Luxury Redefined

Today I spent thirty minutes drying and straightening my hair. I used to do this all the time but now I can't remember the last time I did this, maybe a month ago or more. And I mean getting to take my time making sure it is straight and smooth! The natural curls are nice on some days but most days it just looks like a red brillo pad is tied behind my head. This has made me think, what are the other things that I now find to be pure indulgence that before children were just a normal part of my day.

Here are just a few things I consider to be heavenly...
1. Getting to watch a show on TV not involving the ABCs, 123s, or other musical lessons
2. Ten uninterrupted minutes on the computer
3. Silence
4. Naps
5. Going to the store without children

I could go on but I think you get the point. Ok, so to be fair here are five of my absolute favorite things about my children...
1. Sheridan's smile when I come to pick her up from Sunday school, or Bible Study child care
2. David's smile after he has terrorized his sister either by touching her, taking something, or looking at her too long.
3. Their playing together in the bath tub, splashing, taking turns with toys (when they get along best)
4. Sheridan singing the last note of every song she knows, but she only sings the last note
5. Hugs

I could probably go on in this list too but it might be too gushy.

It's better on a budget?

Life with two children under the age of two is definitely a stretching experience in all aspects. By stretching I mean that I constantly feel stretched, my patience, my emotions, my physical need for sleep, my pocketbook! No area has gone untouched, least of all my prayer-life! Man, if I haven't been talking to you on the phone it's because God and I are having many one on ones throughout the day. Mostly it consists of me saying, "God, I can't do this," and Him saying, "Yes you can, now go sit on the floor with your kids," or maybe "why don't you do your dishes and pray for your husband with all this energy complaining!" It's a constant back and forth battle of being so thankful that I am home with these precious children to calling my husband and saying, 'please come home I cannot handle these children!'
So if you're about to embark on baby number two, here are some things I wish I had started implementing before I had my second child and life seemed to turn me on my ear.
1. Try to double up freezable meals before baby number 2 comes. Also, did you know you can freeze bread and milk. If I could go back I would have stocked up on PB&J and bread and milk so runs to the store wouldn't be so necessary.
2. When it comes to getting a toddler and an infant anywhere you have to have the organizational skills of a military stratego (yes I made that word up). What helps me is wearing my keys on a laniard around my neck. I know I don't look fashionable, but that went out the door about month 7 of pregnancy with baby number two. Trust me, when people see you lugging two kids around, they are NOT checking you out! Even when I think I'm looking pretty good, nobody cares except me, so I keep the laniard. It even has a clip so I just unclip my keys to start the car, then before I unload Heckle and Jeckle I clip them back in so they don't get lost in the transport!
3. I've just started wearing a purse that has a strap long enough to cross over my chest. Again, this isn't my favorite look, but it keeps my hands and shoulders free for diaper bags and babies!

I also wish I had thought about simple and easy recipes before baby number two. Even with one baby I had managed to still cook a fairly elaborate meal for my husband and I. I should have stopped that LOOONG before the third trimester so Mr. Meyer wouldn't be such a grump about speghetti AGAIN.

High hopes

I'm not quite sure what I was thinking when I aspired to writing a blog that could actually be read by my friends and family. I mean, one would have to actually post more than once a month to develop a good writing habit. So here I go again, stepping up to the writing horse to try and decipher what is going on in my mind and emotions. I'm not quite sure why I am like this but I am not a fan of talking about my own emotions or feelings. Mostly, I find that when I do this the only things that come out are negative and then I feel worse than I did before I ever started talking.
I know I'm not alone, right? How many of us new moms found out that this SAHM thing is a lot more work than we anticipated? Two nights ago I went to the Target pharmacy to get my Z-pack filled and started to talk to the pharmacist. She has two children 26 months and 8 months old, she is in the same boat as I am! As she told me her kids' ages, I said, "and you work too!" and she replied, "this is my break!" It was food for thought. I'm not sure teaching would be a break, but I can think of some other jobs that would probably be a fun break, not involving children of any age!
A job for me may be coming soon as Ryan's year anniversary at his new company is in April, we will take a new look at the finances and try and decide how we will try to make our ends meet.