Monster Mommy Moment – Kristin Style
I am SO excited to have a blogger who is new to me sharing a Monster Mommy Moment with us…Kristin from What She Said!
I chat with Kristin on Twitter, and we are starting to develop a friendship. Kristin is a wife and mom to a beautiful little girl. She has a fantastic sense of humor and very dry wit, which I love! I’m new to her blog, but loved it immediately – she blogs about her daughter, food, and anything else she can think of…much like me!
I’m excited to introduce Kristin to you, and hope to continue to hang out with her…she’s good people! Please help me welcome her so she can share her Monster Mommy Moment with us.
If you’re not sure what a Monster Mommy Moment is, you can read all about how my weekly feature came to be here.
Go grab a cup of coffee and a donut, ahem, I mean a low-fat muffin, or depending on the time of the day maybe some wine and chocolate, and sit back and enjoy the story!
When Doing Nothing is Something
I’m not accustomed to doing nothing.
I like to use what precious little free time I have these days to do something. Which is why in the evenings after my daughter goes to bed, and on the weekends when she’s napping (puaha!), I become a woman on a mission. I tackle one of my various ongoing home organization projects. Or power through some chores. Or have marital relations with my husband. Or exercise. Or unwind with a book. Or even make a date with my DVR to catch up on some of my favorite shows. (Hey, that counts!)
Most of the time, I confess, I sit down and peck out blog posts, format my web site, or do some social networking (because that sounds way more official than saying I hop on the Twitters). I know… you’d think marital relations would come first. And it would, it really would, if not for the torrid affair I’m having with my laptop.
The point is I like to always be doing something. Even if that something isn’t necessarily what I should be doing.
On a recent Friday afternoon, however, I found myself doing what I considered to be nothing.
My daughter was sick and running a fever of 102.5. It was a persistent little bugger, too. Tylenol hadn’t helped. Nor had sleep. Instead of napping, she had lain awake in her crib, too feverish to doze but too lethargic to fuss, until fatigue and frustration finally got the best of her.
At her cries, I entered her room and scooped her up. She just wanted to be held. We settled into the old Boston rocker beside her crib, an heirloom that once belonged to my great-grandmother and looks as if was made just for reading bedtime stories and rocking sick babies. So, that’s what I did.
As we rocked, I thought about my extensive to-do list. Having left work early on a Friday to fetch my sick baby from daycare, I’d essentially gotten an early jump on the weekend. I could take care of the laundry. Make my weekly menu and grocery list. Finish organizing the guest bedroom.
Or…
On a more selfish level, I imagined a quiet afternoon of writing. I could knock out so many blog posts. I mean, when I really stopped to think about it, the day was sort of a freebie. And I deserved some time for myself! Yes, never mind my poor, ailing child. Why not just go ahead and make this all about me.
I sat and rocked my daughter and thought about all the things I could be doing, if only she would nap in her crib. It was a dark, rainy afternoon – perfect sleeping weather. And she didn’t feel well. I felt certain that if I could just get her to go down, there was a good chance she’d take a nice, long snooze. And then I could finally do something.
But for now, I was stuck. Among the last of a dying breed, I don’t own a smartphone, and therefore couldn’t even occupy my brain with the Interwebs from my tether to the chair. All I could do was rock and stare idly at the wall.
But as I began to doze off, lulled to sleep by the dark room and the feverish baby nestled against my chest, a shameful realization settled over me.
My increasingly independent toddler, who often pushes me away these days when I go in for a hug, was letting me hold her. In fact, I was rocking her to sleep for the first time in well over a year. And every so often she’d look up at me with heavy-lidded eyes as if to make sure I was still there. She was sick. And she wanted me. She needed me.
And that’s when it hit me.
I was doing something.
I was being a mom.
———-
Kristin, I adore this post, because I’m the same way…always going a million miles a minute and not slowing down to just enjoy time with the kids doing nothing but being a mom. Thanks you for sharing your Monster Mommy Moment with us…and for reminding us all that we are allowed to do nothing but be a mom. Those moments alone snuggling with our toddlers will get fewer and farther between as they get older, and we will cherish them.
Now go swing by What She Said and say hello to Kristin, and if you’re new there make sure to tell her that I sent you. I know you’ll really enjoy her blog!
Also…if you missed my post yesterday, please check it out — it’s all about what you can do to support our troops overseas simply by clicking on a Taste of Home recipe! It won’t cost you anything but a few moments of time!
for its contents. This is a safe-cache copy of the original web site.
Comments
Oh, can I relate! Great monster mommy moment!
I have issues being idle. I physically cannot be idle! So I totally understand where you are coming from.
It’s sad that each and every minute of our day has to be accounted for but that is the reality of being a mother and an employee and a wife…don’t be so hard on yourself! You were there for your little one and in the end that’s more than many moms can really say (myself included unfortunately!).
I have issues being idle. I physically cannot be idle! So I totally understand where you are coming from.
It’s sad that each and every minute of our day has to be accounted for but that is the reality of being a mother and an employee and a wife…don’t be so hard on yourself! You were there for your little one and in the end that’s more than many moms can really say (myself included unfortunately!).
I have issues being idle. I physically cannot be idle! So I totally understand where you are coming from.
It’s sad that each and every minute of our day has to be accounted for but that is the reality of being a mother and an employee and a wife…don’t be so hard on yourself! You were there for your little one and in the end that’s more than many moms can really say (myself included unfortunately!).
Kristin, I can relate. Absolutely. I am constantly trying to multi task, sometimes at the expense of my toddler. He’s priority #1, and I just need to be reminded once in a while. It’s so easy to get sucked up in everything else. Great post!
I have been in the exact same situation many times. I think it’s natural because we have so much going on. But then when I realize that my baby is sick and needs me I let myself have a break to enjoy the snuggle time and to take care of my little one.
Oh I can totally relate. I’m always on the go, hoping for naps and bedtime so that I can get stuff done. But when they need us like that? I try my hardest to soak it all in!
Yes, this. I love this and need to be reminded of it so very often! Fab guesting post ladies! XO
Oh I love this post! I feel I’m the same way, always looking to get something done.
Wow, thank you for that awesome intro, Natalie! While this wasn’t exactly my proudest mom moment – and I’ve had many more like it since – it’s nice to know that other moms can relate.
Such a great reminder! My husband says this to me all the time…that I have to stop and just “be” but sometimes it’s so hard.
It’s so difficult sometimes to just stop and appreciate the moment we’re in. I have a hard time doing that. I’m glad you got some snuggle time with your little one
Also, I am glad to hear I am not the only smart-phone-free person left out there. I want one badly, but I haven’t convinced my hubby that we need to add a data plan to our monthly bills
I’m resisting the urge to break down and buy one. On the one hand, as a blogger, I feel like I sort of need one – especially if I ever go to a blogging conference. But on the other hand, I feel like it would be the final nudge right on over that [very thin] line that currently separates my “real” life from my virtual one.
It sucks when the mind gets churning and you start to get anxious to get up and go! I understand!
It sucks when the mind gets churning and you start to get anxious to get up and go! I understand!
It really does suck. It’s probably my biggest regret so far as a mother – not taking the time to just enjoy the small, simple moments. My to-do list is always going to be there. I mean, really. It’s time to face the facts: It’s never gonna be “done.” So, why is it so hard to relax and let it all go every now and then?
Marvelous post! I can so relate to this! Our house has been plagued with one virus after another this year. I’ve spent so much time snuggling with my boys who normally are “too big” for snuggling. It’s definitely not doing nothing.
How true is this post!
Sometimes we need little reminders like this to yank us back into reality.
We are doing something!
We’re being mothers.
Sigh.
It’s so easy to overlook the obvious, isn’t it?
Oh my god, you have sex and admit it. Not sure we can be friends anymore.
Also – this post = perfection xo
But not as often as I should! And thank you, my friend.
I could have written this!!
I am GUILTY of trying to do too much and when I’m not, I’m thinking about all the things I have to do (want to do) other than be a mom.
I know the only person that gets the short end of the stick is my son.
I’m working on being present for him and not *doing* so much.
Excellent mommy monster moment
And I could’ve written THIS. Very well said, Tonya.
I feel this way quite a bit lately, like instead of thinking of all the things I could be doing, I should be enjoying every opportunity to live in the now, with the little boys who will not be little much longer.
Thanks for writing this and sharing it with us, honestly it reminded me of what is really really important and how those few minutes of it we have now should be cherished instead of wished away.
I’m working on it
It’s definitely something that’s easier said (or thought) than done. I’m still working on it too.
I’m pretty sure I have no problem “doing nothing” but this is so spot on, when you can just sit with your child, even rocking to sleep – I’d give anything to have that back. They’re not big snugglers anymore and I miss it.