A beautiful reminder that we mothers don’t always feel perfect, but that it’s OK and completely NORMAL. Motherhood is equal parts ‘constant contact” (via our children) and overwhelming loneliness. It’s all part of this season of life, and despite the isolation that can come with being a stay-at-home-mom, we are all in this together ❤
Isn’t it a contradiction that you can feel so alone but yet be in the presence of two children, a new born and a 3 year old, who could talk the legs off a donkey.
Prior to maternity leave, I worked full time within the Criminal Justice System so I was constantly busy. However, this is a far cry from my life now I’m on maternity leave, I’m busy, but in a completely different way.
It’s crazy, when your baby is first born you have heaps and heaps of visitors coming to see you and baby, then little by little they all dwindle away. Your partner goes back to work and suddenly you’re by yourself just you and the little humans. When my partner first went back to work I was actually scared of my children. 😂😂 I laugh but honestly, I couldn’t wait for him to be home, not…
I’m obsessed with routines, schedules, checklists, and anything else that is supposed to help you stay organized. But truthfully, organization is rarely achieved in my house. As a busy mom of an almost 3 year old and a 7 month old, our days often look more like a mad dash to the ultimate finish line (bedtime) – all while trying to balance meltdowns with deep conversations about life…
But why do I have to wear pants? I like being naked. – my “threenager”
I realize the juggling act of babies and toddlers and bathtimes is probably the reality of most parents. I’m not here to complain. Instead, today’s post is all about celebrating this exhausting thrilling phase of life!
In case you’re like me and get overly excited by reading other people’s routines with their kids, I thought I’d share what our bedtime routine looks like. (If you’re interested in a morning routine, I’ve shared one of those too.) It’s pretty straightforward, but to see it in action (a.k.a. a baby who hates to lay on the changing table and a toddler who leaves a trail of destruction in every room he enters) then I recommend watching this fun little video my husband and I made.
If you’re not familiar with Whole30, read this post first. I talk about what it is and why I’m following this insane trend diet.
Week one recap: I’m starving, I’m tired, I don’t like you, I feel GREAT, I’m hungry again, I feel GREAT, this is stupid. – The Whole30: Guide to Total Health
I’ve officially completed the first two weeks of Whole30! Just like the book predicted, I’ve experienced some pretty intense up’s and down’s… here’s what it’s been like so far:
Day 1: What have I done?
I thought I would feel great the first day of the Whole30 challenge. I was pumped, prepared, made a meal plan, and bought all of my necessary supplies. But instead of coasting on a natural high, I immediately felt like I was coming out of the world’s roughest hangover. I was tired, cranky, and just didn’t feel “right.”
Days 2 to 4: I got this.
The book claims that days two to three would feel like a hangover, but for me I woke up feeling strangely balanced. I wasn’t craving anything in particular and I felt like meal prep was manageable. Supposedly, day four of the Whole30 Challenge is supposed to usher in a feeling of “kill all the things” but I didn’t feel that way until around day five…
We went out to lunch with my in-laws and I had a margarita, chicken fajitas, and rice. It was delicious and I regret nothing. I did however feel really sick for the rest of the day – nauseous, headache, and lethargic.
You’re supposed to start over from day 1 when you cheat on the Whole30 Challenge, but I’m not going to do that. I’m too busy to keep restarting every time I have a slip up. Also, my goal for this challenge isn’t to lose weight or determine if I have any allergies… it’s mainly to try and reduce inflammation in my body (a major culprit behind Rosacea & PCOS).
Days 6 & 7: I’m feeling OK
I got back on the program and coasted steadily with no major temptations or cravings for sugary goodness. I also discovered an INSANELY delicious pot roast recipe that was easy to make and provided me with leftovers for several meals afterwards (recipe coming soon!).
Day eight I woke up feeling especially peppy. I’d been eating well, not feeling especially hungry, and got really great sleep. Then I tried to put on my favorite jeans… I couldn’t get them buttoned!
According to the book, it’s not weight gain it’s just bloat. Ugh.
Days 10 & 11: I’m sooooo hungry.
I’m still not craving anything (which really confuses me, because I LOVE sugar), but I am feeling crazy hungry. I wake up hungry, I eat, then I’m hungry two hours later. I’m making sure to eat according to the meal template, but I still just. want. to. eat.
As I write this I am on day 12. I am still hungry, but I’m eating an Rx Bar (one of the few Whole30 approved packaged snacks) and hoping that tonight’s feast of spaghetti squash, pulled pork, and homemade tomato sauce will fill me up.
What about you? Have/are you trying Whole30? Let me know in the comments about your experience. I’d love to commiserate. ❤
Self-care isn’t always pretty, but it’s absolutely necessary. You can’t pour from an empty cup so make sure to take the time to fill yourself up.
Don’t wait for “self-care Sunday.” Do it now, everyday. Whether it’s through quietly sipping a cup of coffee at your desk or an hour long yoga class – honor yourself by taking a break.
Why do we constantly search for happiness? It seems like we look for it everywhere – shopping, food, in other people. And yet we never seem to find contentment.
But I’ve recently come to realize something:
We will never find happiness outside of ourselves, because we already possess happiness within us.
In reality, everything we’ve been taught about “being happy” – owning a large house, wearing expensive clothes, dating an attractive person, being thin… – are all just distractions away from the inner happiness we’ve possessed all along.
My toddler embodies this truth. He is happy. I mean genuinely happy. It takes no effort on his part. Sure he may have a tantrum when something doesn’t go his way, but the cloud quickly passes and he’s back to singing songs and dancing around the living room.
So what happens? How is it we lose touch with this inner source of contentment?
Photo by Mariam Soliman on Unsplash
It all starts with chocolate cake.
Bear with me, please.
Picture this: you’re out at a nice restaurant, you’ve just finished your meal, and now you’d like a dessert to complete the experience. You look over the menu and come across a description of a rich, moist chocolate cake. And it’s exactly what you want.
As you wait for the cake to arrive, you contemplate how delicious the cake will taste. In fact, you’ve ordered a cup of coffee and you think to yourself how perfect the combination will be.
The cake arrives and it looks just as delicious as the picture. You feel happiness. Then you take your first bite… and it all starts to go downhill.
Instead of enjoying the chocolate cake for what it is, you start to compare it. You think to yourself, this cake is rich, but is it as good as the one I had for my birthday? And before you know it, with each new bite you’ve compared the cake to all of the other cakes you’ve eaten previously. You get so caught up in these comparisons you forget to enjoy the cake you are presently eating for what it is, in that moment.
And that my friends, is an oversimplification of what we do to ourselves on a daily basis. We compare our bodies, our food, our careers, our life on social media… or maybe just in our day to day interactions with people who seem to have their sh*t together. Give the cake to a child and they will be happy just to be eating cake. Period.
Obviously, comparing chocolate cake is not the root of unhappiness. But you get the gist of what I’m saying, right?
So in case you are in need of an unsolicited reminder:
Don’t fall into the comparison trap. Love yourself. You are perfect and I like you just the way you are ❤
Mama? Is there another baby in your tummy? – says spunky toddler to tired (and extremely bloated) mama
My son will be three at the end of this month. Among a myriad other reasons, I am struggling a bit with his transformation from babbling baby to talking monster toddler.
To give you a more accurate sense of my headspace, this time last year, my son wasn’t talking. Now, he negotiates, has “private” conversations on his play phone, and will not hesitate one moment to give us sass. I’m sad at the end of his babyhood, but I’m mostly proud. I’m just so proud of this amazing person he is growing into. And I can’t wait to keep documenting our (hilarious) conversations here.
I love pastry, pie, dark chocolate, and a gratuitous amount of coffee creamer in my morning cup of jo. I’ve never once questioned these dietary choices, because I’ve always been athletic, a healthy weight, and tended to pair my indulgences with “healthy” food options.
So why am I doing a complete 180 and ditching all the foods I love in favor of a trendy diet? For pretty much the same reasons as most people who find their way to the Whole30 community: I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired.
