Baby Weight

The past few weeks I have REALLY been working to lose the baby weight.  I know it will take time and any one who says different. . .well that is THEIR opinion.  (I've heard legends of women walking out of the hospital in their skinny jeans, but that is not me.)  I "work out" most every day by putting Sam into the kid carrier on my back and Mike into the stroller.  We then parade up and down the main streets for almost an hour and a half each day.  During these times, I have come to a few realizations:

1. Kids make excellent exercise trainers and cheerleaders

I was not planning on walking today because I just felt I could take the day off.  I normally try to leave the house no later than 8:30 because it gets very hot very quickly here.  By the time Sam finished breakfast today it was already 8:30, and all of us were still in our pj's, to boot.  But today after breakfast Sam kept saying "shoes on, bye bye."  Well I couldn't dissuade him, and I had to ask myself why I wasn't planning on walking today.  I couldn't come up with a good reason, so we packed up and off we went.  I have to admit, it was one of my better work outs.

2. People can be very nice

Because I walk on the main streets by our house, it is inevitable that people will see me.  Now, let me preface this by saying that I am NOT one of those women that can look amazing while working out.  I've seen the women with their make up done and not a hair out of place...at the END of their work out.  But I get really red in the face and I (like most men) sweat. . .a lot.  But even so, people are willing to come up to me and strike up a conversation.  Most of the time they say something like "Hey, did you know you have someone following behind you really closely?"  At which point I try to say something witty in between my Big Bad Wolf huffs and puffs.  Today I had a woman come up to me and say "I see you walking all the time.  God bless you and your family."  I've had people tell me that I am Wonder Mom for walking with the kids, and I've had other people tell me that I am a very ambitious lady.  Even though I think I must look (and smell) awful, it's very kind of people to talk with me while I'm out and about.

3. Don't give the kid in the carrier a sucker

Normally, I give Sam crackers or even gummy bears on our walks because we are usually out during snack time.  But today, I gave him a sucker.  Oh, he loved it!  However, I ended up with blue sticky hair by the end of our walk.  'Nuff said.

4. Duct tape works wonders!

And no, I am not referring to using it to hold the stroller together or anything like that.  IT WORKS FOR BLISTERS!!!  I have been getting really bad blisters while walking.  Over the course of the weeks, most of them have healed, but I have one or two that are being stubborn.  I called my sister, who is an avid runner, and she suggested duct tape as a cheaper solution than mole skin.  I thought that I would give it a try.  I strapped some onto the back of me heels and off I went.  I didn't have a single problem.  I was shocked.  It is a trick that I am going to use for a long time.

I find that when I take the kids with me on a walk, we all are happier.  We all get a little fresh air and sunshine, and Sam and I have the best conversations.  I know that I could join a gym and work out on my own without my kids but. . .this way is much more fun!

Couldn't See the Forest for the Trees...

Life has a way of becoming hectic and stressful.  For me, it can come to a point where if I get one more thing on my To Do List I will scream and be unbearable to live with.  Well, it just so happened that this was that week.  My list was a mile long, and yet I felt that I needed to try to alleviate the stresses of my family as well.  And, as I sometimes do when I am at my boiling point, I started an argument with my ever loving husband.  I complained, I yelled, and I cried.  Brian suggested that we go to the Temple grounds to talk things out.  We left Sam and Mike with Nana and Grandpa and drove over.  After a couple hours of talking, venting, and listening to each other’s sides, we decided to walk through the Visitor’s Center. 

We found an interactive video that we had never seen before.  A kind sister missionary took us through.  It started out as a family who was on a hike over the ridge of a canyon.  One son got too close to the edge and fell.  After a terrifying moment, the parents saw that he had only fallen a few feet onto a ledge and he was safe.  The next scene showed the parents thinking and reminiscing about when their oldest was an infant.  The movie progressed, showing their family at various stages of life including the death of a grandparent and the wedding of a daughter.   The very end of the movie talked about values that our church teaches for families (and for everyone).  Respect, hard work, enriching activities, patience, respect, and forgiveness. 

 By watching this video, I realized that I had lost the big picture.  I was focusing on the negative aspects of life rather than the blessings that we have.  In essence, I couldn’t see the forest for the trees.  I realized that the value of our family is huge.  And we have the added blessing of living with extended family for a time.  It’s not always easy to be living under someone else’s roof, but it is the stage of life that my family is at right now.  It is wonderful that we have more people to talk with, and that our sons are able to spend time with their aunts and grandparents.  It is HUGE that Brian’s parents are often willing to watch the boys for free so that we can run an errand or go on a date.  I also have to be grateful for the sacrifices that they gave up so that we could have a place to stay for a while. 

Going to the Temple grounds today also reminded me once again that I am sealed to my family for time and all eternity.  That includes my in-laws.  They will be my family forever, and for that I am truly grateful.  

Chaos

It is a scientific belief that everything is constantly moving toward a state of chaos.  This is no more prevalent than in the home of small children.  Every day I do chores around the house, sometimes more than once.  I do dishes, laundry, wipe down counters, and pick up toys; and yet each time, the mess monsters strike again with more force.  The other day I picked up toys and before I could do a full 360 turn about, the toys jumped out of their bin and back onto the floor!  I think that messes have the ability to multiply in number.  "Quick!  She left the room.  Everyone out of the toy box and replicate!"

At night, walking around the house can be a health hazard.  Even in low light I tread lightly.  I feel like I have to put radar on my toes.  It's like a mine field!  I have developed a habit of sliding my feet across the carpet rather than lifting them off of the floor for fear of losing a toe or a foot to the box of wooden blocks or farm animals with wheels.

If you sit really still in the kitchen or toy room, you can hear the snickering of inanimate objects preparing to play a prank on all of the mere mortals in the house.  Just today, a glass door laughed at me.  I cleaned both sides very carefully and before I knew it Sam's and my face and hand prints were all over the door!  I missed how the mess was made.  I suppose I was distracted by Sam's shrieks of glee.  Who knew that even unsuspecting mother's can be targets for such messes?  I suppose next time I will have to watch more closely. . .

About Me

My name is Suzanne Haven.  I am a stay at home Mom.  I have two wonderful boys: Samuel who is two years old, and Michael who is seven weeks.  My husband is a Biology/Chemistry teacher for 6 - 12 graders.

With my time as a stay at home mother, I've noticed a few things.  I no longer go to work in the morning wearing a blouse, slacks, and high heels.  Now, my daily uniform consists of a T-shirt, jeans, and a burp rag jauntily thrown over my shoulder.  When I run out the door, I no longer grab my brief case of music and folders.  Instead, I grab the diaper bag and hope there are enough snacks and toys.  I don't have deep discussions of the emotion of music, or what the composer intended for a piece.  These days I have conversations about letters, numbers, and animal sounds.  I make funny faces at my sons to make them smile and laugh.  I constantly have ketchup stains on my pants and yogurt hand prints on my shirt.  I often am picking up toys and re-cleaning the cabinet doors that Sam already "cleaned."  I have tickle wars, story time, and lots of snuggles.  I dry tears and I give comfort for scraped knees.  My days are busy.  I have an amazing little helper who sometimes makes the daily chores take three times longer than they would by myself.  I have the best job in the world, and I wouldn't change it for a thing.

I once heard it said that society has become ashamed of homemakers.  When someone asks what I do, I tell them that I am a mom, and I tell them proudly.