Beautiful Day for an Egg Hunt!

Our neighborhood gathered together for a Spring Parade and Egg Hunt today and the weather couldn't have been more cooperative!  Aside from an initial case of "I'm terrified of all costumed creatures and won't go near that Bunny,"  Evelyn really warmed up to the idea of the Egg Hunt and she had a fantastic time.  Henry enjoyed banging eggs together.  He also loved the long stroller ride and fell asleep on the way home from the trails. 

Henry finds an egg!

I've said it before

I was just reading through various blogs and opinion articles on parenting.  If you're thinking "Is she trying to stress herself out?" you might not be off-base.  There is certainly a wide spectrum of beliefs and "truths." Last January, I wrote a post that is still relevant for my life right now.  So, instead of re-writing it today, I'll send you there ("You're doing it wrong!").

And, if you're interested in being sucked into a time vortex (in a pleasant way, I promise), check out the Natural Parents Network.  I've found some really well-articulated ideas about Attachment Parenting.

Hungry hands

Today was a perfect example of the pendulous nature of parenthood.  The day went from good to bad to too much and then, miraculously, landed at an even-tempered peaceful.  This morning, I noticed that my sweet husband had tidied up the kitchen and dishes.  Evelyn had already used the potty (I'll get to this) and was dressed.  It was a very nice way to wake up.  Unfortunately, the morning became a bit chaotic as we realized that Chris was (again) getting out the door later than we had intended.  I completely missed my physical therapy appointment because we didn't have child care.  Essentially, this meant that I felt awful for missing the appointment and my neck and shoulders were in pretty bad shape.  As for the too much part of the day?  Well, both children have been glued to me since Monday afternoon.  The lack of personal space-- or even ten minutes to breath, to drink water, to think-- bubbled over by this afternoon.  I wasn't sure how much more I could handle without a break.

Henry is getting over a cold and he's not quite himself.  He's been crying whenever I set him down or step away.  He just needs extra closeness right now, so I wore him in the Ergo carrier for a good part of the day-- though he did not care for my chopping an onion to make dinner tonight.  I set him down for that; he didn't appreciate being on the floor either.  Evelyn is on day three of being diaper-free.  She's doing quite well, but she does occasionally become so engrossed in a project (or so cranky and over-tired, as was the case yesterday), that she forgets about going to the potty.  My job as her mother is to be supportive and provide guidance in developmentally appropriate ways-- this means that when Evelyn is ready to ditch the diapers, I am ready with her.  I just had no idea how hard it would be to be completely in tune with both children and somehow be prepared to drop whatever it is I was doing (sorry, Henry) when Evelyn needed help in the bathroom.

I think we're all just making it through the day, parents.  Sometimes, we move purposefully and with ease.  Sometimes we reach a point where the only option seems to be surrendering to the chaos, the beautiful chaos of life.  As I buckled the kids into the car this afternoon, I uttered a small prayer.  I needed a little mercy, or maybe pity.  I needed some breathing room.  After stopping for a latte and a short drive by the horse pastures, both kids were asleep.  Henry didn't stay asleep, but Evelyn slept for two whole hours.  When she woke up, Henry took a little nap.  I could handle one child at a time, especially one happy and well-rested child.  Evelyn and I made dinner together.

This evening, the day got much better.  It felt good to make a tasty meal for my family.  Evelyn did some art projects-- she is particularly interested in gluing right now.  I took care of two loads of laundry.  Henry and I played with the wooden activity cube, which- by the way- demonstrated how clever he is.  He realized that he could follow the green spiral wire all the way around the top of the cube and he motioned that he wanted to push the wooden beads along the spiral.  I helped him "walk" around to accomplish this task and he looked pleased. 

We finished the day at church.  Today is the feast of the Immaculate Conception; we don't ordinarily attend Mass on weekdays.  As it turned out, spending an hour at church was exactly what I needed.  Whether or not you are religious, there is something irreplaceable to be gained when standing in a room filled with people, each one reaching out to grasp the hand of a stranger.  I offered my hands, my desire and my need to step outside of myself and exist in a larger context-- one not defined by post-partum depression or stress or exhaustion.  And so, I found myself praying again, with Henry asleep on my chest and Evelyn bouncing around Chris' legs.  This time, though, it was a prayer of thanks.

Mamas Galore!

I was going to write a little something about my newfound food allergies and how I am on a quest to strike all gluten, baker's yeast, (goodbye glorious whole grain bagels), eggs (eggs!), asparagus and oysters (not shedding a tear over that one) from my diet. But I don't really have too much to say as my quest has only just begun.

Instead, I'll write about my morning. Or maybe I should begin with last night? It's really all a blur at this point. Evelyn is working on her seventh tooth and she was unable to stay asleep for more than two consecutive hours. This translates to my inability to sleep. I have essentially been sleep-deprived for over a year, but last night was just unbearable. I can hardly keep my eyes open. Hopefully once this tooth comes through, we'll get back to our regular sleep routine of waking just once to nurse in the middle of the night. Needless to say though, this morning it was a bit of a challenge to get out the door, but we had plans by golly!

The maternal forces behind mothers' meetup groups were strong today. I hosted a coffee play date for the Attachment Parenting group I am involved with. I really love this group and Evie does too. We love the other Mamas and tots and we are pretty active with this group. Nevertheless, I am also somewhat involved in another Mom group (as well as a book club and a group for Moms, Dads, and kids). Well, the other Mom group was also meeting at the coffee shop and play area, as was another Mom group. It was quite the coincidence.

A few of the other ladies are in multiple groups as well. For a moment I saw flashes of high school cafeteria tables, wondering where to sit and wondering who would join which table but, hallelujah, I didn't sense a stitch of awkwardness. The more, the merrier I say! We had some great conversations and Evie enjoyed a game of "Let's Make my Exhausted Mother Run After Me as I Chase This Robin." We also played with the outdoor musical instruments at the Sensory Garden play area outside the coffee shop. All in all, the morning was a success. Now, I am just counting down the hours until my husband returns from work so that I can potentially rest my eyes (after I organize our paper work for our move and do 16, 789 loads of laundry, that is).