Posts Tagged ‘motherhood’

PRINTABLE: Parent Motivator Post Cards

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lilyjade

This post is in partnership with Lily Jade. Their bags are insanely awesome for motherhood and adventuring.

I’ve fallen head-over-heels for the MEGGAN bag, it doubles as a backpack and has like a zillion pockets with a removable insert that can be easily washed. Connect with Lily Jade on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

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Parenting can be rough. I’ve found a few things have helped my journey, among them are: my Lily Jade bag (I can hide ALL the food, diapers and calligraphy supplies in those 27 pockets and still have room for more) and the encouragement of random strangers. Some of the most impactful moments as a mother have been when someone was there to lift, give comforting advice, share a laugh and saying that it’s all going to be okay.

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When I first became a mother, I found myself the center of a lot of scrutiny. It seemed to drown out any encouragement I got. As time went on, I listened to the encouragement more and more. It has helped those wounds heal. So I’d like to pay all of that kindness forward in a small way.

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Last month when I flew to Charlotte with the kids, there was a child on the plane that had a terribly hard time with the flight. My heart just ached for his parents, who were likely stressed out by the situation. I heard snide comments about that child by the passengers near me. UGH! I understand that no one wants to hear a screaming kid on a plan, but good grief, I don’t think anyone on that plane was more tortured than the child’s parents. A little bit of understanding goes a long way, in my opinion.

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Oh how I wish I had had a card with an encouraging word to pass along to that family. So I’ve made these so I’m not so unprepared the next time I see a parent who needs a laugh or a bit of encouragement. I thought I would make these available to you as well. You can print them double-sided as postcards for easy mailing or keep the backs blank for a flat notecard or a simple pass-along card.

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Happy Mother’s Day

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I spent a good hour or two looking through old baby pictures of Penelope last night & I couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear and think about how life-changing & awesome motherhood has been.

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Penelope at 2 months

P & I got off to a rough start; I was hormonally imbalanced and I wasn’t entirely sure I was fit to be a mom. I went back to work partly full-time and realized that I missed Penelope and I wanted to be her mom. I can’t imagine my life without her & I know that she’s been a huge motivating factor to make me who I am today. She’s a spit-fire who’s sweeter than sweet. If Felix is crying, she’ll calm him down by singing twinkle, twinkle little star (or the chorus of Franz Ferdinand’s, Ulysses – she’s such a hipster). I love my sweet P so much.

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Penelope at 3 years

Felix is a rad baby, too. It hasn’t taken us nearly as long to bond. Perhaps it’s because I know now that I want to be a mom or because I have my hormones under control. He’s an easy baby & lights up when I tease him. He’s also a pro cuddler, too. LOVE. I’m excited to see him grow & get to know his personality better.

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Felix at 2 months

I hear so many moms (and dads) talk about how they could never imagine loving another child like they love their first; when the second comes the love multiplies to make room for the new one. It’s true. I was so worried I’d play favorites once Felix arrives & turns out I have. They’re both my favorites (cheesy, but true). I can’t imagine my life without these little babies & I’m so grateful that they’ve come into this world safe & happy.

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Felix at 2 1/2 months

I hope you had a wonderful Mother’s day! At church we talked about how Mother’s Day is really a celebration of the nurturing nature of womanhood. I love that. There are so many women (not just my own mother & mother-in-law) that have been a positive, nurturing influence in my life. I’m sure you know women like that. Let’s raise a glass to them, too.

Sunday Best: Ode to My Mother

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Yesterday was my third Mother’s Day being a mom; it was so wonderful! Chris let me sleep in, let me take a three hour nap in the afternoon, made me breakfast in bed & made me dinner. Glorious!

I also made Chris snap a few photos of me & the nels. It meant so much to me that he took photos of Penelope & me together. I think that needs to be a Mother’s day tradition from now on.

DO you like our vogue pose? That wasn’t on purpose, btw.

Our outfits also made the occasion rather special. My grandmother bought my dress for my mom in the early ’80s; just after she had my sister, Emily. I love this dress. I love that it fits! I love that it’s so stylish! Coincidentally, my mom bought Penelope’s dress for her birthday and it matches my outfit perfectly! Maybe my mom has a thing for navy & white polka dots.

I have such an inspiring mother & mother-in-law. They’re both so uniquely creative, smart, resourceful, beautiful & loving. I am so thankful for both of them! Mothers are the best. I hope you all (and/or your moms) had a great Mother’s day yesterday!

Stay tuned for a new flickr challenge! I’ll be announcing it early tomorrow morning. It’s going to be awesome!

Happy Mother’s Day Weekend!

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mommy dove with her babies

About two weeks ago this mama dove was sitting on two tiny, bright white eggs. Two days ago they hatched. It’s so sweet to see this bird care for her young babies. She is a very brave mama, too. Her nest is barely 3 feet off the ground in a palm tree that’s just outside the front door.

Happy Mother’s Day weekend, y’all!

P.S. just discovered Tilt Shift Maker, which is a really cool website that makes all of your big landscape photos look like they’re in miniature. It’s an awesome way to waste time. I mention this, because I applied the filter to the photos above. You can’t really tell, but it was fun to do.

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