#MySundayPhoto and Post 5-31-15

MyTalesFromTheCrib

I am posting this photo twice on my blog this week. Once for #MySundayPhoto hosted by @OneDad3Girls  and once for #SilentSunday hosted by @cosmicgirlie 


In an effort to follow the strict rules for Silent Sunday (absolutely no words.  Nada.  Zip.  Not even a title or link, etc.,) I decided to separate the two posts.  I am a writer after all and writing absolutely nothing at all and then hitting "publish" took me waaaaaaay out of my comfort zone!  Like I lost a limb or something.  OK, let's not go overboard here, but if you are a writer and have been since 1st grade like I have been, then you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.

I love the idea of a photography post. I don't normally post pictures of my kids on here where you can see their entire face.  It kind of makes me cringe a bit. Can't totally explain it where it sounds rational to almost every other mom blogger/dad blogger out there, but I just have a thing about that as I've talked about in the post below:

Top 10-ish Reasons Why I'm a Crappy Mom's Blogger And Should Just Go Back To Being a Writer

However, I decided to post this pic. This was taken at the water park we have been going to for the past few years. It was our little man's first time there with his older siblings who know the place like the back of their hands. He just turned 6 months old a few days ago and he is happy like this most of the time. (We're now well past the colicky phase from his newborn days so I can finally say that now!! YIPPIE!!!) He loves playing with daddy and in this photo my husband was getting him to giggle like crazy. I love this photo for many reasons, but what I especially like about it is the perfect reflection in my husband's sunglasses of Mr. Baby Love himself laughing.  It just makes me smile and it makes me feel very, very grateful for my life!  So for that reason I decided to post it. I hope you enjoy!

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#SilentSunday 5-31-15

 

To read more from My Tales From The Crib click here.

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Daily Gratitude Journal: Saturday Day #2

Today has already seen some battle scars and it's just barely the mid afternoon. We had a tiny glass bowl with freshly prepared, homemade organic carrots for the baby get knocked off the table, crashing to the floor that ended in tiny glass shards mixed with bright orange puree all over the kitchen. I even found a chunk of glass down the hall, around the corner under a blanket along with my patience. 

Today's lesson: No glass bowls for baby food. I hold it anyway, but still. 

However, my husband did wake before me taking the crying baby to the diaper changing area. He then proceeded to entertain said baby while I slept. Upon waking up #AwesomeHusband took it upon himself to make the family, "Surfer's Delight" a dish he invented which is basically a fancy breakfast burrito with scrambled eggs & melted cheese, crispy bacon, crispy hash browns rolled in a buttered pan fried tortilla, served with Cholula. 

"Yes, Please!" 

Yes he really is a keeper!  Did I mention he also made my latte this morning?  Oh I didn't?  I guess I didn't want to seem like I'm bragging.

However, when you have a family of 5 with kids 7 years old to 6 months old, there will be drama, fights, tantrums, whining, lots of stink face, pushing on the iPad couch and feet kicking each other under the breakfast table regardless of how tight my latte foam is, how long I got to sleep in or how crispy the bacon crumbles are.

This is life as a parent. It's not glamorous, but it can be very beautiful if you don't mind things sticky.

Here's my attempt to find the beauty in today to get rid of my being annoyed. I feel like it's working already.

My Daily Goal: I will take a picture each day that brings me happiness as well and post it along with my list of 5 things I'm grateful for. I invite you to do the same!  These are not listed in order of importance. That is too much pressure for this writing exercise. I am just free flowing as I write and trying to be genuine in my thoughts and emotions and writing what I feel at the moment. Please join me! @coco_cana #DailyGratitudeJournal

Daily Gratitude Journal #2

1. I'm so grateful for my little baby boy who just turned 6 months old yesterday. He has the chubbiest cheeks and two of the tiniest teeth that stick out when he smiles creating dimples in his big apple cheeks. It should really be illegal to be that cute and not have a spot on Ellen already.

2. I'm so incredibly grateful and lucky for my husband. #obvs

3. I'm grateful for the days when my kids entertain themselves out in nature for hours and don't say, "I'm bored!" every 5 seconds making me say, "If you're bored I'll give you something to clean" making me sound like my mom when I was a kid!  Or my personal favorite from my food serving days, "If you have time to lean, you have time to clean!"  My kids LOVE this one!

4. I'm grateful for TV for the days that don't go according to #3. Yea, that's right. I said it. I let my kids watch TV when we're having a shitty day and mama needs some peace and quiet. Even if the day is rad, it gets turned on sometimes. C'est la vie!

5. I'm grateful for Wild Krats, Octonauts, Peg + Cat, nature shows geared towards kids, most stuff on PBS, and any other type of learning TV show where my kids can become enlightened or educated while mama needs some peace and quiet while I breastfeed the baby. We have only 1 TV in the house and it's in the living room along with my nursing chair. That's how, brah.

...off to the water park for some summertime family fun and reconnecting.

My kids. Totally entertaining themselves for hours on end with a picnic outside playing with bugs and fruit trees, digging for worms and making mud pies. The thought of it makes me exhale with about 8 minutes of inner peace...until someone gets a mudpie in the face. Then I'm annoyed. Again. 

For further reading: My Daily Gratitude Journals

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Daily Gratitude Journal: Friday Day #1

I just read a post by Mummy and Monkeys  where she writes a weekly gratitude list of 5 things and it really inspired me to write my own list. At this point in my life I need to try to do this daily. My littlest guy just turned 6 months old today! 

Happy half a year my sweet little love! 

Why I'm doing this: I also have a 7 year old and a 4 & 1/2 year old. I've been homeschooling this year for 1st grade for the first time on top of having a newborn and so life has been challenging to say the least. I have dealt with postpartum depression (PPD) in the past and I feel like I have been dealing with it again this time around as well. So for these reasons I really need to do a daily gratitude list for myself. 

My Daily Goal: I will take a picture each day that brings me happiness as well and post it along with my list of 5 things I'm grateful for. I invite you to do the same!  These are not listed in order of importance. That is too much pressure for this writing exercise. I am just free flowing as I write and trying to be genuine in my thoughts and emotions and writing what I feel at the moment. 

Daily Gratitude Journal #1

1. I'm so grateful for my extremely helpful husband and loving children. Without them I'm not sure where I would be in my life. I wouldn't have nearly as much love and laughter as I do now, so I thank them for that.

2. I'm so grateful for how helpful my 7 year old is with her baby brother. I have a bad back from a few different car accidents and she has held the baby for me so many times, especially after sitting for a while nursing him I get really tight and it's hard to get out of the chair holding a heavy baby so she will hold him for me while I get up. She's amazing!

3. I'm grateful for our home espresso machine so I can save money and make lattes at home using my raw, organic milk and natural, organic creamer and have a real coffee snob moment at home each day while I tamper my grounds and steam my hipster milk.

4. I'm grateful for learning how to cook years ago and for having the confidence to get creative in the kitchen in order to provide my family with healthy home cooked meals each night where I know exactly what is in each dish we eat. And they love my cooking, so that is a bonus!  Not too many dinner time fights. 

5. I'm grateful for my two little boys who light up my life and melt my heart with their smiles. Here is a pic of my "big" little guy who is growing up so fast and who is so loving and thoughtful and who brought me these flowers today while I was breastfeeding his baby brother. These are his words below. He is such a sweet boy and I'm so proud of the little human being he is growing into and I love him dearly.

"Mom, for your hard work I'm going to send you some flowers. Here you go!" -My 4 & 1/2 year old

For further reading: My Daily Gratitude Journals

To read more from My Tales From The Crib click here.

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This Is My Motherhood: Mundane Monday Morning

Nursing and nursing and nursing the baby

My life once again as full-time milk lady. 

Turning off lights

Putting out fights

Ballet today. 

Better find shoes and tights.

Reminding kids about making good choices.

Reminding kids to use inside voices.

"Everybody go outside!"

"Careful at the top of the slide!"

"Stop fighting!"

Baby's biting-

    everything in sight. 

Teeth coming in-

"Rub their gums with gin?!"

Ridiculous, crazy, outdated advice!

Found out that our playgroup has lice.

Springtime breakfast picnic outside. 

From the bathroom I'm aware the baby just cried. 

...Another fish died?

Mama doing chore after chore. 

"Be as loud as you guys want as long as you close the door!"

Laundry and dishes piled up to ceilings

Reminding me of those PPD feelings. 

Buying food, 

     prepping food, 

          cooking food,

               serving food,

                    "Eat your food."

                    “I don’t want food.”

               clearing food, 

          storing food, 

     freezing food, 

wiping up food. 

"...Mama, I'm hungry."

“I’m too hot.” 

“I’m too cold.” 

“This tag is scratchy.” 

“My bread has mold.” 

“We need more milk.” 

Always running out of milk. 

Over the years I've produced millions of gallons of milk, but

"Who drank all the milk?!”

"He's laughing too loud!"

"She's breathing my air!"

"He looked out my window!"

"You're not playing fair!"

"Mommy, will daddy be home from work soon?"

I could swear it was 3 but its not even noon. 

Kids are fighting, 

baby's drooling and biting, 

tantrums

crying

Mother's Day flowers dying

"Did you break that?"

"She did it!"

"No I didn't, he's lying!"

Nursing and nursing and nursing once again. 

Thinking of rubbing my own gums with gin. 

-Colleen Duncan Canavan


What does your Motherhood look like?  Please join in and write your own Motherhood inspired poem and include the hashtag(s) below.  We can celebrate Mother's Day all year long.  

#MothersDayInspiredWritingPrompt

#ThisIsMyMotherhood

Please join us in sharing your story. Read about the Mother's Day inspired writing prompt here.

To read more from My Tales From The Crib click here.

To follow me on Twitter click here. 

To follow me on Pinterest click here. 


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This Is My Motherhood: Capturing The Moments Of Motherhood With A New Baby

I'm sitting in my rocking chair. The rocking chair that has helped me nourish my 5 month old baby almost every day of his life. This rocking chair has become a part of my body. This is where my kids find me when they wake up in the morning. This is where my husband kisses me as he's leaving for work. This is where he finds me when he comes home for lunch and then again when he comes home for dinner. This is where I try to find ways to heal my PPD. Every sleepless night, during all of the cluster feedings, all of the growth spurts, the colic, the colic and the colic - my little nursling and me. My comfortable rocking chair.



The kids are 7, 4 & a half and 5 months old. I'm exhausted and This Is My Motherhood:

Rocking chair sitting tall
Breast pads in big boxes
Big breasts in worn out nursing bras.
Breastfeeding pillow on the ottoman

          That gets thrown to the floor by kids...

Cooling Hydrogel Breast Pads

          'cause damn, it can hurt!
Humming, bubbling fish tank that used to hold three...sadly, down to one.
          The fighther. He's in good company 'round here.
Pictures of my children smiling back at me. Talking to me. Reminding me of their sweetness that day.
          No comment.
Hand lotion, throat drops & chap stick -
          Breastfeeding sucks you dry!
Water bottle that can't get refilled enough. Never enough.
          More ice please!
Coffee cup. My favorite that holds handmade decaf hazelnut lattes - when I get the time.
          Somedays I never get the time...
Non-perishable snacks in plastic containers that sometimes dub as my breakfast.
          Usually dub as my breakfast...
Baby clippers, baby socks, baby blankets & burpie cloths.
My phone, of course.
A novel that is collecting dust.
A children's book that gets opened daily.
Big box of Kleenex to wipe up tears, spit-up, kid boogers, baby drool, runny noses and mama tears.
          We have those too. Sometimes more than babies.
Every remote to every device in the room, especially the fan.
          Tiny bodies are like tiny heaters. 
Amber teething necklace to ease achey babies.
Camera to capture it all - this beautiful, messy life I have.

...oh and a pile of laundry just whining, begging and throwing tantrums to be folded.
          But let's be honest here - it's more of a "family dresser that sits on the couch" at this point.

This is my motherhood.

#MothersDayInspiredWritingPrompt
#ThisIsMyMotherhood

Please join us in sharing your story. Read about the Mother's Day inspired writing prompt here.

To read more from My Tales From The Crib click here.

To follow me on Twitter click here. 

To follow me on Pinterest click here. 

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This Is My Motherhood: Mother's Day Inspired Writing Prompt

In honor of Mother's Day coming up on May 10th, I have decided to write a few blog post writing prompts to inspire other bloggers to write about their experiences of motherhood. If you are a dad blogger I'd like to invite you to write about your experiences with fatherhood and/or a post honoring the mothers in your life. Make sure to use the hashtags below so we can read your post!

#ThisIsMyMotherhood

#MothersDayInspiredWritingPrompt

The first writing prompt is a simple poem type format (although there is no real format, really) - let's call it a list type of format where you list the things that surround you right now that capture the stage of motherhood you are currently in. Here's mine.

You could be surrounded by baby clothes, kids toys and piles of dishes.

You could be surrounded by backpacks, homework and school books.

You could be surrounded by sports equipment, drivers permits and college applications.

You could be surrounded by your grandchildren's toys and overnight bags because they are visiting.

Wherever you are right now and wherever you usually write your blog posts, I'd like you to look around and list the things you see that remind you of where you and your children are right now.

If you are out getting coffee alone (lucky you!) you might write about what it feels like to have a much needed break. Maybe you saw the toy car or the baggie of goldfish your child left in your purse as you were reaching for you wallet.

Maybe you are in your car with a napping toddler because that is the only way you can get some peace in the afternoon (I've been there!) So maybe you'll write about the things in your car or diaper bag.

Maybe you are at work and you're pumping on your break or you can see pictures of your kids on your desk.

Maybe you're like me and you're sitting in your favorite nursing chair feeding or rocking your baby.

Be sure to list your children's ages somewhere in the post and begin and end the blog post with:

This Is My Motherhood.

Please be sure to share and tweet and hashtag your post with:

#ThisIsMyMotherhood
#MothersDayInspiredWritingPrompt

so we can all read, comment, link, follow and share!  I will retweet every post with the hastags! I promise! You can include @coco_cana and comment here with a link to your blog post so I'll be sure to see it!  I will choose my favorite post to feature on our blog in a special Mother's Day post.

Have fun capturing your moments of motherhood!

Here's mine: This Is My Motherhood: Capturing The Moments Of Motherhood With A New Baby

To read more from My Tales From The Crib click here.

To follow me on Twitter click here. 

To follow me on Pinterest click here. 

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