Today's theme seemed to be "Creative Problem Solving". My little one is not a fan of tummy time. She has bad reflux and being on her belly results in throwing up and tears or just passing out in exhaustion. Today, while my older daughter was in school, I decided to try something new.

My older daughter has this great, soft slide made of foam covered with vinyl. I thought maybe the elevated surface would help with the reflux and, if not, at least it's easy to wipe off. I placed my baby so her chin was just above the top of the slide thinking it would encourage her to hold her head up. She did. Then she started climbing. twice she scooted herself several inches up the slide before slipping back down. She just kept trying. The third time I placed my hand flat for her to use as a kick-plate and she made it up. 

It wasn't just her accomplishment that made me happy; it was her smile. She was on her tummy and happy. She was moving herself around. It was a moment to celebrate!

Throughout the day several more opportunities presented themselves. How could I get creative to find an answer? Creative choices for my older daughter provided several smooth transitions. And as bedtime approached with the colicky, witching hour for my little one, I even found a creative solution for this struggle. I won't say it came without frustration, I'm human. Yet after a short breather I was able to find something that worked...at least this time.

I'm so grateful for breathing breaks. I'm grateful to be creative. I'm grateful to have a day of "wins". I'm grateful to watch my daughter scale her own little mountain and feel like I cleared a hurdle as well. I'm grateful to watch her sweet face both determined and happy. I'm grateful for these little moments because I know how fleeting they are. I'm grateful for a positive theme for a day of achievement. I'm grateful to be making progress in climbing my own personal mountains.

What mountains are you climbing? What measurements do you use for your success? What creative problem solving can you use?

May we remember we only fail when we give up trying and even that isn't a clear cut line. May we recognize sometimes a slide backwards is just to help us find a more solid foothold. And may we propel ourselves forward with persistence. Have a beautiful day!

One week from today I will return to work. I cannot complain, I will have had eight full weeks off. It is two more weeks than I took with my first and it was much needed. 

After my first daughter I rushed back to work for financial reasons and physically was not ready. I pushed through but it was not what was best. This time I hoped to wait until I was physically ready but also the timing was just not right for me going back earlier. Between school starting back up and my daughter's third birthday we all really needed me home this extra time. 

I will admit that I am a little nervous about going back. I know my husband will adapt amazingly to having the girls by himself in the evening. I know the girls will do well having their daddy time. And I know I will even do well to have some time away to recharge. But there will always be that little pull on the heartstrings for me. It is my reminder of what is truly important to me. My heart is always with my family no matter how much I enjoy my job.

I'm grateful to have a full schedule of clients to welcome my return. I'm grateful for a job I love. I'm grateful to feel I am making a positive difference in people's lives through my job. I'm grateful for a schedule that allows me or my husband to be with our girls each day. I'm grateful for these weeks home with my family to bond and adjust. I'm grateful for the tug at my heart that reminds me what is most important. I'm grateful for my amazing family and to be so blessed to spend most my day with my girls.

What is your favorite thing about your job? What calls to your heart while you are working? What is most important to you in your life?

May we recognize what matters most and cherish the ones we love. May we find balance within our wants and needs. Have a beautiful day!

Today was a busy day complete with school, errands, chores, doctor appointment, and family dinner. My mind ran between to do lists. And thoughts of overwhelm randomly rose to the surface.

In meditation, one practice is to imagine your thoughts are like bubbles floating passed. Imagining them drifting by or even imagining popping them can help to release the attachment and clear thoughts. 

I enjoy bubbles. So the idea of thoughts being bubbles is comforting to me as I playfully pop them. The trouble is finding the time to meditate to play this game. 

I think a lot. I work out scenarios in my head or plan into the future. It is easy to get caught in the thought of what is to come (or sometimes what has already passed). But today's gratitude didn't come from thoughts. Today's gratitude came from the moments in between; the moments of play, the moments of pure love.

I'm grateful to glance over to see my baby smiling at me. I'm grateful to let myself be captivated and sit in that moment smiling at each other. I'm grateful for petting my dog in passing only to succumb to the urge to just stop and continue petting her. I;m grateful for the moments of closing my eyes and welcoming in a big gulp of cool water. I'm grateful for the "yes" moments my daughter provided, like "Mommy will you teach me to skip?". I'm grateful to just listen to my daughter's imagination as she daydreams what it would be like if Daddy were as tall as a light pole. I'm grateful for the pause. I'm grateful for these moments in between that fill my heart.

What do you allow to catch your heart and mind between thoughts? What moments bring you joy?

May we cherish these moments of heart. May we allow these beautiful moments to captivate us and may we just sit in their embrace. Have a beautiful day!

I watched a video of a speech by Matthew McConaughey today. He starts off by saying, "Life is not easy. Don't try to make it be. Life is not fair. It never has been and never will be so get over it and get on with it."

Along those same lines I would say life is not clean and tidy. It is messy. We're going to walk away with some dirt on us. For parents some of that "mud" will be the organic kind spewed from the tiny humans you love most.

None of us will walk away with our shoes still sparkling white, not even Pete the Cat. What we can walk away with, hopefully, is Pete he Cat's attitude about whatever comes our way. We get to choose the take-away, the tone of the autobiography we're narrating in our head.

After a busy weekend the idea of getting out in the pouring rain to run errands did not sound ideal this morning. We did have to return a couple library books, however, and pick up some books on hold. Everything else could be pushed back to another day. Thankfully our library has a drive-thru.

We loaded up, did our book swap, and headed home. The baby fell asleep as is protocol for babies in carseats it seems. So as we pulled into the garage I asked my three-year-old if she wanted to go play on the driveway in the rain so the baby could continue sleeping. She said yes but seemed to be watching me and playing it "safe". 

What is a mom to do? Like any crazy, sleep-deprived mom would I began running around in the rain and pretending I was trying to catch specific raindrops on my tongue. That got my daughter laughing and warmed up. As I can always count on with my oldest daughter; she upped the ante, pointing at the water flowing steadily at the curb. So off we went (hand in hand and looking for cars, of course) to explore a little closer. 

SPLASH! I jumped in splashing water clear up to my thigh. My daughter found this hilarious. It is times like this I feel like in some way I am teaching my daughter vital life lessons. Don't be afraid to jump in. 

Most of the opportunities that come are way are not life or death. Go for the interview. Take the trip. Wander the extra path. Pull over to watch the sunset, or keep going and see how far the gas will take you. Camp under the stars, make a wish on them but when the wish is cast get out there and actually do something to make it a reality. So what if you fall? We've all had a few of those, a few bumps. If you're playing the game and jumping in those bumps and falls end up being completely worth it!

I'm grateful to "stay in" outside today. I'm grateful for my daughter's energy and spunk. I'm grateful for our puddle splashing time. I'm grateful to say I won the splash contest. (What? I can't always let her win.) I'm grateful for the rain today and good size puddles. I'm grateful to just let go and play. I'm grateful to laugh. I'm grateful to see I'm gonna get dirty and bumped around on this journey an I'm grateful to say "yes" anyway. Every puddle I've jumped in has been worth it either for the end result or for the lesson it taught.

What puddles are calling to you? How high are you willing to jump? The level of splash will be matched accordingly. What hols you back from taking that jump?

​May we find the courage to make a splash. May we keep the song in our hearts playing. May we find our passion and follow it? Have a beautiful day!

It was a weekend of celebration at our house as my oldest daughter turned three. I can't believe three years have passed since I became a mom. My husband and I have grown and changed so much int he last three years. Our daughter has taught us so much about what it means to be a parent and driven us to do "better" at each turn. Somedays that looks better than others but overall we seem to have found a good rhythm as a family.

Saturday we had a party with a few of her best friends and family. I had a lot of help between my sister-in-law and my mom in getting the party planned because of the new arrival we celebrated less than seven weeks ago. (These nearly seven weeks have already flown by too!) And with the extra help means extra hoorahs as well. There was a small bounce house, a unicorn sprinkler, and lots are space to run and just be three.

In fact, despite the plethora of unicorns, the overall theme of the party was "Free to Be Three". My daughter painted her own shirt and helped sew her own tutu as per her request. They looked awesome! And she wore them with pride. 

It feels like there are so many times when we are needing her to move faster or be quieter or whatever other demands the various situations require, that we forget that this age is meant to be a little wild. Two and even three year olds are meant to test boundaries. They are meant to have the volume of their voice match their emotions. They are meant to have ants in their pants after more than ten minutes of trying to sit through a grown up lunch. And they are meant to remind us how to play, dance, be silly, and have fun.

Free to be three isn't just a theme for the day or the weekend. It is a reminder for this whole year. It is a reminder to me as a mom but also for my inner three year old that needs to come out and play. I have always prided myself of staying in touch with my inner child and my ability to play and yet it has felt like the last year the child has been cooped up in hiding as anxiety, changes, and stress built. Well she is ready to come back out!

I'm so grateful for this weekend of celebration. I'm grateful for all the wonderful people in our lives that came to celebrate with us and for those whom we couldn't invite in an effort to keep the party somewhat manageable but that we are still so blessed to know. I'm grateful to have an abundance of loving people in our lives. I'm grateful for all my mom and sister-in-law's help so that I could have time to enjoy the party too. I'm grateful to watch my daughter and be reminded to let my own inner child out to play. I'm grateful for the theme free to be three. And I'm grateful to make a commitment to myself and to my girls to allow that playful inner child to return in all her glory.

What would you like to be free to do? How can you give yourself permission to let go and play? What can you learn from your three year old self?

May today remind us the importance of play and joy. Life is too short to not enjoy it! Have a beautiful day!

Hope carries such strength it can get the mind over immeasurable hurdles. It is the soft but persistent pull out of bed each morning no matter how early the day calls. It is the whisper that encourages you to dare to dream bigger. It is the silent prayer, answered.

Hope has a unique strength. It makes the impossible, possible. It energizes and uplifts. And it saves in so many ways. Hope is the universe's promise to each of us.

Do you have hope? What instills hope for you? What does that hope give you the courage to do? 

I'm grateful for renewed hope today. I'm grateful to see the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. I'm grateful to trust my heart and seek alternative solutions for my daughter's struggle. I'm grateful to have answers to some questions and some worries relieved. I'm grateful for intuition and listening to my gut. I'm grateful to be on this road together with my family. I'm grateful for my daughter's loving smile.

May we trust our instincts, follow our heart and be rewarded with hope. May that hope come to fruition in the best possible ways. Have a beautiful day!

As the end of my maternity leave gets closer I can't help but notice the little things I will be missing when I'm at work. Top on this list is dinners with my family. I love sitting around the table with my husband and daughters chatting or listening to music.

Now that my preschool-age daughter has figured out how to work the voice commands on our smart device it is not uncommon to find us eating dinner to the Moana soundtrack. It is also not uncommon for my husband and I to randomly burst into song and gesture along with the music in between bites of food. And the sound of my daughter's joy as we all participate fills my heart. 

I will miss these moments. It is not that they will cease, I'll still have two evenings a week to enjoy these moments. It will make them all the more precious. 

Our little one growing into this activity will be fun to watch as well. It will be fun to see what her personality brings to the table. These moments will be cherished in my heart forever. 

I'm grateful to have gotten a nice long maternity leave. I'm grateful for how the timing of the birth and my return to work lined up. I'm grateful for these beautiful moments with my family. I'm grateful to hear my daughter's joy. I'm grateful to be silly and dramatic with my husband as we act out her favorite movie. I'm grateful for this time that is going too fast. I'm grateful to create memories for all of us to cherish.

What moments do you cherish most? What joyful memories will linger in your heart and those you love? Are the things you cherish the same as your loved ones?

May the opportunities for cherished moments be plentiful. May we take the time to be fully present in making these memories. Have a beautiful day!

On Sunday my daughter will turn three. Today was her first day of preschool (she was in CDO last year). Last year we have a good month of separation anxiety. It was so hard on my mama heart. 

Today I stood in the hallway of her school, new baby in tow, waiting for that moment of tears. Instead the door opened and my daughter just walked away. I waited a moment and peeked in the doorway. She didn't even look back. She was already playing.

The funny thing is I was a little sad. I am so proud of how much she has grown! And I'm so grateful to not have the anxiety and tears this year. But part of me was thinking, "really? That's it?" My baby, well my oldest baby, is officially becoming a big girl. 

We raise our kids with the hopes they will be independent and productive members of society. I want my daughter to be strong-willed, independent, and willing to stand up for what she believes in not just because I want that strength for her but because that is who she IS and I want her to keep it. 

We raise our kids to fly the nest. And yet when it happens it is bittersweet. As I have this little preview with my own daughter I am witnessing family and friends whose babies are moving to college. I cannot imagine. And I know I will cry. But I will also be so proud when that day comes.

I'm grateful for no tears at drop off today. I'm grateful for all the excitement in her voice as she told me about her new class and friends. I'm grateful to know that at least some of it is true. I'm grateful for her awesome imagination that expands on some things. I'm grateful for these practice moments before the big flight happens. I'm grateful to be so blessed with two wonderful daughters!

Do you have kids? What do you want for them? How do you help them to grow the strengths it will take to achieve it?

​May today remind us independence is a good thing. May our hearts hold up to the moment our babies fly. Have a beautiful day!

Today I had the joy of hanging out with my group of mom friends. Six kids under the age of three (for a couple more days) and four mamas just enjoying the morning. It is that beautiful chaos that renews the soul. 

The best thing about mom friends is they are literally each other's sanity. You can say things that you wouldn't say to other people, compare notes, and pick up tips. And there is no judgment. We all get it.

Even as my little one screamed her head off, all I had to do was look up and my friends and know I was supported. It is the most beautiful gift a mom can have and I am lucky to not have 1 mom friend, but several. This group of women is my bliss and gratitude. And to top it off, there were homemade muffins today! 

I'm so grateful for an amazing morning. I'm grateful to just relax and chat. I'm grateful for our different backgrounds that helps share tips. I'm grateful for who each of these women are individually and I'm grateful to be a part of the group. I'm grateful to have my cup filled and my gratitude abounding. I'm so grateful to have met these women and for all we have been through together.

Who is your "boat in the storm"? What groups lift you up?

May today remind us the power of a loving, non-judgmental space. May we give and receive this beautiful gift. Have a beautiful day!

This weekend the project bug bit me. Looking around the house I saw so many areas needing organized and so much needing purged. Between new baby clutter, a three year old birthday quickly approaching, and just years of collecting; the house feels ready to burst at the seams. Or maybe it is still just the nesting phase lingering as we welcome our addition. 

No matter the reason, it was a perfect weekend for action! My husband got some great work done on the outside while I took advantage of nap times to clean and organize. I cleaned the clothes out of my daughter's drawer that no longer fit. I got some cleaning done in the nursery and master bathroom, though both need more work. The most satisfying was organizing all the party stuff and craft stuff inside the pantry.

It's funny how something so simple as organizing and clearing out can be so deeply satisfying. The intrinsic reward of seeing the job accomplished is great. The added benefit of someone else noticing is nice too. And the functionality that results from a clean, organized space is priceless.

I'm grateful both my girls napped this weekend. I'm grateful they timed their naps mostly together so I could work free of distraction. I'm grateful to see progress on our house. I'm grateful to see empty space on shelves and to close drawers without struggle. I'm grateful for a productive weekend. I'm grateful for my husband's can-do attitude that accomplished so much this weekend. I'm grateful the storms let up for a bit so outdoor work was possible. I'm grateful to focus on the accomplishment of projects done not the steady list of to-dos. 

What things are intrinsically rewarding to you? How are you choosing to spend your time?

May we put our words to action. May we go after our goals knowing anything is possible when we try. Hav a beautiful day!