DATE ARCHIVES : March 2012

Help! I Don’t Wanna Dress Like a Mommy

   Okay, so with Spring here, I decided to venture out and do some shopping for the season. See, I’ve been pregnant two out of the four past Springs/Summers and really don’t have much that isn’t a) fit for a hippopotamus or b) out of style. Armed with my thirty percent Kohl’s discount and some gift cards, I was pumped and so ready to get out of my t-shirt and yoga pants, no matter how comfy they are.

   Yeah, just one problem…where do I start? There were some fun tanks with sequins. Nope, too dressy for spit-up and poop, although they’d make me look hot. What about the Dockers collection? Try, not on your life for $100, Alex. Nope, just can’t do it. Oooh…look at the fun party dresses. They’re really cute. But, where am I going to wear those? To my daughter’s tea parties? Nope and too gosh darn bad, because they’re really pretty.

   Don’t look over there. Don’t you dare. New T-shirts!! Nope, promised I wouldn’t do it. But, what about the patterned tanks? Hmmm…They say fun and casual, without going crazy. They’ll probably get spit on, but oh well. We’ll get two. We’re making some progress. What now? Jeans? There are some really cute ones, but they may give me a muffin top. And oh no, there are the “mom jeans”. Ahh…flashback to a couple of weeks ago where I saw a woman with those on and some white leather Reebok to top it off. Put me on a sit and spin with pine needles. Won’t do it. But, what the heck am I supposed to wear to go do errands, go on play dates, and hang out in the house? T-shirt and yoga pants, right? I mean the pants do make my butt look good. But, I gotta get out of the slump, ya know?

   Okay, so I compromised with some shirts that have some cute ruffles for the days I do errands. I picked up the patterned tanks for the days we hang out and do play dates…they do look fab under my little hoodies and will be great in the summer. I decided to wait a while for some new bottoms. Maybe I can shrink the muffin top to just a munchkin. The good news… no more yoga pants or plain t-shirts ended up in my car as tempting as it was. The bad news…no really cool clothes found a new home in my closet either. So, I was kinda bummed about that one. I swear they need to have a section called “you’re no longer in maternity clothes woman, this is what ladies wear today.” Yeah, I know I’m dreaming. Until that happens I just know I don’t want to dress like a mommy!
  

What Do You Do All Day?

   Okay, so ever since I became a stay at home mom, a lot of people have been asking me what I do all day with these two kids. I have to admit before I joined the SAHM club I wondered the same. I would often ask my mommy friends. Now I know how they felt! I know everyone’s day is structured differently, but I think a lot of us do the same things and run in the same circles. It’s inevitable.

   I really try to start my day at the gym. The goal is to get my butt there three mornings a week including a 5:45 a.m. spin class. That has happened once. But, I can though usually get there for a half hour workout and then back home in time to shower and to start the day. Once the kiddies wake up, the real fun begins. If I’m lucky I get to kick things off with a daily breakfast brawl with my two and a-half year old. She hates anything that has to do with the most important meal of the day. If I’m lucky I can get her to eat a piece of toast or an Eggo. As for the baby, we’ve moved on to cereal and fruit. I pray she does not take after her sister!

   So now what? How do I entertain these girls ALL day long? No, I don’t hire a circus. I try to define each day with an activity. Some days we go to story time at the library. Other days it’s the play gym. A good day includes a play date. When they’re really lucky they get to run errands with Mommy! My older daughter loves Target and “Shop Shop” as she so lovingly calls Stop & Shop. Then there’s play time at home which includes puzzles, blocks, dolls, and anything else that magically appears in my living room, kitchen, etc. Don’t forget ABC learning time with the Leap Frog letters. When Mommy has had her full load of caffeine there are dance parties. My girls have “Moves Like Jagger” I’ll have you know! Now that the weather is getting warmer, we’ll be movin’ it outside. Nothing like some fresh air to tire those kids out!

   That brings us to naps, that is if I’m lucky. The baby is a given, but my older one hates to sleep so it’s a real gamble. In this casino, the house actually loses! When that happens, it’s quality DVD time with either Barney, The Wiggles or Elmo. This is Mommy’s down time to get some chores done, make some calls, and of course check Facebook, Twitter and a few other sites. OK, we all know that happens more than once a day!

   If all this activity is not enough, there’s still the evening. My kids are really not down with DBB…that’s dinner, bath, and bed for all of you who don’t know. Dinner and bath are usually good. It’s just bed time which is the real chore. We are slowly working to get out of some bad habits. But, that’s a whole other blog! Once they’re off to sleep land, it’s time to chill with the hubs and catch up on the DVR, but more often than not, the sandman buries my TV time.

   So, this is what I typically do all day. Glamorous? No. Boring? Sometimes. Rewarding? Definitely.   

 

Dear Sleep,

Dear Sleep,
   You and I have had a rocky relationship these past few weeks. Was it something I said or did? We used to be BFFs. I know, I know, the two little ones are really cramping our style these days. Whah, whah, whah…Mommy, Mommy, Mommy. It’s the “Sleepless Symphony No. 5” that keeps playing in this house. I know. If it’s not one, it’s the other these days. But that doesn’t mean it has to be the end of us.
   Can you help me get them to bed and stay there? The little one is just a baby, so maybe we can give her a pass. But still, up every hour and a half? Give Momma a break! The only ones who are making out in this are Dunkin’ and Starbucks. Momma tired! Hopefully the babe will find a new love for her cereal and then she can sleep for a few more hours. The tot is pretty consistent with her 3 a.m. cries for Mommy or Daddy. God help us if we don’t answer them! She takes matters into her own hands. She runs down the hallway and comes right into our room. She usually gets an escort back to her bed, but sometimes we just can’t take it! We’re so tired, she just ends up with us. Pipe down anti co-sleepers. I’m one of you too, but sometimes you have to pick your battles, ya know what I mean?
   I can’t remember when you and I bonded for eight straight hours, can you? It would be nice to cozy up and dream of Jon Bon Jovi just like the old days without anyone crying and interrupting just before I get to go on stage and get serenaded with “Bed of Roses”. Ahhhh…
   From what I hear, we are not going to really be able to hang out like the old days for another 18 years! OMG! In the meantime, can you promise me one thing? Can we hang out as much as we can and really cherish whatever time together we have? I miss u lots!
    Love,
   A Very Sleep Deprived Kristina