Temi Talks: I Got This

☆★Today's post is Day 22 of the #31WriteNow blog challenge. I'm posting a new entry every day for the month of August★☆

Tempess had just finished peeing in the potty when she tried to empty the tray into the toilet. Not wanting her to spill pee everywhere, I simply said, "That's okay. Mommy will do it." To which she looked me square in the eye, stomped her foot and loudly proclaimed,  "Mommy I got this!"

Where I've Been

☆★Today's post is Day 20 of the #31WriteNow blog challenge. I'm posting a new entry every day for the month of August★☆

Things have been beyond crazy since Friday and the constant go-go-go finally caught up with me. It doesn't look like things are going to slow down anytime soon, but suck is life. My Cha-Cha slide just got super uptempo.

Everybody clap your hands.

Potty Chronicles: Potty Mama Booboo

☆★Today's post is Day 17 of the #31WriteNow blog challenge. I'm posting a new entry every day for the month of August★☆

We have reached that stage where Tempess is overly ecstatic to use the potty. Where she says she has to potty even though she doesn't. Nana bought her some Elmo panties that she loves and refuses to take off. In retrospect, it's prolly the panties that landed us here. Anyhow, here is where Temi yells Mommy pooottteeeeeee then runs full speed towards the bathroom. Here is where she pulls her pants down, sits on the potty then empties the potty into the toilet all on her own.

She still won't poop in the potty. And she will occasionally have an accident, but I can't help feeling some kinda victorious.

Where Does the Time Go?

☆★Today's post is Day 16 of the #31WriteNow blog challenge. I'm posting a new entry every day for the month of August★☆

Today is August 16. Which means Tempess is 23 months old today. Which means in exactly 31 days she will be 2 years old.

Where does the time go?

It seems like just yesterday I brought her home from the hospital. Now she is being potty trained and learning her letters, colors, numbers. She's bossing around everyone around her and being a real delight. And I mean that with the utmost sincerity. There aren't enough words to describe the joy she has brought and continues to bring to my life. I love watching her grow. But I can't help but wonder:

Where does the time go?

The Magic of Making Milk

☆★Today's post is Day 15 of the #31WriteNow blog challenge. I'm posting a new entry every day for the month of August★☆


I breastfeed Tové. I breastfed Tempess. Yet, I'm still amazed when I get to witness myself making milk. It may be sophmoric, immature, simple-minded, whatever. I still find myself in awe every time I see milk coming from my body.

Bear with me. As children, we're taught that milk comes from cows. I've seen cows being milked in movies, TV shows, cartoons. I'm sure somewhere as a child, I witnessed a human mom breastfeeding her child. But if I did, I can't recall it. My earliest memory of anyone nursing is at the age of 16. That's the earliest I can recall ever being introduced to the idea of breastfeeding.

I remember the first time I squirted in the shower. Man that shot far. Wow. Whenever I pump and I get what I think is a good amount, I feel like I just won some type of Olympics. Hey babe! Look how much milk I pumped. This was all from ONE breast at ONE sitting. I probably should be over the amusement because I exclusively breastfed Tempess and am currently exclusively breastfeeding Tové.

WRONG.

A trip to the ER for a ruptured cyst and raw nipples have me pumping and dumping and taking a break from the pump for a few days. So I'm hand expressing milk. Nowhere near as efficient as nursing - or even, dare I say it, pumping. And because hand expressing leaves me with no free hands to occupy myself while making milk, I'm forced to watch myself make milk. And again, I find myself easily amused by the patterns the streams of milk make, the velocity in which it exits my nipples, the changes in consistency that happens, etc. This stuff is really magic. It's amazing to think that not only is my body capable of creating a tiny human and then delivering that tiny human into the world, but my body is also capable of sustaining said tiny human too.

Don't get me wrong, this magic isn't always easy. In fact, it's been harder the second time around. But it's been magic nonetheless.

Long Days, Short Posts

I had a topic to talk about today, but nothing went as planned and now I'm tired. That so tired your muscles ache tired. Tomorrow is another day. Another opportunity. Night y'all!

It Takes A Village

☆★Today's post is Day 13 of the #31WriteNow blog challenge. I'm posting a new entry every day for the month of August★☆

As I deal with daily life, I realize more and more how important our relationships are. We need a support group that helps us destress. As parents, we occasionally need a break. Without appropriate stress releasers, we become overstretched rubber bands ready to pop. And a popped rubber band is useless.

When I look back on my childhood, I remember the people that were around. I have memories of my grandparents, cousins, my mom's friends. They were my mom's village. They helped her out with me and my brother. They helped her out with her social life. They helped her out with school. They helped her get through life. They helped her from stretching till she popped. They helped her not be useless.

Life and parentdom look a lot different than what I remember they looked like for my mom. Which means I need a different kind of village than she had. But I need a village. I don't want to be useless. Not to my kids. Not to my friends. Not to myself. So I'm working to build my village. Because it doesn't just take a village to raise a child. It takes a village to sustain a person.

And thank you to those invaluable village people that have already claimed their territory in my life.

The Joys of Mommydom

☆★Today's post is Day 12 of the #31WriteNow blog challenge. I'm posting a new entry every day for the month of August★☆

My alarm went off this morning, and like 95% of y'all out there, I dismissed it. Skip snooze. I wanted more than an extra 10-15 minutes. I NEED IT.

Unfortunately, I have another alarm that I can't set or snooze. So at 5:30 a.m., Tové woke me screaming at the top of her lungs.

Ugh! Why is she up so early?

I went and got her from the crib, came back to the bed and started feeding her.

Maybe she'll go back to sleep and I can get a few more minutes in.

I looked down and I was met with the BIGGEST smile ever. Who needs Folgers when you have 11 lbs and 2 dimples of genuine giggles and coos? All of a sudden, I was no longer frustrated, irritated or tired. (Too bad that all wore off as soon as I got in the car.) For about 20 minutes, it was just me and Tové and nothing else mattered.

These are the moments that make mommydom worth it.

I Gave Y'all My Word

☆★Today's post is Day 11 of the #31WriteNow blog challenge. I'm posting a new entry every day for the month of August★☆

This challenge is becoming increasingly hard. Life happens and before I know it, the day is over and I haven't posted anything. However, my mama always said, "Your word is your bond." And since I gave my word that I will post everyday in August, I'm going to post everyday in August. I am going to try to work through some things this week, so that my posts are more about life as a mom, the lessons I'm learning,  and of course my two treasures (because let's face it, that's why y'all keep coming back - to see more of them).

Till tomorrow,
Peace. Love. Hair Grease

When Plans Go Unexpectedly

☆★Today's post is Day 10 of the #31WriteNow blog challenge. I'm posting a new entry every day for the month of August★☆

A little *humorous* reminder that even when we plan, the unexpected can still happen.

Because It's Friday

☆★Today's post is Day 9 of the #31WriteNow blog challenge. I'm posting a new entry every day for the month of August★☆

Temi dressed me today, well, because:
1. She wanted to.
2. She was so serious about it.
3. It made her happy.
4. And heck, it's Friday!

Happy Friday from T4! ♡♥♡♥

Time Management

☆★Today's post is Day 8 of the #31WriteNow blog challenge. I'm posting a new entry every day for the month of August★☆

Lately I feel like I've become part of the zombie apocalypse. I am on a constant tank of E. There's very little energy and very little time to recharge. Between the commute getting me and Todd to work, cooking, cleaning, loving on Tempess, feeding Tové, and Tempess waking up in the middle of the night, there's just no time.

I had a routine and it was working great. Then I got sick. Then entered the third uncomfortable trimester. Then we moved. Then I delivered Tové. Then I was adjusting to Mommydom x 2. Then I went back to work. And now it's hard as hell getting back into a routine. I'm just tired. And sore. All. The. Time.

Where's the magical time management pill that lets me get everything done in 12 hours with 12 hours to myself?

Broken Links: Distance and Family

☆★Today's post is Day 7 of the #31WriteNow blog challenge. I'm posting a new entry every day for the month of August★☆

My childhood was full of memories of family gatherings. I don't think we ever had an empty house. If it wasn't a cookout, then Vera had taken someone in. Our house had a revolving door. Cousins were raised like siblings and everyone was always just a drive away. I spent more weekends in Michigan than I did at home.

I never knew what that meant until now. Even when I lived in Kansas, I wasn't as isolated as I am now. And it's not just me. My family is full of half-truths gathered from piecing together stories of what's going on with each other. It's sad when you factor in that everybody and their mama has a Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, etc. There really should be no excuse for not knowing. And yet there is.

It's crazy how there are more broken links and distance between everyone now than there has ever been.

Me Time

☆★Today's post is Day 6 of the #31WriteNow blog challenge. I'm posting a new entry every day for the month of August★☆

I struggle daily with finding the balance between mom, girlfriend and Taija. I was Taija before I was anything else, except a daughter. But friend, sister, employee, girlfriend, mom. Those all came later. So you would think that being Taija, taking care of me would be the easiest thing ever.

Not so much.

It's so easy for me to get caught up in taking care of the girls or trying to do things that make Todd smile that I look up and I'm tired, but I haven't done one thing for me. Todd has called me out on it a few times. Recently, I gave him some much-needed game time. After which, the following convo took place:

Me: I can't give you an hour everyday, especially when I go back to work, but I could probably do 15 minutes of just making sure the girls don't bother you so you can unwind after work. Is that good enough? Do you need more?
Todd: Awwww thanks babe, but you don't have to do that. Maybe an hour or two on Friday or Saturday. Plus if you give me 15 minutes everyday, when are you gonna take your 15 minutes? Don't you need time to yourself too?

I was stuck. I definitely need Taija time. I just hadn't thought about taking it.

It's nice to know that he recognizes and understands I'm more than just "Mama" and his girlfriend and that I need to re-energize too. Even if I don't always recognize that.

Everybody, Do the Shuffle

☆★Today's post is Day 5 of the #31WriteNow blog challenge. I'm posting a new entry every day for the month of August★☆

By nature, I'm a thinker, planner, fixer, dreamer. I get an idea, then I brainstorm how to make it happen. I run into a problem, I come up with a plan to fix it. (Unless I can't fix it, then I lose control. I don't do well with what I can't control.)

Since I got pregnant with Tempess, I have been determined not to listen to all the naysayers who said life would suck because I was a mom before I was 45. I believe my children are blessings (even when they make me want to play Hide and Don't Seek). I also believe that Todd and I don't have to give up on our dreams, desires and goals just because we are unexpected parents. We just have to find a different approach.

And find a different approach, we have been doing. Or at least trying to. It's hard. Every time we have a plan, every time we think we've figured it out, something happens to knock us off our feet. Or at least make us stumble like Drunk Uncle Charlie. And so we do the infamous life shuffle.

One step forward. Two steps back. One step to the left. Slide to the right. Now ChaCha....oh wait that's the ChaCha slide. Sure feels like our life right now.

But as we both keep reminding each other:
It's only temporary. Things WILL get better.

Writing to Write

☆★Today's post is Day 4 of the #31WriteNow blog challenge. I'm posting a new entry every day for the month of August★☆

I dont really have anything to write about today. Today was a good day. Went to church online. Went to a comedy show I had signed up for and it turned out to be awesome.

Today was a good day.

Life Lessons...The Hard Way

☆★Today's post is Day 3 of the #31WriteNow blog challenge. I'm posting a new entry every day for the month of August★☆

Today was one of those days where I was reminded of the importance of caring for me first. I get so wrapped up in my girls that I hardly take time for myself. I'm guilty of putting everyone else before me.

Today was also one of those days where I was reminded that life is out of my control. Sometimes no matter how much I try to plan or protect or do what I think is best, sometimes things still don't go as planned. I like things to be perfect. I like them to be the best. To be how I planned them. I don't do well with things I can't control.

Today I wasn't in control. And I lived. Tomorrow's another day.

Career Woman vs. Mom

☆★Today's post is Day 2 of the #31WriteNow blog challenge. I'm posting a new entry every day for the month of August. Join me! ★☆

Years ago, I was talking to my supervisor about long-distance relationships and marriage when she told me that I wouldn't sacifice my career for the man I loved. You see,she was in the middle of a crossroads - she loved her job but she hated doing the long-distance thing. She could easily get jobs closer to home, but they wouldn't offer what she currently had. So she chose her career and prayed daily that a position would open up in the company that moved her closer to her boo. I was the same, she argued. She could see it in my eyes and my dedication to my internship that, I too, would make the same choice.

"You are dead wrong!! Your job should never come before those you love." That's what the fairytale romantic inside me was screaming at the top of her lungs.

But my supervisor was right. When it came my time to make the proverbial choice, I packed up and moved 12 hours away. Of course I talked it over with my boyfriend at the time, but in the end love wasn't enough for me to throw away my career. Especially when "love" had no place for me to live, no signs of putting a ring on it anytime soon and no means to pay my bills that my internship was barely covering. At the end of the day, I couldn't settle careerwise just to be close to the one I loved. Because let's face it, if it was true love, it would conquer all - even 12 hours. Things didn't work out the way I planned or hoped, but I never regretted that decision. I know that I did what I thought was in my best interest long-term with hopes that I'd be able to provide and enjoy the future I dreamed of. I loved my job. It was my baby, my pride and joy. It kept me going in a town where I was all alone.

Fast forward a relocation, layoff and two children later, and I am more than willing to settle careerwise to be close to the ones I love. When it comes to Tempess and Tové, I'd give up everything for them without thinking twice. At the same time, I still have hopes and aspirations. I have financial goals I want to achieve. I have pride in my work. (Who wouldn't want to see their story make the cover of a magazine?)

And so the Career Woman and the Mom in me duke it out daily. Some weeks, the mom wins and I'm all about my home, my family, trying to stay at home. Other weeks, the CW wins and I'm looking for ways to grow professionally and learn new skills. Somewhere, there's a nice bakery where the two sit down over pastries and hatch a plan to become partners instead of continually competing. I'm still looking for that bakery.

#31WriteNow...Why Not?

Insomnia plus late night FB scrolling landed me at http://www.awesomelyluvvie.com/2013/07/31writenow-blog-challenge.html. I will admit that before last night, I had never even visited the blog, but she got me with the challenge. The goal of #31WriteNow is to post a blog entry every day in August.

The last time I committed to daily posts were the last few days of my pregnancy when I did the countdown. Those were really just textpics, so creating 31 actual posts will be interesting. I'm looking forward to the challenge.

If you're a writer, join me. Comment below and I'll follow you.

The Big Latch On

I was recently invited to The Big Latch On at Nibbles Cafe to support breastfeeding.The goal is to help communities positively support breastfeeding in public places and increase support for women who breastfeed. I remember feeling isolated because all the women in my family formula fed, so they just didn't get it - the rules, the issues, the fears. I am very pro breastfeeding. I think it's wonderful. Plus it's free. :-) So this Saturday, T4 will be at Nibbles Cafe supporting breastfeeding mamas and enjoying snacks and Elmo. If you're in the Wheeling area, feel free to stop by. If you're elsewhere, you can find locations near you at http://biglatchon.org/.