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Capsule wardrobes for four year olds? Two year old girls? Babies? Done and so happy with them! How about for me? I am not going to stick hard & fast to the super minimalism, but I did want to cull through and pick out clothing that would feel good on me this summer. Anyone who has experienced motherhood, physically growing children or heart-growing children has most likely also experienced the changes that come along with for our bodies. Stress and lack of sleep lead to weight retention. Multiple pregnancies lead to a soft belly. We wear scars most can’t see. And this is OKAY! I’ve written about embracing your postpartum body and I needed to re-read it the other day. None of my jeans were fitting right. Tooooo tight. I complained on fb. You guys were so supportive. Obviously I need to ditch them and buy a fabulous pair that actually fit. Eat less sugar, too? Sure. Workout more? Absolutely. But this is my body today. This is my body now. And I love the heck out of it. So I’ve made a summer capsule wardrobe for my amazing baby-making bod. For what flatters it and loves it and doesn’t shame it. And that I can easily nurse in! My wardrobe is always such a battle after a baby and this summer I want to dress stress free. Baby PhotoBOMB! Tell me what your summer staples are. I’ll dish my others in a new post soon.
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The years of having small dependent children bring with them the joys and the sufferings for our relationships with our spouses. I can safely say, having these three kids has been the single best thing that could have happened as a result of our relationship (because of it? due to it? oh whatever) AND the single hardest thing to endure when sometimes you just want to be with the other adult, or even better (not always, but sometimes) ALONE. Young children are black holes of need for adult attention. Even if your kid is the most sleep-trained, autonomous creature ever. When they’re babies, they need diaper changes and feeding. When they’re toddlers, they need reassurances and food prepared. When they’re prek, they need constant and continual reminders that bedtime is not when you throw baseballs against the wall. I’m the worst at not bringing my best self to the table. My husband is very patient, hardworking, light-hearted, a great and involved dad, yahda yahda. We don’t often fight fight. But I do harbor ill-will, if you will. I smolder with resentment. I take my long day out on him. I complain far too often and loudly in all-caps texting. Tell me you don’t allcaps. It’s really so obnoxious of me! The year I’ve been trying (and failing) to be more kind to my husband following these seven steps. Maybe they can help you, or if you’re the nicer spouse, you can discretely leave this link open on your communal screen. HA! 1)…
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the kind you can only send your sister. And should only. When I was a kid, my mom would tell me don’t make faces like that . . . what if your face got stuck like that? And do NOT DO THAT in front of other people. Here I am, a 32 year old mom of three, still making these faces. And texting them to my sister. Just to prove the internet is not a place only for fancy photos. But real ones too. Did you see Haley’s article on the hardness of being a mother? Did you see this bracelet? How about Nancy’s potty training lessons learned including surviving the faint tinge smell of poop at all times??? Did you see that Lydia had her baby girl and gave her the sweetest name ever? Happy Friday! Okay, it was only five. SORRY. I LIED. Join Kelly for the other people’s better selfless // seven quick takes.
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As I’ve been going through like the mad woman that I am and purging out toys, books, clothing we aren’t using regularly or frankly, that I loathe, I’m realizing there are a few staples from the first years of my older children’s now long-past childhoods that the baby loves. That I love. That really, after three kids, I would buy, full-price. At the snap of a credit card against the counter. That fast. Over on my baby registry post I list out the must-haves for babies in general, but these are my real workhorse toys that I am going to put my stamp of approval on. Big stamp. Me. Right there. 1) Silicone teething ring It has different textures along its ridges. It can be clung and clutched. It can be easily wiped off after rolling away from you on an airplane. We have it in in yellow & I bought in on a whim at the coop one day many years ago. Love it! I think this link sells a two pack. Worth it! 2) Wooden rolling wheel We bought one similar to this when I was first pregnant with SuperBoy. One of those “oh, look, it’s wooden and I’m feeling nesty” buys. It has rolled its weight in gold. Yes, my children also bang it on their faces, but it rolls and jingles and the insides do NOT come out. That’s right. No fetching on the parents part. 3) Indestructible books: Baby Faces The avid teether loves these and the older…
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So how many posts can Nell do about housework? Oh, I don’t know. How much time do you have? Bear with me. My friend Rachel wrote an ebook. A what? An e-book. That means you can read it on your smartphone or ‘puter. That also means you can’t lose it and no child can teethe actively on it and destroy it. Win-win. She addresses simplifying your home in six chapters. I may or may not have devoured all six as soon as she was kind enough to email me a review copy. Declutter, embrace less is more, purge. All sounds great. BUT HOW I HAVE SMALL CHILDREN?! Then she hands you an actual strategy and game plan. Winning again. First, I implemented it with my already (I thought) purged wardrobe that I’m still working on the photos for an adult capsule wardrobe. Well it turns out I had not completely truly gotten up the gumption to giveaway what I’m not using and wearing. Sniff. Goodbye, college jeans. Second, I had to believe that “I might need it later” is not a valid reason to have a basement full of odds & ends for entertaining. Things my mom used in the 80’s for a Santa-themed cocktail party? I am never throwing that party. Sorry, mama. Third, I branched out into the books, the thousands of books, we have. I have two big bins of board books alone. Many of them aren’t that fabulous. GONE. Fourth, I went through our bathroom cupboard. It’s…
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I wanna start your week out right. By pointing you to some of my newfound favorite readeries on the Internet to park and scroll. Before I do, let me tell you that there is nothing that says I love you, mama, like hot cocoa (extra whip), donuts (Granny’s in West St. Paul, obvi), and a ton of manure compost. We tackled the garden and you can follow our eclectic urban farmerness on Instagram #wholeparentinggarden And due to the babysitting gods being in our favor, we may have also escaped for a late night steak. Thanks to my dad (and bribing the big kids to stay in their respective floor beds with the oath of a sliver of donut each)!! I overloaded on sugar today and am back on the bandwagon that is dubitably named #nosugar30 With all the wonderful and heartfelt Mother’s Day posts out there, including the darker and harder side my friend Laura offered, I found this gem from a few years back. Its focus is on the needs of the motherless children and why they get less attention than mommy-wars. Really made me stop and think. And speaking of thinking, last week I had a week with lots of over-worrying. I’m sure you’re a better partner than I am and never ever get in that downward spiral of being convinced more and more that you’re the ONLY person who worries about the kids socks being dry, toys being picked up, and poor-me, poor-me. We did have a few insanely hard nights…
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