Holiday appetizers and desserts have been prepped. Presents have been wrapped. Children have been bathed and dressed. I am currently enjoying the blissful quiet before the chaos of the holiday ensues. With one Christmas party already in the rearview mirror and church tonight, I am reflecting on all of the wonders of our year so far and all that we have to be grateful for. This year flew by, and I guess that is what happens when I have two littles to keep me on my toes. I am sure I have them to thank for my steady diet of Christmas cookies, ice cream, and chocolate lately. We have started some of our own Christmas traditions in the last three years such as cookie decorating and seeing all of the Christmas lights. We are beyond blessed that my grandma, my children's great-grandma was able to help us decorate cookies just as she did when I was a kid. We are lucky to be surrounded by family who is always willing to lend a hand. My children are lucky to grow up with grandparents who are even willing to brave the pediatrician's office in the height of flu season for us. We welcomed a new baby this year, and my son has become the kindest big brother. I know they will have a tight friendship for years to come. My little girl loves her big brother more than she loves her peanut butter toast! He is her personal entertainment. I cannot wait to see what the future has to hold for the two of them. Tonight we have church, Christmas movies, and my son's favorite meatballs for dinner! Oh and of course matching jammies for the littles are on the agenda! What can I say? It's the little things in life, right? Here's to new traditions, family time, and a happy holiday! Merry Christmas!
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Holiday stress and anxiety comes in all shapes and sizes. For some of us it's the hosting, cooking, and present wrapping. For some of us, it's the get-togethers, crowded stores, and holiday parties. Sometimes it's all of it. The season for celebration can quickly turn into the season of stressors, and we don't take a breathe until January 2nd is upon us.
The crowds, small-talk, and continuous over thinking over every interaction I was a part of are major stressors for me. I know I'm way too concerned, and that people probably aren't looking to make a negative assessment of the way I behave at family gatherings. But I still worry. I'll still be up at night wondering if they think I'm a bad mom or too lax because my kid had a fit. Did they think I was lazy or pawned my kid off because I let him play with other children and didn't hover? Was I a helicopter mom? My friends and family aren't out to get me. They aren't looking to judge me (hopefully), but I'll still worry. I'll overanalyze if my interactions could be somehow perceived as rude because in the moment, I won't strike up conversation with many. I wasn't always this way. I used to rock small talk like it was my day job. I could talk to anyone. But now I spend my days with a baby and a toddler. My main subject of conversation with other adults is my tiny humans because it's all I know anymore. I could answer trivia on Boss Baby or what fruit snack colors are of preference. I could tell you all about the rash my son had or our adventure going to the doctor twice in two weeks with two kids...thank you to the grandparents who saved me there! Not exactly grown up party conversation. So dear family and friends, I promise I'm not rude. I haven't forgotten my manners. I'm not mad at you. I'm just not all that great at talking to other adults right now. But if you need a toddler translator, want to swap recipes, or talk fruit snack colors- I'm your girl! I promise to work on my small talk skills for next holiday season because right now I'm a little rusty... Mom life is rocking my holiday stress pimple in all of its glory while taking 500 pictures of my daughter wearing a bow. 🙃😂 Funny how that works, right?
The toddler has been a grinch this year and hates the Christmas tree and lights. Who even is this kid? I was so excited for this season because he is finally old enough to make some memories and remember the traditions. I want him to feel the magic of the season, but I refuse to force it on him. We’ve warmed up to not unplugging the tree, eating Christmas cookies, and wrapping presents. Seeing the holidays through the eyes of a child and what is most important to him is a good wack to my behind. It’s a reminder that we’re making memories every single day. Maybe he won’t have the same favorite holiday activities that I do or did. That’s okay. As moms we stress ourselves out constantly, but especially at the holidays, because we want to make everything perfect. We want to make happy memories for our children. We tend to focus on the big things though. We see our slip ups more than our successes, myself included. To our little ones though, it’s the quality time that matters. It’s no so important that our cookies look perfect or our gifts are wrapped elegantly. It’s licking the spoon and playing with tape. It’s giggles and ice cream before dinner because “it’s the holidays.” Stop stressing, mama. It’s the little things our little ones are going to remember. 🎄❤️ 'Tis the season for Pinterest crafting.
Somehow though my toddler's projects rarely look like what we find on the app. In fact, I am almost positive a great deal of those crafts are done more by moms and less by kids. And really what's the fun in that? My toddler's eyes lit up when he finished his Christmas tree. There were even some "decorations" floating nicely around the tree because he is an overachiever like that. Once upon a time, I thought things had to be done P-E-R-F-E-C-T-L-Y. Sometimes I still do, but crafts with my son is not one of those times. As long as he's happy with it, I'm happy. Because if I did those crafts for him, they wouldn't really be his. Sure, they'd be so great for my Pinterest board or Instagram feed. But they wouldn't be what I'd want to hang on my fridge or what his grandparents would proudly display on their art wall. All too often we see the world through a distorted social media lens. What we really need to do is look at the world through the eyes of a toddler. |
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Megan is a stay-at-home mom to a stubborn and charming toddler and adorable baby girl. She is a freelance writer who hasn't slept in way too long.. She survives off of the pot of coffee her wonderful husband makes her FRESH each morning and any snack she can grab while keeping up with her little ones. Archives
October 2019
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