Wednesday, September 26, 2012

An Incredible Honor

Last night I was discussing this blog with my husband and telling him what I want it to be about and how I feel like this is what I am suppose to be doing at this time in my life.

I told him how I guessed I was not chosen for a place on "this mom blog group" I had applied for. I went to bed feeling a bit defeated. Granted, I am a very new blogger so I completely understood. There were plenty more moms with lots more blogging years and motherhood years who deserved these spots.

This morning, I received an email about the status of that application and I was ACCEPTED!!!

I am so incredibly honored to be part of the Global Team of 200!!!! I will be writing along side 199 other amazing women and mothers about issues involving women and girls, children, world hunger and maternal health. Here is the description:


The Global Team of 200 is a highly specialized group of members of Mom Bloggers for Social Good that concentrates on issues involving women and girls, children, world hunger and maternal health.
Our Motto: Individually we are all powerful. Together we can change the world. We believe in the power of collective action to help others and believe in ourselves to make this world a better place for our children and the world’s children.

Please follow along with all of the bloggers! This is going to be an incredible year!!

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Our First Service Adventure

I love volunteering. It makes me incredibly happy. I love the feeling of helping. All that said, in the past few years I haven't made much time to do it. I think of ideas and don't follow through.

Well, now that I have a child, I want to set an example for her. I also am finding that I am not whole without volunteering and service in my life. So I took my daughter with me to volunteer with our community and the Nashville Day of Service which is sponsored by Hands on Nashville.

I live in the Donelson area of Nashville. This area is coming to life. There has been this huge movement toward community and helping one another. This is a whole other post for later on.

Our community adopted one of the local middle schools which is right when you come into the area. We planted plants and flowers at the driving entrance and exit and the front doors of the school. This might not seem like a big deal for those of you who do not enjoy flowers and plants. But stop and think about when you see a beautiful flower, doesn't that make you smile?

I figured this would be a good first step volunteer project for a 19 month old. It involves digging and dirt which happen to be two really fun things for toddlers.

We arrived and they were removing sod and prepping the areas. Our sweet girl only had to be shown one time. I walked over with her and said, "Help mommy pick up this dirt and put it in the wagon." She bent down, picked up dirt, walked it over, dumped it, and came back. It was so stinkin' cute!! Now granted, a toddler handful of dirt might not be that much but to me it was huge! She was so happy doing it.



We also got to plant a flower together. She helped me pack the dirt in and then we found a worm! If you know me, you know that I am incredibly scared of worms. But thanks to all the children's shows we watch, in particular Wild Kratts, I now understand that worms are good and help plants grow. I also couldn't very well run screaming in front of a group of strangers, not to mention my 19 month old. If mommy is scared of them then she might be too. So I took a deep breath and picked the worm up and showed it to her. She thought it was cool for .2 seconds then threw it down and started playing with the dirt again, which I was happy about.



If you are interested in volunteering with a toddler for a gardening project, here are my tips:

  1. Check with the group first. Some people are extremely serious about their plants and only want the best. This group was laid back and let us help when we could.
  2. Bring water. Toddlers will eat dirt. Rinse and repeat throughout the day.
  3. Where gloves so if your toddler gets something in their eye or mouth, mommy has clean hands to get it out with.
  4. Bring a snack. Gardening can be hard work, especially for a toddler.
  5. Think about your clothes. You will both be covered in dirt. And you will both be squatting and bending repeatedly. Also, dress in layers as mornings are cooler and then the sun comes out.
  6. Bring a plastic bucket and shovel like you use at the beach. Or a dump truck. I wish I would have thought of this before getting there. It makes it easier for then to help with pick up. 
  7. Cheer little one along. Even just picking up a twig is a huge help.
  8. Explain what you are doing with your little one. Get them to smell the flower or pack the dirt.
  9. Be flexible. You won't be the one planting the most flowers or digging the most holes. You will most likely spend the majority of your time chasing or reorienting your little one. 
  10. HAVE FUN!! 

When was the first time you volunteered with your child and what did you do?



Thursday, September 6, 2012

Swimming Upstream and Fighting Superhero Toddler Strength

As a first time mom to a toddler (18 and half months right now), I feel like I am constantly swimming upstream. Some days are good and some days are hard and rough. I know that isn't momlitcally correct to admit that some days are bad but they are. Sure they have sweet moments which I will share and I still love her from the bottom of my heart but some days make you want to stick a straw in a tequila bottle and have at it!

Like today....This is my day. 14 HOURS.

We got a late start on our way to our Zoo Tots class (incredibly great class for toddlers). We get there, all of the other kids are sitting on their carpet squares learning about the animals. AG would have none of the sitting mess. She wanted to color at the table, oh wait, no play with the stuffed animals, no look out the window, ooo-blocks. We get back to our square in time to pet a bearded dragon and touch the feathers of an owl.

I looked around at the other moms and their kids and they are all sitting and listening. For a second I am convinced I am in the wrong age group.

AG is not a bad kid. She is good and curious and a toddler. But with all of the other "mom" eyes on me, I felt as if I was a failure in that 30 minutes of my life.

Then we have our FedEx trip:

I was smart enough to put her in the stroller to keep her confined. Well, we get to the counter to fill out the envelope and she starts asking...whining...and it progresses to screaming for the pens on the counter. I go into panic mode. I give in. I give her a pen. I look down to see her legs COVERED in ink. Oh well, it washes off, right. I go to put her in the carseat and she uses the superhero toddler strength to prevent me from doing so. I'm sweating profusely at this point and exhausted, mentally, physically, and emotionally.

I cry. I cry in the parking lot. I cry while I'm driving. How in the world do I get through 10 more hours until bedtime?

So I decided we need to burn some more energy off. We go to the park near our house which is surrounded by a lake. It's beautiful and peaceful.

She is running and having a great time. I watch her climb the stairs toward the slide and I am in awe that just a year ago, she couldn't even sit up by herself. Now she is climbing and sliding and running. Wow, where has that little baby gone? We swing and I here her sweet, "Wees" as I push her higher. I am so thankful for this moment and so glad I stopped here.

She decides she wants to walk down by the water. I am totally for that. I love walking by the lake. What a way to unwind and let the stress go!

We take off and as a toddler does, she runs off. She runs straight toward the water. Not to walk beside the lake, but to walk on or in the lake or who knows what was going through her mind. I grab her right before she falls off into it. She then decides to use her superhero strength powers to wiggle out of my arms. How is it possible for toddlers to be stronger than a 29 year old woman?

She then goes into tantrum mode of wailing on the ground....in a puddle. I just let her go. She stands up, calmed down. And then runs toward the playground.

I decide we should secretly head to the car. Somehow I can't let her know that's the plan. Well, we get close and then my smart child figures it out. Oh well, must...buckle...super...baby...in.

We get home and I change her diaper and clothes because they were wet and put her down for a nap. She looked so peaceful. I decide to rest on the couch. 30 minutes later I hear her talking. I chose to ignore it because I want her to go back to sleep. I know that she usually takes 2 hours naps.

I hear her say, "Dada" and think to myself, "Oh, how sweet is she?" She talks more and then I realize it sounds more like "dirty" than "daddy" this time. I start walking to her room. She sees me round the corner and she does the sign and says the word at the same time..."POOP" and points.

Yep...You guessed it. Clean diaper laying next to the crib. Poop laying in the crib and on the rails and ALL over her. We go immediately to the bath.

The rest of the evening goes well, until 15 minutes before bed.

In less than 1.5 minutes I said all of these phrases:
"That's not how we use chairs!"
"NO! Don't sit on the dog!"
"That's a sweet hug for the dog but get off of him!"
"What are you doing on the table?! Get down from there."

Did I mention my husband is in the middle of three week trip for his work?





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