I hate .....

dieting & working out! I would rather have dental work done than discipline myself & get on a schedule or work a routine. You can imagine how fun it must've been for me to get into the routine of caring for my daughter. LOL! I am naturally a get up & go on a whim kind of gal. But when it come to exercise my get up is gone.

What's even more hilarious is that I love to plan events for others - which you cannot even think about doing without a schedule! I just hate having to plan my OWN time, especially having to carve out that time for a workout. My honey gently reminded me today that I have to workout and I shuddered at the mention of it. So pray that I "work out" my time and get down to the business of gettin' in shape.

Speaking of events, The ladies luncheon I hosted yesterday was fun! I had about 12 of my close girlfriends show up with their munchkins and boy did we indulge! The theme was What Women Want and I was sure to include all of those things. We had a cosmetic consultant on hand, all sorts of jewelry & handbags on display and activities for the kids to keep occupied. We had a blast and i had the chance to remind my friends that we NEED to take care of ourselves and do the things that we love in order to stay refreshed.  

It is so important for us to get together & enjoy time with our friends. I don't know about other moms out there but I find that being home with my peanut as much as I love her can be very isolating & even dare I say, depressing on some days. So naturally being the planner I am put together this little shindig to switch up the daily routine for us stay at home moms. I do miss the socializing that comes with working a regular 9-5 but there is more freedom that comes with stayin' home. My time belongs to me or so I'd like to think! LOL! It really belongs to Leia. That' s cool cause she's so darn cute!

This morning while surfin' the blogosphere I found this great site that promotes exactly what we need as moms: ME Time. You have to check it out cause there is a plethora of info pumped articles & posts on how to stay on top of squeezing in a lil' time for us. I even managed to stumble on an article for fitting fitness in.

Let's hope I find the motivation to squeeze fitness into my me time for today. I might just fit in everything else but fitness. 

Otherwise, I am still taking some time for me.... what about you? You know you need it so... work it out.... Ha I couldn't help myself that time!

- Just a thought...

Don't you just love...

four day weekends? I sure do. I feel as though there's a very thin line between love and hate for me though. The weekend was fantastic - except for the occasional spot of rain here and there, but Monday was gorgeous. I had so much time to spend with my honey and our little peanut.

We stayed up late watching movies & stuffing our faces with snacks, we talked, woke up late and my honey even made me breakfast for the last 3 mornings! It was GLORIOUS...and then I watched him get up and go off to work today. *sigh* How I wished we could've just had one more morning together. Sooooo, i'm lovin' and hatin' it today but the blessing is at least he has a job to go back to.

Speaking of going back to, we won't be going back to those swim lessons. It is hilarious when our husbands don't listen to the advice we give & then realize in the end we were right. While I didn't rub his face in it, it does feel good to know he's finally on the right page with me. That's what happened with the swim lessons for Leia. I told him that I believed she would learn better in a more gentle & supportive environment. He told me if I couldn't handle it why did I come to watch ? Of course you're thinkin like I was - Oh no he didn't!!!

Yes. He. Did. Now I could've pitched a fit & ranted and raved but instead the peace of God came over me and I said fine. I will endure this "process" as you call it and quietly suffer as I watch her suffer. Now don't get me wrong, the issue wasn't the manner of the instructor or that Leia was being tortured, for me it was that my baby wasn't having fun or enjoying it. I was thinking how can she possibly learn to love swimming if it's no fun? Who likes to sit in a boring class? I know I don't so anyways, I "surrendered" and we took her to her second lesson. Again there was crying, frustration & anxiety but I got through it. 

The following day we are getting ready for church. We pack up all of her swimming gear & all that we need to head to the lesson right after service. After all is said & done at church, I asked Leia, "Honey, do you want to go swim with Ms. Instructor(name intentionally left out)? and at 2 years old she turned to me and said "I don't want to go swim anymore". I was shocked. Now we had been asking her for the previous two days if she wanted to go back and she said yes every single time asked. So I kept this info. to myself and forgot to tell my husband until we were in the car on the way to the lesson.

I leaned over and told him & he was shocked as well. He leans back while driving and asks " Mama, do you want to go swimming in the pool?" She clearly says with a sad face" I don't want to anymore". He looks at me and just sits with this disturbed look on his face. After sitting quietly for a few minutes I'm dying & I finally ask "what's the matter?" He says " I'm driving home." I say " What are you talking about?" He says" I don't have peace about making her go to the class if she's telling me she doesn't want to go." Let me tell ya'll, I was in shock, again. Especially after he had made that comment to me about not being able to handle it. All it took was for my little girl to say I don't want to go and it pierced daddy's heart. God is good and He answers prayer! Cause' i sure did not want to go back to that swimming class! My hubby even came & apologized to me for not understanding or listening. Can you believe it an authentic apology!!!! I waited for God to work the situation out and He delivered big time!

Lesson learned. It really isn't about being right - as much as I love to be right- sometimes it's just about laying your will down so God can teach your man something. My husband describes it this way - Submission isn't about letting the man walk all over you...it's about ducking and allowing God to slap the man!!! Bottom line, however you look at it, it works. That said, I'm off to finish all of the work I neglected to do during my glorious weekend. Back to reality and the planning for the ladies luncheon I'm hosting tomorrow. I must be crazy to do this after memorial day weekend. Pray that I remember to take some time for me and be sure to take a lil' sumthin for you too, now matter how long your getaway was this weekend you still need it.

- Just a thought...

Aren't we supposed to....

like teachers? Today was most definitely the first day I wanted to kill one! Not just any teacher though - the swimming instructor. I took my daughter to her first swim lesson today and boy was it an experience. I thought, after being coaxed by my husband & Julie - the instructor- that it wasn't going to be so bad after all.  

YEAH RIGHT! I had to watch helplessly as my baby was crying & looking for me during the lesson. I was so mad I even punched my husband in his arm...yeah I know pretty rough huh? When it comes to my kid all self control flies right out the window. But I must admit, throughout all of my raving & frustration behind the scenes, Julie was just so loving & kind & patient with Leia - it was like nothing I had ever seen before. So much so, my daughter even began to calm down & follow her example. *Take note- they really only freak out when we freak out and believe it or not they always follow our example!*

After all of the tears were shed & we finally were able to come out from hiding to console her,she cried once she saw me & James and then she started to tell me about the frog- a toy character used in the swimming lesson- and was jumping up & down with excitement about being in the pool. I couldn't believe it, she really was okay & after it was said & done I was the only one who really had learned something. As painful as it is to watch them experience life, we have to let them do it. Otherwise they will sink when it comes time to swim - no pun intended HEE HEE...

She has more sessions to come over the weekend & during the early part of next week. I don't know how I will feel then but as for now there's a sense of peace that has come over me. The reality is my baby is growing up & I won't always be there for her. I will have to learn to leave her to her own devices & grow from her experiences- even the hurtful ones. The beautiful thing is, I can be there to kiss her face, wipe her tears and even her little hiney right now. What a blessing and yet what a challenge. 

Now I'm off to bury my head in a pillow & scream.... until tomorrows' lesson.... I can feel the headache coming on. LOL! Until then I'm going to put my feet up and indulge in a little mommy time - as my husband likes to call it. What did you think I would forget?......

- Take time for you too......

That little face....

just makes everything alright! That was what I woke up to this morning smiling at me and asking for oatmeal. Only as much as I love my peanut, I was instantly hit with the "stop the world, I want to get off" feeling. 

Another day of having to declare that its okay if I have to get up when I really want to sleep & clean when I want to do nothing. Ohhh..... the glory days of being able to get up & go - in minutes flat, sleeping until I'm ready to wake up & being unapologetically self diluted...lol... while none of that was real to begin with - it was fun while it lasted but my goodness, that little face makes it alllll right. 

I think it's God's way of making sure we stay in love with them even when they are driving us Crazy!!!! That being said- I needed to vent- it is all worthwhile. She has challenged me to love harder, be stronger, and be the best me that I can possibly be. What more could anyone ask for?

Keeping my perspective is difficult sometimes and I am sure it is for some of you out there as well. The truth is if we really take a second look at the things that we bypass everyday we will find the peace, joy & fulfillment that we are looking for right in front us. Or even in the little faces we long to care for everyday. Don't forget that squeezing in a little time to care for the face you see staring back at you in the mirror is worthwhile too. 

Just a thought.....

I am not.....

forgotten & I am here to say neither are you! Hello Mommas! I have a few things that I need to get off my chest and some questions I searched all over the blogosphere to find answers to.  No matter how many times I looked for blogs ridiculously honest about how forgotten & left out I felt I couldn't find what I was looking for. So there I was feeling like, and I emphasize feeling - every bit The Forgotten Mom.  

I must admit I love being a mom and I don't want to alienate the moms out their who revel in their ability to love & care for their children everyday but for a while I was having a real issue with having to sacrifice all of who I was in order to raise my beautiful baby girl. When it dawned on me, I like everyone else I felt, had forgotten to take care of me! 

I realized raising my baby had absolutely nothing to do with sacrificing who I was - while it may feel that way sometimes - but it was more so about finding a happy balance. The balance between taking care of me first, so i could care for my loved ones. Especially my husband & my baby girl. Talk about an AHA moment!

I created a spot that we could all come to reaffirm our need to be remembered everyday - NOT just Mother's day! ( I don't know who decided we deserved just one day cause it should be everyday but when I find them I'm gonna have a score to settle.) We have to remember not to unintentionally leave ourselves behind in the process of loving our family & others. Here's food for thought, I am sure that many of you have travelled by plane with your children - what's the procedure the stewardess walks you through? She tells you to strap yourself then your child & should you need an oxygen mask to place yours on FIRST before you reach to help your child. Isn't that somethin'? 

It is amazing to me that we have to be reminded to care for ourselves when we are the nurturers in the household. Some of us have it down pat and others like me struggle. We're so taxed doing for others that we get left out & then our will to be more, grow more & live more is crushed. Remember, if we don't take care of ourselves & something should happen (because life happens when we least expect it) who will care for the ones we used to care for? How will we raise happy, healthy & well rounded kids if we are unhappy,  unhealthy & all around insane?!

Nuff said mommies! Do something special just for yourself today. Get away for a while and read that book you've been dying to read, put the kids to bed early tonight so you can have time with your honey, get that pedicure & manicure you know you need! LOL! or opt to take some time with the beautiful family you have and just really enjoy the day. You have my permission to take care of you for a change. 

 - Just a thought....