Today:
Out my window: Grey. The forecast says 80% of thunderstorms. That would be ok with me.
Clothing myself in: Green T-shirt I wore yesterday and blue cloud pajama pants. As a side note: I have had these pants for almost 12 years, I got them shortly before I went to Benedictine. Old pants.
Around the house: Phase 1 of the room is almost complete. Joe attached the hardware to the dressers and I put on the wall plate covers. Still need to paint the doors, but we have had guests.
The baby: George got his other front top tooth. And the two beside those are looking like they will be coming soon. This has made him grouchy and he is sleeping very poorly. Such is life with a babe.
In my kitchen: Turkey burgers, Crock pot Chili, Black Bean Quinoa Salad and Broiled Parmesan Tilapia. Stew for Joe's birthday dinner on Friday, per his request. Chocolate cake.
Crafting: While my sister was in town, we had Adult Night, including going to Wisconsin Rapids for dinner on Friday evening. The nearest yarn store is on the way, so my husband, knowing me, offered to take me there. Not huge, but some pretty yarn. I bought some yarn to knit a hat that goes with my coat since I lost the hat that went the best with it sometime in the last 3 years.
Before I could start my hat, I had to free up some needles, so I finished a hat I had started for Issy in 2008. Yes, four years. No, she hasn't been hatless. There was no good reason I waited so long- I had given away my pattern but all I had to do was reprint it. I didn't like the next color in the self-striping yarn, so I broke it and did a felted join at the color after that one. It took 30? maybe 45 minutes? Sometimes I am ridiculous. She really likes the hat. So much so that she has been wearing a wool hat in July the last several days since I finished it.
Bringing me joy: Getting to see my sister, nieces and nephew last week. Adult night and my niece Teresa who snuggled a very grouchy George to sleep several times. Pretty yarn. Coffee on the back deck.
Thinking about: This post by Elizabeth Foss. Particularly the part about 20 something mom blogs It really bothered me at first and I felt like she was being unfairly harsh. I do understand her point. But sometimes all you need is to vent, purge yourself of the yuckiness and then you can better appreciate your blessings. I don't know about anyone else, but I had no. idea. how hard mothering little ones could be. So it is nice to know that there are other Mamas out there, struggling like I do at times. Praying for me if I ask for it (and sometimes when I don't ask, but they just know).
Speaking of blogging, at the other end of the spectrum, I feel like there are also a lot of blogs who do the exact opposite- paint this rosy picture of motherhood that no mother in the real world could ever live up to. There are all these beautiful pictures, and there are extensive crafts with little ones and the baby always naps. I mean, I get a lot of good ideas from those blogs, but come on... I would rather know that your toddler ate half a thing of paste while you were doing your craft and you stopped to nurse the teething baby twenty times between your strategically taken pictures that show the beauty but not the mess.
I guess I want realness from what I read online regarding motherhood. Some days you look at your sleeping baby in your arms and your heart swells with gratitude at the gift you have been given. And other days, you just wish the baby would sleep alone so that you could maybe get a shower in before noon. Motherhood is messy/beautiful. It is hard/so worth it. I find that acknowledging the difficulties help me to be more grateful for the simple beauties of motherhood.
Pictures to share:
So many cousins! We missed Sophia, though.
I love love love these sister pictures. Such sweetness. (which also happens to show the hat that I finished knitting for Isabelle. She was letting Adelle wear it.)
10 comments:
OH my goodness, those pictures. They make me not quite so scared for the future.
And thanks for your nice comments by the way.
Now I want to go check out the article you linked.
HUGS!!
Okay, I read the bulk of that article. Interesting, I don't know. We live in a technological world, and if you're going to be a part of that world (IE, Facebook, blogging, etc.) I think it's important to keep it real. There's a balance for sure, and one that I at times have trouble striking, but still... If you're the real you in real life, why shouldn't you be the real you online as well, even if that means the occasional complaining, venting, etc. I really don't see the difference. How is being superficial online (IE, not ever complaining, acting like everything is great and awesome, etc.) OK, if it's not cool to be superficial in real life. I realize that's not exactly what she's getting at, but even so...
Those are some super sweet sister pictures! And yay for another blog post! I missed seeing your posts while you were entertaining your guests. I may not comment often, but be assured that I read each and every post. I'm just a horrible commenter, and even worse blogger, even though I know the commenting is the thing bloggers look forward to most :/ I'll try to be more supportive in typed response form in the future.
Yay, I love this blog post too! I love when all my friends blog at the same time; it's like sitting down to read a good book or better yet, like sitting down and having a conversation with all of you in my living room.
It's funny, I thought you made up the journal thing and I wanted to copy you but didn't want to be a copycat but now I see maybe you got the idea from Elizabeth Foss? ;)
Can you send those thunderstorms over here, especially in the next week or two? ;)
I LOVE the pictures, those moments of love make up for all the others sometimes.
I agree with Monica and you about the article and the need to be real. One reason I don't read Elizabeth Foss's blog anymore is because of how 'unreal' it can seem and it honestly makes me feel unreasonably jealous of her 'lovely' life.
I think it's all about balance. Whine one day and then be thankful the next. Or whine and then post pictures of the good moments :)
And, it's good when people are honest (like Monica's post) because then we get bombarded with wondeful words of encouragement that we otherwise would have missed out on because we did too good of a job making everyone think we didn't need any help.
I have shamefully been a blog stalker for too long. I really love all the updates and your journal posts- I feel close to you.
I read the article and agree that joy is something to be cultivated online and in real life, but she was a bit harsh. That said, I have always thought you strike a good balance.
The pics of the girls are break-your-heart beautiful.
Hope the summer doesn't escape before we connect again in person. I read that post and what struck me was not so much the rant about complaining posts but the need for young moms to make time for their vocation to learn together how it is we're called to mother and how often times rather than do that the temptation is to go to the screen. I know that I've struggled to find that balance. And it came off to me anyway that Mrs. Foss is just grateful that that wasn't an option in her time. Interesting fodder to ponder though.
Love to read your updates.
Hope the summer doesn't escape before we connect again in person. I read that post and what struck me was not so much the rant about complaining posts but the need for young moms to make time for their vocation to learn together how it is we're called to mother and how often times rather than do that the temptation is to go to the screen. I know that I've struggled to find that balance. And it came off to me anyway that Mrs. Foss is just grateful that that wasn't an option in her time. Interesting fodder to ponder though.
Love to read your updates.
Wow! Hi friends! Thank you for the compliments on my little girls. They were just sitting at the desk chair being so sweet, I couldn't not take a picture. I think I might print it out and show it to them when they are older and don't like each other as much.
I think the journal thing actually originated here, Erika: http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/ I like the journal. It gives my rambling a little bit of structure.
I agree, Angie and Jackie. I understand where she was going with it... I just think using words like "wallow" and "whine" about other people's sharing online is just a little harsher than I am comfortable with. I remember being that 20-something Mom, with three kids under 4, with a husband who worked a gazillion hours a week, newly relocated to Idaho. I probably did my fair share of whining. Sometimes we have to get through the rough days to find the joy.
I don't feel badly about having whined then. It gives me a chance to look back now and see my personal growth. If my kids ever read it, I would like to think that it lends dimension to me. I am not perfect (ha! as if I have to tell my kids that!).
Hi Erin! I have been reading your blog and not commenting, but I am really enjoying your "journal entries" and seeing what things are like in your corner of the world. Those girls are too sweet, what a great moment to capture.
I will admit, Elizabeth Foss's words really stung. I don't consider myself to be of the "whiney blogger" type, mostly because I don't blog very often. I do try to keep things upbeat, but I also know the importance of keeping it real like Monica said. I think what stung the most is that the few times I have taken to my blog to complain, it's been out of frustration or being overwhelmed as a first time mom. I recall the post I wrote about Gianna not sleeping and feeling ooh-so-frustrated and inadequate. And the words of encouragement I got were so helpful and let me know I was not alone in this. If I had not allowed myself the time to "whine" and "wallow" I would never have been uplifted the way I was by all my awesome friends. It made me appreciative. So her words made me feel like a bad mother and wife for needing a little bit of solace. That's frustrating, the last thing "20something" moms need is someone ELSE telling them they're doing it wrong. Like we don't hear that from anywhere else.
I do agree with her though, that it can't ALL be ranty and whiney. But it's not all perfect either. There are good and not so good parts that go along with motherhood, and I don't think it's a bad thing to keep it real. Just not one way or the other.
Ugh, done venting now. Don't tell Elizabeth Foss :)
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