Photo-A-Day Challenge: Day #29: Perspective

It's the little things in life that matter. Without a doubt. There is my perspective, my mental view. My wee front-yard garden? Growing, blooming, beautiful. I love to look at it. I love the flowers in the bathroom everyday from it. It makes me happy. And at the end of the day, isn't it nice to feel happy?

Then:

And now:

Happy New Year!

Dear 2011,
Thank you for filling our lives with milestones, memories, lots of laughter and lots of love. As with any year, there were days that were down-in-the-dumps but we don't take many pictures of those days because it would take up space on our hard-drives (literally and figuratively) that should be filled with the on-cloud-nine days. I already miss my toddler-ish 2 1/2 year olds from 2011. They never say "what'd you said?" anymore. Instead they say things like "Okay, so, Momma, here's the plan: first we are going to go to the park with the little house and then when we get home we are going to play Candyland. Okay?". I don't hear words like "sider", "sot", and "soon". Instead "spider", "spot", and "spoon" just roll off of their tongues.  While I expected this to happen closer to their teens, I'm already being called "Mom" instead of "Momma". Seriously? In the blink of an eye...

I've been trying to have more of a "whatever" attitude with the girls: "Momma, may I wear this tiny shirt again today?" Whatever. "Momma, may I have 2 m&m's?" Whatever. "Momma, may I take my Mango (toy frog) in the car with me?" Whatever. "Momma, may I have a pancake for lunch?" Whatever. As a mom, I get asked a gazillion-trillion-million questions each day. Which means that I have a gazillion-trillion-million opportunities to say "No". And, with the word "no", comes a negative thought process, a negative response, and a negative reaction. Life's too damn short for a gazillion-trillion-million negatives a day.

So here's to 2012. May whatever happens bring all of us peace, joy, and love. Or whatever. Just as long as it's worthy of hard-drive space. 

Happy New Year!

My current mantra...

According to Wikipedia, a mantra is " is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that are considered capable of "creating transformation". Currently, my "mom mantra" consists of : "head on your pillow, voices quiet, eyes closed... head on your pillow, voices quiet, eyes closed....head on your pillow, voices quiet, eyes closed...".

Anyone who has been closely involved with our journey as a family knows that naptime was a sore spot from day one. Battles over sleep are the number one trigger to push me over the edge- I can admit that and, there are times, when I don't handle it gracefully. The girls need sleep. I need them to sleep.  But Abby and Elise despised napping. The hours upon hours that were spent patting tiny tushies, in hopes that the rhythmic motion would lull them to sleep, continue to haunt me at times. People would say "just put them in their cribs and walk away". So I would try that tactic, to which the girls would reply with jumping, squealing, laughing, bouncing, and pooping. 

People would say "just put them in different rooms". So I would try that tactic, to which the girls would reply with jumping, squealing, crying, bouncing, and pooping. 

It was around 18-months that I finally conquered this nap monster that had been looming in my household. I exerted every last bit of energy and patience in establishing a calming, soothing, successful routine. I stayed calm. I spoke softly. I patted. When they pooped, I swiftly changed them and gently returned them to their crib. I let not a single feather get ruffled. 

The cribs are gone. The "era of containment" (I can't remember where I read this phrase) is over. And I have two very assertive, confident, and BUSY two-year olds. Last night, everyone was sound asleep at 8:00, so we're making progress back to our 7:30pm target. It is time to summon that energy and patience, yet again, so repeat with me: "head on your pillow... voices quiet... eyes closed" again.... and again... and... ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzz.