I wrote about this for Just.Be.Enough today. Really.
On Just.Be.Enough: Big Girl Panties
May 23, 2012 by ·
10 Things I Couldn’t Be Enough Without
May 20, 2012 by ·
This week on Just.Be.Enough the Be Enough Me prompt is “10 things I couldn’t be enough without.” I’m interested to see where people take this – Elena is hosting on the blog today and she did something totally different with the post than what I’ve done. More intellectual and reflective, I’d say, but this list is what came to mind for me.
So — trusting that you know that family and friends and health and all that are part of my essentials — here’s a list of what keeps me sane and makes me who I am.
1. Alone time – I need some every day. I go nuts without it.
Image credit: Jake Bouma on Flickr
2. Chapstick – Totally addicted. For life it seems. I just hate having dry lips (and hands, for that matter).
Image credit: ecstaticist on Flickr
3. Two litres of water a day – I’ve been a huge water drinker for years. I down at least two litres a day, often more. I do not feel at all myself without it.
Image credit: The Ilr on Flickr
4. Perspective – In any form. A new point of view or a change of scenery does wonders for my state of mind, which is one reason I love to travel. Nothing challenges my world view like being somewhere else.
Image credit: eschipul on Flickr
5. Chocolate ice cream – Because, duh.
Image credit: Joyosity on Flickr
6. Sunshine – Another thing that can make all the difference. That’s one of the things I’ve loved about having moved – we had way more sun this winter than we used to get.
Image credit: mendhak on Flickr
7. Cheerios – This is likely (hopefully) not going to be a life-long thing, but right now I need something I can eat first thing in the morning so I don’t give up and go back to bed. (19 weeks and I still need them. How am I going to make it through five more months of this?!)
Image credit: Nebraska Becky on Flickr
8. A shower – Cannot.function.without.
Image credit: PhotoAtelier on Flickr
9. Sleep – I knew this about myself before I had a baby so there wasn’t really any need to reinforce it, but one thing is certain: I need sleep to stay sane. Probably now more than ever.
Image credit: Casey David on Flickr
10. This blog – It has shaped my identity in ways I never imagined. Thank you for being here with me.
Eyes Are for Life
May 18, 2012 by ·
I remember holding my Grandma’s hand when we came up the steps into our house. I remember my mom labelling the stove and clocks and things in large, dark letters when my Grandma was staying with us and we were going to be away for a bit. I remember her seeing us, but not really seeing us.
My grandmother lost her sight late in life due to diabetes and I was always aware of it in a that-can’t-happen-to-me sort of way. But it could. And I have to say – I think I would be pathetic at adapting to something like that. So I’m interrupting our regularly-scheduled programming (oh, who am I kidding? My posting is anything but regular these days) to talk about eye health.
To Be or Not to Be…In the Know
May 15, 2012 by ·
For about a year and a half, Connor has been talking about his baby sister. Now, I’ve never been very good at math, but I think that’s longer than I’ve been pregnant.
I’m not sure where this idea came from, and he hasn’t been able to say. I could understand if his friends had baby sisters, but none of them do – they’re all baby brothers. He doesn’t even know that many girls, because our baby groups have been mostly boys.
A baby sister… I wonder if he’s right?
He’s been so sure and so consistent that I really do wonder. There’s also this weird experience I had where I stood in the middle of the framed-in foundation of our first house when it was being built in 2003 and I swear I could see us there with two kids – a boy and a girl. (Which was one of the really hard things about leaving that house – wondering if we somehow had left the second child behind.)
So now the second child is on the way and I swore I didn’t want to find out if we were having a boy or girl this time. We did find out with Connor (and didn’t tell anyone) but having had a scheduled c-section last time due to my darling breech baby makes me sort of want to keep the gender a surprise just in case it happens again. If I don’t get the birth experience I want, I’d like something about it to be like the storybooks.
Silly, I know, but after the gong show that was my last post-birth experience, I want to keep something unknown and exciting.
Except I’m starting to waver. What if Connor is right? I would be so jazzed to know we’re having a girl. And if we’re not, I’d sort of like to go back to my vision of two brothers (and prepare C for the fact that he’s not having a baby sister).
It’s a conundrum.
My husband really wants to find out, but I’ve told him I get to call this one. (A woman who hates being pregnant and had the joy of PPD has to have some perks, right?) I’ve proposed that we get the tech to write it in an envelope that we can choose to open later if we wish. That strategy is mostly to avoid the very anti-climactic experience we had last time where we had said we wanted to know and then the tech just said, “And there you go – a boy.” (It’s entirely possible I’ve had too many fantasies about what this whole experience is supposed to be like, which probably explains several of my problems.)
So… do we find out? Did you? Or would you?
Note: Dear husband, I know how you feel so no need to attempt to sway the discussion. 🙂 xo
On Mother’s Day
May 13, 2012 by ·
I had a small person in bed with me early this morning. (Note to self: never post on Facebook about how well your child is sleeping.) I enjoyed the cuddles though, and figured that was a nice way to start Mother’s Day.
When he woke up for good, he jumped out of bed and ran downstairs. I could hear the pantry door opening and closing, and knew he was going to get the surprise he had made for me at preschool. (Except it wasn’t a surprise because he had told me what it was.) He came back up and promptly started to open my gift. It was a small box he had decorated, with a picture of him and a poem on the lid, and it was filled with Hershey’s kisses. It was very sweet, and I will keep that box as one of my treasures, but it was the sheer joy and pride with which he presented this gift that I will always remember. That feeling is what being a mother is all about.
***
In celebration of Mother’s Day, I’d like to point you to two beautiful things.
There’s a Mother’s Day Rally today on Postpartum Progress. Every hour on the hour you’ll find a letter from an amazing writer to new moms. The stories come from those who have suffered – and survived – a postpartum illness, and I have no doubt you’ll be inspired (whether you’re a PPD survivor or not). My letter will be posted at 7 p.m. ET, and I’m honoured to be part of this group on this special day.
Another wonderful place, not just today but every day, is Mamas’ Comfort Camp. This is a Facebook group started by my beautiful friend Yael from Postpartum Depression to Joy. I’ll let her describe what it’s about:
This group is a refueling station, where mamas from all over the world come together to vent, stomp, laugh, cheer, high-five, and, more than anything, share deeply, and support each other in a completely safe space.
It’s open to anyone, and it’s not just about PPD. It truly is a space where you can do all that. Read Yael’s post about the group for more and to find out how to join. I’d love to see you there.
And finally, I leave you with this, which I know to be true. Happy Mother’s Day.
