Seven Quick Takes: Volume V

-One-

"Comparison is the thief of joy." -Theodore Roosevelt 

I've been thinking about this a lot lately as get myself twisted in knots that "everyone else" has lost their baby weight and looks pulled together and fantastic, and that "every other business owner" knows what they're doing while I struggle to stay on top of things.  Is this true?  Probably not, and even if it is, I need to move on: this kind of thing is what steals all the joy from being a Mommy and having a job that I really enjoy (and am kind of good at, sometimes). 

-Two-

Daniel's birthday was on Wednesday.  I got him Jim Gaffigan's new book Dad is Fat... and I'm almost done reading it.  (And while he's hilarious no matter what, the fact that he's Catholic and has five kids squeezed into a two bedroom New York City apartment makes for a whole lot of hilarity... I almost never laugh out loud when reading and I have been giggling through this whole book).  I also made him a cake (Daniel, not Jim Gaffigan).  Well, cake is putting i milyy, it was like a teetering tower of cake.  See, I didn't read my recipe through very carefully and when I went to actually make the cake and was running back and forth to my computer to read the recipe from the kitchen (printer out of ink and iPad with Daniel at the office donchyaknow), realized they wanted me to use three 9 inch pans.  Um... I have one.  And my 9x13 pan is out on loan.  Therefore, I used my three smallest pyrex pans (ie the three I had left), and proceeded to make this monstrous tower that not even all of my homemade frosting could cover.  It did; however, hold 27 candles quite nicely.

This year, I asked Daniel's parents to tell us his adoption story beginning to end.  I would love to share it with you someday, but that'll be up to my love.

-Three-

We went to the nearby splash park for the second time. The first time a few weeks ago was a little chilly and Anni had a pretty miserable time as she just froze (and spent the whole time wanting, no, throwing a complete fit for, a snack).  This time it was hot, hot, hot, so the water felt amazing and didn't chill Anni quite as quickly, and, between the snacks I brought and our sweet friend brought, it was definitely a success.  There was a lot more bravery running up to the water, and a whole lot of happy smiles.  Lettie slept most of the time in the sling, but got to come out to test out the water for the last few minutes before we left.   

-Four-

 The theme of this moving process is "suck it up".  I can't wait to get into the house, but everything has to be packed first, and, for some reason, my littles still need a semblance of an every day routine (food, naps, mommy looking at them instead of packing, you know).  My inexperience is showing as I stand in the middle of a room and try to figure what to pack, how to pack it, and if we're going to end up needing it in the next seven days.  I shouldn't be an inexperienced packer, but the last two times we've moved, I have been pretty sick (an awful case of mastitis while caring for a wee Anni on oxygen the first time, and an out-of-control case of poison-ivy made worse by a bad detergent and therefore me a little crazy between the itchiness and steroid side-effects).  I was lucky that one of my sisters and my mom came out both times and helped finish the packing and pretty much made sure everything went smoothly.  However; my mom and other sister are coming the day after the big move this year to help un-pack, rather than before (definitely something I'm going to need as I try to organize an entire household for the first time), but, with Daniel being insanely busy at work, I've been kind of on my own.  It's got to get done; though, because we need to be completely moved out with the apartment cleaned for the sweet girls taking over our lease by the 23rd.  So, suck it up, Alzbeta.

 -Five-

Lettie discovered her feet this week!   She likes to hang onto them while attempting to roll over and chew on her other hand... multi-tasking at its finest.  She's also starting to get the sweetest, most kissable little rolls on her legs.  I just can't get enough of her!

 

-Six-

My Antonia.  She has been telling stories and making up songs non-stop this week.  While I can only follow a portion of the story-line, I adore listening to her.  Sure, having a three-year-old is like living with a ticking time bomb (that inevitably goes off at the most inopportune time), but it is also one of the sweetest joys I can imagine.  

-Seven-

Despite a lot of stress over the move and keeping up with everyday life this week, I also had a lot of moments where I was able to take a deep breath and really soak in how much I love being a mommy.  I'm loving the fact that while I am still a worry-wart, I have found a few little ways to let things go and just enjoy kissing my babies and telling them how wonderful, smart, beautiful, sweet and funny they are.

 Find more Seven Quick Takes at Conversion Diary.