Blog - Page 31 of 183 - Moments of Musing

Love Letters for the Gals and my Guys

Filed Under: love // February 15, 2019

Dear Galentines,

“Celebrate yourself by saying, ‘This is what I was meant to do.’ I really want women to feel encouraged. Know that you are doing enough. Own yourself.” – @joannagaines

To the keeper of my heart,

Thank you for giving me a love & life worth celebrating EVERYDAY.

To my littlest Valentines,

Do you know how loved you are? Greater than the depths of the ocean; bigger than the sky and more than all of the stars combined. That’s how much I love you.

These are short, sweet and to the point. I enjoy Valentine’s Day (and have since I was a kid) because, commercialized holiday or not, I love love and believe it deserves to be celebrated.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

That Someone With You

Filed Under: positivity // February 11, 2019

There’s someone with you.

The person is your biggest critic and also your greatest fan. Your biggest cheerleader but also sometimes a doubter, too.

The person knows your heart and your mind. How each works and leads you to the decisions you make. The person knows you better than anyone else.

Look around you. Look inside you. Do you know who that someone is who’s with you, and within you?

That person is you.

It’s you who knows you like no one else — who knows your strengths and weaknesses, the depths of your love and sorrow. It is you who you can always count on.

So, listen to yourself.

Don’t be too hard on yourself.

Take care of yourself.

Forgive yourself.

Most importantly, love yourself.

The Transition to Sharing my Heart as a Mom of Two

Filed Under: mom of two, motherhood // February 5, 2019

I spent much of my second pregnancy wondering how my heart could love another baby as much as I love S. What everyone told me was true, though: Your heart just does.

I felt anxious during our drive home. After all, I knew the return home would be a bit tough. Since S was sick, he hadn’t yet met R and he would still have to keep his distance from R.

When we arrived, S was sleeping. I went to his room, knelt beside his bed, and cried. I was elated to see him but I felt bad I hadn’t cared for him the past few days, and I brought a new baby home while he was under the weather. He’d have to share me and he didn’t even feel well and he was no longer an only child. So. Many. Emotions!

Thankfully, their meeting went well. Fast forward a day or two, and S wanted to be picked up but I couldn’t pick him up due to my C-section.

So, I knelt down and tried my best to explain my boo-boo prevented me from being able to carry him. He didn’t really get it and so we cried together on the kitchen floor as I held him.

The following week, S still seemed sick so the pediatrician said I had to keep the boys apart… Talk about feeling torn in two! (My mom swooped in and stayed with us for a few days. Don’t know how I’d do this without my parents’ love and support!)

We celebrated S with a Big Brother cake with family the weekend after R was born. I’ve included him in feedings by letting him taste and drink my breast milk, upon his request. I always tell him how much I love him and encourage him to carry and play with his little brother (supervised, of course).

I nurse R and I really love that I do. It gives me comfort knowing we share a special connection and one-on-one time because his alone time with me is almost nonexistent aside from feedings.
Thanks
Suffice it to say the transition was not super easy. Sharing my heart and my love is not easy, either.

My attention is constantly divided between them and at the end of the day I often wonder whether I gave each of them enough of me… And then I realize: I give them both basically all of me and surely, that’s more than enough.

I don’t know if it ever gets 100% easier to share our hearts and time with multiple babies but I think we just figure out a way to best do it.

Moms have been doing it for all of eternity so I know I’ll be just fine. Mama, you will be, too.

A Day at Home with my Kids via GIFs

Filed Under: motherhood // January 30, 2019

Weekdays (particularly during the winter) at home tend to feel longer and more exhausting than usual, mainly because my husband is sleeping and/or working so it’s just me and the boys for most of the day. I try to find entertaining activities and such but nothing beats getting outside, in my opinion. Since it’s so cold out, though, going out or to the playground are off-limits for much of winter. Therefore, cabin fever definitely sets in. Here is my day in GIF form:

MY HUMAN ALARM CLOCK BEGINS WAKING ME:

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I TRY TO STAY IN BED AS LONG AS HE’LL HAVE IT BECAUSE:

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MY TODDLER WAKES UP:

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I’M EXCITED TO SEE HIM BECAUSE I MISSED HIM WHILE HE SLEPT (MOTHERHOOD IS WEIRD, I TELL YOU):

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I NEED COFFEE:

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BABY IS READY FOR BREAKFAST SO WE IT’S BREAKFAST TIME FOR ALL:

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THEN IT’S BREASTFEEDING TIME (THIS IS WHAT I WISH I LOOKED LIKE BUT I DON’T…SURPRISING, I’M SURE):

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IT BEGINS. “I WANT TO SEE TV. I WANT MUSIC. ETC. ETC.”:

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I PUT ON MUSIC AND WE DANCE (I’M NOT A REGULAR MOM, I’M A COOL MOM):

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THE DAY PROGRESSES, WHICH ALSO MEANS MY TODDLER GRABS THINGS FROM/ HITS/ PULLS ON/ PUSHES FROM HIS BABY BROTHER, SO I AM CONSTANTLY ASKING HIM TO STOP:

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OH, MY COFFEE! I HAVEN’T DRANK IT YET. LET’S WARM IT UP AND TRY THIS AGAIN:

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BREASTFEEDING AGAIN, FOLLOWED BY BABY’S NAP:

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I’D LIKE A NAP, TOO:

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LUNCHTIME AKA FLYING FOOD FROM BABY AND FOOD THAT MIGHT NOT BE EATEN BY TODDLER:

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I TRY TO WORK, WHICH MEANS TRYING TO KEEP MY BABY FROM GRABBING MY LAPTOP AND/OR PUTTING HIS WHOLE HAND IN MY COFFEE AND SPILLING IT:

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TODDLER CONTINUES HIS ANTICS WITH HIS BABY BROTHER:

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WHAT DO I MAKE FOR DINNER????

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BEDTIME FOR BABY:

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GOOD NIGHT, SWEET BABY:

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I CONSTANTLY ASK MY TODDLER TO KEEP HIS VOICE DOWN:

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MY TODDLER’S BEDTIME IS NO BEDTIME. IT BASICALLY HAPPENS WHEN IT HAPPENS…#BOSSBABY #MOMFAIL:

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I AM TIRED BUT THEY’RE FINALLY ASLEEP… TIME FOR ME TO WATCH MY SHOWS:

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MY THOUGHTS AFTER A DAY OF LOVING ON THE BOYS, CHANGING DIAPERS, BRINGING MY TODDLER TO THE POTTY, BREASTFEEDING THE BABY, CARRYING THE BABY EVERY 20 MINUTES (BECAUSE THAT’S HIS MAX FOR ANY TIME NOT IN MY ARMS), TRYING TO PRACTICE NUMBERS AND LETTERS, SENDING EMAILS, POSTING, CALMING MY CRYING BABY, TRYING TO GET BIG BROTHER TO BE GENTLE AND BE NICE, WASHING DISHES, PREPARING ALL MEALS, DOING BEDTIME, ETC. ETC. MOTHERHOOD IS THE BEST BUT ALSO:

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SO I’M JUST GOING TO SLEEP:

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10 Brooklyn Murals (Not in DUMBO)

Filed Under: Brooklyn, brooklyn murals, murals // January 28, 2019

Hey there! So if you’ve been around for a while, you know I love colorful murals! Luckily, there is no shortage in New York City. Brooklyn has more than its fare share but I feel like the ones in DUMBO get all the love. That’s why I figured I’d share others from different, (mostly) less touristy Brooklyn neighborhoods:

murals, brooklyn, brooklyn murals, nyc murals

I’d have to say the first (by Jason Naylor) and the last are my favorite! Which is your favorite?