Nobody's Cuter Than You!

If you do not have your copy of Melanie's new book, I command you to go out and get yourself one immediately.  Yes, I called her Melanie like we're best friends because after 20 some odd hours listening to BigBoo podcast archive I feel as if I already know her.  Hopefully I will get the chance to meet her at dotMom this fall and make a complete fool of myself as I try to refrain from babbling and trying to koala hug her at the same time.

I digress.

Her book is amazing.  To say that it is about friendship feels like an understatement.  But anyone who has ever been deeply blessed by a good friend knows that there aren't enough words to describe how wonderful they are.  Melanie captures this in a way that leaves me breathless from laughing even as tears are pouring down my face.  It is so beautiful and you will be better for having read it.  I am THRILLED to say that you can find this in your local Wal-Mart (I got the last copy in mine!) or you can order it from amazon or barnes & noble.  If you must, you can also download it to your kindle or whatever you're reading on that is not a book.  I don't understand this because you cannot smell the pages through a screen, but I know I'm one of the few rare true book nerds left.  The point is, however you want to obtain your copy, do so with a quickness.

Oh and Sophie is the other one on the podcast and her newest book is next on my list along with Tina Fey's Bossy Pants.  Head over to her blog and check her out as well.  I promise that you will not be disappointed!

Big & Boo

Big Mama and Boo Mama are two of my FAVORITE bloggers.  Day after day they bring humor to the absolute monotony that life often holds.  I have just recently started listening to the podcasts that they sometimes record together and can I just tell you, I've been missing out.  They're both fabulous writers but listening to them chat together takes it to a whole new level.  These women are hysterical.  HYSTERICAL.

Go listen to the latest one and I promise that you will laugh your head off.  And then you will laugh some more after that.  You might even get some really great fashion tips...which is entirely dependent on your ability to imagine what they're saying and your definition of 'really great'.  Nonetheless, I promise that you will not be disappointed.

Happy Friday!

Pregnancy Brain without the pregnancy

Today I feel the way that I did when I was pregnant with Alaina and all of my brain cells were going to her.  Anyone who has ever conceived knows exactly what I am talking about.  The second line appears on the stick and almost instantaneously your IQ drops 30 points.  Back then, I was okay with it because I was growing a human being and that is hard work.

Right now though?  Not pregnant.  Not been pregnant.  Probably not ever gonna be pregnant again.  Yet, I can't seem to formulate complete sentences.  Last night I was watching an old episode of Kids Week Jeopardy and got my ass kicked by an 11 year old.  Which completely defeated the purpose of watching Jeopardy during kid week.  Isn't that when I am supposed to feel smarter because I know all the answers?

HA.

The only reason I am posting today is because I have been wanting to for over two weeks with absolutely nothing intelligent to share with you.  Today, I realized that you already know I am not a rocket scientist if you've read anything else I've posted here.  What a huge weight was lifted when I decided to stop waiting for inspiration to strike before I post.  I foresee a lot of consistent posting here about more random nonsense than usual.  Stick around.  One day quality will once again trump quantity.  Or summer will get here and there will once again be room in my brain for something other than school lunch calendars and making sure a uniform is clean* for tomorrow.  Of course then I'll be too busy sticking my toes in the sand to even think about the computer screen and sitting down to write.  

Only 73 days to go....

*in full disclosure N does all the laundry in our house because my definition of clean is stain free and without a smell whether it's been worn twice or 25 times

Is there anything better than laughing?

The sound of laughter rings throughout every inch of space.  Deep, belly laughs that leave us gasping for air.  Tears stream down our cheeks, where rivers of mascara would have followed if we had bothered to wear any.  Our lungs move tiny amounts of air in and out as we try desperately to catch our breaths.  It is a futile effort and only serves to set off another series of laughter.  We try again to contain ourselves, to establish some decorum, but gloriously fail.  The process repeats itself over and over again until we are nearly passing out from lack of oxygen.  These moments do more for my psyche than a thousand hours spent on a psychologists couch or a thousand dollars of retail therapy.  For just a few moments they flood my body with enough endorphin's to annihilate any negative thoughts that might be rolling around. 

She looks at me and says, "this reminds me of that time when we were laughing like this and that thing happened and..."

off we go again.

Being a Mommy

Motherhood is so complex.  It is the most wonderful, terrifying, rewarding & exhausting thing on the planet.  It is full of rock star moments and times where one more "why" will drive you to the brink of insanity; the line between those two things is wafer thin and can change in an instant.  It is adjusting to a child who has been like clockwork for nearly four years and has recently decided that 6 a.m. is a better hour to rise than 7 a.m. was.

And still the beautiful creature sitting in my lap this morning astounds me.  Overwhelming love flows through me and fills my heart with joy.  I know that this is one of those kairos moments where standard time stands still.  The clock telling me there are showers to be had, breakfast to be made and work to get to, slows to a stop.  I study every inch of her, trying to memorize exactly how she looks in this moment.

Tiny little perfect fingers intertwine with mine and I am struck by how olive her skin is up against my oh-so-pale color.  Big brown eyes stare back at me - sleep still clinging to the corners of her lashes.  Long brown hair falls on her face and she impatiently brushes it out of her way.  Ruby earrings peek out from the most perfect ears God ever made.  She yawns and snuggles into my chest proclaiming, "I like you mama."

My heart melts as I whisper back that I like her too.  In fact, she is the coolest kid in the world.  I want nothing more than to call a time-out and freeze in this moment for just a little longer.  It is these moments that are what mommies live for.  I held her a little tighter savoring each second.  And then I heard her sweet voice whisper, "Mama?  I just tooted on you" and then giggle hysterically in the way only a small child can do.  Reality snapped back into focus and time started slowly moving again. 

A perfect picture of motherhood indeed.