While the name of this blog is Substance and Soul, we sometimes find ourselves all out of both substance and soul and we are left with the good old-fashioned, everyday, normal, boring, pointless ramblings of one Samantha A-W.
You're welcome. Or I'm sorry.
The other name of the post could be "#motherhood" but I stopped myself. Self-control is sometimes a trait of mine. Then again I am currently working my way through a half pound of chocolate that I bought just yesterday, so self-control cometh and goeth.
And because a good handful of my posts from the past weekish have not been all rainbows and sunshine, I thought I'd throw a few of the better moments over here at headquarters at your eyeballs.
Because we're happy.
One of Emma's favorite activities as of late is painting. Or "paaaaaaaay" as she calls it. However it is also an activity that gives me quite the eye twitch and certainly an activity that requires hawk-eye attention from the fun-hating mom. Messes and Samantha do not mix. Or clutter. Or dust bunnies. Wait, where was I?
Oh yes, but when I finally cave and let my little Em Gough have at it, I am always tickled by the results. And for the most part she keeps messes to a minimum but I did find a few dollops of green/brown evidence splattered across her play area. Somehow.
I did discover these bath paints that also happen to be soap (I love you Target dollar section) so I'll throw those in with her nightly bath and I feel less guilty when she re-grouts the tile with neon green goodness.
At my 16 weeks update a couple of weeks ago, I complained that I had not been feeling the second trimester bliss quite yet. But what a couple of weeks will do for the mood and for the body, I'll tell ya. My appetite is up. I want all the foods. I am less stomach achy and throw upy. And the little peanut is doing some serious acrobatics in there which gives me all the warm and fuzzies.
I have been craving certain beverages of the adult variety, but alas, I have to abstain. So far virgin bloody marys in the morning and decaf tea (with cookies) in the afternoons have been my jam.
Mmmm, the jammiest.
And so future Emma doesn't think that all I did was complain about her lack of sleep, I must present some of the better motherhood moments from the past few days.
It's these moments that make the hard ones seem less hard. It's that special smile, that hilarious giggle, and those toddler things that make my heart swell.
Let the mom fawning commence.
I made Swedish pancakes for dinner the other night and it was one of the best dinners we've had in a while. We all crowded in the narrow kitchen and ate pancake after pancake as they came hot off the skillet. I prefer butter and powdered sugar. He prefers butter, powdered sugar, AND syrup. She prefers almond butter and banana. It was one of those perfect evenings. So simple yet so sweet. When she was getting full, I gave her a baby wipe and told her that she could wipe her hands and face when she was done. She then proceeded to use a half-eaten pancake with a gooey almond butter center AS HER NAPKIN. Paul and I just stared. Then cracked the bleep up.
Good try.
A very bubbly bath was drawn immediately after this dinner was completed.
When the weather is cooperating, we go on walks to burn off some of the cabin fever (or the calories from the seventh pastry that I consumed that week, but whatever). We like to play this game called collect the sticks. Our front yard is currently strewn with the winners because this mom does not bring nature into the house. Unless it's a tiny succulent, then I'm all game.
Emma likes to call them "stiiiiiiiii" (rhymes with glee, coincidence? I think not).
About once per week, Emma and I like to go on a lunch date out of the house (no dishes! no clean up!). It's usually somewhere quick like the IKEA bar or Panera but she is a hoot and a half when it comes table manners.
Note the elegant paper napkin shoved in her neckline.
She is apparently a fan of see food.
(Bad mom joke winky face.)
And to top it off, this morning she quietly (an anomaly for Emma badger) sat in her corner and read -- proudly wearing her favorite accessory (rain boots) and pointing to her favorite animals.
She slept in her bed all night long last night and took at 2.5 hour nap yesterday, so my good mood may have something to do with that. Sleep may be my favorite pastime. Actually, food is. Sleep is second. Well third, wine is up there.
Never mind.
See we're all normal here.
Kind of.
Catch you on the flip side. You know where to find me.
