Setting Goals Post-Baby

So, my goal for this week? Set goals...No seriously, I've come to the conclusion that I need to draft a "life constitution" for myself. I think this has been a long time coming since going back to work after my maternity leave.

that was then...

After I had Kate, my goals boiled down to one thing: provide for this child. Of course, there were several facets of this goal like, maintain breastfeeding for as long as possible, make sure she had plenty of tummy time, try to establish healthy sleep habits, etc...but, they all fell underneath that umbrella of providing for Kate. Other things went by the wayside during that time...and I'll admit it was really difficult to see that happen. I wasn't necessarily the momma who abandoned all other duties to completely immerse myself in to the new role of motherhood. I longed to have my life revolve around more than just this little person. I longed so much for it, in fact, that it caused some deeper issues that may have bordered on post partum depression and anxiety. That is a topic I will hit in the near future, by the way, just not today.



...this is now!

Well, fast forward 6 months and here we are. Kate's doing fabulously. She's growing up healthy and happy in what I like to call our "real life" (aka: full time working momma and daddy, baby going to daycare 5 days a week, 9 hours a day) and not the limbo of maternity leave where my focus was set on one thing.

So, you know what that means? It means I'm reintroducing important (and not-so-important) aspects of my life that were essentially shelved for a few months while we adjusted to our new bundle of awesomeness. My career, relationship with Adam (outside of caring for Kate), fitness/exercise, reading/learning/culture, and friends and family are starting to seep back into my peripheral vision...Kate and Adam are, of course, still in the forefront.

Yes, I can't wait to get back to more of this...

and some of this...



way more of this!

and even a dash of this! (whatever this is, it looks like fun!)

While I'm excited to move forward and start folding back into a more normal pace of living, I want to make sure that I lay the groundwork for an amazingly happy, healthy and productive life. It's quite a unique opportunity if you think about it. A cleaning of the slate. A reset, if you will, of my life. There was life before Kate and then a hard line was drawn and I get to choose what happens on the other side of that line...it's easy when you have solid definition like that and I want to seize the chance to make good of it!



One the flip side, however, I know I can't do it all. I need to examine what's important to me and to my family and focus on those things. There is a saying that I love so much, "I can do anything, just not all at once". So, so true. Here it is, I've started to just jot down the things that matter to me the most:

__________________________

1) Family/Friends – What defines being the best mom/wife/daughter/in-law/friend you can be?

2) Food/Fitness – Lead my family into a healthy, happy life by taking care of myself first and foremost (“oxygen mask” theory), maintaining a standard of healthful eating, ensuring our family take opportunities to get outdoors and be active as a regular part of our routein

3) Home/Atmosphere – Provide an open and warm home, keep things clean and organized, decorate and make holidays special and memorable, include and incorporate eco-friendly aspects through cleaning, purchasing furniture, upcycling/recycling...whenever possible and continually building on this goal.

 (this seems like a weird one to place so much importance on, but having a functional home is key to my mental stability, it's my recharge zone..and when it's in disarray, so am I)

4) Culture – Strive to continue to immerse our family in quality entertainment and culture. Stay away from “mind numbing” media, explore and incorporate educational media whenever possible….unplug more.



5) Community – Take time to participate in the community by volunteering time and energy…helping others through service.

______________________________________

This isn't all of it and what's there is really, really rough. I need to expand and add some new ideas, and I haven't even touched on some biggies like spirituality and career, but it's a start. I hope that this "personal constitution" will help give me guidance to live the best, fullest life possible by reminding me what I'm here for and what goals I would like to accomplish in the near and distant future.

Have you ever put something like this together either professionally or personally? If you have, how did it look in the end and do you still follow it?

...and now on a lighter note: a little music Monday for you :) Spring is right around the corner, or at least it better be! Adam and I always compartmentilize music into seasons cuz we're crazy like that! You know, for us Bob Marley just doesn't cut it during Thanksgiving! So, I've decided to pull out some of the peppier, sunnier music in anticipation of the weather warming up. Hope you enjoy!

 

Gearing Up!

With spring and summer right around the corner I decided to go shopping for the little girl. Yikes.

I hope Adam isn't reading this!

There were some awesome deals out there (specifically Target and Old Nay and Gap). I scooped a variety of things for Kate, not only for warmer weather, but also this coming fall and winter....



I bought this jacket in 2 different sizes on clearance (my new favorite word...clearance).





How cute are these for next Christmas?!



We already have these pants from Old Navy and I love them so much I got them in the next size up...I'm seriously thinking about getting them in every size left that's larger than what I have now...

I also got a pair of these shorts in regular demin too...I can't wait for the weather to match these clothes :)



My final purchase I'm most excited about? This!

Of course, it says Kate instead of Quinn, but since that's Kate's middle name I took it as a good sign :)

Now the only left to purchase is an Easter dress...and I need to pull the trigger on that ASAP, it's right around the corner!



Philosophies on winter and the beginning of a new phase

I never thought in a million years I would type what I'm about to type: I'm loving this time of year. The late  winter, almost spring time when everything is dreary and grey. Traditionally, this time of year makes me cringe. Sure, there's Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day and March madness and all...but you can't really get out and do anything substantial (unless you have a freak year when it's averaging 70 degrees like last year).


Winter Wonderland...and construction zone.

This year, it's all changed. Instead of the weather being miserable and bleak, it's cozy. I find myself up early on weekend mornings with a warm cup of coffee watching my daughter quietly play with her toys instead of trying to fly through a long list of chores and activities that must be done. We snuggle up on the couch and read books and roll around on the ground playing for most of the morning. This calm, peacefulness is such a welcome change.

I really can't believe I've never noticed the silver lining to this time of year before. I really enjoy the changing seasons in the Midwest. They are usually so dramatically different from one another; each unique and fun in there own way. Somehow, I've always written this part of the winter off. It's peaceful, slow, calm...I feel like it's a time to reflect on how the year has been going so far and where I want it to go in the future. Why the change of heart? I, of course, want to attribute it to baby Kate and to motherhood. So much of me has changed, I shouldn't be surprised at all. Just one more pleasant surprise that being a mom has brought me.

And guess what else has been happening around our house? This!....



Seriously...she threw that dish like a discus right after this picture was snapped...avocado everywhere!



We've been noticing Kate's increasing interest in watching us eat and grabbing for food on our plates (not that I think she knows it's food...she grabs for everything, of course). We've tried spoon feeding her some baby oatmeal a couple times and last night we moved forward with some avocado smushed up with a little formula. Needless to say she's not a huge fan of being spoon fed. She makes a "yucky" face every time the spoon goes in! So, I decided to just let her play with bigger chunks of avocado and she loved tolerated it. I picked a book called, 'Baby Led Weaning' to help up transition from the all milk diet to "some solids whenever she seems interested" diet.

See mom, I can do this by myself.

 Baby led weaning is essentially letting a child, around 6 months in age, begin to explore and try foods by feeding themselves. They are given appropriately sized and cooked foods that they can pick up with their fingers and eat. This means no baby cereal or purees or spoon feeding - at all...like, ever! I don't think that I will be following the Baby Led Weaning book to a tee, but I like the idea of letting a child explore and make food choices on their own. There are so many issues with food and our relationship with food in this country, I just want to make sure we get off on a great start. Plus, it's been shown that kids that are allowed to handle and eat their own foods from the very beginning can be more adventurous, less picky eaters. Here's hoping!