As the New Year has approached, I've been thinking a lot about the goals I wanted to set for myself, and, along with the typical goals I set for myself (you know, eat healthier, exercise more, pray more often, etc), I found one thought about something I could improve on kept returning: Look for the Moments. The ones that make me glad I'm a stay-at-home mom, and help me realize why I do what I do. Those moments are often fleeting, and sometimes I really have to search through a lot of more stressful moments in order to find the sweet ones, but when they happen, I'm trying (not always successfully) to really appreciate them and savor them for the time that they last.
For example: the other day, I was exercising in the front room, and when I got on the ground to do my sit-ups, Jack ran up to me, threw himself belly-down on my belly, and gave me a kiss. He's not a snuggler normally, never has been, but he snuggled with me for about 5 minutes straight!! Normally I would have just been irritated that I couldn't keep doing my sit-ups (I need them pretty desperately right now), but I thought, "this is a Moment," and just enjoyed hugging my toddler.
It may not seem like a big deal to many people, but changing this part of my outlook has really helped me with the frustrations I've been dealing with. It's helped me realize that even when the situation seems to be most stressful, there is still joy to be found in the work I'm doing. Here are a couple of pictures of "moments" I had yesterday:
I was folding laundry, and Jack wanted to help. Anyone who's ever had a toddler "help" with anything knows how unhelpful they can be--but Jack was especially fascinated with our sheet and pillowcases, so I decided to make it a game. I put this pillowcase over his head for a minute (he could still see through it, so he wasn't freaked out), and he wandered around, pretending he was invisible. It took me about an hour longer than it would have otherwise to finally finish folding the laundry, but he was having fun, and I genuinely had fun watching him.
The other moment happened yesterday morning; right after I fed Clark, he spit-up all over me (of course, none of it got on the burp rag I was using--he has good aim that way). I pulled him off my shoulder, feeling irritated because I now had to go change, and he grinned up at me, as if to say, "Aren't I cute? Even when I puke?" I had to smile back at him, because--yeah. He is one cute, fat baby.
So, that's my New Year's Resolution. I'm not perfect at it yet, but I'm trying, at least!
For example: the other day, I was exercising in the front room, and when I got on the ground to do my sit-ups, Jack ran up to me, threw himself belly-down on my belly, and gave me a kiss. He's not a snuggler normally, never has been, but he snuggled with me for about 5 minutes straight!! Normally I would have just been irritated that I couldn't keep doing my sit-ups (I need them pretty desperately right now), but I thought, "this is a Moment," and just enjoyed hugging my toddler.
It may not seem like a big deal to many people, but changing this part of my outlook has really helped me with the frustrations I've been dealing with. It's helped me realize that even when the situation seems to be most stressful, there is still joy to be found in the work I'm doing. Here are a couple of pictures of "moments" I had yesterday:
I was folding laundry, and Jack wanted to help. Anyone who's ever had a toddler "help" with anything knows how unhelpful they can be--but Jack was especially fascinated with our sheet and pillowcases, so I decided to make it a game. I put this pillowcase over his head for a minute (he could still see through it, so he wasn't freaked out), and he wandered around, pretending he was invisible. It took me about an hour longer than it would have otherwise to finally finish folding the laundry, but he was having fun, and I genuinely had fun watching him.
The other moment happened yesterday morning; right after I fed Clark, he spit-up all over me (of course, none of it got on the burp rag I was using--he has good aim that way). I pulled him off my shoulder, feeling irritated because I now had to go change, and he grinned up at me, as if to say, "Aren't I cute? Even when I puke?" I had to smile back at him, because--yeah. He is one cute, fat baby.So, that's my New Year's Resolution. I'm not perfect at it yet, but I'm trying, at least!
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As I was reading this I kept thinking, Man. I think it would be great if Jewel and I just had like a week (maybe a little less) to hang out. We could chat, I could help her around the house, get to know her kids, blah blah blah. Am I an imposing weirdo? These are the times I wish I had no job and plenty of disposable income with which to travel.