Unwrapping Motherhood
…and what a beautiful year it has been. Here is to a stunning 2013!
Are you doing a photo recap blog post too? Leave me the link! I’d love to see it! And while I’m at it, I’m going to link up with Farewell Stranger’s Photo Farewell to 2012 and House Unseen’s 2012 in 12 Photos (since I gave her the idea! *wink*)
When my toddler walks out of his bedroom each morning, the first thing he asks for is a treat.
“No Cameron. We don’t eat treats for breakfast.”
As soon as he finishes his cereal, he asks for a treat.
“No Cameron. You just ate.”
When I ask him what we should have for lunch, he answers “Treats!”
After claiming he is “All done!” from dinner (sometimes even before ever trying the food placed in front of him), he immediately asks for a treat.
“No Cameron. You didn’t eat any of your supper.”
We are trying to teach Cameron that treats are junk food and our bodies actually need lots of food that is good for us so that we can grow big and strong and healthy. But it is a hard concept to understand for a two year old. It is all food. Why not eat the stuff that tastes good instead of the stuff that doesn’t taste as good?
He’s got a point.
I’m getting to a point in my life where properly cooked healthy food actually does awaken my taste buds like nothing else. But still I like a little sugar chaser.
And the great thing about this late fall/early winter season is that you never need to look very hard for a treat.
I recently participated in a cookie exchange with some other bloggers. I had the sincere pleasure of exchanging cookies with Jen from A Busy Mommy. She went above and beyond by sending me a gorgeous package complete with cookies, a note, and some onesies for little Gavin. Before even opening the package, I already felt treated.
But then – cookies! Thumbprint cookies, which reminded me of cookies my Grammy used to always have on hand and convinced me to search my family knowledge-base for the recipe. It is incredible how something so simple as a package in the mail and fresh baked cookies can create such warm memories.
We loved the Maraschino Thumbprint Cookies, Jen. Thank you so much!
As for the cookies, I sent Jen? Well, I made some Salted Caramel cookies. The few I kept at home went perfectly with my morning coffee. I think I might make them again soon! The recipe that I adapted can be found on my most recent post at the Better Food Lovers blog.
The small print: As a member of the Sobeys Food Lovers program I do receive special perks but as always, the views, opinions, and stories are entirely my own.
Don’t Forget! Jump over to Kraft Food For Families each day to support a Canadian food bank! As I write this, over $42,000 has been donated. Here’s more info on why you should!
Have you entered this giveaway for W is for Wapiti!? It is a great gift idea for any child in your life!
“Triple Grande Non-Fat Caramel Macchiato please”
That’s on a good day. On a bad day: “Make it a quad.”
I wake up in the morning and pick out a k-cup. I have my mug with me throughout the day either nuking or refilling as needed. And sometimes, I even pour myself a cup of coffee or tea mere hours before bed.
A few nights ago, Dan got on my case about this.
“You have too much caffeine and you have it too late at night. This is why you stay up so late.”
Of course, an argument erupted. Because he just doesn’t understand, does he?
I don’t stay up late because I have excessive energy. I stay up late because it is the only chance I have during the day to get me-stuff done. From the moment I wake up in the morning until 8pm when I have managed to get the baby to sleep and have sung a lullaby to the toddler, I am doing everyone else’s stuff. I am cleaning up after everyone, feeding everyone, and getting everyone to sleep. Each time I pick up a rogue sock or fill another sippy cup, I am doing work for my family.
It is good work. It is rewarding work. But it isn’t everything that I want to do.
So, when the day comes to an end and I realize that I only have three and a half hours before the baby wakes up again, I look around and my head explodes because of all the things I wanted to do that haven’t yet been done. No matter how tired I am, I stay up so that I might feel slightly productive.
But that doesn’t mean I’m not tired. I am up at least three times a night. Some nights I spend hours sitting up with a baby in my arms. Other nights, that baby is sleeping so close to me that I can barely fit on my bed. And then I wake up and spend a day with these two awesome bundles of energy and noise.
This motherhood gig? It is exhausting.
So, I drink coffee. And tea. And fancy espresso drinks with lots of sugar in them. And I drink them all day to keep me going. One after the other after the other.
Sure, they help me stay awake. They make it possible for me to write a few extra words on a blog post or find that extra 10 minutes to load the dishwasher. Caffeine is one of my secret weapons to help me reach my goal of surviving each day.
But it doesn’t keep me awake.
I know this because the moment I put my head on the pillow (and turn off my phone), I am out like a light, regardless of the amount of caffeine I have had during the day.
Dear husband. I love you, but you don’t get it. If you did, you’d be delivering a quad grande nonfat caramel macchiato to me daily.
Please?
Do you consume caffeine throughout your day? How does it affect you? What other secret weapons do you use to survive your day?
Don’t Forget! Jump over to Kraft Food For Families each day to support a Canadian food bank! As I write this, over $42,000 has been donated. Here’s more info on why you should!
Have you entered this giveaway for W is for Wapiti!? It is a great gift idea for any child in your life!
I was listed as one of Canada's Top 10 Mommy Bloggers!
