Category: 30 Blog Challenge

30 Blog Challenge · amelia · Manic Monday

Manic Monday

Lindsey P. Brackett1 Comment

Well it started with a broken copier and ended with a broken rib, so I think this Monday definitely qualifies as manic.  On the upside I almost saw Jennifer Aniston today.

Our manic Monday was cruising right along this evening when it turned into panic.  I had taken the girls to the park where we had more meltdowns than fun, made and cleaned up dinner, mopped the kitchen floor so I wouldn’t feel badly about Amelia crawling on it, and was getting ready to take a shower.  Here there’s more to this story than I’m going to share, but basically Amelia was dropped far enough to make us rush her to the ER.

Now that I’ve made you gasp and have those of you who know me reaching for your cell phones, just know she’s okay.  She has a hairline fracture to a rib, but it’s so small that our family doctor had to magnify the film ten times to see it. (As an aside, our doc is quite good at calming his wife’s hysterical friends.) She’s sore, to be sure, and she didn’t really cry immediately but began to breathe with a “hitch” and that was the scariest moment of all.  Now that we’re several hours past the event, she seems to be fine.  She’s actually sleeping, which is good, but we’ll be up all night on and off waking her up to make sure she stays alright.

I’m sure that tomorrow after I’ve had time to process and over analyze I’ll give you some deep reflection on how it feels to have the passing thought that my baby might be taking her last breaths, but for now, just know that she’s okay.  And that’s the most reflection I need to have.

30 Blog Challenge · birthdays · madelynne

Just a Happy Birthday

Lindsey P. Brackett1 Comment

There’s no reason.  Really there’s not.  No reason at all that birthday parties for kiddos should be so stressful.

Seriously, all kids really want to do is play and eat cake frosting, and open presents. 

So that’s what we did.  Now, don’t get me wrong.  I love a well-planned event of celebration that involves such craziness as water slides or spa treatments or bouncy houses.

But I can’t handle all that stress.  Or work.  And by checking account can’t handle all those deductions.

So this year the rule is sweet and simple.  Yet, somehow I was still a little stressed.  It’s hard to put it all together when the baby is fussy and the birthday girl wants to play with all the bubbles before the guests arrive and the cake slides over in the car and the icing gets stuck to the side of the box.

But overall, it was less stressful than last year when the entire pitcher of lemonade spilled in the car after Joshua hit the brakes to avoid a suicidal squirrel on our way to the park to have a party in the rain.

Here’s some pics of all the fun:

30 Blog Challenge · thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday

Lindsey P. Brackett4 Comments
This week’s random (and late) list of things to be thankful for includes…
1)  Coffee.  At this point I really don’t care if it’s Starbucks or McDonald’s or Folger’s or whatever Karen makes in the teacher break room.  Somehow after I became a mom of two I developed an addiction.  It’s getting worse, I’m sure.  But I’m also sure it’s completely pyschological because the other day I drank decaf and it worked just as well.  
2)  The Exersaucer.  I don’t know what brilliant person (probably a mom) came up with the concept of this contraption, but I am oh-so-thankful that the Tinsley boys’ exersaucer didn’t sell at the Children’s Sale so it could live in my den and entertain my baby at this too early hour of the morning when it’s too late to get her back to sleep and too early for me to be entertaining.
3)  Leftovers.  That’s right.  We had clean-out-the-fridge for dinner last night and it was the first meal we’ve had all week that the girls haven’t complained about.  Monday they didn’t eat their Happy Meals.  Tuesday was london broil and potatoes au gratin and ended with Annabelle getting a spanking because she chewed up her meat but refused to swallow.  WNS was taco salad and my girls are not fans.  They wouldn’t even eat the banana pudding.  But Thursday….we had turkey sausage and leftover potatoes and leftover corn and…it’s all gone now.
30 Blog Challenge · Manic Monday

Manic Monday

Lindsey P. Brackett1 Comment

So lately I haven’t been saying nice things about Mondays.  But today wasn’t too bad.  It was manic alright.  I mean, there’s nothing like having to wave at your boss when you pull into the parking lot 10 minutes late on Monday morning.

But in my defense I was giving my baby extra kisses and prepping her Mimi that as of last night, Amelia is mobile.  On all fours.  Across the floor.  Off the carpet and onto the hardwoods.  Making a beeline for anything in her path that looks remotely edible (and apparently when you’re a baby everything looks deliciously edible).

But the Monday mania is over and the day has wound down and we’re watching You’ve Got Mail which I don’t think I’ve seen in at least five years and now I have the sudden urge to buy pumpkins and read Pride and Prejudice and get some coffee.

But if I drink coffee I’ll be up until Amelia gets up again and as any good mom knows, when the baby is sleeping so should you be. 

30 Blog Challenge · motherhood · reflections

Reflections from a Third Time Mom: Part 1

Lindsey P. Brackett2 Comments

I’ve been planning this post for awhile at the urging of some special people in my life who are about to become first time mothers this winter.  But I’ve decided it will take more than one post capture all the things I know now that I wish I had known back when it was my first time.  Just know, I don’t claim to have all the answers or know all the facts.

Lately I can’t even remember myself how to do some of these mothering things.

Like how often I should feed Amelia formula vs. solids vs. nursing now that’s she’s six months old and tries to match the insatiable appetites of her sissy monsters.

But there’s some things I do know, and some things I wish I had done differently, and some mistakes I made as well as milestones we’ve achieved. 

The “we” is for us–Joshua and me.  Because parenting is more than a one person job.  Which is something I’m still working on everyday and what I have learned the most as a mom. 

I don’t like admitting I can’t handle it all, but the truth is it’s okay to ask for help.

For some reason most of us moms get it in our head that we’re the only ones who know how to take care of that sweet little bundle of joy that’s been crying for 12 hours straight.  That’s not true.  What is true is that no one can love that baby like you do, but anyone can change a diaper or give a bottle.  Just like anyone can wash your dishes, fold your laundry, or cook you dinner.  No, it may not be done your way, but that’s not the point.  The point is, it’s done.

Sure if you want something done right (i.e. your way) you have to do it yourself.  But if you want it done so you can have more time to sit on the couch and cuddle with your baby while watching HGTV and eating Oreos, you let someone else do it.