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| I extended our shopping trip when I discovered this. |
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January 19, 2011
>i’ll remember forever and ever. and ever.
>We glide through the air on side-by-side swings on the playground. A warm early fall day, with fading light and a smell to the air that promises a chill is soon to come. Her honey blond hair blowing from the force of the swing. Her head hung back and laughing from deep with in. After we jump off the swings, she throws her arms around my neck and says “I yuv you, mama.” “I love you too, Hadley. I know you may not remember this moment, but I’ll remember forever and ever.”
I listen to her soft breath laying next to me on our bed. The morning sun is streaming though the window. The sound of her sisters murmurs and daddy making coffee are a lovely ambient noise of home, that wake her from her slumber. She opens her eyes and she smiles sleepily. “I love you, Hayden. I know you may not remember this moment, but I’ll remember forever and ever.”
And while there are so many moments, so many memories to store in my heart that I may just forget, the feeling of loving my babies will never, ever escape me.
I’ll remember forever and ever. And ever.
January 18, 2011
>sleep
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| Hadley – 4 months old |
Sleep is a difficult commodity to come by in our house. It’s actually ironic that the job I had just prior to babies was a product to help people get better sleep, in turn educating our audience on the importance of sleep. And now, it’s a hard thing to come by.
It probably started, for me, before I even knew of Hadley. But really kicked in toward the end of my pregnancy with her. It’s part of pregnancy, we all know this. But then she arrived and I worried myself so much about not responding to her, or waking my neighbors that I worked hard to keep her quiet, especially at night. And while many of you may think that co-sleeping and not allowing her to cry is the better way to go, I’m starting to think I did a bit of a disservice to her and our family as a whole.
Now, at 2 1/2, she happily sleeps in her own bed and in her own room. And our challenge has turned to Hayden.
When will it end? I need to sleep!
Hayden has been a great sleeper from the get go, and in comparison to how we’ve been with Hadley, we’ve encouraged sleep in her own bed. But suddenly at 9 months her separation anxiety has kicked in to full effect and the last couple weeks have been terrible. And we’ve been taking measures to “train” her to get back into her good habits.
BUT I NEED SLEEP! Any advise for a sleep deprived mama?
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Be sure to enter this weeks CSN Stores giveway! Click here to enter.
Like what you’re reading? Vote for me on Top Baby Blogs. Just click here to cast your vote (and one more time after you enter the TBB site).
January 17, 2011
>must have monday: csn stores giveaway
>It’s Monday and MLK day, so what a better time to talk about all the awesome things CSN Stores has to offer (and giveaway some $$ to spend there too). They have everything one could need. Do you need a laptop messenger bag? They’ve got a huge selection. Baby gear? Check! Bed linens? Got them too! They are just about a one stop shop. Really, with over 200 CSN Store sites you are bound to find something you need.
So do you want to shop there? How about shopping there on them? Even better right?
The people over at CSN Stores are giving one of my lucky readers $45 to spend on one of there sites. And all you have to do is respond to this post (make sure you provide your email address if you log in through Facebook or Twitter). Easy breezy!
For those of you who really, REALLY want to win, here are a few ways to earn extra entries:
* Follow @MinimalMom on Twitter. I promise to follow you back. Leave a comment on this post with your Twitter handle. If you already follow, lucky you! Just leave a comment with your Twitter handle.
* “Like” Minimal Mom on Facebook. Leave a comment on this post with your Facebook name. If you already “like” me, lucky you! Just leave a comment with your Facebook name.
* Tweet the following: Enter to #win $45 to #CSN Stores from @MinimalMom #giveaway http://www.minimalmom.net. You may do this once daily for an additional daily entry. Leave a comment on this post for each daily entry.
* Facebook the following: Enter to win $45 to CSN Stores from Minimal Mom. http://www.minimalmom.net You may do this once daily for an additional daily entry. Leave a comment on this post for each daily entry.
Contest ends Monday January 24th at 11:59 p.m. Good luck!
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January 14, 2011
>i’m taking them back!
>I think I have come to a calm decision to reclaim my boobs. That’s right! I am taking them back after two and a half years of use by my children.
Now, the lactivists out there might be wondering “why?” And fair enough… I wanted to get to at least a year with Hayden, but she has started biting. And while she doesn’t have teeth, the taffy motion and the clamp of her little gums are sending me over the roof, and two and a half months seems like an eternity with sore nipples.
Not to mention, she is suddenly so busy that nursing is no longer a calm effort. She’s too busy looking around, singing while sucking, waving her hands and feet. It’s an energy that I’m finding frustrating with a being attached to my nipple. Nothing productive is happening and we are a busy household with two kiddos.
So I’ve decided that the boobs are going to become mine again!
I’m looking forward to a pretty bra that doesn’t have a flap that I forget to button up.
January 11, 2011
>random ramblings
>The girls and I have been traveling the last several days, so blog posting hasn’t been what it should be. But there is much to share and much coming up!
First of all, our plane trips to and fro Show Low, Arizona on my own with an wiggly infant and a busy toddler were a success. I am beyond proud of my girls for being so good, especially Hadley. There may have been a complaint or two while on completely full flights from Phoenix to Minneapolis, but nothing earth shattering and that a freeze dried apple snack couldn’t remedy.
Now you are wondering, I am sure, “Where in the heck is Show Low?” It’s in the mountains of Arizona. Now you are probably thinking, “There are mountains in Arizona?” Yep! There sure are! My mom and her significant other are in the process of building a home there and we went up for a visit. While there isn’t much to the town itself, it is certainly picturesque.
So we headed there to see my mom’s new digs, celebrate a belated Christmas with them and to meet one of my oldest friends and her family in Williams, Arizona (Grand Canyon) to ride the Polar Express Train. Unfortunately, my mother who is never ill was extremely ill and had to pass on the trip to Williams, so the girls and I drove the three hours from Show Low to Williams, passing through Winslow (nope, didn’t stop to stand on the corner) and Meteor City (I was tempted to stop, but the little ones were sleeping)(don’t want to interrupt that) along the way.
We checked in to the Grand Canyon Lodge, stretched our legs for a bit, met up with our friends and enjoyed a not-so-hot buffet dinner before changing into jammies and boarding the Polar Express.
The minute we boarded, we were transported into a magical Christmas world! And I am thankful I knew a lot of the story. Hadley was so excited, enjoyed her cookie and hot cocoa, stared out the window in awe once we reached the North Pole, sang and clapped along to the Christmas carols and even chatted with Santa when he came by. Hayden, on the other hand, slept for a lot of the trip, enjoyed a bite of my cookie, and happily took the jingle bell from Santa.
I can’t express enough how special this trip was. I love the magic of Christmas and it’s been fun to see it in Hadley’s eyes this year. And even more, being able to take the ride with my friend and her sweet family. I hope we can make it a tradition (and I hope my mom can join next year).
Yesterday, our day started a little rough, but the girls were once again champs on the airplanes back home. Jonathan picked us up and we went to Ikea for a meatball dinner and let Hadley run a muck in the play area in the Ikea restaurant before braving the snowy roads home. The girls were happy to be home – we could hardly get Hayden to bed because she wanted to play, and Hadley happily went into her room and crawled under her covers and went to sleep. And, after finally getting Hayden to sleep, I fell fast asleep.
So enough about our trip…
I have a few awesome giveaways lined up this month! Next up is a giveaway to CSN Stores. They have EVERYTHING, laptop messenger bag, furniture, baby gear… Just about everything! So be sure to check back on Monday for that giveaway!
OK, so that’s it for my random rambling. Hope everyone’s week has been great so far!
January 8, 2011
>hadley – 2 1/2
>Today my lovely first born is 2 1/2 years old. It deserves a proper post, but we are traveling. So instead I will share a picture of her from the other evening in her tutu.
January 6, 2011
>traveling
>The girlies and I boarded two airplanes yesterday to visit my mom in the White Mountains of Arizona. The day was long, yet successful. I am very proud of how well they did.
We are headed to ride the Polar Express train tomorrow. I promise there will be lots of photos to share. But until then, here’s a picture of Hadley in the tutu and leotard Santa left for her at Grandma’s.
minimalmom 