Weekly Photo Challenge: Yellow

Ale’s big yellow hat gets lots of attention. Everyone wants to know if I made it. Then it’s plucked off Ale’s head turned and inside out by knitter friends and strangers to discover its pattern. On the grey winter days it’s like a beacon of light. The hat matches his lively personality. It helps me find him in a crowded playground. It’s super warm. Ale loves the hat and never leaves home without it.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Yellow

 

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Daily Prompt: It’s Friday I’m In Love

I’m not the kind of person who writes mushy, lovey-dovey tributes to my loved ones but since it’s Valentine’s Day the romantic in me peeks out.

You see these two handsome fellows in the photo above? Well those two are my son and husband. They are the loves of my life. I’m so lucky to have them. So regardless if it’s Friday or any other day, I’m in totally, utterly, smitten with love. 💋💋

Daily Prompt: It’s Friday I’m In Love

What My Toddler Thinks

I have often wondered what my little two year old son Ale thinks of certain situations. I worry about him having fun, feeling comfortable, and I make sure he is well fed and has his water bottle close to him at all times. I find my role as mama is to constantly provide Ale with a safe environment and provide him with nice toddler experiences. Life is so new and exciting that I want him to live it to the fullest. I often think I go to extremes to make sure Ale has a good time wherever we go. However, I’m confident that his train of thought is pretty much the following in just about all we do– except for when we go to the supermarket:

This is fun! Where is mama? There she is! Truck! Car! Truck! Hahaha! Papa is funny! Mama, did you see what Papa did? Truck! Wow! Train! A horse! This is fun! Mine!!!! MAMA! Where is Mama? There she is! Boo! This is fun! Jumping! Milk, mama. Nap time. Yes, fun!

If I’m right that this is Ale’s current perspective I’m confident that so far we are awesome parents!

BlogHer NaBloPoMo

Monday, February 3, 2013
Write about an event that happened today. Now write about it from the perspective of someone else in the room — your child, your partner, a person dining in the same restaurant… your choice.

I Am My Own Pressure Cooker

Hands down, I place more pressure on myself than others. I am my worse critic and enemy. I put pressure on myself to be a good wife, mother and RN. Then on top of this I want to do a million things for myself like blog, cook dinner, and go to work all at the same time. To accomplish these tasks I have to do lists, reminders (paper, electronic, and human – my husband – who deserves a medal to put up with me).

This all stems from the fact that I am a future thinker. I eat breakfast and plan for dinner. I have weekly, monthly, yearly goals. All of this is great for retirement planning but it makes it hard for me to let go and enjoy the present moment. I am satisfied for only a moment. Then on to the next task/ project. Thankfully, my little two year old son, Ale, helps me break out of this mindset. He will only be a toddler once. I let myself laugh and be silly – even out in public. You can catch me singing The Wheels On The Bus as we walk down the street together– (“The wipers on the bus, go swish, swish, swish! ALL THROUGH THE TOWWWNNNN!!”). Then I once we get home I plan for his college fund.

It’s great that I’m a planner but it literally puts so much weight on my shoulders.
It truly effects me so. I recently went for a massage to try to ease the tension. The masseuse during the session stopped and told me that my shoulder muscles were so taught that it surprised him. He wanted to know what kind of work I did. Let’s see. I have stressful job, I am a planner, worrier, and mom of a toddler that does not sleep through the night. Yup, that would do it.

To the other future thinker mom’s like me who pressurize themselves, lets all take a quick cleansing breath together.

Ohmmmmm

Picture from : Wikimedia Commons

In response to the Thursday, January 16, 2014 BlogHer NaBloPoMo prompt:
Who puts the most pressure on you — yourself or others?

Perfection is Bogus

What! I’m not perfect? I’m not the perfect mama, wife, mommy blogger, or RN? This is news to me!

Honestly, the idea of perfection is bogus. If I thought I was the perfect anything I would stop learning, perfecting, and evolving in my roles at home and at work. I can strive to be the best in all that I do but I will never truly be perfect. There is always something new to master. I would also imagine that perfection is boring, static. You are at the top so there is no where else to go.

However, as much as I do enjoy Pinterest and the internet in general it does make me think that I’m lacking in my parenting and baking skills. I have to take it in stride. I have to make do with what I can do with my skills and limited time. One can only look at the pretty pictures and dream.

In response to today’s BlogHer’s NaBloPoMo prompt
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Do you feel pressure to be perfect? How much of it is tied to what you see online?

Mama Strong

Becoming a mama defiantly proved to me that I was a physically strong woman. Two years ago I pushed out a screaming 7lb baby boy. Now that takes strength- and a strong epidural! What is paradoxical about birth (no matter if its vaginal or c-section) is that its just a moment in your life as a mama. For first time mom’s the perception is that this is the pinacle moment. The be all and end all of motherhood. Its not. Its just a first step in the long road that twists and turns. The birth of my little boy was undoubtably the most amazing day of my life but it was just a day. I’m Ale’s mama for a lifetime. (Sorry, Ale! You are stuck with me!)

I somehow find my mama strength each morning when I wake up. I know I have to tackle the day and provide love, joy and security to my boy even when I’m sick, feeling down or have other things on my mind. I muster up the strength and get it done- with a smile (most of the time). Its Ale’s- all of him from the curly mop of hair on his head to the senseless tantrums that he throws- that is the source of strength. My husband and my mom are my pillars when I need someone to hold me up when I feel my strength fading. My blog is my outlet to get it all out- the joys and the upsets to share with my fellow mama bloggers. I enjoy hearing their encouragement and words of wisdom. I need the strength of this support system to keep me mama strong. A hot mug of coffee in the morning does a great deal of help too 😉

In response to today’s NaBloPoMo at BlogHer.

Monday, January 13, 2014
Eleanor Roosevelt said: “A woman is like a tea bag – you can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.” Tell us about a time you felt your strength.

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Peer Pressure

Can peer pressure be positive? Why or why not?
———

“Ale! Wow! Look at your friend Emily! She is sitting at the table
eating her pasta and a sweet potato.”

Ale goes over and sits at the table pokes his food and eats with Emily.

Yes, peer pressure can be positive if it can get my picky toddler to put something in his belly! I’m all for it. However, ask me again how I feel about this when Ale is a teen. I’m sure I’ll give a different response!

This is in response to yesterday’s NaBloPoMo at BlogHer. Better late than never!!

BlogHer NaBloPoMo

Upstream

NaBloPoMo prompt for Tuesday, January 7, 2014:
Tell us about a time when you didn’t bend to peer pressure, and you swam against the stream.

Today’s prompt feels like an interview question. I can see myself sitting across from someone’s desk and I’m wearing a sensible skirt and black pumps.

There are times in my life before I had Ale that I most certinly went against the stream. Isn’t that what your young adult life is all about? Breaking out against the grain, shattering molds. Finding yourself?

Yes, there are times when I do feel pressured by other parents to do what they are doing but I feel that they are looking for validation for their own actions- especially new mom’s. (I am guilty of this as well!) I found this true with getting advice on helping my son to sleep through the night. I heard many, many theories and variations on theories on sleep that worked for their particular family. Remember the cry it out versus the co-sleeping camps? I was pressured and recruited by both groups. However, I just took pieces from each wise mom and found my own style. I don’t think this is going against the stream. Its just compromising and finding what is best while learning from your peers.

BlogHer

AAA- App Addiction Anonymous

I have a confession to make. Sit down. You’ll need a chair.

I am a Todo list app junky. I have tried just about every Todo list app in Apple’s App Store.

There I said it. This addiction, however, goes way beyond this.

Back in September on my forever quest for the perfect Todo system I suddenly had an epiphany. I decided to put down my IOS devices for once and for all and go back to good ol’ pen and paper. I know what I need and want for a perfect Todo list/ calendar/ organization system so I decided to design it myself. I headed to the internet- Pinterest- for guidance and ideas for a DIY agenda. With a few clicks I landed at Midori- Japan . There I fell in love with the Midori Traveler’s Notebook. A brown leather agenda cover made in Thailand that is filled with notebooks made of high quality Japanese stationary. (Yes, you read that correctly- I am a Geek at heart).

The discovery of the Midori notebook lead me on a quest to find: rubber letter stamps, ink, washi tape, decorative paper, pens including a Lamy Safari fountain pen in hot pink- fountain pen ink, and stickers. In my limited free time I sat at my dinner table hand drawing calendars, stamping out the days of the month and created a nice Todo list template decorated with my washi tape and stickers.

I love the feel of the leather cover and the satisfaction that I made it. Its a pleasure to write out my todo list on paper and plan out my weeks tasks for home, work, and my blog. However, all of this creativity ends up translating into PROCRASTINATION!! Just get it done already! Stop designing a beautiful calendar for March and just email the people I need to email and write the blog post.

Here is my Midori:

Its been four months with my Midori notebook. I take it every where I go and use it frequently. The problem is its size- its the size of a thick paperback novel. This means its not close to me at all times. What is close to me at all times that I am constantly looking at? My iPhone. Which brings me back to the Apple App Store…….

Does anyone have the number for AAA- App Addiction Anonymous of New York?

NaBloPoMa for Friday, January 3, 2014
Do you have a tendency to procrastinate, or do you like checking things off your to-do list?

BlogHer-NaBloPoMo

Daily Prompt: Simply Irresistible

Tell us about the favorite dish or food that you simply cannot turn down.

I live with a toddler who has been sick for the last few days and is the world’s most picky eater. This means that today my son has not eaten much of anything. I honestly think he would rather starve to death waiting for a huge plate of spaghetti bolognese than eat a vegetable or try something new.

This is something that I simply can not understand. I love to eat. I love to try new foods. I can not remember a time that I did not enjoy food. I can also honestly say that I do not have a favorite dish that I can not live without. What I find irresistible changes from day to day and where I am and what I am doing. If I’m at work and it’s been an extremely busy day I can not pass up the box of donuts that someone brings in. I will eat a chocolate glazed donut like it was water from heaven and long for a coffee to accompany it. When I am at the beach in the south of Spain I must have pescaito frito (fried fish) and wash it down with an ice cold draft beer. Thanksgiving is coming and I am craving my mom’s herb and sausage stuffing. For dessert I’m looking forward to enjoying pumpkin pie with fresh whipped cream.

I hope that my enthusiasm for food will eventually reach my little boy. Each day I present him with something new. Sometimes the food will pass the finger poke test and he will eat it. Most times he will sit stubbornly in his high chair and say “spaghetti?” or “cupcake?” in hopes that if maybe he says it three times it will become a reality. One day I am sure we will enjoy a delectable meal together. What I am most certain of is that one day he will eat us out of house and home.

Photo of breakfast in Spain- coffee with milk, churros, and toast with crushed tomato and olive oil.