Hey hey! Happy Friday! I used to do TGIF-style posts many Fridays but my last one was back in November! As I was getting ready to write this post, it made me think about how the phrase TGIF feels different now v pre-kids... Honestly, while working is tiring at times, I find it way easier to work than watch young children. Don't get me wrong - I love our babies and miss them during the work week, but weekends aren't... relaxing, especially with our boys being 3yo and 5 months. Add in the fact that Phil is still out of commission due to his back injury and still unable to lift either child. So nearly everything falls on me right now, making weekends extra tiring. So I guess the TGIF mantra is more about "thank God I get to see my kids and don't have specific places to be at a certain time" versus my pre-kid mantra of "thank God I get to relax and do exactly what I want this weekend! :) But I knew kids were a lot of work before we had them - and they are so worth it. This past week, I was reminded of a mantra on the Happier Podcast: "Don't make a gift a burden." So that is something I am keeping in mind because our healthy boys are such a gift! But oof, I am tired these days! I know this time will fly by in hindsight but when you are in a more taxing stage of parenting, the days can feel really long sometimes. Again I want to emphasize that I love being a mom! Just trying to keep it real around here and acknowledge that there are tough seasons of parenting.
The book I'm reading is The Paris Dressmaker, which I'm reading for my monthly "set in France" buddy read with my friend Kyria. This book is set during WWII which is a genre I usually love but I'm not sure I'll love this book. There are 2 characters, so the POV switches back and forth while also moving backwards and forwards in time and I'm finding it confusing at times? That could just be my sleep deprived state of mind, though. I'm 21% of the way through so there's still lots of time for me to change my mind.
The high of my week was going for a walk/run during lunch on Thursday. Being able to squeeze in mid-day workouts and runs is one of my favorite parts of working from home! I got the OK to increase my 1 min run/30 sec walk intervals from 15 to 20 minutes. It's still a ways off from what I consider "running" but I have to start somewhere. I still have some issues to work out regarding my pelvic floor and c-section incision pain, plus she noticed some imbalance in my stride that is likely related to my hip surgery in 2016, so I'm working on strengthening my core so I can stay injury free!
The low of my week was getting sick. Paul getting sick. Paul puking in the car twice. Phil being injured/unable to pick up either boy. The combination of all of this has made for a very rough week and I have not been in a good mood. Phil saw a doctor on Tuesday after I harassed him to make an appt and is taking prednisone to solve the sciatica issue. But the doctor said it could take 7-10 days for him to feel better. Sob.
A recipe I made was this soup with the ham bone I had frozen from our Easter dinner. Unfortunately I made this for dinner on Sunday night when I was already not feeling well so I did not eat it that night since my stomach felt off at dinner time so I did not eat anything. And then I got sick in the middle of putting Paul to bed so was glad I didn't try to eat any (I had considered having a small bowl to see if it would settle my stomach). I have had one bowl of leftovers, though, and it was a good soup.
A show we are watching is Away on Netflix after my parents recommended it to us. We are both enjoying it!
For workouts I did the 21 Day Fix Cardio fix on Sunday morning before the flu struck! Then I was out of commission the next 2 days. On Wednesday I went for a 30 minute walk, Thursday I did a 20 min run/walk workout with a walk before and after, and today I plan to do another walk/run. Hopefully I can do 21 Day Fix workouts this weekend when William is napping. It feels good to be able to talk about workouts I am doing again!
Podcasts I listened to are 2 new/new-to-me parenting podcasts! An IG parenting account I follow started a new podcast that I am loving - it's called Good Inside. She tackles a topic in each episode by answering 3 parents' questions. I especially loved her first episode about getting kids to listen to us. And then recently I was introduced to the podcast Simple Families which I'm really enjoying. She applies minimalistic living to parenting which really resonates with our lifestyle. I want to go back and listen to some of her old episodes this summer! The best money spent was on a new FitBit. I've had my current FitBit since the spring of 2017 and while it still works, it's a little glitchy at times. I went with the FitBit Inspire 2 as it has a small watch face which is key for me as I have tiny wrists. It's lower tech than some of their other products but I like what my current FitBit Alta provides and this is similar but just a bit of an upgrade. Plus it was on sale for $30 off! I'm considering this part of my Mother's Day gifts to myself. Ha. I'm also planning to get a massage once Phil is feeling better. I haven't had one in the longest time but now that I'm vaccinated, I feel comfortable doing this as the spa I go to has great covid safety provisions.
My plans this weekend include crickets. We have no plans. It's Mother's Day weekend so I'll talk to my mom and grandma. We're getting take out sometime over the weekend to give me a break from cooking so I am looking forward to that. Otherwise I am hoping we can spend lots of time outdoors - the weather forecast looks pretty great!
Bonus Paul and Will photos!
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| Will is drooling a ton and chewing on anything he can get his hands on! |
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| In this photo, Paul was singing "Old McDonald" to William. He's holding an Old McDonald finger-puppet book. Will was so entertained! |
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| Brothers! |
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| Will's feet almost touch when he's in the jumper so he's starting to really enjoy it! This picture shows how "floofy" his hair is! It stands on ends, especially when it's freshly washed! |
How was your week? Have you made any new recipes lately or started a good show?
I am so sorry you've all been sick or injured. Makes for such a rough week. (Half the time I don't realize it's Friday till the afternoon.) I hope things all look up for you pretty soon.
ReplyDeleteWe started watching a four-part Netflix series called "This is a Robbery" about the theft of 15 pieces from the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum in Boston 30 years ago. It's very good. I'm also watching episodes of Vera on Acorn. And I made a great lemon icebox pie -- use a graham cracker crust and it's just 2 cans sweetened condensed milk, 3/4 c. fresh lemon juice and the zest from those lemons and 1/2 t. vanilla -- then fridge it for at least four hours. Yum!
I am so sorry you have been sick, and Paul has been sick!!! I’m glad you’re on the mend!!!
ReplyDeleteI love that, don’t let your blessing be burdens! That’s beautiful!!! Hugs Mama, 2 littles are exhausting!!!! I leave nursery on Sunday and most of the time I need a nap!!!!
I am so glad you’re able to walk/run!!!! It just feels so good to be able to run and have that time I know!!! I’m glad you found a Fitbit you like, you do have beautiful, delicate wrists!!!
I hope that you have a wonderful Mother’s Day weekend!!! Hugs!!!
Yay for being able to workout again! That must feel good. You'll probably just feel more yourself again after all this time of pregnancy and nursing. Such a bummer about the stomach flu. Bad timing with just going back to work and of course, Phil's injury. Is there ever a good time for the stomach flu, though? haha. Ugh that's the worst.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to check out the Fitbit you got. I have an older one too. The screen has a crack in it but otherwise it works fine...I really mostly just use it as a regular watch, to track my steps and sometimes as a stopwatch. I haven't been running much now again, so I don't really need the GPS aspect. I have an old Garmin, too, that I used to use for running, but I'm not even sure if it still works! Probably, but just haven't really needed it. Eventually I should probably at least upgrade my Fitbit!
Happy Mother's Day! Hope you get some relaxation in somehow, but you're right- you aren't really in the "relaxing weekend" season of life. :)
I appreciate your honest thoughts about motherhood! I'm in a "I can do whatever I want with my weekends" season and it's very, very nice but it can also get very, very lonely. But I want to appreciate these weekends and this season of aloneness because, hopefully, in a few years' time, I will be in a much different season! (Or maybe not! And that's fine, too.) Having two very young kids is a LOT, even more so when your partner is out of commission like that! Is he able to do any stretches or icing/heat? That really helps my sciatica when it's acting up, but his sounds much more intense!
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a lovely Mother's Day, friend. <3
Hi!
ReplyDeleteLong time reader, new commenter.
I'm so sorry you've all been having a bit of a rough week. I hope everyone feels better quickly! Just wanted to let you know that you can be tired/need a break/ a nap/anything and it does not take away from the want and love you have for your kids. You definitely don't need to explain that to us! I totally get it. I'm tired, this stage is tough (3.5 yr old and 2 yr old, while working full time shift work)!
Hi!
ReplyDeleteLong time reader, new commenter.
I'm so sorry you've all been having a bit of a rough week. I hope everyone feels better quickly! Just wanted to let you know that you can be tired/need a break/ a nap/anything and it does not take away from the want and love you have for your kids. You definitely don't need to explain that to us! I totally get it. I'm tired, this stage is tough (3.5 yr old and 2 yr old, while working full time shift work)!
I am not a mom (as you know), but I can totally imagine feeling the same way about work weeks and weekends. It's hard to entertain kids (and I've only done it in the capacity of a 'visiting' aunt). LOL
ReplyDeleteI'm catching up on old posts, but sorry to hear about the sickness and car puke. I don't know how parents do it ... you all have my utmost respect. I love that you keep it real and talk about the good and the bad. I hope Phil is healed up and can lift the kids now. That is a lot to fall on your shoulders.
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