasionally seek solitude, and to get away from distractions in order to hear his voice. But that's easier said than done when you're the mom of a newborn, toddler, and preschooler (or a mom period), and you have a husband who works crazy hours. I've been trying to sneak in just 15 minutes of daily contemplative prayer, but I'm also trying to hear God's whispers amidst the cacophony of my mothering life. And I realize he has been talking. Plenty. I've just been too dense or reluctant listen.

I once asked a close friend of mine who really seems to be able to discern the difference between what God is calling her to do and her own self-interests how she can tell when it's God doing the talking. "Oftentimes, I know it's God when I'm resistant to what's being said," she told me.

Based on her wisdom, I've been thinking a lot about some of the "whispers" I've been hearing. Like the other night when my body ached with exhaustion and I found myself wondering how I could go on like this and I heard a voice telling me I wouldn't be able to unless I resigned myself to sleep whenever I possibly could - even if that meant I got behind on housework or I couldn't exercise, or I had to pop an extra educational DVD in, or give up blogging at least for a little while.

Then the other day I was nursing while clambering away at the keyboard and something (God?) made me wonder why I was so busy writing about my life instead of just living it. Just because I can type while nursing doesn't mean I should. There's a time and place for multitasking, but perhaps right now I ought to be devoting more time to singularly soaking up the sweetness of having a nursing infant close to me and then use the rare moment of quasi-solitude to say a prayer of thanksgiving for this quiet moment with my third baby.

Recently, my husband encouraged me to concentrate on "just" being a mom for now. "You don't have to be anything else," he said. "You being a wife and a mom are enough for us."

I believe God was speaking to me once again, this time through my husband, telling me that for now enough is enough.

Why, then, do I keep turning a deaf ear to my husband and to God?

Because I am productive to a fault. Because I’ve always been a busy worker bee type who finds great satisfaction in doing, producing, working, and counting my successes when perhaps I should be counting my blessings. Yet as a mom, I have these three little bosses who insist that I work less (and sleep more). They're not concerned at all with my doing - they only want my being, my presence - and a joyful, well-rested presence whenever possible - in their lives.

Tuesday night was another rough one and when morning came, I started crying, wondering how I was going to face another day. I knew it didn't matter how tired I felt: My kids needed me to be "on." A nap was unlikely. Then there were all my plans for the day. I wanted to work on a sample chapter that I promised a publisher months ago. I intended to write a few blog posts this week. I wanted to market an essay I'd written that was timely and needed to be sold sooner rather than later. I wanted to bake some goods for a volunteer effort I signed up to help with. I wanted to scrub the bathroom floors, organize the girls' closets, squeeze in a quick workout, plant some flowers in our small plot of land, and work on Mary Elizabeth's baby book. These were going to be my "small successes" for the day.

Yet, now as I reflect on my absurd to-do list (Earth to Kate: You have a 5-week-old baby!), I realize most of it doesn't need to be done right now. Or even in the next few months.

What's more, my friend's wisdom keeps coming back to me: Maybe I keep resisting because I am afraid of what God is calling me to do. I'm afraid he is calling me to be "just" a mom. I'm afraid that if I listen to him and take a break from writing, editors will forget about me and find someone else to do the job. I'm afraid if I don't exercise I'll lose control of my weight (another issue altogether). I'm afraid if I don't continue teaching my preschooler her phonics, she'll never learn to read (ridiculous, I know). My pride tells me I have to keep forging ahead. I can't ignore deadlines, dust bunnies, an overflowing email inbox, fitness regimens, my little corner of Cyberspace, or homeschool plans.

Meanwhile, God is telling me that if I don't start resting in bed and in him, then I'm going to fall apart.

So I'm going to stop being so stubborn and start listening to God and others who are concerned about me. I'm going to recognize that my baby isn't even 6 weeks old yet and that I have a lifetime to accomplish, to clean, to write, to read novels, to train for a 5K. I'm going to remember what my spiritual director told me when I wondered aloud how other moms seem to do it all, that everyone and everyone else's circumstances are different.

"We don't know their temperaments or their children's temperaments. We don't know if their spouses work more flexible hours and can take the night shift more than your husband is able to do so," she said. "And we don't know if they're really doing it all or how they're feeling."

Last night my husband asked how I was doing. I said it's been tough because I feel like I don't have a life.

"But this is your life," he gently reminded me.

He's right: This is my life and even with all the sleepless nights, I wouldn't want another life. I don't even think it's all the mothering tasks that are wearing me out. It's trying to be more than a mom, to achieve successes outside the realm of caring for my children and my husband. It's trying to nurse and type a great tome at the same time. Or attempting to bake a new recipe with a baby in a sling and two mini chefs on hand to help instead of just sticking with an old standby.

God wants me to be a mom and wife, not a Food Network-worthy chef or a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist (though, if I want, I can certainly pursue these things all in good time. There's a season for everything, right?). My husband wants the same. If that's enough for them - the people I love the most - then why isn't it enough for me?

It has to be. Right now I have to focus on getting through the day. This is the only success I'm counting this week: That I've recognized my priorities right now are sleeping and taking care of my family. That it's about time I listen to God - whether he's speaking in whispers or not - when he tells me enough is enough.

*My spiritual director encouraged me to take a week off from blogging (and to cut back on some other things, too). I'm going to follow her advice. Thus, I'll be ignoring this little corner of Cyberspace until next Thursday (although I've already scheduled several rerun posts to appear). Until then...

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1. I caught up on cleaning yesterday. I vacuumed. I scrubbed toilets. I wrangled a herd of dust bunnies. And I kind of enjoyed it.

2. I didn't start to cry when the nurse at the pediatrician's office informed me that Mary Elizabeth had been "terminated" from our insurance plan (whatever that means) and that I'd have to pay out of pocket for the visit. (Baby was officially diagnosed with reflux and started her meds last evening.) Nor did I cry when that same day I discovered water gushing out from the back of our upstairs toilet.

3. I didn't wallow in (too much) self-pity when my husband told me about the great piano bar he discovered while he was away at a conference for work and how he wished I was there too, and I didn't gripe (too much) about how much I've missed having him around.

Share (and celebrate) your own and other moms' small successes at Faith & Family Live!

Small Successes 16

To the casual onlooker, I probably don't look like much of a success right now. I'm wearing the same tee I had on yesterday and while I've never had a lengthy grooming process, I've taken the term "low maintenance" to new heights.

Actually, I don't feel all that successful right now either. Our super content baby has turned fussy. She's peaceful and still if she's upright and snuggled against me, but she immediately starts crying if I try to put her down beside me so I can squeeze in some shut-eye. Poor thing is refluxing and can't handle my super soakers (I've always made way too much milk for my babies. Since I'm not a horse and can't figure out how to sleep standing up, I'm catching a lot less than 40 winks. My dearth of sleep has forced me to utter three terrifying words to a Type-Aer like me: I need help. That's my biggest success for the week - just admitting I can't do this alone and that needing help isn't a sign of weakness. It just means I'm human.

Without further ado, three more successes I'm celebrating this week:

1. Speaking of needing help, one of my best friends called me yesterday and asked if she could come over and play with the older girls so I could try to get some sleep. I waffled. I resisted. Then I finally accepted her offer and reminded myself that even superheroes need sidekicks. Although I wasn't able to nap during the visit because the baby needed her mama, I felt refreshed nonetheless. I also felt incredibly fortunate to have a friend like her in my life. Later my mother-in-law asked if I needed her to swing by after work. I suppose saying yes is getting easier because I jumped at the opportunity to have more helping hands, and this time I was able to snooze for about an hour. Pure bliss.

2. I'm typing this post while nursing a baby. Multitasking at its finest.

3. The girls and I made it to weekly Mass once in the past week, and I went to confession on Saturday. As tired as I am, I know I need to tank up on Christ right now or I'll really be running on empty.

Share (and celebrate) your own and other moms' small successes at Faith & Family Live!

Small Successes 15

1. I carved away some time for an evening walk with a dear friend leaving the older girls behind. The baby slept the entire time, and I appreciated how easy having only a newborn is now (throw in toddler and preschooler and things can get a little crazy). The outdoor air, the adult conversation, the exercise, and spending time with a true friend really renewed this tired mom.

2. We attempted our first craft since Mary Elizabeth arrived, and it kept all four little hands busy long enough for me to nurse in peace, and the mess factor was low (using Q-tips to "paint" glue onto the pictures helped). I get bonus points for giving Madeline a way to use the pretty egg shell shards from her dyed Easter eggs since she really didn't want me to destroy and discard her handiwork just to make egg salad.





3. Even though this is how I feel all of the time lately, somehow I'm able to muster up enough strength to play pretend, make muffins with my little chefs, and perform the Herculean task of just getting up in the morning (and to think I used to be an early bird!). Not that I always do everything well. Or even appear to be a human capable of intelligent thought.

Case in point: When my husband came home yesterday, I told him that our air condition upstairs might be broken.

"There's this weird, cryptic message on the thermostat," I explained.

We went upstairs together, and he took one look and said as kindly as possible, "I think it just needs a new battery."

I looked at the screen again. It read: LOW BAT. Ohhhhhhhh..As in low battery. I swear, earlier in the day (before the cup of coffee) it was like I was looking at the Rosetta Stone.

Brain, please come back.

Note to self: Best not to expose mental gaffes when you're supposed to be celebrating successes.

Share (and celebrate) your own and other moms' small successes at Faith & Family Live!

Small Successes 14

1. Mary Elizabeth had her official newborn checkup yesterday, and she's gained one pound since her discharge weight and 3/4ths of an inch in length. Mama's milk is like Miracle Grow for babies.

2. We went on a successful bug hunt this week*.


*No caterpillars were harmed in the making of this blog post.

3. I've almost caught up on laundry, but not quite. Two more loads today should do it. I am left wondering, though, why laundry seems to increase exponentially with the addition of one peanut-sized child. Any insight that would help unlock this great mystery of life would be appreciated.

Share (and celebrate) your own and other moms' small successes at Faith & Family Live!

Small Successes 13

1. For the past two nights the baby has slept snuggled beside me for two 3 to 4-hour blocks. She's cluster feeding during the day - about every 1 to 2 hours. I am in absolute shock. My oldest still sometimes wakes up after four hours. Even our toddler who asks to go "night-night" didn't start sleeping longer stretches until around three months (she also had reflux, which often required me to hold her upright after nocturnal nosh sessions, so sleep was in short supply for a long time).

2. We've enjoyed two nature walks this week. I've toted the baby in a sling and the girls and I (accompanied by either Nana or Gaba) have soaked up the springtime while walking along a trail in our townhome development. Madeline has drawn pictures of fuzzy caterpillars and a cardinal in her nature notebook, and Rae has toddled along beside her big sister. The fresh air has done all of us wonders.

3. I took a shower and shaved my legs yesterday. Woo-hoo! Go, me!

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Small Successes 12

1. We had our baby!!!

2. My older daughters are just tickled pink with their baby sister (nearly literally since X chromosomes are winning out around here) and are proving to be perfect, little mothers-in-training.

3. My milk came in on Tuesday, and Mary Elizabeth is an adept milk monger. Last night she had her first big non-meconium poop (it had taken her longer than my other children to get her indoor plumbing working) and when my preschooler saw her soiled diaper and how happy her dad and I were, she exclaimed, "This is just like Christmas morning!"

Share (and celebrate) your own and other moms' small successes at Faith & Family Live!


*This will be my last post until the Easter season begins as I'm fasting from blogging in honor of the holy Triduum and to fully enjoy our growing family. May you all experience the profound joy of Easter! Blessings!

Small Successes 10

1. The baby and I have made it to the official full-term mark (thanks be to God!). I was joking with my friend yesterday that since everyone has been so worried about the baby being on the small side and preterm labor due to my Type A cervix, I'll probably deliver a 10-pounder at 41 weeks.

2. I've (mostly) resisted a rather intense nesting instinct and have taken my midwife's words, "take it easy to heart," although I did organize and purge the girls' closet somewhat to make room for the baby's layette and feel much better having done so.

3. I've been having a lot of fun fully enjoying the company of my girls again. We've been busy with spring-inspired crafts, a brief outing to a friend's house, and daydreaming together about Baby's arrival. (We still don't have a name picked out. Madeline remains partial to Katherine Samantha Clare Elizabeth Mary. She's pointed out it's no longer than John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt.)

During craft time we made these handprint Easter lilies from Family Fun. (For those of you who consider yourself craft-challenged, I assure you they're very easy! I tend to stick to simple projects.) We added the lilies to the lovely felt flower Gaba helped Madeline make while I was still sidelined. To make a felt flower (pictured at far right), cut out petals of various colors from felt squares. Then sew them together with a needle and thread. Glue blossom to a green-painted Popsicle stick.



Now we wait for our big success - our newest addition to make her much anticipated curtain call!

Share (and celebrate) your own and other moms' small successes at Faith & Family Live!

Small Successes 9

1.The baby is still staying put even after experiencing some more intense contractions last night.

2. While I was floating on my side in a warm bath per my midwife's recommendation last evening, I felt tears prickling behind my eyes. At first I tried to hold them back. Then I started praying to the Queen of Mothers who knew what it was like to be afraid but still chose to trust. I let the tears fall. I released them again this morning. I realized I was trying to hold many of my emotions in and act as if I was superhuman, that nothing would get me down. But in my tears, I left my hero cape behind, admitted I was afraid, and asked Mary to be a mother to me right now.

3. I'm using bed rest to catch up on some spiritual reading. I just started Grace Cafe: Serving Up Recipes for Faithful Mothering by Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle, and it's been just what I need as I find myself once again abiding in the eve of new motherhood.

Here's an excerpt from the book that applies to the small and big successes as well as the sufferings moms face throughout their mothering lives:

"The passing of time reminds us to be patient with our 'little' duties and our difficult ones, aware that 'this too shall pass' when we face the everyday challenges that beset us. We can be confident knowing that after we have fulfilled this piece of our mothering, we will soon be on to another phase--another season. Each moment is important. For our children's sake, let's try not to wish them away."

I'm so looking forward to the newborn season - when pregnancy is behind me, this precarious waiting is over ("This too shall pass!"), and my baby is in my arms. Yet, for the sake of my growing little one, I do not want to rush this necessary layover but to embrace it as another part of my mothering journey.

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Small Successes 8

1. I haven't had the baby yet!

2. I've enjoyed extra cuddle time with the girls in my big, comfy bed.

3. I've taken advantage of having extra helping hands around and the fact that I'm stuck in the horizontal position and have worked ahead on a few writing deadlines.

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Small Successes 7

1. Thanks to outsourcing the bedtime routine last night to Nana, I slipped into the shower all by myself (with no little girls anywhere remotely near the bathing premises). But that's not all. I also managed to overcome the big preggo belly obstacle and shaved my legs without leaving too much bristle behind.

2. The reason for my leg-shaving efforts is twofold. First, my husband is on his way home after being out of town in D.C. for an entire month for mandatory work training. I survived sans my husband AND I respected his wishes (for security reasons) and didn’t even blog about it until now (this counts as my success #2 for this week). Second, I don't want to go into labor and have my midwife and/or L&D nurse suggest I invest in a Furminator.

3. I received an early birthday present the other night (I turn the big 3-0 this weekend). The girls and I were curled up together in bed and I’d just finished reading the last book when out of the blue, my 4-year-old wrapped her arms around me and said, “You’re the best Mommy in the whole world.” Call me a big sucker, but that made everything – even the relentless bedtime stalling– well, well worth it.

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Small Successes 6

1. My toddler has only nursed once in two weeks. This is a bittersweet success. Although I was prepared to tandem nurse (I'm in my eighth month of pregnancy with baby number three), I did stop offering a few weeks ago and she stopped asking. The last time she nursed she climbed on to my lap, looked up at me with her big, brown doe eyes and said, "Mama's milk?" I pulled her in and savored the snuggles, which lasted about 20 seconds. After taking a token "sip" or two, she grinned and then tumbled off of me and returned to her heap of toys. Sometimes I wonder who's weaning whom!

2. My preschooler and I made her Lenten mouse (extra long tail to accommodate ample good deeds not pictured). We made the little guy from felt and a piece of yarn. For every act of kindness Madeline performs during Lent (without Mom's prodding, of course), we'll tie a small knot in his tail. Madeline is very excited about getting his tail all knotty. We also make a Lenten Lamb to countdown the days until Easter. (I gleaned the lamb idea from Karen Edmisten last year.)



3. My cervix appears to be cooperating and not getting all anxious on us. Thank you, God! I was already 3 cm at this point of my pregnancy with baby number two. I understand I don't play much of a role in this success, but I have been guzzling more water and trying to take a mini retreat each day for at least 20 minutes to rest.

This is such a helpful exercise because it forces me to assess how I'm doing, to take note of my maternal triumphs, however modest they may be, and to focus on the positive.

Why not share (and celebrate) your own small successes? Join other "successful" moms out there at Faith & Family Live!

Small Successes 5

1. I actually allowed my preschooler to take a snapshot of me almost 33 weeks pregnant (I unfortunately have very few photos of me pregnant because I tend to hide from the camera during this time). This may not seem like a success at all, but for someone with my body angst history it's a big deal. I've come a long way, Baby, and so have you. I can't wait to meet my newest reason to smile.

2. My preschooler told me the other day that I was her best friend even though I make her go to bed when she doesn't want to, limit her sugar intake, and constantly remind her to be kind and grateful. Then again, maybe these are the very reasons why she considers me a trustworthy friend. I'm someone who aims to guide her gently and to give her boundaries.

3. We've managed to keep the sniffles from turning into a full blown nasty, germy concoction. I can live with drippy noses and sneezes. Just no fevers or heaving, please. (Someone knock a big, old chunk of wood right now!)

This is such a helpful exercise because it forces me to assess how I'm doing, to take note of my maternal triumphs, however modest they may be, and to focus on the positive.

Why not share (and celebrate) your own small successes? Join other "successful" moms out there at Faith & Family Live!

Small Successes 4

1. I’ve exercised every day this week. I’m not talking maniacal elliptical training or marathon sweat sessions. I’ve simply moved my body for at least 30 minutes and each time I've felt thankful for its response to the physical activity. Exercise reminds me of all that I’m capable of - even as a tired, 8-month pregger, and of my strength. I realized that this is why I enjoy regularly breaking a sweat. It’s not really because I want to look a certain way or to be swimsuit-ready (although there was time in my life when this was certainly the case). It’s because it reminds me that my body is a gift from God and that I am healthy and alive. In fact, I often find that exercise is as good for the soul as it is for the body.

2. My prenatal appointment had to be changed this Tuesday, and it was now going to fall right in middle of Rachel Marie’s naptime. I’d planned on bringing the girls with me as I usually do, but I swallowed (and nearly chocked on my pride; there's a reason I have "Lord, keep me humble" posted at the top of this blog) and asked for help. I got it and was so grateful, especially when I ended up being at my midwife’s office for two hours. A tired toddler and antsy preschooler would not a peaceful two-hour appointment make.

3. The kids and I made it to daily Mass in the past week.

Honestly, I had a hard time coming up with any successes for this edition - not because it's been a particularly bad week, but I've just felt like I've been going through the motions and not doing anything all that worthy of kudos. But mothering can be like that. It's usually not ostentatious (unless your child's having a meltdown in aisle five). Instead, we're just quietly making our family's world turn.

Maybe that's why this is such a helpful exercise because it forces me to assess how I'm doing, to take note of my maternal triumphs, however modest they may be, and to focus on the positive.

Why not share (and celebrate) your small successes, too? Join other "successful" moms out there at Faith & Family Live!

Small Success (Vol. 3)

1. The girls made their first gift for the new baby (I'm almost 31 weeks now!). Their medium? Fabric markers on white onesies.

The Preschooler's Designs





The Toddler's Design



2. We usually make sugar cookies for Valentine's Day, but Madeline really wanted to make brownies (her daddy's favorite). To keep the "love" theme, I added an extra egg to my favorite brownie recipe, so they would come out a little more "cakey" and cooked them a few minutes longer. Next, we lined a 13x9 baking dish with parchment paper, and then pulled out the sheet of chocolatey goodness and used heart cookie cutters of various shapes to cut out edible Valentines. Then Madeline decorated the cookies using a red frosting "pen," Red Hots, and sprinkles. They're in the freezer now, but we plan to send the brownies away with Daddy when he leaves for a work trip.



3. I wanted to share a much more profound "success" and starting typing my thoughts down, but before they could come to fruition my toddler came up to me and starting crying.

"What do you need?" I asked gently.

"Mommy!"

And so I hugged her, and she was happy. That's all it took. The other success wasn't any better than having the power to instantaneously turn off the tear valve of a tired toddler anyway.

For more moms' small successes, stop by Faith & Family Live.

Small Successess (Vol. 2)

This has been one of those weeks where I’ve really had to focus on my small – make that minuscule – successes. Otherwise, I’d feel like a complete failure. But enough of this self-flagellation. I’m supposed to celebrating my triumphs!

1. After getting less than four hours of sleep on Tuesday evening, I was able to function at almost full operating capacity the next day. I played with the girls, organized some homeschooling stuff, and never lost my cool. I did have to take one mom time-out that involved a quick retreat to my bedroom, some sniffling into a pillow, and me asking (begging is more like it) for God’s help. I left my room feeling much better and returned to the trenches.

2. I oversaw Valentine card production that resulted in 16 homemade Valentines for grandparents, godparents, and some other friends of the family. What’s more, I resisted the urge to micromanage Madeline’s artistic pursuits and just looked away when she got a little crazy with glue, gemstones, and stickers. They are 100 percent hers. That makes her and her control freak mommy proud.

3. I was approached with a request that I was really tempted to say yes to (because it would feed my ego and bank account), but I paused before responding, knowing that I already am juggling a lot right now and surrendered my heart, mind, and will to the Holy Spirit. Then I graciously said no, and I’m at peace with that.

Visit Faith & Family Live for more moms' small successes.

This Week's Small Successes

Because I’m completely brain dead, suffering from a bad case of writer’s block, and most of all, because I think it’s important for moms to celebrate their (and/or their kids') small triumphs, I’m sharing some of my brighter mom moments this week.

1. I took a one-hour nap on Wednesday. A real nap where I actually fell asleep. I was comatose.

2. I managed to (mostly) remove a stain the imprint of a green fabric marker from our beige dining room carpet when a craft project turned ugly. (Yes, we have carpet in our dining room and young children. What were we thinking when we chose this townhouse over the one next door with the hardwood floors, thinking we’d save our babes from multiple head bruises? Next time we'll take our chances with kids falling. Heartless, I know, but you haven't seen our carpet. It looks like Walt Disney threw up all over it.)

The unfortunate incident with the fabric marker also reminded me of the power of positive thinking when my eternal optimist and I exchanged the following words:

Me, noticing the faint green smudge that remained after an intense stain removal operation: Oh well. It’s only carpet.

Pollyanna: Yeah and anyway there are already stains everywhere else on the carpet.

3. I constructed two Lincoln Log buildings. Sudoku, brain teaser, and chess enthusiasts, eat your hearts out. I challenge any of you to a battle of intellect to see if you can erect an entire Lincoln Log dude ranch (using the directions below; I 'll do it blindfolded to be fair) in less time than I can. I am Mommy. Watch me build. (I actually had to ask for my 4-year-old for a little help at one point because I couldn’t find a piece I needed, but that’s neither here nor there.)



To see other moms' small successes, visit Faith & Family Live. And I'd love to hear about your own small successes you're celebrating this week.