Tales from the McWade: January 2008

1.20.2008

Mt Rainier

We drove up the mountain to play in some serious snow. Check out these pics~

1.07.2008

It snowed last night and there was finally enough to play in. We got cozied up in our winter warmest, and tried out the sled we've been waiting to play with. Hannah had a blast and kept saying "Mommy, pull me around!" After running a couple laps in the yard, I was toast. Keep in mind being near 8 months pregnant. Ginger was up for the running though and kept Hannah giggling.

Happy Like a Cow and the Fruit-Snak scam

Hannah is quite the conversationalist these days. Here are a couple of our favorite conversations:

HAPPY LIKE A COW

Hannah to Daddy: "Are you my friend?"

Daddy: "Of course!"

Mommy to Hannah: "Is mommy your friend?"

Hannah: "No, you're not my friend. You're happy. Like a cow."

I LOVE YOU...

Mommy to Hannah: "I love you. I LOVE you. I loooooove you."

Hannah: (No response.)

Mommy: "Hannah, I love you. I looove you."

Hannah: "Mommy, what's wrong?"

Mommy: "Nothing's wrong, I just love you."

Hannah: "I love you mommy. I love you daddy. I love you mommy and daddy. I LOVE you. I love you mommy and daddy. I love fruit snacks."

ZooLights

Here are some pictures from ZooLights. It was cold and wet, but Hannah loved the lights and animals.

Christmas 2007

It was certainly a busy holiday for us around here! We celebrated Christmas with the in-laws on the 15th, Kristin had her baby on the 20th, celebrated Christmas with Nana on the 22nd and the rest of the family on the 25th! We may end up celebrating 12 days of Christmas next year -- haha! It will certainly get more and more busy with both Hannah and Ezra's birthday's surrounding the Christmas holiday. With Hannah's birthday being so close to Christmas, it was a slight blur of gifts, but some of her favorite things include her "monkey jams", chapstick, Little People Zoo and Preschool sets and her Little Pony ice cream truck. She has been busy trying out all the new things and gets excited to open something new and different. Here are some random pictures from all of the gift giving events...

That's Domestic Director...

Originally posted on my smidgegreener.blogspot, I needed a pep-talk. I have been recently applying for some part-time work and wonder why I didn't add this to my resume? I thought I would post here in case anyone else needed the same pat on the back. You mom's do good work!

As you may or may not be aware, I stay at home and care for my kids, the household and food. Along with those not-so-simple responsibilities, I also facilitate art projects, home-made cookies and accessibility to clean clothing -- to name ONLY a few.

I manage not only my time, but that of at least 2 others(sometimes 3...) and keep all schedules as insync as I know how. I coordinate meetings with grandparents and inlaws. Set-up play dates and social interactions for my kids. Fearing a 2pm meltdown, I consolidate outings and events into neat little chunks of time, taking into consideration naps, snacks and quiet time. I brainstorm new meal options to avoid the snack traps of goldfish crackers and string cheese as well as break through the tediousness of chicken for dinner, again. I ensure that little minds are being challenged and enlightened. I attempt to teach and try to slow down enough to play. So much more than changing diapers and running bubble baths!

Through the course of this often thankless and constantly demanding and needy position I hold, I find myself missing the work world, all shiny and sharp. Downtown traffic, high heels and always a few minutes late. Morning coffee, office meetings and real-world chit chat. I miss the competance I once possessed for jobs I excelled in. I miss the adult comraderie and conversations over current events, music and what's for lunch.It's always easy to see the grass as greener on the other side. And nothing quite says 'boring' like "stay-at-home mom". I shrink a little anytime someone asks me what I do. Answers like "mom" and "I'm not working" seem to immediately end the conversation. No one seems to find interest in a job such as this. Someone would much rather talk about driving a UPS truck than the ins and outs of raising children and managing a home.

A good friend of mine was speaking to me about the importance of having a title as she is embarking on the beginning of a family and no longer plans to work. She is embracing the notion that we aren't "just moms" and we don't "just stay home with our kids". I really like her way of thinking and it's been making me wonder about a title for myself. So no longer will I be a "stay-at-home mom", I will now be Domestic Director. Afterall, doesn't that much better sum up the myriad of roles we play? Though we may be at home, I would hardly call it 'just staying at home'.

So to all those moms out there looking to reclaim a little bit of their former 'working' self: grab a thesaurus and make a title.

Then own it.

Tales from the McWade

1.20.2008

Mt Rainier

1.07.2008

Snow Day

Happy Like a Cow and the Fruit-Snak scam

ZooLights

Christmas 2007

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That's Domestic Director...